The status of a cutting unit (165a, 165b) in an apparatus for producing packages of liquid food is monitored based on a time sequence of measurement values from a sensor (30), e.g., a pressure transducer, which is arranged to measure cutting resistance for a cutting blade (166a, 166b) in the cutting unit when actuated to perform a cut to sever food-containing packages (106) from each other. The monitoring comprises generating a resistance time profile for the measurement values, detecting at least one predefined feature in the resistance time profile, determining a respective phase value for the predefined feature(s), and determining the status of the cutting unit (165a, 165b) as a function of a set of input values comprising the respective phase value. The status may represent the degree of wear of the cutting blade (166a, 166b).

A method for transversally sealing a packaging material tube, comprises placing a transversal sealing section of the tube between a sonotrode and an anvil. The transversal sealing section comprises a first two-layer sub-section, a three-layer sub-section and a second two-layer sub-section, transmitting ultrasonic acoustic vibrations, having a frequency and an amplitude, from the sonotrode into the transversal sealing section, thereby melting the plastic foil in the transversal sealing section, and pressing the tube together between the sonotrode and the anvil to bond the plastic foil such that transversal sealing is formed. The anvil has a ridge comprising various sub-sections for receiving various ones of the sub-sections of the tube, wherein the ridge has equal height in at least some of the sub-sections. The frequency, amplitude, pressure and paperboard properties are chosen to achieve equal temperature in the first two-layer sub-section, the three-layer sub-section and the second two-layer sub-section.

A radially expansible press plunger has a base plate, a first expansion tool and a second expansion tool. The first expansion tool and the second expansion tool are movable in relation to each other in the axial direction. The first expansion tool has at least one inclined plane surface. The second expansion tool has at least one inclined plane surface corresponding to the at least one inclined plane surface on the first expansion tool. Each inclined plane surface on the first expansion tool contacts and applies pressure to the corresponding inclined plane surface of the second expansion tool when the expansible press plunger is in the radially expanded state. An attachment unit for attaching a container sealing element to a container body and a method for attaching a container sealing element to a container body are also disclosed.

System for heat shrink sealing open-topped containers wherein the system includes a housing or enclosure wherein a majority of a bulk roll of film material is accessible when the cover is open. The system preferably includes two opposing rollers that are configured to engage the film and cause it to move to a dispensing position. In a preferred aspect, the system includes a movable sealing unit that accommodates use of the lidding system with open ended containers having various sizes and shapes. In a more preferred aspect, the system includes an indicia generating device operable to label sealed containers and a knife that generates a perforation in the film during sealing operations.

Provided are a method and an apparatus for sterilizing a sleeve that can shorten a sterilization process for a paper container sleeve and ensure a sterilization effect. In a method for sterilizing a sleeve in an aseptic filling system that molds the sleeve into a paper container having a bottomed tubular shape by closing surfaces of an open end part of the sleeve and performs sterilization, filling and sealing of the paper container, the sleeve being a tubular body having walls formed by laminating at least paper, in a state where the sleeve stands in a columnar shape, heated air containing a sterilizer is blasted to an inner surface of the sleeve that is to form a bottom part of the paper container to perform sterilization of the inner surface of the bottom part and heating for the closing at the same time.

The invention is directed to a system and method for hermetically sealing a closure to a container comprising a die assembly and a mandrel assembly. The mandrel assembly comprises an outer mandrel, an inner mandrel, and an ejector disposed within an inner circumference of the inner mandrel. At least the outer mandrel is configured to translate a first distance in a first time period, the inner mandrel and the ejector are configured to translate a second distance in a second time period, the inner mandrel is configured to retract a third distance in a third time period, and the ejector is configured to retract the third distance in a fourth time period.

The invention is directed to a system and method for sealing a closure to a container comprising a die assembly, a mandrel assembly, and a gas evacuation assembly. The mandrel assembly comprises an outer mandrel and an inner mandrel. The outer mandrel is configured to vertically translate and constrain a closure in position. The gas evacuation assembly, which comprises at least one hollow channel within the die and one or more channel openings into the interior of the die, suctions gas from the interior of an aligned container when the closure is constrained in position. The inner mandrel translates vertically to insert the closure into the container and a sealing member seals the closure in place.

Embodiments of a cell traverse for an aseptic region of a filling machine for filling packages with flowable products are provided. The cell traverse includes a frame structure with at least one first lateral longitudinal structure, at least one second lateral longitudinal structure opposite the first longitudinal structure, and a plurality of transverse elements arranged between the first and second longitudinal structures and connecting the longitudinal structures. Between the longitudinal structures and the transverse elements there are a plurality of cells of the cell traverse for receiving packages to be filled. At least some of the transverse elements are connected exclusively in an form-fit and/or force-fit manner to the longitudinal structures.

A tamper-evident food delivery packaging systems, methods of tamper-evident packaging of food for delivery, and apparatus for tamper-evident food packaging operate to form resilient self-fastening perforations through a packaging. A binding apparatus includes an anvil and a flipper plate. A cutter head includes a profile blade and a slot blade. A pusher is pivotably connected between the profile blade and the slot blade. The cutting apparatus moves in a reciprocal motion relative to the anvil while the flipper plate engages a pusher to pivot the pusher during the reciprocal motion.

Described and depicted is a method for processing and/or filling packagings, in particular cardboard composite packagings, in a processing and/or filling machine. In order to reduce the mechanistic effort required for high throughput and/or to enable more flexible operation, it is provided that packaging blanks are transferred in a take-over station in a cyclical sequence to the mandrels of a cyclically rotating mandrel wheel passing the take-over station, that regularly after a certain number of packaging blanks have been taken over in the take-over station by the mandrels passing the take-over station to a further certain number of mandrels subsequently passing the take-over station, no packaging blank is transferred in the take-over station, in at least one moulding station, the packaging blanks transferred to the mandrel wheel in the take-over station are cyclically processed on a mandrel of the mandrel wheel, in that after passing the at least one moulding station in a transfer station to all cells of a transport device passing the transfer station, packagings which are open on one side are transferred cyclically one after another from the mandrel wheel, and that the packagings which are transferred to the cells and are open on one side are fed in the cells of the transport device to at least one processing station for processing and/or to at least one filling station for filling.