Flexible pouch filling and heat sealing line for flexible pouches and containers for supporting and moving the flexible pouches

Abstract

A flexible pouch is provided which has panels (3, 5). A transparent strip (13) is provided on one of the panels and a translucent filter (13a) on the other. The panels are heat sealed together to close the pouch and the integrity of the heat seal is determined by shining ultraviolet light through the clear strip and inspecting the translucent filter (13a) so that imperfections in the seal can be identified. Pouches are packaged into containers (25) which include slots (50) and the full containers are stacked for transport through the plant for further processing in a retort, cooler or the like. This enables a large number of pouches to be easily transported through the plant for further processing after they have been filled and heat sealed. The heat sealing line may include a vision system, or the vision system may be a stand-alone item for inspecting the seal to determine the integrity of the seal. The vision system includes a UV light source for directing UV light through the transparent strip and a camera for inspecting the translucent filter (13a) to obtain an image of the filter (13a). The image is processed to identify dark regions which enable the integrity of the seal to be determined.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] This invention relates to a flexible pouch, filling and heat sealing line and associated apparatus for flexible pouches, and containers for supporting and moving the flexible pouches. BACKGROUND ART [0002] Flexible pouches which are generally referred to as doy pouches or pillow pouches comprise a front and back panel which are sealed along opposite edges. A gusset is arranged between the panels at the base of the pouch and the top of the pouch is heat sealed after the pouch is filled in a filling and heat sealing line. [0003] In general, food products or other products which can deteriorate, are packaged in such pouches and it is therefore required that the pouches be properly sealed in order to provide sufficient shelf life for the product contained in the packages. If the product is not properly sealed, the product is likely to deteriorate in a very short time period, thereby spoiling the product. This generally makes the product unusable. [0004] Suc...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0169] Preferably, the pouch includes a transparent strip which overlaps the heat seal to facilitate transmission of light through the region of the pouch in the vicinity of the heat seal to in turn facilitate determination of whether the seal has been properly formed.

Problems solved by technology

If the product is not properly sealed, the product is likely to deteriorate in a very short time period, thereby spoiling the product.

This generally makes the product unusable.

However, these types of pouches do make handling more difficult in a plant in which the food product is packaged into the pouches.

Thus, the transportation of the pouches after the pouches have been filled and sealed throughout the plant for further processing and packaging is difficult.

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