Container filling systems are described herein. A container filling system includes a container assembly, a nozzle, a first roller and a second roller. The container assembly includes a plurality of containers, each having a container volume and a fluid manifold defining a fluid pathway, wherein the fluid pathway is in fluid communication with the container volume of each of the plurality of containers. The nozzle is in fluid communication with the fluid pathway, wherein the nozzle directs flow from a fluid source into the fluid pathway. The nozzle separates the fluid manifold into a first portion and a second portion to permit the fluid manifold to advance relative to the nozzle.

An ice vending machine is provided that has a minimal footprint, while still being able to quickly and efficiently fill bags of ice. The machine has a cabinet, a frame within the cabinet, and an ice maker mounted to the cabinet and/or the frame. Once the ice maker has made ice, the ice is deposited into a hopper. The ice vending machine may have multiple hoppers through which the ice is guided to a bagging system. Once the ice has been inserted into a bag by the bagging system, the filled bag is sealed. Once the bag has been sealed, it can be delivered to a customer, otherwise it can be stored in a cooler section. The ice vending machine has a number of high power motors that enable fast movement of the ice to generate the bags of ice in minimal time.

The invention relates to a filling device for filling bags with a respective unsealed upper end and at least two layers lying on top of one another. A filling station for filling the bags in characterised in that the filling device comprises at least one layer movement device (30) for moving the at least one layer of the bag relative to the at least one second layer, with which the layers of the bag can be acted upon, wherein the layer movement device is arranged in front of the filling station.

Container filling systems are described herein. A container filling system includes a container assembly, a nozzle, a first roller and a second roller. The container assembly includes a plurality of containers, each having a container volume and a fluid manifold defining a fluid pathway, wherein the fluid pathway is in fluid communication with the container volume of each of the plurality of containers. The nozzle is in fluid communication with the fluid pathway, wherein the nozzle directs flow from a fluid source into the fluid pathway. The nozzle separates the fluid manifold into a first portion and a second portion to permit the fluid manifold to advance relative to the nozzle.

A shielding bag gripping apparatus includes a first suction part extending in a first direction, a second suction part extending in the first direction and spaced apart from the first suction part in a second direction crossing the first direction, a first compression part below the first suction part, and a second compression part below the second suction part. The first suction part may include a first suction surface having a normal line parallel to the second direction, a first suction hole exposed by the first suction surface and a first placement hole vertically penetrating the first suction part, and the second suction part may include a second suction surface facing the first suction surface and a second suction hole exposed by the second suction surface.

A part packing system includes a bag holding machine including a part funnel having an opening configured to receive an end of a part and having a bag end manipulator holding first and second bag end gripper mechanisms that receive an end of the bag therebetween to open the end of the bag to form a mouth at the end of the bag. The bag end manipulator moves the first and second bag end gripper mechanisms to position the mouth of the bag immediately downstream of the opening of the part funnel. A part loading machine including a part manipulator holding the part and moving the part to a loading position upstream of the part funnel and moving the part gripper mechanism to load an end of the part through the opening in the part funnel into the mouth of the bag to load the part into the bag.

A system for packaging mass-customized items includes a computer system including a database containing item identification information unique to each item; (2) outer container identification apparatus that applies the item identification information received from the database to each outer container in a plurality of outer containers; (3) inner pack identification apparatus that applies the item identification information received from the database to each inner pack in a plurality of inner packs; and (4) inner pack filling apparatus that fills each inner pack with a specific item matched to that inner pack by the item identification information received from the database. Each item is associated with its unique item identification information and is inserted into an inner pack with matching item identification information, and each outer container is presented for loading with one or more inner packs matched to that outer container by the item identification information received from the database.

Provided is a filling apparatus including: a conveyor line configured to intermittently convey spout-equipped bags, which are suspended so that spouts protruding from one side of the spout-equipped bags, the bags being flat, are located on an upper side and the bags are located on a lower side, in a width direction of the suspended spout-equipped bags on a movement straight line; a printing apparatus disposed in the middle of the conveyor line and configured to print manufacturing information on the suspended spout-equipped bags; and nozzles configured to fill the suspended spout-equipped bags with a liquid material through the spouts. The conveyor line is further configured to convey the spout-equipped bags so that fronts of the spout-equipped bags directly face the printing apparatus.

A system for packaging mass-customized items includes a computer system including a database containing item identification information unique to each item; (2) outer container identification apparatus that applies the item identification information received from the database to each outer container in a plurality of outer containers; (3) inner pack identification apparatus that applies the item identification information received from the database to each inner pack in a plurality of inner packs; and (4) inner pack filling apparatus that fills each inner pack with a specific item matched to that inner pack by the item identification information received from the database. Each item is associated with its unique item identification information and is inserted into an inner pack with matching item identification information, and each outer container is presented for loading with one or more inner packs matched to that outer container by the item identification information received from the database.

An exemplary web of preformed bags includes first and second layers, first and second side, first and second side seals proximate the first and second edges, a plurality of transverse seals extending between the first and second side edges, an opening in the first layer, and a line of separation in the second layer, and first and second cuts in the first and second side seals. The first and second cuts are configured to reduce or eliminate a breaking force necessary to break the first and second side seals when the web is torn along the line of separation.