The invention relates to a method for automatically creasing a folded box having inserted packaged goods, wherein the side walls of the folded box are creased by means of a creasing station which comprises a creasing tool having a rotatably mounted creasing roller for creasing a planar workpiece and a rotatably mounted counter-pressure roller which are retained at one end on a common support, wherein the distance between the two rollers can be varied, wherein the creasing tool is fastened to a movement system for three-dimensional displaceability, and wherein the following steps are carried out: a) providing the folded box, which is open at the top in the vertical direction and has inserted packaged goods; b) determining the dimensions of the folded box and the filling height of the packaged goods; c) creasing the side walls of the folded box, a first side wall being creased at a first creasing height associated with the filling height determined in step b). The counter-pressure roller is mounted parallel to the creasing roller; the counter-pressure roller and the creasing roller can be displaced relative to one another in order to set a distance from one another; and, during the creasing process, when the creasing tool reaches a vertical edge of the folded box, the roller located outside the folded box is pivoted through 90° about the roller located inside the folded box, the distance between the creasing roller and the counter-pressure roller being changed.

A method for manufacturing a rectangular-bottomed packaging bag includes an unfolding step of unfolding a flat bag by separating a pair of opening/closing plates (13) inserted into the flat bag from each other in a thickness direction of the flat bag, and a gusset forming step, after the unfolding step, of forming a side gusset and a bottom gusset by thrusting folding plates (11 and 12) between the pair of opening/closing plates (13) from the outside of the bag toward the inside of the bag.

A unit configured to form a tube for producing sealed packages starting from a sheet of packaging material having opening devices pre-applied thereon, comprises at least one guiding assembly configured to interact with the sheet of packaging material to fold it gradually into a tube shape; the guiding assembly comprises a plurality of folding rollers delimiting a passage for the sheet of packaging material and each having a lateral wall configured to cooperate in contact with the sheet of packaging material to control the folding thereof; the folding rollers comprise at least one folding roller having at least one recess on the lateral wall thereof, the recess defining a slot configured to be engaged by the opening devices.

A unit configured to form a tube for producing sealed packages starting from a sheet of packaging material having opening devices pre-applied thereon, comprises at least one guiding assembly configured to interact with the sheet of packaging material to fold it gradually into a tube shape; the guiding assembly comprises a plurality of folding rollers delimiting a passage for the sheet of packaging material and each having a lateral wall configured to cooperate in contact with the sheet of packaging material to control the folding thereof; the folding rollers comprise at least one folding roller having at least one recess on the lateral wall thereof, the recess defining a slot configured to be engaged by the opening devices.

There is described a forming assembly (10a, 10b) for forming a plurality of sealed packs (3) starting from a tube (2) of packaging material, comprising: a track (13a, 13b); a first element (15a, 15b), which is cyclically movable along the track (13a, 13b) and comprises, in turn, one of a sealing element (22b) or a counter-sealing element (22a) adapted to seal the pack (3); and a second element (14a, 14b), which is cyclically movable along the track (13a, 13b) and comprises, in turn, a first half-shell (21a, 21b; 21a′, 21b′) adapted, in use, contact the tube (2) so as to bound at least part of a respective pack (3) and control the shape of the pack (3) during the formation thereof; the first element (15a, 15b) and the second element (14a, 14b) are self-movable along the track (13a, 13b) independently of one another.

A method and apparatus for making a structurally resilient package with a desired shape on a vertical form, fill, and seal machine. The method comprises sealing a film to form a back seal; forming a first end seal to form a partially formed first package; flattening a first side of the partially formed first package to form a flat first side; filling the partially formed first package with product; forming a second end seal on the partially formed first package to form a first package from the partially formed first package; flattening the second side of the first package to form a flat second side, wherein the flattening the first side and the flattening the second side occur on a first machine.

A method and apparatus for making a structurally resilient package with a desired shape on a vertical form, fill, and seal machine. The method comprises sealing a film to form a back seal; forming a first end seal to form a partially formed first package; flattening a first side of the partially formed first package to form a flat first side; filling the partially formed first package with product; forming a second end seal on the partially formed first package to form a first package from the partially formed first package; flattening the second side of the first package to form a flat second side, wherein the flattening the first side and the flattening the second side occur on a first machine.

A container handling machine including at least one operative unit comprising support means to support a shaped container, and a plunger selectively moved along a given axis to deform a base of the container from a first swollen configuration to a second configuration, in which the base is in part retracted inwardly of the container with respect to the first configuration so as to form a recess delimited by a boundary surface defining an internal volume of the container smaller than that in the first configuration. The plunger is provided with a shaped head interacting with the container base and comprising: first engaging means and an interacting surface.

A container handling machine including at least one operative unit comprising support means to support a shaped container, and a plunger selectively moved along a given axis to deform a base of the container from a first swollen configuration to a second configuration, in which the base is in part retracted inwardly of the container with respect to the first configuration so as to form a recess delimited by a boundary surface defining an internal volume of the container smaller than that in the first configuration. The plunger is provided with a shaped head interacting with the container base and comprising: first engaging means and an interacting surface.

A plastic container comprises an upper portion including a finish defining an opening into the container, a lower portion including a base defining a standing surface, a sidewall extending between the upper portion and the lower portion, the sidewall defining a longitudinal axis, and at least one substantially transversely-oriented pressure panel located in the lower portion. The pressure panel is movable between an outwardly-inclined position and an inwardly-inclined position to compensate for a change of pressure inside the container. The standing surface defines a standing plane, and the entire pressure panel is located between the standing plane and the upper portion of the container when the pressure panel is in the outwardly-inclined position.