FIELD: packaging industry.
SUBSTANCE: apparatus (10, 10', 10'') for forming opening device (3) on receiving portion (8) of sheet packaging material (2) for packaging pourable food products; apparatus (10, 10', 10'') comprises molding unit (30) operating at molding zone (31) of apparatus (10, 10', 10'') and having first and second mold (32, 33; 71, 70) selectively set in an open configuration, in which they are spaced from one another to allow feed of packaging material (2) therebetween, and in a closed configuration, in which they cooperate with opposite faces of packaging material (2) and delimit closed mold cavity (34) housing receiving portion (8) of packaging material (2) and adapted to be filled with molten plastic material to define, when the plastic material sets, opening device (3); said apparatus (10, 10', 10'') further comprises feeding means (35) to feed dose (36) of molten plastic material to molding zone (31) in the open configuration of first and second mold (32, 33; 71, 70), and pressing means (37) carried by molding unit (30) and exerting pressure on dose (36) to force it to fill mold cavity (34) and to form opening device (3).
EFFECT: increasing the productivity of packaging machines and reducing their impact on the environment.
18 cl, 14 dwg
