A process for making a container includes the step of providing at least one of a slider, sticker, textured surface, pattern, or embossed surface along a folded web of thermoplastic material that comprises a plurality of container templates. The process also includes the step of picking up, with a turner, each container template. The turner includes one or more rotator assemblies that include a rotatable shaft and a bag-contacting surface connected to an end of the rotatable shaft. The bag-contacting surface is configured to engage a top exterior side of each container template. Additionally, the process includes the step of reorienting, with the turner, each container template. The rotatable shaft is configured to horizontally translate and rotate each container template.

The present invention relates to a method for forming packages of flexible material with a first side gusset and a second side gusset starting from a strip coming from a reel having a sliding direction. The method comprises the following steps: making the first gusset by folding close to a first side edge of the strip coming from the reel, and making the second gusset by folding the strip coming from the reel; in which the step of making the second gusset is performed on a portion of the strip which extends in the sliding direction after the step of making the first gusset was performed on the portion of the strip. Moreover, the present invention relates to a machine configured so as to carry out the method.

A system and process for making a container or pouch that separates the cutting and sealing steps into two distinct steps with a separate step of rotating the container or pouch template 90 degrees relative to a direction of travel between the cutting and sealing steps.

An environmentally-friendly alternative to polyethylene garment and other product packages is made of paper, which can be recycled, re-pulped or composted. Each such package includes two parallel coextensive elongated sheets of paper joined together along their respective side edges and along a top edge by heat seal or an adhesive. The two sheets of paper define an expandable volume therebetween. Central portions of the two sheets of paper are separable from each other to increase the volume to accept an article of clothing or other product. Rolls of paper-based product protection material may be manufactured, from which individual packages may be made or cut. Methods and apparatus for manufacturing the product protection material are disclosed.

This disclosure pertains to a forming device used in the formation of a package with a self-mating reclosure, where a single self-mating closure wraps around the periphery of the forming device, and one end of the zipper segment extends into the lap seal of the forming device. Alternatively, one or two ends of the zipper segment could extend into a fin seal. The self-mating reclosure is mounted transversely on the sheet of web or film and includes at least one crushed end proximate to one edge of the sheet of web or film. The self-mating closure may be pre-crushed, prior to attachment to the sheet of web or film, or may be crushed after the sheet of web or film is wrapped around a forming device or similar structure.

A method and apparatus for making bags or pouches is disclosed. It includes a track, at least two sleds that move on the track, and operating stations mounted on the sleds. The film moves along the track, and the sleds move with the film while performing operations on the film. The system can have the sleds stationary while operating for an intermittent machine, and move to reconfigure when the film is moving. The operating stations include one or more of a sealer, a heater, a cooler, an inserter, a knife, a punch, a perforator, a static charger, and a printer. The track forms a continuous path or is linear. A controller controls the sleds and operating stations. The controller includes an operating time and/or a reconfiguration module. The operating time module is responsive to a user set material thickness or a sensed material thickness.

A first sheet panel is folded along a first fold line, and thereby a first folded part is formed in the first sheet panel. Subsequently, the first folded part is folded back along a second fold line, and thereby a folded-back part is formed in the first sheet panel. A corner cut device cuts a second sheet panel and the folded-back part to form corner cut parts. At this time, the corner cut device prevents the first folded part and a base part of the first sheet panel from being cut.

A welding method heats a surface to be welded of a continuous strip member with a laser beam. The welding method pressurizes the strip member and a continuous film to weld the surface to the film, when or after heating the surface with the laser beam. The welding method preheats the surface before heating the surface with the laser beam. A welding device includes a heat device having an infrared light source disposed to extend along a feed path for the strip member. The heat device is configured to irradiate the surface with infrared light to heat the surface with infrared light. The welding device includes a pressure device configured to pressurize the strip member and the film to weld the surface to the film.

A pinched sack, which is made at least partially from a plastic material in the form of a tube section, has at least one pinched bottom at one end of the tube section. At least some of the plastic material is stretched, and at least one pinched bottom is provided by a thermally induced bonding process.

A method and apparatus for making bags with hem seals is disclosed. The machine includes an infeed section and a draw tape section. Bags are made from a film and a film path extends through the infeed section and through the draw tape section. The draw tape section includes a hem sealer that includes a stationary sealing plate on one side of the film path such that film path passes across the stationary plate. A sealing head is on the second side of the film path, opposite the first side, such that the film following the film path passes between the sealing head and the stationary plate. A sealing section may be included. The draw tape section may include driven infeed an outfeed nips.