The present invention relates to a thermoform packaging machine as well as to a method for producing a skin pack, comprising the steps of preforming a skin film prior to a sealing station and subjecting it to a further forming step in the sealing station, so that the skin film can wrap around a product protruding far beyond a packaging trough.

A packaging sheet is described. The sheet comprises a first layer comprising a first copolyester having a glass transition temperature of from 70 C. to 90 C. and an intrinsic viscosity of from 0.70 dl/g to 0.90 dl/g. The first copolyester comprises from 50% to 85% by volume of the sheet. The sheet also comprises a second layer comprising a second copolyester having a glass transition temperature of equal to or greater than 112 C. The second copolyester comprises from 15% to 50% by volume of the sheet. The sheet is thermally stable after exposure to temperatures up to 112 C. Various embodiments of the sheet are also described.

A process of making water soluble unit dose articles using water-soluble films is disclosed. The process includes obtaining a first film roll to provide a first film web to a forming surface and obtaining a second film roll to provide a second film web to the forming surface. The first film web and second film web are tensioned to induce strains thereon. The first film web is conformed to one or more recesses in the forming surface forming one or more cavities in the first film web. The one or more cavities are filled with one or more treatment agents. The second film web is joined to the first film web.

In the method for automatically controlling the feed of a film web in a packaging machine, the feed length is controlled on the basis of specific measurements in such a way that, during following forming cycles, the acquired second distance corresponds to the first distance or deviates from the first distance by a defined amount.

In the method for automatically controlling the feed of a film web in a packaging machine, the feed length is controlled on the basis of specific measurements in such a way that, during following forming cycles, the acquired second distance corresponds to the first distance or deviates from the first distance by a defined amount.

A hybrid packet containing deodorizing chemicals can dissolve to release the chemicals in a brine solution while still being formed using high speed packet forming machinery. A hybrid packet can be formed by feeding a sheet of dissolvable paper and a film of PVA material into the packet forming machine to form a hybrid packet having one side formed of the paper and the opposing side formed of the PVA material. The PVA sheet and paper panels are fused together by the machine to form a sealed interior compartment that holds the deodorizing chemicals. A serrated knife edge can be used to pierce the paper and PVA layers to separate individual packets. Reduced water volume in the forming operation avoids compromising the dissolvable paper portion of the hybrid packet. The packet contents can include citric acid and sodium bicarbonate.

A hybrid packet containing deodorizing chemicals can dissolve to release the chemicals in a brine solution while still being formed using high speed packet forming machinery. A hybrid packet can be formed by feeding a sheet of dissolvable paper and a film of PVA material into the packet forming machine to form a hybrid packet having one side formed of the paper and the opposing side formed of the PVA material. The PVA sheet and paper panels are fused together by the machine to form a sealed interior compartment that holds the deodorizing chemicals. A serrated knife edge can be used to pierce the paper and PVA layers to separate individual packets. Reduced water volume in the forming operation avoids compromising the dissolvable paper portion of the hybrid packet. The packet contents can include citric acid and sodium bicarbonate.

A rotary knife assembly includes a rotatable core and a plurality of knife blades extending from the rotatable core. A healing element is coupled with the plurality of knife blades, and the heating element is configured to heat the knife blades. One or more package guides are interposed between each of the plurality of knife blades configured to engage along one or more deformable packages as the rotatable core is rotated. In another example, a discharge assembly includes a conveyor belt including inner and outer belt surfaces, and a plurality of belt rows extending along a belt length. A plurality of package spacing ridges each include outer engaging edges, and one package spacing ridge of the plurality is positioned between each of the plurality of belt rows. The outer belt surface is recessed from the outer engaging edges.

A dosing apparatus for dosing powdered substances for producing single-dose capsules, having at least one compartment in which at least one powdered substance is present, including a forming unit having one or more molds movable in an advancement direction, and a dosing unit including at least one dosing plate having one or more chambers, in each of which a quantity of at least one of the powdered substances can be inserted, to be subsequently transferred from at least one of the chambers to a respective mold.

The invention provides a process for manufacturing softgel capsules incorporating within said capsule one or more flat round tablets, said process comprising: (i) loading said flat round tablets into a tablet hopper; (ii) feeding said flat round tablets in a vertical orientation into guide channels; (iii) allowing said flat round tablets to move in the vertical orientation along the guide channels by the effect of gravity; (iv) allowing said flat round tablets to pass through a system incorporating a first retention piston and a second delivery piston; (v) allowing said flat round tablets to enter a distributor plate and wedge segment system through the top feed holes in said distributor plate; and (vi) incorporating said flat round tablets into the interior of the softgel capsule.