| 摘要 |
<p>PRODUCT INDEXING DEVICE The present invention is directed to a new and improved vertical form, fill and seal apparatus which is adapted to individually package relatively large and heavy articles such as, for example, grapefruits, melons, oranges and the like. The apparatus comprises a tube forming mandrel having an upper article entrance orifice, an interior and a lower article discharge orifice. The interior of the mandrel is adapted to contain a group of articles in substantially vertically successive alignment. The mandrel is adapted to progressively form a sheet of flexible plastic film into a vertically depending upwardly open tube having overlapping longitudinal edges which are sealed together. Upon formation of the tube the discharge orifice communicatively connects the interior of the mandrel to the interior of the tube. The form, fill and seal apparatus also comprises article indexing means adapted to selectively retainingly engage and release the lowermost article contained within said mandrel. Furthermore, the apparatus comprises an upper pair and a lower pair of vertically spaced apart horizontal heat seal means wherein the upper surface of the upper heat seal means is located a distance below the discharge orifice of the mandrel with that distance being less than twice the vertical thickness of an article to be packaged. Means for advancing the tube over the mandrel and means for severing the tube to form individually packaged article are also provided. The invention also comprises a method for individually packaging articles.</p> |
