A method and apparatus for formation, filling, and sealing unit dose packages for consumer products are described herein. A filling system with a filling control system is also disclosed. Although the filling system is described in conjunction with a method for forming, filling, and sealing unit dose packages, the filling system and filling control system can be used in other dispensing processes.

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 method for forming sealed packages filled with a pourable product comprises at least the steps of forming a tube from a web of packaging material, filling the pourable product into the tube for forming a product column within the tube and directing, during the step of forming and the step of filling, a sterile gas into the product column for forming and/or maintaining a gas cushion within the product column.

According to one embodiment a packaging method is provided in which a film is fed to a vertical forming tube, whereby the film is formed into a tubular shape, the ends of the tubular-shaped film are longitudinally sealed to one another by applying pressure on said ends, the product to be packaged is introduced into the forming tube and the film formed downstream of the forming tube is transversely sealed and cut. Furthermore, in the method, the ends of the film are pressed to one another with a force that keeps both ends static, the drop of the product upstream of the transverse seal is stopped or limited, and by maintaining said pressure and said stop or limitation, an airflow is generated inside the forming tube.

A method for filling and packing a gas and a liquid material by filling the gas in an amount corresponding to 2-40 vol % of the volume of the liquid material together with the liquid material into a package bag composed of plastic films through an unsealed opening portion thereof and then sealing the unsealed opening portion by heat sealing, characterized in that the gas is previously dispersed and incorporated in form of microbubbles having a diameter of not more than 50 m in to the liquid material and filled into in the package bag at a state of microbubble-containing liquid material, or the gas is filled while generating as microbubbles having a diameter of not more than 50 m in the liquid material previously supplied to the package bag.

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.

The packet for providing nutrients to a person is disclosed. The packet may be inserted into a bottle of water at which time, a film of the packet begins to dissolve and allow the water to seep into the packet. When the water seeps into the packet, the water dissolves the film from the inside out so that the film dissolves from the outside in and inside out to reduce the time required to completely dissolve the film. Moreover, the bottle of water can be closed so that the user can shake the bottle of water and allow the powdered nutrient in the packet to rub against the film and further reduce the time required to completely dissolve the film and also dispersed the powdered nutrient in the water. The powdered nutrient may have a rate of dissolution that is slower than the film so that the powdered nutrient can run and cause friction against the film throughout the entire period of time water bottle was shaken.

A valve element is provided comprising an inlet configured to receive a fluid at a first pressure, a vent that can be blocked or unblocked to vent fluid from the valve element, and a port formed in an actuating surface of the valve element at which the fluid is at a second pressure. A first internal fluid passage connects the inlet to the vent, and a second internal fluid passage connects the port to the first internal fluid passage at an angle with respect to the first fluid passage. The port is configured to be closed such that the net flow of fluid into and out of the port is substantially zero. The valve element is configured such that the second pressure is substantially equal to the first pressure when the vent is blocked and substantially lower than the first pressure when the vent is not blocked.

A method and apparatus for formation, filling, and sealing unit dose packages for consumer products are described herein. A filling system with a filling control system is also disclosed. Although the filling system is described in conjunction with a method for forming, filling, and sealing unit dose packages, the filling system and filling control system can be used in other dispensing processes.

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.