Patent ID: 8820035

Claim:
A side sealing machine adapted to support a plurality of modular heating/sealing/cutting mechanisms for sealing a film, comprising: a universal side mechanism, comprising: opposing sets of pulleys and belts to guide said film toward a modular heating/sealing/cutting assembly; and a mounting mechanism, adapted to hold said modular heating/sealing/cutting assembly; a power connector for supplying power to said modular heating/sealing/cutting assembly; a feedback connector for receiving feedback information from said modular heating/sealing/cutting assembly; the universal side mechanism configured to be operatively connected with either of: a) a first modular heating/sealing/cutting assembly, adapted to heat, seal and cut said film, comprising: a mounting mechanism, adapted to cooperate with said mounting mechanism on said universal side mechanism, wherein said mounting mechanism utilizes a common interface across mounting mechanisms on a plurality of modular heating/sealing/cutting assemblies; a power input, adapted to be connected to said power connector; a feedback output, adapted to be connected to said feedback connector; and a first heating/sealing/cutting element utilizing a first technology; or b) a second modular heating/sealing/cutting assembly, adapted to heat, seal and cut said film, comprising: a mounting mechanism, adapted to cooperate with said mounting mechanism on said universal side mechanism, wherein said mounting mechanism utilizes a common interface across mounting mechanisms on said plurality of modular heating/sealing/cutting assemblies; a power input, adapted to be connected to said power connector; a feedback output, adapted to be connected to said feedback connector; and a second heating/sealing/cutting element utilizing a second technology, different than said first technology.