Advanced ultrasonic welding components of co-pending application Ser. No. 12/925,652 are readily incorporated into new form-fill-seal machines, but owners of existing machines utilizing heat-seal stations were unsuccessful at swapping the sealing packages. Retrofit kits to a replace heat sealing station with an advanced ultrasonic sonotrode and anvil comprise: a housing; a linear rail fixed thereto; first and second bearing carriages being slidable upon the rail; and first and second fluidic muscles. Each of the fluidic muscles is mounted with a first end fixed to a respective housing wall, and a second end fixed to a respective bearing carriage, permitting actuation of each carriage through pressurization and depressurization of the muscles. The advanced anvil and sonotrode may be secured to respective carriages. In-line arrangements of anvil/sonotrode, bearing carriages, the first fluidic muscle, and the second fluidic muscle provides a narrow profile, permitting side-by-side kit installations for retrofits accomplishing duplex sealing on a horizontal machine.

This invention is directed to multiple sealing bars to seal articles moving on a conveyor (2) inside a sleeve (4) that forms a continuous film tube (5). Retracting conveyors act to collapse the tube between the articles so that the collapsed portion of the tube can be sealed. The synchronization of the sealing bars with the movement of retracting conveyors allows for a continuous motion machine where the products inside the film do not stop.

This invention is directed to multiple sealing bars to seal articles moving on a conveyor (2) inside a sleeve (4) that forms a continuous film tube (5). Retracting conveyors act to collapse the tube between the articles so that the collapsed portion of the tube can be sealed. The synchronization of the sealing bars with the movement of retracting conveyors allows for a continuous motion machine where the products inside the film do not stop.

Disclosed is an arrangement and a method for manufacturing of a web of packaging material for an oral pouched snuff product. The web is a saliva-permeable nonwoven web includes fibres, whereof 0%-95% of said fibres are of a first type and 5%-100% of a second type, the fibres of the first type being cellulose-based staple fibres, and the fibres of the second type being thermoplastic fibres, which are meltable and/or softenable at least at the surface. The arrangement includes a carding unit for carding the fibres to form a pre-web, an air-through bonding unit for bonding the pre-web by means of at least partial melting and/or softening of the fibres of the second type to form the web, and a calendering unit for surface treatment of the web.

Disclosed is an arrangement and a method for manufacturing of a web of packaging material for an oral pouched snuff product. The web is a saliva-permeable nonwoven web includes fibres, whereof 0%-95% of said fibres are of a first type and 5%-100% of a second type, the fibres of the first type being cellulose-based staple fibres, and the fibres of the second type being thermoplastic fibres, which are meltable and/or softenable at least at the surface. The arrangement includes a carding unit for carding the fibres to form a pre-web, an air-through bonding unit for bonding the pre-web by means of at least partial melting and/or softening of the fibres of the second type to form the web, and a calendering unit for surface treatment of the web.

Containers are described which can accommodate a variety of flexible bag assemblies used for containing waste. Internal accommodating structures are designed to accommodate and secure various types of bag assemblies, including single bag assemblies and cassettes.

A welding device for making and hermetically sealing at least one package containing a product, comprises first and second sealing and cutting equipment. Each sealing equipment is configured to receive a film forming a tubular envelope, to seal and cut it transversally for making at least one package. The welding device comprises a support body, bearing the first and the second sealing and cutting equipment, which is connectable to a packaging machine preferably a rotary drum of a packaging machine. Each sealing and cutting equipment comprises an arm operating as a sealing and cutting head and an abutment body. The arm is rotatably constrained to the support body and reversibly movable between an active position substantially abutting the abutment body, and an inactive position raised with respect to the abutment body. A locking device locks the arms in the active position in the welding step.

A welding device for making and hermetically sealing at least one package containing a product, comprises first and second sealing and cutting equipment. Each sealing equipment is configured to receive a film forming a tubular envelope, to seal and cut it transversally for making at least one package. The welding device comprises a support body, bearing the first and the second sealing and cutting equipment, which is connectable to a packaging machine preferably a rotary drum of a packaging machine. Each sealing and cutting equipment comprises an arm operating as a sealing and cutting head and an abutment body. The arm is rotatably constrained to the support body and reversibly movable between an active position substantially abutting the abutment body, and an inactive position raised with respect to the abutment body. A locking device locks the arms in the active position in the welding step.

A method for filling bags with bulk products includes providing a quantity of product for filling a bag, dispensing the quantity of product through a connection duct towards a filling station provided with designed to fill a bag with the product, and filling the bag with the quantity of product in the filling station. The quantity of product is intercepted and retained inside the connection duct, before arrival and filling at the filling station and is deaerated. The deaeration of the product is achieved at two separate steps. A filling apparatus and a bagging machine are configured to implement the filling method.

A method for filling bags with bulk products includes providing a quantity of product for filling a bag, dispensing the quantity of product through a connection duct towards a filling station provided with designed to fill a bag with the product, and filling the bag with the quantity of product in the filling station. The quantity of product is intercepted and retained inside the connection duct, before arrival and filling at the filling station and is deaerated. The deaeration of the product is achieved at two separate steps. A filling apparatus and a bagging machine are configured to implement the filling method.