The invention relates to a method for sterilising an interior of a packaging, wherein the packaging has an upper film and a lower part, wherein the upper film and the lower part, in the closed state of the packaging, delimit the interior at least in some regions, wherein a sterilising substance is applied to a first surface of the upper film, wherein the sterilising substance contains iodine, wherein the upper film is arranged on the lower part in such a way that the first surface of the upper film faces the interior of the packaging at least in some regions, wherein the sterilising substance is arranged within the packaging and is activated from outside for a predetermined activation time period, and wherein an initial germ load within the packaging, in particular in the interior of the packaging, is preferably reduced by a factor of at least 10.sup.6.

A container lid (10) is provided herein having structurally reinforcing ribs (50) therein. The ribs (50) increase the strength of the lid across a central region thereof. Specifically, the lid can have an outer perimeter and the ribs can be spaced inwardly from the outer perimeter. The inwardly spaced ribs (50) can provide a distinct look for consumer differentiation. Additionally, the ribs can be arcuate so that they generally follow a curvature of the outer perimeter of the lid. As such, a label region (56) within the lid central region is preserved, while the lid is still strengthened by the ribs.

A folding unit for producing packages from sealed packs comprises an endless conveyor carrying a plurality of paddles arranged for moving said packs along an advancement direction and fold said packs into formed packages, each paddle having a first surface intended to interact with a first pack to form a portion of a corresponding first package and a second surface intended to interact with a second pack to form a portion of a corresponding second package, said folding unit further comprises releasable connecting elements arranged for releasably connecting said paddles to said endless conveyor.

The invention relates to a forming device (42) for feeding along a forming path (B) a pack (3) which has at least one portion (6) to be folded into a finished package (2). The forming device (42) comprises a first surface (46a) and a second surface (46b) opposite to each other and adapted, in use, to cooperate respectively with a front wall (15) and a rear wall (10) opposite to each other of the pack (3) to be folded. The first surface (46a) comprises an at least partially concave forming section (8) adapted, in use, to cooperate with a top portion of the front wall (15) of the pack (3), such that an inward deformation of the top portion of the front wall (15) is prevented during forming of the pack (3). The invention also relates to a folding unit (1) for forming sealed packages (2) of pourable food products, to a method for forming a pack (3) which has at least one portion (6) to be folded into a finished package, and to a package (2).

There is described a unit (1) for forming/advancing at least one pack (3) or at least one portion of a pack 5 (3), comprising: frame (12a, 12b), at least one carriage (14, 14b), which is movable along a path (13a, 13b) with respect to frame (12a, 12b) and is adapted to form/advance said pack (3) or said at least one portion of a pack (3), an electromagnetic stationary device 10 (50), at least one tag (52a, 52b) carried by carriage (14a, 14b), and wireless communication means (51) configured to establish a bidirectional communication between stationary device (50) and tag (52a, 52b).

A method for quality control of a packaging system is provided. The method comprises receiving a first record of packaging quality parameter data related to a first packaging quality parameter for a package being assessed, determining a second packaging quality parameter based on said first record, requesting a second record of packaging quality parameter data related to said second packaging quality parameter, and receiving said second record.

The present invention aims at sterilizing a film without using liquid hydrogen peroxide. Aseptic filling and packaging apparatus 11 has supplying device 24 for gaseous hydrogen peroxide; sterilization chamber 15 through which film sheet F passes, and to which gaseous hydrogen peroxide is supplied from supplying device 24; ventilation chamber 16 through which film sheet F passes, ventilation chamber 16 being located downstream of sterilization chamber 15; ventilators F1 and F3 that ventilate ventilation chamber 16; and filling and packaging chamber 17 that is located downstream of ventilation chamber 16, wherein filling and packaging chamber 17 has film forming device 17d that forms film sheet F into a plastic film packaging bag in a shape of a bag, and filling device 35 that fills the plastic film packaging bag with a material.

This disclosure describes a multilayer plastic film useful in packaging. The film includes layers 1-18, respectively: a PE material layer, a PE material layer, an adhesive resin material layer, a polyamide material layer, an EVOH material layer, a polyamide material layer, an adhesive resin material layer, a PE material layer, a ULDPE material layer, a ULDPE material layer, a PE material layer, an adhesive resin material layer, a polyamide material layer, an EVOH material layer, a polyamide material layer, an adhesive resin material layer, a PE material, and a PE material layer.

The present invention relates to an induction sealing device for heat sealing of packaging material. The sealing device comprises a conductor partly encapsulated in a supporting body for cooperation with the packaging material during sealing. The coil conductor has a reduced cross sectional area at at least one position along the coil conductor so as to concentrate the magnetic flux induced by the coil conductor at the at least one position. The invention also relates to a method of heat sealing a packaging material using the induction sealing device.

A method of forming individual tubes or sachets containing fluent material, and a packaging machine for doing so, are described. The side of the foil which will be in contact with the fluent material when the package is formed is exposed to plasma mist or aerosol form as the tube or sachet is formed from a strip of laminate material (1), which is folded about a former (2) into a closed tube or sachet which passes over the open end of a dispensing tube (3) from which the fluent material is dispensed. A mist of plasma is injected into the interior of the material tube as it is formed, extracted from the area once it has passed over the interior walls of the laminate tube. The dispensing tube may be surrounded by a cylindrical pipe (6) having an open end adjacent the dispensing tube and providing a tapered or stepped construction to a forming tube (2) about which the laminate is folded, enabling the mist to flow out of the open end of the pipe surrounding the dispensing tube (3) and then to reverse direction and flow past the laminate surface as the tube or sachet is formed and thus sterilise that surface before it comes into contact with the product in question.