A mushroom packaging system 10 comprising a mushroom packaging apparatus 11 wherein empty containers 12 are at least partially filled with mushrooms 13. The system further comprises a mushroom loading apparatus 14 comprising a mushroom loading station 15 and a mushroom conveyor 16 for retaining and conveying mushrooms loaded thereon by an operator to the mushroom packaging apparatus 11. A container storage apparatus 50 is also provided which provides a container loading station 17 positioned such that an operator may load empty containers 12 thereinto. A container conveyance apparatus 22 conveys empty containers 12 from the container storage apparatus 50 to a packaged mushroom collection station 18 via the mushroom packaging apparatus 11. Packaged mushrooms 19 received at the packaged mushroom collection station 18 may be retrieved by the operator. A single operator may load mushrooms to the mushroom loading station 15, load containers to the container loading station 17, and retrieve containers from the packaged mushroom collection station 18.

The disclosure relates to a device for a packaging process, wherein the device is provided in the form of a step-by-step packaging machine, or is configured as a step-by-step packaging line. The device is configured to perform a recipe change from a first packaging recipe to another, second packaging recipe step by step at a plurality of work stations provided on the device. Furthermore, the disclosure relates to a corresponding method.

An apparatus for shrinking film onto products moving along a conveyance path includes an elongated steam chamber shaped to form a shrink tunnel through which the conveyance path extends, wherein tunnel side surface portions of the elongated steam chamber bound the path at least in tunnel regions above a plane of the conveyance path and the tunnel side surface portions are heated by steam within the elongated steam chamber and the tunnel side surface portions thereby radiate heat into the shrink tunnel. At least one steam header is positioned within the shrink tunnel and extending along at least part of a length of the shrink tunnel, the steam header including a plurality of steam ejection orifices for ejecting steam into the shrink tunnel. At least one steam flow path feeds steam from an output of the elongated steam chamber to an input of the at least one steam header.

Customized boxes for packaging one or more items therein can have item placement indicia printed, applied, or projected thereon. The boxes can include a plurality of side wall panels and a plurality of flaps extending from the plurality of sidewall panels. The plurality of flaps can be configured to form top and bottom surfaces of the customized boxes. The item placement indicia can be printed, applied, or projected on an interior surface of one or more of the side wall panels. The item placement indicia represent desired placements for the one or more items to be packaged in the customized boxes.

Customized boxes for packaging one or more items therein can have item placement indicia printed, applied, or projected thereon. The boxes can include a plurality of side wall panels and a plurality of flaps extending from the plurality of sidewall panels. The plurality of flaps can be configured to form top and bottom surfaces of the customized boxes. The item placement indicia can be printed, applied, or projected on an interior surface of one or more of the side wall panels. The item placement indicia represent desired placements for the one or more items to be packaged in the customized boxes.

A packaging machine is for forming a product cavity in a web including a forming die box defining a recess into which the product cavity is formed. An insert is axially movable in the recess to thereby vary a depth of the recess. A variable depth mechanism selectively moves the insert to vary the depth of the recess. The packaging machine includes a latching mechanism that moves the forming die box into and between a first position in which the forming die box is spaced apart from the die box base and a second position in which the forming die box is supported by the die box base.

A packaging machine is for forming a product cavity in a web including a forming die box defining a recess into which the product cavity is formed. An insert is axially movable in the recess to thereby vary a depth of the recess. A variable depth mechanism selectively moves the insert to vary the depth of the recess. The packaging machine includes a latching mechanism that moves the forming die box into and between a first position in which the forming die box is spaced apart from the die box base and a second position in which the forming die box is supported by the die box base.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a random case sealer. The case sealer includes a top-head-actuating assembly configured to vary the speed of the top-head assembly when ascending (to make room for the case beneath the top-head assembly) and when descending onto the case (to engage the top surface of the case during sealing). This maximizes the speed of the top-head assembly while limiting overshoot (when ascending) and preventing damage to the case (when descending). In certain embodiments the case sealer includes a tape cartridge configured to limit the forces imparted onto the leading and top surfaces of the case during sealing. These features result in increased throughput as compared to prior art random case sealers without requiring stronger cases or more protective dunnage.

Systems and methods for a bagger are provided. The bagger includes a support frame including two rails; a movable portion including a seal system and a gripper system, the movable portion attached to the two rails of the support frame; actuators including a first actuator and a second actuator, the first actuator and the second actuator each configured to move the movable portion along a respective rail of the two rails of the support frame, simultaneously; and a roller configured to hold a roll of film, the roller connected to a portion of the support frame that is above the two rails, wherein the gripper system includes at least one body that is configured to grip the film, and the seal system includes a seal bar that is configured to heat seal opposite side faces of the film together so as to form a first end of a bag.

A container filling assembly that can be used with container filling systems to fill containers during successive filling cycles with the same or different fluid compositions at high rates of speed, with little to no machinery changeover, and/or with little to no fluid waste.