Patent US3665673A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3665673A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Packaging machine and method
Assignee: FMC Corp
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Filing: 1969-07-28
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Granted: 1972-05-30
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Expires: 1989-07-28
Abstract
Abstract Food products supported on trays, of the clear or opaque variety, are fed, either manually or automatically, between plastic webs which constitute an overwrap for the tray and a product carried thereby. The plastic webs follow paths which intersect and they are joined along a transverse line by heated sealing and cutting mechanisms. Tray supported products, for convenience called units, are fed toward and past the juncture of the webs, while the webs are unwound from their respective parent rolls, enveloping the unit to be packaged therebetween. Thereafter the longitudinal edges of the webs adjacent the unit are heat sealed and cut while simultaneously therewith the webs are transversely joined along transversely spaced lines adjacent the trailing end of the unit resulting in a hermetically sealed unit and joining of the web ends to provide a juncture for a subsequent package.
Inventors
- 👤 Ronald J Billett
- 👤 Wilhelmus H Holtkamp
- 👤 Veikko K Viitanen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 20:21
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65B; B65B41/00; B65B41/12; B65B41/14; B29; B29C; B29C65/00; B29C65/02; B29C65/18; B29C65/24; B29C65/30; B29C65/305; B29C66/00; B29C66/01; B29C66/05; B29C66/10; B29C66/11; B29C66/112; B29C66/1122; B29C66/13; B29C66/133; B29C66/20; B29C66/24; B29C66/244; B29C66/40; B29C66/41; B29C66/43; B29C66/70; B29C66/73; B29C66/737; B29C66/7371; B29C66/73711; B29C66/80; B29C66/81; B29C66/814; B29C66/8141; B29C66/81411; B29C66/81415; B29C66/81419; B29C66/81427; B29C66/81431; B29C66/8145; B29C66/81457; B29C66/84; B29C66/849; B29C66/87; B29C66/872; B29C66/90; B29C66/91; B29C66/912; B29C66/9121; B29C66/91231; B65B51/00; B65B51/10; B65B51/26; B65B51/30; B65B51/306; B65B9/00; B65B9/02; B29C65/74; B29C65/743; B29C66/71
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
140 words
A packaging apparatus having a frame structure mounting two rolls of stretchable heat sealable thermoplastic web, said apparatus comprising means engageable with the longitudinal margins of the webs for simultaneously unwinding and traversely stretching each web, said webs following paths merging toward a common plane, sealing means movable in a direction substantially normal to said plane for joining the ends of each web along a transverse line to thereby produce a continuous web, means for feeding products to be packaged toward and against the intersection of said webs and concurrently feeding the webs so that the product being packaged is located in a loop formed by the webs, and means for sealing the loop adjacent the sides and trailing end of the product while simultaneously therewith joining the web by said first mentioned sealing means to produce a continuous web.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
140 words
A packaging apparatus having a frame structure mounting two rolls of stretchable heat sealable thermoplastic web, said apparatus comprising means engageable with the longitudinal margins of the webs for simultaneously unwinding and traversely stretching each web, said webs following paths merging toward a common plane, sealing means movable in a direction substantially normal to said plane for joining the ends of each web along a transverse line to thereby produce a continuous web, means for feeding products to be packaged toward and against the intersection of said webs and concurrently feeding the webs so that the product being packaged is located in a loop formed by the webs, and means for sealing the loop adjacent the sides and trailing end of the product while simultaneously therewith joining the web by said first mentioned sealing means to produce a continuous web.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
The packaging apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means for sealing the web at the sides and trailing end of the product includes web clamping bars having their web engaging surfaces treated so that the web firmly adheres thereto.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
53 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said web unwinding means comprises frame structures, each frame structure mounting web unwinding and feeding conveyors, means on each of said conveyors for firmly holding the edges of the web, said frame structures being oriented to cause lateral stretching of the web as it is unwound.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
96 words
A method of packaging products in heat sealable thermoplastic film comprising the steps of transversely stretching the film, forming a loop in the film while it is in its stretched condition, inserting an item to be packaged in the loop, and heat sealing the overlying loop portions of the web to produce an overwrapped product, wherein said heat sealing of the loop portions comprises the steps of clamping the overlying web portions together adjacent the edges of the product to relax the tension occasioned by stretching, and sealing and cutting the relaxed portions of the web.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
96 words
A method of packaging products in heat sealable thermoplastic film comprising the steps of transversely stretching the film, forming a loop in the film while it is in its stretched condition, inserting an item to be packaged in the loop, and heat sealing the overlying loop portions of the web to produce an overwrapped product, wherein said heat sealing of the loop portions comprises the steps of clamping the overlying web portions together adjacent the edges of the product to relax the tension occasioned by stretching, and sealing and cutting the relaxed portions of the web.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
102 words
Film packaging apparatus comprising laterally spaced, loops of endless web gripping members, means for feeding a web of film into a gripping reach of said members, means for moving said gripping members along for advancing the gripped web, means mounting said gripping members for diverging movement in the direction of web advance along said gripping reach for stretching the web transversely as it is advanced, means for wrapping the articles in the web downstream of said gripping members, and web gathering means upstream of said web gripping reach for drawing the web edges together before they are gripped by said endless members.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
102 words
Film packaging apparatus comprising laterally spaced, loops of endless web gripping members, means for feeding a web of film into a gripping reach of said members, means for moving said gripping members along for advancing the gripped web, means mounting said gripping members for diverging movement in the direction of web advance along said gripping reach for stretching the web transversely as it is advanced, means for wrapping the articles in the web downstream of said gripping members, and web gathering means upstream of said web gripping reach for drawing the web edges together before they are gripped by said endless members.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
144 words
In a packaging machine of the type which applies a stretch thermoplastic web around a product to be packaged and heat seal the web to enclose the product in the web, the improvement in heat sealing the web comprising means, engageable with the longitudinal edges of overlying tranversely spaced web portions, for holding and maintaining said web portions in tension while a product is disposed therebetween; means for clamping the spaced web portions adjacent the margins of the product to be packaged and inwardly of said holding and maintaining means; said clamping means being effective to further stretch the web portions increasing the tension of the web about the product before the spaced web portions are clamped; and means for cutting the clamped webs adjacent the line along which they are clamped to relax the web edges and then heat sealing the web edges.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
144 words
In a packaging machine of the type which applies a stretch thermoplastic web around a product to be packaged and heat seal the web to enclose the product in the web, the improvement in heat sealing the web comprising means, engageable with the longitudinal edges of overlying tranversely spaced web portions, for holding and maintaining said web portions in tension while a product is disposed therebetween; means for clamping the spaced web portions adjacent the margins of the product to be packaged and inwardly of said holding and maintaining means; said clamping means being effective to further stretch the web portions increasing the tension of the web about the product before the spaced web portions are clamped; and means for cutting the clamped webs adjacent the line along which they are clamped to relax the web edges and then heat sealing the web edges.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
156 words
A packaging apparatus having a frame structure mounting two rolls of stretchable heat sealable thermoplastic webs, said apparatus comprising means engageable with the longitudinal margins of the webs for simultaneously unwinding and transversely stretching each web, said webs following paths merging toward a common plane, sealing means movable in a direction substantially normal to said plane for joining the ends of each web along a transverse line to thereby produce a continuous web, means for feeding products to the packaged toward and against the intersection of said webs and concurrently feeding the webs so that the product being packaged is located in a loop formed by the webs, and means for sealing the loop adjacent the sides and trailing end of the product while simultaneously therewith joining the webs by said first mentioned sealing means to produce a continuous web, said web unwinding means comprises anvil blocks having polished surfaces to which the webs firmly adhere.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
156 words
A packaging apparatus having a frame structure mounting two rolls of stretchable heat sealable thermoplastic webs, said apparatus comprising means engageable with the longitudinal margins of the webs for simultaneously unwinding and transversely stretching each web, said webs following paths merging toward a common plane, sealing means movable in a direction substantially normal to said plane for joining the ends of each web along a transverse line to thereby produce a continuous web, means for feeding products to the packaged toward and against the intersection of said webs and concurrently feeding the webs so that the product being packaged is located in a loop formed by the webs, and means for sealing the loop adjacent the sides and trailing end of the product while simultaneously therewith joining the webs by said first mentioned sealing means to produce a continuous web, said web unwinding means comprises anvil blocks having polished surfaces to which the webs firmly adhere.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
185 words
A packaging apparatus having a frame structure mounting two rolls of stretchable heat sealable thermoplastic web, said apparatus comprising means engageable with the longitudinal margins of the webs for simultaneously unwinding and transversely stretching each web, said webs following paths merging toward a common plane, sealing means movable in a direction substantially normal to said plane for joining the ends of each web along a transverse line to thereby produce a continuous web, means for feeding products to be packaged toward and against the intersection of said webs and concurrently feeding the webs so that the product being packaged is located in a loop formed by the webs, and means for sealing the loop adjacent the sides and trailing end of the product while simultaneously therewith joining the webs by said first mentioned sealing means to produce a continuous web, said web unwinding means including anvil blocks having polished surfaces to which each web firmly adheres, and sprocket chains mounting said anvil blocks, said chains travelling in orbits that cause lateral stretching of the webs as the webs are advanced to the product feeding means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
185 words
A packaging apparatus having a frame structure mounting two rolls of stretchable heat sealable thermoplastic web, said apparatus comprising means engageable with the longitudinal margins of the webs for simultaneously unwinding and transversely stretching each web, said webs following paths merging toward a common plane, sealing means movable in a direction substantially normal to said plane for joining the ends of each web along a transverse line to thereby produce a continuous web, means for feeding products to be packaged toward and against the intersection of said webs and concurrently feeding the webs so that the product being packaged is located in a loop formed by the webs, and means for sealing the loop adjacent the sides and trailing end of the product while simultaneously therewith joining the webs by said first mentioned sealing means to produce a continuous web, said web unwinding means including anvil blocks having polished surfaces to which each web firmly adheres, and sprocket chains mounting said anvil blocks, said chains travelling in orbits that cause lateral stretching of the webs as the webs are advanced to the product feeding means.
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) | 1975-05-30 | 1975-11-29 | 1976-05-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-05-30 | 1979-11-29 | 1980-05-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-05-30 | 1983-11-29 | 1984-05-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |