The invention relates to a filling device for filling bags with a respective unsealed upper end and at least two layers lying on top of one another. A filling station for filling the bags in characterised in that the filling device comprises at least one layer movement device (30) for moving the at least one layer of the bag relative to the at least one second layer, with which the layers of the bag can be acted upon, wherein the layer movement device is arranged in front of the filling station.

A hopper and method for transferring raw material, which can prevent segregation due to the impact caused by falling of the raw material powder when different types of raw material powders are transferred. The hopper for a raw material powder according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a hopper body having an inner space in which the raw material powder is stored and including an outlet which is formed through the lower end thereof and through which the raw material powder is discharged; a transfer pipe to which the raw material powder discharged through the outlet is transferred and which has a region, through which the raw material powder is transferred, divided into a plurality of regions; and a slide gate unit disposed between the outlet and the transfer pipe to open or close the transfer pipe while adjusting a degree of opening of the transfer pipe.

A method and apparatus are provided for handling beads such as lyophilized beads or cryo beads to enable reliable singulation of the beads and facilitate accurate dosing. The bead handling equipment (100) includes an equipment housing (102) containing a hopper (104) and a bead dispenser (103), a gas delivery system (105), and an inspection system (120). The housing 102 may be pressurized by supplying pressurized gas to the housing 102 from the gas delivery system 105. The bead dispenser includes a piston 106 operative to singulate individual beads from the stream of beads exiting the hopper 104 and to deliver individual beads to a feed channel 108 and to a container 110. The inspection system 120 identifies bead fragments, or beads that are otherwise mis-sized, so that such beads can be rejected and not delivered to the container 110.

A method and apparatus are provided for handling beads such as lyophilized beads or cryo beads to enable reliable singulation of the beads and facilitate accurate dosing. The bead handling equipment (100) includes an equipment housing (102) containing a hopper (104) and a bead dispenser (103), a gas delivery system (105), and an inspection system (120). The housing 102 may be pressurized by supplying pressurized gas to the housing 102 from the gas delivery system 105. The bead dispenser includes a piston 106 operative to singulate individual beads from the stream of beads exiting the hopper 104 and to deliver individual beads to a feed channel 108 and to a container 110. The inspection system 120 identifies bead fragments, or beads that are otherwise mis-sized, so that such beads can be rejected and not delivered to the container 110.

A bag processing machine includes: a rotation body which is intermittently rotated; a plurality of holding units which are attached to the rotation body and are moved along a circular movement path in accordance with rotation of the rotation body, the movement path being divided into a plurality of processing sections; a fixation support member which is positioned above the rotation body and does not rotate by rotation of the rotation body; and two or more processing devices which are supported by the fixation support member and perform processes on bags held by the plurality of holding units in two or more processing sections respectively of the plurality of processing sections.

A recyclable, thermally insulated shipping container is entirely constructed from organic fiber materials in such a manner that the container is curbside recyclable without separation of component materials. The container includes a corrugated cardboard outer box having a bottom wall, a plurality of sidewalls and a top wall, a corrugated cardboard inner liner assembly comprising a corrugated cardboard inner box having a bottom wall and a plurality of sidewalls, and a corrugated cardboard lid assembly. The outer box, inner liner assembly and lid assembly cooperate to create a plurality of thermally insulated cavities which are sequentially filled and uniformly packed with pre-portioned, predetermined volumes of loose-fill cellulose (organic fiber) insulation to create a consistent insulating value throughout the container.

A recyclable, thermally insulated shipping container is entirely constructed from organic fiber materials in such a manner that the container is curbside recyclable without separation of component materials. The container includes a corrugated cardboard outer box having a bottom wall, a plurality of sidewalls and a top wall, a corrugated cardboard inner liner assembly comprising a corrugated cardboard inner box having a bottom wall and a plurality of sidewalls, and a corrugated cardboard lid assembly. The outer box, inner liner assembly and lid assembly cooperate to create a plurality of thermally insulated cavities which are sequentially filled and uniformly packed with pre-portioned, predetermined volumes of loose-fill cellulose (organic fiber) insulation to create a consistent insulating value throughout the container.

A method for filling a pod is provided. A pod is provided and has a housing defining a plurality of serving chambers arranged in an annular array and surrounding a drive hub. Data is received that is indicative of a customized nutritional supplement for the pod to a controller of an automated filling station. The customized nutritional supplement is filled into at least one of the plurality of serving chambers of the pod via the automated filling station by controlling a plurality of hoppers of the filling station to dispense the customized supplement into the plurality of serving chambers of the pod. Each hopper contains a corresponding ingredient available for the customized supplement.

A method for filling a pod is provided. A pod is provided and has a housing defining a plurality of serving chambers arranged in an annular array and surrounding a drive hub. Data is received that is indicative of a customized nutritional supplement for the pod to a controller of an automated filling station. The customized nutritional supplement is filled into at least one of the plurality of serving chambers of the pod via the automated filling station by controlling a plurality of hoppers of the filling station to dispense the customized supplement into the plurality of serving chambers of the pod. Each hopper contains a corresponding ingredient available for the customized supplement.

A void fill system may be used to scan a carton before, during, or after pre-fill material is dispensed into the carton, one or more products are packaged into the carton, and/or when void fill material is dispensed to the carton having the one or more products. The void fill system may include one or more sensors, which may be used identify the carton and/or identify the carton volume. The one or more sensors may also be used to identify the current carton volume (e.g., of the products, fill material, etc.). The information captured by the void fill system may be used to determine a proposed packaging recipe (e.g., suggest a carton, void fill, product configuration, etc.) based on supplier or customer preferences, product information, shipping information, or the like, to provide a notification with recommendations regarding the packaging process, and/or to automatically dispense void fill material.