A former assembly (10) for a packaging machine. The former assembly (10) includes a frame (11) that supports a former shoulder (17). The former shoulder (17) has a former opening (20) that is aligned with a tubular delivery chute (21). Product is delivered to the chute (21), from where product is delivered to the opening (20) and therefore the former shoulder (17). The delivery chute (21) has an interior (22) having a plurality of projections (44) in the form of ridges (45). The ridges are located at angular positions spaced about the generally central axis (19) and have their major direction of extension downward.

A packaging machine for producing sealed packages of a pourable product from a packaging material web advancing along a web advancement path comprises an isolation chamber separating inner and outer environments, and a sterilization apparatus for sterilizing the packaging material web and in fluid connection with the isolation chamber. The sterilization apparatus comprises a main shielding chamber housing an irradiation device and comprising an advancement channel having inlet and outlet openings, and through which, in use, the packaging material web advances, and first and second auxiliary shielding chambers having respectively first and second inner spaces fluidically connected to the advancement channel. A pressure control controls a first pressure in the first auxiliary shielding chamber, a second pressure in the second auxiliary shielding chamber and a third pressure in the isolation chamber, the third pressure being higher than the second pressure and the second pressure being higher than the first pressure.

A packaging apparatus comprising a tube forming and sealing device, a filling device, a product delivery device configured to receive a pourable product from an external product supply and to selectively feed the pourable product along a flow path to and into the filling device and a package forming unit configured to at least form and transversally seal the tube for forming packages filled with the pourable product. The product delivery device comprises a main inlet valve having a first inlet and a first outlet and a control valve arranged downstream from the main inlet valve and upstream from the filing device along the flow path and having a second inlet and a second outlet. The main inlet valve comprises a first valve element controllable into at least a closing position, an opening position and one or more intermediate positions. Additionally or alternatively, the control valve comprises a second valve element being controllable into a closed position and an open position.

This invention relates generally to the distribution of a flushing gas during a packaging process. More specifically, the invention relates to a system and method for cooling and distributing a flushing gas during such a process that utilizes the gas' lower temperature and increased density to both maintain the flushing gases' placement within a packaging container and displace any undesirable gases there-from.

There is described a packaging apparatus for forming a plurality of sealed packages from a tube of a web of packaging material which is continuously filled with a pourable product. The packaging apparatus comprises a delimiting element arranged, in use, within the tube and being designed to divide the tube, in use, in a first space and a second space. The packaging apparatus also comprises a pressurizing device for pressurizing the second space by a sterile gas withdrawn from the inner environment of an isolation chamber within which the tube is formed. Furthermore, the delimiting element is also designed to allow, in use, a leakage flow of sterile gas from the second space into the first space.

Disclosed in an assembly for forming bags, having a belt drive for feeding a film at a film speed to a former shoulder to form a tubular film, a set of jaws movable at a jaw speed to engage and seal a tubular film to form a closed bag, and a sensor assembly to provide a volume signal indicative of a volume of the closed bag, wherein the controller is configured to adjust at least one of the film speed and the jaw speed in response to the volume signal.

The present invention relates to a flow wrapper which comprises a form and/or film tube, which forms the planar film into a film tube and/or fills the film tube with a packaging item and which comprises means to provide a longitudinal- and/or cross-seal to the film tube.

A bag-making and packaging machine, that makes bags by forming a conveyed film into a cylindrical film and putting product inside the cylindrical film, is disclosed. The bag-making and packaging machine includes a pair of ultrasonic sealing members, a cutting member, and clamps. The pair of ultrasonic sealing members are configured to sandwich the cylindrical film along a direction intersecting a conveyance direction and perform transverse sealing. The cutting member is configured to move between the pair of sealing members and cut transversely sealed portions of bags that have been made. The clamps are provided under the pair of sealing members and the cutting member. The clamps are configured to restrain the bags when the transversely sealed portions are cut.

A system for reducing oxygen in a package of produce product using a lance manifold. The lance manifold has a first end adapted to receive an input gas flow and a second end adapted for placement in a partially-enclosed cavity containing the produce product. The second end of the lance manifold includes a plurality of exit ports adapted to produce an output gas flow and a sampling port for taking an air sample from the partially-enclosed cavity. The system also includes an oxygen analyzer for detecting oxygen content of gas inside the partially-enclosed cavity using the sampling port. The system is configured to produce an output gas flow with the following properties: a substantially oxygen-free composition; a flow rate of at least 100 standard cubic feet per hour (SCFH); and a flow direction substantially 90 degrees to a cavity opening of the partially-enclosed cavity.

A method and apparatus for settling a product in a partially formed package. In one aspect, the invention comprises the steps: providing a partially formed package; filling the partially formed package with a product; and settling the product in the partially formed package. The settling step comprises rotating a paddle wheel comprising at least one paddle against the partially formed package. In a second aspect, the invention comprises an improved product settler for settling product in a partially formed package. The improved product settler comprises a paddle wheel. The paddle wheel comprises at least one paddle that is positioned to cause an impact against the partially formed package. The impact agitates the partially formed package and thereby settles the product.