Shown and described are a packaging machine and a method for producing a packaging unit from a packaging sleeve group comprising a plurality of flat folded, upright packaging sleeves, and an outer packaging. It is provided that the packaging machine comprises at least one conveyer unit for conveying the packaging sleeve group in a conveyor direction perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the packaging group and at least one outer packaging unit for preparing an outer packaging-shaping sheet material in a base position, and in that, seen in the conveyor direction behind the sheet material in the base position, a sealing unit is provided for sealing of the sheet material enclosed in the packaging sleeve group.

Shown and described are a packaging machine and a method for producing a packaging unit from a packaging sleeve group comprising a plurality of flat folded, upright packaging sleeves, and an outer packaging. It is provided that the packaging machine comprises at least one conveyer unit for conveying the packaging sleeve group in a conveyor direction perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the packaging group and at least one outer packaging unit for preparing an outer packaging-shaping sheet material in a base position, and in that, seen in the conveyor direction behind the sheet material in the base position, a sealing unit is provided for sealing of the sheet material enclosed in the packaging sleeve group.

Shown and described are a packaging machine and a method for producing a packaging unit from a packaging sleeve group comprising a plurality of flat folded, upright packaging sleeves, and an outer packaging. It is provided that the packaging machine comprises at least one conveyer unit for conveying the packaging sleeve group in a conveyor direction perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the packaging group and at least one outer packaging unit for preparing an outer packaging-shaping sheet material in a base position, and in that, seen in the conveyor direction behind the sheet material in the base position, a sealing unit is provided for sealing of the sheet material enclosed in the packaging sleeve group.

A carousel-type packaging machine comprising a plurality of workstations adapted to carry out a sequence of packaging operations and a rotating carousel arranged to move the containers through said workstations, wherein the carousel is arranged with a horizontal rotation axis and includes counter-rotating gripping members adapted to maintain containers in a constant trim during the rotation of the carousel through the various steps of the packaging process; the gripping members are further equipped with movable grippers controlled by motors associated with the workstations.

A carousel-type packaging machine comprising a plurality of workstations adapted to carry out a sequence of packaging operations and a rotating carousel arranged to move the containers through said workstations, wherein the carousel is arranged with a horizontal rotation axis and includes counter-rotating gripping members adapted to maintain containers in a constant trim during the rotation of the carousel through the various steps of the packaging process; the gripping members are further equipped with movable grippers controlled by motors associated with the workstations.

A transport apparatus including a rotary transport mechanism (5), which rotationally transports multiple equidistantly installed article holding members (gripper pairs (4)) in one direction along an annular trackway having a pair of parallel portions, and a reciprocating drive mechanism (6), which causes the entire rotary transport mechanism (5) to reciprocate a predetermined distance along the parallel portions. The article holding members are moved at a velocity of travel that is a combination of velocity of the reciprocating motion and velocity of the rotary transport. The velocity of the rotary transport and the velocity of the reciprocating motion are controlled by a control unit (9). The article holding members travel along the parallel portions on both sides (Lanes A and B) in an intermittent manner, each time covering a distance that is an integral multiple of the installation spacing p of the article holding members.

A transport apparatus including a rotary transport mechanism (5), which rotationally transports multiple equidistantly installed article holding members (gripper pairs (4)) in one direction along an annular trackway having a pair of parallel portions, and a reciprocating drive mechanism (6), which causes the entire rotary transport mechanism (5) to reciprocate a predetermined distance along the parallel portions. The article holding members are moved at a velocity of travel that is a combination of velocity of the reciprocating motion and velocity of the rotary transport. The velocity of the rotary transport and the velocity of the reciprocating motion are controlled by a control unit (9). The article holding members travel along the parallel portions on both sides (Lanes A and B) in an intermittent manner, each time covering a distance that is an integral multiple of the installation spacing p of the article holding members.

A packaging apparatus (1) for heat sealing packages (P) comprising a vacuum chamber (4) having an elongated opening (5) extending along or parallel to a longitudinal axis (L) of the vacuum chamber (4) and a conveyor (8) configured for receiving semi-sealed packages (P) and for moving the semi-sealed packages (P) relative to the vacuum chamber (4) along a main movement direction (M) such that each semi-sealed package (P) positioned on the conveyor (8) may have, during the relative movement of the semi-sealed package (P) with respect to the vacuum chamber (4), a terminal portion (TP) passing through the elongated opening (5) with its opening relatively moving within the vacuum chamber (4), while the main portion (MP) relatively moves outside the vacuum chamber (4). The packaging apparatus (1) further comprises evacuation means (9) fluidly communicating with the vacuum chamber (4) for evacuating gas present in the semi-sealed packages (P) and forming evacuated semi-sealed packages (P). The packaging apparatus (1) further comprises a heat sealer (13) configured for heat sealing the terminal portion (TP) of each evacuated semi-sealed package (P) thereby forming heat sealed packages (P). The packaging apparatus (1) is provided with at least one pre-heating unit (39, 40) arranged along the main movement direction (M) upstream of the heat sealing station (14) for pre-heating at least a band of the terminal portion (TP) of each evacuated semi-sealed package (P). A packaging process is also disclosed. The packaging process may use the packaging apparatus (1).

A packaging apparatus (1) for heat sealing packages (P) comprising a vacuum chamber (4) having an elongated opening (5) extending along or parallel to a longitudinal axis (L) of the vacuum chamber (4) and a conveyor (8) configured for receiving semi-sealed packages (P) and for moving the semi-sealed packages (P) relative to the vacuum chamber (4) along a main movement direction (M) such that each semi-sealed package (P) positioned on the conveyor (8) may have, during the relative movement of the semi-sealed package (P) with respect to the vacuum chamber (4), a terminal portion (TP) passing through the elongated opening (5) with its opening relatively moving within the vacuum chamber (4), while the main portion (MP) relatively moves outside the vacuum chamber (4). The packaging apparatus (1) further comprises evacuation means (9) fluidly communicating with the vacuum chamber (4) for evacuating gas present in the semi-sealed packages (P) and forming evacuated semi-sealed packages (P). The packaging apparatus (1) further comprises a heat sealer (13) configured for heat sealing the terminal portion (TP) of each evacuated semi-sealed package (P) thereby forming heat sealed packages (P). The packaging apparatus (1) is provided with at least one pre-heating unit (39, 40) arranged along the main movement direction (M) upstream of the heat sealing station (14) for pre-heating at least a band of the terminal portion (TP) of each evacuated semi-sealed package (P). A packaging process is also disclosed. The packaging process may use the packaging apparatus (1).

The invention relates to an advancing device (10) for advancing a film web (200) in a bag filling installation (100, having a main advancing drive (20) with at least one driven main advancing roller (22) for advancing the film web (200), wherein for an adjustment of the tensile stress of the film web (200) in the transport direction (T) of the film web (200) an auxiliary advancing drive (30) is disposed before the main advancing drive (20) with at least one driven auxiliary advancing roller (32) for advancing the film web (200).