A container cover and dispenser system is disclosed herein. The cover fits over a container and allows a user to access contents through an opening. The cover may include a notch to leave an open section for a user to access the contents. The dispenser may hold a roll of container covers that may be pulled out and individually removed from the roll. The dispenser may include a protrusion to create a tab and notch design on the removed covers to facilitate users' access of the contents.

An apparatus for the production and filling of food containers includes at least one device for forming a sheet made of polymeric material to provide accommodation receptacles which have at least one access opening, at least one filling unit adapted to fill, through the access opening, the accommodation receptacles with at least one type of food, and at least one sealing unit to seal the access opening with a closure film. The apparatus includes at least one device for removing portions, and at least one laser emitter for providing a weakening portion at a respective connecting edge between adjacent accommodation receptacles. The polymeric material is chosen from: polyethylene terephthalate and polypropylene and copolymers thereof.

The apparatus includes a first section which accommodates the filling unit, the sealing unit, and the device for removing portions, and a second section, separate from the first section, which accommodates the laser emitter.

A tray sealing machine is provided with a frame on which a sealing tool is arranged. The sealing tool comprises a lower tool in which a tray to be sealed can be received and an upper tool including a hood, a sealing component arranged in the interior of the hood, and a sealing component carrier on which the sealing component is arranged. The hood is movable relative to the sealing component and has a gas connection configured for connection to a corresponding gas connection of the tray sealing machine. The lower tool and the hood are configured to form a sealing chamber in a closed state of the sealing tool. The sealing tool further comprises a line connecting the gas connection to the sealing chamber in the closed state. The hood is movable relative to the frame and the sealing component carrier is unmovable relative to the frame.

A tray sealer comprises a conveyor arrangement for conveying packaging trays along a conveying direction. The conveyor arrangement comprises a first conveyor device for conveying a first line of packaging trays along the conveying direction, a second conveyor device running laterally alongside the first conveyor device for conveying a second line of packaging trays along the conveying direction, and a center guide which is arranged between the first conveyor device and the second conveyor device and extends along the conveying direction. The conveyor arrangement further comprises a third conveyor device for conveying packaging trays along the conveying direction. The third conveyor device extends adjoining the second conveyor device in terms of the conveying direction laterally alongside the first conveyor device.

Tray sealer, comprising a sealing station for sealing trays, an infeed belt for providing trays, an outfeed belt for transporting sealed trays away, a gripper device comprising a first gripper unit which is configured to pick up trays from the infeed belt and to position them for a sealing process within the sealing station, and comprising a second gripper unit which is configured to collect the trays sealed by way of the sealing station and to position them on the outfeed belt for being transported away, where the first gripper unit comprises a first carriage as well as a first gripper mounted thereon and the second gripper unit comprises a second carriage and a second gripper mounted thereon, a lifting mechanism for opening and closing the sealing station, as well as a control device for controlling a motion of the first carriage and the first gripper as well as for controlling a motion of the second carriage and the second gripper, where, during the opening of the lifting mechanism, the control device is configured to control a closing motion of the second gripper carried out transverse to the direction of production for collecting sealed trays from the sealing station as well as an adjusting motion of the first carriage carried out in the direction of production for supplying unsealed trays into the sealing station such that a substantially predetermined minimum distance is present between the first and the second carriage when the closing motion of the second gripper is at least substantially completed. The disclosure furthermore relates to a method for controlling a gripper device of a tray sealer.

The semirigid plastic content of a fresh produce container is reduced by omitting or removing a central portion of a semirigid plastic lid to form a central opening therein. The central opening is covered and sealed by a plastic film, which can be applied before, during, or after packaging. The film can include visible indicia. The plastic film can be attached to an inner flange of the lid that surrounds the central opening, and can be by a resealable adhesive. During a packaging step, the tray is filled with the fresh produce, and then the lid can be sonically spotwelded to the tray. The sonic spotwelding can be of an outer lid flange to a corresponding outer tray flange. In embodiments where the central portion of the lid is removed, the removed plastic can be combined with precursor plastic and used to form additional semirigid plastic lids.

An order fulfillment system is described that includes a carton and a mover configured to carry the carton throughout the system. The carton is a preformed, five-sided container with flanges extending outwardly from edges thereof. The mover includes a depression in a top surface thereof that nestably receives the carton therein. The mover may include a vacuum system to aid retention of the carton therein. The mover and carton may include indicia to enable identification and tracking thereof throughout the fulfillment process. A lidding process applies a lid that is adhered to the flanges of the carton and includes identifying indicia thereon. The system provides identification and verification of items placed in the carton and can be easily integrated into existing manual and automated fulfillment systems. A manual system allows a user to manually pick and load cartons and attach a carton lid via an adhesive.

The present disclosure relates to a tray sealing machine and, in addition, to a method for gently picking-up trays and for gently depositing sealed packages.

A sealing system is for containers, in particular of the type that envisages sealing with an aluminum cap. Forming equipment of a cap or seal of weldable sealing material is for the application on the mouth of a container. The equipment includes at least one cutting device (48) of a disc or sheet of the sealing material from a web of the sealing material. The at least one cutting device (48) is arranged along the periphery of a cutting roll (30) and the cutting roll (30) is motorized so as to move the web of sealing material by traction along an operational path.

A package and method for opening the package are disclosed. The package includes a first film and a second film forming an enclosure and at least one tab area and defining a package periphery, the enclosure defining an interior volume configured to receive a product. The package further includes first and second breachable bubbles formed within first and second tab portions of the at least one tab area. Upon application of pressure by a user, the first and second breachable bubbles breach. The package may be alternated between a first position, wherein the first tab portion and the second tab portion are substantially sealed from each other to facilitate breaching, and a second position, wherein the first tab portion and the second tab portion are in fluid communication with each other.