The sealing device for packages that includes a control unit, a sealing station, an unwinder for a film web, a cutting device provided upstream of the sealing station and used for producing film sections of the film web, a film feed device for feeding the film sections to the sealing station, a conveying device for conveying packages into the sealing station. Preferrably, the packages include food packed in a gas-tight manner. Further, the sealing station may comprise upper and lower sealing elements that are configured for clamping the package and the film section in common between the lower and upper sealing elements and for sealing the film section onto the package. The sealing device may also include the sealing elements being adapted to be synchronously moved along with the continuously moving package during the sealing process.

A container-orienting device includes container-holder groups, each having rotatable container-holders separated from each other by at least one rotatable container-holder from another container-holder group such that no two rotatable container-holders from a particular container-holder group are next to each other. The device also has a plurality of drives, each of which rotates only container holders from a corresponding container-holder group. The container holders are organized into container-holder sequences, each of which comprises equal numbers of container holders from different container-holder groups arranged in a particular order. These sequences following one another along the conveying direction.

Described is a machine for moving containers to be processed along a feed path, comprising infeed means for feeding the containers to an infeed station and an infeed transfer unit configured to pick up one container at a time and carry it to a loading station of a carousel. The carousel comprises a plurality of supports for the containers. More specifically, the machine comprises a detector configured for detecting an initial orientation of each container and a control unit configured for calculating the angle of rotation of the support in order to orient the container loaded on it in a final predetermined orientation as a function of the initial orientation detected and the movement by the transfer unit, and for rotating the support by the calculated angle of rotation.

A carousel for processing containers includes a base structure that can rotate about the rotation axis of the carousel and supports a plurality of supporting elements. A detection device is provided having at least one sensor that can move about the rotation axis of the carousel. The carousel further includes a plurality of kinematic connection elements arranged between the base structure and the sensor or sensors, which are adapted to couple integrally in rotation the sensor or sensors and the base structure during the movement of the sensor or sensors. The kinematic connection elements are associated with motor elements adapted to return on command the sensor or sensors from a final angular position to the initial angular position by way of an angular movement of the sensor or sensors in the opposite direction with respect to the rotation of the base structure.

A container-orienting device includes container-holder groups, each having rotatable container-holders separated from each other by at least one rotatable container-holder from another container-holder group such that no two rotatable container-holders from a particular container-holder group are next to each other. The device also has a plurality of drives, each of which rotates only container holders from a corresponding container-holder group. The container holders are organized into container-holder sequences, each of which comprises equal numbers of container holders from different container-holder groups arranged in a particular order. These sequences following one another along the conveying direction.

A carousel for processing containers includes a base structure that can rotate about the rotation axis of the carousel and supports a plurality of supporting elements. A detection device is provided having at least one sensor that can move about the rotation axis of the carousel. The carousel further includes a plurality of kinematic connection elements arranged between the base structure and the sensor or sensors, which are adapted to couple integrally in rotation the sensor or sensors and the base structure during the movement of the sensor or sensors. The kinematic connection elements are associated with motor elements adapted to return on command the sensor or sensors from a final angular position to the initial angular position by way of an angular movement of the sensor or sensors in the opposite direction with respect to the rotation of the base structure.

A method for equipping the packaging (11) of an article (10), packaged ready for sale, with additional information intended for the end buyer of the article, that includes: (a) providing the article (10) packaged ready for sale; (b) providing an information carrier (14) provided with the additional information; (c) determining a location on or at the packaging (11), at which the information carrier (14) is to be placed; (d) placing the information carrier (14) at the predetermined location on or at the packaging (11) of the article packaged (10) ready for sale, in such a manner that the information carrier (14) remains at this location; and (e) providing the article (10), provided with the information carrier (14), for further processing.

A device for detecting elevations and/or depressions on bottles, in particular in a labeling machine, the device comprising a lighting unit with a light screen for generating a light reflection on a bottle to be examined and at least one camera for detecting the light reflection. By areas of varying luminance being formed on the light screen, molding seams can be reliably detected over a large area of the bottle wall and embossings can be located in various rotational positions of the bottle. The invention also relates to a method for applying the device.

A device and a process for the orientation of containers with a carousel rotating about a vertical axis with a circumferential plurality of rotating seats imparting a rotation to each container causing a rotation-revolution. A recording device with illuminator recording multiple sequential images of the container during rotation-revolution. A controller adapted learn the lateral surface of said container in a number of positions. Learning each of the N positions said container is positioned with a random initial orientation, and during rotation a number of images are recorded. The controller acquires one current image, processes a similarity function representing the similarity between each current image and the images recorded in the same position in said learning step, calculates the similarity functions and the angle corresponding to the maximum value of this sum is used for the orientation of said container.