A sealing station for a packaging machine, the sealing station may be a tray sealer. The sealing station includes an upper die with a sealing plate and a lower die with a tray holder for receiving at least one packaging tray to be sealed. A cutting blade is arranged within the sealing station, and cuts a lid for closing the packaging tray out of a top film. The cutting blade has an endless cutting edge for cutting out the lid along its contour. The cutting blade includes a first and a second blade section, for cutting out a first and second section of the contour of the lid respectively. The second blade section may produce a tear-off corner in the lid projecting beyond the edge region. The sealing station may include a first clamping jaw on the sealing plate, and a second clamping jaw on the tray holder.

Packaging apparatus (1) comprises a packaging assembly (8) which has a supply unit (300) configured to supply electric energy to a conductive element of a heating head by causing an electric current flow through this conductive element; the conductive element defining a heating surface configured to heat seal one or more parts of said film. The electric conductive element comprising: a supporting substrate (206), at least a conductive structure engaged on the supporting substrate (206), at least one protective layer (208) covering the conductive structure as this latter is engaged between the supporting substrate (206) and the protective layer (208). The conductive element comprising at least one first and one second contacting tabs each integral with said conductive structure; each of said contacting tabs protruding transversally from a prevalent development surface of the conductive structure towards the supporting substrate (206) for defining a terminal contacting end. The heating head (700) comprising a first and second electric terminals respectively engaged with said first and second contacting tabs; each of said electric terminal is configured for stably constraining opposite faces of the respective contacting tab which define the thickness of said tab.

A system for manufacturing a balloon envelope includes a table component and a sealing component. The sealing component includes a first level and a second lower level. The first level further includes first and second platforms. The first platform can provide a work area for sealing respective first and second sheets of material together to form a sealed edge and the second platform may provide a work area for sealing the second sheet of material and a third sheet of material together. The first, second, and third sheets of material respectively form first, second, and third gores of the balloon envelope. The sealing component may be configured to move along length of the first platform and to apply a heat seal to bond the first sheet of material to the second sheet material and form a sealed edge.

Methods and apparatus for introducing a modified atmosphere into a package and sealing that package with a film are disclosed. Cooperating upper and lower bell members having internal volumes in fluid communication with one another via a duct configured to cause sequential pressure differentials between the volumes permit the sealing film to be controllably retracted from and applied to outflow holes so as to allow evacuation of ambient air using a single constant vacuum source, rather than requiring precision timing controls and/or multiple vacuum sources. Another dedicate circuit introduces the modified atmosphere into the package, and a sealing unit such as a heat welder subsequently seals the film against the package.

Liner having an induction heat sealable layer for sealing to a rim of a container, and a pull tab for ease of removal of the liner from the container rim. An insert is disposed between multilayer upper and lower components, has a heat bondable polyolefin layer that is thermally laminated to polyolefin layers of the upper and lower components, forming a pull tab between the integrated polyolefin layers. The resulting composite resists delamination and can be formed in a single thermal lamination step, avoiding the multiple lamination steps, associated high equipment costs, and complex layer constructions of the prior art.

A packaging device, particularly for packaging trays containing food products or technical materials in a controlled atmosphere and by means of a film of plastic material, comprising an upper chamber and a lower chamber, which can be fastened by mutually superimposing them and are each provided internally with a plurality of heat-sealing and/or cutting and/or die-cutting elements arranged concentrically, the lower chamber being provided centrally with a plurality of supporting elements for a tray.

A packaging device, particularly for packaging trays containing food products or technical materials in a controlled atmosphere and by means of a film of plastic material, comprising an upper chamber and a lower chamber, which can be fastened by mutually superimposing them and are each provided internally with a plurality of heat-sealing and/or cutting and/or die-cutting elements arranged concentrically, the lower chamber being provided centrally with a plurality of supporting elements for a tray.

Apparatus with facing bell members for modified-atmosphere packaging of products contained in trays, comprising at least three circuits: a first circuit and a second circuit (24, 25) which are connected to the main chamber (P) enclosing the internal volume of the trays and open out in different positions (23, 23) of this volume and a third circuit (17) connected to the internal chambers (2, 9) of the bell members (1, 8) and these circuits are intercepted by respective valve means (28, 128, 18, 118) so as to be initially all connected to the vacuum means (21, 121) and then the said first circuit (24) is closed, while the said second circuit (25) is connected to the means (26) for introducing the service gases which, entering into the tray, force the remaining air out so as to occupy a small buffer formed by the said second closed circuit (24, 28). The third circuit (17) is connected via associated valve means (118) to means (22) for gradual pressurization, using also atmospheric air, in order to balance the internal pressurization of the tray with the service gases.

This disclosure relates to a machine (1) for sealing containers (91) using a film (95). The machine (1) comprises a first jaw member (21), comprising a plurality of seats (20) for respective containers (91) to be sealed, and a second jaw member (22), facing towards the seats (20) of the first jaw member (21). The first jaw member (21) and the second jaw member (22) are movable one relative to the other between a first condition, in which the two jaw members (21, 22) are separated from each other by an interspace (23) suitable for receiving a film (95), and a second condition, in which the two jaw members (21, 22) are clamped together and, in use, press the film (95) against the containers (91) in the seats (20). The seats (20) are side by side one after another along a longitudinal line (200) extending between a first side (231) and a second side (232) of the interspace (23). The machine also comprises a film feeding device (3) facing towards the first side (231) of the interspace (23), and a positioning apparatus for positioning the film (95) in the interspace (23). The film (95) positioning apparatus comprises a first gripping device (4), which is positioned at the second side (232) of the interspace (23), and a second gripping device (5), that is movable parallel to the longitudinal line (200) between a first position close to the film feeding device (3) and a second position close to the first gripping device (4). The second gripping device (5) in the first position is capable of gripping one edge of the film (95) which projects from the film feeding device (3) and is capable of pulling the gripped film (95) with a movement towards the second position, thereby positioning the film (95) in the interspace (23) at said plurality of seats (20). The first gripping device (4) is capable of gripping the edge of the film (95) positioned by the second gripping device (5). This disclosure relates also to a method for sealing a plurality of containers (91).

When the opposing housings (1, 8) of the apparatus are closed, they form between them a small main chamber (P) delimited above by the film (H) for covering the tray and below by the tray (V) itself containing the product (M), and laterally by any suitable mechanical interface structure which surrounds the perimeter of said film and connects it to the perimeter of the upper edge (B) of the tray, this interface structure having holes (22) which are suitably distributed, are located outside the perimeter of the tray, and communicate with said main chamber (P). One or more of these holes (22) open(s) on at least one side of the tray and is/are connected to a first circuit (23, 24), while another one or more of said holes (22) open(s) on at least one opposing side of the tray and is/are connected to a second circuit (17) which in turn is connected to the inner chambers of the two housings (1, 8). Means (18, 19, 20) are provided to operate in such a way that, in the step of vacuum formation, both said first circuit (24) and said second circuit (17) are connected to vacuum forming means (21) which are kept active for a sufficient time to eliminate some of the air from the inside of the tray and to act in such a way that said first circuit (24) is connected in the next step or at the correct time to means (25) for supplying the process gases, while said second circuit (17) is closed or remains in communication with the vacuum means (21) to ensure that the process gas entering the tray from said first circuit (22, 24) causes the residual air in the tray to flow out from and/or towards said second circuit (22, 17), thus flushing and saturating the inner volume of the tray, which is subsequently sealed using known steps and means for welding and finally cutting the film (H).