Apparatus and methods of forming boxes from template blanks includes moving the blank forward on a drive line while one or more side panel fingers raise and lower various side panels of the blank in an alternating fashion. One or more holders maintain the side panels in position as the blank moves forward on the drive line. The raised and lowered side panels rigidify various panels from which they extend. The rigidified panels may be less susceptible to bending along false scores that extend transversely across the blank during folding and bending steps of the box forming process.

A system and method for activating a series of article protection features formed in product cartons in which a series of articles have been packaged includes an actuating assembly mounted along a path of travel for the cartons. The actuating assembly will include a series of actuating elements that are selectively moved into engagement with the article protection features of the cartons. The article protection features are urged into the cartons, between the articles therein and into positions engaging and supporting the articles.

Systems for encasing articles such as forage or crop bales in a protective wrap are disclosed. In some embodiments, the system includes a gathering mechanism and sealing device for bunching protective wrap and sealing the ends of the wrap material after one or more articles has been conveyed into the wrap material.

In order to be able to product foil bags in a more flexible manner it is proposed according to the invention to transport individual foil sheets (100) instead of using the continuous flow pack method by using independently moveable transport slides (120) of a flexible transport device (111) and filling, erecting and sealing the foil bags.

A system and method are provided for processing and packaging food product. The system includes at least a transportation system configured to move food product on a conveyor belt, and a collection system configured to receive the food product from the transportation system on a disposable conveyor sheet, and further configured to package the disposable conveyor sheet with the food product thereon on and/or in a dispenser pack.

Disclosed is a method for packaging articles, piece goods, or containers (12) and/or for grouping the articles, piece goods, or containers (12) to form bundles (32) by way of helically wrapping the articles, piece goods, or containers (12) and/or the groupings, which are transported in a conveying direction (18) in an article flow or piece goods flow (14), into multiple layers of an elastic film about a longitudinal axis extending through the article flow or piece goods flow (14), with the elastic film being applied under tension. A film packaging (30) for the articles, piece goods, or containers (12) that moves continuously in conveying direction (18) is formed thereof, which film packaging (30) is provided with perforations (42) in planes perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and/or is severed in planes perpendicular to the longitudinal axis between consecutive articles, piece goods, containers (12), or, as the case may be, between article pairs, piece good pairs, or container pairs, or between groups of a plurality of articles, piece goods, or containers (12) that are being conveyed next to each other, thereby forming bundles (32) that are conveyed one after the other.

The bundles (32) that have been separated from each other are sorted, assembled into layers, palletized, and/or stacked in transport stations and/or in handling stations (34) disposed downstream, with the film packaging (30) being severed at in each case specified and/or variable spacings to preceding separating locations for the purpose of separating bundles (32) of variable sizes or, as the case may be, bundles (32) with a variable number of articles, piece goods, or containers (12) gathered together by means of film.

A heating unit for heating a continuous web, includes a heating roller rotating about an axis of rotation and having an outer surface comprising a pattern of thermally conductive areas and thermally insulating areas, and at least one induction heater electromagnetically coupled to the thermally conductive areas of the outer surface of the heating roller.

A food product gathering and dispensing system is disclosed. The food product is generally a flat disc shaped article dispensed onto a consumable strip of food product conveyer material. The food product is fed to single, or series related, spools that wind up the consumable conveyer material and food product into a removable roll or stack. The roll or stack is placed into a dispenser pack, optionally subject to further environmental treatment, and refrigeration. The pack is then installed within a refrigerated dispenser system where the food product and consumable material are collectively unwound and/or separated, as the food product is fed into a processing system, i.e., a cooking device. The consumable conveyer material is collected and separately discarded.

The present invention relates to a device for sealing a packaging material (10), comprising at least one sealing installation (18) which comprises at least one coil core (24) which is surrounded by at least one coil (25), wherein the coil core (24) has at least one gap (32) through which packaging material peripheries (34, 36) to be sealed are guided, wherein at least one element (23) that conducts a magnetic flux is provided, said element (23) for influencing a region (22) of the packaging material peripheries (34, 36) to be heated being disposed so as to be adjacent to the packaging material peripheries (34, 36) to be sealed.

A packaging machine for placing articles into a carton includes rotating flight assemblies that receive a carton or carton blank, and rotate the carton blank and carton with articles while the flight assemblies move downstream. The flight assemblies each include two fixed segments and one segment that includes a block and associated bracket that rotate as the flight assembly is pulled through the machine by a conveying system. A method includes carton blanks being fed by a carton feeder onto the flight assemblies. Articles are formed into an article group, which is then placed onto a carton blank. As the blank and article group move in a downstream direction, the side panels of the carton blank are wrapped around the article group and the carton and article group are rotated to assist in closing the carton end flaps.