US3584431A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus of filling and sealing cups
Assignee: Phillips Petroleum Co
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Filing: 1969-07-24
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Granted: 1971-06-15
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Expires: 1989-07-24
Abstract
Abstract Method and apparatus are disclosed wherein a plurality of vertical, supported, nested, rimmed containers are denested individually and sequentially placed on a conveyor means wherein they are reciprocally advanced to a filling station where the container is filled. The containers are subsequently advanced to a cover applying station wherein a cover is heat sealed to the container after being removed from a source and trimmed to the approximate size of the container. Subsequently, the covered container is advanced to a cutting and crimping station wherein the remaining covering is cut off and the covering mechanically crimped around the container.
Inventors
- 👤 John S Flavelle
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 14:01
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65B; B65B7/00; B65B7/01; B65B43/00; B65B43/42; B65B43/44; B65B7/16; B65B7/28; B65B7/2842; B65B7/2878
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
9 words
A SOURCE OF FLUID FOR FILLING SAID CONTAINERS, AND
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
9 words
A SOURCE OF FLUID FOR FILLING SAID CONTAINERS, AND
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
MAGAZINE MEANS FOR RECEIVING AND POSITIONING A STACK OF NESTED, PERIPHERALLY EXTERNAL RIMMED CONTAINERS IN A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL POSITION ABOVE SAID CONVEYOR MEANS,
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
MAGAZINE MEANS FOR RECEIVING AND POSITIONING A STACK OF NESTED, PERIPHERALLY EXTERNAL RIMMED CONTAINERS IN A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL POSITION ABOVE SAID CONVEYOR MEANS,
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
47 words
MEANS ACTUATED BY SAID RECIPROCAL MOTION MEANS TO SUPPORT, DURING A FIRST PORTION OF SAID RECIPROCATING CYCLE, SAID STACK OF NESTED CONTAINERS BY SUPPORTING THE LOWER REGION OF SAID LOWERMOST CONTAINER, SAID MEANS WITHDRAWING SUPPORT OF SAID STACK DURING A SECOND PORTION OF SAID RECIPROCATING CYCLE, AND
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
47 words
MEANS ACTUATED BY SAID RECIPROCAL MOTION MEANS TO SUPPORT, DURING A FIRST PORTION OF SAID RECIPROCATING CYCLE, SAID STACK OF NESTED CONTAINERS BY SUPPORTING THE LOWER REGION OF SAID LOWERMOST CONTAINER, SAID MEANS WITHDRAWING SUPPORT OF SAID STACK DURING A SECOND PORTION OF SAID RECIPROCATING CYCLE, AND
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
132 words
A PUMPING CYLINDER MEANS ACTUATED BY SAID RECIPROCAL MOTION MEANS AND A CHECK VALVE, SAID PUMPING CYLINDER, AND CHECK VALVE BEING CONNECTED WITH SUITABLE CONDUITS AND ADAPTED TO CONDUCT SAID FLUID FROM SAID SOURCE, THROUGH SAID PUMPING CYLINDER AND CHECK VALVE, AND DISCHARGE SAID FILLING MATERIAL INTO SAID CONTAINER; C. SAID CRIMPING MEANS FURTHER COMPRISES A CRIMPING HEAD PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON CAM BARS ATTACHED TO SAID FRAME SO THAT DURING RECIPROCATING MOTION SAID CAM BARS STRIKE A CAM FOLLOWER ATTACHED TO SAID CONVEYOR MEANS AND CAUSE SAID CRIMPING HEAD TO CRIMP; AND D. SAID CUTTING MEANS COMPRISES A CUTTING BLADE DEPENDING FROM SAID CAM BARS WHICH MOUNT SAID CRIMPING HEAD, SAID CUTTING BLADE THUS CUTTING THE CRIMPED CONTAINER COVER FREE FROM SAID CONTINUOUS WEB WHEN SAID CAM BARS STRIKE SAID CAM FOLLOWER.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
132 words
A PUMPING CYLINDER MEANS ACTUATED BY SAID RECIPROCAL MOTION MEANS AND A CHECK VALVE, SAID PUMPING CYLINDER, AND CHECK VALVE BEING CONNECTED WITH SUITABLE CONDUITS AND ADAPTED TO CONDUCT SAID FLUID FROM SAID SOURCE, THROUGH SAID PUMPING CYLINDER AND CHECK VALVE, AND DISCHARGE SAID FILLING MATERIAL INTO SAID CONTAINER; C. SAID CRIMPING MEANS FURTHER COMPRISES A CRIMPING HEAD PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON CAM BARS ATTACHED TO SAID FRAME SO THAT DURING RECIPROCATING MOTION SAID CAM BARS STRIKE A CAM FOLLOWER ATTACHED TO SAID CONVEYOR MEANS AND CAUSE SAID CRIMPING HEAD TO CRIMP; AND D. SAID CUTTING MEANS COMPRISES A CUTTING BLADE DEPENDING FROM SAID CAM BARS WHICH MOUNT SAID CRIMPING HEAD, SAID CUTTING BLADE THUS CUTTING THE CRIMPED CONTAINER COVER FREE FROM SAID CONTINUOUS WEB WHEN SAID CAM BARS STRIKE SAID CAM FOLLOWER.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
59 words
MEANS ACTUATED BY SAID RECIPROCAL MOTION MEANS TO SUPPORT SAID STACK OF NESTED CONTAINERS BY ENGAGING THE RIM OF THE NEXT TO LOWERMOST CONTAINER DURING SAID SECOND PORTION OF THE RECIPROCATING CYCLE AND DISCHARGE ONTO SAID CONVEYOR MEANS DURING SAID SECOND PORTION OF THE RECIPROCATING CYCLE THE LOWERMOST CONTAINER FROM THE NESTED STACK; B. SAID FILLING MEANS FURTHER COMPRISES:
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
59 words
MEANS ACTUATED BY SAID RECIPROCAL MOTION MEANS TO SUPPORT SAID STACK OF NESTED CONTAINERS BY ENGAGING THE RIM OF THE NEXT TO LOWERMOST CONTAINER DURING SAID SECOND PORTION OF THE RECIPROCATING CYCLE AND DISCHARGE ONTO SAID CONVEYOR MEANS DURING SAID SECOND PORTION OF THE RECIPROCATING CYCLE THE LOWERMOST CONTAINER FROM THE NESTED STACK; B. SAID FILLING MEANS FURTHER COMPRISES:
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein: a. said denesting and positioning means further comprises:
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
47 words
means actuated by said reciprocal motion means to support, during a first portion of said reciprocating cycle, said stack of nested containers by supporting the lower region of said lowermost container, said means withdrawing support of said stack during a second portion of said reciprocating cycle, and
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
47 words
means actuated by said reciprocal motion means to support, during a first portion of said reciprocating cycle, said stack of nested containers by supporting the lower region of said lowermost container, said means withdrawing support of said stack during a second portion of said reciprocating cycle, and
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
132 words
a pumping cylinder means actuated by said reciprocal motion means and a check valve, said pumping cylinder, and check valve being connected with suitable conduits and adapted to conduct said fluid from said source, through said pumping cylinder and check valve, and discharge said filling material into said container; c. said crimping means further comprises a crimping head pivotally mounted on cam bars attached to said frame so that during reciprocating motion said cam bars strike a cam follower attached to said conveyor means and cause said crimping head to crimp; and d. said cutting means comprises a cutting blade depending from said cam bars which mount said crimping head, said cutting blade thus cutting the crimped container cover free from said continuous web when said cam bars strike said cam follower.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
132 words
a pumping cylinder means actuated by said reciprocal motion means and a check valve, said pumping cylinder, and check valve being connected with suitable conduits and adapted to conduct said fluid from said source, through said pumping cylinder and check valve, and discharge said filling material into said container; c. said crimping means further comprises a crimping head pivotally mounted on cam bars attached to said frame so that during reciprocating motion said cam bars strike a cam follower attached to said conveyor means and cause said crimping head to crimp; and d. said cutting means comprises a cutting blade depending from said cam bars which mount said crimping head, said cutting blade thus cutting the crimped container cover free from said continuous web when said cam bars strike said cam follower.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
59 words
means actuated by said reciprocal motion means to support said stack of nested containers by engaging the rim of the next to lowermost container during said second portion of the reciprocating cycle and discharge onto said conveyor means during said second portion of the reciprocating cycle the lowermost container from the nested stack; b. said filling means further comprises:
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
59 words
means actuated by said reciprocal motion means to support said stack of nested containers by engaging the rim of the next to lowermost container during said second portion of the reciprocating cycle and discharge onto said conveyor means during said second portion of the reciprocating cycle the lowermost container from the nested stack; b. said filling means further comprises:
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
79 words
The apparatus of claim 2: a. wherein said lowermost container from said nested stack is discharged onto said conveyor means by injecting compressed air between said lowermost container and said next to lowermost supported container; and b. further comprising a means actuated by said reciprocating motion means to cut the edges of said continuous web of covering material so as to form a series of connected covers of substantially the same shape as said rimmed periphery of the container.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
227 words
A method of reciprocally denesting, filling, and covering containers comprising: a. initiating reciprocal motion; b. denesting, in a denesting zone, the lowermost container from a substantially vertical stack of nested, externally peripherally rimmed containers during a first portion of a first reciprocating cycle; c. conveying said denested container to a filling zone during a second portion of said first reciprocating cycle; d. filling said container with a fluid in said filling zone during a subsequent cycle; e. conveying said filled containers to a cover applying zone during a subsequent cycle; f. heat sealing in said cover applying zone a first portion of a continuous web of covering material over said container, so as to form a cover therein; g. conveying during a subsequent cycle said covered container to a cutting and crimping zone, a second portion of said continuous web of covering material being positioned over a subsequent container reciprocally advanced to said cover applying zone by the action of conveying to said cutting and crimping zone the container sealed to said continuous web by the covering operatIon; h. crimping said cover over said external peripheral rim in said cutting and crimping zone during said cycle wherein the covered containers are conveyed to said cutting and crimping zone; and i. cutting said cover free from said continuous web in said cutting and crimping zone during said cycle.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
227 words
A method of reciprocally denesting, filling, and covering containers comprising: a. initiating reciprocal motion; b. denesting, in a denesting zone, the lowermost container from a substantially vertical stack of nested, externally peripherally rimmed containers during a first portion of a first reciprocating cycle; c. conveying said denested container to a filling zone during a second portion of said first reciprocating cycle; d. filling said container with a fluid in said filling zone during a subsequent cycle; e. conveying said filled containers to a cover applying zone during a subsequent cycle; f. heat sealing in said cover applying zone a first portion of a continuous web of covering material over said container, so as to form a cover therein; g. conveying during a subsequent cycle said covered container to a cutting and crimping zone, a second portion of said continuous web of covering material being positioned over a subsequent container reciprocally advanced to said cover applying zone by the action of conveying to said cutting and crimping zone the container sealed to said continuous web by the covering operatIon; h. crimping said cover over said external peripheral rim in said cutting and crimping zone during said cycle wherein the covered containers are conveyed to said cutting and crimping zone; and i. cutting said cover free from said continuous web in said cutting and crimping zone during said cycle.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of claim 4 further comprising, prior to heat sealing the cover to said container in said cover applying zone, cutting the continuous web of covering material to form connected portions of covering material substantially the same size as the external peripheral rim of said container.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3474595A
Cited
US3509683A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-06-14 | 1974-12-14 | 1975-06-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-06-14 | 1978-12-14 | 1979-06-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-06-14 | 1982-12-14 | 1983-06-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |