A packaging unit and method for packaging pharmaceuticals into pouches. The packaging unit includes a feed stock roll to form pouches and an electronic processor electrically coupled to the packaging equipment. The electronic processor is configured to determine an amount of pharmaceuticals being loaded into the pouch, determine a length of the pouch based on the amount of pharmaceuticals, and control the packaging equipment to form the pouch having the length.

The present invention relates to wrapping palletised items and loads. A method, system and apparatus is disclosed for stretch wrapping which provides a device adapted to provide strips of material of various widths, the device comprising: one or more blades for slitting a film of material to form two or more strips, a primary guide for guiding the two or more strips, a secondary guide, over which the strips pass, and two or more shaped recesses operatively associated with one of the primary guide or the secondary guide, each recess guiding a strip, wherein the width of the strips can be varied by altering the relative positions of the primary guide and secondary guide.

Apparatus and method for separating product containing pouches from a travelling web of adhered films carried on a film support surface includes a rotary blade drum assembly having blade configurations with blade portions arranged to form the entire perimeter edge of the flange of the pouch which rotate in synchronous registration with grooves in the film support surface. In one form, at least one blade portion and associated groove portion are non-linear and other than longitudinal or transverse to the film support surface of the forming drum or travelling web of films. The blade portions may be heated and the rotary blade drum assembly may include insulating guides for the pouches.

The invention relates to a packaging machine comprising an apparatus for cutting food packagings to size along a longitudinal direction, wherein the apparatus defines an inner space and an outer region, said apparatus having a first shaft, which extends in the inner space and on which at least a first cutting blade is arranged, and a second shaft which extends in the inner space and on which at least a second cutting blade is arranged, said second cutting blade forming a cutting unit arranged in the inner space together with the first cutting blade during operation, wherein the first cutting blade is axially displaceably supported on the respective shaft to change an axial spacing and an axial contact pressure between the first cutting blade and the second cutting blade of the cutting unit, and said apparatus having an adjustment mechanism, wherein the adjustment mechanism is coupled to the axially displaceable first cutting blade to displace the displaceable cutting blade in an axial direction. The invention furthermore relates to a method of setting a contact force between a first cutting blade and a second cutting blade of a cutting unit of a packaging machine.

To provide a method and an apparatus for manufacturing pillow packages provided with a fixing tape with high efficiency while preventing damage to the pillow packages. The method for manufacturing pillow packages includes placing a pillow package 1a among a plurality of pillow packages conveyed by a conveying section 21 on an inclined placement section of the conveying section 21 to incline the pillow package 1a in a predetermined direction to thereby expand the gap between a pillow package 1b placed next to the pillow package 1a on the conveying section 21 and the pillow package 1a and bringing a cutting blade 25 into contact with a string of double-sided tape 16 bonded between the pillow package 1a and the pillow package 1b to cut the double-sided tape 16.

A doser mechanism includes a cylindrical shell, an auger conveyor, and a check valve. The cylindrical shell includes a hollow cylinder and an end plate. The hollow cylinder at least partially defines an internal enclosure extending between first and second ends of the hollow cylinder, a first opening at the first end, and a second opening through a thickness of the hollow cylinder. The end plate covers the second end. The auger conveyor includes an auger at least partially extending through the internal enclosure through the first end. The check valve has a valve member configured to selectively cover the second opening. The check valve may cause the valve member move between a rest position and an open position to cover or expose the second opening in response to a magnitude of a force applied to the valve member from the internal enclosure through the second opening.

An improved silo bag extractor that can collect grain or other flowable materials contained therein. As the extractor empties the silo bag's contents into an accompanying grain cart, it simultaneously performs differentiated cuts on the bag, effectively dividing it in two bands of plastic that are directed to the left and right sides of the machine, where they wind tightly around roll-up assemblies equipped with consumable rigid plastic cores. On terminating grain extraction, the used plastic sheet takes the form of two very dense bales that can each weigh 100 kilos or more depending on the original size of the bag. These bales are then released from the machine automatically, proffering several advantages: not having to manually collect large swaths of plastic, not having to rewind the plastic on a second contraption and accomplishing lesser compaction in the process, easier storing and handling, and lower transportation costs to recycling centers.

An apparatus for making a multiplicity of packages including a feeding station, a separation station which is arranged downstream of the feeding station, a single feeding track which carries at least one multiplicity of multiple sheets from the feeding station to the separation station, at least two exit tracks which are arranged downstream of the separation station. Each multiple sheet of the multiplicity of multiple sheets includes at least two portions of sheet lying on a same geometric plane. Each portion of sheet is a single sheet of the package in a flat configuration. Each package of the multiplicity of packages includes at least one product and the single sheet of the package adapted to pass from a flat configuration to a configuration coupled with the at least one product.

Systems and methods to form openings in water soluble packets are described. The system includes a packet forming assembly to form water soluble packets, and a laser to form one or more openings in the water soluble packets. The method includes forming openings in the water soluble packets with a laser. The openings permit air to escape from the packets. By allowing air to escape, the water soluble packets have improved packaging characteristics. The water soluble packets are packed more tightly with a product.

Apparatus and method for separating product containing pouches from a travelling web of adhered films carried on a film support surface includes a rotary blade drum assembly having blade configurations with blade portions arranged to form the entire perimeter edge of the flange of the pouch which rotate in synchronous registration with grooves in the film support surface. In one form, at least one blade portion and associated groove portion are non-linear and other than longitudinal or transverse to the film support surface of the forming drum or travelling web of films. The blade portions may be heated and the rotary blade drum assembly may include insulating guides for the pouches.