Web centering system

An apparatus for tracking a web of material in an internal aseptic environment in a form-fill-seal packaging machine, comprising:

• a support member, a tracking assembly, and an alignment mechanism, the tracking assembly having a contact member depending from an engaging member, and the contact member being adapted to contact the web of material, wherein the support member is rotatedly connected at an angle to the tracking assembly, wherein one of either the support member or the tracking assembly has a first rotation member depending therefrom, and the other of either the support member or the tracking assembly has a mating receptacle, the first rotation member communicating with and rotating within the receptacle, and wherein the alignment mechanism is connected to the tracking assembly to control the angle of rotation between the support member and the tracking assembly.

A tracking mechanism for a form-fill-seal packaging machine having an internal aseptic area for forming, filling and sealing a bag, the tracking mechanism provided in the aseptic area upstream of a former assembly of the form-fill-seal packaging machine, the tracking mechanism comprising:

• a tracking member rotatedly connected to a support member, wherein one of either the support member or the tracking member has a first rotating member and the other of either the support member or the tracking member has a mating receptacle, the tracking member being able to rotate about a specified angle of rotation with respect to the support member within the internal aseptic area of the form-fill-seal packaging machine, and wherein the mating area between the first rotating member and the mating receptacle is sealed off from the aseptic area of the form-fill-seal packaging machine.

A packaging machine having an internal aseptic area, the packaging machine having a former that forms bags from a web of material, a filler that fills the bags with a substance, and a sealer that seals the bags to enclose the substance within the bags, each of the former, filler and sealer being located within the internal aseptic area of the packaging machine, the packaging machine further comprising:

• a tracking mechanism located in the internal aseptic area of the packaging machine and immediately upstream of the former, the tracking mechanism contacting the web of material and pivoting within the aseptic area of the packaging machine, the tracking mechanism being connected to an external control unit that controls the pivoting of the tracking mechanism, wherein the pivoting of the tracking mechanism alters an angle of contact between the tracking mechanism and the web of material to center the web of material entering the former.

A container for holding a pharmaceutical, comprising:

• a web of polymeric film formed in a packaging machine and having a cavity enclosed by a first wall, an opposing second wall, and seals about a periphery of the first and second walls, at least one of the seals joining an interior portion of the opposing first and second walls and creating a fluid-tight chamber within the cavity of the container, wherein a quantity of the pharmaceutical is stored within the fluid-tight chamber, the web of polymeric film being directed into a former of the packaging machine with a tracking assembly in the packaging machine prior to forming the container in the packaging machine, the tracking assembly comprising a tracking member rotatedly connected to a support member, the tracking member being able to rotate about a specified angle of rotation with respect to the support member, the tracking mechanism contacting the web of material and controlling an angle of contact between the tracking mechanism and the web of material to center the web of material entering the former such that peripheral edges of the first and second walls that forms one of the seals of the container are located substantially adjacent one another.