Frito-lay North America, Inc.

Douglas Machine Inc.

Frank Mathew Brenkus

Patrick Joseph Bierschenk

Ronald Matthew Gust

Jerry Mike Reaves

Leon J Krause

Amelinda Melanson

Steven Kenneth Tucker

Kevin Lauren Cote

Anthony Robert Knoerzer

Garrett William Kohl

Edward Anthony Bezek

Advait Rasik Bhat

Kevin Matthew Trick

Sunitha Nair

Chad Arthur Huebner

Jorge W Maldonado

Benjamin Adam Avis

Darin James Baylor

Parick Joseph Bierschenk

Eric Meyer

Maximilliano Rodriguez

Emanuele Teobaldo

Ronald M Gust

A container for stacked food products, such as potato chips, is provided. The container includes composite laminate that includes one or more layers of cardboard. The container has a non-circular shape. The container has a horizontal cross-section with end portions that have a constant radius along their length and side portions that have a changing radius along their length wherein the end portions and the side portions transition between each other continuously.

Container for stacked food products

Embodiments of the present disclosure describe a method and apparatus for a resealable package having an internal zipper seal. In one embodiment, the apparatus is a vertical form, fill, and seal machine that includes a former, a vertical sealer, and a zipper separation blade located between the former and the vertical sealer. The zipper separation blade further comprises a connector and a blade body that defines a zipper gap between an exterior surface of the former and the blade body.

Method and apparatus for resealable package with internal zipper seal

A vertical form fill and seal apparatus, for packaging particulates, includes a package sealing assembly that has opposed sealing jaws operatively coupled to each other by mechanical connection at a common pivot point. A first jaw actuator is mechanically coupled to the opposed sealing jaws to pivot the jaws in a controlled manner about the common pivot point. A second actuator is mechanically coupled to the package sealing assembly and is configured to impart controlled reciprocating motion to the package sealing assembly. A controller is configured to control the first actuator and to control the second actuator thereby causing the jaws to describe a preset locus of travel, allowing flexibility of type of bag being made without change-out of jaws. The packaging film may move continuously, or may optionally be controlled to move intermittently through the VFFS.

Flexible jaws for vertical fill form and seal apparatus and methods of use

A method for compacting a slug of product and apparatus for accomplishing the same. The invention describes collecting weighed product in an intermediate settling device to form a compact slug of product. The device can comprise a single settling chamber or can comprise multiple settling chambers which are axially rotatable. The slug can be compacted by jostling and/or vibrating the settling device. Thereafter, the product is discharged to a packaging apparatus. Because the product in the final package is denser, a smaller package can be utilized reducing manufacturing and shipping costs.

Method and apparatus for compacting product

A method and apparatus for making a structurally resilient package having a substantially box-shaped configuration is disclosed. A pillow pouch package is received onto a flighted conveyor. The pillow pouch package has a first squared end and an angular end located opposite to the first squared end. The pillow pouch package is received so that the first squared end rests on the flighted conveyor. Thereafter the pillow pouch package is conditioned at least in part by tamping the angular end with a tamping plate. The angular end of the package is subsequently heat treated to form a second squared end. A set of cooling plates is then applied to the second squared end to set the final shape and form the structurally resilient package having a substantially box-shaped configuration.

Apparatus and method for a structurally resilient package

A method and apparatus for making a structurally resilient package with a desired shape on a vertical form, fill, and seal machine. The method comprises sealing a film to form a back seal; forming a first end seal to form a partially formed first package; flattening a first side of the partially formed first package to form a flat first side; filling the partially formed first package with product; forming a second end seal on the partially formed first package to form a first package from the partially formed first package; flattening the second side of the first package to form a flat second side, wherein the flattening the first side and the flattening the second side occur on a first machine.

Method and apparatus for making a structurally resilient package

A method for making asymmetrical snack pieces that can be efficiently nested or stacked. A dough preform is mated with a mold as the preform is cooked into a snack piece. The preform takes the shape of the mold. The mold is designed such that the resultant snack piece, when resting upon a flat surface, has an apex and a base of equal height. This is achieved by making the mold such that the centroid of the snack piece lies in a plane that is parallel to a plane formed by the vertices of the snack piece. The snack pieces can then be efficiently nested or stacked.

Method for making a stable stacked snack food configuration

A novel method and apparatus of detecting unique items as they are inserted into a product packaging system that is easily adaptable to current product packaging and prize insertion systems. A number of different types of sensors may be used in conjunction with the insertion device to detect the unique prize before it is inserted into a product packaging system. The sensor used will vary depending on the particular application. Sensors that may be used include a capacitive proximity sensor, a thickness sensor, a reflectivity sensor, a transmissivity sensor, a stiffness sensor, a color sensor, or even an odor or chemical sensor. Ideally, the type sensor used will detect a feature of the unique item that is easily distinguishable from other items being inserted. Once the sensor detects the prize and generates a signal, this signal can be used to perform a variety of useful functions. In one embodiment of the invention, the signal is used to control a foreign matter detector (FMD) during the insertion of unique prizes that would ordinarily trigger the FMD. After detecting the unique prize, the controller for the insertion device shuts down the FMD for a pre-determined period of time to allow the unique prize to pass through without triggering the FMD. The controller may also increase a counter each time one of the unique prizes is detected to keep track of the number of unique prizes inserted. Once the unique prize passes through, the FMD is turned back on so that foreign objects may again be detected. The amount of time that the FMD is turned off is minimized.

Method and apparatus for detecting unique items during insertion into a product packaging system

A double-bag package, and method for manufacturing same, constructed by modification to existing vertical form and fill packaging machines and perforation knives. In a preferred embodiment, the invention involves producing a double-bag package from a single sheet of packaging film by feeding a roll of film having graphics printed sideways rather than vertically into a vertical form, fill and seal packaging machine and using a novel perforating/cutting knife to alternately cut and perforate transverse seals. The perforating/cutting knife has teeth in the shape of oblique triangular pyramids, with each tooth having three cutting edges. The perforating/cutting knife produces self-correcting T-shaped perforation patterns capable of capturing and redirecting errant tears for fail-safe directional separation.

Double-bag package and perforation knife

A novel method and apparatus of detecting unique items as they are inserted into a product packaging system that is easily adaptable to current product packaging and prize insertion systems. A number of different types of sensors may be used in conjunction with the insertion device to detect the unique prize before it is inserted into a product packaging system. The sensor used will vary depending on the particular application. Sensors that may be used include a capacitive proximity sensor, a thickness sensor, a reflectivity sensor, a transmissivity sensor, a stiffness sensor, a color sensor, or even an odor or chemical sensor. Ideally, the type sensor used will detect a feature of the unique item that is easily distinguishable from other items being inserted. Once the sensor detects the prize and generates a signal, this signal can be used to perform a variety of useful functions. In one embodiment of the invention, the signal is used to control a foreign matter detector (FMD) during the insertion of unique prizes that would ordinarily trigger the FMD. After detecting the unique prize, the controller for the insertion device shuts down the FMD for a predetermined period of time to allow the unique prize to pass through without triggering the FMD. The controller may also increase a counter each time one of the unique prizes is detected to keep track of the number of unique prizes inserted. Once the unique prize passes through, the FMD is turned back on so that foreign objects may again be detected. The amount of time that the FMD is turned off is minimized.

Growing community of inventors

McKinney, TX, United States of America

Frank Mathew Brenkus