There is described a packaging apparatus (1) for forming a plurality of sealed packages (2) from a tube (3) of a web of packaging material (4) which is continuously filled with a pourable product. The packaging apparatus comprises an isolation chamber (10) separating an inner environment (11) containing a sterile gas from an outer environment (12). The packaging apparatus further comprises a delimiting element (48) arranged, in use, within the tube (3) and being designed to divide the tube (3), in use, into a first space (49) and a second space (50). The packaging apparatus (1) also comprises a pressurizing device (47) for pressurizing the second space (50) by means of a pressurized sterile gas. The delimiting element (48) is arranged within the isolation chamber (10).

A method and apparatus for settling a product in a package made on a form, fill and seal machine. In one aspect the invention comprises the steps: providing a package material on a product conduit of a form, fill and seal machine; forming a first end seal on the package material to form a partially formed package; filling the partially formed package with product; and settling the product in the partially formed package while continuously conveying the package material along the product conduit. In a second aspect, the invention comprises a product settler comprising a first object positioned to cause an impact against a package material. The impact agitates the package material and settles a product from an unsettled height to a settled height while the package material is continuously conveyed.

A method and apparatus for settling a product in a package made on a form, fill and seal machine. In one aspect the invention comprises the steps: providing a package material on a product conduit of a form, fill and seal machine; forming a first end seal on the package material to form a partially formed package; filling the partially formed package with product; and settling the product in the partially formed package while continuously conveying the package material along the product conduit. In a second aspect, the invention comprises a product settler comprising a first object positioned to cause an impact against a package material. The impact agitates the package material and settles a product from an unsettled height to a settled height while the package material is continuously conveyed.

A stretching unit for clamping and stretching a tubular film in a flow-wrapper, the stretching unit includes: a gripping head; two coupling rods attached to a moving means; two gripping fingers, each of the gripping fingers is attached to the gripping head and to one of the coupling rods; the gripping fingers are moved from a remote position to a clamping position by a relative linear movement between the gripping head and the moving means parallel to a center axis of the moving means.

The invention relates to a tubular bag machine and to a method for operating a tubular bag machine (01) for the continuous production of tubular bags (20), which are filled with a mixture of liquid and solid filling components (29, 30). A formatting device (18), by means of which the bag shape of the tubular bag (20) open at the top seal is formatted, is disposed below the wiper device (16), the formatting device (18) comprising at least two formatting elements (19), which are contacted on the outer side of the film tube (34) and are displaced between an open position and a formatting position. The horizontal distance between the formatting elements (19) is larger in the open position than in the formatting position. The formatting elements (19) are moved to the open position before and/or while filling the tubular bag (20) with filling material (29, 30). The formatting elements (19) are moved to the formatting position while and/or after filling the tubular bag (20) with filling material (29, 30) and before producing the top seam to remove air from the air bubble (32) in the top area of the tubular bag (20) via filling material components (29, 30).

The invention relates to a tubular bag machine and to a method for operating a tubular bag machine (01) for the continuous production of tubular bags (20), which are filled with a mixture of liquid and solid filling components (29, 30). A formatting device (18), by means of which the bag shape of the tubular bag (20) open at the top seal is formatted, is disposed below the wiper device (16), the formatting device (18) comprising at least two formatting elements (19), which are contacted on the outer side of the film tube (34) and are displaced between an open position and a formatting position. The horizontal distance between the formatting elements (19) is larger in the open position than in the formatting position. The formatting elements (19) are moved to the open position before and/or while filling the tubular bag (20) with filling material (29, 30). The formatting elements (19) are moved to the formatting position while and/or after filling the tubular bag (20) with filling material (29, 30) and before producing the top seam to remove air from the air bubble (32) in the top area of the tubular bag (20) via filling material components (29, 30).

There is described a packaging apparatus for forming a plurality of sealed packages comprising a conveyor for advancing a web of packaging material along an advancement path, an isolation chamber, a tube forming device adapted to form a tube from the, in use, advancing web of packaging material, a sealing device adapted to longitudinally seal the tube, a filling device for continuously filling the tube formed by the tube forming device, a package forming unit adapted to form and seal the packages from the, in use, advancing tube formed by the tube forming device and filled by the filling device and a support platform supporting the isolation chamber from a first side of the support platform and carrying the package forming unit from a second side of the support platform opposite to the first side.

There is described a packaging apparatus for forming a plurality of sealed packages comprising a conveyor for advancing a web of packaging material along an advancement path, an isolation chamber, a tube forming device adapted to form a tube from the, in use, advancing web of packaging material, a sealing device adapted to longitudinally seal the tube, a filling device for continuously filling the tube formed by the tube forming device, a package forming unit adapted to form and seal the packages from the, in use, advancing tube formed by the tube forming device and filled by the filling device and a support platform supporting the isolation chamber from a first side of the support platform and carrying the package forming unit from a second side of the support platform opposite to the first side.

An inductor for induction welding of a packaging material having at least one layer of metal foil is disclosed. The inductor comprises a welding surface configured to be arranged opposite the packaging material for heating thereof, and at least one spacing element arranged to protrude from the welding surface in a first direction towards the packaging material, when the packaging material is arranged opposite the welding surface, whereupon the least one spacing element separates the packaging material from the welding surface by an off-set distance. A sealing machine for sealing packaging material and a method of welding a packaging material is also disclosed.

According to one embodiment a packaging method is provided in which a tube is supplied in a forward movement direction. The method includes a folding step in which the tube is acted on in a manner that is transverse to the forward movement direction, folding part of the tube in a folding direction, and a sealing and cutting step after which a tube closed at one end and a package closed and separated from the tube are obtained. During the folding step the tube is held transversely, and a tear is generated in the folding direction between the acted on and held parts of the tube. The tube is sealed on both sides of the tear and cut at the height of the tear. Packaging machines for carrying out the method are also disclosed. Suitable.