This invention provides a film wrapped pack of containers that allows a container to be removed while maintaining the remaining containers together. This can be accomplished by providing a sleeve wrapped pack of containers with two perforated lines registered on the top of the film before film wrapping. By peeling off the top part of the perforated film, the containers are exposed, allowing for the removal of a container while maintaining the integrity of the film

An apparatus for shrinking a shrink film onto a package formation includes a shrink tunnel-system having gas conductors that direct hot gas into the tunnel's interior along first and second flow-directions that are opposite to each other and parallel to a direction in which the package formation is conveyed through the shrink tunnel.

A tray sealer including a sealing station comprising a tool upper part, a clamping frame and a tool lower part. The tool upper part may surround a dome-shaped die used for deforming a skinnable top film. First and second channels in the dome-shaped die and in the tool upper part, respectively, are connectable to one another. The tool upper part or the dome-shaped die may comprise at least a third channel communicating with a vacuum generator so as to generate a thermal air convection from the first channel to the third channel along a side of the top film facing the dome-shaped die.

A tray sealer including a sealing station comprising a tool upper part, a clamping frame and a tool lower part. The tool upper part may surround a dome-shaped die used for deforming a skinnable top film. First and second channels in the dome-shaped die and in the tool upper part, respectively, are connectable to one another. The tool upper part or the dome-shaped die may comprise at least a third channel communicating with a vacuum generator so as to generate a thermal air convection from the first channel to the third channel along a side of the top film facing the dome-shaped die.

Disclosed is a packaging device for packaging products, during which the products are conveyed along a conveying direction in order to be packaged. The batches include at least two products, arranged transversely to the conveying direction. The device includes a feeder for receiving products travelling in single file through an upstream pick-up area and conveying same to a set-down area for later packaging. The feeder includes: in the pick-up area, a transfer unit transferring products arriving in single file to the unit; and a position-controlled movable collector receiving and then moving at least one product in a controlled manner from the transfer unit to the set-down area. The device also includes a conveyor in the set-down area, on which the at least one collector deposits the at least one product that it collected from the pick-up area. Also disclosed is a machine using the device and to a corresponding method.

A quick-release air knife of a package thermal-shrinking oven includes at least one fixing ring, at least one pair of fixing elements, a plurality of air knife tubes, and air knife blades. The fixing ring is at least formed, in an interior thereof, with a through hole and at least one pair of notches and fixing holes are formed in a periphery of the through hole. The fixing elements respectively extend through the fixing holes to connect to a bottom portion of a hot airflow combination box arranged on a top portion of a package thermal-shrinking oven. A top portion of each of the air knife tubes is provided with a connecting portion and at least one pair of fitting blocks. The fitting blocks of the air knife tube match with the notches of the fixing ring, and a top end of the air knife tube is pushed upwards to pass through the through hole and the notches and then rotated by an angle to have the fitting blocks fit to a top surface of the fixing ring and the connecting portion of the air knife tube connected to the bottom portion of the hot airflow combination box for introducing a hot airflow into the air knife tube. The air knife blades are combined to the exteriors of the air knife tubes to guide a path of discharging the hot airflow out of the air knife tubes. Thus, a quick-release air knife structure that is operable through clockwise or counterclockwise direction to have the air knife tube to connect to or disconnect from the bottom portion of the hot airflow combination box.

A quick-release air knife of a package thermal-shrinking oven includes at least one fixing ring, at least one pair of fixing elements, a plurality of air knife tubes, and air knife blades. The fixing ring is at least formed, in an interior thereof, with a through hole and at least one pair of notches and fixing holes are formed in a periphery of the through hole. The fixing elements respectively extend through the fixing holes to connect to a bottom portion of a hot airflow combination box arranged on a top portion of a package thermal-shrinking oven. A top portion of each of the air knife tubes is provided with a connecting portion and at least one pair of fitting blocks. The fitting blocks of the air knife tube match with the notches of the fixing ring, and a top end of the air knife tube is pushed upwards to pass through the through hole and the notches and then rotated by an angle to have the fitting blocks fit to a top surface of the fixing ring and the connecting portion of the air knife tube connected to the bottom portion of the hot airflow combination box for introducing a hot airflow into the air knife tube. The air knife blades are combined to the exteriors of the air knife tubes to guide a path of discharging the hot airflow out of the air knife tubes. Thus, a quick-release air knife structure that is operable through clockwise or counterclockwise direction to have the air knife tube to connect to or disconnect from the bottom portion of the hot airflow combination box.

A method for shrinking selected spaced apart portions of film wrapped around a series of products of similar dimension being conveyed by a conveyor along a path in a selected direction is provide. The method involves the steps of: (a) indexing the conveyor and stopping the conveyor; (b) while the conveyor is stopped, causing heated fluid to flow from one or more nozzles so that a first heated fluid flow impinges upon selected portions of film in the vicinity of a product leading edge and a second heated fluid flow impinges upon selected portion of film in the vicinity of a product trailing edge; (b) repeating steps (a) and (b) multiple times so that, for multiple instances of the product, selected portions of film along both trailing and leading edges of each instance of the product are caused to shrink.

A method for shrinking selected spaced apart portions of film wrapped around a series of products of similar dimension being conveyed by a conveyor along a path in a selected direction is provide. The method involves the steps of: (a) indexing the conveyor and stopping the conveyor; (b) while the conveyor is stopped, causing heated fluid to flow from one or more nozzles so that a first heated fluid flow impinges upon selected portions of film in the vicinity of a product leading edge and a second heated fluid flow impinges upon selected portion of film in the vicinity of a product trailing edge; (b) repeating steps (a) and (b) multiple times so that, for multiple instances of the product, selected portions of film along both trailing and leading edges of each instance of the product are caused to shrink.

Disclosed is a packaging device for packaging products in batches, during which the products travel along a conveying direction in order to be packaged. The batches include at least two products, arranged transversely to the conveying direction. The device includes a feeder for receiving products travelling in single file through an upstream pick-up area and conveying same to a set-down area for later packaging. The feeder includes: in the pick-up area, a transfer unit for transferring products arriving in single file to the unit; and at least one position-controlled movable collector for receiving and then moving at least one product in a controlled manner from the transfer unit to the set-down area. The device also includes a conveyor in the set-down area, on which the at least one collector deposits the at least one product that it collected from the pick-up area. The invention also relates to a corresponding method.