The present invention relates to a novel beverage container and a mechanism for securing a cap to the container within an automated kiosk. The container comprises a compostable shell, beverage bag, and other components. The beverage bag is sealed to a closure shoulder using a mechanical sealing ring, optionally without the use of using heat, glue or ultrasonic energy. The cap is secured to the closure shoulder by the mechanism within the kiosk.

An apparatus for sealing or tying products includes a housing with a first tape dispenser comprising adhesive tape and binding means for binding tape from the a dispenser around a product or a bundle of products, At least one supply device is provided for supplying items to be connected, to the product or bundle of products. The binding means comprises a cell and an urging device for urging part of the product or bundle of products into the cell, especially towards a closed side of the cell. The urging device comprises a holding provision for holding an item provided by the supply device, such that when the urging device is operated for urging the product or bundle of products into the cell the item is urged against the product or bundle of products, preferably prior to binding the tape around the product or bundle of products in the cell.

A tag applicator, and a method, for applying a tag, having an elastic loop, to a product. The tag applicator includes a linear actuator, and a pair of tag arms, one end of each being pivotably connected to the linear actuator. The two arms are biased toward each other, such as by a spring. A separator is positioned between the tag arms, so as to force the tag arms to separate as the linear actuator extends. A finger or tag hook is connected at the end of each tag arm, configured and positioned to connect to or insert into the elastic loop, and to extend the elastic loop as the tag arms are separated. With the tag loop held open, the product moves into the loop, and the tag is thereby applied to the product.

A package and method of creating a package for dispensing a product are disclosed. The package comprises a flexible pouch comprising an elongated spout and a flowable product disposed within the pouch. A spout retainer is disposed on an exterior surface of the pouch adjacent to the spout, with opposite ends of the spout retainer attached to the exterior surface of the pouch to form two bridges, each of the bridges having a bridge width that is wider than a spout width to allow the spout to pass underneath each of the two bridges. The package may be manufactured on a vertical form-fill-seal machine where the pouch and spout retainer are formed from different supplies of film material.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide dunnage including a void filler and an attachment member usable to suspend the void filler in midair adjacent a palletized load of goods.

A system and method are provided to monitor, store and communicate data on parameters of a consumable product stored in a sealed container. In one embodiment, the system includes a flexible wrap affixed to an outer surface of a neck of the container. The wrap includes a first laser-detector pair to pass laser light through a headspace inside the container to reflect from a first reflector affixed to the outer surface of the container to non-invasively sense first parameters of the consumable product. The system further includes a flexible label affixed directly to the outer surface of a body of the container, the label including a second laser-detector pair to pass laser light through a liquid inside the container to non-invasively sense second parameters of the consumable product. The system generally further includes an interrogator to communicate with the flexible wrap and flexible label to access the data.

Described and depicted is a processing device for processing, preferably filled and scaled, packages, in particular cardboard composite packages, having a processing station for processing the packages, preferably for forming the packages and/or for applying additive packaging materials to these packages, having a transport device for supplying, in particular accumulated, packages along a supply path and for further transport of separated packages in the direction of the processing station along a relay path and having a separating device for separating the packages supplied via the transport device, wherein the separating device has a plurality of sliding means circulating respectively along a common, closed transport track and distributed along the transport track for moving the packages in an interlocking manner from the supply path to the relay path at least substantially transverse to the supply path and/or relay path in the region of the separating device. So that a reliable operation of the processing device can be achieved with at same time higher processing speeds, it is provided that the sliding means mounted on two rotary discs which are spaced apart from one another in the vertical direction and are rotatable about a respective axis of rotation, and in that the axes of rotation of the rotary discs are arranged parallel to one another and spaced horizontally apart from one another.

Described and depicted is an application apparatus for applying additional elements, in particular straws, to packages, preferably cardboard composite packages. So that the application can also be carried out reliably at high speeds and with moderate equipment complexity, it is provided that at least two applicators are provided which are adjustable along a common, circumferential transport track from a pick-up position for picking up the additional elements to an application position for applying the additional elements to the packages and back and which comprise respectively at least one application finger for pressing the additional elements onto the packages.

Presented and described are a device for separately applying additive packaging material, preferably wrapped straws, supplied as an additive packaging material continuous belt, to packages, in particular cardboard composite packages, having a separating organ for separating the additive packaging material of the additive packaging material continuous belt, a supply means for supplying the additive packaging material continuous belt to the separating organ and for relaying the additive packaging material separated by the separating organ, an application means for applying the separated additive packaging materials to the packages and a transport means for transporting the packages along a package transport path to the application means. So that the separation and application of the additive packaging materials can be carried out quickly, with high quality and reliably, it is provided that a transfer means is provided for picking up the additive packaging material relayed from the supply means and for accelerating the transferred additive packaging material to a speed adapted to the application means.

A method of forming and filling a pouch, comprises forming opposing walls of a film; sealing the opposing walls of film together to form at least one pouch; filling an interior section of the at least one pouch through an opening in an upper portion of the at least one pouch with a flowable material; forming a top sealed expressing-shaped region to close the opening in the at least one pouch; and cradling the pouch with a foldable flat that is more rigid than the pouch that can be folded or rolled to compress the pouch to express the flowable material through the expressing shaped region.