Patents Represented by Attorney William D. Lee

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  • Cross seal cooling for vertical form fill seal apparatus
    Patent number: 4719741
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving transverse seal strength in a vertical form-fill-seal machine includes directing a cooling medium on a just formed transverse seal from an area beneath and on either side of the film, in an arcuate pattern to effect cooling during at least a portion of the downward movement of the seal toward a cutting means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1988
    Assignee: W. R. Grace & Co., Cryovac Div.
    Inventor: James R. Mabry
  • Vertical form-fill seal process and machine with product catching device
    Patent number: 4709532
    Abstract: A vertical form, fill, and seal process and apparatus for individually packaging easily bruised articles of produce such as apples, pears, tomatoes, etc. by catching each article as it is dropped through a tube of thermoplastic, heat sealable film and simultaneously sealing and severing the tube below the caught article without the article forceably contacting the hot seal or striking the heat sealing means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1986
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1987
    Assignee: W. R. Grace & Co., Cryovac Div.
    Inventor: Monroe F. Taylor
  • Apparatus and method for packaging articles
    Patent number: 4704843
    Abstract: Conventional horizontal form-fill-seal equipment for packaging articles such as cheese can be improved by the use of shrink barrier films. In conjunction with the use of such films, the improvement includes means for supporting the film prior to longitudinally sealing to form a tube, and means for heating sealing elements of transverse impulse type sealing dies for a limited duration, to effect sealing of the tube formed from the film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1987
    Assignee: W. R. Grace & Co., Cryovac Div.
    Inventors: Dave L. Owen, David K. Domnitz
  • Method for making a puncture resistant bag
    Patent number: 4704101
    Abstract: A seamless, puncture resistant bag is made by advancing a lay-flat seamless tube of thermoplastic film; forming an alternating series of fused-unfused segments along said lay-flat tube by internally fusing said lay-flat tube at regular intervals, the unfused segment length being approximately equal to the fused segment length; treating the external surface of the lay-flat tube to render said surface self adherent; periodically folding back the lay-flat tube towards its treated surface at the juncture between the leading fused-unfused segments of the lay-flat tube; pressing the folded portion of the lay-flat tube; and severing the folded portion from the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1987
    Assignee: W.R. Grace & Co., Cryovac Div.
    Inventor: Henry G. Schirmer
  • Vinylidene chloride composition and film made therefrom
    Patent number: 4698111
    Abstract: This invention relates to films made from vinylidene chloride polymers or copolymers. Specifically, this invention relates to a method and composition for lowering the oxygen permeability and enhancing the thermal stability of mono-layer and multi-layer packaging films having a plasticized layer of vinylidene chloride copolymer film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1986
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1987
    Assignee: W. R. Grace & Co., Cryovac Div.
    Inventor: Marvin R. Havens
  • Taped bag chain with cassette
    Patent number: 4693372
    Abstract: A bag chain for feeding packaging bags to a bag loader includes bags 2a,2b,2c imbricated and carried by a pair of parallel carrier tapes 3 and 4 which are wound up on spools 8 and 9 of a cassette 5. Loading the bag chain is a bag indexing drive unit involves simply placing the cassette 5 into position with the spools 8 and 9 engaged with parallel drive dogs 11 and 12, after which operation of a drive motor 15, driving the dogs 11 and 12 through a differential unit 14-22 indexes the bags 2a,2b,2c . . . and winds up the tapes 3 and 4. Upon complete consumption of the bag chain, the cassette can be removed and replaced by a fresh cassette with the tapes outside the cassette and carrying the imbricated bags.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1985
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1987
    Assignee: W. R. Grace & Co., Cryovac Div.
    Inventor: Ronan R. O'Neill
  • Silent film for ostomy pouches
    Patent number: 4687711
    Abstract: This invention relates to films which have a high degree of silence and pliability and comprise at least one layer formed from a polymeric blend which includes about 40% to 60% by weight of any ethylene and vinyl-acetate copolymer and about 60% to 40% by weight of an elastomeric polyolefin. The elastomeric polyolefin preferably comprises a blend or "alloy" of an ethylene and vinyl-acetate copolymer and an elastomeric ethylene and propylene copolymer. Such films are particularly useful for manufacturing drainage containers or bags for medical applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1986
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1987
    Assignee: W. R. Grace & Co., Cryovac Div.
    Inventors: Paolo Vietto, Francesco Martini
  • Vinylidene chloride composition and film made therefrom
    Patent number: 4686148
    Abstract: This invention relates to films made from vinylidene chloride polymers or copolymers. Specifically, this invention relates to a method and composition for lowering the oxygen permeability and enhancing the thermal stability of mono-layer and multi-layer packaging films having a plasticized layer of vinylidene chloride copolymer film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1985
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1987
    Assignee: W. R. Grace & Co., Cryovac Div.
    Inventor: Marvin R. Havens
  • High oxygen barrier composite film
    Patent number: 4684573
    Abstract: High oxygen barrier characteristics over a wide range of humidity conditions are obtained by providing a combination of ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer and vinylidene chloride copolymer in separate component films of a composite film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1986
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1987
    Assignee: W. R. Grace & Co., Cryovac Div.
    Inventors: Walter B. Mueller, Henry G. Schirmer
  • Easy to open package and a method of making same
    Patent number: 4680340
    Abstract: A seal layer for an easy open package consisting essentially of 40% or less, by weight, of a first polymer having a melt flow index of less than 5 selected from the group consisting of ionomers and ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers, and 60% or more by weight of a second polymer having a melt flow index greater than 20 being selected from the group consisting of low density polyethylene, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers, and modified ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers, whereby the second polymer is a low density polyethylene if the first polymer is an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1985
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1987
    Assignee: W. R. Grace & Co., Cryovac Div.
    Inventors: Aurelio Oreglia, Paolo Botto, Claudio Freschi
  • Molded meat vacuum packaging
    Patent number: 4672793
    Abstract: A method is provided for vacuum packaging a molded meat product in a cook-in bag that includes the steps of vacuum stuffing a substantially deaerated moldable meat product into a thermoplastic bag lining a cooking mold, the bag having a length greater than the mold to define a bag neck; substantially removing any meat from the bag neck; and then, while still under vacuum, gathering and clipping the bag neck. Associated apparatus for carrying out the method is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1984
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1987
    Assignee: W. R. Grace & Co.
    Inventors: Frank M. Terlizzi, Jr., Bernardus G. Langen
  • Form-fill-seal machine
    Patent number: 4671047
    Abstract: A forming shoulder for an HFFS machine comprises a pair of side wires 3a and 3b each comprising an upper limb 11 joined to a lower limb 14 at an elbow 12 and each supported near a respective end of a support bar 16. The width of the tube, defined by side walls where the tube passes inwardly of the two lower limbs 14 and by a floor (defined by the marginal portions of the film 10) and a ceiling (defined by the central portion 10a of the film spanning the gap between the two elbows 12), is adjustable by re-positioning of the side wires 3a and 3b on the support bar 16 and the height of the tube is adjustable by replacement of one pair of side wires by a different pair having an alternative geometry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1985
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1987
    Assignee: W. R. Grace & Co., Cryovac Div.
    Inventor: Giorgio Mugnai
  • Multi-layer polyolefin shrink film
    Patent number: 4643943
    Abstract: A five layered thermoplastic film may be utilized to form storm windows or packaging material. A preferred embodiment of the film comprises a core layer consisting essentially of either (a) a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate or (b) a three component blend of (a) a linear low density polyethylene, (b) a linear medium density polyethylene and (c) an ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer. The preferred embodiment also comprises two intermediate layers each consisting essentially of a linear low density polyethylene, and two surface layers each consisting essentially of either a four component blend of (1) a linear low density polyethylene, (2) a linear medium density polyethylene, (3) a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate and (4) one or more light stabilizers, or a three component blend in which light stabilizers are not present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 1985
    Date of Patent: February 17, 1987
    Assignee: W. R. Grace & Co., Cryovac Div.
    Inventor: Julian H. Schoenberg
  • Flexible medical solution pouches
    Patent number: 4643926
    Abstract: A flexible film suitable for medical solution pouches and parenteral materials generally includes a sealant layer of ethylene propylene copolymer, modified ethylene propylene copolymer, or flexible copolyester; one or more interior layers including elastomeric polymeric materials, and an outer layer of ethylene propylene copolymer or a flexible copolyester.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1985
    Date of Patent: February 17, 1987
    Assignee: W. R. Grace & Co., Cryovac Div.
    Inventor: Walter B. Mueller
  • Multi-layer packaging film and receptacles made therefrom
    Patent number: 4640856
    Abstract: Improved shrink, toughness and barrier properties are achieved by a multi-layer, thermoplastic, shrink film having a substrate layer of very low density polyethylene and a gas barrier layer of vinylidene chloride copolymer or ethylene-vinyl-alcohol. The film is particularly useful for making bags for packaging large cuts of fresh red meat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1985
    Date of Patent: February 3, 1987
    Assignee: W. R. Grace & Co., Cryovac Div.
    Inventors: Daniel J. Ferguson, Henry G. Schirmer, Walter B. Mueller
  • Multiply package having delaminating easy open seal
    Patent number: 4638913
    Abstract: Disclosed is a package for cheese, luncheon meat and the like having an easy open seal. The package comprises a pouch-like receptacle constructed from flexible thermoplastic film having at least two layers wherein the outer surface layer has a tensile strength greater than the bond strength between the outer layer and its adjacent layer. To form the easy open seal the edges of the mouth of the receptacle are folded inwardly, flattened, and a heat seal applied to compress and seal together the resulting four layers of film with the seal being located between the edges and the fold lines. The resulting two folds provide grippable halves which can be pulled apart thereby rupturing one of the outer layers and delaminating the film from the point of rupture to the edge of the film, the delamination occurring between the outer layer and the adjacent layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1981
    Date of Patent: January 27, 1987
    Assignee: W. R. Grace & Co., Cryovac Div.
    Inventor: Milton A. Howe, Jr.
  • Taped bag with extended side seals
    Patent number: 4635295
    Abstract: The invention is directed to an improvement in flexible side-sealed taped bags having an extended lip rear panel. The external surface of the rear panel is releasably secured, at least at one point, to at least one tape (preferably two tapes) whereby a plurality of the bags may be advantageously presented in imbricated form. The improvement includes extension of the side seals of the front bag panel to the rear bag panel. The length of the extended side seals being such that their termination points are extended beyond the bag mouth so that the forces imposed on the bag mouth during loading of a product into the bag, while the bag is secured to the tape(s), act on the side seals below the side seal termination points. During product loading, the bag preferentially releases or separates from the tape(s) rather than tearing or delaminating at the side seal termination points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1984
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1987
    Assignee: W. R. Grace & Co., Cryovac Div.
    Inventors: Robert A. Odabashian, Benjamin G. Wofford
  • Hinge for blow-molded cases
    Patent number: 4623071
    Abstract: A thermoplastic container has separate hinge means in the body and cover portions of the container which are similar or substantially identical. This four part hinged configuration simplifies tooling, and simplifies economy of production, while allowing easy assembly of the container and resulting in a secure hinge after assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1985
    Date of Patent: November 18, 1986
    Assignee: W. R. Grace & Co.
    Inventor: Donald A. Malcolm
  • Linear polyethylene stretch/shrink films
    Patent number: 4617241
    Abstract: A multi-layered thermoplastic polyolefin film having an improved combination of physical characteristics is disclosed. In particular, the multi-layered film evidences an improved combination of elongation, elastic memory, tear resistance and heat shrinkability. Preferred five layer embodiments of the film comprise (1) a core layer of either a low density polyethylene homopolymer or an ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer or a blend of an ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer with a linear low density polyethylene; (2) two adjacent intermediate layers of a linear low density polyethylene and (3) two surface layers of an ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1984
    Date of Patent: October 14, 1986
    Assignee: W. R. Grace & Co., Cryovac Div.
    Inventor: Walter B. Mueller
  • Container for carrying, transporting, shipping, or installing circuit boards
    Patent number: D291558
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1984
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1987
    Assignee: W. R. Grace & Co., Cryovac Div.
    Inventor: Frederick S. Fonville