A container that includes a microwave interactive web at least partially overlying and joined to a three-dimensional support, wherein the three-dimensional support may be formed prior to having the microwave interactive web mounted thereto. The three-dimensional support may be a preformed container that is sufficiently rigid and dimensionally stable for use in containing food.

A process for packaging a product (P) arranged in a support (4) comprising unrolling a film (10a), transversely cutting the unrolled portion of film (10a) and preparing cut film sheets (18), moving the cut film sheets (18) to a packaging assembly (8) defining at its inside a packaging chamber (24), progressively moving a number of supports (4) inside the packaging chamber (24) of a packaging assembly (8), keeping the packaging chamber (24) open for a time sufficient for a number of supports (4) and for a corresponding number of film sheets (18) to properly position inside said packaging chamber (24), hermetically closing the packaging chamber (24) with the film sheets held above the respective support (4) and at a distance sufficient to allow gas circulation inside the support (4), optionally causing one or both of: a gas withdrawal from the hermetically closed packaging chamber (24) and gas injection of a gas mixture of controlled composition, heat sealing the film sheet (18) to said support (4), wherein the cutting of the film (10a) into film sheets (18) takes place outside the packaging chamber (24) at a station remote from the location where the film sheets are coupled to the supports. An apparatus (1) for performing the above process is also disclosed.

A container thermoformed from a polymeric multilayer sheet includes a cavity for containing food. The sheet includes a polymeric interior layer positioned between (i) a polymeric outer layer of the sheet and (ii) a polymeric inner layer of the sheet that is in opposing face-to-face relation with, and at least partially defines, the cavity of the container. The interior layer includes post-consumer recycled polymeric material. The sheet includes a polymeric barrier layer positioned between the interior layer and inner layer. The barrier layer restricts inward passage of at least some of any gasses originating from the post-consumer recycled polymeric material.

A pressure element for a sealing device includes a sealing member and a countersealing member facing one another and configured to be pressed against one another to seal therebetween a tube of packaging material adapted to be filled with a pourable product. The pressure element comprises a fitting portion configured to be fitted to the countersealing member and a contact portion defining a contact surface facing, in use, the sealing member and configured to interact with a sealing element of the sealing member to press and seal the tube therebetween. The pressure element comprises at least one engagement element configured to cooperate with a complementary engagement element carried by the countersealing member to guide the pressure element according to a predetermined orientation during fitting of the pressure element to the countersealing member.

An apparatus for vacuumizing and sealing a package includes a plurality of platens and vacuum chambers, each chamber adapted to mate with a dedicated one of the platens; a conveying system for conveying the platens and chambers along a generally angular path having a single axis of rotation; an automated loading assembly having a linear component and configured to load a package onto each of the platens; an automated unloading assembly having a linear portion and configured to unload a vacuumized, sealed package from each loaded platen onto an outfeed conveyor; and a vacuumizing/sealing system configured to cause relative movement of each chamber/platen pair, along a portion of the angular path, to form therebetween an air-tight enclosure accommodating the package and effect vacuumization and sealing of the package.

A non-foil packaging laminate for liquid food packaging comprises a layer of paper or other cellulose-based material, outermost liquid tight, heat sealable layers of polyolefin-based polymers and, vapour-deposition coated onto the inner side of the layer of paper or cellulose-based material, an induction heat susceptible metal coating. Also disclosed is a method for manufacturing of the packaging laminate, a packaging container that is made from the packaging laminate and a method of induction heat sealing the packaging laminate into packaging containers.

Embodiments are directed to a removable cap with a top hole and a seal with a heat induction closure for sealing an opening of a container. Advantageously, the cap and the seal do not need to be removed for a probe to access contents of the container, when used in a diagnostic analyzer, thereby eliminating operator steps of cap removal and seal peeling/perforation. Automated opening of the cap and seal combination is provided by puncturing the seal. The seal retains its opened shape required for unobstructed, non-contact probe access to contents of the container. The seal is comprised of three layers: a first polymer sealing layer capable of being heat-sealed to a container; an aluminum foil layer on top of the first polymer sealing layer, configured to heat seal the first layer by inductive heating; and a second polymer layer on top of the aluminum foil layer for protection.

A sealing system for heat sealing superimposed walls of heat-sealable film material, e.g. in the production of pouches. The sealing section comprises two or more sealing stations arranged in series along a linear path for the superimposed walls dispensed from an infeed section. Each sealing station comprises a sealing device with first and second jaws and an actuator device to move the jaws between an opened position and a clamped position. Each sealing device comprises a motion device that is configured to move the first and second jaws in synchronicity with the superimposed walls when clamped between the first and second jaws. Each sealing station has a cooling device that is configured to continuously cool at least one of the jaws. At least each first jaw comprises at the respective front surface thereof at least one impulse heatable member embodied as a susceptor element that extends along the respective front surface. Each sealing station is configured to perform an integrated impulse sealing and cooling cycle.

A sealing station configured to heat seal a wall made from heat-sealable film material, preferably metal-free heat-sealable film material, onto one another wall of heat-sealable material, e.g. another wall of heat-sealable film material, to create a sealed seam. The sealing station comprises an impulse sealing device comprising a first jaw and a second jaw, wherein at least the first jaw comprises at the respective front surface thereof at least one, e.g. a single elongated, impulse heatable member that extends along the respective front surface and that is covered by a heat-resistant non-stick covering.

Provided is a production method for a freshness-keeping bag capable of reducing the inflow of oxygen from the outside of the bag to a very low level, and thereby keeping the freshness of a content thereof for a long period of time. The present invention provides a method for producing a freshness-keeping bag formed of a film, wherein the freshness-keeping bag has a band-shaped joining region in which two ends of the film are overlapped and joined together, the joining region comprising a plurality of joined parts in which the two ends of the film are joined together, and a non-joined part which is located between adjacent ones of the joined parts and in which the overlapped ends of the film are not joined together, the non-joined part composing a non-linear ventilation passage communicating between an internal space of the bag and the outside of the bag, the method comprising the step of forming the joined parts by ultrasonic welding, wherein the step of forming the joined parts includes continuously forming the joined parts in the film, while rotating a disk-shaped ultrasonic welding anvil with respect to the film, wherein the ultrasonic welding anvil has a plurality of protrusions formed on an outer periphery thereof continuously at given intervals and correspondingly to the configuration of the joined parts of the bag.