Method and apparatus for packaging a product in individual vacuum sealed packets

Abstract

The present invention relates to a unique method and apparatus for packaging a product in individual vacuum-sealed packets constructed of a sheet of flexible material. In the method of the present invention, a sheet of flexible packaging material is formed into a channel-shaped member having spaced apart vertical sidewalls. The facing surfaces of the sidewalls are sealed at horizontally spaced apart, vertical locations to define a plurality of open top packets. A predetermined amount of a flowable product is introduced into each of the open top packets. Next, the upper corner portions of each individual packet are sealed to reduce the size of the opening in the packets. A vacuum tube is introduced into the open top packet and the upper portion of the open top packet is sealed around the vacuum tube. The interior of the packet is then evacuated through the vacuum tube and an initial horizontal top seal is produced below the vacuum tube to initially seal the packet. Finally, the vacuum tube is retracted and a final horizontal top seal is produced above the initial top seal.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.