Abstract
An upper tool for a sealing station of a packaging machine, having an indentation with which an upper film web can be formed and having gas through-openings that are provided along the indentation and can be connected to a negative pressure, positive pressure, and/or aeration source, the gas through-openings can be divided into at least two groups that can be connected independently of one another to the negative pressure, positive pressure, and/or aeration source, the former has chambers that are each connected to the negative pressure, positive pressure, and/or aeration source and are each connected to a group of gas through-openings, and a group and/or a chamber is provided in a central region of the indentation, a further chamber in a shape of a ring, extends about the chamber in the central region, and a signal from a pressure sensor is used for initiating the aeration of the ring-shaped region.