Folding apparatus (1) for folding sheet packaging elements (2), comprising main conveying means (12), configured to sequentially receive the packaging elements (2) from a feeding station (13) and to advance each packaging element (2) along a first path (A), forming means (15), carried by the main conveying means (12) and configured to cooperate in use with a first face (2b) of each packaging element (2) while the packaging element (2) is advanced along the first path (A), and folding means (18), advanced by auxiliary conveying means (16) along a second path (Q), having a first portion (Q1) distinct from the first path (A) and a second portion (Q2), which is in common with the first path (A) and along which the folding means (18) cooperate with a second face (2a), opposite the first face (2b), of each packaging element (2) to fold the packaging element (2) against the forming means (15).

Aspects of the disclosure relate to a carrier in the form of a tray and to a blank for forming the carrier and to a method of assembling the carrier into a flat collapsible form. The carrier comprises a base wall, opposed side walls hingedly connected to opposed sides of the base wall, and opposed end walls hingedly connected to opposed ends of the base wall. Each of the end walls is coupled to each of the side walls by a corner structure. The corner structure comprises a first corner panel, a second corner panel and a web panel hingedly connected to each of the first and second corner panels. The web panel is disposed between first and second corner panels in face contacting relationship therewith. The web panel comprises a cutaway located distally from the base wall, such that the first corner panel is securable to the second corner panel.

A unit for boxing packaged food products including a rotary element with at least one first seat for receiving a blank; a first transfer station for transferring the blank from a magazine for feeding blanks to a folding mould; a folding station for opening up, at least partly, the blank; a second transfer station for transferring the blank folded open from mould to the first receiving seat; an insertion station for inserting the packaged food products inside the blank folded open positioned on the first receiving seat; a closing station for closing the blank folded open, positioned on the second receiving seat and containing the packaged food products.

A unit for boxing packaged food products including: a first rotary element with at least one first receiving seat; a first transfer station for transferring a blank from a magazine for feeding blanks to the first receiving seat; a folding station for opening up the blank; a second rotary element with at least one second receiving seat; a second transfer station for transferring the blank folded open from the first receiving seat to the second receiving seat; an insertion station for inserting the packaged food products inside the blank folded open positioned on the second receiving seat; and a closing station for closing the blank folded open, positioned on the second receiving seat and containing the packaged food products.

Folding unit for forming an empty cardboard box; the folding unit has a mandrel, around which a blank is folded to form the empty cardboard box. The mandrel has at least two parts, which are mobile in respect to one another between an expanded configuration, in which the two parts are further from one another so as to confer a maximum size to the mandrel, and a contracted configuration, in which the two parts are closer to one another so as to confer a minimum size to the mandrel.

An apparatus forms boxes with curved corners from a die-cut sheet. A forming matrix delimits a forming cavity by guides counterposed in pairs along two orthogonal axes. The guides define a die-cut sheet support plane. A forming head inserts inside the cavity to push the die-cut sheet to form a box. Vacuum gripping devices are arranged outside the cavity in opposite positions along the second axis and each grip from underneath the die-cut sheet to hold it on the support. Pusher devices are arranged outside and near one of the corners of the cavity. Each pusher device raises one side flap of the die-cut sheet from the support plane. An electronic control unit operates the main gripping devices, pusher devices and forming head according to the following sequence: actuating the gripping devices; actuating the pushers; deactivating the gripping devices; and inserting the forming head in the forming cavity.

A packaging machine includes: a conveying machine that conveys a package blank for a package; a lid-side magnetizing roller that is supported so as to be able to come into contact with the lid-side magnetic region of the package blank, and so as to be rotatable when coming into contact, and has a permanent magnet which magnetizes a magnetic material of the lid-side magnetic region; and a body-side magnetizing roller that is supported so as to be able to come into contact with the body-side magnetic region of the package blank, and so as to be rotatable when coming into contact, and has a permanent magnet for magnetizing a magnetic material of the body-side magnetic region so as to form a predetermined magnetic distribution corresponding to a magnetic distribution in the lid-side magnetic region formed by the lid-side magnetizing roller.

A blank has an upper surface and a reverse surface. The upper surface is printed in a conventional manner and includes outer side panels and inner side panels. Attachment regions are provided on the inner side panels of the outer surface, and corresponding attachment regions are provided on the outer side panels of the reverse surface. During assembly the respective attachment regions are arranged to face one another and an adhesive is provided therebetween. In the present method, the attachment regions of the upper surface initially have a surface tension in the range from around 34 dynes/cm to 60 dynes/cm before the upper surface is printed. The attachment regions are treated in order to maintain a surface tension in the desired range of 34 dynes/cm to 60 dynes/cm, following printing and before any adhesive is applied. This is achieved by applying an auxiliary printing medium to the attachment regions.

A unit for boxing packaged food products including: a first rotary element with at least one first receiving seat; a first transfer station for transferring a blank from a magazine for feeding blanks to the first receiving seat; a folding station for opening up the blank; a second rotary element with at least one second receiving seat; a second transfer station for transferring the blank folded open from the first receiving seat to the second receiving seat; an insertion station for inserting the packaged food products inside the blank folded open positioned on the second receiving seat; and a closing station for closing the blank folded open, positioned on the second receiving seat and containing the packaged food products.

A unit for boxing packaged food products including a rotary element with at least one first seat for receiving a blank; a first transfer station for transferring the blank from a magazine for feeding blanks to a folding mould; a folding station for opening up, at least partly, the blank; a second transfer station for transferring the blank folded open from mould to the first receiving seat; an insertion station for inserting the packaged food products inside the blank folded open positioned on the first receiving seat; a closing station for closing the blank folded open, positioned on the second receiving seat and containing the packaged food products.