A former assembly for forming and fabricating bags from flexible sheet material is provided. The former assembly can include a base plate having an aperture that extends from a first surface to a second surface thereof. A bracing post can be attached to the base plate on the first surface proximate the aperture. An annular space can be formed between the tube and the base plate. The annular space can be sized for the passage of the flexible sheet material.

A former assembly for forming and fabricating bags from flexible sheet material is provided. The former assembly can include a base plate having an aperture that extends from a first surface to a second surface thereof. A bracing post can be attached to the base plate on the first surface proximate the aperture. An annular space can be formed between the tube and the base plate. The annular space can be sized for the passage of the flexible sheet material.

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.

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.

A weighing and packaging apparatus (10) includes a packaging unit (14), a weighing unit (11), and a frame (70). The packaging unit (14) includes a film transport mechanism (30) that transports a film (F) in a film transport direction, a detachable former (22), a former seat (82) that supports the former (22), and a sealing mechanism (50). The weighing unit (11) is positioned on an upper side in a vertical direction of the packaging unit (14), and supplies articles (A) to be packaged to the packaging unit (14). The frame (70) supports at least the weighing unit (11), and includes legs including a first front leg (71a), a first back leg (71b), a second front leg (72a), and a second back leg (72b). A movable portion (89) including the former seat (82) moves in a maintenance mechanism movable space (PM) when the former (22) is detached. All of the legs are located so as to avoid a leg prohibited space (PP).

A weighing and packaging apparatus (10) includes a packaging unit (14), a weighing unit (11), and a frame (70). The packaging unit (14) includes a film transport mechanism (30) that transports a film (F) in a film transport direction, a detachable former (22), a former seat (82) that supports the former (22), and a sealing mechanism (50). The weighing unit (11) is positioned on an upper side in a vertical direction of the packaging unit (14), and supplies articles (A) to be packaged to the packaging unit (14). The frame (70) supports at least the weighing unit (11), and includes legs including a first front leg (71a), a first back leg (71b), a second front leg (72a), and a second back leg (72b). A movable portion (89) including the former seat (82) moves in a maintenance mechanism movable space (PM) when the former (22) is detached. All of the legs are located so as to avoid a leg prohibited space (PP).

An exchangeable ultrasonic welding module contains an ultrasonic transducer assembly (4) with a horn (5) and an anvil (7). The module contains a member (1) provided with a guideway (8) in a mating guideway (18) on the frame (10) of a filling tube (14). A locking element (11) secures the member (1) and the frame (10) in a fixed position relative to each other. The member (1) is provided with an element (2) for linear motion of a sliding carriage (3) and an adjustable stop (6) for restricting the carriage movement (3). The ultrasonic transducer assembly (4) is firmly affixed to the carriage (3), whereas the anvil (7) is affixed to the member (1). The frame (10) may contain an adjustable stop (9) for locking the member (1) in a defined position as the member is inserted into the mating guideway (18).

An adjustable forming collar assembly is provided for a form, fill and seal apparatus having a forming tube about which packaging film is positioned for formation and filling of a package. The adjustable forming collar assembly includes a mounting plate positioned to extend laterally on opposite sides of the forming tube. To accommodate filling of packages of differing sizes, first and second forming segments are provided which can be adjustably positioned on the mounting plate. Each of the forming segments is shaped to guide the packaging film from a generally flat configuration to a tubular configuration extending about the forming tube. The forming segments are adjustably positionable on the mounting plate. By this arrangement, the first and second forming segments can be selectively positioned toward and away from to each other on the mounting place, and thus adjustably positioned with respect to the forming tube, to thereby selectively adjust that size of the package being formed and filled. The assembly further includes first and second rib cages which can be adjustably positioned with respect to the forming tube to further accommodate formation and filling of differently sized packages.

A form-fill-seal packing apparatus of the flow wrapper type accepts individuated items via in-feed conveyor. Items are moved through horizontal open lower-sided forming tube 10 by resting indirectly on an underneath transit conveyor, through the underside part of a continuous film bag forming from a supply of film around the forming tube, using a forming shoulder. The bag is longitudinally sealed beside the forming tube. Data may be printed on an upper film surface over a platen including an upper part of the forming tube. An outfeed conveyor carries transversely sealed wrapped items on to a vacuum sealer.

A form-fill-seal packing apparatus of the flow wrapper type accepts individuated items via in-feed conveyor. Items are moved through horizontal open lower-sided forming tube 10 by resting indirectly on an underneath transit conveyor, through the underside part of a continuous film bag forming from a supply of film around the forming tube, using a forming shoulder. The bag is longitudinally sealed beside the forming tube. Data may be printed on an upper film surface over a platen including an upper part of the forming tube. An outfeed conveyor carries transversely sealed wrapped items on to a vacuum sealer.