Funnels and gas lances are disclosed for use with filling packages with bulk product.

A machine and method for arranging objects comprising a first end with a protruding edge and a second end, on the opposite side of the protruding edge, in an alternate manner along single file rows. A guide guides objects in a single file row to a separator for receiving and separating the objects into a first and a second group and for alternately feeding the first and the second group to a collector and dropping device configured for rotating the objects of the first group and the second group according to a predetermined orientation and for stacking the objects one above the other in an alternate manner along single file rows.

Devices, systems, and methods for autonomously queueing a plurality of folded household laundry articles in a packing queue are described. A packing system includes a rotating platform configured to rotate a folded laundry article for directional placement in the packing queue, at least one packing queue platform receiving the folded laundry article into a packing queue disposed thereon, and a double ended conveyor. The double ended conveyor includes a retrieving end and a depositing end. The conveyor is configured to be mounted to a gantry for traveling along the length of the queue platform and cantilevering the retrieving end over the rotating platform for retrieving the folded laundry article and the depositing end over the packing queue platform for depositing the folded laundry article onto either a surface of the packing queue platform or another folded laundry article of the plurality of household laundry articles.

A blister assembly comprises at least one collapsible blister adapted, as it is collapsed, to eject a liquid contained therein. The blister assembly comprises a first layer (130) having at least one blister chamber (150) and a second layer (131) sealed to the first layer at least around a periphery of the at least one blister chamber such that a liquid is contained between the first layer and the second layer. The seal between the first and second layers comprises a first planar portion having a first peel strength and a second planar portion having a second peel strength, wherein the first peel strength is greater than the second peel strength, such that when pressure is applied to the blister, the second portion of the seal breaks to release the liquid contained within the chamber into the liquid inlet. The blister assembly further comprises at least one discontinuity (142) formed in the first and second layers in the region of the first portion of the seal, such that a shear force is required to delaminate the first and second layers in that region.

Systems and method of wrapping an object are disclosed. An object wrapping system includes a contractible loop, a positioning system, and a wrapping material system. The contractible loop is configured to be deployed in an expanded position and a contracted position. The positioning system is configured to position an object in alignment with an aperture defined by the contractible loop. The wrapping material system is configured to position a wrapping material between the object and the aperture. The positioning system is configured to move the object into the wrapping material and through the aperture when the contractible loop is deployed in the expanded position. The contractible loop is configured to deploy into the contracted position to at least partially close the wrapping material around the object.

A vertical packaging machine that includes a forming tube having an inner passage section and retaining means associated with the forming tube. The retaining means includes a retaining device configured to be displaced between a blocking position (P1) in which it at least partially blocks the inner passage section of the forming tube, and a release position (P2) in which it does not block said inner passage section of the forming tube. While in the blocking position (P1), the retaining device is arranged at a fixed specific height and is configured to prevent a product from passing through the inner passage section of the forming tube. Upon transitioning to the release position (P2), the retaining device is withdrawn from the path to be followed by the product.

Apparatuses and methods for tamping the contents of a container are disclosed. An embodiment of an apparatus includes a tamp head for tamping the contents of the container; and a container support assembly structured and arranged to temporarily support the bottom surface of the container during tamping, the container support assembly comprising a support element having a protrusion extending upward from a substantially flat and horizontal upper surface, wherein the protrusion is sized and shaped to correspond to the size and shape of the bottom surface of the container.

A device for transporting and filling bags, preferably open bags, comprising a filling device, which is rotatable about an axis of rotation, having multiple filling openings distributed over the circumference of the filling device, and comprising a feeder, using which an empty bag can be fed to a filling opening, wherein the feeder comprises at least one holding unit for a bag, which is movable normally to the axis of rotation of the filling device, wherein the holding unit has two separate holders, wherein the holders are each movable forward and backward along the same open trajectory, wherein the first holder is mounted so it is movable on the filling device, while the second holder is mounted so it is movable on a spatially-fixed guide.

An apparatus for dispensing and packaging dosed quantities of solid drug portions is provided. The apparatus includes multiple dosing stations, each dosing station having an output opening for dispensing solid drug portions, a collector for collecting dosed quantities of solid drug portions dispensed by the dosing stations and forwarding the dosed quantities of solid drug portions to a packager, and multiple fall ducts configured to guide the solid drug portions from the output openings to the collector, each fall duct having an outlet and a number of inlet openings, the output openings of the dosing stations being aligned with the inlet openings of the fall ducts when a fall duct is positioned adjacent to a column of dosing stations. Each fall duct includes a first part and a second part detachably connected together.

A system including a flume. The flume can include a fluid and be configured to receive crops. The system also can include crop selectors each sized to move the crops individually from the flume into a scale. The system additionally can include the scale. The scale can be configured to weigh the crops while the crops are in the scale. The system further can include a container carrier configured to (i) hold a container that is submerged in the fluid while the crops are dumped from the scale into the container and (ii) lift the container out of the fluid to allow the fluid to drain from the container while the container holds the crops. Other embodiments are described.