Systems and methods for shrink wrap bundling a group of heat-sensitive products are provided. A method comprises: providing a heating oven with a convective heat source and a radiant electromagnetic energy source therein and a product; and wrapping the product with a shrink film that comprises an activation temperature and an electromagnetic energy absorbance level. The method also comprises: placing the wrapped product inside the heating oven for a predetermined duration of residence time; exposing the wrapped product to radiant electromagnetic energy for a predetermined duration of exposure time, wherein the direction of the electromagnetic energy is coincidental or approximately coincidental with a plane of the shrink film; and removing the wrapped product from the heating oven resulting in the wrapped product being robustly bundled according to a defined Bundle Rigidity Test without substantial damage to the heat-sensitive products of the wrapped product.

A vertical sealer apparatus includes at least one conveyor for receiving objects to be wrapped in a vertical orientation with films from two film sources and for conveying the objects in a downstream direction from before and after they are wrapped along a conveying path, as well as an over for shrinking the films onto the objects. Methods of vertically sealing objects using such apparatus are also provided.

Heat shrink wrap product packaging oven or tunnel apparatus and processing methods are provided which incorporate or utilize airfoils in conjunction with hot air-providing side walls to desirably control impact of hot air onto a product wrapped with a tube of heat shrink wrap film and being conveyed on a conveyor thereby. In such heat shrink wrap product packaging apparatus and methods, such airfoils can be movable, e.g., rotatably moveable, relative to the side walls to vertically alter an air impact point onto the product.

Heat shrink wrap product packaging oven or tunnel apparatus and processing methods are provided which incorporate or utilize airfoils in conjunction with hot air-providing side walls to desirably control impact of hot air onto a product wrapped with a tube of heat shrink wrap film and being conveyed on a conveyor thereby. In such heat shrink wrap product packaging apparatus and methods, such airfoils can be movable, e.g., rotatably moveable, relative to the side walls to vertically alter an air impact point onto the product.

A shrink wrapping apparatus, and associated process, includes a housing (turbine) having a wall forming a passage dimensioned to receive the associated container assembly and associated sleeve. The passage has an inlet and an outlet spaced therefrom, and the inlet is located vertically above the outlet such that the associated container assembly and associated sleeve move from the inlet toward the outlet. A steam path communicates with the passage to provide steam from an associated steam source to at least a portion of the passage in order to shrink wrap the associated sleeve on the associated container assembly as the container assembly and sleeve move downwardly through the passage and the steam naturally rises upwardly through the passage.

A shrink wrapping apparatus, and associated process, includes a housing (turbine) having a wall forming a passage dimensioned to receive the associated container assembly and associated sleeve. The passage has an inlet and an outlet spaced therefrom, and the inlet is located vertically above the outlet such that the associated container assembly and associated sleeve move from the inlet toward the outlet. A steam path communicates with the passage to provide steam from an associated steam source to at least a portion of the passage in order to shrink wrap the associated sleeve on the associated container assembly as the container assembly and sleeve move downwardly through the passage and the steam naturally rises upwardly through the passage.

A shrink-wrapping arrangement can be used for shrink wrapping containers or packages, including bottles, boxes, cans, or similar containers or packages, and a method of operating a shrink-wrapping arrangement can be used for shrink wrapping containers or packages, including bottles, boxes, cans, or similar containers or packages.

An example technique of forming a package includes retaining a package precursor in a support. The package precursor includes a shrink-formable composition and defines an interior volume configured to enclose a component, such as a medical supply. The package may be formed by at least directing a flow of heated medium from a nozzle toward at least one region of the package precursor to cause the at least one region to shrink faster than an adjacent region of the package precursor. In some examples, an example system for shrink-forming a package includes the support and the nozzle.

An example technique of forming a package includes retaining a package precursor in a support. The package precursor includes a shrink-formable composition and defines an interior volume configured to enclose a component, such as a medical supply. The package may be formed by at least directing a flow of heated medium from a nozzle toward at least one region of the package precursor to cause the at least one region to shrink faster than an adjacent region of the package precursor. In some examples, an example system for shrink-forming a package includes the support and the nozzle.