A machine that forms groups of containers by wrapping containers in a film blank includes an adhesive applicator that is arranged along a film-transporter for applying adhesive onto an inner side of the film blank and along longitudinal side edges of the film blank before the containers are wrapped. The placement of the adhesive avoids distortion of images or text that are printed on the film blank due to shrinkage.

A transport unit transports a package combination through a wrapping unit that wraps it with a cutout such that a front end of the cutout and a rear end of the cutout are arranged to overlap each other while lying on the transport unit. The transport unit includes a wrapping belt that passes through the wrapping unit for conveying the combination along a transport plane from an inlet to an outlet. The wrapping belt comprises long belts and short belts that are parallel to each other and that circulate in a transport direction. The long belts extend from the wrapping-belt inlet to the wrapping-belt outlet and the short belts extends from the wrapping-belt inlet as far as an end region that falls short of the wrapping-belt outlet. Each of the short belts is arranged between a pair of the long belts, thereby forming free spaces between the long belts.

An automation or robotics application to wrap objects that are cuboid-shaped and may have an arbitrary size. The machine includes a first module for advertising, dimensioning, and user interfacing. A second module is provided for wrapping paper handling. A third module provides a platform and object alignment assembly. A fourth module provides a gift wrapping chamber. A fifth module provides a taping and dispensing area. A sixth module provides a waste management area. The wrapping machine is configured to autonomously wrap the object and to deliver the fully wrapped object back to original position of the platform.

Apparatus and methods of forming boxes from template blanks includes moving the blank forward on a drive line while one or more side panel fingers raise and lower various side panels of the blank in an alternating fashion. One or more holders maintain the side panels in position as the blank moves forward on the drive line. The raised and lowered side panels rigidify various panels from which they extend. The rigidified panels may be less susceptible to bending along false scores that extend transversely across the blank during folding and bending steps of the box forming process.

Apparatus and methods of forming boxes from template blanks includes moving the blank forward on a drive line while one or more side panel fingers raise and lower various side panels of the blank in an alternating fashion. One or more holders maintain the side panels in position as the blank moves forward on the drive line. The raised and lowered side panels rigidify various panels from which they extend. The rigidified panels may be less susceptible to bending along false scores that extend transversely across the blank during folding and bending steps of the box forming process.

A method includes separating a portion of a flattened tube of stock packing material to a custom length to form a pouch pre-form and closing a first end of the pouch pre-form leaving a second end of the pouch pre-form open. The method can include placing product into the pouch pre-form and closing the one open end of the pouch pre-form to form a closed pouch containing the product.

The present invention relates to a device for dispensing a single droplet of a fluid, for example a single droplet of an adhesive, onto the inside surface of a cap or onto the inside surface of a body of a capsule, this is useful for rendering a closed capsule with a telescopically engaged cap and body more tamperproof, or for fixing a cap or a body or both, which encloses a caplet or tablet or a part thereof, to the caplet or the tablet.

A method of at least partially forming packages. The method comprises moving a blank and a plurality of articles in a downstream direction through a clipping station. The blank can comprise at least a first attachment panel, a second attachment panel, and a keel portion extending from the first attachment panel to the second attachment panel. The method further can comprise forming a clipped assembly by clipping the first attachment panel and the second attachment panel of the blank to respective articles of the plurality of articles during the moving the blank and the plurality of articles through the clipping station and forming a keel by moving articles of the plurality of articles toward one another and folding the keel portion of the blank between the articles as the clipped assembly is moved in the downstream direction.

A method of producing a pack of smoking articles includes providing a pre-assembled pack of smoking articles comprising an inner pack having a flexible sheet in which a group of smoking articles is wrapped or enclosed and a re-closable flap movable between a closed position preventing access to the smoking articles and an open position for accessing the smoking articles, and an outer pack comprising a container which holds and substantially encompasses the inner pack, the outer pack having a lid in a closed position preventing access to the inner pack; creating a space or gap between the lid of the outer pack and the inner pack; and attaching the re-closable flap of the inner pack to the lid of the outer pack via and/or through the space or gap. An apparatus for producing a pack of smoking articles per the above method is also provided.

An improved packaging machine, comprising: a rest surface (2) for supporting one or more blanks (B) intended to form a quadrangular packaging (C); containing means (3), structured for containing a plurality of blanks (B) destined to form the packaging; handier means (4), structured so as to pick up the blanks (B) from the containing means (3) and to arrange them on the rest surface (2), folder means (5), structured so as to fold the blanks (B) in such a way as to form the packaging; a store (31,32,33,34) for each side of the packaging (C); a handier (41,42,43,44) for each side of the packaging (C).