Patent ID: 6868654

Claim:
A conversion kit for retrofitting a horizontal FFS packaging machine to include the attachment of a zipper to a package formed thereby, in which said packaging machine includes: a frame; a forming station mounted on said frame and having a forming die functioning cooperatively with a first lift station to form product-receiving cavities in a lower web of packaging film; a product filling station; a sealing station mounted on said frame and having a sealing die, functioning during a sealing cycle, cooperatively with a second lift station to seal packages with an upper web of packaging film; and, means for conveying said lower web and said upper web of packaging films along said frame from an input side to an output side; wherein said conversion kit comprises: a zipper blank feed means for providing between said lower web and said upper web of packaging films a zipper blank to said sealing station; a sealing and channel-forming die assembly providing a pathway therethrough for said zipper blank, said pathway passing between said lower web and said upper web of packaging films, said sealing and channel-forming die assembly further comprises in turn further comprising; an impulse sealer in said channel-forming die for longitudinally sealing together, upon introduction of said zipper blank into said pathway, said zipper blank, said lower web of packaging film, and said upper web of packaging film; spring means in cooperative functional relationship with said second lift station for raising said lower web of packaging film at said impulse sealer above the level of said lower web of packaging film at said sealing die; and a zipper weld station mounted on said frame adjacent said sealing die, said zipper weld station longitudinally welding said upper web of packaging film to said zipper blank and said lower web of packaging film to said zipper blank and for transversely welding together the ends of said zipper, said lower web of packaging film, and said upper web of packaging film; whereby said horizontal FFS packaging machine is modified to install zippers on packages produced thereby without an additional lift station therefor.