An apparatus and method for transferring a pattern from a universal surface to an ultimate package. The apparatus comprises an end effector for a pattern transfer robot. The end effector comprises a crowder plate with crowder plate slats spaced apart a distance to form openings between the crowder plate slats. The universal surface comprises a finger wall with finger wall slats spaced apart a distance to form openings between the finger wall slats. A portion of the crowder plate slats are sized to pass between a portion of mating finger wall slats.

A method for preparing a package that can effectively suppress surface alteration even in a sputtering target whose surface is likely to be altered by moisture such as a sputtering target comprising an oxide of boron is provided. A method for preparing a package of sputtering target, including a step 1 of housing a sputtering target in a first packaging bag made of a film having a water vapor permeability of 1 g/(m.sup.2.Math.24 h) or less, and then vacuum sealing an opening of the first packaging bag; and a step 2 of housing the first packaging bag which has been vacuum sealed in the step 1, in a second packaging bag made of a film having a water vapor permeability of 1 g/(m.sup.2.Math.24 h) or less, and then enclosing one or more cushion gases selected from a group consisting of air and inert gas in the second packaging bag, and sealing an opening of the second packaging bag.

Systems and methods for manufacturing and inserting a predetermined number of material-filled pouches into containers are disclosed. A system includes a pouch providing system comprising a plurality of lanes, wherein each one of the plurality of lanes includes a pouch making machine and a hold-back structure. The system also includes a conveyor system structured and arranged to move a plurality of containers into alignment with the plurality of lanes. The system further includes a controller structured and arranged to control the hold-back structure in each one of the plurality of lanes such that the pre-determined pouches are inserted into the plurality of containers when the plurality of containers are aligned with the plurality of lanes.

The present disclosure relates to a method for positioning portion packets of a product for oral use into a container by means of a compartment unit. The compartment unit comprises a plurality of compartments with a respective discharge opening. The method comprises: a) positioning the compartment unit at a first distance (dl) from a bottom wall of the container with the discharge openings facing a storage volume of the container, b) introducing at least one portion packet into i-th compartment of the compartment unit, the portion packet thereby assuming a first three-dimensional orientation with the at least one portion packet being in contact with the bottom wall of the container and at least partly remaining in the i-th compartment, wherein i is an integer going from 1 to n, n being the number of compartments to be loaded, n≥2, c) moving the compartment unit in relation to the container thereby causing reconfiguration of each portion packet to a second three-dimensional orientation being different from the first three-dimensional orientation. The disclosure further relates to a device for positioning portion packets of a product for oral use into a container. The disclosure also relates to a container comprising a plurality of portion packets of a product for oral use.

Systems and methods for manufacturing and inserting a pre-determined number of material-filled pouches into containers are disclosed. A system includes a pouch providing system comprising a plurality of lanes, wherein each one of the plurality of lanes includes a pouch making machine and a hold-back structure. The system also includes a conveyor system structured and arranged to move a plurality of containers into alignment with the plurality of lanes. The system further includes a controller structured and arranged to control the hold-back structure in each one of the plurality of lanes such that the pre-determined pouches are inserted into the plurality of containers when the plurality of containers are aligned with the plurality of lanes.

Apparatuses and methods for tamping the contents of a container are disclosed. An embodiment of an apparatus includes a tamp head for tamping the contents of the container; and a container support assembly structured and arranged to temporarily support the bottom surface of the container during tamping, the container support assembly comprising a support element having a protrusion extending upward from a substantially flat and horizontal upper surface, wherein the protrusion is sized and shaped to correspond to the size and shape of the bottom surface of the container.

Provided is a boxing apparatus that pushes a plurality of articles into a box, whose opening may face sideways, from the side and, thereafter, change the posture of the box by rotating the box so that the opening faces upward, wherein the possibility that the articles fly out of the box when changing the posture is reduced and the posture of the box can be changed in a short period of time. The boxing apparatus may include a push-in mechanism, a holding and posture changing mechanism, and a guide/holding member.

An article transfer device is configured to transfer a plurality of articles from a placement component to a container. The placement component includes a placement surface on which the plural articles are placed. The article transfer device includes a placement component drive unit that relatively moves the container and the placement component and a control unit that controls the operation of the placement component drive unit. The control unit controls the operation of the placement component drive unit so that, when the articles on the placement component are above the container, the placement component is pulled out from between the container and the articles.

The present disclosure relates to a method for positioning portion packets of a product for oral use into a container by means of a compartment unit. The compartment unit comprises a plurality of compartments with a respective discharge opening. The method comprises: a) positioning the compartment unit at a first distance (d1) from a bottom wall of the container with the discharge openings facing a storage volume of the container, b) introducing at least one portion packet into i-th compartment of the compartment unit, the portion packet thereby assuming a first three-dimensional orientation with the at least one portion packet being in contact with the bottom wall of the container and at least partly remaining in the i-th compartment, wherein i is an integer going from 1 to n, n being the number of compartments to be loaded, n2, c) moving the compartment unit in relation to the container thereby causing reconfiguration of each portion packet to a second three-dimensional orientation being different from the first three-dimensional orientation. The disclosure further relates to a device for positioning portion packets of a product for oral use into a container. The disclosure also relates to a container comprising a plurality of portion packets of a product for oral use.

The present invention relates to a method for the formation of stacks of packagings (152) by stacking infusion bags (140), in which the infusion bags (140) are removed from a conveying stretch (100) on which the infusion bags (140) provided one behind the other are supplied to a removal station (102) in which the infusion bags (140) are removed from the conveying stretch (100) and are arranged resting against one another to form the stack of packagings (100) in a stack holding device (122; 300) which is emptied when a number of infusion bags (140) forming the stack of packagings (152) has been reached, where the removal of the infusion bags (140) from the conveying stretch (100) is not interrupted when the stack holding device (122; 300) is being emptied and at least one infusion bag (140) removed there is arranged upstream of the stack holding device (122; 300).