Patents Examined by Daniel Moon
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Patent number: 5799468Abstract: A blister-pack package is made by forming a strip with a plurality of fields of upwardly open pockets and filling the pockets with respective objects while leaving at least one pocket empty and then scanning the fields and determining an address of the empty pocket in the respective field. A refilling head is then loaded at a stationary location with at least one of the objects. The loaded refilling head is then positioned above the empty pocket in accordance with the determined address, and the object is dropped from the loaded and positioned head into the empty pocket.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 1997Date of Patent: September 1, 1998Assignee: Uhlmann Pac-Systeme GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Werner Eck, Detlev Gertitschke, Richard Mertens, Gunther Bochtler, Reinhold Kopf, Andreas Weiss, Rudolf Arb
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Patent number: 5797243Abstract: A single dose filter bag for infusible product is closed by folding a flap made in the upper part of the filter bag, attaching a connecting thread to the filter bag and to a pickup tag by first and second terminal portions respectively of the connecting thread, forming a short vertical or horizontal stitch using first and second auxiliary threads respectively.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 1996Date of Patent: August 25, 1998Assignee: I.M.A. Industria Macchine Automatiche S.p.A.Inventors: Roberto Tagliaferri, Paolo Cardinali
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Patent number: 5794417Abstract: The present invention relates to an easily adjusted device for packing cartons or uniformly sized packages into a larger container for shipment. The device includes a telescoping stacking chamber with a telescoping base plate member having sensors for detecting a full layer, a raising means for lifting the telescoping base plate member, telescoping retaining clips for retaining a lifted layer, a sensor for determining when the stacking chamber is filled, a telescoping pushing plate assembly for ejecting the stack of cartons to a waiting case, and a telescoping outflow port. The apparatus may be mechanically individually adjusted in each of the foregoing aspects to accommodate cartons and cases of various sizes, or may be centrally controlled for adjustment by servomotors to preset measurements at the push of a button. A control device oversees operation of the entire unit.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 1997Date of Patent: August 18, 1998Assignee: Philip Morris IncorporatedInventor: James A. Mohrman
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Patent number: 5794411Abstract: A food product wrapping machine includes a frame having through cavities each receiving a food product stick pushed into the cavity atop a wrapper sheet. An inwardly projecting blade at each end with a clearance space causes formation of a folded flap and a pair of wings on the wrapper as a stick enters a cavity end. Folding fingers at each end of the cavity engage the wrapper wings and fold them against the stick. Inward movement of a pair of folding blades creates additional top flaps on the sheet, which are then folded down by pivotal plates to complete the wrapping process.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 1996Date of Patent: August 18, 1998Assignee: Research Products Manufacturing, Inc.Inventors: Timothy F. Combs, James O. Byrd
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Patent number: 5794408Abstract: A method for inerting packaging covers, particularly industrial packaging covers, wherein the object to be packaged is placed on at least one composite sheet forming a packaging cover (100) which is completely sealed except for at least two apertures (201, 202) used both for extracting the atmosphere contained in the packaging cover and for injecting an inert gas (1), preferably nitrogen, into said cover; the atmosphere contained in the packaging cover is extracted through a first valve sealingly fitted to a first aperture (202), and inert gas is injected through a second valve sealingly fitted to a second aperture (201) in the cover; a parameter related to the relative humidity level within the packaging cover is continuously measured (11); and both the extraction of the atmosphere contained in the packaging cover and the injection of inert gas are stopped once the relative humidity level required by the customer has been achieved.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 1996Date of Patent: August 18, 1998Assignee: Madpack-Servicos Internacionais, LDAInventors: Andre Patouraux, Philippe Patouraux
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Patent number: 5794407Abstract: A method and an apparatus for aseptically producing, harvesting and packaging a pharmaceutical product. A section of the apparatus includes an aseptic reactor and structure for introducing a reactant thereinto so that a reaction can be conducted for the purpose of producing a pharmaceutical product. The pharmaceutical product is subsequently introduced into a filter/dryer for the purpose of recovering the pharmaceutical product. Thereafter, the filtered/dried pharmaceutical product is delivered to a hammer mill for delumping or a micronizing mill for calibration and sizing the recovered product to produce a final powdered product. Thereafter, the final powdered product is introduced into a dosing device and aseptically introduced into a transportable bin. The small bins are encased inside of a sterile bag for transport and further aseptic handling.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 1997Date of Patent: August 18, 1998Assignee: Pharmacia & Upjohn CompanyInventor: Daniel P. Smekens
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Patent number: 5794415Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for loading items, such as fruit, into a container such as a fruit bin with an open top face. The bin is transported on rollers to a tiltable cradle that grasps the cradle and tilts it to a loading orientation in which the bin face opens sideways. A wide endless belt conveyor positioned adjacent the cradle has a leading edge of the belt that shifts from a retracted position outside the container to an extended position projecting through the open face into the bin. The leading edge of the conveyor is retracted from the bin as the conveyor belt is running to deliver a horizontal layer of fruit from the conveyor surface into the bin. A height adjuster moves the cradle down (in the loading orientation) after the layer of items is delivered into the container, to provide clearance for delivering a subsequent layer of items from the conveyor.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 1996Date of Patent: August 18, 1998Inventors: Howard Huff, Keith A. Kister
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Patent number: 5794323Abstract: A connector for a dual subsea flowline simultaneously connects a primary pipe and an offset auxiliary pipe carried alongside of the primary pipe. The connector has mating hub members, each having a face, a primary bore and an auxiliary passage. The auxiliary passages intersect annular concentric grooves formed in the faces. Inner and outer auxiliary seals seal the grooves, and a primary seal seals the junction of the primary bores. The seals are linked together with a seal retainer which is installed with a remote operated vehicle in one of the hubs prior to make-up.Type: GrantFiled: July 18, 1996Date of Patent: August 18, 1998Assignee: ABB Vetco Gray Inc.Inventor: Gary L. Galle
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Patent number: 5791122Abstract: A system for charging a metallic canister having a filler opening therein with a gas under pressure and then sealing the opening to provide a closed, pressurized canister generally consisting of means for retaining the canister in a predetermined orientation, a sealing member having a guide passageway therein displaceable between an extended position in sealing engagement with a canister disposed in the predetermined orientation, with the guide passageway therein communicating with the filler opening of the canister, and a retracted position out of sealing engagement with the canister, a first means for applying a gas under pressure to a first side of the sealing member to urge the sealing member into into its retracted position, second means for supplying a gas under pressure to an opposite side of the sealing member to urge the sealing member into its extended position in sealing engagement with the canister, third means for supplying a gas under a third pressure to the guide passageway of the sealing membeType: GrantFiled: June 17, 1996Date of Patent: August 11, 1998Assignee: RWC, Inc.Inventors: Brian P. Tobin, Douglas M. Leonard
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Patent number: 5791120Abstract: A peripheral resilient seal, and seal and platen, the platen having a container tray receiving cavity and a peripheral groove around the cavity and receiving the seal. The seal has side ribs deformable upon insertion into the groove, and a shoulder extending beyond the groove to abut the platen.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 1997Date of Patent: August 11, 1998Assignee: Oliver Products CompanyInventor: Perry R. De Young
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Patent number: 5787678Abstract: A drug packaging device having a shutter provided in a guide path which can prevent drugs from rebounding from the shutter once they land on the shutter so that they can settle on the shutter as quickly as possible. The shutter is made up of a plate-shaped body made from a soft, flexible silicone resin, and a Teflon resin coating layer formed on the body. Such a shutter can absorb shocks when drugs land on the shutter and prevent them from rebounding when they land on the shutter. Thus, drugs stabilize quickly after they land on the shutter.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 1997Date of Patent: August 4, 1998Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yuyama SeisakushoInventors: Naoki Koike, Hirotaka Hayashi
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Patent number: 5787680Abstract: An automatic packaging machine is adapted to insert a plurality of layers of product into a carton. In a preferred embodiment, the product is carried in an X-Y tray which is able to expand or to contract in width and to raise or lower, thereby giving two dimensional geometrical adjustments. A first layer of product is loaded into the X-Y tray. Then the tray is lowered and a second layer is placed over the first layer. The process is repeated for any number of layers. Thereafter, the stack of layers is pushed into a carton.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 1996Date of Patent: August 4, 1998Assignee: Tisma Machinery CorporationInventors: Stevan Tisma, Steven Zabran
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Patent number: 5790718Abstract: A portion inventory device for holding at least one portion of food or the like. The device uses a container for holding the portions and the container has indicia of predetermined dates imprinted on the outer surfaces of the container so that a user can readily determine the day or date on which the portion was prepared and stored. The indicia of the predetermined dates may use one of a plurality of different colors to correspond to the one of the plurality of predetermined dates. Further, the indicia for the predetermined dates may be expressed in a plurality of languages or displayed in a variety of patterns and styles.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 1997Date of Patent: August 4, 1998
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Patent number: 5787685Abstract: The use of unitary liquid fuel storage chambers provides advantages in the manufacturing and assembly of inflators for use in airbag passive restraint systems. A unique process of injecting liquid fuel through a conduit which is controlled to discharge the liquid fuel beneath the rising surface of the liquid fuel in the container and then sealing the storage chamber with a unique stopper provides consistently accurately filled unitary fuel containing storage chambers. The filled and sealed unitary storage chambers can then be either stored or assembled into an inflator. The assembly of the inflator can be at a location separate from that at which the storage container is loaded with fuel, whereby the relatively hazardous loading and handling of liquid fuels can be separated from the inflator assembly area.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 1996Date of Patent: August 4, 1998Assignee: Autoliv ASP, Inc.Inventors: Harry W. Miller, II, Karl K. Rink, Walter A. Moore, Don T. Jensen
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Patent number: 5787684Abstract: A multiple pack of individually packaged items comprises an array of individual packages in a desired configuration which array is held in the desired configuration by a planar sheet material adhered to each package of the array. The planar sheet material is preferably a sheet of corrugated cardboard. The invention also includes a method of forming the multiple pack and apparatus for use.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 1997Date of Patent: August 4, 1998Assignee: Mars UK LimitedInventor: Peter Arnold Compton
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Patent number: 5787679Abstract: Article distribution apparatus comprises means defining a zone through which a plurality of articles can move from a first location to a second location. Distribution means extend between the first and second locations to divide the zone into first and second lanes. The distribution means is movable laterally across the zone to vary the capacity of the first and second lanes of the articles.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 1997Date of Patent: August 4, 1998Assignee: Defabs Engineering Systems LimitedInventors: David Lynch, David Calladine
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Patent number: 5784857Abstract: A self-locating star wheel system for spacing bottles on a conveyor in a packaging machine comprising a pair of star wheels with a hub and cam disposed between them and mounted on an arm which moves them into the stream of bottles until the cam engages a pair of rollers mounted at the ends of a U-shaped pivoting bracket attached to the machine frame to control the lateral position of the star wheels with respect to the stream of bottles. The cam diameter is specific for a given size star wheel so that the proper positioning of the star wheel is achieved by the geometric relationship between the star wheel and the cam. The mechanism also functions as a safety feature by sending a stop signal to the machine when something, such as a down bottle, causes the star wheels move away from the rollers.Type: GrantFiled: May 13, 1997Date of Patent: July 28, 1998Assignee: Riverwood International CorporationInventors: Colin P. Ford, Carl J. Taute
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Patent number: 5782056Abstract: Apparatus for packaging includes a pivoting transport arm for removing a product from a moving conveyor and placing the product at a first work station. A pusher mechanism pushes the product delivered to the first station between spaced plates into a plastic bag and then through gates of a closure device to the second station. The closure device seals the bag with the product therein and the bagged product is subsequently discharged from the second station.Type: GrantFiled: August 1, 1997Date of Patent: July 21, 1998Assignee: Delaware Capital Formation, Inc.Inventors: Dennis J. May, Eddie M. Norton, Brian K. Digeso, Kuo-Raid Grant Chen, Christopher T. Booker
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Patent number: 5778634Abstract: In a packaging line adapted to feed articles into a packer and including lane guides defining lanes for columns of articles fed under line pressure to the packer, the lane guides are provided with an offset portion adapted to create a back pressure for reducing the line pressure at the packer. The offset portion provides sufficient resistance to the flow of articles so that the articles entering the packer are more readily accommodated, particularly articles of the type which are compressed by excessive line pressures and tend to upset the operation of the packer as a result of excessive or varying line pressure. The reduced line pressure permits operation of standard packing equipment for the handling of relatively soft and compressable cylindrical plastic bottles.Type: GrantFiled: November 7, 1996Date of Patent: July 14, 1998Assignee: Standard-Knapp, Inc.Inventors: J. Michael Weaver, Johnny W. Stewart
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Patent number: 5778630Abstract: A device is used in a machine for packaging articles in a wraparound carrier. The carrier is formed from a blank having a pair of foldable flaps struck therefrom. The packaging machine is arranged to advance the blank and articles associated therewith along a predetermined path. The device is positioned along the path to fold the flaps inwardly of the blank. The device includes a rotational disc defining an axis of rotation, a fixed cam plate disposed adjacent to the rotational disc and having an endless cam track disposed around the axis, drive means for rotating the rotational disc about the axis in synchronization with movement of the blank and the articles, a pair of blank-engaging fingers carried by the rotational disc for pivotal movement about respective pins so as to engage the flaps, and an actuating mechanism carried by the rotational disc to pivotally move the fingers away from each other and toward each other.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 1997Date of Patent: July 14, 1998Assignee: The Mead CorporationInventors: Pascal Portrait, Jean-Christophe Bonnain