Patent ID: 8596026

Claim:
An apparatus for forming a vacuum package for enclosing a product therein, comprising: a film feed station for advancing a top and a bottom film portion in a machine direction; a product insertion station for conveying a product onto the bottom film portion, overlain with the top film portion; a longitudinal edge-sealing station for forming a continuous longitudinal side seal between the top and bottom film portions extending downstream from the longitudinal edge-sealing station along an entire length of a longitudinal edge of the top and bottom film portions, an opposite longitudinal edge being closed; a cross-sealing station positioned downstream of the longitudinal edge-sealing station for sealing the top and bottom film portions together at a leading edge portion downstream of the product for forming a product-receiving interior having a single opening that is at a trailing edge portion, and for later sealing the top and bottom film portions together at the trailing edge portion; an air restriction station upstream of the cross-sealing station for providing an air barrier at the open trailing edge portion that restricts air flow from a product containing segment disposed between the sealed leading edge and the open trailing edge portions prior to formation of the seal at the open trailing edge portion; and at least one vacuum lance positioned between the top and bottom film portions upstream of the cross-sealing station and extending past the air barrier to evacuate air from within the interior between the top and bottom film portions of the product containing segment.