Patents Examined by Louis Huynh
  • Patent number: 6941728
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for making a hinged lid side by side vertically hinged cigarette pack having a first bundle and a second bundle of cigarettes is described. The machinery includes a first machine to form a first foil wrapped bundle surrounded by a first inner frame, a second machine for forming a second foil wrapped bundle surrounded by a second inner frame and a third machine for combining the first and second foil wrapped bundle into a single hinged lid side by side vertically hinged pack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: British American Tobacco (Investments) Limited
    Inventors: Andrew Jonathan Bray, Steven Holford, Alan Douglas Tearle
  • Patent number: 6938395
    Abstract: An apparatus for closing a slider-operated zipper on a moving filled package, comprising means for performing the following steps: conveying a package forward in a straight line; guiding a slider on a zippered portion of the package through a channel as the package moves forward; blocking forward movement of the slider at a predetermined position inside the channel as the package continues to move forward; and releasing the slider when the force being exerted by the slider in the forward direction reaches a level substantially equal to a predetermined threshold. This apparatus can be employed in association with a continuous band sealing apparatus. The means for blocking forward movement of the slider at a predetermined position inside the channel are a pair of spring-loaded plungers, e.g., ball plungers. If the slider end stop is weak, the slider will be pulled off the advancing package and will fall onto an ejection ramp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Nigel D. Knight, Donald L. Crevier
  • Patent number: 6935502
    Abstract: An industrial reel wrap is designed for wrapping an industrial reel having a central spool and a pair of end plates connected thereto. The reel wrap includes a central portion that is spannable across a distance between the end plates of the reel. The reel wrap additionally includes first and second side portions that are coupled to the central portion. The first and second side portions each include a number of tabs along the length of the reel wrap. The tabs are securable to the exterior surface of each the end plates, the first and last of the tabs are preferably overlapped to completely enclose the industrial reel. The tabs are separated from the central portion by a double crease seam to enable easier folding of the tabs. The reel wrap may be scored to enable compact folding for shipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: Diversi-Plast Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark S. Stoll, Richard J. Morris, Gary G. Urbanski
  • Patent number: 6931816
    Abstract: A packaging mechanism has a loading bed moveable between a loading position and a second position. A plate-like member is moveable with respect to the loading bed between a retracted position for loading and a second position for package sealing. The plate-like member has a hinged portion. A sealing member is positioned at an end of the hinged portion. The sealing member seals a wrap about a sequenced group of product to form a package when the plate-like member is positioned over the loading bed. A clamping, cutting and serrate mechanism is positioned proximate to the loading bed when the loading bed is in the first position. The clamping, cutting and serrate mechanism clamps, cuts and serrates the wrap. A method of packaging is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventor: J. Edward Roth
  • Patent number: 6928789
    Abstract: Assembly and method for collecting together different goods to form a pack and to pack these in an outer packaging. Streams of goods are always fed to a collection conveyor with feed conveyors. Each stream consists of the same goods and these are buffered at the discharge end of the feed conveyor. At a suitable point in time these are placed on the collection conveyor using an ejection device. The collection conveyor consists of a number of track compartments that move past the conveyor. A group of goods placed one after the other is arranged in each track compartment, which group is ultimately compacted to give a pack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: BluePrint Holding B.V.
    Inventor: Nicolaas Martin Prakken
  • Patent number: 6928790
    Abstract: A medication filling apparatus for filling a predetermined container with medications, such as tablets, provide improved assemblability and maintainability, and permits safe and reliable filling operations, while maintaining a compact size. The medication filling apparatus is equipped with a plurality of tablet cases for accommodating medications of respective types, a plurality of hoppers provided side by side below the respective tablet cases in a corresponding manner to receive the medications dispensed therefrom, and charging means for guiding the medications dispensed from a dispensing port formed at the bottommost portion of each hopper to a predetermined container and for charging them, and is further equipped with retaining members on which the hoppers are hung, wherein the hoppers are detachably installed to the retaining members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideyuki Takahashi, Hitoshi Ishiwatari, Manabu Haraguchi, Toshihiko Ota
  • Patent number: 6926487
    Abstract: In a method and apparatus for manufacturing articles (e.g., opening tabs) to be included in cans, a metal strip is fed into an article forming unit in which the metal strip is punched and stamped to form the articles. Before the article forming operation, the strip is provided with laser engravings on at least one of its upper and lower surfaces. The laser engravings are provided on the strip when the strip is in an immobilized condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: Rexam AB
    Inventor: Manfred Jendick
  • Patent number: 6925783
    Abstract: Apparatus for packaging a plurality of objects, the apparatus including (i) a vacuum chamber housing which defines an opening sized and configured to receive, and be placed in a substantially sealed relationship with, a planar member having a bottom surface and a top surface, which top surface in turn defines an array of recesses, each of the recesses being sized and configured to receive one of the objects, and which planar member further defines a plurality of fluid passageways extending through the planar member, each of the plurality of fluid passageways opening in a respective one of the recesses defined by the planar member and extending completely through the planar member to a passageway opening in the bottom surface of the planar member, (ii) a support member pivotally attached to the vacuum chamber and sized and configured to receive a sheet which forms an array of blister-like chambers for receiving at least a portion of the plurality of objects, and (iii) a switch configured for operative connecti
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Inventor: Walter G. Pearson
  • Patent number: 6922975
    Abstract: A cosmetic material sheet which comprises a sheet substrate 1 having, on an upper surface thereof, a large number of concave portions 5 arranged in a checkered pattern, a foundation layer 6 provided at a given position on the upper surface of the sheet substrate 1 in a state of covering arbitrary concave portions 5 out of a large number of concave portions 5, and a protective cover 3 attached releaseably on the upper surface of the sheet substrate 1 in a state of covering the foundation layer 6, wherein each concave portion 5 has an oblong shape in a plan view and has a bottom part thereof formed into a curved plane of a dish shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Assignee: Kanebo Cosmetics, Inc.
    Inventors: Nobuo Shiraishi, Kazuyuki Mimuro, Yohei Aonuma, Yukio Hishinuma, Norio Arai
  • Patent number: 6918524
    Abstract: A staple storage unit (10/20) allows the effective and easy removal of jammed staples (200) from the inside of the apparatus (100) by attracting jammed staples to the staple storage unit. The staple storage unit can be removed from the stapler apparatus frame. The staple storage unit is detachably mounted to a stapler apparatus provided with a storage unit (10) storing staples and a guide unit (20) to guide staples in this storage unit to a staple driving unit (103). The stapler includes staple attracting member (24) in the apex of a staple driving unit on the guide unit (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignees: ACCO Brands, Inc., NISCA Corporation
    Inventors: Naoto Mochizuki, Toshiro Fukasawa
  • Patent number: 6918225
    Abstract: A transportable container for bulk goods and a method for forming the container are disclosed. The transportable container is formed from a bag having a closed base and an open top. The open top is in a folded over position and a bottom support is located adjacent to the closed base. A particulate material is filled into the bag and an outer wrap is spirally wrapped around the bottom support and the bag such that the outer wrap secures the bag to the bottom support and secures the open top in the folded over position. The method for forming the transportable container includes the steps of securing the open top of the bag in an opened position and supporting a base of the bag. The bag is filled to a predetermined level with a particulate material and while being filled the fill level of the particulate material in the bag is monitored. Simultaneously with filling of the bag, an outer wrap is spirally wrapped around the bag in an upward direction to a predetermined fill level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: Kellogg Company
    Inventors: David C. Ours, Randall L. Cary
  • Patent number: 6912828
    Abstract: A method for packaging a product in a hermetically sealed container having a cup-shaped rigid or semi-rigid body with a rim fitted with a closure, the method comprising introducing the product into the cup-like shaped body. Forming an isolated space with a gas inlet and a gas outlet, the space defined between the body and a closure-forming member adjacent to and with a clearance from the rim. Introducing a replacement gas through the inlet to replace at least a substantial portion of gas originally contained in the isolated space, and displacing at least one of the body or the closure-forming member towards the other of the two members to close the clearance and to attach the closure-forming member to the rim, and hermetically attaching the two to one another to form a gas-tight steel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignee: Hefestus Ltd.
    Inventor: Yehuda Yamay
  • Patent number: 6910996
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing a honeycomb structure in a continuous production process includes five process stations. At Station 1 sheets of deformable material are interleaved with a release ply to form a five layer sandwich. At Station 2 the five layer sandwich is corrugated. At Station 3 the two deformable sheets are separated and an adhesive is applied to one. At Station 4 the two deformable sheets are connected to form a single layer honeycomb structure. And at Station 5 a plurality of single layer honeycomb structures are cut and stacked to form a honeycomb structure of a desired thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Inventor: Nicholas John Patz
  • Patent number: 6910316
    Abstract: A vehicle shield device includes a hood protector region and hood attachment region. The hood protector region is constructed for extending across at least a portion of a vehicle hood for protecting the vehicle hood. The hood protector region includes at least one flexible region for allowing folding of the hood protector region to provide the vehicle shield device in a folded configuration that is shorter than the full length of the vehicle shield device as it would be provided when mounted to a vehicle hood so that the vehicle shield device can be packaged and shipped in the folded configuration. The hood protector region and the hood attachment region can be provided from a molded and continuous plastic sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: Lund International, Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan Peter Espinose, Roger Kent Gibson
  • Patent number: 6907712
    Abstract: A freight protection apparatus is disclosed which includes an enclosure for protecting freight shaped in the from of an open box, having an opening, first, second, third, and fourth sides, and a top portion, which enclose a chamber. The enclosure may have attached to it first and second straps which can be used to securely attach the enclosure to freight or to a collection of freight. The first and second straps each may have a first end which is in the form of a loop and a second end which is attached to an attachment device. The first and second straps can be connected together to attach the enclosure to the freight. First and second metal plates may be provided to further prevent the enclosure from being separated from the collection of freight. Locks with unique serial numbers may be provided for locking the first and second straps together. A method is disclosed comprising placing such an enclosure over a collection freight, and securing said enclosure to said freight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Inventor: Jeffrey Garfinkle
  • Patent number: 6904738
    Abstract: A method and a unit for packing groups of products, each group of products is fed together with a respective blank at a loading station to a radial first seat of a first wheel, the blank is first folded into a U and then completely folded about the group to form a packed group, the packed group is then transferred together with a sheet of overwrapping material at a transfer station to a radial second seat of a second wheel, the sheet of overwrapping material is first folded into a U and then folded completely about the packed group to form an overwrapped group; the blank and the sheet of overwrapping material both being fed successively to the same gripper associated with the first seat and fitted to the first wheel at a location downstream from the first seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: G.D Societa' per Azioni
    Inventors: Mario Spatafora, Alver Tacchi
  • Patent number: 6898923
    Abstract: Creased paper board packages are unstacked, separated and conveyed. Discs are loaded into dimensionally controlled trays using relatively fine alignment, placement and assembly tolerances. Subsequently, the disc-loaded trays are assembled onto less dimensionally controlled tray-holding panels on creases paper boards using relatively less stringent tolerances. Booklets are inserted in pockets in panels adjacent the disc-holding panels, and the paper board packages are closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2005
    Assignee: Sagoma Plastics Corporation
    Inventor: John A. Gelardi
  • Patent number: 6898922
    Abstract: Flat objects (10) are packaged with a packaging material (1) that is supplied as a quasi-endless web. The packaging material (1) is gripped at one of its surfaces by gripping elements (6), which are spaced from on another. During conveyance of the packaging material (1) by the gripping elements (6), the distances between the gripping elements (6) are reduced and the packaging material (1) is made to buckle between the gripping elements to one side, forming a string of bags (1?). During further conveyance these bags (1?) are charged with the flat objects (10), are severed from the string of bags, and are sealed. The packaging material, which is supplied, with its width aligned essentially horizontally, is gripped from above by the gripping elements (6) and therefore buckles downwards by gravity, and the bags are charged from above.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2005
    Assignee: Ferag AG
    Inventor: Walter Reist
  • Patent number: 6895728
    Abstract: The purpose of this invention is to provide a packaging method and a packaging device in which a loading work and an unloading work for a packaged item performed by an operator can be reduced, a longitudinal length of the device can be made short and it can be manufactured in less-expensive manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Assignee: Teraoka Seiko Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideaki Kondo
  • Patent number: 6892514
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for wrapping bundles of printed matter by placing a folded film sheet around such bundles when these are conveyed to and through a wrapping station. The apparatus includes a lower, through-going belt conveyor with mutually separated conveyor straps and a couple of overhead band conveyors in line with each other creating a transverse gap between them. Below the spaces between the lower conveyor straps and just below the gap a transverse row of compressed air nozzles directed upwards is arranged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2005
    Assignee: Schur Packaging Systems A/S
    Inventor: Ernst Dahl Kragh