Method of coiling a flexible elongate element (64) inside a container (80A) made from a flexible sheet material wherein at least part of the sheet material is tensioned by establishing a pressure differential between an inner surface (100) and an outer surface (92) of the sheet material and the flexible elongate element (64) is directed onto the tensioned sheet material to form a hole (98), the flexible elongate element being then fed through the hole to form a coil inside the container.

A conveyor system pre-inserts a portion of the web into a first belt before the portion is gripped between the first belt and a second belt. In one exemplary embodiment, a pair of lips of a web are inserted into a corresponding first pair of belts and then the pair of lips are secured in the first pair of belts by inserting a second pair of belts into the first pair of belts over the pair of lips.

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.

In an automated machine that forms a vertically positioned and horizontally traversing web of plastic film into bags, the apparatus opens, fills and closes the bags and provides slack in the bag walls to close the bag. The bag upper longitudinal edge portions are separated at a bag opening and closing assembly for thereby opening and filing a bag with material. While the bag is being filled, the bag is supported on a conveyor. The conveyor is raised vertically toward the opening and closing assembly while the bag is being closed for thereby providing slack in the bag walls. The conveyor horizontally conveys the filled bag under while a gripping and pulling assembly pulls the bag longitudinal portions into a heat sealing assembly whereat the bag walls are fused together and sealed closed. The bag is thereafter conveyed away therefrom and the conveyor is again placed in its lower position.

In an automated machine that forms a vertically positioned and horizontally traversing web of plastic film into bags and fills the bags with material, the apparatus forms the bags sealed side edges as well as aligned perforations whereat the bags are severed from one another after they are filled with material. The web includes a pair of parallel proximate plastic film walls. A vertically positioned heat seal bar is moveable onto the web severing the walls along a separation line and forming the fore and aft sealed side edges of the bags. A perforation knife is aligned with and positioned vertically above the heat seal bar, and is simultaneously moveable onto the web walls with the heat seal bar thereby forming a vertical perforation line at a web longitudinal edge portion. The separation line and perforation line in the web are thereby aligned.

In an automated machine that forms a vertically positioned and horizontally traversing web of plastic film into bags and fills the bags with material, the apparatus opens the bags by separating the bag upper longitudinal edge portions. First and second opposing slide gates on opposite sides of the bags normal traversing plane are moveable between closed and open positions. Longitudinal channels on each of the slide gates receive and clampingly grip the bag longitudinal edge portions when the gates are moved away from their closed positions. The bag edge portions are thereby gripped and separated from one another when the gates are opened for thereby opening and filling the bags. While opening the gates, additional longitudinal edge portions are pulled into the apparatus and, while closing the gates, the additional edge portions are pulled out therefrom. The longitudinal edge portions freely traverse through the channels when the gates are closed.

The present invention relates to an automatic pill counting and packaging apparatus which may automatically count and package pills into a pouch having a sealable inlet. The automatic pill counting and packaging apparatus includes a bottom transfer part for supplying a pouch, a top transfer part disposed at an upper portion of the bottom transfer part for supplying pills, a counting part for counting the pills supplied by the top transfer part, and a packing part for inputting and packing the pills supplied by the top transfer part into the pouch supplied by the bottom transfer part.

A bagging machine may include a supply handling assembly, a bag loading assembly and a controlled, which may control certain operations of the bagging machine. The bag loading assembly may include a bag opening assembly that reciprocates back and forth and which supports movable film grippers. The bagging machine may be provided with one or more sensors operatively positioned to detect whether a film is present between the grippers, such as during an opening sequence, and the controller may be configured to modify the operation (e.g., interrupt or re-start an opening sequence, generate an alert signal, etc.) of the bagging machine based on the data received from the sensor.

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.

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.