Patent ID: 6543206
Filing Date: 2003-04-08
Classification: B65B,H04M

Abstract:
A method of evacuating and sealing a bag containing a charge of a flowable product and formed from a sealable material so as to form a sealed package, comprising the steps of:(i) positioning a bag including an open end having an upper rim containing a charge of a flowable product and formed from a sealable material with its open end around a vacuum probe member and with said member extending into the bag to a first position; (ii) forming outer and inner spaced temporary seals at the open end of the bag and around said probe member in said first position; said outer temporary seal being formed at the open end of the bag around said probe member, said inner temporary seal being formed at the open end of the bag around said probe member in said first position by pressing jaw members against the bag, said inner temporary seal being positioned between the charge and the outer temporary seal and spaced from the outer temporary seal; (iii) evacuating the air contained in the bag through the probe member; (iv) causing relative movement of the bag and said probe member so that said probe member is retracted relative to the bag and extends into the bag to a second position in which said member extends through said outer temporary seal but not through said inner temporary seal; (v) forming a permanent seal in the bag at the open end of the bag at an intermediate region between said outer and inner temporary seals and between the charge and the probe member in said second position; and (vi) releasing the outer and inner temporary seals to allow release of the bag following completion of the permanent seal; and (viii) prior to step (iii), causing relative movement of the bag and the jaw members after said inner temporary seal has been formed so as to cause the adjacent surface of the charge to be pressed into a desired shape by impingement of the bag material adjacent that held between the jaw members against the jaw members.