A packaging apparatus for small piece goods, the use of the packaging apparatus, and a method for producing a blister tube are provided. The packaging apparatus includes a packaging material guiding device for providing a shaped packaging material web suitable for receiving small piece goods, a longitudinal joining device which is arranged downstream of the packaging material guiding device and a transverse joining device which is arranged downstream of the packaging material guiding device. The transverse joining device joins the shaped packaging material web together at predetermined intervals transversely to the direction of travel to form a transverse joining area. The transverse joining device includes two joiners, which have a plurality of embossers that are individually movable transversely to the direction of travel and have an embosser stop area which cooperate such that elevations that are palpable are formed by the embossers in the transverse joining area.

There is described a packaging machine for producing sealed packages of a pourable product from a web of packaging material, the packaging machine comprises an isolation chamber having an inner environment and within which, in use, the web of packaging material is formed into a tube, a conduct assembly being in fluid connection with the inner environment; the conduct assembly defining and/or forming together with the inner environment at least a portion of a flow circuit of the packaging machine, a nitrogen distribution unit configured to inject and/or direct nitrogen into the flow circuit and a flow controlling device configured to create a flow of gas along a flow path within the flow circuit from the inner environment through at least a portion of the conduct assembly back into the inner environment.

A cyclic packaging process, such as VFFS or HFFS, packages a product with a viscosity of ≥100,000 centipoise without leaving substantial air pockets in the package, by utilizing a means (38) for restricting upstream flow of viscous product in the strand of tubing (24). The result is that packages of uniform weight of the viscous product can be made without substantial air pockets therein, and without having to use metal clips. An apparatus (10) for carrying out the process is disclosed.

A cyclic packaging process, such as VFFS or HFFS, packages a product with a viscosity of ≥100,000 centipoise without leaving substantial air pockets in the package, by utilizing a means (38) for restricting upstream flow of viscous product in the strand of tubing (24). The result is that packages of uniform weight of the viscous product can be made without substantial air pockets therein, and without having to use metal clips. An apparatus (10) for carrying out the process is disclosed.

A vertical packaging machine that includes a forming tube having an inner passage section and retaining means associated with the forming tube. The retaining means includes a retaining device configured to be displaced between a blocking position (P1) in which it at least partially blocks the inner passage section of the forming tube, and a release position (P2) in which it does not block said inner passage section of the forming tube. While in the blocking position (P1), the retaining device is arranged at a fixed specific height and is configured to prevent a product from passing through the inner passage section of the forming tube. Upon transitioning to the release position (P2), the retaining device is withdrawn from the path to be followed by the product.

In a method and apparatus for producing a small pouch with a predetermined amount of particulate material therein, a predetermined amount of the particulate material is portioned from a bulk supply and compacted into a single discrete caplet. The caplet is then deposited into an open hollow pouch closed at one end thereof, and the open end is then closed with the caplet between the closed ends of the pouch. The caplet in the pouch is then compressed to return it to its particulate form. The particulate material may be granular or shredded tobacco.

In a method and apparatus for producing a small pouch with a predetermined amount of particulate material therein, a predetermined amount of the particulate material is portioned from a bulk supply and compacted into a single discrete caplet. The caplet is then deposited into an open hollow pouch closed at one end thereof, and the open end is then closed with the caplet between the closed ends of the pouch. The caplet in the pouch is then compressed to return it to its particulate form. The particulate material may be granular or shredded tobacco.

A sterilizer-filler nozzle assembly for an aseptic packaging machine comprises a form section 40, a product supply duct that has a product outlet portion 4 which lies downstream of a distal end of the form section 40, a sterilization medium supply duct that has a sterilization medium outlet portion 16 which lies between the distal end of the form section 40 and the product outlet portion 4, and an exhaust duct that has an exhaust inlet portion 22 which lies between the distal end of the form section 40 and the product outlet portion 4. A gas supply duct is provided that has a gas outlet portion 10 which lies between the sterilization medium outlet portion 16 and the product outlet portion 4.

A packaging apparatus for small piece goods, the use of the packaging apparatus, and a method for producing a blister tube are provided. The packaging apparatus includes a packaging material guiding device for providing a shaped packaging material web suitable for receiving small piece goods, a longitudinal joining device which is arranged downstream of the packaging material guiding device and a transverse joining device which is arranged downstream of the packaging material guiding device. The transverse joining device joins the shaped packaging material web together at predetermined intervals transversely to the direction of travel to form a transverse joining area. The transverse joining device includes two joiners, which have a plurality of embossers that are individually movable transversely to the direction of travel and have an embosser stop area which cooperate such that elevations that are palpable are formed by the embossers in the transverse joining area.

An apparatus and associated method are provided for manufacturing a smokeless tobacco product including tobacco material and at least one object. A forming unit is configured to form a continuous supply of a pouch material into a continuous tubular member defining a longitudinal axis. A tobacco insertion unit is configured to introduce tobacco material into a pouch member portion of the tubular member. An object insertion unit is configured to introduce objects into the tubular member, with at least one of the objects being introduced into the pouch member portion. A closing and dividing unit is configured to close and divide the tubular member at intervals along the longitudinal axis thereof, to form the tubular member into a plurality of discrete pouch member portions such that each discrete pouch member portion includes the tobacco material and the at least one of the objects.