A cassette for dispensing bags from an elongated tubing comprising an annular receptacle accommodating a length of tubing in an accumulated condition. An annular opening at an upper end of the annular receptacle is for dispensing the tubing. The annular receptacle defines a central opening through which a knotted end of the tubing passes to form a bag supported by the annular receptacle with disposable objects passing through the circular central opening to be received in the bag, and a clearance only at a bottom of the central opening.

The paper recyclable heat sealable bag includes a heat sealable water soluble inner layer coating and an article of paper. The heat sealable coating is applied to the article of paper by a printing press. As the printing press applies the heat sealable coating to the article of paper, the paper recyclable heat sealable bag may be wound into a master roll with a plurality of paper recyclable heat sealable bags. The master roll is fed into an automatic packaging system which fills the bags with a product from at least one of a top edge and a side edge of the paper recyclable heat sealable bags. The paper recyclable heat sealable bag has certain perforations to remove the paper recyclable heat sealable bag more easily from the master roll and sealed with a heat sealer.

Provided herein is a system for automated dispensing and packaging of articles. Systems may include: a controller configured to receive an indication of an order to be packaged, where the order includes one or more articles; a packaging station; a web of bags, where the web of bags is fed to the packaging station; a pneumatic table configurable to support a bag disposed at the packaging station; an opening mechanism including a pneumatic nozzle to open the bag disposed at the packaging station; a loading bin configured to be inserted into the open bag and deposit the one or more articles; and a closure apparatus to seal the bag disposed at the packaging station after receiving the one or more articles.

An exemplary method of making packages includes advancing a web of connected bags to a position where an opening of the bag is below an engagement device and opening the engagement device. Additionally, the exemplary method includes blowing the opening of the bag to a partially opened configuration, and reverse indexing the web of connected bags so that a portion of the engagement device is disposed inside of the bag and a portion of the engagement device is disposed outside the bag. Subsequently, the exemplary method includes closing the engagement device so that the engagement device engages the bag and moving the engagement device to a position that causes the opening of the bag to have a rectangular shape.

A method for inserting mass-customized items into bags includes the steps of (a) identifying each individual item of a plurality of mass customized items using item-specific identification information associated with each individual item in a computer system database; (b) conveying the plurality of identified individual items on an item conveyor; (c) conveying a plurality of bags on a bag conveyor, each of the bags being associated with the item-specific identification information associated with least one of the individual mass-customized items; (d) associating each of the bags with the item identification information associated with each of the identified individual mass-customized items; (e) receiving the plurality of mass-customized items from the item conveyor; and (f) inserting each individual mass-customized item into one of the bags that has been associated with the individual mass-customized item using the item-specific identification information in the database identifying the individual mass-customized item.

An ice bagger is provided. The ice bagger includes an ice hopper into which ice is disposed from an ice manufacturer. The ice hopper further includes an ice agitator. The ice hopper defines an ice trough positioned beneath the ice hopper. An ice auger is housed inside the ice trough. The ice auger transports ice to an ice delivery chute. A hatch is positioned beneath the ice delivery chute, upon which the bag rests while filling. The ice delivery chute and the hatch define a bag filling area such that, when bags are present in the bag filling area, the bags are positioned to be filled. A scale is positioned on the hatch. The scale weighs the ice being deposited into the bag. When the bag is full, the bag is sealed by a sealer. When the bag is sealed, the hatch opens and the bag of ice is deposited in an bag depository. This Abstract is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.

A product bagging assembly and method of manipulating a web material bag that is operable to create a bag opening that is greater than six inches and which is operable without substantially detracting from product throughput associated with use and operation of the product bagging assembly. In a preferred embodiment, the bag opening/closing assembly includes a first actuator and a second actuator that are connected to one another such that a position of one of the actuators can be manipulated by operation of the other actuator. The product bagging assembly can be provided as a kit configured for plug and play operation with previously provided bag and product delivery systems.

A web of preformed bags includes a sheet material and a cushioning material. The sheet material includes two sheets that are arranged to form a series of bags. The sheets are connected together to form sides of each of the bags. Each of the bags is bounded by an opening and the sides where sheets are connected together. The cushioning material is coupled to inner surfaces of the sheets in each of the bags. The web further includes a line of weakness in at least one of the sheets between each of the bags. After an object is loaded in one of the bags, the opening of the one of the bags is configured to be sealed closed with the object therein such that the cushioning material in the one of the bags is arranged to cushion the object when the one of the bags is sealed closed.

A flexible container formed of flexible web material is provided. The container includes four panels forming: a body portion; a neck portion; a flare portion extending from the neck portion; and a tapered transition portion between the body and neck portions; wherein the neck portion has a reduced width and the flare portion has an expanded end. Also disclosed is a method of forming the aforementioned container comprising steps of: biasing the expanded end to define a circumference; moving, via a mandrel comprising a groove, the fitment within the circumference and through the expanded end to a first position in the neck; transversely cutting away the expanded end by advancing preferably v-shaped blades through the neck and into the groove preferably without rotation of the mandrel, container, or blades; moving the fitment to a second position in the neck; and sealing the neck to the fitment.

An exemplary method of making packages includes advancing a web of connected bags to a position where an opening of the bag is below an engagement device and opening the engagement device. Additionally, the exemplary method includes blowing the opening of the bag to a partially opened configuration, and reverse indexing the web of connected bags so that a portion of the engagement device is disposed inside of the bag and a portion of the engagement device is disposed outside the bag. Subsequently, the exemplary method includes closing the engagement device so that the engagement device engages the bag and moving the engagement device to a position that causes the opening of the bag to have a rectangular shape.