Patent ID: 8171703

Claim:
A method of packaging products with a horizontal form, fill and seal assembly comprising: creating product receiving cavities in a lower film; loading product in the product receiving cavities; and sealing the product in the product receiving cavities by: a) introducing the loaded product receiving cavities into a sealing unit of the horizontal form, fill and seal assembly; b) positioning an upper film above the loaded product receiving cavities within the sealing unit; c) closing the sealing unit about the loaded product receiving cavities; d) pressurizing a lower sealing chamber of the sealing unit to evacuate a headspace between the product and the upper film; e) after evacuating the headspace, activating a sealing head to seal the upper film to the lower film about the loaded product receiving cavities, wherein the product is sealed in the product receiving cavities in the absence of any vacuum being drawn in the sealing unit; f) releasing pressure in the lower sealing chamber; and e) opening the sealing unit.