Patents Assigned to ERCA
  • Patent number: 11225010
    Abstract: The device comprises at least one forming and wrap-around labeling assembly (60) suitable for taking up an active configuration in which said assembly has a forming chamber (36) and a looping chamber (46), which chambers are in axial alignment and communicate with each other via an annular passageway (62) provided through the end wall of the forming chamber. The assembly is further provided with a pusher member (66) configured to push a wrap-around label (27) that is looped in the looping chamber into the forming chamber. At least one portion (36C?) in the forming chamber (36) flares going away from the end wall (36B) of the forming chamber and the pusher member is configured to expand radially while pushing the wrap-around label (26A) into said flared portion (36C?) of the forming chamber (36).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: ERCA
    Inventor: Michel Largerie
  • Patent number: 11045995
    Abstract: The device includes a mold block having at least one thermoforming chamber (28) having an inside surface (29), an axial opening (28A) through which a decorative wrap-around label (38) can be inserted into the chamber, and a moving end-wall (40) opposite from the opening. The end-wall is suitable for moving in an end segment (28A) of the chamber (28) between a positioning high level and at least one thermoforming low level, and the device has at least one tongue-and-groove set comprising a fin (42) on the end-wall (40) that is engaged in a notch (44) in the inside surface of the end segment (28B).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: ERCA
    Inventor: Michel Luc
  • Publication number: 20200207496
    Abstract: The facility comprises a plurality of processing stations (14A, 14B, 14C, 16, 18, 20, 20, 22, 24) for producing containers from a thermoplastic substrate. The facility comprises a plurality of basic conveyors (30) that cooperate with a travel track (32), for the purpose of conveying the sheets to the processing stations, the respective movements of the basic conveyors being controlled according to respective movement control commands generated by a control unit (ECU).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2018
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Applicant: ERCA
    Inventors: Dominique SCHWAB, Timothy COOPER
  • Publication number: 20200180206
    Abstract: The device comprises at least one forming and wrap-around labeling assembly (60) suitable for taking up an active configuration in which said assembly has a forming chamber (36) and a looping chamber (46), which chambers are in axial alignment and communicate with each other via an annular passageway (62) provided through the end wall of the forming chamber. The assembly is further provided with a pusher member (66) configured to push a wrap-around label (27) that is looped in the looping chamber into the forming chamber. At least one portion (36C?) in the forming chamber (36) flares going away from the end wall (36B) of the forming chamber and the pusher member is configured to expand radially while pushing the wrap-around label (26A) into said flared portion (36C?) of the forming chamber (36).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2018
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Applicant: ERCA
    Inventor: Michel LARGERIE
  • Patent number: 10486371
    Abstract: The containers are thermoformed in groups, filled, and closed. Then, the containers are separated, and placed adjacent to one another in such a manner that segments of their respective rims face each other and define between them a line of separation. On said line, at least one spot weld is formed that forms a breakable connection between the facing rim segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: ERCA
    Inventors: Dominique Schwab, Michel Kervazo, Alain Dunan
  • Patent number: 10399267
    Abstract: A device for thermoforming containers, the device having mold blocks mounted to move in translation. An example embodiment may include at least first and second analogous mold blocks, a counter-mold, means for causing a thermoplastic material to advance along an advance axis, and two labeling blocks. The mold blocks can be moved in a first movement between a thermoforming level and a disengagement level. The mold blocks can also be moved in a second movement along an axis transverse to the advance axis so as to place each mold facing in succession the counter-mold and one of the labeling blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: ERCA
    Inventor: Sébastien Le Metayer
  • Publication number: 20180169928
    Abstract: The device includes a mold block having at least one thermoforming chamber (28) having an inside surface (29), an axial opening (28A) through which a decorative wrap-around label (38) can be inserted into the chamber, and a moving end-wall (40) opposite from the opening. The end-wall is suitable for moving in an end segment (28A) of the chamber (28) between a positioning high level and at least one thermoforming low level, and the device has at least one tongue-and-groove set comprising a fin (42) on the end-wall (40) that is engaged in a notch (44) in the inside surface of the end segment (28B).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2016
    Publication date: June 21, 2018
    Applicant: ERCA
    Inventor: Michel LUC
  • Patent number: 9694533
    Abstract: The containers are thermoformed at a thermoforming station from blanks cut out from a sheet of thermoplastic material. Before thermoforming the containers, at least some blank zones in the sheet are heated, the hot blanks are cut out from the heated zones and the hot blanks are conveyed to the thermoforming station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: ERCA
    Inventors: Timothy Cooper, Frédéric Moreau, Dominique Schwab
  • Publication number: 20150367566
    Abstract: The containers are thermoformed in groups, filled, and closed. Then, the containers are separated, and placed adjacent to one another in such a manner that segments of their respective rims face each other and define between them a line of separation. On said line, at least one spot weld is formed that forms a breakable connection between the facing rim segments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2014
    Publication date: December 24, 2015
    Applicant: ERCA
    Inventors: Dominique SCHWAB, Michel KERVAZO, Alain DUNAN
  • Publication number: 20130049250
    Abstract: The containers are thermoformed at a thermoforming station from blanks cut out from a sheet of thermoplastic material. Before thermoforming the containers, at least some blank zones in the sheet are heated, the hot blanks are cut out from the heated zones and the hot blanks are conveyed to the thermoforming station.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2011
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: ERCA
    Inventors: Timothy Cooper, Frédéric Moreau, Dominique Schwab
  • Patent number: 7628946
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of manufacture of receptacles by thermoforming and the placing of decorative banderols on these receptacles, in which a first mould block is provided, which may include at least one thermoforming chamber and which is capable of tilting between a working position for the thermoforming of the receptacles and a tilted position for the introduction of a banderol into the thermoforming chamber before the thermoforming of a receptacle in the chamber. The invention is characterized in that a second mould block is provided analogous to the first mould block and in that while one of the mould blocks is in the working position for the thermoforming of a receptacle in the thermoforming chamber of this mould block the other mould block is in the tilted position for the introduction of a decorative banderol into its thermoforming chamber before the thermoforming of another receptacle in the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: Erca Formseal
    Inventors: Bernard Gandon, Alain Dunan, Dominique Schwab
  • Patent number: 7585453
    Abstract: The device for thermoforming an object presenting an undercut portion. The device may include a thermoforming mold having a base portion and at least two undercut-forming portions in the vicinity of an end; a countermold; and a moving thermoforming piston. The device further may include holding means suitable for holding the rim of the object relative to the countermold, and, in order to unmold the object, said portions of the mold and the holding means are suitable for being controlled in a sequence in which the undercut-forming portions are moved apart, the holding means are active and hold the object against the countermold, and at least the base portion of the mold is spaced apart from the countermold while the holding means are active.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: ERCA Formseal
    Inventors: Dominique Schwab, Timothy Cooper
  • Publication number: 20080036121
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of manufacture of receptacles by thermoforming and the placing of decorative banderols on these receptacles, in which a first mould block (24) is provided, which comprises at least one thermoforming chamber (28) and which is capable of tilting between a working position for the thermoforming of the receptacles and a tilted position for the introduction of a banderol into the thermoforming chamber (28) before the thermoforming of a receptacle (37) in the said chamber The invention is characterised in that a second mould block (26) is provided analogous to the first mould block (24) and in that while one of the mould blocks is in the working position for the thermoforming of a receptacle (37) in the thermoforming chamber (28) of this mould block the other mould block is in the tilted position for the introduction of a decorative banderol into its thermoforming chamber (28) before the thermoforming of another receptacle (37) in the said chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2005
    Publication date: February 14, 2008
    Applicant: ERCA FORMSEAL
    Inventors: Bernard Gandon, Alain Dunan, Dominique Schwab
  • Patent number: 7311513
    Abstract: The installation for manufacturing objects such as receptacles by thermoforming pellets of thermoplastic material includes conveyor means for conveying the pellets through the various stations in the installation, said stations including a heating station and a thermoforming station. The conveyor means comprise conveyor elements (46) defining cells (48) which are open upwards and downwards, and each of which is suitable for containing one pellet (12) while the entire top and bottom faces of the pellet remain unobstructed, means for depositing the pellets in the cells, drive means for driving the conveyor elements through the heating station, and transfer means (20) for transferring the heated pellets to the thermoforming station. The heating station includes bottom heater means (52) that co-operate with a support for the pellets while said conveyor elements are being driven through the heating station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: Erca Formseal
    Inventors: Dominique Schwab, Timothy Cooper
  • Patent number: 7255552
    Abstract: Blanks (12) of thermoplastic material are heated, and a thermoforming step is performed in which the heated blanks are deformed plastically by stretching. Before the thermoforming step, a die-punching step is performed in which the peripheral regions of the blanks are deformed by die-punching while the material of the blanks is held captive on the outside. The installation includes heater means (16) for heating said blanks, thermoforming means (24), and a die-punching tool (26, 28) suitable for deforming the peripheral regions of the blanks before they are thermoformed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Erca Formseal
    Inventors: Bernard Michelon, Dominique Schwab
  • Patent number: D739230
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: ERCA
    Inventors: Michel Kervazo, Tim Cooper
  • Patent number: D739724
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: ERCA
    Inventors: Michel Kervazo, Tim Cooper
  • Patent number: D740115
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: ERCA
    Inventors: Michel Kervazo, Tim Cooper
  • Patent number: D741168
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: ERCA
    Inventors: Michel Kervazo, Tim Cooper
  • Patent number: D917275
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: ERCA
    Inventor: Fabrice Gallay