Apparatus and method for packaging a product in individual packets

A method of packaging a product comprising the steps of:

• (a) forming a generally U-shaped channel member having spaced apart generally vertical sidewalls from a flexible sheet of packaging material;
• (b) sealing the facing surfaces of the sidewalls at horizontally spaced apart locations to define at least one open top packet;
• (c) introducing a product into the open top packet;
• (d) subsequent to step (c), sealing the upper corner portions of the open top packet to reduce the size of opening of the packet;
• (e) pulling the upper sealed corner portions of the packet away from one another in a generally horizontal direction, thereby urging the upper marginal edges of the packet toward one another;
• and
• (f) sealing the upper marginal edges of the packet together to close the packet.

A method of packaging a product in at least two sealed packets, comprising the steps of:

• (a) forming at least one longitudinally extending perforated line in a sheet of flexible packaging material as the sheet is moved in a longitudinal direction to a predetermined position;
• (b) forming the sheet into a U-shaped channel having spaced apart generally vertical sidewalls with the perforated line located in said vertical sidewalls;
• (c) sealing the facing surfaces of the sidewalls at horizontally spaced apart locations along the channel to define at least two open top packets connected by the perforated line;
• (d) introducing a product into each of the open top packets;
• and
• (e) sealing the upper marginal edges of the packets to close the packets.

An apparatus for packaging a product in at least two sealed packets comprising, in combination:

• forming means for forming a sheet of flexible packaging material into a generally U-shaped channel member having spaced apart generally vertical sidewalls;
• side sealing means for sealing the facing surfaces of said sidewalls at horizontally spaced apart locations to define at least two open top packets connected together;
• filling means for introducing a product into said open top packets;
• means for pulling the upper corner portions of said connected packets away from one another in a generally horizontal direction, thereby urging the upper marginal edges of said packets toward one another;
• and
• top sealing means for sealing the upper marginal edges of said packets together to close said connected packets.

An apparatus for packaging a product in a packet comprising, in combination:

• forming means for forming a sheet of flexible packaging material into a generally U-shaped channel member having spaced apart generally vertical sidewalls;
• side sealing means for sealing the facing surfaces of said sidewalls at horizontally spaced apart locations to define at least one open top packet;
• filling means for introducing a product into said open top packet;
• sealing means for sealing the upper corner portion of the open top packet for reducing the size of the opening of the open top packet;
• means for pulling the upper sealed corner portions of said packet away from one another, thereby urging the upper marginal edges of said packet toward one another;
• and
• top sealing means for sealing the upper marginal edge portions of said packet together to close the packet.

An apparatus for packaging a product in at least two sealed packets comprising, in combination:

• perforation means for forming at least one longitudinally extending perforated line in a sheet of flexible packaging material moving along a longitudinal direction to a predetermined position;
• means for forming said sheet into a U-shaped channel having spaced apart generally vertical sidewalls with said perforated line located in said vertical sidewalls;
• means for sealing the facing surface of said sidewalls at selected horizontally spaced apart locations along said channel to define at least two open top packets connected by said perforated line;
• means for introducing a product into each of said open top packets;
• and
• means for sealing the upper marginal edges of said packets to close said packets.