With Advancing Of Tube Axially Patents (Class 493/302)
  • Patent number: 11373642
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a voice interaction method, system, terminal device and medium. The method comprises the following operations performed by a terminal device: performing voice recognition on collected voice signals to acquire an input sentence; semantically matching the input sentence with cached sample sentences to determine whether there is a sample sentence having the same or similar semantics as the input sentence among the cached sample sentences; if yes, acquiring cached response content corresponding to the sample sentence having the same or similar semantics as the input sentence as response content of the input sentence; if not, sending the input sentence to a server; receiving from the server response content acquired by the server through semantic understanding according to a knowledge base stored on the server; and responding to the input sentence according to the response content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yingjie Li
  • Patent number: 11260999
    Abstract: A thermoforming packaging machine that includes a film holder for receiving a lower film supply roll and one behind the other in a sequential arrangement along a production direction a pretreatment station for pretreating the lower film web, a forming station for forming troughs in the lower film web by thermoforming, an insertion line for filling the troughs with products and a sealing station for sealing the troughs with a top film. A transport device is configured to transport the lower film web along the production direction through the pretreatment station, further to the forming station, further to the insertion line and finally to the sealing station. A deflection unit arranged at least partially below the pretreatment station is configured to deflect the lower film web before reaching the pretreatment station. The pretreatment station may include a punching or slitting unit to punch or slit the lower film web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: MULTIVAC SEPP HAGGENMUELLER SE & CO. KG
    Inventor: Elmar Ehrmann
  • Patent number: 11148839
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a device for packaging drug portions, including a plurality of reservoir and dispensing stations, at least one conveyance and collecting apparatus, a packaging material feed, a packaging device, a folding and conveyance device included with the packaging device, a guide device including a receiving segment and a conveying segment, the conveying segment extending along the passage of the folding and conveyance device and guides drug portions into the tubular packaging material web, a first joining device arranged downstream of the folding and conveyance device, and a second joining device arranged downstream of the first joining device, which joins the tubular packaging material web at pre-specified intervals with respect to the direction of movement of the tubular packaging material, such that a continuous blister tube is created.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: BECTON DICKINSON ROWA GERMANY GMBH
    Inventor: Dietmar Gross
  • Patent number: 11117691
    Abstract: An automatic packaging machine, comprising an input conveyor belt, a reel holder, containing a reel of single-fold film, a contoured shaped film former, a sealing bar, a collecting device, an output conveyor belt, and a pulling device with at least an upper driving wheel and a lower driving wheel in contact with a layer of single-fold film interposed between said wheels which, rotating in opposite directions, move the single-fold film along the automatic packaging machine; a drive shaft, which transfers a rotational motion to the driving wheels to move the single-fold film along the automatic packaging machine; a lifting actuator, which moves the upper driving wheel away from the lower driving wheel (or vice versa) when sealing the single-fold film, so as to reduce the tension exerted by the driving wheels on the single-fold film during the sealing step and having a lifting actuator actuated by the drive shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Smipack S.p.A.
    Inventors: Marco Gasparini, Luca Pianetti
  • Patent number: 11046550
    Abstract: An assembly for folding polymeric film for machines for forming pouches and the like includes a fixed frame for supporting a magazine for the polymeric film, an element for folding the film that arrives from the magazine, and at least one heat-sealing device for the stable coupling of juxtaposed portions of the folded film that arrives from the folding element. The folding element is mounted on a carriage, which can translate along a respective guide which is integral with the frame, along the sliding direction of the film, with a speed that is variable in intensity and sign. The at least one heat-sealing device acts on portions folded onto themselves of the film during a temporary stop thereof. The carriage retracts with respect to the sliding direction of the film for the entire duration of the temporary stop step provided for the heat-sealing of the film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: ILAPAK ITALIA S.P.A.
    Inventors: Daniele Civolani, Francesco Marchioni
  • Patent number: 10953619
    Abstract: An improved former provides an insert at the lip of the former to enable packaging material to travel smoothly over the former. The insert lays smoothly on the top surface of the former. The insert is sized approximately one half the width of the packaging material that travels over the insert. The former provides a raised textured surface that enables the packaging material to travel over the former into the aperture. The insert constructed with a smooth top surface is located adjacent at least a portion of the aperture. The insert provides a smooth surface for the packaging material to travel across when entering the aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: TERMINELLA ENGINEERING CORPORATION
    Inventor: Joseph E. Terminella
  • Patent number: 10392142
    Abstract: A former assembly for forming and fabricating bags from flexible sheet material is provided. The former assembly can include a base plate having an aperture that extends from a first surface to a second surface thereof. A bracing post can be attached to the base plate on the first surface proximate the aperture. An annular space can be formed between the tube and the base plate. The annular space can be sized for the passage of the flexible sheet material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: J & F BUSINESS, INC.
    Inventors: John Dominguez, Jr., John Dominguez, III
  • Patent number: 10195790
    Abstract: There is described a forming assembly (10b) for forming a plurality of sealed packs (3) starting from a tube (2) of packaging material, comprising first conveying means (15b) movable along a first path (Q) comprising: a first operative branch (Q1), which has a main elongation direction parallel to an advancing direction (A) of the tube (2); and a first return branch (Q2) comprising an initial portion (35b) which is arranged immediately downstream of the operative branch (Q1) and extends transversally to the advancing direction (A); first conveying means (14b, 15b, 14b?) comprise one of a sealing element (22b) or a counter-sealing element (22a); and a first half-shell (21b), which is movable along the operative branch (Q1) between: a first rest position, in which it is detached from the tube (2) or the formed pack (3); and a first operative position, in which it grips the tube (2) or the formed pack (3); the first half-shell (21b) is arranged in the first operative position along a first portion (34b) of the f
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: TETRA LAVAL HOLDINGS & FINANCE S.A.
    Inventors: Paolo Fontanazzi, Massimo Pradelli, Fabrizio Rimondi
  • Patent number: 10011423
    Abstract: A cutting device (200) includes a receiver (404) and a translating head (403). The receiver includes a mounting plate (407) with a first fastener delivery device (307) and a second fastener delivery device (308) coupled thereto. A first gatherer (410) and a second gatherer (411) each extend distally from the mounting plate between the first fastener delivery device and the second fastener delivery device. A cutter (416) extends distally from the mounting plate between the first gatherer and the second gatherer. The translating head includes a complementary cutter (425) to engage the cutter to impart a scissor cutting action as the translating head translates toward the receiver. The translating head can also optionally include a third gatherer (423), a fourth gatherer (424), a first bender (421), and a second bender (422) as well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Medline Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Megan Henken, Derek Roberts, Brendan Fong, Alex Hay
  • Patent number: 9612216
    Abstract: A device to inspect a longitudinal heat seal in tubular bag material. The seal is formed by a heated sealing bar (14). Downstream of the bar (14) is a heat sensing camera (20) that sends a signal to a central processing unit (21). The unit (21) will then identify any faults in the seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: TNA Australia Pty Limited
    Inventor: Alfred Alexander Taylor
  • Patent number: 9016178
    Abstract: An apparatus for cutting tubular members includes a support structure, a control system, a cutting station, a guide and an extracting assembly. The cutting station includes a first wheel having at least one cutting member located on the circumference of the first wheel and a second wheel having at least one projection located on the circumference of the second wheel. The extracting assembly has a cylindrical member with a first end and a second end. The cylindrical member also includes a pair of grooves extending along a portion of the interior thereof. The grooves decrease in height and depth from the first interior section to the third interior section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Inventor: Lewis W. Wadsworth
  • Patent number: 8713902
    Abstract: A bag-making and packaging machine includes a forming mechanism, a vertical sealing mechanism, a transverse sealing mechanism and a receiving member. The forming mechanism is configured to roll a sheet-shaped packaging material into a cylindrical shape to form a cylindrical packaging material. The vertical sealing mechanism is configured and arranged to seal an overlapping portion of the cylindrical packaging material with heat vertically along a direction in which the cylindrical packaging material extends. The receiving member is attached to the forming mechanism in a position facing the vertical sealing mechanism, and configured and arranged to sandwich the overlapping portion together with the vertical sealing mechanism. The receiving member has elasticity with which the receiving member presses the overlapping portion toward the vertical sealing mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Ishida Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideshi Miyamoto
  • Patent number: 8707662
    Abstract: A packaging machine for producing sealed packages from a web of packaging material having a surface of uneven thickness comprises a pressure roller to press the surface against a corresponding forming roller for sealing the package. The pressure roller comprises an elastically deformable body; and a core of greater rigidity housed therein, with the core comprising a first end surface cooperating with the body, and a radially inner second end surface. The core includes a first portion and a second portion, with the radial distance between the first and second surface at the first portion being greater than at the second portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A.
    Inventors: Roberto Borsari, Stefano Costa, Claudio Ferrari
  • Patent number: 8522516
    Abstract: A packaging machine includes a packaging machine main body, a film transport unit, a former and a former insertion guide assembly. The film transport unit is coupled to the packaging main body to transport a film from a first end part of the packaging main body towards a second end part of the packaging main body opposite from the first end part. The former is disposed in the second end part of the packaging main body to form the film transported by the film transport unit into a cylindrical shape and to direct the film downwards. The former insertion guide assembly is configured and arranged to guide the former to a predetermined position in the second end part of the packaging machine main body while the former is rotated from a lateral side of the packaging machine main body when the former is mounted to the packaging machine main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Ishida Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Ichikawa, Masashi Kondo
  • Patent number: 8388785
    Abstract: A method for effecting a repair and/or strengthening of a pipe. The method comprises cleaning an affected area of a surface of the pipe to provide a cleaned surface of the pipe surface for an area requiring repair; applying a continuous strip around the pipe from a portion prior to the effected area and allowing the continuous strip to extend to a portion after the affected area. The continuous strip forms a spiral sleeve spaced from the pipe surface to provide an annular chamber between the pipe surface and the spiral sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Merit Technologies SDN BHD
    Inventor: Jeffrey Richard De Jong
  • Patent number: 7526906
    Abstract: A forming apparatus is provided for forming a film into a sleeve around a filling tube. The forming apparatus has contact surface geometry that is contacted by the film as it travels thereacross configured to ensure smooth forming of the film into the sleeve. Smooth forming of the film into the sleeve is achieved, in part, by reducing longitudinal tensile forces in the film, by selecting the contact surface geometry to minimize transverse variations in tensile forces in the film, and by having contact edges of the contact surfaces shaped to reduce unnecessary stresses in the film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: Kraft Foods Global Brands LLC
    Inventor: Christian Laplace
  • Patent number: 7523597
    Abstract: A self-aligning former assembly has a single-point mount for attachment to an automated form/fill/seal packaging machine. Substantially rectangular apertures in a plurality of mounting brackets are configured to fit snugly on corresponding substantially rectangular shoulders formed on a mounting post. The configuration inhibits pivoting motion of the former on the mounting post. In an illustrated embodiment, the mounting post is attached to a base plate with a plurality of spaced-apart fasteners which prevent rotational movement of the mounting post relative to the base plate. Radial attachments are used in the illustrated embodiment to secure the funnel portion of a product feed tube to the mounting apparatus. Paired upper and lower mounting brackets permit precise alignment of the device prior to affixing the radial attachments to the mounting brackets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: J & F Business, Inc.
    Inventors: John Dominguez, Jr., John Dominguez, III
  • Patent number: 7415809
    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: August 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: TNA Australia Pty Limited
    Inventor: Alfred A. Taylor
  • Patent number: 7258122
    Abstract: A forming device applied to a cigarette manufacturing machine causes a garniture tape 10 to travel through a wrapping section 8, and meanwhile wraps a shredded tobacco layer T in wrapping paper P to form continuously a cigarette rod R. The tape 10 is guided to travel by a forming guide 18 in the wrapping section 8, and is simultaneously bent to have a cross section of an arc that is downward convex. On the other hand, the travel of the tape 10 is guided by a pair of guide rollers 24 in upstream and downstream sides of the wrapping section 8, and the tape 10 is bent to have a cross section of an arc that is upward convex by guide surfaces of the rollers 24. Thus, difference of travel length, that is generated between both side edges and the central part of the tape 10 in the wrapping section 8, is offset by the guide rollers 24.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Assignee: Japan Tobacco Inc.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Okamoto
  • Patent number: 7152387
    Abstract: A packaging machine former (10) having a base (11) upon which there is mounted a former member (12). Strip bag material passes over the member (12) to be arranged from a strip configuration to a tubular configuration into which product to be packaged is delivered. The base (11) and member (12) have passages through which a gas is delivered to be included with the product in the bags being formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2006
    Assignee: TNA Australia Pty Limited
    Inventor: Alfred Alexander Taylor
  • 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: 7003929
    Abstract: A forming apparatus is provided for forming a film into a sleeve around a filling tube. The forming apparatus has contact surface geometry that is contacted by the film as it travels thereacross configured to ensure smooth forming of the film into the sleeve. Smooth forming of the film into the sleeve is achieved, in part, by reducing longitudinal tensile forces in the film, by selecting the contact surface geometry to minimize transverse variations in tensile forces in the film, and by having contact edges of the contact surfaces shaped to reduce unnecessary stresses in the film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: Kraft Foods Holdings, Inc.
    Inventor: Christian Laplace
  • Patent number: 6951090
    Abstract: A packaging machine has a former with a guiding member and tube for forming an elongated bag-making material into a tubular form, a longitudinal sealer disposed on the front side of the tube for sealing mutually overlapping side edge parts of the tubularly formed bag-making material in a longitudinal direction and a transverse sealer for sealing the longitudinally sealed bag-making material in a transverse direction transverse to the longitudinal direction to thereby package articles dropped down. The tube has a conical part at the top and a cylindrical part extending downward from the conical part. The cylindrical part has an opening on the back side such that articles dropped through the interior of the tube can directly contact the bag-making material and will be prevented from becoming clogged. An unopened part may be provided to the cylindrical part of the tube below the opening in order to maintain a circular cross-sectional shape of the bag-making material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2005
    Assignee: Ishida Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masashi Kondo, Yukio Sasaki, Makoto Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 6761675
    Abstract: A tubular composite container includes a paperboard body ply wrapped into a tubular shape, and a polymer film liner ply wrapped into a tubular shape and adhered to the inner surface of the body ply. The liner ply has a circumferential length when unwrapped and flat that is less than that of the body ply so that the liner ply is substantially uncompressed circumferentially. A strip of polymer film liner material is wrapped onto a mandrel and overlapping edge portions of the liner strip are heat sealed together by first preheating the liner strip to a temperature below the sealing temperature of the heat seal material on the edge portions of the liner strip, and then further heating the overlap region of the liner strip to at least the sealing temperature to cause heat sealing of the edge portions. A paperboard strip is coated on an inner surface with adhesive and is then wrapped about the liner and adhered thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2004
    Assignee: Sonoco Development, Inc.
    Inventors: Mike Drummond, Alan Williams, Ray Adams
  • Patent number: 6729112
    Abstract: A tubular bagging machine in which expanding elements projecting away from the fill pipe are provided in order to create bags with welded edges. A separate longitudinal welding device for welding of an area adjacent to the edge of the tube is provided. It is thus possible to produce directly side-by-side a longitudinal seam and a welded edge. A bag-opening aid or a reclosing aid can be integrated into the longitudinal seam or the edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2004
    Assignee: Rovema Verpackungsmaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Gerhard Kuss, René Ohrisch, Harald Braun, Walter Baur
  • Patent number: 6699167
    Abstract: A cushioning conversion machine having a novel former around which a sheet material is folded to form an improved cushioning product. The former has longitudinally spaced side surfaces inclined from bottom to top toward a downstream end of the machine. The side surfaces cause the obstruction of the sheet stock material upstream of the side surfaces so that the sheet material crumples in the spaces upstream of the side surfaces, thereby increasing the cushioning properties of pillow portions of the cushioning product. The former also has a centrally located base plate which minimizes crumpling in a central portion of the sheet material so that the folded over portions and the central portion can be connected to maintain more effectively the shape of the pillow portions in the resulting cushioning product. In addition, the former has a guard plate mounted above longitudinally spaced bottom edges extending laterally outwardly from the base plate and upstream from a vertical central plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: Ranpak Corp.
    Inventor: Thomas E. Manley
  • Patent number: 6610001
    Abstract: A cushioning conversion machine (20) including a conversion assembly (30) which converts a continuous sheet of multi-ply stock material (22) into a three dimensional cushioning product (32) and a stock supply assembly (550) which supplies the multi-ply stock material (22) to the conversion assembly (30). The conversion assembly (30) includes a forming assembly (52) which inwardly turns lateral portions of the stock material (22) as the stock material (22) travels therethrough in a downstream direction. The stock supply assembly (550) includes a separating device (574) and/or constant-entry device (580) designed to minimize tearing due to excessive tension in the lateral regions of the stock material (22). Additionally or alternatively, the forming assembly (52) includes a shaping member (590) having protrusions in its turning perimeter and/or holding surface to modify the shape of the cushioning product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignee: Ranpak Corp.
    Inventors: Joseph J. Harding, Richard O. Ratzel, Thomas E. Manley, Theo Corthout, Roger P. M. Rinkens, Pieter Fennema
  • Patent number: 6513308
    Abstract: A device for manufacturing tubular bag packages has a forming tube with a rectangular cross section. In order to produce reinforcing seams in a projection of the broad side walls of the tubular bag package, the device has a forming and folding device. The forming and folding device has two forming plates attached to the forming tube and a folding frame with folding plates. The relatively simply embodied device according to the invention makes it possible to form the reinforcing seams with less stress on the packaging material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2003
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Antonius Meeuwesen, Johannis Lambie, Adrianus Arie Vermaat, Barend Bastiaan Romijn
  • Patent number: 6454691
    Abstract: A method for making a tubular product of a fiber composite material is made up of the filament winding method and the sheet rolling method. The tubular product is formed of an inner layer and an outer layer. The inner layer is formed of a fiber tow by the filament winding method, whereas the outer layer is formed of one or more fiber sheets by the sheet rolling method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2002
    Inventor: Patrick Hsu
  • Patent number: 6428457
    Abstract: A former for forming an elongated planar bag-making material into a tubular form is composed of a hollow cylindrical tubular part and a shoulder part which has a planar guide section and is connected to the tubular part along a connecting line surrounding the tubular part. Both the tubular and shoulder parts are formed by cutting a tube-forming piece and a shoulder-forming piece from a flat blank sheet in appropriate shapes and bending these pieces into the shapes of the tubular and shoulder parts. The connecting line is designed such that the angle between its tangent and the axial direction of the tubular part changes at a constant rate. Portions of the edges of the tube-forming and shoulder-forming pieces may be in a shape of a parabola or a hyperbolic function curve, and these pieces are obtained by making a numerical control program from the desired shapes of the curve and controlling a laser cutter by the program to cut a blank sheet in the desired shapes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2002
    Assignee: Ishida Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masao Fukuda, Keiichi Nishimura
  • Patent number: 6162158
    Abstract: A sleeve label is fabricated from a sheet of polymeric material which is folded upon itself along at least three longitudinal fold lines, with the resulting four overlying layers then being joined together along a longitudinal seal line. The two outermost layers are longitudinally slit along the third fold line. The resulting structure forms a closed tube formed by the first two overlying layers, and two overlying separate flaps formed by the two outermost layers. By adding additional fold lines and additional slits, additional separate flaps can be formed to result in a structure in the nature of a multi-paged booklet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2000
    Assignee: Plastic Packaging Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph B. Mercer, Quy Thai
  • Patent number: 6131367
    Abstract: A form-fill-seal packaging machine has not only the basic elements such as devices for transporting a film and longitudinally and transversely sealing it but also a former and a chute formed integrally together as a former unit which is made detachably attachable to the frame structure of the packaging machine by an attachment mechanism. The former unit has wedge-shaped members, and the attachment mechanism includes a mobile member constrained to move linearly and a lever which is attached to the frame structure such that a one-touch operation to rotate this lever causes this mobile member to move towards or away from the wedge-shaped members on the former unit and to engage with them or disengage from them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2000
    Assignee: Ishida Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masao Fukuda, Michihiro Kubo
  • Patent number: 6106451
    Abstract: A method of producing a rectangular cross-section cardboard tubing by passing a plurality of cardboard strips having a thermoplastic coating thereon through a heating unit so as to hear the plurality of strips and melt the thermoplastic coating. Thereafter, the plurality of heated strips are passed through a guiding unit so as to align the strips in an overlapped configuration. The aligned plurality of strips are wound around an elongated, rectangular cross-section, rotating core so as to place the plurality of strips in an overlapped, spiral configuration along the core and form a tubing. The tubing is fed along the core, and a cutting unit cuts the tubing into lengths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2000
    Inventor: Ingmar Andreasson
  • Patent number: 6067778
    Abstract: A packaging container production method for forming tubular web from sheet-like web and producing hexahedral packaging containers, wherein in order to secure a prescribed web W feeding amount, the operating amount of lug folding flaps, which forms a sealing part on tubular web by pressing both sides of the tubular web while folding the same, is set an idealistic position, pressure is generated at a cylinder 16 by a control device 23 via a control valve 31, in compliance with the deviation of the detection mark such as a specified printing pattern on the printing surface on web W from the reference position when the same is detected, and the tension applied onto web W is adjusted by the dancer roller 9.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2000
    Assignee: Shikoku Kakoki Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidekimi Yamamoto, Akimasa Fujimoto, Michio Ueda
  • Patent number: 6052970
    Abstract: The invention is to provide a method and a device, etc. for molding tubes, free from any fear of the web being broken, which do not generate any wrinkle on a web when molding a plate-like web to rectangular parallelpiped packaging containers via a tubular web. In a tube molding method of the invention for molding a plate-like web to a tubular web while transferring the former along the roller surface formed by a plurality of rollers 11 through 13 of the molding roller 4, a roller supporting plate 16 is turned by a tightening member 29 while being position-regulated by a roller 25 attached to the roller attaching arm 23 so that web is transferred on the basis of the hypothetical center axis line (Point X) of the tubular web, which is formed by the roller surface constituted by the rollers 11 through 13, wherein the web in the lengthwise direction can be accurately transferred so that the same web takes a predetermined orientation of the rollers 11 through 13.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2000
    Assignee: Shikoku Kakoki Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akimasa Fujimoto, Hiroshi Katayama, Hidekimi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 6035615
    Abstract: A packaging unit (1) for continuously producing aseptic sealed packages (2), containing a pourable food product, from a tube (14) of packaging material filled with the food product; the unit (1) has a first and second chain conveyor (10, 11) respectively having a number of jaws (12) and a number of counter-jaws (13), which interact with and grip the tube (14) to heat-seal the tube at successive cross sections by means of induction heating elements (29) on the jaws (12); and the jaws (12) and counter-jaws (13) are guided along respective work paths by pairs of cams (50, 51) having different profiles for controlling interaction of the jaws (12) and counter-jaws (13) with the tube (14) of packaging material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2000
    Assignee: Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A.
    Inventors: Lennart Hansson, Felix Dunge
  • Patent number: 6019713
    Abstract: A tube-forming machine has a tube forming section for receiving webs of material and forming it into a tube. The tube-forming section has multiple sets of tube formers for forming different types of tubes, and the tube formers are supported on opposite sides of a former bed that is rotatable to bring one or the other of the sets of tube formers into operative position to form a tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2000
    Assignee: Union Camp Corporation
    Inventors: Theodore John Scypinski, Roger Kent Jacobson
  • Patent number: 5987860
    Abstract: Two spaced guiding plates for a wrapping device each have a first inclined face formed thereon and each of which faces the other, therefore, a V-shaped space is defined therebetween. An adjusting plate is securely mounted on a side of the wrapping device and has a second inclined face formed thereon. The first inclined face and the second inclined face are in line with each other, such that edges of a sheet of material for wrapping a article are able to be guided by the first inclined face and the second inclined face. With the help of the guiding plates and the adjusting plate, the present invention is able to precisely guide edges of the sheet of material and to efficiently wrap the article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Inventor: Terry Yang
  • Patent number: 5957823
    Abstract: A folding mechanism for a bag knitting apparatus which is intended to fold inwardly the text-printed sides of the double-layer material strip to overcome the problems of conventional bag knitting apparatus. The folding mechanism comprises a clamping roller set, a folding rod set, a supporting set, and a pressing wheel set. The double-layer material strip to be folded is opened to enclose the lower end of the folding rod set such that the sides are positioned between groove surfaces formed on the outer sides of the folding rod set and the pressing wheel set. The material strip is folded as it passes upward between the groove surfaces of the folding rod set and the pressing wheel set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1999
    Inventor: K. S. Fan
  • Patent number: 5862652
    Abstract: To avoid the folding of a flat tubular bag 1, which has been set up supported on its bottom-side cross seam 4, a welding seam 7, 8 reinforcing the tubular bag 1 is provided along at least one edge 5, 6. A further tubular bag 101 is introduced, where on the side folds 110, 111 of which the edges 105, 106 have welding seams 107, 108. Because of the welding seams 107, 108, the stability of the tubular bag 101 is improved. The longitudinal seam 2, 102 in the two tubular bags 1, 101 extends in a reinforcing welding seam 7, 107. The tubular bagging machine 14 for the manufacture of the tubular bag 1, 101 has at least one expanding element on the fill pipe 20 for expanding the film tube 21. A longitudinal welding device 22 is provided following the expanding element 27 in film feeding direction (FIGS. 7, 8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1999
    Assignee: Rovema Packaging Machines, L.P.
    Inventor: Wolfgang Schoeler
  • Patent number: 5848517
    Abstract: For use in forming a web W into a tubular shape, and heat-sealing an inner surface of outer edge of the web and an outer surface of inner edge of the web to provide a lap, a web heating device for heating the outer edge inner surface of the web with hot air before heat-sealing comprises transport means for transporting the web W along a predetermined path, a nozzle 27 having hot air outlet openings 67 directed outward as opposed to the outer edge inner surface of the web W to be transported by the transport means, and a baffle plate 32 so disposed as to be opposed to the hot air outlet openings 67 with the outer edge of the web W positioned therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1998
    Assignee: Shikoku Kakoki Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidekimi Yamamoto, Fumiyuki Iwano, Kojiro Hayashi, Michio Ueda
  • Patent number: 5833592
    Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus for spirally winding a tube of enhanced spiral seam uniformity that is simple and reliable. The spirally wound tube is formed using a spiral pitch control surface that engages with an exterior or interior cylindrical surface of a spirally wound tube and constrains movement of the tube to a predetermined spiral rotation as it is formed on a cylindrical stationary mandrel. Preferably, the pitch control surface comprises a tube engaging surface positioned along at least one spirally aligned portion of the exterior portion of the tube forming mandrel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1998
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventors: David Howard, Jean Paul Languillat, Johannes Wilhelmus van de Camp
  • Patent number: 5813964
    Abstract: A forming roller or a supporting roller for a packaging material web used for a liquid container according to the present invention comprises a plurality of rollers with outer peripheral surface thereof curved in axial direction of a rotating shaft, and the plurality of rollers are arranged at positions for forming a planar packaging material web into tubular shape or at positions for supporting the packaging material web after it has been formed into tubular shape. Each roller is divided into a plurality of roller portions by planes perpendicular to a rotating shaft thereof. The packaging material web is passed between the plurality of rollers, and the surface of the packaging material web is brought into contact with outer peripheral surface of the plurality of rollers. When said packaging material web is transported, each of the divided roller portions of the rollers is independently rotated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1998
    Assignee: Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A.
    Inventor: Tatsumi Motomura
  • Patent number: 5799470
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a packing machine for packing articles (4) in a film (5), with a tube shaping device (1) for shaping a tube from a film which is substantially flat prior to tube shaping and a transporting device (2) for transporting the articles into the tube, the tube shaping device having several pairs of shaping edges (12, 17, 18) for deflecting or reversing the film. The packing machine is characterized in that the shaping edges (12, 17, 18) are positioned relative to one another in such a way that the path over the shaping edges along lines parallel to the borders (11) of the film (5) from an entrance of the film into the tube shaping device (1) up to its exit therefrom, is shorter in the vicinity of the film borders than in a central region of the film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1998
    Assignee: Kallfass Verpackungsmaschinen GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Manfred Sautter, Hannes Neumuller, Jens Kallfass
  • Patent number: 5743066
    Abstract: A longitudinal sealer for a bag maker-packaging machine is controlled such that when an abnormal condition is detected and the operation of the machine is stopped temporarily and then restarted after the abnormal condition is removed, the mechanism for moving the film and the heater for heating edge parts of the film to seal them together are deactivated and reactivated, but not both at the same time. Deactivation of the heater is delayed after that of the mechanism for moving the fill and/or reactivation of the movement of the film is delayed after that of the heater such that the film is certain to be longitudinally well sealed in spite of the interruption of the sealing operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1998
    Assignee: Ishida Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masao Fukuda, Yukio Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 5715647
    Abstract: In a device for the formation of the longitudinal seam of a tubular foil, a flexible foil is placed around a formatting tube by means of a formatting shoulder. The device has a transporting device for moving of the foil and the formed tubular foil. The invention provides two opposingly rotating sealing bands which are pressed against one another clamping the two longitudinal edges o the foil for welding of the longitudinal seam of the tubular foil. One of the sealing bands can be heated by means of a heating device. Both sealing bands can be heated and the device designed as a tubular bagging machine. The invention has the advantage that the deflection of the longitudinal seam from its true path is avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1998
    Assignee: Rovema Verpackungsmaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Dieter Keim, Harald Braun, Werner Schneider, Walter Baur
  • Patent number: 5715656
    Abstract: A form-fill-seal machine in which any of a selection of change parts assemblies can be slid into and out of mounting slots and secured in proper alignment by a hand operated toggle lock mechanism. A pair of stops are provide on the forming shoulder of the change part that correspond to the diameter of the forming tube. An articulated floating vacuum pull belt arrangement, having stops that engage the stops on the forming shoulder, automatically aligns itself with the change parts assembly. The film cage is adjustable for film tracking and can be tilted to a position that permits the film roll to be loaded without the need of a power hoist. The film tracking and film cage tilting are on a common axis, which simplifies the design and reduces the parts. The tiltable film cage has the added advantage of improving the access to the inside area of the machine when the film cage is tilted to the load position. This feature of the invention also reduces the overall size of the machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1998
    Assignee: Triangle Package Machinery Corporation
    Inventor: Larry N. Pearce
  • Patent number: 5713824
    Abstract: A method is provided of manufacturing an easy-open container. A bodywall layer strip is positioned on a wider liner layer strip to define first and second edge portions on the side of the wider liner layer which extends transversely beyond the bodywall layer side edges. These layers are fed to a mandrel and the first liner layer edge portion is folded-over onto an outside surface of the bodywall layer and a high strength bond is formed therebetween. The resulting layers are spirally wound on the mandrel to form a continuous tube having a spiral seam with the bodywall layer side edges forming a butt joint and with each of the first and second liner layer edge portions extending through the butt joint and out of the spiral seam. The second liner layer edge portion is positioned on the first folded-over liner layer edge portion and a low strength bond is formed therebetween. A flexible label layer is spirally wound onto the tube on the mandrel with its longitudinal edges in overlapped relationship.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 3, 1998
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventors: Michael T. Drummond, Calvin G. Hill, Richard M. Lowman, Jr., William C. Suski, Rodney W. Roberts, James W. Lowry
  • Patent number: 5707329
    Abstract: A narrow profile forming collar for forming thermoplastic tubes from a continuous web has a soldered and welded sheet metal construction which provides a compact, rigid forming collar particularly adapted to replace wide profile forming collars. A small unobtrusive mounting bracket is contained fully within the envelope of the forming collar, except for mounting surfaces on the opposite ends which are utilized to support the fill tube and, if needed, an auxiliary web feed roll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 13, 1998
    Inventors: George H. Pool, Dan R. Free
  • Patent number: 5685132
    Abstract: A bag forming, filling and sealing machine for producing bag packages with a base or block bottom comprising a forming tube whose lower part has two segments that accomplish a transition from a circular inlet cross section to a rectangular outlet cross section via a square intermediate cross section. As a result of the intermediate cross section, differences in length longitudinally along the jacket lines from the circular inlet cross section to the rectangular outlet cross section of the forming tube are virtually equalized. As a result, bulging and corrugation of the packaging material at the side faces of the bag packages is virtually precluded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 11, 1997
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Barend Baastian Romijn, Alfred Wijkhuizen