Apparatus and method for manufacturing a pouched product

Abstract

An apparatus (1) and method for manufacturing a pouched product involve a forming unit (50) arranged to feed a continuous supply of a pouch material (20) configured as a continuous channel member. A dosage unit (500) is operably engaged with the forming unit (50) and is arranged to introduce a dose of a filler material (130), having at least one object (134) within the dose, into a pouched portion of the channel member, the pouched portion having a closed leading edge such that the pouched portion is arranged to retain the dose of the filler material (130), having the at least one object (134) within the dose, within the pouched portion. An object metering unit (300) is arranged to introduce objects (134) into the dosage unit (500), and includes a rotatable feed member (248) arranged to meter the objects (134) introduced into the dosage unit (500) so as to direct the at least one object (134) into the dose of the filler material (130).

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.