Patents Examined by John Sipos
  • Patent number: 7124559
    Abstract: A packaging apparatus 10 including a cabinet 11 provided with a door 12 which is movable relative to an axis opening 13. Within the cabinet 11 is a packaging machine 15 with which there is associated a former 14. The former 14 is movably supported for movement between an operative position aligned with the packaging machine 15, and a service position spaced laterally toward the access opening 13.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: TNA Australia Pty Limited
    Inventor: Alfred A. Taylor
  • Patent number: 7124560
    Abstract: The invention concern a procedure to wrap an object in a wrapping machine, where the wrapping machine is arranged with a conveyance assembly, containing a first conveyor belt which is leading towards a preferably vertical winding level and a second conveyor belt which is leading away from the winding level, and where furthermore a first partial section of the conveyor belt as well as a second partial section of the second conveyor belt are vertically and horizontally moveable, where furthermore the object to be wrapped in a lifted position can be fixed in the section of the winding level which is located across the basic level of the conveyance assembly where the sections are included which are not vertically moveable, and where according to the procedure the object first will be moved horizontally from the first partial section of the first conveyor belt and next vertically into the level of the fixing device, thereupon this first partial section will be guided out of the section or the winding level, the wr
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: H. BohL GmbH
    Inventor: Karlheinz Brieden
  • Patent number: 7117653
    Abstract: A flavoring system has a portioning device such as a weigher for receiving unflavored food items and sequentially supplying batches of a specified quantity of them, dispenses measured quantities of a flavoring material with a dispenser, applies these measured quantities of flavoring material to the supplied batches and packages the flavored batches of items in a bag. A sensor monitors the discharge of the flavoring material and a sorting device discards packaged products if the sensor detects an abnormality in the discharge of the flavoring material. A plurality of dispensers may be provided for dispensing measured quantities of different flavoring materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Ishida Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasushi Yakushigawa, Adrian Meredith Sunter
  • Patent number: 7114307
    Abstract: A filling and packaging machine capable of supplementing the shortage of heat quality without lowering package speed when a film is heat-sealed while being pressurized by a vertical sealing mechanism, comprising a film folding mechanism having an inner surface guide member for guiding the film laterally, formed on the inner surface side of the film folded up into two parts, a pair of right and left pre-heating block members having tilted support surfaces or are support surfaces formed along the width-direction of the film on the outer surface side of the film through a specified interval from the inner surface guide member so that the interval on the upstream side of the film in feeding direction is larger than the interval on the downstream side, and heaters installed in the pre-heating block members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Inventors: Toshio Tada, Tohru Hirasawa
  • Patent number: 7115089
    Abstract: A machine and method for the continuous folding of sheet material into different three-dimensional patterns is featured. The innovative machine and method folds sheet material by force converging the sheet to a final stage that imparts a final fold or pattern. Unique programming allows for the change of convergence sequencing and change of materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
    Inventors: Basily B. Basily, Elsayed A. Elsayed, Daniel Kling
  • Patent number: 7114308
    Abstract: Apparatus (2) for wrapping a load (18) placed on a turntable (4) having a mast assembly (8), a carriage assembly (12) adapted for vertical slideable movement along said mast assembly (8) and dispensing means (13) for dispensing tape material (80). The tape material (80) is transferred from the dispensing means (13) in response to rotation of the turntable (4) such that the tape material (80) wraps around the load (18) in a predefined pattern. The carriage assembly (12) and turntable (4) are configured for automated movement in response to a computer program stored in memory means (306) to enable wrapping of the load (18) with the tape material (80) in the predefined pattern. The carriage assembly (12) is positioned along the mast assembly (8) under control of the computer program in accordance with a rotational position of the load (18) to locate the tape material (80) at locations on the load (18). A pretensioning apparatus is also disclosed for pretensioning the tape material (80).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: Safetech Pty. Ltd.
    Inventor: Bruce Naylor Cox
  • Patent number: 7115085
    Abstract: Cigarette filter rods having individual objects positioned at predetermined intervals therein are prepared by transferring the individual objects from a rotating horizontal pan to a rotating vertical wheel and then depositing the object into a web of filter tow. Each object is positioned within the moving web of tow. The web filter material and the objects positioned within the web are introduced into a rod-forming unit wherein the rod is formed. The rate of feed of the filter tow, the rate of rotation of the horizontal pan and the vertical wheel are controlled relative to one another such that objects are positioned at predetermined intervals along the rod. Cigarette filter elements having well controlled amounts of flavorant contained therein can be made from the rods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventor: Philip Andrew Deal
  • Patent number: 7111690
    Abstract: A post driving device is disclosed. The post driving device slides to a desired position and is essentially locked in place through frictional force. As the post is driven into the ground, the device can be adjusted to a new position along the length of the post.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2006
    Inventor: R. Amil Kleinert
  • Patent number: 7104032
    Abstract: A method and machine for wrapping an article, whereby the article is fed through a feed station, where the article is applied with a respective sheet of wrapping material which is folded into an L about the article, so as to have a free edge not contacting the article, and through a follow-up wrapping station, where the sheet of wrapping material is folded about the article to form a tubular wrapping by applying the free edge onto the article; between the feed station and the wrapping station, the free edge of the L-folded sheet of wrapping material is subjected to traction in substantially the opposite direction to the travelling direction of the article by subjecting the first free edge to suction, so as to smooth the sheet of wrapping material onto the article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: G.D.Societa per Azioni
    Inventors: Mario Spatafora, Loris Grepioni
  • Patent number: 7100346
    Abstract: A machine for winding and boxing wound coils of filamentary material having a payout hole extending from the outer to the inner coil winding wherein a turret mechanism mounting two oppositely disposed end forms and corresponding collapsible mandrels and operative between first and second stations, wherein the first station enables filamentary material to be wound on one of the mandrels and associated end form and a second station wherein the mandrel and end form containing the wound coil is rotated to confront a boxing station; a boxing station including a platform having a movable back panel, a base panel and an inclined ramp facing the second station and being movable towards and away from the second station for receiving the wound coil from the collapsible mandrel; the boxing station receiving an unfolded box deposited on the base panel with a back panel folded against said back panel and including means for folding two opposite side panels of the box to enable reception of the wound coil in the partially
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Windings, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank W. Kotzur, David B. Franklin, Brian P. Moore, Gregory A. Kotzur
  • Patent number: 7101331
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for manufacturing a folder which has front and back panels with a divider there between. The divider front and back panels and divider are taped together along a spine of the folder such that the panels and divider can be turned like the pages of a book. There may be one, two, or three or possibly even more dividers with all of the dividers being secured in place at the spine of the folder. The tape(s) may be pleated so that the panel-to-divider and/or divider-to-divider compartments can expand. This pleating technique can also be employed to give expansibility to the single compartment of a file folder which does have internal dividers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Data Visible Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander Patton Janssen, Jr., Samuel Aston Loyd, Jr., Timothy Lee Worley
  • Patent number: 7096645
    Abstract: A packaging apparatus has a packaging sheet feed mechanism for gripping a side edge of a light-shielding leader and feeding the light-shielding leader to a winding position to position it in the winding position, a rotating and supporting mechanism for positioning a photosensitive roll with respect to the light-shielding leader in the winding position, and rotating the photosensitive roll, an attaching mechanism for attaching the light-shielding leader to an end of the photosensitive roll, a light-shielding leader holding mechanism for gripping a winding end of the light-shielding member and moving the light-shielding leader toward the photosensitive roll when the photosensitive roll is rotated, a pressing mechanism for pressing the outer circumferential edges of light-shielding members against respective opposite ends of the photosensitive roll, and a skirt processing mechanism for processing a light-shielding shrink film so as to cover the outer circumferential edges of light-shielding members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsumi Tashiro, Masamichi Hara
  • Patent number: 7096651
    Abstract: An adjusting device of a thermo shrinkable film machine includes first and second blocks movably mounted on two rails between two sideswalls on the base of the machine. Each of the two blocks has a wheel for contacting the film on a shaft. Two rotatable rods have two threaded sections of different directions of threads which rotatably extend through the two blocks respectively. The two respective ends of the two rotatable rods are connected to a rotating piece which is rotatably received in a case located between the first and second blocks. A driving wheel drives one of the rotatable rods so as to move the two blocks in opposite directions and to adjust the distance between the two wheels contacting the film of different thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Inventor: Tien-Sheng Hsieh
  • Patent number: 7097089
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides for a loading unit for use with and/or supportable on a distal end of a surgical stapling apparatus. The loading unit includes a housing portion including a distal end and a proximal end, a drive assembly slidably supported within the housing portion of the loading unit, and a locking mechanism supported on the housing portion of the loading unit. The locking mechanism has a first position wherein the locking mechanism engages the drive assembly and maintains the position of the drive assembly in a ready-to-load position relative to the housing portion of the loading unit. The locking mechanism is pivotable to a second position wherein the locking mechanism disengages the drive assembly and enables the drive assembly to move relative to the housing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: Tyco Healthcare Group LP
    Inventor: Stanislaw Marczyk
  • Patent number: 7096650
    Abstract: Device and method for filling a carton with flexible articles. Individual articles are grouped to a vertical stack and entered in a cassette in which the stack is tightly received. The cassette is closed on all sides and after removing of the opening the stack of bags will gently drop in a carton being positioned below. According to a further aspect of the invention the device is arranged to provide both horizontal and vertical stacking of bags in cartons by replacing the cassette by a carton which is subsequently tilted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: BluePrint Holding B.V.
    Inventor: Aaldert Christiaan Van Dam
  • Patent number: 7093410
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of closing an access side of a flexible packaging using a planar closure (15) made of plastic, the closure (15) comprising a slot (20) delimited by limb parts (215) and extending between the circumference of the closure and an opening (10), said method comprising the step of introducing the access side of the flexible packaging into the opening (10) of the closure (15) and the method comprising a subsequent step in which the slot (20) is at least partially sealed by means of a seal (30), which connects the limb parts (215) to one another, without substantially deforming the closure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Schutte Holding, B.V.
    Inventor: Frank Emiel Leon van Drunen
  • Patent number: 7093409
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for making reclosable plastic bags is provided. In the method and apparatus, a fastener is attached to a moving flat web of plastic film, preferably in the direction of web movement and near the center of the web. A plurality of sliders are mounted to the fastener either before or after the fastener is attached to the flat web, but prior to conveying the web to a FFS machine. The flat web, with the slider-operated fastener already attached thereto, is then conveyed to a vertical or horizontal FFS machine where the flat web is formed into bags, and the bags are successively filled and sealed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Pactiv Corporation
    Inventors: William Mark Dutt, Toby R. Thomas
  • Patent number: 7094194
    Abstract: A reinforced bulk bin, and methods for making same, wherein a collapsible bulk bin, preferably fabricated from paper, paperboard and/or corrugated paperboard, is provided with a reinforcing plastic sleeve, which is placed on the bin while in its collapsed configuration. When in place, and prior to the bin being deployed, the sleeve is under tension. When the bin is deployed, the sleeve exerts restraining force, distributed over the surfaces of the side walls of the bin. The sleeve may be positioned on the collapsed bin either manually or mechanically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Smurfit-Stone Container Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: James Watson Barner
  • Patent number: 7093670
    Abstract: An impact drill minimizing transmission of vibration to a handle gripped by a user's hand. A spindle extends through a main frame and is movable in its axial direction and rotatable about its axis. A first ratchet is rotatable and axially movable together with the spindle. A second ratchet is axially movable but unrotatable. In an impact drilling mode, the first ratchet is brought into abutment with the second ratchet so that the spindle is reciprocally moved in the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Hitachi Koki Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takuma Saito, Shinki Ohtsu, Jyunichi Toukairin, Kenji Kataoka, Kazuhide Ohzeki, Shigeru Ishikawa, Hideki Watanabe
  • Patent number: 7090631
    Abstract: A sheet finishing apparatus includes a media path configured to receive a sheet of media moving along the media path. A creasing tool is located proximate to the media path and is configured to form a crease in the sheet of media. The apparatus also includes a sheet folding device configured to fold the sheet of media along the crease. The creasing tool is preferably configured to operably move from a first position wherein the creasing tool is retracted away from the media path, to a second position wherein the creasing tool can contact a sheet of media moving along the media path and thereby form a crease in the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Roland Boss