Patents Examined by Christopher W. Day
  • Patent number: 5857954
    Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing cross bottom sacks from laid-flat tubular sections consists of a frame having:- a table, means for holding the tubular section thereon in a processing station where the ends of the tubular section become opened out into a bottom square or rectangle, a suction gap arranged in the table in the zone of one of the ends of the tubular section, and suction means mounted in the frame above the suction gap and which is able to be raised and lowered for opening one end of the tubular section. Above the plane of the tubular section situated in the processing station, a slide can be extended and retracted over the table in the direction of the median line of the tubular section, the median line of the slide defining with the median line of the tubular section a plane perpendicular to the plane of the tubular section. The width of the slide is less than the interspacing of the hypotenuses of the two opened-out corner folds from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1999
    Assignee: Windmoller & Holscher
    Inventors: Fritz Achelpohl, Richard Feldkamper, Andreas Kampschulte, Uwe Kohn
  • Patent number: 5857952
    Abstract: A flat trapezoidal container provides a generally frustoconical single cavity for snugly sheathing a flower pot. The container is specifically dimensioned sheath a flower pot so as either (a) to leave therebeneath, a surplus of film in an transition zone which is concealable under the flower pot, or (b) form a hexagonal gusset in the bottom. The container is made from two flat panels of heat-sealable film, each shaped in the general form of a trapezium; or from a single web folded double. The lower portion of the container is ornamentally imprinted along a border extending beneath a generally lateral line above the longitudinal axis of the web; and, with a marker in the upper portion, identifies the contents, or provides instructions for their use or care. When the cavity is distended by being partially filled, the entire container, except for a transition zone, presents a smoothly arcuate surface of the frustum of a cone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1999
    Assignee: Professional Package Company
    Inventor: Scott Robert Gilbert
  • Patent number: 5857951
    Abstract: A liquid container comprises a flexible bag-shaped container body 1 which is provided with two flat portions 3(3a,3b) as front and back walls and two gusset portions 4(4a,4b) as side walls which are folded inwardly, and a pipe-shaped delivery unit 2 which is provided with a mouth portion 11 at an upper end thereof to be projected out of an upper end portion of the container body, and a flange portion 12 below the mouth portion to be held at a joining portion 5 of the upper end portion of the container body, wherein each gusset portion 4 has a width approximately equal to that of the flat portion 3, inward end portions 15(15a,15b) of the two gusset portions being interposed between the flange portion 12 and the flat portion 3 at the joining portion 5. When the liquid container is manufactured, it is preferable that films for the gusset portions are temporarily bonded to a film for the flat portion before the positioning of the delivery unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1999
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Hosokawa Yoko
    Inventor: Tooru Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 5855543
    Abstract: A kit for making boxes from paper card stock. The kit has a flat plate with a guide rail with a vertical edge projecting above the surface of the plate parallel to one edge of the plate. A scoring groove traverses the plate parallel to the vertical edge of the guide rail. One or more spacing strips, each having a vertical edge, may be placed between the vertical edge of the guide rail and the scoring groove to vary the depth of the box. The overall size or "footprint" of a box made in accordance with the invention is determined by the distance of the scoring groove from the nearest vertical edge and the size of the blank card stock employed. Two identical sized card stocks are used for each box. A slightly wider spacing strip is used to form the top than the spacing strip used to form the bottom of the box. This also makes the depth of the box bottom slightly greater than the box top.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1999
    Inventor: Martin R. Carbone
  • Patent number: 5846177
    Abstract: A folding mechanism cylinder having a diameter that can be adjusted during operation of the cylinder. Adjustable bands are arranged on the outer jacket of the cylinder and are moved by rotation of spindles that are connected to the bands by gears. One of the spindles is arranged in the hollow shaft of the cylinder and drives all the other spindles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1998
    Assignee: MAN Roland Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventor: Reinhard Mayr
  • Patent number: 5842964
    Abstract: A sequentially timed vacuum grip system holds a sheet and transports it through a folding nip defined by a pair of folding cylinders. At the nip, the folded edge of the sheet is released and simultaneously picked-up by the paired companion cylinder. Additional folds are achieved in the same manner by the use of additional cylinder pairs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1998
    Assignee: Fred Huber & Associates
    Inventors: Manfred Huber, John A. Cogswell
  • Patent number: 5840003
    Abstract: A stalled sheet folding and flattening apparatus for reducing a sheet, stalled between a withdrawable and a fixed component of a cut sheet handling system of a sheet handling machine, into a shape and size suitably enabling reliable removal of the stalled sheet through even a relatively narrow gap between the withdrawable and fixed components of the sheet handling system. The stalled sheet folding and flattening apparatus includes a fixed component of the sheet handling system connected to a frame of the machine and having a first section of a sheet path; a withdrawable component of the sheet handling system mounted to the frame, and having a sheet flattening side defining a relatively narrow gap between a fixed surface within the machine and the withdrawable component, and including a second section of the sheet path adjoining the first section of the sheet path; and a sheet folding device mounted to the fixed component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1998
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Murray O. Meetze, Jr., Kenneth G. Christy, Arthur H. Kahn, Thomas P. Lambert
  • Patent number: 5840002
    Abstract: A container apparatus is deployable from a substantially flat, collapsed configuration to a substantially rectangular-bottomed configuration. The container apparatus includes a front panel, a back panel, a first gusseted side panel, and a second gusseted side panel. Each panel has a first transverse score line forming a peripheral edge of the substantially rectangular bottom upon the deployment of the container apparatus. This first transverse score line is scored in a first direction, extending substantially from the front panel towards the back panel of the container apparatus. Each panel further includes a second transverse score line substantially congruent with the first transverse score line. This second transverse score line is scored in a second direction, extending substantially from the back panel towards the front panel of the container apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1998
    Assignee: Stone Container Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas W. Happ
  • Patent number: 5832770
    Abstract: A process for further treating a closure end made of sheet material is provided, particularly for beverage cans, in which an annular fringe region is radially coupled between the central panel portion and a radius of curvature coupled to a core groove with an inner leg. The central panel portion is squeezed such that material is displaced (flows) from the fringe region in a substantially radial outward direction towards the radius of curvature. The squeezing is accomplished by a coining tool having a coining surface operable to contact the closure end. The closure surface is pressed against the closure end causing the thickness of the sheet material of the closure end to be reduced in the annular fringe region. The reduction in thickness gradually decreasing in the direction of the radius of curvature. The material displaced by the squeezing flowing towards the radius of curvature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1998
    Assignee: Schmalbach-Lubeca AG
    Inventors: Lutz Strube, Peter Hoft, Dieter Heinecke
  • Patent number: 5830120
    Abstract: An apparatus for adjusting folding jaws of a folding jaw cylinder having an axle on which a first cylinder part supporting at least one uncontrolled folding jaw and a second cylinder part supporting at least one controlled folding jaw are provided so as to be rotatable in opposite directions. The apparatus includes an adjusting spindle in one end of the axle of the folding jaw cylinder, two slide members, and a housing attachable to the axle at an end face of the cylinder parts and having two oppositely disposed two housing arms with radially directed guides. Each slide member being slidably arranged in a respective housing arm guide and have one end that engages with the adjusting spindle and another end that is engageable with one of the cylinder parts. Sliding pairs are provided for allowing sliding of the slides within the housing arms in a radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1998
    Assignee: MAN Roland Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Franz Rumesz, Thomas Korting
  • Patent number: 5830119
    Abstract: A double-ended bag is formed from a tubular woven sheet having at least one tie member extending along the length of the tubular sheet. The tubular sheet is cut to create bag panels and tie member segments in registration. The bag panels are sewn together with the bag panels in registry and the tie member segments in registry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1998
    Inventor: Yu-Lin Chen
  • Patent number: 5827163
    Abstract: A zipper for a recloseable bag provides a heat-settable portion for adhering the zipper to a polymeric bag at a temperature below that known in the art in order to prevent permanently sealing the bag closed inadvertantly. The zipper includes elongated base strips having flange portions for adhering the inner surface of the base strip to the outer surface of a polymeric bag. The base strip is adhered to the polymeric bag by a heat-setting compound coextruded, coated or laminated to the inner surface of the flange. The flange portions may be thinner than other portions of the base strips to permit the flange portions to be fused to the polymeric bag at a lower temperature than previously practiced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1998
    Assignee: Reynolds Consumer Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Catherine E. Kettner
  • Patent number: 5827164
    Abstract: A collapsible bag for use in containing and dispensing a liquid includes a bladder layer and an outer layer. The bladder layer includes a pair of inner opposed panel sections sealed together to provide an enclosed region. The inner panel sections have an inner surface facing the enclosed region and a plurality of ribs formed thereon, and one of the inner panel sections has a first product-dispensing hole therethrough. The outer layer includes a pair of outer opposed panel sections covering the bladder layer and one of the outer panel sections includes a second product-dispensing hole therethrough aligned with the first product-dispensing hole. A spout is attached to the outer layer and covers the first and second product-dispensing holes to provide access to the enclosed region. The bag may be used in a box to dispense liquids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1998
    Assignee: Reynolds Consumer Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Mladomir Tomic
  • Patent number: 5827166
    Abstract: A device is provided to join the lower end of a strip of paper coming from a nearly-empty reel to the upper end of another strip of paper coming from a full reel. The joining device comprises a rotating striking arm equipped with a hammer on one of its ends and with a cam on the other end. When the join between two strips is to be made, a jack actuates a castor which butts against the cam, thus bringing a striking surface of the hammer closer to the strips to compress and join the strips. The device further comprises a front and a rear cutting fixture permitting the remaining ends of the strips of paper to be cut on either side of the join. Air bearings are provided to guide one or both strips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1998
    Assignee: Philip Morris Incorporated
    Inventors: Jean Cestonaro, Jean-Luc Mathon
  • Patent number: 5827161
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the fabrication of a drum made of kraft paper according to which a sheet of kraft paper is rolled on a mandril so as to constitute a rotating cylindrical tube. The end of the tube which forms the bottom is rolled with more than one turn and receives a disk which constitutes the bottom of the drum. The disk is then placed on the ridge (8) formed by the rolled edge, and a retaining collar (10) is placed around the tube. The collar is then tightened to clamp the disk (3A) onto the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1998
    Assignee: Georges Petit, S.A.
    Inventor: Pascal Petit
  • Patent number: 5823933
    Abstract: Reclosable bags, plastic film for making the bags, and a method and apparatus for making the bags are disclosed. The bag has a reclosable fastener (26) connected to a single wall of the bag, and the film (55) has a reclosable fastener (26) connected to one side thereof which does not require attachment to any other portion of the film (55) when making a bag. The fastener (26) has a tamper-proof member attached thereto to indicate if the bag has been previously opened. The film (55) can be wound into a roll (54) suitable for use on conventional bag making machines including form, fill, and seal machines or a chain of coilable reclosable bags can be produced therefrom since the fasteners (26) are connected to the web preferably transversely to the bags longitudinal formation axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1998
    Assignee: Innoflex Incorporated
    Inventor: James W. Yeager
  • Patent number: 5823934
    Abstract: The automatic trimming machine of the present invention utilizes a conventional web press to print various sizes of postal and insert cards, flyers and coupon books completely on-line. The automatic trimming machine of the present invention includes a device (12) for perforating the paper to define a folding line (14) and a paper folding device (16) for folding the paper along the perforated folding line. A preliminary trimming unit will first trim the left and right sides of the folded paper, including removing the backbone of the folded paper. The severed backone is then removed from the preliminary trimming unit. The top and bottom edges of the paper are then trimmed to the appropriate size prior to the paper being cut into distinct products in a finish trimming unit. The finish trimming unit includes a plurality of adjustable cutting blades to allow for cutting of various sized products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1998
    Inventor: Rock A. Ferrone
  • Patent number: 5820539
    Abstract: A device (1) for continuous plaiting of web-shaped material with a plaiting table (2) and a plaiting arm (3) possesses auxiliary depositing means (5) insertable between the plaiting arm (3) and the plaiting table (2). The auxiliary depositing means (5) enable continuous plaiting of the material, even when the material stack (4) laid on the plaiting table (2) is being unloaded from the plaiting table (2). Apart from that, in order to attain the most regular possible layering of the web-shaped material, the plaiting table (2) and the auxiliary depositing means (5) are arranged to be height adjustable. Additionally, the auxiliary depositing means (5) possesses recesses (15) that can be penetrated by the supporting elements (16) of the plaiting table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1998
    Assignee: Solipat AG
    Inventor: Christian Strahm
  • Patent number: 5816992
    Abstract: A bag made from plastic film includes a handle and a gusset that is integral with the handle and with front and rear panels of the bag. Left and right side-welds unite the front and rear panels as well as the respective left and right ends of the handle. A process can create such structures from a single, seamless sheet of plastic. In the process, a handle opening is preferably provided in the handle, and a handle seal is provided below the handle opening. The handle may then be inserted between the front and rear portions, and the left and right side edges of the bag, the gusset and the handle may be fused together at respective left and right side-welds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1998
    Assignee: Paramount Packaging Corporation
    Inventor: Daniel J. Conrad
  • Patent number: 5816990
    Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for producing discrete packages which can be individually varied in length so that they can be used for packaging articles such as cuts of meat which vary in length. The apparatus comprises drive rolls for feeding a flat tube of plastics packaging material through a cut off device. The apparatus may also comprise a heat sealing device (to form the tube into a bag) and a blower head combined with a suction device which opens the leading portion of the bag to facilitate the placing of an article in the bag. A proximity sensor is provided adjacent the cut off device and immobilises the drive rolls when it detects the arrival of a leading portion. In one form of the apparatus the sensor is mounted on a movable carriage which can be quickly moved by hand or by a ram.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1998
    Assignee: Machinery Developments Limited
    Inventor: Richard Archer Melville