US 5,210,993 AGranted

Method and apparatus to implement double opposed containers fed as a continuous band to filling stations and to be sealed by welding, as well as packages thus obtained

AssigneeCrescent Holding H.V.

InventorG. J. M. van Boxtel

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Abstract

A method and apparatus for producing and filling a plurality of pairs of containers from a flexible material. The lateral edges of a band of the flexible material are folded over, with a heat-sealable material forming an internal surface of the folded portions. Each folded portion has a transversal width equal to at least a height of the individual container to be produced. A series of heat seals are formed transversely along each folded portion at longitudinal intervals. Each of the longitudinal intervals are equal to a width of the individual container to be produced. The heat seals form lateral closing ribs between adjacent pairs of containers and terminate a short distance from the lateral edge of the folded portions. A center strip is maintained between the containers comprising each pair, with the heat seals extending from the sides of each of the folded portions and toward the center strip. The folded portions are cut transversely along a midline of the heat seals from the side toward the center strip, without cutting the center strip. Adjacent containers are detached from each other along the cut mid-line, wherein each of the plurality of pairs of containers remain connected along the center strip and at a point adjacent to the sides of the folded portions.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A method for producing a plurality of pairs of containers from a flexible material, comprising the steps of:

unwinding a continuous band of the flexible material, the band having two lateral edges and two opposed surfaces, one of the surfaces being a heat-sealable material;
folding over the lateral edges of the band along respective fold lines to form a folded band having two folded portions, the folded portions each having a transversal width extending between the respective folded over lateral edges and respective outer edges defined by the respective fold liens, the transversal width being equal to at least a height of an individual container to be produced, the surface of heat-sealable material forming an internal surface of each of the folded portions;
maintaining a center strip of the flexible material between the folded over lateral edges of the two folded portions;
forming a series of heat seals transversely along both folded portions at longitudinal intervals, each of the longitudinal intervals being equal to a width of the individual container to be produced, the heat seals forming lateral closing ribs between adjacent pairs of containers and extending from the outer edges of each of the folded portions toward the center strip and terminating a short distance before the folded over lateral edges;
cutting the folded band transversely along a midline of the heat seals, without cutting the center strip;
detaching adjacent containers from each other along the cut mid-line, wherein each of the plurality of pairs of containers remain connected along the center strip and at a point adjacent to the outer edges of the folded portions;
and
collecting the plurality of detached pairs of containers.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.