Vertical Form,Fill and Seal Packaging System

Abstract

A method and apparatus for continuously or intermittently and vertically forming, filling and sealing packaging includes an infeed section, a pleating assembly, a forming tube and a sealing assembly. The pleating assembly imparts at least one pleat to the film. The film may be driven and measured at a nip following the pleating. The forming tube receives the film from the infeed section after the pleat has been made. A film tube is formed about the forming tube. The film tube is vertically fed downward to the sealing assembly which imparts seals to the film tube, thereby forming packages. A hole punch punches holes in the film tube. The film travels a film path that includes the hole punch, the forming tube, the vertical seal assembly and the horizontal seal assembly.

1 - 31 . (canceled)  
   
   
       32 . A method of vertically, forming, and sealing packages, comprising: 
 feeding film;    imparting at least one pleat to the film;    providing the pleated film to a forming tube and imparting a vertical seal to the film, thereby forming a film tube; and    applying a series of horizontal seals, thereby forming packages.    
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising intermittently providing product through the forming tube, to fill each package between the horizontal seals.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising sealing the at least one pleat.  
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the pleat sealing is done prior to the film being received by the forming tube, and the feeding is continuous.  
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 35 , further comprising adjusting a pleat depth in response to a user controlled pleat depth adjustment.  
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising adjusting a cross-machine location of the pleat location in response to a user controlled cross-machine direction pleat location adjustment.  
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein imparting the pleat includes passing the film past an adjustable shoe and a fixed plate.  
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising imparting at least a second pleat.  
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 39 , further comprising sealing the at least a second pleat.  
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the second pleat sealing is done prior to the film being received by the forming tube.  
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 39 , further comprising adjusting a pleat depth in response to a user controlled pleat depth adjustment.  
   
   
       43 . The method of  claim 39 , further comprising adjusting a cross-machine location of the pleat location in response to a user controlled cross-machine direction pleat location adjustment.  
   
   
       44 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein imparting the at least a second pleat includes passing the film past an adjustable shoe and a fixed plate.  
   
   
       45 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising intermittently punching a hole in the film after the film reaches the forming tube.  
   
   
       46 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the intermittent punching is synchronized with the horizontal sealing to form one hole for each package.  
   
   
       47 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein the punching includes leaving a hanging chad.  
   
   
       48 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein leaving includes leaving an attached portion of the chad on a leading edge of the hole.  
   
   
       49 - 53 . (canceled)  
   
   
       54 . The vertical, form, fill and seal packaging machine of  claim 54 , further comprising means for sealing the at least one pleat, disposed to receive the film after it passes through the means for imparting and before the film is received by the means for forming.  
   
   
       55 . The vertical, form, fill and seal packaging machine of  claim 54 , further comprising a user controlled means for adjusting a pleat depth operatively connected to the means for imparting.  
   
   
       56 . The vertical, form, fill and seal packaging machine of  claim 54 , further comprising a user controlled means for adjusting a cross-machine direction pleat location operatively connected to the means for imparting.  
   
   
       57 . The vertical, form, fill and seal packaging machine of  claim 54 , wherein the at least one seal is two or more seals.  
   
   
       58 . The vertical, form, fill and seal packaging machine of  claim 57 , further comprising a user controlled means for adjusting pleat separation operatively connected to the means for imparting.  
   
   
       59 . The vertical, form, fill and seal packaging machine of  claim 54 , further comprising means for punching a hole in the film, and disposed to receive the film after the film reaches the means for forming.  
   
   
       60 . The vertical, form, fill and seal packaging machine of  claim 59 , wherein the means for punching is further for leaving an attached portion of a chad on a leading edge of the hole.  
   
   
       61 - 68 . (canceled)  
   
   
       69 . A vertical, form, fill and seal packaging machine, comprising: 
 means for feeding film;    means for imparting at least one pleat to the film;    means for providing the pleated film to a forming tube and means for forming a vertical seal to the film, thereby forming a film tube, disposed to receive the film from the means for feeding, and after the film is acted upon by the means for imparting; and    means for applying a series of horizontal seals, thereby forming packages, disposed to receive the film from the means for imparting.    
   
   
       70 . The vertical form, fill and seal packaging machine of  claim 69 , further comprising means for sealing the at least one pleat disposed to act on the film before the film reaches the forming tube.  
   
   
       71 . The vertical, form, fill and seal packaging machine of  claim 70 , wherein the at least one pleat is two or more pleats.  
   
   
       72 . The vertical, form, fill and seal packaging machine of  claim 71 , further comprising means for controlling at least one of a pleat depth, a cross-machine direction pleat location, and a pleat separation, operatively connected to the means for imparting.  
   
   
       73 . The vertical, form, fill and seal packaging machine of  claim 72 , further comprising means for intermittently punching a hole in the film after the film tube is formed.  
   
   
       74 . The vertical, form, fill and seal packaging machine of  claim 73 , wherein the means for intermittent punching is synchronized with the means for applying, to form one hole for each package.  
   
   
       75 . The vertical, form, fill and seal packaging machine of  claim 69 , wherein the means for feeding is further for continuously feeding.  
   
   
       76 . The vertical, form, fill and seal packaging machine of  claim 74 , wherein the punching includes leaving a hanging chad with an attached portion of the chad is on a leading edge of the hole.  
   
   
       77 - 78 . (canceled)