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 disclosure relates to a sheet, a pouch containing pills made of a sheet material and a web of multiple of said pouches. The disclosure also relates to a method for manufacturing said web which makes use of said sheet. The pouches allow for optimal visibility of information printed on the pouches as well as optimal visibility of the pills for inspection purposes.

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.

A packaging machine includes an indexing mechanism (210), a base (220), and a clamping arrangement (250). The indexing mechanism moves a web (10) of preformed bags along a path of travel. The base (220) is downstream of the indexing mechanism (210) along the path of travel and supports an engagement member (240) that includes a finger (242) having a beveled end (244). The clamping arrangement (250) supports a gripper (271) that includes a beveled surface (274) and a gripping surface (272). The base (220) further includes an engagement recess (222). The engagement member (240) is positioned within the engagement recess (220) and the beveled end (274) of the gripper (271) is capable of being disposed within the engagement recess. The indexing mechanism is configured to reverse index the web when the beveled end (274) of the gripper (271) is disposed within the engagement recess (222) so that the finger (242) and the gripper (271) are inserted into the top of one of the bags.

A system for packaging mass-customized items includes a computer system including a database containing item identification information unique to each item; (2) outer container identification apparatus that applies the item identification information received from the database to each outer container in a plurality of outer containers; (3) inner pack identification apparatus that applies the item identification information received from the database to each inner pack in a plurality of inner packs; and (4) inner pack filling apparatus that fills each inner pack with a specific item matched to that inner pack by the item identification information received from the database. Each item is associated with its unique item identification information and is inserted into an inner pack with matching item identification information, and each outer container is presented for loading with one or more inner packs matched to that outer container by the item identification information received from the database.

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.

An ice bagging and dispensing apparatus has at least one ice making machine; an ice hopper for receiving ice from the at least one ice making machine; an ice bagging machine for bagging ice from the ice hopper; an ice bag conveyor for conveying bagged ice from the ice bagging machine to an ice storage chamber, the ice bag conveyor positioned below the ice storage chamber; a carriage for moving and lifting the bag of ice into the ice storage chamber; one or more supports for supporting one or more bags of ice in the ice storage chamber above the ice bag conveyor; and, one or more consumer access doors to the ice storage chamber. This maintains first-in, first out (FIFO) principles.

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.

The present disclosure a packaging apparatus for packaging bags equipped with a label printer, the packaging apparatus having a remarkably high packaging speed in comparison to packaging apparatuses of the related art.

The packaging apparatus of the present disclosure includes a frame equipped with components for operating and controlling the apparatus therein, a bag feeding unit automatically conveying and feeding half-cut and wound bags, a label attaching unit installed on the frame and printing and attaching a label to the bags that are conveyed, and an opening and sealing unit opening tops of the bags, putting a product into the bags, and then packing the bags through sealing.

An apparatus makes packages from a web of bags includes an indexing mechanism, an opening arrangement, engagement devices, and a sealing arrangement. The indexing mechanism moves the web. The opening arrangement opens a bag to form an opening so that a product can be placed into the bag. The engagement devices engage the bag and close the opening. Each engagement device includes a base, a first link, a second link, a sliding pivot, and a finger. The first link is pivotably connected to the base, and the second link is pivotably connected to the first link. The sliding pivot pivots with respect to the base and allows the second link to slide through the sliding pivot member. The finger is connected to the second link. The engagement devices pull a first and second sides of the bag in opposite directions. The sealing arrangement seals the opening of the bag.