A system for compressing and packing pipe insulation includes a compression member that is movable along a first axis to compress pieces of pipe insulation. A stacking bay includes opposing walls that are spaced apart from one another. At least one of the two opposing walls is movable relative to the other of the two opposing walls along a second axis to adjust a lateral distance between the opposing walls to accommodate an increasing size of the pieces of pipe insulation along the second axis. The first axis is generally orthogonal to the second axis. A packing member that applies a force along a third axis to the pieces of pipe insulation after being compressed. The third axis is generally orthogonal to the first and second axes. The first axis is generally orthogonal to the second axis. The compression member is aligned with a space formed between the opposing walls.

A method for detecting the presence or absence of an ophthalmic lens (10), in particular of a contact lens, within a receptacle (1), including the steps of: detecting infrared radiation coming from at least a portion (3) of the receptacle (1) where the ophthalmic lens (10) is supposedly accommodated, analyzing the detected infrared radiation in a spectral portion in which absorbance (A.sub.L) of a material the ophthalmic lens is made of is significantly different from absorbance (A.sub.R) of a material the receptacle is made of, and from the analysis of the spectral portion detecting the presence or absence of the ophthalmic lens (10) within the receptacle.

A method of manufacturing, packing and shipping a vehicle bumper having the steps of dispensing into a bumper mold a shape-memory composition to form an original shape of an integral shape-memory vehicle bumper having a middle portion and a first end and a second end both extending from opposite ends of the middle portion, the shape-memory vehicle bumper having the original shape fitting in a first shipping box; applying force to the shape-memory vehicle bumper such that to cause a conversion of the original shape into a deformed shape of the shape-memory vehicle bumper, the deformed shape fitting into a second shipping box that is a fraction by volume of the first shipping box; placing the shape-memory vehicle bumper having the deformed shape into the second shipping box; and sealing and shipping the second shipping box.

A method of positioning and sealing a bag in a vacuum chamber, includes detecting a trailing edge of a product in the bag, detecting a trailing edge of a patch adhered to the bag, controlling advancement of the bag, and closing the bag. A bag positioning apparatus includes an infrared sensing apparatus, a fluorescence sensing apparatus, and a controller. A method of manufacturing a patch bag includes adhering a first patch to film stock, detecting a position of the first patch, aligning a second patch with the first patch, and adhering the second patch to the film stock. A method of manufacturing a patch bag includes detecting an edge of a patch adhered to film stock, forming a seal across the film stock adjacent to the edge of the patch, and severing the film stock adjacent to the edge of the patch.

A packaging system for storing ophthalmic devices such as contact lenses and methods for packaging such ophthalmic devices with solutions is disclosed. The packaging system contains an unused, ophthalmic device in an aqueous packaging solution comprising tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane or a salt thereof; wherein the solution has an osmolality of at least about 200 mOsm/kg and a pH in the range of about 6 to about 9.

A blister package for a contact lens is provided. A deformable slider supporting a lens is movable via pull-tab or hinge to lift the contact lens out of a lens well. The deformable slider can include a hinge connected to a flexible peel-away top of the blister package or connected to a pull tab that can be pulled to pull taut the deformable slider. A blister package is also provided that includes a hinged shell having a lateral opening opposite the hinge, and a deformable slider that is folded over onto itself and seals both a top chamber and a bottom chamber. By pulling a tongue of the deformable slider, which extends from the lateral opening, the deformable slider can be removed from the closed shell and the closed shell can be opened enabling access to the contact lens.

The present invention relates to a packaging machine (1), which unrolls a lower film web (8) from a supply roller (52) and transports it intermittently or continuously along the packaging machine and thereby forms packaging recesses (6) in the lower film web (8) in a forming station (2), after which the packaging recesses are filled with a product (16) to be packaged, wherein an upper film web (14) is subsequently sealed onto the lower film web (8) in a sealing station (15), wherein the upper film web (14) is unrolled from a supply roller (22). Provided downstream of the supply roller is a dancer (20), which has at least one, preferably two rollers (23.1, 23.2), which are provided on a linkage (23.4), which, driven by a rotary drive, rotates about an axis of rotation (23.3) and thereby stores a certain length of film web (8, 14) and/or produces a certain tension in the film web (8, 14).

A device for filling liquid or pasty food products in prefabricated individual containers which form a sealing rim, the device including carrier elements which are run through the device by a drive in a continuous cycle and which include receiving openings for the individual containers; operating stations into whose operating area the carrier elements move during the continuous cycle through the device; at least one operating station configured as a sealing device which fixes a sealing foil on the sealing rim of each individual container using a sealing tool; a web shaped sealing foil spanning the carrier elements transversal to their width measured transversal to their feed direction wherein the sealing foil is run between the sealing rim of the individual containers and a sealing head; a pulley device which is arranged upstream of the sealing device in the feed direction.

A device for filling liquid to pasty food products into prefabricated individual containers including a support rim, the device including carrier elements which are run by a drive continuously through the device, which carrier elements form receiving openings for the individual containers and include a top side that is oriented away from a direction of gravity and configured to carry the support rim of the individual containers that are inserted into the receiving openings; operating stations in whose operating range the carrier elements move during an endless cycle of the carrier elements in the device; at least one operating station that is configured as a sterilization device which de-germinates the carrier elements and the individual containers; a lifting device forming a portion of the sterilization device and configured to lift individual containers that are seated in the receiving openings and which contact a top side with the support rim.

A device for filling liquid to pasty food products into prefabricated individual containers including a support rim, the device including carrier elements which are run by a drive continuously through the device, which carrier elements form receiving openings for the individual containers and include a top side that is oriented away from a direction of gravity and configured to carry the support rim of the individual containers that are inserted into the receiving openings; operating stations in whose operating range the carrier elements move during an endless cycle of the carrier elements in the device; at least one operating station that is configured as a sterilization device which de-germinates the carrier elements and the individual containers; a lifting device forming a portion of the sterilization device and configured to lift individual containers that are seated in the receiving openings and which contact a top side with the support rim.