An apparatus successively makes plastic bags each of which includes an end surface provided with a protrusion, without specially supplying a web of bottom gusset material. A first web of panel material is folded along a first folded line at a position adjacent to a side edge of the first web, while a second web of panel material is folded along a second folded line at a position adjacent to a corresponding side edge of the second web. A first folded portion is formed in the first web. There exists a distance between the side edge and the first folded line, which is larger than twice a distance between the corresponding side edge and the second folded line by a predetermined distance, after being folded. The end surface is formed by the first folded portion, the protrusion being formed by the predetermined distance.

A method is disclosed for forming a windowed packaging material. According to the method a web of packaging material is cut in substantially the machine direction along a non-linear path. The cutting action provides two subwebs, each having protruding edge portions and recessed edge portions. The two subwebs are displaced relative to one another so that the protruding edge portions face one another. In this configuration opposing recessed edge portions form windows. The two subwebs are adhered to one another at the opposing protruding edge portions. The resulting windows may be covered with a material that is transparent and/or breathable. A strip of handle material may be applied spanning the respective windows.

A flexible container is provided. The flexible container includes four panels. The four panels form (i) a body portion; (ii) a neck portion, and a flare portion that extends from the neck portion; (iii) a tapered transition portion between the body portion and the neck portion; and (iv) the neck portion has a reduced width. The flare portion has an expanded end. The width of the flare portion gradually increases from the neck portion to the expanded end.

A flexible container is provided. The flexible container includes four panels. The four panels form (i) a body portion; (ii) a neck portion, and a flare portion that extends from the neck portion; (iii) a tapered transition portion between the body portion and the neck portion; and (iv) the neck portion has a reduced width. The flare portion has an expanded end. The width of the flare portion gradually increases from the neck portion to the expanded end.

A vertical bag-making/filling/packaging machine (1) comprises; a top folding portion (20) which forms a first fold (F1) by folding a side of a band-shaped film (F) into a Z-shape; a bottom folding portion (30) which forms a second fold (F5) by folding a center of the film (F) into an M-shape; a top seal portion (40) which forms a top gusset (G3) and a spout portion (G7) protruding from the top gusset (G3) by heat-welding the first fold (F1) and side edges (E1 and E2) of the film (F) so as to make the film (F) into a tube shape; and a bottom-seal portion (50) which forms a bottom gusset (G4) by heat-welding the second fold (F5).

A web of first or second material is provided with the spout, and a plastic bag is made from side gusset materials in addition to webs of the first and second materials. An aperture is formed in the web of the first or second panel material, and the spout is inserted into and positioned with the aperture, whenever the webs of the first and second panel materials are fed intermittently. After the webs of the first and second panel materials are superposed on each other, whenever the webs of the first and second panel materials are fed intermittently, the webs of the first and second panel materials are heat sealed with each other in a longitudinal direction thereof by a longitudinal seal device, and the webs of the first and second panel materials are heat sealed with the side gusset materials in a width direction thereof by a cross seal device.

A web of first or second material is provided with the spout, and a plastic bag is made from side gusset materials in addition to webs of the first and second materials. An aperture is formed in the web of the first or second panel material, and the spout is inserted into and positioned with the aperture, whenever the webs of the first and second panel materials are fed intermittently. After the webs of the first and second panel materials are superposed on each other, whenever the webs of the first and second panel materials are fed intermittently, the webs of the first and second panel materials are heat sealed with each other in a longitudinal direction thereof by a longitudinal seal device, and the webs of the first and second panel materials are heat sealed with the side gusset materials in a width direction thereof by a cross seal device.

Provided is a film processing device including: a first cutting blade and a first receiver base that are opposed to each other with a film including at least two layers interposed therebetween, and are configured to move toward and away from each other; and a first distance adjuster that adjusts, without being in contact with the film, a minimum distance between the first cutting blade and the first receiver base.

A punching machine includes a punch blade and a support for supporting a spout. The punching machine further includes a drive mechanism. When the punch blade and the spout supported by the support face each other in a direction perpendicular to a web with the web interposed between the punch blade and the spout, the drive mechanism moves one of the punch blade or the support towards the other in the vertical direction to punch a hole in the web using the punch blade and the spout.

A flexible package including a package body including a first side-surface film and a second side-surface film sealed in a peripheral portion. The package body has sealed portions formed in side edge portions such that a non-sealed portion is formed in at least one of the sealed portions. The non-sealed portion has a gas injection portion containing a gas which has a specific heat at constant volume of 0.67 kJ/kg.Math.deg or higher at 0 C. and 1 atm. The gas injection portion has a diameter of from 3 to 50 mm and is formed such that a repelling force is from 4 to 30 N at 23 C. and 1 atm when an entire gas injection portion is nipped from both sides of the first and second side-surface films and squeezed until a nipped gas injection portion has a width equal to a half of the diameter of the gas injection portion.