Modular containers are formed in a collapsible fashion by flexible or rigid bodies and panels. A size of a modular container may be selected by inflating the modular container to a desired pressure or volume, coupling two or more bodies of the modular containers together, or mating the bodies of the modular containers to common bases or surfaces. The modular containers may be accessed via one or more openings in vertical or horizontal surfaces of such modular containers in order to load items into such modular containers or to unload the items therefrom. The modular containers may be assembled or collapsed manually or automatically, and transported to one or more locations separately or in stacks.

Systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided herein for reusing containers. A system for container reuse comprises an order database storing a plurality of orders associated with an order fulfillment facility, a conveyor system, and a control circuit. The control circuit being configured to determine container capacity requirements of the plurality of orders in the order database based on dimensions of products in each order, predict container usage for fulfilling orders at the order fulfillment facility based at least on the container capacity requirements of the plurality of orders, determine whether a used container received at the conveyor system should be retained based on a container dimension of the used container and the container usage predicted for the order fulfillment facility, and cause the conveyor system to route the used container to a fulfillment area or a disposal area based on whether the used container should be retained.

Systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided herein for reusing containers. A system for container reuse comprises an order database storing a plurality of orders associated with an order fulfillment facility, a conveyor system, and a control circuit. The control circuit being configured to determine container capacity requirements of the plurality of orders in the order database based on dimensions of products in each order, predict container usage for fulfilling orders at the order fulfillment facility based at least on the container capacity requirements of the plurality of orders, determine whether a used container received at the conveyor system should be retained based on a container dimension of the used container and the container usage predicted for the order fulfillment facility, and cause the conveyor system to route the used container to a fulfillment area or a disposal area based on whether the used container should be retained.

The present invention discloses a new method of packing and preserving fruits in liquid (fruit juice, syrup, water, etc). The method comprises packaging fruits, where the fruit is filled into a specifically formulated plastic container, topped with liquid, dosed with inert gases to enforce can integrity, seamed with metal can ends, and thermally processed to eliminate viable microorganisms. The process is unique in that by adjusting thermal processing parameters and manipulating the seam specifications, replacing the metal cans by a flexible and sustainable plastic can, becomes a practical alternative.

A roofing shingle includes an overlay sheet having a first granular material secured to a headlap portion of the overlay sheet, an underlay sheet, and a reinforcement material secured directly to an asphalt coating of the headlap portion of the overlay sheet without extending into a tab portion. The reinforcement material extends beyond overlapping regions of the headlap portion and the underlay sheet such that a portion of a reinforced nail zone is disposed on a single-layer portion of the shingle. A second granular material is secured to the headlap portion of the overlay sheet along the longitudinal axis of the reinforced nail zone, with the second granular material providing a thinner cross-section than the first granular material to define a depressed surface extending along said longitudinal axis of the shingle.

This invention is concerning an elevator apparatus, in which a safety monitoring device corrects a detected car position using a signal from a car position detection device and monitors the presence or absence of car overspeed on the basis of an overspeed detection pattern that varies in accordance with car position. The car position detection device includes a first car position detection sensor and a second car position detection sensor which are arranged side by side in a vertical direction. The safety monitoring device performs, in parallel, first overspeed monitoring based on a car position corrected using a signal from the first car position detection sensor and second overspeed monitoring based on a car position corrected using a signal from the second car position detection sensor.

A side loading packaging machine for packaging articles in containers including: a section for forming containers starting from die-cuttings, comprising at least one feeding device, a loading section, a closing section, substantially aligned along a longitudinal axis of the machine; a conveyor equipped with transportation members configured to carry at least one of said containers, wherein said conveyor includes a motor arranged to drive the advance of said transportation members or groups thereof in an independent manner, and the machine operates with: a continuous formation of boxes, said feeding member working with a continuous movement and with a constant rate over time, and said transportation members advancing with a continuous movement at said forming section; and a static loading, said transportation members being stationary during the loading of articles into the containers.

A side loading packaging machine for packaging articles in containers including: a section for forming containers starting from die-cuttings, comprising at least one feeding device, a loading section, a closing section, substantially aligned along a longitudinal axis of the machine; a conveyor equipped with transportation members configured to carry at least one of said containers, wherein said conveyor includes a motor arranged to drive the advance of said transportation members or groups thereof in an independent manner, and the machine operates with: a continuous formation of boxes, said feeding member working with a continuous movement and with a constant rate over time, and said transportation members advancing with a continuous movement at said forming section; and a static loading, said transportation members being stationary during the loading of articles into the containers.

Example aspects of bicycle packaging and a method of assembling bicycle packaging are disclosed. The method of assembling bicycle packaging can comprise providing a first packaging body, the first packaging body comprising a first side panel, a first top panel connected to the first side panel at a first bend line, and a primary tab extending from an outward edge of the first top panel distal to the first bend line; providing a second packaging body, the second packaging body comprising a second side panel, a second top panel connected to the second side panel at a second bend line, and a secondary tab connected to the second side panel; engaging the primary tab with a primary slot formed at the second bend line; and engaging the secondary tab with a secondary slot formed at the outward edge of the first top panel.

A non-destructive measurement unit of gas concentration in sealed containers and an automatic filling and/or packaging line using such a unit are provided. The flexible containers are at least partially optically transparent, and the measurement unit comprises a light source for emitting a light beam at a wavelength tunable with an absorption wavelength of a gas contained in the sealed flexible container. The light source directs the light beam toward at least one inspection area, and a detector detects at least a portion of the beam after the beam passes through the inspection area and outputs data representative of an absorption spectrum of the gas. Means for generating a head space of predefined width into the sealed flexible container is adapted to advance the sealed flexible container by an advancement path which crosses the inspection zone and to maintain the predefined width of the head space during the advancement.