Apparatus and method for packaging

Claim 1

IN A METHOD OF PACKAGING, THE STEPS COMPRISING: PLACING AN AIR-PERVIOUS SUBSTRATE ONTO AN AIR-PERVIOUS SUPPORT MEMBER AT A FIRST POSITION, PLACING ARTICLES TO BE PACKAGED ON SAID SUBSTRATE, MOVING SAID SUPPORT MEMBER ALONG A FIRST PATH ONTO AN ELEVATABLE ELEMENT, CLAMPING A LENGTH OF THERMOPLASTIC SHEET MATERIAL ABOUT ITS MARGINS IN A POSITION OVERLYING SAID ELEVATABLE ELEMENT AND SUPPORT MEMBER, HEATING SAID CLAMPED LENGTH OF THERMOPLASTIC FILM TO PLASTICITY, ELEVATING SAID SUPPORT MEMBER TO A POSITION CLOSELY UNDERLYING SAID CLAMPED LENGTH OF THERMOPLASTIC FILM, DRAWING SUCTION THROUGH SAID SUPPORT MEMBER TO DRAW THE THERMOPLASTIC FILM ABOUT THE ARTICLES AND INTO BONDING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE SUBSTRATE TO FORM A PACKAGING ASSEMBLY, LOWERING SAID SUPPORT MEMBER TO A POSITION BELOW SAID FIRST PATH, DISCHARGING SAID SUPPORT ELEMENT FROM SAID ELEVATABLE MEMBER, RETURNING SAID DISCHARGE SUPPORT ELEMENT TO SAID FIRST PORTION ALONG A SECOND PATH BELOW SAID FIRST PATH, AND ELEVATING SAID DISCHARGED SUPPORT MEMBER FROM THE LEVEL OF ITS SECOND PATH TO THE LEVEL OF ITS FIRST PATH OF MOVEMENT.