Sealing and bagging apparatus and method

Claim 1

Apparatus for sealing a plurality of spaced spots across the mouth of a plastic bag opening, in a bag having an open end with a gatherable neck and a closed end to only delicately seal the bag to show evidence of tampering by breaking the seal but allow the bag to be opened without tearing or destroying the bag, comprising: a conveyor for moving a plastic bag having a generally flattened open end with a bag opening and containing a product past a sealing mechanism, the bag having two generally flattened layers forming the bag opening; a sealing mechanism for fastening the two generally flattened layers of the bag flattened open end together at spaced spots across at least part of the generally flattened open end of the bag, the sealing mechanism including spaced sealing members that penetrate through all the layers to form a hole in each layer surrounded by fused material creating only a light gripping seal sufficient only to allow the bag to be opened without tearing or destroying the bag but sufficient to show that the bag has been separated to reveal evidence of tampering wherein the bag opening will remain partially closed by the spots but can be reopened without destroying the bag; and a closure applicator positioned adjacent said conveyor gathering the neck of the bag and placing a releasable closing device around the gathered neck to hold the bag closed as the principal closing device for the bag.

Claim 11

The method of delicately sealing the opening of the open end of a filled bag formed of two opposed layers to show evidence of tampering with the contents of the bag if the delicate sealing is broken and then gathering and finally closing the delicately sealed open end of the bag, comprising: moving a filled bag containing an edible product along a path with the bag having an open end defined by the two layers of the bag extending beyond the edible product, the bag having a forward edge and a rearward edge in the direction of movement along the path, partially sealing the bag open end at a plurality of spaced spots across the open end of the bag from the forward edge to the rearward edge of the bag at a sealing location along the path by penetrating through all layers of the bag with sealing members that fuse spots of the two layers together with only a light holding force insufficient to hold the bag closed if light separating forces are applied to separate the layers of the bag to open the bag and to separate without tearing or destroying the bag if the bag gets opened to enter the bag to gain access to the contents of the bag; and closing the bag opening at the open end of the bag by gathering the delicately sealed open end of the bag and applying a releasable closure to the gathered bag end downstream of the sealing location along the path, the releasable closure being the principal closing force on the bag to keep the bag closed during handling of the bag.

Claim 12

The method of delicately sealing the opening of the open end of a filled bag formed of two opposed layers to show evidence of tampering with the contents of the bag if the delicate sealing is broken and then gathering and finally closing the delicately sealed open end of the bag, comprising: moving a filled bag containing an edible product along a path with the bag having an open end defined by the two layers of the bag extending beyond the edible product, the bag having a forward edge and a rearward edge in the direction of movement along the path, partially sealing the bag open end at a plurality of spaced spots across the open end of the bag from the forward edge to the rearward edge of the bag at a sealing location along the path by penetrating through all layers of the bag with sealing members that fuse spots of the two layers together with only a light holding force insufficient to hold the bag closed if light separating forces are applied to separate the layers of the bag to open the bag and to separate without tearing or destroying the bag if the bag gets opened to enter the bag to gain access to the contents of the bag; and closing the bag opening at the open end of the bag by gathering the delicately sealed open end of the bag and applying a releasable closure to the gathered bag end downstream of the sealing location along the path, the releasable closure being the principal closing force on the bag to keep the bag closed during handling of the bag.

Claim 18

The method of partially sealing the opening of the open end of a filled bag and then gathering and closing the partially sealed open end of the bag, comprising: moving a filled bag containing an edible product along a path with the bag having an open end extending beyond the edible product, the bag having a forward edge and a rearward edge in the direction of movement along the path, partially sealing the bag open end at a plurality of alternating spaced lightly sealed spots and openings across the entire open end of the bag from the forward edge to the rearward edge of the bag at a sealing location along the path, said sealing being provided with an adhesion force sufficient only to hold the bag lightly closed at the spaced spots to allow separation of the sealing spots under light separation force to open the bag and less than the force necessary to tear or destroy the bag so that the sealing spots are not the primary closure for holding the bag open end closed; and closing the bag opening at the open end of the bag by gathering the partially sealed open end of the bag and applying a releasable closure to the gathered bag end downstream of the sealing location along the path as the principal closure for holding the bag closed.

Claim 19

The method of partially sealing the opening of the open end of a filled bag and then gathering and closing the partially sealed open end of the bag, comprising: moving a filled bag containing an edible product along a path with the bag having an open end extending beyond the edible product, the bag having a forward edge and a rearward edge in the direction of movement along the path, partially sealing the bag open end at a plurality of alternating spaced lightly sealed spots and openings across the entire open end of the bag from the forward edge to the rearward edge of the bag at a sealing location along the path, said sealing being provided with an adhesion force sufficient only to hold the bag lightly closed at the spaced spots to allow separation of the sealing spots under light separation force to open the bag and less than the force necessary to tear or destroy the bag so that the sealing spots are not the primary closure for holding the bag open end closed; and closing the bag opening at the open end of the bag by gathering the partially sealed open end of the bag and applying a releasable closure to the gathered bag end downstream of the sealing location along the path as the principal closure for holding the bag closed.