Packaging machine with rotary top sealer

A packaging apparatus, comprising:

• a) means for feeding a continuous web of film material having confronting sides;
• b) means for forming vertical seals in the web to form a series of horizontally disposed pouches separated by the vertical seals, the vertical seals extending transversely of the web from a bottom edge of the pouch to an upper portion of the pouch;
• c) means for opening the pouches by separating opposed sidewalls of the pouches;
• d) means for filling the pouches with a material to form outwardly bulged sidewalls;
• and
• e) a horizontal rotary seal former having a heated circular sealer plate mounted for rotation, the heated circular sealer plate having a flat outer surface positioned about its circumference for engagement with an upper portion of the pouches for progressively forming a continuous horizontal seal as the web is being continuously moved along with the circumference of the heated circular sealer plate while at the same time applying an adequate temperature to provide a sealing action and allowing the upper portion of the pouches to be joined together and smoothly sealed, said horizontal rotary sealer having means to provide a vertical support to said continuous web of film material such that said means to provide a vertical support to said continuous web of film material contacts only said vertical seal of said pouch without contacting said confronting sides of said filled pouch so that disturbance of the material within said vouch is minimized as the top edge is sealed.

A horizontal seal former device for use with a continuous web of film material having confronting sides and a series of horizontally disposed filled pouches defined by a series of vertical seals extending transversely of the web from a bottom edge of the pouch to an upper portion of the pouch, the device comprising:

• a top seal shaft, said top seal shaft being connected to a rotating means for rotating said top seal shaft, a heated circular sealer plate mounted for rotation on said top seal shaft, said circular sealer plate having a flat outer surface positioned about its circumference for engagement with an upper portion of a continuous web of filled pouches for progressively forming a continuous horizontal seal as the web is moved along with the rotating circumference of the flat outer surface while at the same time applying an adequate temperature to provide a sealing action and allowing the upper portion of the pouches to be joined together and smoothly sealed to enclose the filled pouches,
• said circular sealer plate further having means to provide a vertical support to said continuous web of film material such that said means to provide a vertical support to said continuous web of film material contacts only said vertical seal of said pouch without contacting said confronting sides of said filled pouch so that disturbance of the material within said pouch is minimized as the top edge is sealed.

A method of continuously forming, filling and sealing of packages with a continuous web of film material, comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a continuous web of film material;
• b) folding the web to provide confronting sides joined along a bottom edge;
• c) forming a vertical seal at spaced intervals along the web thereby providing a series of horizontally disposed adjoining pouches having opposed sidewalls with each pouch unsealed along a top edge;
• d) opening the pouches by separating the opposed sidewalls;
• e) filling the pouches with a material to form outwardly bulged sidewalls;
• and
• f) radially and circumferentially moving the open filled pouches in union with a circumferentially moving heated circular sealer plate while at the same time applying an adequate temperature to provide a sealing action and allowing the top edges of each pouch to be joined together and smoothly sealed to enclose the filled pouches, said moving heated circular sealer plate having means to provide a vertical support to said continuous web of film material such that said means to provide a vertical support to said continuous web of film material contacts only said vertical seal of said pouch without contacting said outwardly bulged sidewalls of said filled pouch so that disturbance of the material within said pouch is minimized as the top edge is sealed.

A method of continuously forming, filling and sealing of packages with a continuous web of film material, comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a continuous web of film material;
• b) folding the web to provide confronting sides joined along a bottom edge;
• c) forming a vertical seal at spaced intervals along the web thereby providing a series of horizontally disposed adjoining pouches having opposed sidewalls with each pouch unsealed along a top edge;
• d) opening the pouches by separating the opposed sidewalls;
• e) filling the pouches with a material;
• and
• f) sealing the top edge of each pouch together to close the filled pouches by training the pouches onto a horizontal rotary sealer having a heated circular sealer plate and progressively forming a continuous horizontal seal as the top edge of each pouch is being continuously moved along with a circumference of the heated circular sealer plate while at the same time applying an adequate temperature to provide a sealing action and allowing the top edge of each pouch to be joined together and smoothly sealed to enclose the filled pouches, and maintaining the web of horizontally disposed adjoining pouches properly aligned while sealing the top edge, wherein the horizontal rotary sealer further includes a land plate and a plurality of lands, the land plate having a diameter slightly smaller than the heated circular sealer plate and being positioned directly below the heated circular sealer plate, the land plate being mounted in corresponding rotation with the circular sealer plate, each of the lands having a relatively rectangular shape and having a thickness less than a thickness of the vertical seals on the series of horizontally disposed adjoining pouches, the plurality of lands being pivotally mounted at an upper end along the outer edge of the land plate allowing each of the lands to freely pivot radially inward and extend vertically downward from the land plate, the plurality of lands being equally spaced about the circumference of the land plate wherein the distance between each land is equivalent to the distance between the vertical seals on the series of horizontally disposed adjoining pouches, whereby when the horizontally disposed adjoining pouches are trained onto the horizontal rotary sealer to join and seal the upper portion of the adjoining pouches, the vertical seals extending below the top edge of the pouches will engage with the lands and curve radially inward in engagement with the lands, thereby helping to keep the horizontally disposed adjoining pouches properly aligned.

A packaging apparatus, comprising:

• a) means for feeding a continuous web of film material having confronting sides;
• b) means for forming vertical seals in the web to form a series of horizontally disposed pouches separated by the vertical seals, the vertical seals extending transversely of the web from a bottom edge of the pouch to an upper portion of the pouch;
• c) means for opening the pouches by separating opposed sidewalls of the pouches;
• d) means for filling the pouches with a material;
• and
• e) a horizontal rotary seal former having a heated circular sealer plate mounted for rotation, the heated circular sealer plate having a flat outer surface positioned about its circumference for engagement with an upper portion of the pouches for progressively forming a continuous horizontal seal as the web is being continuously moved along with the circumference of the heated circular sealer plate while at the same time applying an adequate temperature to provide a sealing action and allowing the upper portion of the pouches to be joined together and smoothly sealed, the horizontal rotary seal former having a land plate and a plurality of lands, said land plate being positioned directly below the heated circular sealer plate, said land plate being mounted in corresponding rotation with the heated circular sealer plate, each of said lands having a relatively rectangular shape and having a thickness less than a thickness of the vertical seals on the series of horizontally disposed pouches, said plurality of lands being pivotally mounted at an upper end along the outer edge of the land plate allowing each of said lands to freely pivot radially inward and extend vertically downward from the land plate, said plurality of lands being equally spaced about the circumference of the land plate wherein the distance between each land is equivalent to the distance between the vertical seals on the series of horizontally disposed filled pouches, whereby when the web of horizontally disposed pouches are trained onto the horizontal seal former to join and seal the upper portion of the pouches, the vertical seals extending below the upper edge of the filled pouches will engage with the lands and curve radially inward in engagement with the lands, thereby helping to keep the horizontally disposed pouches properly aligned.

A method of continuously forming, filling and sealing of packages with a continuous web of film material, comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a continuous web of film material;
• b) folding the web to provide confronting sides joined along a bottom edge;
• c) forming a vertical seal at spaced intervals along the web thereby providing a series of horizontally disposed adjoining pouches having opposed sidewalls with each pouch unsealed along a top edge;
• d) opening the pouches by separating the opposed sidewalls;
• e) filling the pouches with a material;
• f) sealing the top edge of each pouch together to close the filled pouches by training the pouches onto a horizontal rotary sealer having a heated circular sealer plate and progressively forming a continuous horizontal seal as the top edge of each pouch is being continuously moved along with a circumference of the heated circular sealer plate while at the same time applying an adequate temperature to provide a sealing action and allowing the top edge of each pouch to be joined together and smoothly sealed to enclose the filled pouches, and maintaining the web of horizontally disposed adjoining pouches properly aligned while sealing the top edge, wherein the horizontal rotary sealer further includes a land plate and a plurality of lands, the land plate having a diameter slightly smaller than the heated circular sealer plate and being positioned directly below the heated circular sealer plate, the land plate being mounted in corresponding rotation with the circular sealer plate, each of the lands having a relatively rectangular shape and having a thickness less than a thickness of the vertical seals on the series of horizontally disposed adjoining pouches, the plurality of lands being pivotally mounted at an upper end along the outer edge of the land plate allowing each of the lands to freely pivot radially inward and extend vertically downward from the land plate, the plurality of lands being equally spaced about the circumference of the land plate wherein the distance between each land is equivalent to the distance between the vertical seals on the series of horizontally disposed adjoining pouches, whereby when the horizontally disposed adjoining pouches are trained onto the horizontal rotary sealer to join and seal the upper portion of the adjoining pouches, the vertical seals extending below the top edge of the pouches will engage with the lands and curve radially inward in engagement with the lands, thereby helping to keep the horizontally disposed adjoining pouches properly aligned;
• and
• g) supporting a bottom portion of each pouch while sealing the top edge, wherein the horizontal rotary sealer further includes a bottom plate, the bottom plate being mounted in corresponding rotation with the heated circular sealer plate and is positioned a predetermined distance below the heated circular sealer plate to allow the bottom portion of the horizontally disposed adjoining pouches to rest thereon.

A method of continuously forming, filling and sealing of packages with a continuous web of film material, comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a continuous web of film material;
• b) folding the web to provide confronting sides joined along a bottom edge;
• c) forming a vertical seal at spaced intervals along the web thereby providing a series of horizontally disposed adjoining pouches having opposed sidewalls with each pouch unsealed along a top edge;
• d) opening the pouches by separating the opposed sidewalls;
• e) filling the pouches with a material;
• f) sealing the top edge of each pouch together to close the filled pouches by training the pouches onto a horizontal rotary sealer having a heated circular sealer plate and progressively forming a continuous horizontal seal as the top edge of each pouch is being continuously moved along with a circumference of the heated circular sealer plate while at the same time applying an adequate temperature to provide a sealing action and allowing the top edge of each pouch to be joined together and smoothly sealed to enclose the filled pouches, and maintaining the web of horizontally disposed adjoining pouches properly aligned while sealing the top edge, wherein the horizontal rotary sealer further includes a land plate and a plurality of lands, the land plate having a diameter slightly smaller than the heated circular sealer plate and being positioned directly below the heated circular sealer plate, the land plate being mounted in corresponding rotation with the circular sealer plate, each of the lands having a relatively rectangular shape and having a thickness less than a thickness of the vertical seals on the series of horizontally disposed adjoining pouches, the plurality of lands being pivotally mounted at an upper end along the outer edge of the land plate allowing each of the lands to freely pivot radially inward and extend vertically downward from the land plate, the plurality of lands being equally spaced about the circumference of the land plate wherein the distance between each land is equivalent to the distance between the vertical seals on the series of horizontally disposed adjoining pouches, whereby when the horizontally disposed adjoining pouches are trained onto the horizontal rotary sealer to join and seal the upper portion of the adjoining pouches, the vertical seals extending below the top edge of the pouches will engage with the lands and curve radially inward in engagement with the lands, thereby helping to keep the horizontally disposed adjoining pouches properly aligned;
• and
• g) wherein the horizontal rotary sealer further includes at least one press roller mounted for counter-rotation in pressing engagement against the rotating circumference of the heated circular sealer plate in order to help seal and align the top edge of the web of horizontally disposed pouches.

A method of continuously forming, filling and sealing of packages with a continuous web of film material, comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a continuous web of film material;
• b) folding the web to provide confronting sides joined along a bottom edge;
• c) forming a vertical seal at spaced intervals along the web thereby providing a series of horizontally disposed adjoining pouches having opposed sidewalls with each pouch unsealed along a top edge;
• d) opening the pouches by separating the opposed sidewalls;
• e) filling the pouches with a material;
• and
• f) sealing the top edge of each pouch together to close the filled pouches by training the pouches onto a horizontal rotary sealer, said horizontal rotary sealer having a heated circular sealer plate and vertical alignment means, said vertical alignment means allowing the opposed sidewalls of each filled pouch to remain in alignment with the vertical regardless of the quantity of material used to fill each of said pouches, progressively forming a continuous horizontal seal as the top edge of each pouch is being continuously moved along with a circumference of the heated circular sealer plate while at the same time applying an adequate temperature to provide a sealing action and allowing the top edge of each pouch to be joined together and smoothly sealed to enclose the filled pouches.

A packaging apparatus, comprising:

• a) means for feeding a continuous web of film material having confronting sides;
• b) means for forming vertical seals in the web to form a series of horizontally disposed pouches separated by the vertical seals, the vertical seals extending transversely of the web from a bottom edge of the pouch to an upper portion of the pouch;
• c) means for opening the pouches by separating opposed sidewalls of the pouches;
• d) means for filling the pouches with a material to form outwardly bulged sidewalls;
• and
• e) a horizontal rotary seal former having a heated circular sealer plate mounted for rotation and a vertical alignment means, the heated circular sealer plate having a flat outer surface positioned about its circumference for engagement with an upper portion of the pouches for progressively forming a continuous horizontal seal as the web is being continuously moved along with the circumference of the heated circular sealer plate while at the same time applying an adequate temperature to provide a sealing action and allowing the upper portion of the pouches to be joined together and smoothly sealed, said vertical alignment means allowing the opposed sidewalls of each filled pouch to remain in alignment with the vertical regardless of the magnitude of the outward bulge of the sidewalls of each of said pouches.

A method of continuously forming, filling and sealing of packages with a continuous web of film material, comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a continuous web of film material;
• b) folding the web to provide confronting sides joined along a bottom edge;
• c) forming a vertical seal at spaced intervals along the web thereby providing a series of horizontally disposed adjoining pouches having opposed sidewalls with each pouch unsealed along a top edge;
• d) opening the pouches by separating the opposed sidewalls;
• e) filling the pouches with a material to form outwardly bulged sidewalls;
• and
• f) radially and circumferentially moving the open filled pouches in union with a circumferentially moving heated circular sealer plate while at the same time applying an adequate temperature to provide a sealing action and allowing the top edges of each pouch to be joined together and smoothly sealed to enclose the filled pouches, said moving heated circular sealer plate also comprising a vertical alignment means, said vertical alignment means allowing the opposed sidewalls of each filled pouch to remain in alignment with the vertical regardless of the magnitude of the outward bulge of the sidewalls of each of said pouches.