A vertical flow-wrapper, which produces packages from a packaging material, the vertical flow-wrapper includes: a form-fill tube, a form shoulder, a longitudinal-sealing means, a cross-sealing means/cutting means, and means to attach a reclosure means to the packaging material, the form shoulder is an asymmetrical form shoulder and the means are at least partially provided within vertical boundaries of the asymmetrical form shoulder.

A vertical flow-wrapper, which produces packages from a packaging material, the vertical flow-wrapper includes: a form-fill tube, a form shoulder, a longitudinal-sealing means, a cross-sealing means/cutting means, and means to attach a reclosure means to the packaging material, the form shoulder is an asymmetrical form shoulder and the means are at least partially provided within vertical boundaries of the asymmetrical form shoulder.

A novel system and apparatus for bagmaking is disclosed herein. In particular, a former assembly is described which includes a collar flange having an aperture passing through from a first side to a second side. A wing assembly, which is mounted to the collar flange, has a former wing and a crown tube. The crown tube extends at least partially through the aperture of the collar flange. The former assembly also includes a transition tube having an elongate cylindrical body that passes through the crown tube and the aperture of the collar flange. A set of handles extends from the collar flange towards an upstream end of the elongate cylindrical body. Additionally, the former assembly has a center of gravity, determined from a reference coordinate system, with a y-component that is not further than 43 mm from the y-axis.

A novel system and apparatus for bagmaking is disclosed herein. In particular, a former assembly is described which includes a collar flange having an aperture passing through from a first side to a second side. A wing assembly, which is mounted to the collar flange, has a former wing and a crown tube. The crown tube extends at least partially through the aperture of the collar flange. The former assembly also includes a transition tube having an elongate cylindrical body that passes through the crown tube and the aperture of the collar flange. A set of handles extends from the collar flange towards an upstream end of the elongate cylindrical body. Additionally, the former assembly has a center of gravity, determined from a reference coordinate system, with a y-component that is not further than 43 mm from the y-axis.

A flexible, stackable, reclosable container for storing a quantity of products comprising a plurality of walls defined by a first sheet and a second sheet attached to at least a portion of the first sheet. The second sheet extends over at least three of the walls. The opposing container walls each have a sealed portion and one or more tucks, the tucks comprising a portion of the first sheet tucked toward the interior volume. A portion of the second sheet defines a reclosable feature located over an opening for reclosing the container. The second sheet includes a line of reduced strength at or adjacent at least a boundary adjacent the tucks and disposed between the opposing container walls each having the sealed portion and an adjacent container wall. The second sheet can include a hinge about which the reclosable feature pivots from closed position to open position.

A flexible, stackable, reclosable container for storing a quantity of products comprising a plurality of walls defined by a first sheet and a second sheet attached to at least a portion of the first sheet. The second sheet extends over at least three of the walls. The opposing container walls each have a sealed portion and one or more tucks, the tucks comprising a portion of the first sheet tucked toward the interior volume. A portion of the second sheet defines a reclosable feature located over an opening for reclosing the container. The second sheet includes a line of reduced strength at or adjacent at least a boundary adjacent the tucks and disposed between the opposing container walls each having the sealed portion and an adjacent container wall. The second sheet can include a hinge about which the reclosable feature pivots from closed position to open position.

A packaging assembly (10) that includes a weighing machine (11) that delivers batches of product to a packaging machine (18). A film drive assembly (17) pulls strip bag material pass a former shoulder (41), to form tubular bag material into which batches of product are to be delivered, with the tubular bag material being longitudinally sealed, transversely sealed and transversely cut by the packaging machine (18).

A packaging assembly (10) that includes a weighing machine (11) that delivers batches of product to a packaging machine (18). A film drive assembly (17) pulls strip bag material pass a former shoulder (41), to form tubular bag material into which batches of product are to be delivered, with the tubular bag material being longitudinally sealed, transversely sealed and transversely cut by the packaging machine (18).

A guiding device for guiding a sheet of packaging material (3) in a packaging machine (1) for producing sealed packages (2), said guiding device comprising a plurality of folding rollers defining a passage (31) for said sheet of packaging material (3) and causing a first longitudinal edge (11) of said sheet of packaging material (3) to superimpose to a second longitudinal edge (15) of said sheet of packaging material (3), opposite said first longitudinal edge (11), to define an overlapping area (16) of said first longitudinal edge (11) and said second longitudinal edge (15), said overlapping area having a certain extension, said passage having a longitudinal axis (A), said plurality of folding rollers comprising a group of first folding rollers (32) rotatable around first rotation axes (C) arranged in a common first plane, said plurality of folding rollers further comprising at least one second folding roller (33) rotatable around a second rotation axis (D) arranged in a second plane, different from said first plane, said guiding device further comprising a driving arrangement (34) for moving said at least one second folding roller (33) towards and away from said longitudinal axis (A) of said passage (31) so as to control the extension of said overlapping area (16).

A vertical form fill and seal system supports a sheet of material having material segments and a tube sized for drawing edges of the elongated sheet of material together in an overlapping configuration to form the sheet into a substantially tube shape. The VFFS also includes a sealer that seals the edges of the material to one another and a gusseting mechanism sized for forming a gusseted tuck in each of a left panel portion of the material and a right panel portion of the material. A cutting mechanism removes a first portion and a second portion of a first segment of the material segments in order to form a first cut and a second cut in the first segment and a sealing mechanism folds and seals the first segment at the first cut and at the second cut to provide an end wall with a substantially flat, rectangular-shaped footprint.