Patent ID: 7293591

Claim:
A tape mounting system for mounting a bag containing a product to a tape, comprising: a packaging apparatus that is configured to produce and discharge the bag by packaging a product therein; a tape holding mechanism that is configured to hold the tape substantially horizontally and conveys the tape in a substantially horizontal direction; a mounting mechanism that is configured to mount the bag to the tape by attaching a portion of the bag to the tape; a bag transport mechanism that is configured to transport the bag discharged from said packaging apparatus toward said mounting mechanism, said bag transport mechanism configured to grasp the bag and maintain the bag in the horizontal orientation while the bag is being transported toward said mounting mechanism; and a control unit operatively coupled to said tape holding mechanism, said mounting mechanism, and said bag transport mechanism, and configured to control said tape holding mechanism, said mounting mechanism, and said bag transport mechanism such that the portion of the bag vertically overlaps the tape while the portion of the bag is attached to the tape, and that the tape holding mechanism conveys the bag attached to the tape in the substantially horizontal direction.