Frito-Lay North America, Inc.

Jeryl Edwin White

Jerry Mike Reaves

Garrett William Kohl

Steven Kenneth Tucker

Anthony Robert Knoerzer

Jay Edward Gehring

Martin Bernhard Dierl

An apparatus for providing end seals on vertical stand-up packages that prevents pleat formation and gusset variation. A clamping device is mounted below sealing jaws. A bottom end seal is made by the sealing jaws to form an open-ended tube. The open-ended tube is moved downward. The clamping device engages the tube to prevent twisting when product is placed into the tube. Product then enters an open-ended tube of flexible film packaging and the top seal is made.

Apparatus for providing end seals on vertical stand-up packages

An improved method and apparatus for providing end seals on vertical stand up packages that prevents pleat formation and gusset variation. A clamping device is mounted below sealing jaws. A bottom end seal is made by the sealing jaws to form an open-ended tube. The open-ended tube is moved downward. The clamping device engages the tube to prevent twisting when product is placed into the tube. Product then enters an open-ended tube of flexible film packaging and the top seal is made.

Method and apparatus for providing end seals on vertical stand-up packages

A quick change module operable for being removably attached to and extending below a forming tube of a conventional vertical form, fill, and seal machine to produce a wide assortment of differently sized vertical stand-up pouches or gusseted flat bottom bags. The quick change module comprises at least one pair of adjustable forming plates located below the forming tube. The lateral distance between each pair of forming plates can be adjusted by shifting the position of each forming plate along a corresponding slotted bracket. A gusseting mechanism mounted to the frame of the machine can be positioned between each pair of forming plates imparting a vertical crease along the length of the bag while it is being formed and advanced down the forming tube of the machine. By adjusting the lateral separation of the forming plates, the size of the vertical crease can be adjusted such that the resulting gusseted base is increased or decreased in proportion to size of the resulting package, thereby enhancing the overall stability of the package when placed on display.

Quick change module with adjustable former attachments

A flexible package having an integrated reclose strip, and method for manufacturing same, constructed by modification to existing vertical form and fill packaging machines. The reclose strip comprises a length of tacky two-sided adhesive tape. The apparatus for applying a reclose strip is incorporated into the mechanism which supplies the continuous sheet of packaging material to the vertical form, fill, and seal machine. The invention involves producing a pillow pouch or vertical stand-up pouch having an integrated reclose strip from a single sheet of packaging film. In one aspect, the reclose strip comprises a release liner on one side after package formation. In one aspect, the reclose strip comprises no release liner and is attached along the longitudinal axis of the sheet of packaging material such that the reclose strip is disposed in a channel or recess in the fill tube. The reclose strip permits the package to be reclosed after initial opening without folding the package.

Growing community of inventors

Hurst, TX, United States of America

Jeryl Edwin White