An adjustable pouch machine comprises a vertical sealer module forms transverse seals between two piles of a pouch web to partially define a plurality of pouches. Rollers selectively tension and relax the web on the vertically oriented wheel, allowing them to drop away from heated lands on emergency and cycle stops. A filler wheel has a plurality of adjustable gripper units mounted directly thereon for transporting independent separate pouches cut from the pouch web. An adjustable knife is selectively provided with changeable knife hub sets to handle a variety of pouch sizes where a filler wheel alternately first fills and seals pouches in a train. Gear linkage accommodates variation in distance between hubs of different sets. Various embodiments, apparatus and methods are described.

An adjustable pouch machine comprises a vertical sealer module forms transverse seals between two piles of a pouch web to partially define a plurality of pouches. Rollers selectively tension and relax the web on the vertically oriented wheel, allowing them to drop away from heated lands on emergency and cycle stops. A filler wheel has a plurality of adjustable gripper units mounted directly thereon for transporting independent separate pouches cut from the pouch web. An adjustable knife is selectively provided with changeable knife hub sets to handle a variety of pouch sizes where a filler wheel alternately first fills and seals pouches in a train. Gear linkage accommodates variation in distance between hubs of different sets. Various embodiments, apparatus and methods are described.

A medicine packaging apparatus 10 has a packaging paper supplying part 42; a sealing device 50 for forming a packaging bag; a medicine introducing part 80 for introducing the medicines M from an opening portion of the packaging bag P in an unsealed-state; a detecting part 90 for detecting presence of the medicines M in an introducing path for the medicines M by the medicine introducing part 80 and a determining part which can determine that a packaging failure occurs under a condition that the presence of the medicines M is detected by the detecting part 90 within a time period after a timing of starting to seal the packaging bag P in which the medicines M have been introduced and before a timing of introducing the medicines M to be packaged in a subsequent packaging bag P through the medicine introducing part 80.

A medicine packaging apparatus 10 has a packaging paper supplying part 42; a sealing device 50 for forming a packaging bag; a medicine introducing part 80 for introducing the medicines M from an opening portion of the packaging bag P in an unsealed-state; a detecting part 90 for detecting presence of the medicines M in an introducing path for the medicines M by the medicine introducing part 80 and a determining part which can determine that a packaging failure occurs under a condition that the presence of the medicines M is detected by the detecting part 90 within a time period after a timing of starting to seal the packaging bag P in which the medicines M have been introduced and before a timing of introducing the medicines M to be packaged in a subsequent packaging bag P through the medicine introducing part 80.

The present invention relates to a method for making pouches providing a continuous web; folding the web to provide confronting side surfaces joined along a bottom edge; forming a vertical seal between the confronting side surfaces, thereby providing a series of adjacent pockets having opposite side walls with each pocket having an unsealed opening along a top edge; filling the pockets through the unsealed opening with material; sealing the unsealed opening. In the inventive method, which facilitates handling of the continuous web forming the pouches, the web is perforated by a perforation between a leading length piece of the web adapted to form a leading pocket and a trailing length piece of the web adapted to form a trailing pocket, and the distance between a trailing edge of the leading length piece and a leading edge of a trailing length piece is increased for tearing the leading and the trailing lengths pieces apart at the perforation.

The present invention relates to a method for making pouches providing a continuous web; folding the web to provide confronting side surfaces joined along a bottom edge; forming a vertical seal between the confronting side surfaces, thereby providing a series of adjacent pockets having opposite side walls with each pocket having an unsealed opening along a top edge; filling the pockets through the unsealed opening with material; sealing the unsealed opening. In the inventive method, which facilitates handling of the continuous web forming the pouches, the web is perforated by a perforation between a leading length piece of the web adapted to form a leading pocket and a trailing length piece of the web adapted to form a trailing pocket, and the distance between a trailing edge of the leading length piece and a leading edge of a trailing length piece is increased for tearing the leading and the trailing lengths pieces apart at the perforation.

An adjustable pouch machine comprises a vertical sealer module forms transverse seals between two plies of a pouch web to partially define a plurality of pouches. Rollers selectively tension and relax the web on the vertically oriented wheel, allowing them to drop away from heated lands on emergency and cycle stops. A filler wheel has a plurality of adjustable gripper units mounted directly thereon for transporting independent separate pouches cut from the pouch web. An adjustable knife is selectively provided with changeable knife hub sets to handle a variety of pouch sizes where a filler wheel alternately first fills and seals pouches in a train. Gear linkage accommodates variation in distance between hubs of different sets. Various embodiments, apparatus and methods are described.

An adjustable pouch machine comprises a vertical sealer module forms transverse seals between two plies of a pouch web to partially define a plurality of pouches. Rollers selectively tension and relax the web on the vertically oriented wheel, allowing them to drop away from heated lands on emergency and cycle stops. A filler wheel has a plurality of adjustable gripper units mounted directly thereon for transporting independent separate pouches cut from the pouch web. An adjustable knife is selectively provided with changeable knife hub sets to handle a variety of pouch sizes where a filler wheel alternately first fills and seals pouches in a train. Gear linkage accommodates variation in distance between hubs of different sets. Various embodiments, apparatus and methods are described.

An example system comprises a water-soluble unit dose article comprising a water-soluble fibrous non-woven sheet and a granular laundry detergent. The water-soluble fibrous non-woven sheet is shaped to form a partially sealed internal compartment and has an air permeability comprised between 5 m.sup.3/m.sup.2/min and 200 m.sup.3/m.sup.2/min. The granular laundry detergent is comprised within said internal compartment and comprises a plurality of particles, wherein the plurality of particles comprises zeolite particles. The system comprises sealing jaws, wherein at least one of the sealing jaws is a heated sealing jaw, wherein a bottom seal of the internal compartment is sandwiched between the jaws. The jaws comprise a non-stick coating in contact with the bottom seal and a first dust extraction conduct to direct a gas flow away from an area surrounding a top section of the sealing jaws or away from a bottom section of the internal compartment.

An example system comprises a water-soluble unit dose article comprising a water-soluble fibrous non-woven sheet and a granular laundry detergent. The water-soluble fibrous non-woven sheet is shaped to form a partially sealed internal compartment and has an air permeability comprised between 5 m.sup.3/m.sup.2/min and 200 m.sup.3/m.sup.2/min. The granular laundry detergent is comprised within said internal compartment and comprises a plurality of particles, wherein the plurality of particles comprises zeolite particles. The system comprises sealing jaws, wherein at least one of the sealing jaws is a heated sealing jaw, wherein a bottom seal of the internal compartment is sandwiched between the jaws. The jaws comprise a non-stick coating in contact with the bottom seal and a first dust extraction conduct to direct a gas flow away from an area surrounding a top section of the sealing jaws or away from a bottom section of the internal compartment.