Patent ID: 6823647
Filing Date: 2004-11-30
Classification: B29C,B29L,B65B,B65D

Abstract:
A horizontal form-fill seal machine for combined in-line and rotational manufacturing of food packages having shrouded mated fastener tracks with slider closures, comprising:a supply of web material extending in an in-line machine direction defining a serial succession of package sidewalls extending in the machine direction; a supply of mated fastener tracks, including a first track with a shorter flange mated to a second track with a longer flange; a folding member receiving said web material; a web drive transporting said web material over said folding member in the in-line machine direction, folding said web material into overlying side-by-side portions, one against the other, to form a continuous succession of folded package portions extending in the machine direction and having pairs of overlying first and second package sidewalls having overlying free edges with shroud portions at the free edges; a slider member mateable with said mated fastener tracks for movement along said mated fastener tracks in opposite directions to open and close said mated fastener tracks; a slider installation member inserting said slider member onto said mated fastener tracks; fastener seal bars extending in the machine direction, sealing a portion of each flange of said fastener tracks to said first sidewall, leaving the flanges free of attachment to the second package sidewall; side seal bars extending at an angle to said machine direction, sealing portions of said package sidewalls together to form respective side seals of the food package; a filler member downstream of said fastener seal bars filling product into said package; a sidewall sealing member downstream of said filler member sealing said second package sidewall to said second track flange; a shroud sealing member sealing the free edges of said package sidewalls to form a shroud enclosing said fastener tracks, to thereby form a completed food package; a turntable member mounting said filler member, said side wall sealing member and said shroud sealing member for movement in a rotational direction; and a transfer station mounted on said turntable for transferring said completed food package away from said machine.