Machine to make E-Z open pouch with flap and bulge

1. A form-fill-seal machine for making a pouch style package with a flap that is folded over, comprising:

a flap making station comprising:

a reciprocating vacuum bar;

a reciprocating pressure bar;

a folder bar; and

a flap folder;

wherein, in the flap making station, a portion of the pouch is pressed between the reciprocating vacuum bar and the reciprocating pressure bar, the reciprocating vacuum bar draws the pouch beneath the folder bar which folds over a portion of the pouch to form a flap, the flap folder further folds the flap to be adjacent a surface of the pouch, and the flap is pressed against the surface of the pouch between the reciprocating vacuum bar and the flap folder to seal the flap.

2. A form-fill-seal machine for making an instant opening containment and dispensing package, comprising:

(a) support and braking means for at least two opposing continuous film supplies which are intermittently, simultaneously unwound by a controllable motor;

(b) an aperture means creating station wherein at least one of said film supplies is intermittently indexed through said aperture means creating station;

(c) a bulge forming station comprising:

a pressure bar; and

a bulge forming die;

wherein, in the bulge forming station, at least one of said film supplies is forced into the die, forming a puff or bulge in the film;

(d) a heating and sealing and filling station comprising:

a set of reciprocating seal dies; and

a filler nozzle;

wherein the set of reciprocating seal dies come together to create a lower seal and edge seals between at least two of said film supplies, forming a pouch to be filled, and wherein the pouch is filled by dispensing a product through the filler nozzle;

(e) a set of chill dies to chill said lower seal and said edge seals;

(f) vertical slitting crush rollers positioned along a path of travel of at least one film supply; and

(g) a cut-off and flap making station comprising:

cutting means for severing the pouch from the film supply;

a reciprocating vacuum bar;

a reciprocating pressure bar;

a folder bar; and

a flap folder;

wherein a portion of the package just beneath a portion to become a fold over flap is pressed between the reciprocating vacuum bar and the reciprocating pressure bar, the reciprocating vacuum bar draws the pouch beneath the folder bar which folds over a portion of the pouch to form a flap, and the flap is pressed against the surface of the pouch between the reciprocating vacuum bar and the flap folder to seal the flap.

3. A form-fill-seal machine as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the aperture means creating station comprises a punch means for forming an aperture in said at least one of said film supplies that is intermittently indexed through said aperture means creating station.

4. A form-fill-seal machine as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the aperture means creating station comprises means for creating a breakaway tip structure in said at least one of said film supplies that is intermittently indexed through said aperture means creating station.

5. A form-fill-seal machine as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the aperture means creating station comprises means for creating a fault line in said at least one of said film supplies that is intermittently indexed through said aperture means creating station.

6. A form-fill-seal machine as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the aperture means creating station comprises means for creating a score line in said at least one of said film supplies that is intermittently indexed through said aperture means creating station.

7. A form-fill-seal machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein the folder bar and flap folder are each dentilated so as to mesh when forming said flap.

8. A form-fill-seal machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein the cut-off and flap making station is mounted on a sub-frame,

the sub-frame being adjustable in at least two directions.