A multilayer, heat-shrinkable film has a first portion containing an outer heat seal layer and a second portion containing a PVDC barrier layer and a second outer layer comprising polyester. Both film portions comprise polymer networks which are strained by solid-state orientation, but only the first portion contains a crosslinked polymer network. The film has (i) a total free shrink at 85° C. of at least 90% and (ii) an instrumented impact energy-to-break of at least 0.0.65 J/mil and/or an instrumented impact peak load of at least 70 N/mil. The film is primarily made from ethylene-based polymers. Packaging articles can be made by sealing the film to itself. The film comprises no polyamide or polyamide in an amount up to 10 wt %, on a total film weight basis.

A working process of a machine for wrapping products in packages, carried out with a thermoplastic material film from a reel, the process comprising: reducing a transversal section of a hollow mandrel to be smaller than a transversal dimension of a bundle of products, positioning a sealing device in a position for sealing overlapped longitudinal edges of the film while forming a new tubular film casing, arranging two vertically mobile elements of a sealing and transversal cutting assembly in a closure position on the head portion of the new tubular film casing and on the tail portion of the tubular film casing of a finished package, and conveying the new tubular film casing away from the mandrel, and repeating the process so that the product placed inside the tubular casing by the mandrel is wrapped in a tight adherent manner due to the elastic retraction of the film.

A support shaft capable of supporting a wound body with a long sheet wound therearound includes a first projection located at a proximal end of an outer peripheral part, and a second projection located at a distal end of the outer peripheral part. A core body of the wound body includes a one-end-side first recess part located at one end of an inner peripheral part, an other-end-side firsts recess part located at an other end of the inner peripheral part, and a second recess part located to extend from the one end to the other end. In a state where the core body is mounted on an outer periphery of the support shaft, the first projection engages the one-end-side first recess part or the other-end-side first recess part. When the core body is mounted to the outer periphery of the support shaft, the second projection engages the second recess to allow the circumferential position of the first projection to be aligned with the circumferential position of the one-end-side first recess part or the other-end-side first recess part around a central axis.

The packaging machine includes a wrapping tunnel, adapted to form a tube of plastic film around a group of articles and a feed conveyor adapted to feed articles to be packaged toward the wrapping tunnel. An elevator is positioned between the feed conveyor and the wrapping tunnel, and is movable vertically from a lower position, to receive articles coming from the feed conveyor, to a higher height, to transfer articles to the wrapping tunnel. A pusher is arranged to push articles to be packaged from the elevator into the wrapping tunnel. An auxiliary conveyor is also provided between the feed conveyor and the elevator. An upender is associated with the auxiliary conveyor, adapted to be arranged selectively in an active position, to co-act with the auxiliary conveyor to upend articles coming from the feed conveyor and transfer them toward the elevator, and in a deactivated position.

The packaging machine includes a wrapping tunnel, adapted to form a tube of plastic film around a group of articles and a feed conveyor adapted to feed articles to be packaged toward the wrapping tunnel. An elevator is positioned between the feed conveyor and the wrapping tunnel, and is movable vertically from a lower position, to receive articles coming from the feed conveyor, to a higher height, to transfer articles to the wrapping tunnel. A pusher is arranged to push articles to be packaged from the elevator into the wrapping tunnel. An auxiliary conveyor is also provided between the feed conveyor and the elevator. An upender is associated with the auxiliary conveyor, adapted to be arranged selectively in an active position, to co-act with the auxiliary conveyor to upend articles coming from the feed conveyor and transfer them toward the elevator, and in a deactivated position.

A production method for a pleated film according to the present invention includes an introduction step for moving an elongated film for use as a packaging body and introducing the film into a gap between a pair of pleat-forming plates disposed with a gap therebetween so that respective inner surfaces of the film oppose each other, a fixing step for fixing the film to the pair of pleat-forming plates, and a step for forming a pleat extending in a latitudinal direction of the film by closing the gap between the pair of pleat-forming plates, wherein sealing bars are provided on the pair of pleat-forming plates on opposing surfaces of the pleat-forming plates.

A production method for a pleated film according to the present invention includes an introduction step for moving an elongated film for use as a packaging body and introducing the film into a gap between a pair of pleat-forming plates disposed with a gap therebetween so that respective inner surfaces of the film oppose each other, a fixing step for fixing the film to the pair of pleat-forming plates, and a step for forming a pleat extending in a latitudinal direction of the film by closing the gap between the pair of pleat-forming plates, wherein sealing bars are provided on the pair of pleat-forming plates on opposing surfaces of the pleat-forming plates.

A first film can be conveyed through a horizontal form-fill-seal machine that contains tooling stations in which bottom sealer bars are positioned in different tooling stations relative to side sealer bars. The first film can be processed by the machine to form a first pouch. After the first pouch is formed, a vertical height of one or more of the side sealer bars and/or one or more of the bottom sealer bars can be selectively adjusted. The same bottom and side sealer bars remain in the machine during the selective adjusting of the vertical height. After the selective adjusting of the vertical height of the component, a second film can be conveyed through the horizontal form-fill-seal machine. The second film can be processed by the machine to form a second pouch having at least one dimension that is different than the first pouch.

A first film can be conveyed through a horizontal form-fill-seal machine that contains tooling stations in which bottom sealer bars are positioned in different tooling stations relative to side sealer bars. The first film can be processed by the machine to form a first pouch. After the first pouch is formed, a vertical height of one or more of the side sealer bars and/or one or more of the bottom sealer bars can be selectively adjusted. The same bottom and side sealer bars remain in the machine during the selective adjusting of the vertical height. After the selective adjusting of the vertical height of the component, a second film can be conveyed through the horizontal form-fill-seal machine. The second film can be processed by the machine to form a second pouch having at least one dimension that is different than the first pouch.

An automatic packaging machine, comprising an input conveyor belt, a reel holder, containing a reel of single-fold film, a contoured shaped film former, a sealing bar, a collecting device, an output conveyor belt, and a pulling device with at least an upper driving wheel and a lower driving wheel in contact with a layer of single-fold film interposed between said wheels which, rotating in opposite directions, move the single-fold film along the automatic packaging machine; a drive shaft, which transfers a rotational motion to the driving wheels to move the single-fold film along the automatic packaging machine; a lifting actuator, which moves the upper driving wheel away from the lower driving wheel (or vice versa) when sealing the single-fold film, so as to reduce the tension exerted by the driving wheels on the single-fold film during the sealing step and having a lifting actuator actuated by the drive shaft.