US3647335A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for forming containers
Assignee: Packaging Industries Inc
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Filing: 1969-04-11
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Granted: 1972-03-07
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Expires: 1989-04-11
Abstract
Abstract The disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for forming articles such as containers. In accordance with the disclosure, a web of thermoplastic material is held along the opposite edges extending along the length thereof while being passed through an article-forming station, a printing station, a trimming station, and if required, a heating station. The movement of the web of plastic material through the apparatus is intermittent in order to provide time sufficient to enable the necessary operations to be performed at each station. The formed article produced by the machine is ready for its ultimate use when discharged from the last station of the machine.
Inventors
- 👤 Fred P Brown Jr
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 04:11
CPC Classifications
B; B29; B29C; B29C51/00; B29C51/18; B29C51/26; B29C51/30; B29C51/32
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
271 words
A machine for thermoforming containers from a web of plastic material comprising in combination: a. means for intermittently advancing the web of plastic material through said machine; b. means disposed adjacent to the path of travel of the web of plastic material for heating the web to a temperature sufficient to soften the web and permit forming thereof, said heating means including a plurality of individual heating elements grouped into adjacently spaced zones extending both above and below and substantially parallel to the plane of the path of travel of the web, each zone including a plurality of individual heating elements disposed transverse to the path of travel of the web of plastic material through the machine and additional heating elements disposed adjacent to the edge portions of the path of travel of each of the opposite sides of the web of plastic material and parallel to the path of travel of the web of plastic material through the machine, said additional heating elements being adjacent to the end portions of the heating elements extending substantially transverse to the path of travel, each of said zones generating an amount of heat sufficient to cause the web of plastic material to progressively increase in temperature as it is intermittently advanced adjacent said heating means; c. means for individually controlling the amount of heat generated in each of said adjacently spaced zones; d. means disposed adjacent to said heating means for forming a portion of the web of plastic material into a container; and e. means disposed downstream of said forming means for severing the formed container from the web of plastic material.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
271 words
A machine for thermoforming containers from a web of plastic material comprising in combination: a. means for intermittently advancing the web of plastic material through said machine; b. means disposed adjacent to the path of travel of the web of plastic material for heating the web to a temperature sufficient to soften the web and permit forming thereof, said heating means including a plurality of individual heating elements grouped into adjacently spaced zones extending both above and below and substantially parallel to the plane of the path of travel of the web, each zone including a plurality of individual heating elements disposed transverse to the path of travel of the web of plastic material through the machine and additional heating elements disposed adjacent to the edge portions of the path of travel of each of the opposite sides of the web of plastic material and parallel to the path of travel of the web of plastic material through the machine, said additional heating elements being adjacent to the end portions of the heating elements extending substantially transverse to the path of travel, each of said zones generating an amount of heat sufficient to cause the web of plastic material to progressively increase in temperature as it is intermittently advanced adjacent said heating means; c. means for individually controlling the amount of heat generated in each of said adjacently spaced zones; d. means disposed adjacent to said heating means for forming a portion of the web of plastic material into a container; and e. means disposed downstream of said forming means for severing the formed container from the web of plastic material.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
48 words
A machine in accordance with claim 1 in which said means for heating the web of plastic material comprises a pair of heater units, each of said heater units being adapted to be disposed adjacent a different one of the opposite sides of the web of plastic material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
46 words
A machine in accordance with claim 2 which further includes means for moving each of said heater units between a retracted position removed from the path of travel of the web of plastic material to an operative position adjacent the path of travel of the web.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
235 words
A machine for thermoforming containers from a web of plastic material comprising in combination: a. means for intermittently advancing the web of plastic material through said machine; b. means disposed adjacent to the path of travel of the web of plastic material for heating the web to a temperature sufficient to soften the web and permit forming thereof, said heating means including a plurality of individual heating elements grouped into adjacently spaced zones, each of said zones generating an amount of heat sufficient to cause the web of plastic material to increase in temperature as it passes adjacent said heating means, said means for heating the web of plastic material including a pair of heater units, each of said heater units being adapted to be disposed adjacent a different one of the opposite sides of the web of plastic material; c. means for moving eaCh of said heater units between a retracted position removed from the path of travel of the web of plastic material to an operative position adjacent the path of travel of the web; d. means for individually controlling the amount of heat generated in each of said adjacently spaced zones; e. means disposed adjacent to said heating means for forming a portion of the web of plastic material into a container; and f. means disposed downstream of said forming means for severing the formed container from the web of plastic material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
235 words
A machine for thermoforming containers from a web of plastic material comprising in combination: a. means for intermittently advancing the web of plastic material through said machine; b. means disposed adjacent to the path of travel of the web of plastic material for heating the web to a temperature sufficient to soften the web and permit forming thereof, said heating means including a plurality of individual heating elements grouped into adjacently spaced zones, each of said zones generating an amount of heat sufficient to cause the web of plastic material to increase in temperature as it passes adjacent said heating means, said means for heating the web of plastic material including a pair of heater units, each of said heater units being adapted to be disposed adjacent a different one of the opposite sides of the web of plastic material; c. means for moving eaCh of said heater units between a retracted position removed from the path of travel of the web of plastic material to an operative position adjacent the path of travel of the web; d. means for individually controlling the amount of heat generated in each of said adjacently spaced zones; e. means disposed adjacent to said heating means for forming a portion of the web of plastic material into a container; and f. means disposed downstream of said forming means for severing the formed container from the web of plastic material.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
115 words
A machine in accordance with claim 4 which further includes structure forming a heat shield enclosure disposed adjacent each of the opposite sides of the plane of the path of travel of the web, each of said enclosures including a pair of heat shields spaced apart from one another on opposite sides of the path of travel of the web of plastic material being advanced between said heater units and an additional pair of heat shields spaced apart from one another and extending transversely to the path of travel of the web between said pair of heat shields, whereby each of said enclosures provides a substantially enclosed heat conduit for the web of plastic material.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
168 words
A machine for thermoforming containers from a continuous web of plastic material comprising: a. means for advancing the continuous web of plastic material through said thermoforming machine; b. means for heating the web of plastic material to a temperature sufficient to permit forming thereof; c. means for forming a portion of the web of plastic material into a container of the desired shape, said forming means including: i. upper and lower forming dies for engaging the opposite sides of the web of plastic material; ii. a pair of conjugate cams mounted on a common shaft for driving each of said upper and lower forming dies; and iii. means interconnecting each of said upper and lower forming dies with a different one of said pair or conjugate cams and being connected to one another for cyclically reciprocating said dies into engagement with the opposite sides of the web of plastic material to form the container; and d. means for severing the formed container from the web of plastic material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
168 words
A machine for thermoforming containers from a continuous web of plastic material comprising: a. means for advancing the continuous web of plastic material through said thermoforming machine; b. means for heating the web of plastic material to a temperature sufficient to permit forming thereof; c. means for forming a portion of the web of plastic material into a container of the desired shape, said forming means including: i. upper and lower forming dies for engaging the opposite sides of the web of plastic material; ii. a pair of conjugate cams mounted on a common shaft for driving each of said upper and lower forming dies; and iii. means interconnecting each of said upper and lower forming dies with a different one of said pair or conjugate cams and being connected to one another for cyclically reciprocating said dies into engagement with the opposite sides of the web of plastic material to form the container; and d. means for severing the formed container from the web of plastic material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
47 words
A machine in accordance with claim 6 wherein said means for heating the web of plastic material comprises a pair of heater units, each of said heater units being adapted to be disposed adjacent a different one of the opposite sides of the web of plastic material.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
70 words
A machine in accordance with claim 7 wherein each of said heater units comprises a plurality of individual heating elements grouped into adjacently spaced zones, each of said zones generating an amount of heat sufficient to cause the web of plastic material to increase in temperature as it passes adjacent said heating means, and means for individually controlling the amount of heat generated in each of said adjacently spaced zones.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
98 words
A machine in accordance with claim 6 wherein each of said interconnecting means comprises: a. a cam follower engaging one of said pair of conjugate cams; b. a first arm pivotally connected to said cam follower; c. a second arm having one end thereof pivotally connected to said first arm; d. a horizontally extending push rod having one end thereof pivotally connected to said second arm; and e. a pair of centrally connected toggles engaging the other end of said push rod so that horizontal movement of said push rod causes the opening and closing of said toggles.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
48 words
A machine in accordance with claim 9 which further includes: a. an interconnecting member having one end thereof pivotally connected to the first arm of said lower forming die interconnecting means and the other end thereof connected to the first arm of said upper forming die interconnecting means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
33 words
A machine in accordance with claim 6 which further includes: a. spray means disposed adjacent to the opening between said forming dies so that liqUid may be sprayed therein during the forming operation.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
86 words
A machine in accordance with claim 6 wherein said severing means includes: a. a punch means disposed adjacent one side of the path of travel of the oppositely disposed surfaces of the web of plastic material; b. a die means disposed adjacent the other side of the web of plastic material; and c. drive means for cyclically moving said punch means and said die means toward one another and into engagement with the web of plastic material to cause the formed carton to be severed therefrom.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
72 words
A machine in accordance with claim 12 which further includes: a. a pair of conjugate cams for imparting the desired motion to said punch and die means; b. means interconnecting each of said punch and die means with one of said pair of conjugate cams to provide for substantially simultaneous engagement of each of said punch and die means with the web of plastic material and thereby sever the formed carton therefrom.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
113 words
A machine in accordance with claim 13 wherein each of said interconnecting means comprises: a. a cam follower engaging one of said pair of conjugate cams; b. a first arm pivotally connected to said cam follower; c. an elongated shaft being fixedly engaged with one end of said first arm to be rotated thereby; d. a second arm fixedly attached to said elongated shaft; e. a longitudinally extending push rod having one end thereof pivotally connected to said second arm; and f. a pair of centrally connected toggles engaging the other end of said push rod in order that horizontal movement of said push rod causes the opening and closing of said toggles.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
43 words
A machine in accordance with claim 13 which further includes: a. a motorized drive means; b. a shaft extending from said drive means for mounting each of said conjugate cams; and c. clutch means interposed between said drive means and said conjugate cams.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
49 words
A machine in accordance with claim 12 wherein said punch means comprises an elongated member having a hollow inner portion shaped to the outer configuration of the formed container, whereby the containers are stacked within said hollow elongated member as they are severed from the web of plastic material.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
32 words
A machine in accordance with claim 6 wherein said advancing means comprises a continuous chain of web-gripping members disposed adjacent each of the opposite edge portions of the web of plastic material.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
62 words
A machine in accordance with claim 17 wherein said advancing means includes: a. an intermittent drive means which dwells for at least a portion of each cycle; and b. a set of change gears coupling said intermittent drive means to said continuous chain, whereby the incremental advance of the continuous chain may be adjusted by changing the ratio of said change gears.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
119 words
A machine in accordance with claim 6 wherein said severing means includes: a. a pair of adjacently spaced punch means disposed adjacent the path of travel of one of the opposite surfaces of the web of plastic material; b. a pair of adjacently spaced die means disposed adjacent the path of travel of the other surface of the web of plastic material; c. drive means for cyclically moving said punch means and said die means toward one another and into engagement with the web of plastic material to cause the formed carton to be severed therefrom; and d. clutch means for engaging each of said pair of punch means and said pair of die means with said drive means.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
41 words
A machine in accordance with claim 19 which further includes a pair of upper and lower forming dies driven by said pair of conjugate cams into engagement with the opposite sides of the web of plastic material to form the container.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
40 words
A machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein the area of said zones is such that incremental advancement of the web of plastic material causes the web to stop twice in said first zone and once in said subsequent zone.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-03-07 | 1975-09-06 | 1976-03-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-03-07 | 1979-09-06 | 1980-03-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-03-07 | 1983-09-06 | 1984-03-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |