A carrier (2) made of cardboard, paperboard or other lightweight foldable sheet material, comprises a top sheet (4) defining one or more pockets (20) for receiving one or more products and a bottom sheet (6) attached to the top sheet (4). The top sheet (4) comprises one or more respective sets (30) of flaps (32) for forming the respective pockets (20), each flap (32) being hingedly connected at a proximal end (36) to a top surface (38) of the top sheet (4) about a respective flap hinge line (40) defined around an upper edge (42) of the respective pocket (20) and folded about the respective flap hinge line (40) to define a pocket side wall. The top sheet (4) further comprises respective tabs (50) hingedly connected to distal ends (46) of the respective flaps (32) about respective tab fold lines (52) and folded about a respective tab fold line (52) so as to lie along a base of the pocket (20). The bottom sheet (6) is bonded to the respective tabs (50) in a face to face relationship to close at least a portion the base of the pocket (20).

A method for automatically closing an open packaging box with a cardboard lid, said box comprising a polygonal bottom panel defined by three or more bottom panel edges and sidewalls joined over respective crease lines to said bottom panel edges, each sidewall forming a substantially right angle with the bottom panel, said lid comprising a polygonal top panel defined by three or more top panel edges and corresponding to the bottom panel of the box to be closed and flaps joined over respective crease lines to said top panel edges and adapted for being folded onto a corresponding one of said sidewalls, the method comprising a step of folding each flap along the respective crease line partially towards a position, in which the flap forms a substantially right angle with said top panel and placing the lid above said box such that the top panel and the bottom panel are substantially aligned and such that, seen onto each sidewall, each flap overlaps one of the sidewalls, a step of releasing the lid allowing it to be guided by the partially folded flaps into a position on the box, in which the top panel and the bottom panel are aligned, and a step of folding each flap onto the respective sidewall fully into said position, in which the flap forms a substantially right angle with the top panel.

Apparatus for manufacturing mailpieces, comprising a supply module for supplying cold seal paper to form an envelope body, a feeding module for collating documents to form the content to be inserted in the mailpiece, and a pair of finishing rollers for folding the envelope body around the content and sealing the mailpiece in a single finishing step.

Apparatus for manufacturing mailpieces, comprising a supply module for supplying cold seal paper to form an envelope body, a feeding module for collating documents to form the content to be inserted in the mailpiece, and a pair of finishing rollers for folding the envelope body around the content and sealing the mailpiece in a single finishing step.

A packing box includes a separation line in a shipping configuration, the separation line allowing separating a separation part from the packing box to leave a display part in a display configuration. First to last panels are sequentially interconnected, and flaps are connected to the panels. The flaps cooperatively define further sides of the packing box in the shipping configuration, and adjacent flaps connected to adjacent mutually connected panels are attached to one another. The separation line extends through a single panel from a first end associated with a position between adjacent first separation and display flaps to a second end associated with a position between adjacent second separation and display flaps, the separation flaps being associated with the separation part and the display flaps being associated with the display part. The separation flaps, and the adjacent display flaps are attached to one another, respectively, in a releasable manner.

A unique pizza box apparatus and methods of forming and using said pizza box are disclosed. The pizza box is formed with an additional plate pocket for receiving plates therein. The pocket is connected to an inside surface of the pizza box lid and expands a distance less than that of the depth of the pizza box. On the pizza box lid is a cut or perforated plate pocket lid with a living hinge on one end and a lid tab on a substantially opposite end for grabbing and rotatably opening the plate pocket lid with respect to the pizza box lid. A pizza bumper may further be included within the box to ensure separation between a base of the plate pocket and a pizza once the pizza is placed within the box. Napkins and/or further utensils may also be placed within the plate pocket if so desired.

A method for controlling the processing of varying shipment sets of one or more item(s) in an automated packaging system for packaging said varying shipment sets in custom-sized boxes made from cardboard blanks, said packaging system comprising a plurality of processing stations performing different operations on said shipment sets, said operations including transporting said shipments sets to and through said stations, said method comprising: acquiring information about one or more physical properties of a shipment set or the item(s) forming the shipment set, determining based on said information if the shipment set needs or allows a specific treatment in or on the transport to and through one or more of said processing stations within said packaging system, and configuring said one or more of said processing stations with instructions for said specific treatment of said shipment set.

An optimal package structure and an amount of refrigerant to insert into the package structure are determined based upon product information, consumer preference information, and weather information. The optimal package structure and the amount of refrigerant are an optimized combination that is effective to both protect the product from damage and preserve the product from spoilage. A package is constructed to contain the product according to the optimal package structure and the amount of refrigerant is inserted into the structure.

An optimal package structure and an amount of refrigerant to insert into the package structure are determined based upon product information, consumer preference information, and weather information. The optimal package structure and the amount of refrigerant are an optimized combination that is effective to both protect the product from damage and preserve the product from spoilage. A package is constructed to contain the product according to the optimal package structure and the amount of refrigerant is inserted into the structure.

The packaging material includes a packaging material body formed into a sheet shape as a whole by welding two film sheets having an upper sheet and a lower sheet together at appropriate points; an air introduction path having the packaging material body, one side thereof serving as an air introduction port and the other side sealed; a plurality of air bags having the packaging material body while being in communication with the air introduction path, and extending in a direction orthogonal to the air introduction path; and check valves provided to respective air inlets of the plurality of air bags and preventing escaping of air having been introduced through the air introduction port and introduced into the air bags through the air inlets. The packaging material body is bent and welded at appropriate points, whereby a packaging bag for storing a packaged object is provided.