Heatsealing and cutting mechanisms and container forming apparatus incorporating the same

摘要

A heat sealing and cutting mechanism to form a heat seal and a cut across a tube of flexible packaging material includes a carrier (208) extending across the tube. Heat sealing means (226) is on said carrier to form a heat seal across the tube when the carrier is in contact with the tube. A first resistive wire (212) on the carrier is energizeable to cut the tube when the carrier is in contact with the tube after the heat seal has been formed. In one embodiment, the heat sealing means is in the form of at least one second resistive wire (226) on the carrier spaced from the first resistive wire. The at least one second resistive wire is energizeable to form a heat seal across the tube. In another embodiment, the carrier is in the form of a constant heat sealing bar (208') thereby to constitute the heat sealing means.