Embodiments of product handling systems facilitate transfer of individual product items from incoming bulk form into dedicated trays for inspection, sorting, selection, and packaging. Inspection may comprise interrogation of product items within a tray by electromagnetic (e.g., optical, hyperspectral) or other (e.g., physical, acoustic, gas sensing, etc.) techniques. Prior to packaging, product items disposed within the tray may be stored in a moveable carousel responsible for controlling environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, illumination, ambient gases, product-to-product interactions, and/or others. Movement of product items from a carousel's transfer station to an outside staging position may be accomplished using robots and/or conveyor belts. Embodiments may allow rapid, low-cost consumer selection of specific individual product items based upon their accompanying metadata (e.g., source, identifier), in combination with the results of inspection (e.g., visual appearance). Embodiments may receive product items pre-packaged in tray format to expedite inspection, sorting, selection, and packaging.

Embodiments of product handling systems facilitate transfer of individual product items from incoming bulk form into dedicated trays for inspection, sorting, selection, and packaging. Inspection may comprise interrogation of product items within a tray by electromagnetic (e.g., optical, hyperspectral) or other (e.g., physical, acoustic, gas sensing, etc.) techniques. Prior to packaging, product items disposed within the tray may be stored in a moveable carousel responsible for controlling environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, illumination, ambient gases, product-to-product interactions, and/or others. Movement of product items from a carousel's transfer station to an outside staging position may be accomplished using robots and/or conveyor belts. Embodiments may allow rapid, low-cost consumer selection of specific individual product items based upon their accompanying metadata (e.g., source, identifier), in combination with the results of inspection (e.g., visual appearance). Embodiments may receive product items pre-packaged in tray format to expedite inspection, sorting, selection, and packaging.

Embodiments of product handling systems facilitate transfer of individual product items from incoming bulk form into dedicated trays for inspection, sorting, selection, and packaging. Inspection may comprise interrogation of product items within a tray by electromagnetic (e.g., optical, hyperspectral) or other (e.g., physical, acoustic, gas sensing, etc.) techniques. Prior to packaging, product items disposed within the tray may be stored in a moveable carousel responsible for controlling environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, illumination, ambient gases, product-to-product interactions, and/or others. Movement of product items from a carousel's transfer station to an outside staging position may be accomplished using robots and/or conveyor belts. Embodiments may allow rapid, low-cost consumer selection of specific individual product items based upon their accompanying metadata (e.g., source, identifier), in combination with the results of inspection (e.g., visual appearance). Embodiments may receive product items pre-packaged in tray format to expedite inspection, sorting, selection, and packaging.

A package comprising includes a base film, at least one closing film, and at least one product interposed between the base film and the closing film. The closing film is hermetically fixed to the base film at a sealing band with the product housed in a packaging seat defined between the closing film and the base film. Also described is a process for making the package described above.

Embodiments of product handling systems facilitate transfer of individual product items from incoming bulk form into dedicated trays for inspection, sorting, selection, and packaging. Inspection may comprise interrogation of product items within a tray by electromagnetic (e.g., optical, hyperspectral) or other (e.g., physical, acoustic, gas sensing, etc.) techniques. Prior to packaging, product items disposed within the tray may be stored in a movable carousel responsible for controlling environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, illumination, ambient gases, product-to-product interactions, and/or others. Movement of product items from a carousel's transfer station to an outside staging position may be accomplished using robots and/or conveyor belts. Embodiments may allow rapid, low-cost consumer selection of specific individual product items based upon their accompanying metadata (e.g., source, identifier), in combination with the results of inspection (e.g., visual appearance). Embodiments may receive product items pre-packaged in tray format to expedite inspection, sorting, selection, and packaging.

A machine for packaging single use capsules (1) for extraction or infusion beverages, such as coffee, milk, chocolate, tea, or combinations thereof, includes: a transport element (8) for transporting rigid bodies (2) of the capsules (1) and closed in a loop around movement organs (9) with vertical axis (Z9), to move the transport element (8) continuously, the transport element (8) being configured to define a plurality of seats (10) for the rigid bodies (2), arranged in succession one after the other and having a vertical development axis (Z10); a plurality of stations, arranged along an advancement path (P) followed by the transport element (8), configured to operate continuously and in phase with the transport element (8) and including: a feeding station (11) for feeding the rigid bodies (2) within the corresponding seats (10) of the transport element (8); a dosing station (12); a closing station (13); an outfeed station (14).

A machine for packaging single use capsules (1) for extraction or infusion beverages, such as coffee, milk, chocolate, tea, or combinations thereof, includes: a transport element (8) for transporting rigid bodies (2) of the capsules (1) and closed in a loop around movement organs (9) with vertical axis (Z9), to move the transport element (8) continuously, the transport element (8) being configured to define a plurality of seats (10) for the rigid bodies (2), arranged in succession one after the other and having a vertical development axis (Z10); a plurality of stations, arranged along an advancement path (P) followed by the transport element (8), configured to operate continuously and in phase with the transport element (8) and including: a feeding station (11) for feeding the rigid bodies (2) within the corresponding seats (10) of the transport element (8); a dosing station (12); a closing station (13); an outfeed station (14).

Embodiments of product handling systems facilitate transfer of individual product items from incoming bulk form into dedicated trays for inspection, sorting, selection, and packaging. Inspection may comprise interrogation of product items within a tray by electromagnetic (e.g., optical, hyperspectral) or other (e.g., physical, acoustic, gas sensing, etc.) techniques. Prior to packaging, product items disposed within the tray may be stored in a moveable carousel responsible for controlling environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, illumination, ambient gases, product-to-product interactions, and/or others. Movement of product items from a carousel's transfer station to an outside staging position may be accomplished using robots and/or conveyor belts. Embodiments may allow rapid, low-cost consumer selection of specific individual product items based upon their accompanying metadata (e.g., source, identifier), in combination with the results of inspection (e.g., visual appearance). Embodiments may receive product items pre-packaged in tray format to expedite inspection, sorting, selection, and packaging.

An apparatus for use in delivering cup-like containers to a container receiving path of a packaging station includes: a first infeed tower and a second infeed tower, each of the first infeed tower and the second infeed tower having: a stationary upper segment and a movable lower segment, wherein the movable lower segment is movable between a load position, in alignment with the stationary upper segment for receiving cup-like containers from the stationary upper segment, and an unload position, in alignment with the container receiving path for delivering cup-like containers to the container receiving path; a transfer gate controllable to block feed of cup-like containers from the stationary upper segment down into the movable lower segment; and an outlet gate controllable to block feed of cup-like containers down out of the movable lower segment.

An apparatus for use in delivering cup-like containers to a container receiving path of a packaging station includes: a first infeed tower and a second infeed tower, each of the first infeed tower and the second infeed tower having: a stationary upper segment and a movable lower segment, wherein the movable lower segment is movable between a load position, in alignment with the stationary upper segment for receiving cup-like containers from the stationary upper segment, and an unload position, in alignment with the container receiving path for delivering cup-like containers to the container receiving path; a transfer gate controllable to block feed of cup-like containers from the stationary upper segment down into the movable lower segment; and an outlet gate controllable to block feed of cup-like containers down out of the movable lower segment.