Apparatus and method for separating product containing pouches from a travelling web of adhered films carried on a film support surface includes a rotary blade drum assembly having blade configurations with blade portions arranged to form the entire perimeter edge of the flange of the pouch which rotate in synchronous registration with grooves in the film support surface. In one form, at least one blade portion and associated groove portion are non-linear and other than longitudinal or transverse to the film support surface of the forming drum or travelling web of films. The blade portions may be heated and the rotary blade drum assembly may include insulating guides for the pouches.

A hybrid packet containing deodorizing chemicals can dissolve to release the chemicals in a brine solution while still being formed using high speed packet forming machinery. A hybrid packet can be formed by feeding a sheet of dissolvable paper and a film of PVA material into the packet forming machine to form a hybrid packet having one side formed of the paper and the opposing side formed of the PVA material. The PVA sheet and paper panels are fused together by the machine to form a sealed interior compartment that holds the deodorizing chemicals. A serrated knife edge can be used to pierce the paper and PVA layers to separate individual packets. Reduced water volume in the forming operation avoids compromising the dissolvable paper portion of the hybrid packet. The packet contents can include citric acid and sodium bicarbonate.

A hybrid packet containing deodorizing chemicals can dissolve to release the chemicals in a brine solution while still being formed using high speed packet forming machinery. A hybrid packet can be formed by feeding a sheet of dissolvable paper and a film of PVA material into the packet forming machine to form a hybrid packet having one side formed of the paper and the opposing side formed of the PVA material. The PVA sheet and paper panels are fused together by the machine to form a sealed interior compartment that holds the deodorizing chemicals. A serrated knife edge can be used to pierce the paper and PVA layers to separate individual packets. Reduced water volume in the forming operation avoids compromising the dissolvable paper portion of the hybrid packet. The packet contents can include citric acid and sodium bicarbonate.

Process for cutting a water-soluble web in a cross-machine direction. Each cutting cycle contains at least two speeds. A first speed matches that of the speed of the water-soluble web and is also the speed at the point of cutting, and a second speed is faster than the speed of the water-soluble web in the machine direction and is the speed at a point in-between two cutting actions.

Process for cutting a water-soluble web in a cross-machine direction. Each cutting cycle contains at least two speeds. A first speed matches that of the speed of the water-soluble web and is also the speed at the point of cutting, and a second speed is faster than the speed of the water-soluble web in the machine direction and is the speed at a point in-between two cutting actions.

Apparatus for forming product containing pouches from a travelling web of adhered films includes a film support surface, including a plurality of mold configurations, and a film retention chamber in the film support surface preceding and trailing each of the mold configurations. A vacuum system applies vacuum to the mold configurations and film retention chambers to form product containing pockets and to secure the film in the film retention chambers. Separation blades in synchronous register with the mold configurations separate the pouches from the travelling web. In one form the film support surface comprises a rotary forming drum and a rotary blade drum includes the separation blades.

Apparatus for forming product containing pouches from a travelling web of adhered films includes a film support surface, including a plurality of mold configurations, and a film retention chamber in the film support surface preceding and trailing each of the mold configurations. A vacuum system applies vacuum to the mold configurations and film retention chambers to form product containing pockets and to secure the film in the film retention chambers. Separation blades in synchronous register with the mold configurations separate the pouches from the travelling web. In one form the film support surface comprises a rotary forming drum and a rotary blade drum includes the separation blades.

A packaging system (1) for producing pouches having multiple compartments and made from a first water-soluble foil (5) and a second water-soluble foil (6), which packaging system (1) comprises a mould conveyor (7) to move multiple moulds (8) in a conveying direction (9) along an endless trajectory, a suction device (14) configured to suck the first foil into the first suction chambers (11) and the second suction chambers (12), a first foil supplying device (16), a powder filling device (25) configured to fill the first compartment with a powder in an accurate manner, a further filling device (28) configured to fill the second compartment with a further powder or a liquid, and a second foil supplying device (17).

A head for a horizontal flow wrapper packaging machine for forming a bandolier of product packages. The head includes a rotatable first shaft having a plurality of knife elements each including a blade and first and second upper crimping elements. The head also includes a rotatable second shaft having a plurality of anvil elements. A rotation speed of the second shaft is independent of the rotation speed of the first shaft. Each anvil element includes perforation and cutting surfaces and first and second lower crimping elements. A rotation speed of either the first shaft or second shaft is changed to move either a knife element or an anvil element, respectively, between a perforation position and a cutting position. The first upper and first lower crimping elements and the second upper and second lower crimping elements also mate to crimp the packaging material in either the perforating or cutting positions.

A head for a horizontal flow wrapper packaging machine for forming a bandolier of product packages. The head includes a rotatable first shaft having a plurality of knife elements each including a blade and first and second upper crimping elements. The head also includes a rotatable second shaft having a plurality of anvil elements. A rotation speed of the second shaft is independent of the rotation speed of the first shaft. Each anvil element includes perforation and cutting surfaces and first and second lower crimping elements. A rotation speed of either the first shaft or second shaft is changed to move either a knife element or an anvil element, respectively, between a perforation position and a cutting position. The first upper and first lower crimping elements and the second upper and second lower crimping elements also mate to crimp the packaging material in either the perforating or cutting positions.