A device for joining filter bags includes two operating units located on opposite sides of a continuous tubular strip of filter material movable along a feed direction; each operating unit includes a supporting body, a sealing head connected to the supporting body and two kinematic units equipped with a corresponding eccentric rotary system for moving the supporting body along a first trajectory and to move the sealing head between a position of contact with the strip and a position away from the strip; each operating unit includes a carriage associated with the sealing head for and slidably connected to the supporting body to translate in both directions along a second trajectory.

A method for quality control of a packaging system is provided. The method comprises receiving a record of packaging identification data, wherein the record of packaging identification data being related to a package. Next, identifying and receiving a record of machine data using said record of packaging identification data, wherein said record of machine data being related to a machine set up used when producing said package. Thereafter, identifying a packaging quality parameter to be checked based on said record of machine data, and requesting a record of packaging quality data related to said packaging quality parameter.

The invention relates to a method for producing packaging, in particular tubular bags, by means of a packaging machine (1) having a PLC control (20), said packaging machine (1) comprising several electronic drive units (3, 6), which are capable of being controlled independently of each other, are controlled by the PLC control (20) and can drive the different functional elements (8) of the packaging machine (1) in a manner synchronous to a clock cycle when trailing predefined movement trajectories, and several setting parameters of the production process, in particular the number of objects to be packed per time unit, the packaging dimensions, the sealing times, being predefined, the capturing of the setting parameters at the PLC control (20), which controls the drive units (3, 6) of the packaging machine (1), being followed by the transfer of the setting parameters from the PLC control (20) to a PC control (23).

A method of producing packages from a tube of packaging material for a liquid food product, comprises reforming a flat web of packaging material into a cylindrical tube, feeding the tube of packaging material in first direction, filling the tube with a liquid food product, transversally sealing the tube, at regular intervals, into separate package volumes, wherein a longitudinal axis of every second transversal seal being parallel to each other, and a longitudinal axis of each adjacent transversal seal being perpendicular to each other, and wherein a longitudinal axis of each transversal seal is angled in a range between 15-30 in relation to a plane which is orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the tube of packaging material. Also disclosed is a packaging material for use in the method, a package produced with the method, and a filling machine performing the method.

There is described a unit (1, 1, 1) for forming/advancing at least one pack (3) or at least one portion of a pack (3), comprising a frame (11, 12a, 12b), a selectively activatable/deactivatable source of power (42) and at least one carriage (14a, 14b) operationally coupled with source of power (42), movable along a path (13a, 13b) comprising at least one vertical portion (18a, 18b, 19a, 19b), and adapted to convey said at least one pack (3) or said at least one portion of a pack (3); unit (1, 1, 1) comprises stopping means (45) fitted to frame (12a, 12b) and which can be operated: to leave carriage (14a, 14b) free to advance along vertical portion (18a, 18b; 19a, 19b), when source of power (42) is activated, and to stop carriage (14a, 14b) along vertical portion (18a, 18b; 19a, 19b), when source of power is, in use, deactivated.

There is described a packaging apparatus (1) for forming sealed packages (2) from a tube (3). The packaging apparatus (1) has an endless conveyor device (7) arranged in a conveyor zone (8), conveying carts (9) and operative units (10, 10) moved by the plurality of conveying carts (9) along a path (P, Q). Each operative unit (10, 10) moves between an operative configuration, in which the operative unit (10, 10) manipulates the tube (3) and a rest configuration in which the operative unit (10, 10) is detached from the tube (3). Each operative unit (10, 10) has a halfshell (36) and one of a sealing element (37a) or a counter-sealing element (37b) and each operative unit (10, 10) is carried by one respective conveying cart (9) and extends laterally away therefrom so that the conveyor zone (8) is laterally spaced apart from an operative zone (33) where the tube is manipulated.

A splice mechanism (100) for a packaging assembly (10), the packaging assembly (10) including: a former shoulder (12); a controller (14); a film drive (16) controlled by the controller (14) for feeding a film (112) at a film speed to the former shoulder (12) to form a tubular film (22) moving in a film direction (20); a sealing device (24) to seal the tubular film (22) in a first sealing direction (26), the first sealing direction (26) being parallel to the film direction (20); a set of jaws (28) controlled by the controller (14) and movable at a jaw speed to engage and seal the tubular film (22) in a second sealing direction (30) to form a first seal (32) and a second seal (34) in each bag, thereby forming a closed bag (36), the splice mechanism (100) including: an active film roll (110) from which film (112) is drawn to be fed to the former shoulder (12) by the film drive (16); a second film roll (120) having film (122) for feeding to the former shoulder (12); a film roll holder (130) holding the active film roll (110) and the second film roll (120) such that film (112) from the active film roll (110) extends along a film path (140) to the former shoulder (12) and the second film roll (120) is accessible; a splice roller (150) against which film (122) from the second film roll (120) is placed, the film (122) having a film end (124), the film end (124) having an adhesive (126), the splice roller (150) being movable between a free position, wherein the film path (140) is unimpeded by the splice roller (150), and a splice position, wherein the film path (140) is tangential to the splice roller (150) at a splice point (142) on the film path (140).

A bagmaking and packaging apparatus forms a sheet-form film into a tubular shape around a tube, which tubular film is transversely sealed after product is introduced therein. The bagmaking and packaging apparatus includes multiple upright support posts that form a frame. The support posts include a first support post group disposed on one side in the left and right direction and a second support post group disposed on the other side. A first support post disposed foremost in the first support post group extends from a low position to a position higher than the transverse sealing mechanism and is disposed forward of a center O of the tube. A second support post disposed foremost in the second support post group extends from a low position to a position higher than the transverse sealing mechanism and is disposed rearward of the center of the tube.

A bagmaking and packaging apparatus includes a film conveyance mechanism, a former mechanism, a transverse sealing mechanism, and a first partition member. The film conveyance mechanism conveys a film. The former mechanism includes a product feed chute and a former. The product feed chute has a product fed to it. The former forms in a tubular shape the film conveyed by the film conveyance mechanism. The transverse sealing mechanism is disposed under the former mechanism. The transverse sealing mechanism transversely seals the tubular film to make bags containing the product fed from the product feed chute. The first partition member partitions a space around the former mechanism into a first space and a second space. The first space is on the product feed chute side. The second space is on the transverse sealing mechanism side.

A fin sealer and method to seal a radially outwardly directed fin of a tubular web structure by directing the fin through a nip between a first and a second fin sealing rollers while communicating heat to the fin through at least one of the fin sealing rollers is provided. The fin sealer is configured to maintain a nominal face-to-face relation between an outer annulus of the first fin sealing roller and an outer annulus of the second fin sealing roller with a flexible connection between a hub element of the second fin sealing roller with the outer annulus of the second fin sealing roller.