Patent ID: 6408600
Filing Date: 2002-06-25
Classification: B29C,B29L,B65B

Abstract:
A sealing apparatus for sealing a film to form a package which moves along a path having right and left sides, the sealing apparatus comprising:right and left upper tracks which are spaced apart transversely with respect to said path, right and left lower tracks which are spaced apart transversely with respect to said path, each of said tracks having upper and lower portions which are generally parallel to said path and a pair of curved end portions which connect the upper and lower portions, the lower portions of the upper tracks being adjacent to the upper portions of the lower tracks, a plurality of upper die assemblies mounted for movement on the upper tracks, each of the upper die assemblies including a right carriage and a left carriage which are supported by the right and left upper tracks, respectively, and an upper die which extends between the carriages, a plurality of lower die assemblies mounted for movement on the lower tracks, each of lower die assemblies including a right carriage and a left carriage which are supported by the right and left lower tracks, respectively, and a lower die which extends between the carriages, each of the upper die assemblies being associated with one of the lower die assemblies to form a pair of upper and lower die assemblies, means for moving each pair of die assemblies around the upper and lower tracks so that the die assemblies of each pair meet and travel together along said adjacent portions of the tracks, each of the upper and lower die assemblies includes a right carriage and a left carriage, each of the upper and lower dies being pivotally connected to a right carriage at a right pivot point and being pivotally connected to a left carriage at a left pivot point, the right and left pivot points of each die being offset both in the direction of said path and in a direction which is transverse to said path whereby each die is maintained in a substantially constant orientation as the die moves around the tracks.