Apparatus and methods for forming flexible packaging containers for discs

摘要

An apparatus (100) for making flexible packaging containers (20, 70, 84) and inserting and sealing discs (22) within the containers in one continuous operation includes a nip roll indexer (116) which intermittently advances free ends of a first web (108) and a second web (110) a distance defining at least a width of a container, a die cut press (112) for forming partially separable flaps in the first web, first and second ultrasonic welders (220, 226) which concurrently seal together the first and second webs along a first longitudinal seal line (258) and at least one transverse seal line (252) so as to create in the webs a series of disc-receiving areas (40) each defined by the first longitudinal seal lines together with two of the transverse seal lines and having an open edge adjacent second longitudinal edges (256) of the webs, a disc inserting apparatus (120) adapted to insert a disc into a disc-receiving area, a third ultrasonic welder (380) which seals the webs together along a second longitudinal seal line (390) adjacent and parallel to the second longitudinal edges of the webs, and a separating station (126) which cuts the webs along a cut line adjacent and parallel to one of the transverse seal lines to create discrete containers each having a disc sealed inside.