Patent ID: 6877543
Filing Date: 2005-04-12
Classification: B29C,B29L,B31B,B65B

Abstract:
1. A sealing assembly for sealing flexible packaging materials comprising: a sealing mechanism for sealing the packaging material; and a spreading mechanism for spreading the packaging material to be sealed prior to sealing, the spreading mechanism including at least two pair of opposed spreading members, each pair having opposing converging contact edges which engage either side of the packaging material during spreading; wherein the spreading members are mounted for relative movement between a first open orientation and a second closed orientation such that, as the spreading members travel from said first to said second orientation, the contact edges initially contact the packaging material at convergent ends of the contact edges and then proceed to contact the packaging material along the length of the contact edges to divergent ends thereof, and wherein subsequently or simultaneously the spreading members engage the packaging material between the contact edges and travel transversely relative to the packaging material to spread the packaging material.