METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING AND HERMETICALLY SEALING SLICES OF FOOD ITEMS

摘要

An apparatus and method are provided for forming a hermetically sealed package for a slice of a food item (100). A web of thermoplastic material is first formed into a tubular arrangement with a hermetic longitudinal seal. To form the tubular arrangement, means (12) are provided for folding a continuous web of thermoplastic material into V-folded condition and (20) for continuously forming a hermetic seal along the open longitudinal edge of the V-folded web. The hermetic seal is formed between the inner surfaces of the front and rear faces of the web to define a tubular web member. The food item which has been formed into a soft mass is then inserted into the tubular member and the tubular member is flattened to form a thin film tube. Means (40) are provided for forming a hermetically sealed cross-seal which are disposed substantially transverse to the longitudinal forward moving direction of the web.