Abstract: A sealing device incorporated in a packaging machine heat-seals a vicinity of a bag mouth of a packaging bag. Paired heater bars are disposed opposite each other so as to be openable/closable and hold the vicinity between them when closed, thereby heat-sealing the vicinity. A link mechanism converts rotation of an output shaft of a servomotor to an opening/closing operation of the heater bars. A storage unit stores seal patterns, each of which includes a sealing pressure applied to the parts and a sealing time period for which the parts are continuously held. A selection unit is configured to select one seal pattern. The output shaft is rotated by a predetermined closing angle according to the sealing pressure of the selected seal pattern to close the heater bars. The heater bars are maintained in the closed state for the sealing time period of the selected seal pattern.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed for making a band-driven package or a band-drive component for a package, and machines for performing the methods. One method comprises feeding first and second flexible webs in a feed direction, one web being fed each side of a substrate such that the webs are in mutual face-to-face disposition ahead of and behind the substrate with respect to the feed direction; joining the face-to-face webs at a first join ahead of the substrate and at a second join behind the substrate, the joins bounding web portions that together encircle the substrate between the joins; and dividing the joined web portions from the remainder of the webs such that the joined web portions together define a band that encircles the substrate, to be slid around the substrate in use of the package.

Abstract: Various device embodiments include first and second plate assemblies. Each plate assembly includes a base, a seal plate, one or more air bladders and a servo motor to provide a linear motion of the seal plate with respect to the base. The device further includes at least one plate assembly motor operably linked to the bases of the plate assemblies to provide a linear motion of the first and second plate assemblies toward each other to perform a sealing operation and away from each other. The device further includes a controller connected to the at least one plate assembly motor and to the first and second servo motors to coordinate the motion of the first and second seal plates to perform a seal operation on a web while traveling with the web.

Abstract: A bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus is adapted to form a strip film into a cylindrical film. The bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus includes a sealing unit with a pair of sealing members facing each other to seal an end portion of the cylindrical film therebetween to package an article. Each of the sealing members includes a sealing jaw, a heating unit, and a heat insulating member. The sealing jaw has a heat generating surface, and configured and arranged to seal the cylindrical film on the heat generating surface. The heating unit is configured and arranged to heat the heat generating surface of the sealing jaw. The heat insulating member insulates the heat conduction from the heating unit to a direction other than a direction toward the heat generating surface of the sealing jaw.

Abstract: Various device embodiments include first and second plate assemblies. Each plate assembly includes a base, a seal plate, one or more air bladders and a servo motor to provide a linear motion of the seal plate with respect to the base. The device further includes at least one plate assembly motor operably linked to the bases of the plate assemblies to provide a linear motion of the first and second plate assemblies toward each other to perform a sealing operation and away from each other. The device further includes a controller connected to the at least one plate assembly motor and to the first and second servo motors to coordinate the motion of the first and second seal plates to perform a seal operation on a web while traveling with the web.

Abstract: Various device embodiments include first and second plate assemblies. Each plate assembly includes a base, a seal plate, one or more air bladders and a servo motor to provide a linear motion of the seal plate with respect to the base. The device further includes at least one plate assembly motor operably linked to the bases of the plate assemblies to provide a linear motion of the first and second plate assemblies toward each other to perform a sealing operation and away from each other. The device further includes a controller connected to the at least one plate assembly motor and to the first and second servo motors to coordinate the motion of the first and second seal plates to perform a seal operation on a web while traveling with the web.

Abstract: A form-and-seal unit for producing aseptic sealed packages from a tube of packaging material filled with a pourable food product. The unit comprises a fixed structure and two forming assemblies which interact alternately and cyclically with the tube of packaging material, and have respective pairs of jaws movable between an open position and a closed position in which they grip the packaging material tube between respective sealing means, and respective forming flaps selectable from different types of forming flaps for producing different types of packages, and having respective half shell forming portions which surround the tube of packaging material to determine the volume and shape of the packages. The approach movement of the forming flaps towards the packaging material tube is controlled by a fixed cam mechanism having different work profiles selectively engaged by cam-follower rollers of the forming flaps depending on the type of forming flaps used.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and device for heat-sealing windows into folding carton blanks for producing liquid-proof folding cartons having film windows. Pieces of film that are cut to measure are placed on the window openings of the folding carton blanks and the edges of the pieces of film are heat-sealed with the folding carton blanks so as to be liquid-proof using heated pressure segments or heat-sealing dies. The folding carton blanks, together with the pieces of film, are fed to a tail pulley for a transport belt by means of the transport belt and are inserted in the gap between the tail pulley and the transport belt resting thereon. In this gap, the blanks and pieces of film are continuously heat-sealed together by means of at least two heated pressure segments that are disposed on the outer periphery of the tail pulley and push radially from inwards against the transport belt in the area of deflection of the transport belt and thus onto the edges of the pieces of film.

Abstract: A method for packaging flat articles, whereby the flat articles (1), when in a transport flow (3), are covered on both sides by a packaging material (2a, 2b) and a welding beam (11) establishes cross-connections between subsequent articles (1) in an upper area (2a) and a lower area (2b) of the packaging material. Welding beams (11) are provided with at least one resilient hold-down element (12a, 12b) each which brings the packaging material (2a, 2b) to be processed into a defined position. The hold-down element (12a, 12b) compresses the packaging material (2a, 2b) before the welding beam contacts the packaging material (2a, 2b) and executes a processing operation such as welding or pressing. The transport flow, in the area of processing, is transported by means of a support belt which exerts a force countering the forces exerted by the hold-down elements (12a, 12b) and the welding beam (11).

Abstract: A machine for packaging products (13) in sealed film (25), comprises a product inlet feeding bench (12), a rotating head (15) for receiving and conveying products arriving sequentially from the feeding bench to a loading station (14) in the head and an outlet bench (17) that receives the products conveyed by the rotating head (15) to an unloading station (16) to evacuate them from the machine. The rotating head (15) comprises peripherally seats (30, 31) for receiving products and a sealing device (45, 46, 47, 48) that rotates with these seats (30, 31) to achieve sealing of a film wound around the product in a seat (30, 31) whilst the head rotates to take the seat (30, 31) from the loading station (14) to the unloading station (31).

Abstract: Device for closing bags for containing powder or granular materials, suitable for installation within a belt, roller or similar line for conveying bags, including at least one sealing head (52) and a conveyor member (27) for feeding the bags (60) to the sealing head (52), characterised in that the sealing head (52) presents drive elements (51, 53, 54, 55) causing it to advance, during the sealing process, at the same speed as the conveyor member to enable it to seal a bag (60) while the conveyor member is moving.

Abstract: Various device embodiments include first and second plate assemblies. Each plate assembly includes a base, a seal plate and a servo motor to provide a linear motion of the seal plate with respect to the base. The device farther includes at least one plate assembly motor operably linked to the bases of the plate assemblies to provide a linear motion of the first and second plate assemblies toward each other to perform a sealing operation and away from each other. The device further includes a controller connected to the at least one plate assembly motor and to the first and second servo motors to coordinate the motion of the first and second seal plates to perform a seal operation on a web while traveling with the web.

Abstract: To be able to weld different items, in particular films of different thickness and composition, in an optimized way in each case, it is proposed in the case of a welding jaw circulating along a closed path, for example a transverse welding jaw of a vertical tubular bag machine, to provide a sealing time factor (Kt) that can be set as desired within an open interval from zero to one and is equal to a quotient of a sealing time (ts) and a cycle time (tz) for a circulation of the welding jaw.

Abstract: A packaging machine has a wrapping device for forming a tubular wrapping from a continuous web of heat-seal material, and for feeding products successively into the tubular wrapping; each product being located between two free tubular portions of the tubular wrapping, which are folded substantially onto the relative products, and are stabilized by at least one pair of sealing devices, each of which has a sealing surface heated electrically by a heating device, operation of which is controlled by a control device carried by the sealing device and for determining an actual temperature of the sealing surface.

Abstract: A forming jaw for producing a succession of sealed packages from a tube of sheet packaging material filled with a pourable food product and fed in a direction parallel to its longitudinal axis is disclosed. The jaw includes sealing structure that seals a cross section of the tube; and forming structure that imparts a predetermined shape to the tube between two successive sealed cross sections. The forming structure has first and second surfaces for interacting with the tube and which extend respectively in a direction crosswise to, and in a direction parallel to, the axis of the tube. The first surface has a convex portion which exerts pressure on, to control filling of, the packages being formed.

Abstract: There is described an induction sealing device (15) for heat sealing packaging material for producing sealed packages of pourable food products and fed in a first direction (A). The sealing device (15) has induction means (20, 21) interacting with the packaging material by means of a pair of first active surfaces (26) and a pair of second active surfaces (25) interposed between the first active surfaces (26) in the first direction (A); and the second active surfaces (25) have, in the first direction (A), a width (L1) greater than the width (L2) of the First active surfaces (26) at least along most of the length of the first and second active surfaces (26, 25) in a second direction (B) perpendicular to the first direction (A).

Abstract: A lateral sealing mechanism for use in a bag-making and packaging machine includes movable rotary shafts. The movable rotary shafts are driven by a lateral drive mechanism so that the distance between the shafts is controllable. Support mechanisms are mounted on and rotatable about the shafts. The support mechanisms support sealing elements for forming lateral heat seals on a tubular packaging material from which the bags are formed. The support mechanisms are such that the sealing elements are tiltable with respect to the tubular packaging material, and so that two sealing elements can be maintained in directly opposed engagement to one another across the packaging material as the seal is formed. The machine includes a squeezing mechanism that operates to force the packaged material downward within the tubular material and out of a sealing region before the seal is formed.

Abstract: A tube film grip-pressing time by a pair of seal bars is controlled to set longer. A crank mechanism allows a seal bar frame supported by a pair of rails to reciprocate along the rails. The crank mechanism includes an arm which supports one end support shaft and is capable of swinging, and a circular crank plate which is rotated by power of a center shaft. The crank mechanism is fixed to a crankshaft which rotatably supports a groove-like slide which is engaged with a slide guide formed along a longitudinal direction of a lower surface of the arm on an eccentric portion of the crank plate. A top dead center and a bottom dead center of the arm are formed respectively &thgr;1 and &thgr;2 beyond a 180° region connected across a center shaft that, is a. A servo motor which drives the center shaft controls speed in the point 55 to point 56 region having a radius of 180° to make the speed constant, and cause the frame to advance along rails and then move backward at a high speed.

Abstract: A form and seal unit (1) for producing aseptic sealed packages from a tube (2) of packaging material filled with a pourable food product; the unit having a fixed structure (3), and two forming assemblies (5, 5′) interacting alternately and cyclically with the tube (2) of packaging material, and in turn having respective pairs of jaws (7) movable between an open position and a closed position in which the jaws grip the tube (2) of packing material between respective sealing members (13, 14), and respective forming flaps (21) having respective half-shell forming portions (22) which surround the tube (2) of packaging material to determine the shape and volume of the packages; the closing movement of the forming flaps (21) about the tube (2) of packaging material is controlled by cams (30) carried by the forming flaps (21) and interacting with rollers (64) fixed to the structure (3) of the unit (1).

Abstract: An apparatus and method is provided for sealing a package. The apparatus comprises a first rotating belt and a second rotating belt adjacent to the first rotating belt. The first and second rotating belt have a synchronized travel speed. The first rotating belt carries a sealing device for sealing a package, the package being located between said first and second belts.

Abstract: An apparatus for sealing films together along a path includes a sealing shoe and a counter shoe defining a clearance through which the films pass. The sealing shoe includes an elongated optical energy source having a length dimension oriented generally parallel to the sealing path; a reflector for focussing light emitted by the energy source; a window transparent to the light and having an outer surface adapted to be oriented toward the counter shoe for sealing the films by the light; and a firing arrangement for activating the energy source. The window and the counter shoe are urged toward one another.

Abstract: A machine for activating cutting members included in sealing dies carried by a rotating wheel to cause the cutting members to sever a tube of material held within the sealing dies. The machine includes a striker assembly and an actuator. The striker assembly includes a base and a striker element movable relative to the base between first and second location. The actuator is connected to the base to move the striker assembly between first and second positions. When the striker assembly is moved from the first position to the second position, the striker element is moved into operative engagement with a moving sealing die being carried by the rotating wheel to cause the cutting member of the engaged sealing die to shift from a retracted position to a cutting position to sever the tube. While in operative engagement with the moving sealing die, the striker element moves with the sealing die and relative to the base from the first location to the second location in a direction generally tangential to the wheel.

Abstract: A device for automatically vacuum filling and sealing bags comprising a bag handling and sealing mechanism that is moveable between a first, bag receiving position in close proximity to a material discharge spout and a second, bag discharge position away from the spout. The material discharge spout is provided with one or more vacuum probes that draw a vacuum within a bag clamped within a pair of forming bars of the bag handling and sealing mechanism. Once a vacuum has been drawn within the bag, the bag handling and sealing mechanism seals the bag and moves it to a bag discharge position away from the spout where the bag is deposited on a bag removal mechanism such as a conveyor.

Abstract: A method of continuously forming, filling and sealing of packages with a continuous web of film material is disclosed and comprises the steps of providing a continuous web of film material and folding the web to provide confronting sides joined along a bottom edge and forming a vertical seal at spaced intervals along the web. This process forms a series of horizontally disposed pouches having opposed sidewalls separated by the vertical seals with each pouch being unsealed along a top edge. The pouches are then opened by separating the opposed sidewalls and are then filled with a product.