Method and apparatus of manufacturing porous pouches containing granular product

An apparatus for making laminated porous pouches having upper and lower web members connected about their periphery and containing a predetermined dose of granular product, at least one of said web members being porous, and said apparatus comprising:

• (a) a pouch-forming surface having product loading area formed therein which further comprises a cavity surrounded by peripheral land areas;
• (b) means to place a lower porous web in contact with said pouch-forming surface such that said lower porous web overlies said cavity and said peripheral land areas.
• (c) said cavity having a passageway, means to selectively place said product loading area cavity in fluid communication with a source of vacuum such that suction can be selectively applied to said cavity;
• and
• (d) said peripheral land areas having one or more apertures formed therethrough, a source of pressurized fluid, means to selectively place said one or more apertures in fluid communication with said source of pressurized fluid whereby outward fluid flow emanates from at least a portion of said peripheral land areas such that the said vacuum acting through the lower porous web holds the granular product within the portions of the lower porous web which overlie the cavity and the pressurized fluid acting through the lower porous web keeps the granular product from being deposited on the portions of the lower porous web which overlie said peripheral land areas.

An apparatus for making porous pouches having upper and lower web members connected about their periphery and containing a predetermined dose of granular product, at least one of said web members being porous, and said apparatus comprising:

• (a) a pouch-forming surface having a plurality of product loading areas formed therein, each such product loading area further comprising a cavity surrounded by peripheral land areas;
• (b) means to place a porous web in contact with said pouch-forming surface such that said porous web overlies said cavities and said peripheral land areas;
• (c) a passageway connected to the lower portion of each of said cavities, means to selectively place said product loading area cavities in fluid communication with a source of vacuum such that suction can be selectively applied to said cavities;
• and
• (d) said peripheral land areas having a plurality apertures formed therethrough, a source of pressurized fluid, means to selectively place said apertures. in fluid communication with said source of pressurized fluid, whereby outward fluid flow emanates from at least a portion of said peripheral land areas such that the vacuum acting through said porous web holds the granular product within the portions of the porous web which overlie said cavities and the pressurized fluid acting through said porous web keeps the granular product from being deposited on the portions of the porous web which overlie said peripheral land areas.

An apparatus for continuously making porous pouches having upper and lower web members connected about the periphery of each pouch, at least one of said web members being porous, said pouches each containing a predetermined quantity of granular product, said apparatus comprising:

• (a) means to continuously supply said upper and lower web members;
• (b) a rotatable substantially tubular-shaped pouch-forming structure having a pouch-forming surface formed about its outer periphery, said pouch-forming surface having a plurality of product loading areas formed therein and spaced adjacent one another, each said product loading area further comprising a cavity surrounded by peripheral land areas;
• (c) means to place a lower porous web in contact with said pouch-forming surface such that lower porous web overlies said cavities and said land areas;
• (d) said cavity having a passageway connected to each of said cavities means, to selectively place said product loading area cavity in fluid communication with a source of vacuum such that suction can be selectively applied thereto;
• (e) said peripheral land areas surrounding and separating said product loading areas from each other and having a plurality of apertures formed therethrough, a source of pressurized fluid, means to selectively place said apertures in fluid communication with said source of pressurized gas whereby outward air flow emanates from at least a portion of said peripheral land areas;
• (f) means to supply granular product for selective deposition on said lower web member when said lower web member is in contact with said pouch-forming surface such that the vacuum acting through the lower porous web holds the granular product within the portions of the lower porous web which overlie the cavities and the pressurized fluid acting through the lower porous web keeps the inner product from being deposited on the portions of the lower porous web which overlie the peripheral land areas;
• and
• (g) means to laminate said upper web member to said lower web member.

An apparatus for continuously making porous pouches having upper and lower porous web members connected about the periphery of each pouch, said pouches each containing a predetermined quantity of granular product, said apparatus comprising:

• (a) means to continuously supply said upper and lower porous web members;
• (b) a rotatable substantially tubular-shaped pouch-forming structure having a pouch-forming surface formed about its outer periphery, said pouch-forming surface having a plurality of product loading areas formed therein and spaced adjacent one another, said product loading areas further comprising a cavity surrounded by peripheral land areas;
• (c) means to place a lower porous web in contact with said pouch-forming surface such that said lower porous web overlies said cavity and said land areas;
• (d) said cavity having a passageway connected to each of said cavities, means to selectively place said product loading area cavities in fluid communication with a common source of vacuum such that suction can be selectively applied thereto;
• (e) said peripheral land areas surrounding and separating said product loading areas from each other and having a plurality of apertures formed therethrough, a source of pressurized fluid, means to selectively place said apertures in fluid communication with said source of pressurized gas whereby outward air flow emanates from substantially the entire peripheral length of said peripheral land areas such that the vacuum acting through the porous lower web holds the granular product within the portions of the lower porous web which overlie the cavities and the pressurized fluid acting through the porous llower web keeps the granular product from being deposited on the portions of the porous lower web which overlie the peripheral land areas;
• (f) means to supply granular product for selective deposition on said lower web member when said lower web member is in contact with said pouch-forming surface;
• and
• (g) doctor means to prevent excessive deposition of product within said cavities adjacent said peripheral land areas;
• and
• (h) means to laminate said upper web member to said lower web member.

A process for making a porous laminated sheet product having at least one compartment formed therein and containing a predetermined quantity of inner product within said compartment, said process comprising the following steps:

• (a) placing a first porous web of material in contact with a compartment-forming surface, said compartment-forming surface having at least one cavity adapted to be selectively placed in fluid communication with a vacuum source, said cavity being surrounded by peripheral land areas having at least one aperture formed therein adapted to be selectivelyplaced in fluid communication with a source of pressurized fluid whereby outward fluid flow can emanate from at least a portion of said peripheral land areas;
• (b) selectively placing said at least one cavity in fluid communication with said vacuum source and selectively placing said at least one aperture in fluid communication with said source of pressurized fluid;
• (c) depositing a quantity of inner product on the upper surface of said first porous web such that the vacuum source acting through said first porous web tends to hold said inner product against the upper surface of said first porous web in said cavity, while said pressurized fluid acting through said first porous web tends to keep said inner product from being deposited on the upper surface of first porous web in said peripheral land areas;
• and
• (d) supplying a second web of material and laminating the lower surface of said second web to the upper surface of said first porous web along said peripheral land areas, thereby forming one or more porous compartments sealed about their periphery.

A process for making porous pouches containing a predetermined quantity of granular product, said process comprising the following steps:

• (a) placing a first porous web of pouch material in contact with a pouch forming surface, said pouch forming surface having at least one cavity adapted to be selectively placed in fluid communication with a vacuum source, said cavity being surrounded by peripheral land areas having at least one aperture formed therein adapted to be selectively placed in fluid communication with a source of pressurized fluid whereby outward fluid flow can emanate from at least a portion of said peripheral land areas such that said first porous web overlies said at least one cavity and said peripheral land areas;
• (b) selectively placing said at least one cavity in fluid communication with said vacuum source in selectively placing said at least one aperture in fluid communication with said source of pressurized fluid;
• (c) depositing a quantity of granular product on the upper surface of said first porous web such that the vacuum source acting through said first porous web tends to hold said granular product against the upper surface of said first porous web in said cavity, while said pressurized fluid acting through said first porous web tends to keep said granular product from being deposited on the upper surface of said first porous web in said peripheral land areas;
• and
• (d) supplying a second porous web of pouch material and laminating the lower surface of said second web to the upper surface of said first porous web along said peripheral land areas, thereby forming one or more porous pouches sealed about their periphery.

A continuous process for making porous pouches containing a predetermined dose of granular product, said process comprising the following steps:

• (a) placing a first porous web of pouch material in contact with a pouch forming surface, said pouch forming surface formed on the outer periphery of a rotatable, substantially tubular-shaped structure and having at least one cavity adapted to be selectively placed in fluid communication with a vacuum source, said cavity being completely surrounded by peripheral land areas having an aperture formed therein adapted to be selectively placed in fluid communication with a source of pressurized fluid whereby outward fluid flow can emanate from at least a portion of said peripheral land areas;
• (b) deforming said first porous web of pouch material in a manner corresponding to the contours of said pouch forming surface;
• (c) selectively placing said at least one cavity in fluid communication with said vacuum source and selectively placing said aperture in fluid communication with said source of pressurized fluid;
• (d) depositing a quantity of granular product on the upper surface of said first porous web while it is in contact with said pouch forming surface such that the vacuum source acting through said first porous web tends to hold said granular product against the upper surface of said first porous web in said cavity, while said pressurized fluid acting through said first porous web tends to keep said granular product from being deposited on the upper surface of said first porous web in said peripheral land areas;
• and
• (e) supplying a second web of pouch material above said first porous web and laminating the lower surface of said second web to the upper surface of said first porous web along said peripheral land area, thereby forming one or more porous pouches sealed about their periphery.

A continuous process for making porous pouches containing a predetermined quantity of granular product, said process comprising the following steps:

• (a) placing a first porous web of pouch material in contact with a pouch forming surface, said pouch forming surface formed on the outer periphery of a rotatable, substantially tubular-shaped structure and having a plurality of cavities adapted to be selectively placed in fluid communication with a vacuum source, said cavities being spaced adjacent one another and each being completely surrounded by peripheral land areas having an aperture formed therein adapted to be selectively placed in fluid communication with a source of pressurized gas whereby outward gas flow can emanate from at least a portion of said peripheral land areas;
• (b) deforming said first porous web of pouch material in a manner corresponding to the contours of said pouch forming surface;
• (c) selectively placing said cavities in fluid communication with said vacuum source and selectively placing said aperture in fluid communication with said source of pressurized fluid;
• (d) depositing a quantity of granular product on the upper surface of said first porous web while it is in contact with said pouch forming surface such that the vacuum source acting through said first porous web tends to hold said granular product against the upper surface of said first porous web in said cavities, while said pressurized gas acting through said first porous web tends to keep said granular product from being deposited on the upper surface of said first porous web in said peripheral land areas;
• (e) eliminating high spots from said deposited granular product within said cavities adjacent said peripheral land areas;
• (f) supplying a second web of porous pouch material above said first porous web and laminating the lower surface of said second web to the upper surface of said first porous web along said peripheral land areas, thereby forming a plurality of adjacent porous pouches sealed about their periphery;
• and
• (g) separating said laminated pouches as desired.