Method of and apparatus for packaging product masses in a form, fill and seal machine

Apparatus for packaging product masses in a form, fill and seal machine, comprising:

• means for running a continuous length of packaging film in the following order through a succession of work stations in the machine, including a loading station wherein product masses are successively placed into engagement with the film at substantially uniformly spaced intervals, a product mass enclosing and film sealing station having means for wrapping and sealing the film into a tube about the product, and a cross sealing and package separation station having means for cross sealing the film tube in the spaces between the successive product masses to seal the product masses within individual packages;
• means adjacent to said loading station for joining in corunning relation with the packaging film a continuous length of separately formed plastic reclosable fastener assembly having interlocked profile strips spot sealed together at package length intervals;
• means for effecting said joining near one side of said product masses and for orienting the corunning fastener strip assembly and the packaging film so that the spot seals of the strip are located in alignment with the spaces between the product masses on the film;
• means adjacent to said enclosing and sealing station for securing the fastener assembly to the film permanently within a fold of said film so that a package length section of the fastener strip assembly will be present in each individual package;
• and
• said cross sealing means at said cross sealing station operating for cross sealing the fastener strip assembly spot seals with cross sealing of the film tube.

A method of packaging product masses in a form, fill and seal machine, comprising:

• running a continuous length of packaging film in the following order through a succession of work stations in the machine, including a loading station wherein product masses are successively placed at substantially uniformly spaced intervals on the film supported in a spread out condition, a product mass enclosing and film sealing station wherein the film is wrapped and sealed into a tube about the product, and a cross sealing and package separation station wherein the film tube is cross sealed in the spaces between the successive product masses to seal the product masses within individual packages;
• adjacent to said loading station supporting the film in spread out condition;
• forming a longitudinal fold in the spread out film near one side of said product masses;
• guiding into assembled relation with the film within said fold a continuous co-running length of separately formed plastic recloseable fastener assembly having interlocked profile strips spot sealed together at package length intervals;
• and orienting the co-running fastener strip assembly and the packaging film so that the spot seals of the strip are located in alignment with the spaces between the product masses on the film;
• adjacent to said enclosing and sealing station securing the fastener assembly permanently within said fold so that a package length section of the fastener strip assembly will be present in each individual product package;
• and
• at the cross sealing station cross sealing the fastener strip assembly spot seals with the cross sealing of the film tube.