A packaging apparatus with an improved pinch roller apparatus, fluid supply apparatus, and/or a sealing apparatus. The pinch roller apparatus (e.g., comprising one or more guide and/or pinch rollers) is used to deliver film material to the fluid supply apparatus (e.g., nozzle and blower apparatus, or the like) that fills one or more chambers of the film material with fluid (e.g., air, gas, or other like fluid), and the film material is then sealed by a sealing apparatus (e.g., using one or more heating elements with an improved temperature sensor configuration) that seals the fluid within the one or more chambers in order to form the inflated article (e.g., inflated packaging material). In particular, the sealing apparatus provides improved sealing through the improved accuracy of the temperature reading in the heating zone, in part, by locating a sensor between a heating element and a protective member that covers the sensor.

A packaging machine including a hot plate assembly adapted to fuse a length of heat-sensitive film wrapped around a package. A controller is adapted to calculate a time period the heating element is energized to fuse the length of heat-sensitive film wrapped around the package based on an initial temperature of the heating element. A hot plate status indicator is adapted to indicate at least to different statuses of operation of the packaging machine.

A method and apparatus for making bags from a film that follows a film path through a bag machine includes an input section located on the film path, a sealing section located on the film path down stream of the input section, an output section located on the film path downstream of the sealing section, and a controller, connected to control the sealing section. The sealing section includes a sealer that includes a heater block and a manifold. There is an air flow path from the heater block to the manifold. Air is heated in the heater block in response to a control signal provided by the controller to the heater block. The heated air is provided through the air path to the manifold. A temperature sensor is disposed in at least one of the air path and the manifold.

A technique for accurately detecting a temperature of a sealing surface which is not affected by sealing conditions or the like is provided. A seal bar (1) is a rod-shaped seal bar having a sealing surface (11a) and includes a heater (13) and a temperature sensor (14). The heater (13) is provided in a main body of the seal bar (1) and extends in an extending direction (D1) of the main body (11). The temperature sensor (14) is provided at a position between the sealing surface (11a) and the heater (13) in the main body (11) of the seal bar (1) and is inserted into the main body (11) of the seal bar (1) from an end surface (upper end surface (112) or the like) which intersects a long side of the sealing surface (11a).

A system holds a roll of film that includes a core and film wound around the core. The system includes a rod having an outer diameter that is smaller than an inner diameter of the core, a proximal wing located on the rod and configured to rotate about the rod, and a distal wing located on the rod and configured to rotate about the rod. Each of the proximal and distal wings includes contact surfaces configured to contact diametrically-opposed locations on a side of an inner surface of the core and non-contact surfaces that span between the contact surfaces of the wing. The non-contact surfaces of the wings do not contact the core if the core has a cylindrical shape. The distal wing is capable of rotating around the rod independently of the proximal wing.

A low mass staking module includes a punch having a cavity on a first side, a contact surface on the second side opposite the first side, and a circular flange extending about an outer edge thereof, the punch formed of a thermally-conductive material, an annular housing engaged with the punch about the circular flange at a first end, and a heating element located inside the annular housing. The heating element has an output side in contact with the contact surface of the punch, the contact surface having a shape conforming to a shape of the output side of the heating element. The punch is desirably a low thermal mass punch, while the heating element may be a high power (watt) density, solid state, ceramic, resistant heating element (e.g., aluminum nitride or boron nitride heaters).

A welding apparatus includes: a first heating stack, wherein a first heating layer is electrically connected to a first electronic control circuit and is located between a first cover layer and a first electric insulator which is mounted on a first ledge; a second heating stack, wherein a second heating layer is electrically connected to a second electronic control circuit and is located between a second cover layer and a second electric insulator which is mounted on a second ledge, wherein the first heating stack and the second heating stack are coupled to a drive to provide a linear relative movement between the first heating stack and the second heating stack, and wherein the first electronic control circuit is adapted to provide electric energy to the first heating layer and wherein the second electronic control circuit is adapted to detect an electric resistance and/or an electric impedance of the second heating layer.

A system for opening and closing a mixing manifold includes a drive motor, a cam plate, and a valving rod connector. The drive motor imparts movement in first and second directions. Movement imparted in the first direction causes the cam plate to move linearly in a third direction and movement imparted in the second direction causes the cam plate to move linearly in a fourth direction. Movement of the cam plate in the third direction causes the valving rod connector to move linearly in a fifth direction and movement of the cam plate in the fourth direction causes the valving rod connector to move linearly in a sixth direction. Movement of the valving rod connector in the fifth direction causes retraction of a valving rod of the mixing manifold and movement of the valving rod connector in the sixth direction causes extension of the valving rod.

Packaging apparatus (1) comprises a packaging assembly (8) which has a supply unit (300) configured to supply electric energy to a conductive element of a heating head by causing an electric current flow through this conductive element; the conductive element defining a heating surface configured to heat seal one or more parts of said film. The electric conductive element comprising: a supporting substrate (206), at least a conductive structure engaged on the supporting substrate (206), at least one protective layer (208) covering the conductive structure as this latter is engaged between the supporting substrate (206) and the protective layer (208). The conductive element comprising at least one first and one second contacting tabs each integral with said conductive structure; each of said contacting tabs protruding transversally from a prevalent development surface of the conductive structure towards the supporting substrate (206) for defining a terminal contacting end. The heating head (700) comprising a first and second electric terminals respectively engaged with said first and second contacting tabs; each of said electric terminal is configured for stably constraining opposite faces of the respective contacting tab which define the thickness of said tab.

An exemplary air cushion inflation machine includes: a first terminal connected to a direct current input; a second terminal; a reference resistor powered by the direct current input; an op-amp; and a transistor. The first terminal of the op-amp is connected to a variable voltage source and the second terminal of the op-amp is connected to the reference resistor. The transistor has a base connected to an output of the op-amp, an emitter connected to the reference resistor, and a collector connected to a first terminal of a sealing band apparatus having first and second terminals. A meltable material placed between the first and second terminals is melted by resistance of current flowing between the first and second terminals. The variable voltage source changes voltage based on a voltage drop measured across the first and second terminals by a voltage measurement device and the constant current.