A gusset preheating assembly and a method of using the same. The assembly includes a heating gun assembly mounted on a frame. Spreader rods open up a gap in a bag's gusset and nozzles blow warmed air into the gap. Orthogonally arranged first and second hydraulic members are operatively engaged with heating gun assembly and are activated to move the heating gun assembly vertically or horizontally. Hot air blowing into the gap from the nozzle relaxes the gusset. Pressure is applied to the relaxed gusset, thereby reducing the thickness of the gusset region of the bag. The reduction in thickness makes it possible to increase the number of gusseted bags that are packaged in a container or on a roll.

A method and apparatus for making bags or pouches is disclosed. It includes a track, at least two sleds that move on the track, and operating stations mounted on the sleds. The film moves along the track, and the sleds move with the film while performing operations on the film. The system can have the sleds stationary while operating for an intermittent machine, and move to reconfigure when the film is moving. The operating stations include one or more of a sealer, a heater, a cooler, an inserter, a knife, a punch, a perforator, a static charger, and a printer. The track forms a continuous path or is linear. A controller controls the sleds and operating stations. The controller includes an operating time and/or a reconfiguration module. The operating time module is responsive to a user set material thickness or a sensed material thickness.

The present invention relates to a tubular bag machine for producing tubular bag packaging materials from paper, comprising a draw-off station (2) for drawing off a paper web (10), a roughening station (3) for the continuous roughening of at least one joining region of the paper web (10), a moistening station (4) for moistening at least one joining region of the paper web (10), a forming station (5) for forming a bag tube, and an ultrasonic sealing station (6) for sealing the joining region of the paper web (10).

A process for producing bags comprising: feeding a bottom web, a first side web and a second side web in a conversion process, each of the webs having a first side edge and a second side edge, wherein the first side edge of the first side web is aligned with the first side edge of the second side web, the second side edge of the first side web is aligned with the first side edge of the bottom web, and the second side edge of the second side web is aligned with the second side edge of the bottom web, thereby forming an inverted T-shaped web comprising a base having first and second wing portions and a riser, wherein the first wing portion comprises the bottom web and first side web, the second wing portion comprises the bottom web and the second side web, and the riser comprises the first and second side webs; sewing the first side web to the bottom layer in the first wing portion with a repeating pattern comprising a truncated triangle having a narrow portion and wider portion, and a tab separating the triangles, wherein the narrow portion of the triangle points toward the second side edge of the first side web; sewing the second side web to the bottom layer in the second wing portion with a repeating pattern comprising a truncated triangle having a narrow portion and wider portion, and a tab separating the triangles, wherein the narrow portion of the triangle points toward the second side edge of the second side web; contacting the first and second wing portions by folding them toward each other, thereby forming a folded web; rotating the folded web to the horizontal; sewing the first and second webs together in the riser with a repeating pattern comprising a flat-bottomed U shape with tabs separating the repeating U's, where the flat bottom of the U faces the first side edge of the first and second side webs, and the tabs separating the flat-bottomed U's are bisecting the tab separating the triangles in the first and second wing portions, thereby forming a web of sewn bags; cutting the web along the edge of sewn bags to remove the sewn portion corresponding to the flat bottom portion of the flat bottom U shape parallel to the edge, thereby forming a web of open top bags; and transversely cutting the web of open top bags at the middle of the truncated triangles and bisecting the repeating U's, thereby forming separate, open bags, and optionally scrap material.

The present invention is a bag making machine (20, 30). The bag making machine (20, 30) includes: a conveying unit (37) which conveys a multi-layer film (S) in which films (13a, 13b) are overlapped; a side edge sealing device (27) which thermally fuses the films (13a, 13b) to each other; and an ultrasonic device (26) which crushes a part of a zipper member (14) disposed between films (13a, 13b). The side edge sealing device (27) includes: a platform (44); and a heat-generating head (45). The ultrasonic device (26) includes: an anvil (41); and an ultrasonic horn head (42). The heating-generating head (45) and the ultrasonic horn head (42) reciprocate at a same cycle via a link member (51).

A method and apparatus for making bags or pouches is disclosed. It includes a track, at least two sleds that move on the track, and operating stations mounted on the sleds. The film moves along the track, and the sleds move with the film while performing operations on the film. The system can have the sled stationary while operating for an intermittent machine, and move to reconfigure when the film is moving. The operating stations include one or more of a sealer, a heater, a cooler, an inserter, a knife, a punch, a perforator, a static charger, and a printer. The track forms a continuous path or is linear. A controller controls the sleds and operating stations. The controller includes an operating time and/or a reconfiguration module. The operating time module is responsive to a user set material thickness or a sensed material thickness.

The present invention is a bag making machine (20, 30). The bag making machine (20, 30) includes: a conveying unit (37) which conveys a multi-layer film (S) in which films (13a, 13b) are overlapped; a side edge sealing device (27) which thermally fuses the films (13a, 13b) to each other; and an ultrasonic device (26) which crushes a part of a zipper member (14) disposed between films (13a, 13b). The side edge sealing device (27) includes: a platform (44); and a heat-generating head (45). The ultrasonic device (26) includes: an anvil (41); and an ultrasonic horn head (42). The heating-generating head (45) and the ultrasonic horn head (42) reciprocate at a same cycle via a link member (51).

An additive application system utilized to form a padded mailer is provided, along with corresponding methods and systems. The system applies an additive liquid to a portion of a first web that, along with a second web, forms a panel of the padded mailer. After contact occurs, an internal pouch for the panel is formed. When the additive liquid and expandable adhesive positioned within the internal pouch are energized via an oven, the expandable adhesive expands in thickness within the internal pouch to form padding for the panel. Utilizing additive liquid enables use of less expandable adhesive while maintaining a desired speed of operation of the oven to still produce a desired thickness for the padding. Cooling may be applied after expansion in the oven to retain thickness expansion in the padding.

A method and apparatus for making bags or pouches is disclosed. It includes a track, at least two sleds that move on the track, and operating stations mounted on the sleds. The film moves along the track, and the sleds move with the film while performing operations on the film. The system can have the sleds stationary while operating for an intermittent machine, and move to reconfigure when the film is moving. The operating stations include one or more of a sealer, a heater, a cooler, an inserter, a knife, a punch, a perforator, a static charger, and a printer. The track forms a continuous path or is linear. A controller controls the sleds and operating stations. The controller includes an operating time and/or a reconfiguration module. The operating time module is responsive to a user set material thickness or a sensed material thickness.

A process for producing bags comprising: feeding a bottom web, a first side web and a second side web in a conversion process, each of the webs having a first side edge and a second side edge, wherein the first side edge of the first side web is aligned with the first side edge of the second side web, the second side edge of the first side web is aligned with the first side edge of the bottom web, and the second side edge of the second side web is aligned with the second side edge of the bottom web, thereby forming an inverted T-shaped web comprising a base having first and second wing portions and a riser, wherein the first wing portion comprises the bottom web and first side web, the second wing portion comprises the bottom web and the second side web, and the riser comprises the first and second side webs; sewing the first side web to the bottom layer in the first wing portion with a repeating pattern comprising a truncated triangle having a narrow portion and wider portion, and a tab separating the triangles, wherein the narrow portion of the triangle points toward the second side edge of the first side web; sewing the second side web to the bottom layer in the second wing portion with a repeating pattern comprising a truncated triangle having a narrow portion and wider portion, and a tab separating the triangles, wherein the narrow portion of the triangle points toward the second side edge of the second side web; contacting the first and second wing portions by folding them toward each other, thereby forming a folded web; rotating the folded web to the horizontal; sewing the first and second webs together in the riser with a repeating pattern comprising a flat-bottomed U shape with tabs separating the repeating U's, where the flat bottom of the U faces the first side edge of the first and second side webs, and the tabs separating the flat-bottomed U's are bisecting the tab separating the triangles in the first and second wing portions, thereby forming a web of sewn bags; cutting the web along the edge of sewn bags to remove the sewn portion corresponding to the flat bottom portion of the flat bottom U shape parallel to the edge, thereby forming a web of open top bags; and transversely cutting the web of open top bags at the middle of the truncated triangles and bisecting the repeating U's, thereby forming separate, open bags, and optionally scrap material.