An enhanced apparatus (10) for filling bags containing products, in particular fruit and vegetable products, arranged in first bags (16) having dimensions smaller than second bags filled with said first bags and comprising a feeding station (12) which feeds first bags (16) to a second bag filling station (18) which fills second bags with the first bags (16), a meshed material feeding station (20) to form bands of second bags, a closing and cutting station (22) which closes and cuts second bags filled with the first bags, said filling station (18) being an intermediate station between said meshed material feeding station (20) and said closing and cutting station (22), the apparatus comprising automatic sorting and selection means, integrated in the filling station (18), which automatically sort and select the first bags (16) fed by the feeding station (12) to transportation means suitable for moving said first bags (16), after being sorted, towards collection/accumulation means comprising unloading means providing for a centered downloading of said first bags into second bags

A first film can be conveyed through a horizontal form-fill-seal machine that contains tooling stations in which bottom sealer bars are positioned in different tooling stations relative to side sealer bars. The first film can be processed by the machine to form a first pouch. After the first pouch is formed, a vertical height of one or more of the side sealer bars and/or one or more of the bottom sealer bars can be selectively adjusted. The same bottom and side sealer bars remain in the machine during the selective adjusting of the vertical height. After the selective adjusting of the vertical height of the component, a second film can be conveyed through the horizontal form-fill-seal machine. The second film can be processed by the machine to form a second pouch having at least one dimension that is different than the first pouch.

A first film can be conveyed through a horizontal form-fill-seal machine that contains tooling stations in which bottom sealer bars are positioned in different tooling stations relative to side sealer bars. The first film can be processed by the machine to form a first pouch. After the first pouch is formed, a vertical height of one or more of the side sealer bars and/or one or more of the bottom sealer bars can be selectively adjusted. The same bottom and side sealer bars remain in the machine during the selective adjusting of the vertical height. After the selective adjusting of the vertical height of the component, a second film can be conveyed through the horizontal form-fill-seal machine. The second film can be processed by the machine to form a second pouch having at least one dimension that is different than the first pouch.

Methods of making flexible containers that include structural support frames, including methods for sealing such containers.

Methods of making flexible containers that include structural support frames, including methods for sealing such containers.

A bag-making and packaging apparatus, for forming a bag containing a packaged article from a conveyed packaging material, is disclosed. The apparatus includes a printing part, first and second receiving parts, and a retaining part. The printing part prints information on the packaging material. The first receiving part is used in a first mode to print on the packaging material during conveyance without stopping conveyance. The second receiving part is used in a second mode to print on the packaging material at a timing when conveyance of the packaging material is stopped. The retaining part retains the first receiving part or the second receiving part so that the first receiving part and the printing part face each other with the packaging material disposed therebetween in the first mode, and the second receiving part and the printing part face each other with the packaging material disposed therebetween in the second mode.

A bag-making and packaging apparatus, for forming a bag containing a packaged article from a conveyed packaging material, is disclosed. The apparatus includes a printing part, first and second receiving parts, and a retaining part. The printing part prints information on the packaging material. The first receiving part is used in a first mode to print on the packaging material during conveyance without stopping conveyance. The second receiving part is used in a second mode to print on the packaging material at a timing when conveyance of the packaging material is stopped. The retaining part retains the first receiving part or the second receiving part so that the first receiving part and the printing part face each other with the packaging material disposed therebetween in the first mode, and the second receiving part and the printing part face each other with the packaging material disposed therebetween in the second mode.

An apparatus is configured to make containers from sheet material. The apparatus includes a supply station for supplying a film having at least one folded portion having three or more film flaps folded and superimposed with respect to each other; a welding station configured to receive the film. The welding station comprises a welding head configured for welding the folded portion of the film and forming a container defining a housing compartment; the welding head comprises a heater made of electrically conductive material whose electrical resistivity, at least in a predetermined temperature range, decreases upon the increase of the temperature of the same electrically conductive material.

An apparatus is configured to make containers from sheet material. The apparatus includes a supply station for supplying a film having at least one folded portion having three or more film flaps folded and superimposed with respect to each other; a welding station configured to receive the film. The welding station comprises a welding head configured for welding the folded portion of the film and forming a container defining a housing compartment; the welding head comprises a heater made of electrically conductive material whose electrical resistivity, at least in a predetermined temperature range, decreases upon the increase of the temperature of the same electrically conductive material.

A dispensing system (e.g., in a warehouse or other item-fulfillment environment) can include a tray holder sized for releasably receiving a tray. A rotational actuator may operate to pivot the tray holder between a first position aligned for receipt in the tray holder of a tray in a recumbent orientation and a second position in which the tray is arranged in an upended orientation. When the tray is in the upended orientation, an opening system may engage a door on an end of the tray to move the door from a closed state in which items contained in the tray are prevented from falling out of the tray and to an open state in which the items are allowed to fall out of the tray.