A nip roller includes a core material having a surface coated with rubber. The nip roller having a support length L.sub.1 of 5 m or longer. The rubber surface has a hardness H (deg) equal to or lower than 65 deg as measured by a JIS K6253 Type A durometer (A type). Mass W (kg) of the nip roller and second moment of area I.sub.1 (m.sup.4) and the Young's modulus E.sub.1 (Pa) of the core material satisfy E.sub.1I.sub.1/W?80000.

A clasp is configured to engage an end of a tube. The clasp has a shaft that is insertable into a tube. The clasp includes a housing with clamping blocks that are spaced circumferentially around the shaft. The clamping blocks are moveable between a disengaged position in which the clamping blocks are spaced radially outwardly from the shaft at a distance sufficient such that a tube is insertable between the shaft and the clamping blocks, and an engaged position in which the clamping blocks are positioned radially inward of the disengaged position toward the shaft and are configured to press a tube disposed between the blocks and the shaft against the shaft. The clasp has at least one actuator engageable with at least one clamping block of the plurality of clamping blocks to move the at least one clamping block between the disengaged position and the engaged position.

A clasp is configured to engage an end of a tube. The clasp has a shaft that is insertable into a tube. The clasp includes a housing with clamping blocks that are spaced circumferentially around the shaft. The clamping blocks are moveable between a disengaged position in which the clamping blocks are spaced radially outwardly from the shaft at a distance sufficient such that a tube is insertable between the shaft and the clamping blocks, and an engaged position in which the clamping blocks are positioned radially inward of the disengaged position toward the shaft and are configured to press a tube disposed between the blocks and the shaft against the shaft. The clasp has at least one actuator engageable with at least one clamping block of the plurality of clamping blocks to move the at least one clamping block between the disengaged position and the engaged position.

A medium includes a base layer and a separation layer. Regions defined along a first direction include: a first region in which a portion of the medium which is in contact with the separation layer is stickable; a second region in which a portion of the medium which is in contact with the separation layer is non-stickable; and a third region in which a portion of the medium which is in contact with the separation layer is at least partly stickable. A first mark is provided on a portion of the medium in the first region. A second mark is provided on a portion of the medium in the third region at a position aligned with the first mark in the first direction.

A medium includes a base layer and a separation layer. Regions defined along a first direction include: a first region in which a portion of the medium which is in contact with the separation layer is stickable; a second region in which a portion of the medium which is in contact with the separation layer is non-stickable; and a third region in which a portion of the medium which is in contact with the separation layer is at least partly stickable. A first mark is provided on a portion of the medium in the first region. A second mark is provided on a portion of the medium in the third region at a position aligned with the first mark in the first direction.

Embodiments of a compressed and coreless roll of sheet product having a center indicator are disclosed. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a compressed coreless roll of sheet product is provided. The compressed coreless roll of sheet product includes a sheet product having a first end and a second end. The sheet product is wound about an axis beginning with the first end and ending with the second end to partially define an axial cavity along the axis. The first end includes an indicator that is visible when the sheet product roll is compressed such that the axial cavity is substantially collapsed.

Embodiments of a compressed and coreless roll of sheet product having a center indicator are disclosed. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a compressed coreless roll of sheet product is provided. The compressed coreless roll of sheet product includes a sheet product having a first end and a second end. The sheet product is wound about an axis beginning with the first end and ending with the second end to partially define an axial cavity along the axis. The first end includes an indicator that is visible when the sheet product roll is compressed such that the axial cavity is substantially collapsed.

A packaging container includes an expandable plastic body having a front wall and a back wall, and a top, a bottom, and sides. Each side of the body has a gusset portion extending along a length thereof. Each gusset portion has gusset segments and a pair of adjacent gusset segments are joined along a common fold line. Each gusset segment has an inner surface and an outer surface. At least one of the gusset segments has an embossed section. The embossed section has a plurality of mounds protruding from one of the inner and outer surfaces and a plurality of depressions corresponding to the mounds within the other of said inner and outer surfaces. A roll for forming a packaging container, and method, are also disclosed.

A packaging container includes an expandable plastic body having a front wall and a back wall, and a top, a bottom, and sides. Each side of the body has a gusset portion extending along a length thereof. Each gusset portion has gusset segments and a pair of adjacent gusset segments are joined along a common fold line. Each gusset segment has an inner surface and an outer surface. At least one of the gusset segments has an embossed section. The embossed section has a plurality of mounds protruding from one of the inner and outer surfaces and a plurality of depressions corresponding to the mounds within the other of said inner and outer surfaces. A roll for forming a packaging container, and method, are also disclosed.

Medicine packaging apparatuses and methods for accurately determining a remaining sheet amount of a medicine packaging sheet are described. The apparatus includes: a roll support section to which a core tube of a medicine packaging sheet roll is attached; a sensor disposed in the roll support section for outputting a count value according to a rotation amount; a wireless reader-writer unit for writing information to a core tube IC tag and reading said information; an information generation section for generating information to be written to the core tube IC tag; a remaining sheet amount estimation section for estimating a current amount of remaining sheet based on the information and dimensional information of the core tube; and a controller which selectively performs an operation if a reference time-point count value is not yet written to the core tube IC tag and another operation if the count value is already written thereto.