Vertically Disposed Tube Patents (Class 53/551)
  • Patent number: 6865860
    Abstract: A form-fill sealing machine (1) for manufacturing resealable packages (W) includes a tearable line forming device (30) that serves to form tearable lines (104) in a film (F). A labeling device (40) serves to stick re-stickable labels (103) onto the film in positions to cover respective tearable lines. A tube forming device (60) serves to form the film into a tubular film (T). A first sealing device (80) serves to seal lapped edges of the tubular film so as to form a lengthwise sealed portion (111). A second sealing device (90) serves to seal the tubular film in a crosswise direction, so that crosswise sealed portions (109) are formed on the tubular film. Each tearable line is positioned between two adjacent crosswise sealed portions and adjacent to one of two adjacent crosswise sealed portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2005
    Assignee: Fuji Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaki Arakawa, Takeo Matsui
  • Patent number: 6860084
    Abstract: A vertical stand-up pouch, or flexible package having a zipper seal mechanism incorporated therein, and method for manufacturing same, constructed with a quick change module modification to existing vertical form and fill packaging machines. The invention involves producing a vertical stand-up pouch from a single sheet of packaging film by inserting a zipper seal mechanism on a first side of the packaging film tube and creating a vertical crease along the tube prior to forming a transverse seal on the tube. The zipper seal mechanism is attached to the packaging film prior to sealing the sheet of the packaging film along its longitudinal seam forming a tube comprising, in part, a quick change module that easily installs on the base of a forming tube. Likewise, the crease is formed using fixed or stationary modifications to prior art vertical form, fill, and seal machines comprising, in part, a quick change module that easily installs on the base of a forming tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: Frito-Lay North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony Robert Knoerzer, Garrett William Kohl, Steven Kenneth Tucker
  • Patent number: 6845602
    Abstract: A shaping shoulder has a shoulder part and a prism part, joined at a shaping edge, for producing a web, shaped longitudinally in the web transport direction and having an open or closed cross-section and at least one area inside the web in which the cross-section is curved outwardly. The shoulder part has a web inlet and extends from the web inlet to the shaping edge. The prism part has an exit for the shaped web and extends from the shaping edge to the exit. The shaping edge is slanted relative to a cross-sectional prism plane. The prism cross-section is curved partially inwardly and outwardly not only in the vicinity of a web edge. The curvature of areas of the shaping edge belonging to outwardly curved areas of the prism part extend counter to the exit and the corresponding shoulder part areas are curved away from the exit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2005
    Assignee: GVL Gesellschaft für Verpackungs-technik und -logistik mbH
    Inventor: Henry Drut
  • Patent number: 6834480
    Abstract: A packaging system includes, in addition to a packaging machine of a known form-fill-seal type and a printer for printing on a bag-making film, a packaging condition memory which stores packaging conditions for operating the packaging machine, a print data memory which stores print data for operating the printer, and a correlation data memory which stores the correlation data between the packaging conditions and the print data. If a packaging condition is selected through an input device, not only is the packaging machine operated under the specified condition but also the printer is operated by the data which correspond to the selected packaging condition according to the correlation data stored in the correlation data memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2004
    Assignee: Ishida Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Ishino, Katsuaki Kouno, Colin Buckley
  • Patent number: 6832462
    Abstract: A process for the manufacture of a tube blank, comprising the following steps: (a) forming a tube hose around a mandrel and advancing the said tube hose along the said mandrel such that a leading edge of the said tube hose is flush with a leading face of the said mandrel; (b) presenting a dispensing assembly to the said leading edge of the said tube hose; (c) sealing the dispensing assembly with the said tube hose to form a tube blank; (d) separating the tube blank from the mandrel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2004
    Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA, Division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Adam Peacock, Kevin John Stamp
  • Publication number: 20040250515
    Abstract: The machine is provided with means (6, 8, 9, 11″, 13) for the controlled feeding of the plastics film to the forming head (17) which forms with the said film a continuous and descending tubular winding, in which are inserted the products to be packaged by means of a hopper (18). A heat-sealing unit (22) performs a longitudinal and continuous sealing (Z) upon the longitudinal and reciprocally superimposed edges of the said tubular winding and downstream of the forming device (17) sealing and transversal cutting means (23) perform upon the same tubular winding at least a double transversal continuous tight-sealing, for the head-closing of the filled bag and for the sealing of the bottom of the following bag, while a cut between the two sealing, separates the consecutive bags between them. These means can also comprise an incision device to facilitate the following tear-opening of the bag.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2004
    Publication date: December 16, 2004
    Inventor: Renato Rimondi
  • Publication number: 20040244338
    Abstract: A tubular bag-making machine for forming a flexible tube from a hot-sealable web of packaging material sealed longitudinally by means of a longitudinal seam sealing device and transversely by means of a transverse seam sealing device to produce individual tubular bag packages. To improve the transverse sealing seams, bores which can be made to communicate in alternation with a negative-pressure source or an overpressure source are embodied in the sealing jaws of the transverse seam sealing device in regions having a reduced number of layers of packaging material to enable a good heat transfer and a higher sealing pressure in the region of changes in the number of layers of packaging material of the transverse sealing seams.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2004
    Publication date: December 9, 2004
    Inventor: Hans Nievergeld
  • Patent number: 6826888
    Abstract: A form-fill-seal device for forming bags from a web-shaped foil material, filling them with products and subsequently sealing them, the device comprising a foil supply station having means for holding a roll of foil web, a form shoulder for transforming the foil web into a foil tube and a station placed between the supply station and the form shoulder for applying a zipper strip transverse to the foil web for each bag to be made, the foil web following a first transport track between the supply station and the application station and a second transport track between the application station and the form shoulder, respectively, the device comprising a driver for continuously driving the foil web, the device further comprising a buffer former for forming a buffer length of foil web, which buffer former comprises a first foil web diverter and a second foil diverter, which engage onto the first and second track of the foil web respectively, and are connected to each other for simultaneous but opposite movement by
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignee: CFS Weert B.V.
    Inventors: Peter Joseph Hendriks, Wilhelmus Catharina Gerardus Maria Tax, Joseph Johan Maria Van Rens
  • Patent number: 6826892
    Abstract: A vertical pouch forming, filling and sealing machine and method for making pouches and filling same with a liquid content in the range of about 5 to 20 liters, is described. As a pouch is being filled with a liquid it descends into a support cage to restrain the pouch from ballooning out and prevents the weight of the liquid in the filled pouch from tensioning the film in the hot horizontal seal zone of the horizontal sealer. The support cage compensates for loss of surface tension of the film in the hot horizontal seal zone during the horizontal sealing cycle. The cage also has a gate section to discharge the filled pouch by gravity after the horizontal sealing cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignee: Glopak Inc.
    Inventors: Roland Basque, Geoff J. Knowers
  • Publication number: 20040231287
    Abstract: A form-fill-seal machine for making a pouch style package is provided, comprising an aperture means creating station; an optional bulge forming station for thermoforming a puff or bulge; a heating and filling station for create a lower seal and edge seals and filling the pouch; and a flap making station comprising means for folding over a flap and sealing the inside portion of the flap to the front face of the pouch, covering the aperture means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2003
    Publication date: November 25, 2004
    Inventor: Sanford Redmond
  • Patent number: 6817164
    Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for packaging objects, like soiled diapers, into an elongated flexible plastic tube. The apparatus includes a container with an upper portion with an opening and a lower portion. A cassette is mounted in the upper portion of the container coaxially with the opening to store a tube in a compacted form. A plunging device is provided to compress the object to be disposed of, and to push it into the tube and then to the bottom part of the container. The plunging device includes biased flaps and biased slides orthogonal to the arms which permits to push the object down while allowing a hermetic seal of the flexible tube to prevent escape of bad odours.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2004
    Assignee: Les Developpements Angelcare Inc.
    Inventors: Claude Mauffette, Louis Lefebvre, Yan Tremblay
  • Patent number: 6813871
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to pouches, and more particularly to a former to form pairs of dispenser pouches of the flexible three-sided sealed type. The former has a continuous foil channel and outer guide surfaces for a foil strip to be reshaped into a double tube, which enters the channel through a foil supply edge. A pair of form- and filling pipes are arranged in the channel, which has a back wall, two front walls having two form edges, and sidewalls that are adapted to the cross-section form of the filling pipes. The wedge-shaped form edges of the front walls delimit a slit in the lower part of the former. The back wall and the form edges of the front walls, proceeding from the foil supply edge and a section that converges in continuous direction between the front walls, are developed relative to one another and continually approaching until the end of the downwardly open slit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Hassia Verpackungsmaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Gunter Kurth, Heinrich-Stephan Möbs, Alexander Herd
  • Patent number: 6804936
    Abstract: For pre-sterilizing a tubular bag packing machine to be operated under sterile conditions after the pre-sterilization phase, following the steam sterilization of the device metering the loading material and forming part of the machine, and of the forming pipe simultaneously serving as a filling pipe, the subsequent supply of sterile air to the meter, to the forming pipe and to the sterile chamber will be maintained. The longitudinally sealed tube of packing material formed on the forming pipe from the web of packing material is kept open underneath the opening of the sterile chamber in order to allow both the sterile air and the mixture of steam and sterilization agent conducted after pre-sterilization of the metering device into the sterile chamber to be discharged through the forming pipe and the tube of packing material open at the bottom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignee: Hassia Verpackungsmaschinen GmbH
    Inventor: Gunter Kurth
  • Patent number: 6805181
    Abstract: A rotary mechanism for cutting and/or sealing a web has a pair of counter-rotating rotors mounted on parallel axes and having radially projecting arms between which the web is momentarily gripped for cutting and/or sealing. Sealing is performed by heated pressure outer faces on the rotor arms. Cutting is performed by cutter and anvil bars on the opposed arms engaging the web. Bearer faces on the arms beyond the pressure faces set a gap between the pressure faces and a rectangular-section tongue and groove in mating contact faces one side of the pressure faces locate the pressure faces laterally. The cutting means are adjusted by a wedge bar bearing on the inner face of the cutter bar or anvil. The wedge bar is movable in the direction of rotation and has an outer face inclined in the same direction. Means accessible from the leading and/or trailing faces of the rotor arms are provided for adjusting the wedge bar and clamping the cutter and anvil bars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignee: Lipton, division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Francis Blundell, Michael John Cahill, Kevin Richard Fincham, Paul Franklin, Geoffrey William Vernon, Peter Ernest Willett
  • Publication number: 20040194435
    Abstract: Disclosed is a machine to manufacture (1) bags (10) with bottom sealed edges, with a vertical bagging machine, without the film track (3) running, it is suggested, to arrange the filling pipe of the bagging machine (1) in such a manner, that the length of a first track (21) of an interlocking (14) of the film deductions (12, 20) over the outer surface (28) of the filling pipe (11) and over form items (15) for the figuration of the edges (16) until again to the interlocking (14) equal to a second distance (22) is, runs on the other side of the interlocking (14). The number of form items (15) per side is different thereby.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2004
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Applicant: Rovema Packaging Machines L.P.
    Inventors: Gerhard Kuss, Rene Ohrisch, Walter Baur
  • Patent number: 6790312
    Abstract: A form-fill-seal machine has an ultrasonic vibration emitter head 11 positioned outside the tube being formed by the overlapping of the margins 3 and 5 of a film web, and an anvil 13 positioned inside the tube defined by those margins, the anvil being mounted on an anvil carrier 25 which is supported by a frame element entirely independent of the forming box 1 used to fold the film, so as to isolate the anvil from vibrations sustained from the forming box. The anvil carrier can be mounted directly to a carrier body for the ultrasonic vibration emitter, and preferably has the shape of an inverted letter J where the anvil is positioned near the toe 25a of the J, the mounting to the sealing machine frame is at the top of the stem 25c of the J, with a slot 25b between the toe 25a and the stem 25c.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: Cryovac, Inc.
    Inventors: Lino Cosaro, Stefano Capitani
  • Patent number: 6786025
    Abstract: During automatic supply and packing of a liquid composition containing granular constituents, a master liquid, not containing the granular constituents, of the liquid composition is continuously supplied to a packing bag formed from a packing film by making bottom and top seals, in this order, on the packing bag with the packing film being stroked and squeezed to remove a part of the master liquid from bag portions where the bottom and top seals are to be formed, and a second liquid, containing the granular constituents, of the liquid composition is intermittently supplied into the packing bag between the bottom and top seals. Thereby, a liquid composition containing granular constituents can be packed with the nearly same efficiency as that in continuous supply and packing of a liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignee: Taisei Lamick Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Katsunori Futase
  • Publication number: 20040168407
    Abstract: A decoration correction method for a form-and-seal unit (1) for producing sealed packages of a pourable food product from a tube (2) of packaging material fed along a feed path, and having two pairs of jaws (7) movable along the feed path and opened and closed so as to travel, cyclically and alternately with each other, along a form-and-seal portion along which the pairs of jaws (7) are closed and travel integrally with the tube, and along a repositioning portion along which the pairs of jaws open and move with respect to the tube (2). To make a decoration correction, a nominal trajectory (P) of the jaws (7) is modified along the repositioning portion on the basis of a position error of the tube (2) with respect to a nominal position. A first solution provides for correcting the travel of the jaws by selectively modifying the amplitude of the trajectory; and a second solution provides for correcting the phase of the jaw trajectory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2003
    Publication date: September 2, 2004
    Inventors: Davide Borghi, Behrooz Faskhoody, Bo Hellberg
  • Publication number: 20040163360
    Abstract: Form-fill-seal machine includes parts for moving a web of packaging material through the machine according to a process path and parts for transforming the web into filled bags, as well as a zipper strip applicator device for supplying a zipper strip for each bag transverse to the process path, by use of a first and a second conveyor, which in the supply direction of the zipper strip are placed one behind the other and are both provided with parts for retaining the zipper strip during supply, a blade being placed between the first and the second conveyor for cutting the zipper strip and the first and the second conveyor being provided with their own first and second drive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2004
    Publication date: August 26, 2004
    Applicant: AQUARIUS B.V.
    Inventors: Joseph Johan Maria Van Rens, Peter Joseph Hendriks, Wilhelmus Catharina Gerardus Maria Tax, Peter Hubertus Daal
  • Publication number: 20040159081
    Abstract: A flat bottom bag or flexible package, and method for manufacturing same, constructed by modification to existing vertical form and fill packaging machines. The invention involves producing a flat bottom bag from a single sheet of packaging film by creating two vertical creases along opposite sides of a packaging film tube prior to forming a transverse seal on the tube. These creases are formed using fixed or stationary modifications to prior art vertical form, fill, and seal machines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2004
    Publication date: August 19, 2004
    Inventors: Anthony Robert Knoerzer, Garrett William Kohl, Steven Kenneth Tucker
  • Publication number: 20040154271
    Abstract: Form-fill-seal machine for making bag-shaped packagings for products, such as edible products, from a web of foil material, such as synthetic foil, the machine comprising a frame having a stock of web of foil material and a supply of the web of foil material in flat condition, and a form-fill unit positioned at a front side of the machine, wherein the form-fill unit comprises a form shoulder for transforming the flat web of foil material into a foil tube, as well as a form-fill tube connecting to the form shoulder, having a vertical main plane of section, in which the machine furthermore comprises transverse sealing jaws that are positioned below the lower end of the fill tube for forming transverse seals in the foil tube and which are reciprocally moveable in a vertical plane perpendicular to the front side of the machine and the said vertical plane of section, the form shoulder being asymmetrically shaped for forming an overlap in the foil tube which extends to at least a short distance from or near the sai
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2004
    Publication date: August 12, 2004
    Inventor: Peter Wilhelmus Henricus Rietjens
  • Publication number: 20040134165
    Abstract: A vertical pouch forming, filling and sealing machine and method for making pouches and filling same with a liquid content in the range of about 5 to 20 liters, is described. As a pouch is being filled with a liquid it descends into a support cage to restrain the pouch from ballooning out and prevents the weight of the liquid in the filled pouch from tensioning the film in the hot horizontal seal zone of the horizontal sealer. The support cage compensates for loss of surface tension of the film in the hot horizontal seal zone during the horizontal sealing cycle. The cage also has a gate section to discharge the filled pouch by gravity after the horizontal sealing cycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2003
    Publication date: July 15, 2004
    Inventors: Roland Basque, Geoff J. Knowers
  • Patent number: 6761015
    Abstract: A high speed straw insertion machine has a device which feeds a straw, feeds a lifter and then engages the straw with the lifter. This assembly is transported to a mechanism which secures the lifter to the straw and then puts the straw and the float into a container. The container with the straw and the float is transported to an anchoring machine which engages the straw and the container to trap the straw and float entirely within the container. In one embodiment, the straw is positioned between a corner and a shoulder defined by the container and is retained in this position due to the flexibility of the straw. In another embodiment, the straw is positioned below a rib formed in the body of the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2004
    Assignee: The KeyStraw Company, LLC
    Inventors: Peter F. Murphy, James H. Kurtz, Jr., Clifford Marritt
  • Patent number: 6751925
    Abstract: The present invention provides a filling apparatus establishing positional coincidence between creases preformed in a packaging material and actual creases to thereby improve the appearance of a packaging container. A light source irradiates a portion of the outer circumferential surface of a packaging material tube which includes an overlap. A sensor receives light emitted from the light source and reflected from the outer circumferential surface of the tube. The overlap is detected as a peak in the sensor output. Light reflected from an edge portion of the packaging material exhibits greater intensity and is seen as a peak in the sensor output indicating position of the overlap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance, S.A.
    Inventors: Shigehiro Kinoshita, Takeo Yamazaki, Yuzo Otsuka, Hiroyuki Nishimura
  • Patent number: 6735928
    Abstract: A bagging and packaging machine for forming a bag from a strip of bag material and introducing an article into the bag includes a gas supply unit for supplying an inert gas into the bag to substitute for air contained in the bag and a gas supply control means for controlling supply of the inert gas by the gas supply means into the bag. The bagging and packaging machine is designed to allow the inert gas to be supplied under high pressure at a flow rate sufficient to increase the gas replacement rate in the bag when the machine is started, to be supplied under low pressure at a flow rate lower than the high pressure flow rate during a bagging and packaging operation subsequent to the start of the machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignee: Ishida Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masashi Kondo, Ryoichi Sato
  • Publication number: 20040088948
    Abstract: A bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus includes a bag manufacturing unit that tubularly forms a strip film and manufactures a bag filled with articles; a feed roller unit that feeds a strip, to which the bag manufactured by the bag manufacturing unit is mounted; and a mounting unit that mounts the bag to the strip fed by the feed roller unit. The strip is rectilinearly maintained between the feed roller unit and the mounting unit by imparting a bend on the strip in the transverse cross section that intersects a transport pathway of the strip. The object of the present invention is to provide a bag manufacturing and packaging apparatus that, even if the strip to which bags are mounted lacks rigidity, can smoothly feed the strip, automatically thread the strip to the mounting unit, and form appropriate slits in the strip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2003
    Publication date: May 13, 2004
    Applicant: ISHIDA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akira Yamamoto, Yoshio Iwasaki, Yukio Nakagawa, Yasushi Yamaguchi, Tatsuo Ito
  • Patent number: 6732496
    Abstract: The method is aimed at indirectly determining the energy absorbed by a conducting layer (5) forming part of a strip of packaging material (1) to be sealed transversely. The method is based on measuring parameters correlated with the power supplied by a current source (45) to the packaging material (1) during sealing, and with the temperature of the conducting layer (5). The temperature measurement takes into account the temperature of the product to be packed, the characteristics of the packaging material, and the characteristics of the mechanical sealing members; correct cutting of the packaging material after sealing is also determined; and the parameters are monitored by measuring associated quantities and by comparison with permissible values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Assignee: Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance SA
    Inventors: Bo Wessman, Olof Tyllered, Antonio Melandri
  • Publication number: 20040083684
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for forming and filling a flexible package are provided in which cross seals are made substantially parallel to a central axis (60) of fitments (40). The cross seals (68, 82) are substantially parallel to the vertical plane that includes the central axis (60) of the fitment (40), and may comprise at least a section angled toward the fitment (66, 84, 86) to create an angled side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2002
    Publication date: May 6, 2004
    Inventors: Alfred A. Schroeder, Robert S. Bosko
  • Publication number: 20040083685
    Abstract: A vertical stand-up pouch, or flexible package having a zipper seal mechanism incorporated therein, and method for manufacturing same, constructed with a quick change module modification to existing vertical form and fill packaging machines. The invention involves producing a vertical stand-up pouch from a single sheet of packaging film by inserting a zipper seal mechanism on a first side of the packaging film tube and creating a vertical crease along the tube prior to forming a transverse seal on the tube. The zipper seal mechanism is attached to the packaging film prior to sealing the sheet of the packaging film along its longitudinal seam forming a tube comprising, in part, a quick change module that easily installs on the base of a forming tube. Likewise, the crease is formed using fixed or stationary modifications to prior art vertical form, fill, and seal machines comprising, in part, a quick change module that easily installs on the base of a forming tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2003
    Publication date: May 6, 2004
    Inventors: Anthony Robert Knoerzer, Garrett William Kohl, Steven Kenneth Tucker
  • Patent number: 6729102
    Abstract: An apparatus for defining a loop handle in a tubular covering, such as an expanded mesh plastic covering, for a food. The apparatus of the present invention includes a frame for supporting the various assemblies that comprise the apparatus and for engaging a support surface such as a floor. The apparatus of the present invention further includes a conveyor assembly, which conveys the food product from a production line and into the slide area or chute. Positioned proximate the distal end of the chute is a voider assembly defined by a stationary set of voider gates and a moveable set of voider gates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2004
    Assignees: Acraloc Corporation, Delaware Capital Formation, Inc.
    Inventors: Harrison A. Ailey, Bradford L. Brewster, Dennis J. May, Samuel D. Griggs, Richard Scott Bruce
  • Patent number: 6729112
    Abstract: A tubular bagging machine in which expanding elements projecting away from the fill pipe are provided in order to create bags with welded edges. A separate longitudinal welding device for welding of an area adjacent to the edge of the tube is provided. It is thus possible to produce directly side-by-side a longitudinal seam and a welded edge. A bag-opening aid or a reclosing aid can be integrated into the longitudinal seam or the edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2004
    Assignee: Rovema Verpackungsmaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Gerhard Kuss, René Ohrisch, Harald Braun, Walter Baur
  • Patent number: 6729113
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2004
    Assignee: Ishida Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideshi Miyamoto, Kazuya Sugimura, Makoto Ichikawa, Masashi Kondo
  • Patent number: 6718739
    Abstract: A method and device are disclosed for forming and filling tubes containing a product, with the filling process taking place from the longer side of the tube, rather than the shorter side. An elongated product delivery tube contains product diverters that evenly spread out the product, allowing a clean seal in less time. An optional vibrator helps the product to settle quickly. Throughput is increased over the prior art, as well as facilitating improvements in opening the tube and in marketing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Frito-Lay North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Garrett William Kohl, Steven Kenneth Tucker, Anthony Robert Knoerzer, Jay E. Gehring
  • Publication number: 20040065047
    Abstract: When replacing film rolls, a film holding mechanism fixedly holds a film of a pre-replacement film roll. At the same time, a film suction mechanism holds a film by suction. A film storing mechanism pulls the end of the film up to the film suction mechanism. Furthermore, the end of the film that is held by the film suction mechanism by suction and the head of the film of the post-replacement film roll are joined using an adhesive tape. Also, once it is detected based on the output from the load cell that the film has been entirely unrolled, the control device stops the operations of an items supply portion and motor. Accordingly, the items that have been supplied to a bag-manufacturing and packaging portion from the items supply portion at the time the items supply portion is stopped are packaged using film stored in a film storing mechanism. Then, the control device stops the operation of the bag-manufacturing and packaging portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2003
    Publication date: April 8, 2004
    Inventors: Hideshi Miyamoto, Kazuya Sugimura, Makoto Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 6715262
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for forming reclosable packages at a form, fill and seal (FFS) apparatus by advancing a film of package making material longitudinally to form a tube while guiding opposite longitudinal edges of the film into a fin. A zipper having interlocking members and an attached flange is fed into the fin by capturing external surfaces of the interlocking members within a first guide member positioned adjacent to said fin and feeding the flanges along opposite sides of a second guide member positioned within said fin. An apparatus for performing the method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2004
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Art Malin, Stanley Piotrowski, Michael McMahon
  • Patent number: 6711874
    Abstract: A package inspecting system includes a packaging machine 200 including a vertical sealing device 201 for sealing opposite longitudinal side edges of a packaging material F, which extend in a direction conforming to a direction of flow of the packaging material F, together to render the packaging material F into a tubular form, and an end sealing device 202 for sealing an end of the tubular packaging material F after articles M have been filled in the tubular packaging material F, to thereby provide a bagged product M1, and a seal checker 400 for inspecting a sealing condition of the packaging material F of the bagged product M1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: Ishida Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukio Nakagawa, Katsuaki Kono, Yasushi Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 6705063
    Abstract: This invention concerns a segmenting device in particular for the manufacture (portioning) of sausages from a string of sausage filling in a flexible tubular casing, which consists of a plurality of tye elements (12) in the form of strips which can be rotated against each other. One of their ends is secured locally in a ring concentric to the axis of the casing at regular intervals, and whereas the other end region is collected to form a ring (11) concentric with the axis of the casing, which, relative to this, can undergo movement of a rotational nature as well as parallel movement in their major plane, at least tee tying elements are provided, whose contact surface segments, which face the opening, are bent or curved in the main plane. In this manner each strip impinges on the casing with several contact surface segments and promotes the radial tying of the casing, avoiding shearing movements between the casing and the strips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2004
    Assignee: Poly-clip System GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Klaus Töpfer, Günther Vermehren
  • Publication number: 20040045255
    Abstract: Vertical form fill seal apparatus for making flexible packages with slider fastener closures is provided. A fastener track is applied in-line with a plastic web and is bonded thereto at the same time that a peel seal is formed. All package components are brought together at the point of fill. Prior to assembly at the fill station a series of spaced-apart stop members are formed along the fastener tracks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2003
    Publication date: March 11, 2004
    Inventors: Panagiotis Kinigakis, Orestes Rivero, Kenneth Pokusa
  • Publication number: 20040040258
    Abstract: An installation for manufacturing and filling multiple-cavity bags made from a sheet of plastic material, includes a forming column for forming a multiple-cavity bag, with the column being divided into three zones, a first zone forming a single tubular sleeve by a longitudinal seal of sheet edges thereof, a second zone for forming a bottom and cavities of the bag, and a third zone for filling and closing the bag and moving the closed bag away from the column, and a film feed mechanism for feeding plastic film to the forming column.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2003
    Publication date: March 4, 2004
    Inventor: Jesus Alfonso Sarria Sanchez
  • Publication number: 20040040261
    Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for enabling unsupported packaging film (e.g., low density polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene, and high density polyethylene) to be sealed in a tube in the process of making a flexible package. A “following belt” is provided which allows for a sandwiching effect to be imported on the film as it passes through its welding zone. In the prior art, while in this welding zone the polyethylene film would move with a conventional band seal assembly. But the opposite side of the polyethylene film would have to move relative to a drag iron this causing potential friction, seam failure and poor tracking. The present invention's use of a following belt allows the elements on both sides of the unsupported film to move with the film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2003
    Publication date: March 4, 2004
    Applicant: Hayssen, Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan L. Troyer, Jeffery G. Hembree, Brian P. Harrison, Charles W. Jenkins, Larence C. Dobbs
  • Patent number: 6691491
    Abstract: A packaging machine for making substantially air-tight bags at high speed. The machine includes a film drive and pinch roll pair, a pair of film pull belts, and a pair of zipper drive rollers for pulling plastic film and zippered strip through the machine. The machine can produce recloseable bags with zipperlocks by including zippered strips and a zipperlock applicator and feed and apparatus selectively releasing the tension from the zippered drive rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: Pacmac, Inc.
    Inventors: Emanuele Terminella, Frank Terminella, Joseph Terminella
  • Publication number: 20040020166
    Abstract: An automated reclosable packaging manufacturing equipment for applying zipper tape to bag making film, especially as part of a form-fill-seal process, and a method of joining a zipper flange of a zipper assembly to bag making film without “seal-through” of the zipper flanges. The method comprises the steps of: (a) pressing a web of bag making film and first and second zipper flanges of a zipper assembly together along the length of the latter, with the first zipper flange sandwiched between and in contact with the web of bag making film and the second zipper flange; and (b) during step (a), causing heat to be conducted through the web of bag making film into the first zipper flange. The amount of heat conducted through the web of bag making film must be sufficient to seal the web of bag making film to the first zipper flange without sealing the first zipper flange to the second zipper flange.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2002
    Publication date: February 5, 2004
    Inventor: Ronald Cortigiano
  • Patent number: 6679034
    Abstract: A vertical stand-up pouch, flat bottom bag, or flexible package, and method for manufacturing same, constructed with a quick change module modification to existing vertical form and fill packaging machines. The invention involves producing a vertical stand-up pouch or flat bottom bag from a single sheet of packaging film by creating one or two vertical creases along the packaging film tube prior to forming a transverse seal on the tube. Such creases are formed using fixed or stationary modifications to prior art vertical form, fill, and seal machines comprising, in part, a quick change module that easily installs on the base of a forming tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2004
    Assignee: Recot, Inc.
    Inventors: Garrett William Kohl, Steven Kenneth Tucker
  • Patent number: 6668526
    Abstract: An in-line web-centering apparatus for centering a web of material in an aseptic internal area of a form-fill-seal packaging machine. The web-centering apparatus has a support member, a tracking assembly, and an alignment mechanism, each contained within the internal aseptic area of the packaging machine. The support member is internally fixed to the form-fill-seal packaging machine. The tracking assembly is mounted to the support member and pivots about the support member. The pivoting of the tracking assembly positions the tracking assembly at an angle with respect to the support member, such that when the alignment mechanism is activated the angle of the tracking assembly is modified, thereby adjusting a flow path of the web of material in the packaging machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: Baxter International, Inc.
    Inventor: Josef Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20030233811
    Abstract: A form-fill-seal device for forming bags from a web-shaped foil material, filling them with products and subsequently sealing them, the device comprising a foil supply station having means for holding a roll of foil web, a form shoulder for transforming the foil web into a foil tube and a station placed between the supply station and the form shoulder for applying a zipper strip transverse to the foil web for each bag to be made, the foil web following a first transport track between the supply station and the application station and a second transport track between the application station and the form shoulder, respectively, the device comprising a driver for continuously driving the foil web, the device further comprising a buffer former for forming a buffer length of foil web, which buffer former comprises a first foil web diverter and a second foil diverter, which engage onto the first and second track of the foil web respectively, and are connected to each other for simultaneous but opposite movement by
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2003
    Publication date: December 25, 2003
    Applicant: CFS WEERT B.V.
    Inventors: Peter Joseph Hendriks, Wilhelmus Catharina Gerardus Maria Tax, Joseph Johan Maria Van Rens
  • Patent number: 6666002
    Abstract: A filling machine for producing containers containing liquid food product includes a series of rollers for forming a web-shaped packaging material into a tubular packaging material, a filling tube for introducing a liquid food product into the tubular packaging material while the tubular packaging material is being conveyed downwardly, a heat sealing bar providing with a heating mechanism and engageable with a cutting bar to produce a seal area forming a transverse seal across the tubular packaging material below a level of the liquid food product, and a cutter provided on the cutting bar to cut the tubular packaging material in the seal zone to form a preformed container containing the liquid food product. At least one nozzle is positioned to direct a sterilizing flushing liquid towards the outside surface of the tubular packaging material and/or the cutter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Assignee: Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A.
    Inventors: Yuzo Otsuka, Kazuya Ono
  • Patent number: 6655110
    Abstract: A machine 10 to aid in forming at least one flange 11 on tubular bag material 12. The machine 10 includes at least one assembly 28 provided with a longitudinally extending slot 22 through which a fold 13 passes to be heated by hot air delivered to the slot 22. A pair of pressure rollers 27 engage the heated fold 13 so that the bag material 12 of the fold 13 adheres to form the flange 11.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: TNA Australia Pty Limited
    Inventor: Alfred Taylor
  • Patent number: 6651858
    Abstract: An adjustable wrappage film feeding device includes a chassis having end plates rotatably supporting a driving shaft therebetween. The driving shaft is driven by a motor via a worm—worm gear transmission. Two first bevel gears are mounted on the driving shaft to be rotatable in unison with the driving shaft while being allowed to axially move with respect to the driving shaft. A screw rod is rotatably supported by the end plates and threadingly engages two movable carriages that are spaced from each other a distance. By rotating the screw rod, the carriages are driven toward/away from each other and thus changing the distance therebetween. Each carriage rotatably carries a roller adapted to drivingly engage and convey a film in a predetermined direction toward an article to be packaged. Each roller is coupled to a corresponding one of the first bevel gears by a second bevel gear that mates the corresponding first bevel gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Benison & Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ying Liang Shen
  • Publication number: 20030213707
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for manufacturing snack food hanging pouches, and for combining beverage containers and snack food hanging pouches, are disclosed. A combined beverage and snack food package according to the invention can include a beverage container and a snack food hanging pouch that is suspended from the protrusion of the beverage container. A snack food hanging pouch according to the invention can include a pouch portion that is adapted to contain a snack food item, and a hanger portion that is attached to the pouch portion, having a hanging hole that is adapted to fit onto the protrusion of a beverage container. The pouch portion can be adapted to contain a loose snack food item or a packaged snack food item.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2002
    Publication date: November 20, 2003
    Inventor: Forrest Kelly Clay
  • Publication number: 20030208993
    Abstract: The invention concerns an installation for packaging liquid doses in sealed bags produced from a longitudinally open blown tubing, comprising a vertical frame, means for moving along said blown tubing, a pipe supplying said liquid, means for welding said opening, means for welding the opposite edges of said tubing beneath the end of said pipe and cutting means. A first welding and cutting station is arranged on either side of said pipe, to provide first weld seams and cuts, a second welding and cutting station is arranged beneath the end of said pipe to provide first weld seams and cuts, a second welding and cutting station is arranged beneath the end of said pipe to produce transverse weld seams to link the two adjacent ends of the first weld seams located on either side of said feeding pipe of two adjacent pairs of said first weld seams and to form cut-outs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2003
    Publication date: November 13, 2003
    Inventor: Etienne Susini