Abstract:
A heat-seal band system is provided with an air gap arrangement that facilitates heat tunability and corresponding balancing of heat distribution through a tab to band (tab/band) junction of a heat-seal band. The heat-seal band may be implemented as a closed-contour heat-seal band with a band that has a workpiece facing surface that directs heat toward a workpiece and an opposite surface from which a pair of conductive tabs extend. Tab covers engage at least portions of the tabs to establish air gaps with dimensions that influence energy transmissibility at the tab/band junction. The tab covers may be fixed such as those defined by portions of clamps that hold the tabs and/or variable such as those implemented as replaceable gap gauges of different dimensions. Selecting and mounting different gap gauges facilitates heat tunability through adjusting the air gap to help identify an acceptable amount of heating uniformity about an entire workpiece facing surface of the heat-seal band.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a method for making pouches providing a continuous web; folding the web to provide confronting side surfaces joined along a bottom edge; forming a vertical seal between the confronting side surfaces, thereby providing a series of adjacent pockets having opposite side walls with each pocket having an unsealed opening along a top edge; filling the pockets through the unsealed opening with material; sealing the unsealed opening. In the inventive method, which facilitates handling of the continuous web forming the pouches, the web is perforated by a perforation between a leading length piece of the web adapted to form a leading pocket and a trailing length piece of the web adapted to form a trailing pocket, and the distance between a trailing edge of the leading length piece and a leading edge of a trailing length piece is increased for tearing the leading and the trailing lengths pieces apart at the perforation.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus for sealing a bag made of a polymeric material by applying heat activated layers on different portions of the bag, wherein the first adhesive layer and the second adhesive layer have respective heat activation temperatures below the softening point temperature of the polymeric material; creasing the bag along a fold line, applying heat at a temperature below the softening point temperature of the polymeric material to activate the first adhesive layer and the second adhesive layer to adhesive states after the bag has been filled with contents; and folding the bag to form an adhesive-to adhesive seal by contact between the heat activated first adhesive layer and the heat activated second adhesive layer.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus for sealing a bag made of a polymeric material by applying heat activated layers on different portions of the bag, wherein the first adhesive layer and the second adhesive layer have respective heat activation temperatures below the softening point temperature of the polymeric material; after creasing the bag along a fold line, applying heat at a temperature below the softening point temperature of the polymeric material to activate the first adhesive layer and the second adhesive layer to adhesive states after the bag has been filled with contents; and folding the bag to form an adhesive-to adhesive seal by contact between the heat activated first adhesive layer and the heat activated second adhesive layer.
Abstract:
A method and capping apparatus is provided for securely seating a closure with curvilinear top surface onto a container in a manner that avoids damage from excessive force applied to the closure. The apparatus has a cap locking unit with a circulating compression belt that contacts a top surface of the closure/container as the combination is being transported from underneath by a conveyor. A dancer contacts an inner surface of the compression belt. Pressure is applied from the dancer through leading and trailing leg components that converge from a common pivot. Ends of the leading and trailing legs are spaced from one another less than the length of the closure. Force is applied to the closure by simultaneous pressure from both legs on different first and second areas of the closure top surface.
Abstract:
An automatic high speed packaging machine for wrapping packages in polymer film is disclosed wherein the film seal at the sides and ends of the packages is made at a high rate of speed as the packages travel through the machine. The packages travel continuously in a straight line through the machine. The packages are delivered at the input end of the machine by an in-feed conveyor into a film inverting head where the packages are surrounded by longitudinally half-folded polymer film. Thereafter, the packages are transported to a side sealing mechanism which forms a longitudinal seal in the film on the side opposite the fold. Finally, the packages are transported to a traveling end seal mechanism where a lateral seal is formed at each end of the package and the film web connecting succeeding packages is severed. The machine produces packages which have a sealed film wrap around the entire package. If desired, the polymer film may be of a heat shrinkable variety and the sealed package may be passed through a shrinking oven to produce a package having a tight “shrinkwrap” film covering.
Abstract:
In a method for wrapping an article in a sheet of thermoplastic wrapping material, the temperature of an at least partly metal belt (5) looped and induction heated to seal wrapping material (4) is detected by detecting a first signal (S1) to the voltage (V) applied to the belt (5), and a second signal (S2) related to the current (I) circulating along the belt (5); and by calculating the electric resistance (R) of the belt (5) as a function of the first and second signal (S1, S2); the electric resistance (R) of the belt (5) being related to the temperature (T) of the belt (5).
Abstract:
Using induction heaters, two rotating metal bands are heated to a target temperature, continuously sensed by infrared temperature probes and then compressed on either side of a mated pair of paperboard carton flanges in an extended nip. The mated paperboard flange area is then heated by conduction from the metal bands to the activation temperature of the coating material to form a uniform bond between the paperboard surfaces.
Abstract:
An apparatus for induction-sealing a package having sides formed of overlaying flaps with a thermoplastic material between the flaps serving as the adhesive has independently adjustable platens that bear against counter-rotating conveyor belts for applying varying pressure to the package sides to be sealed. A special package wrapper is also disclosed which is formed of a laminate having the thermoplastic material printed on a layer of printing ink. When heated, the thermoplastic material seeps through the ink to bond with a polyolefin layer below and thereby seals overlying package flaps together.
Abstract:
A continuous band/trim sealing apparatus for poly bags incorporates an adjustable leveling platform to which support of the flaccid film laminae at open top portions of the bags is directly transferred as ongoing conveying of the bags moves these portions off the supporting surface of a side wing of the apparatus and which guides these portions downstream to the nip of a twin-belt gripping conveyor at the entrance of a band sealing and trimming machine of the apparatus in condition for consistently obtaining flawless band and trim seals.