Patent US2098287A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3775932A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Packaging apparatus and method
Assignee: TOURPAC AG
•
Filing: 1972-03-01
•
Granted: 1973-12-04
•
Expires: 1992-03-01
Abstract
Abstract Packaging apparatus and a method of packaging wherein a series of pocket members travel along an endless path through a plurality of stations with a packaging film held at a first station and formed under pressure into a pocket, at a subsequent station a product is placed into the film pocket, at a further station a second film is superimposed over the first packaging film and the two films are heat sealed together to form a plurality of sides of a package, and at a final station the partially-sealed package is enclosed within an airtight chamber with a vacuum drawn in the package through the open side thereof followed by heat sealing of the two films together to completely seal the package. The packaging apparatus and the packaging method permit simple modification for making packages of different widths from films of different widths by the use of insert members filling a part of the cavities in the pocket members to reduce the over-all size of the cavities and with hold-down structure at the pocket-forming station and heat seal structure at the initial sealing station adjustable to coact with the films of different widths to insure hold-down and sealing of the films. The structure of the final sealing station need not be modified since the airtight chamber may have a dimension equal to the largest package to be made and the vacuum drawing and final sealing always operates through the open side of the package which is along a fixed predetermined line which is the same regardless of the width of the packaging films and the resulting package.
Inventors
- 👤 P Jeney
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 02:27
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65B; B65B7/00; B65B7/16; B65B7/162; B65B7/164; B29; B29C; B29C65/00; B29C65/02; B29C65/18; B29C65/78; B29C65/7841; B29C65/7847; B29C65/7858; B29C65/7861; B29C65/7867; B29C66/00; B29C66/001; B29C66/0012; B29C66/0014; B29C66/00145; B29C66/01; B29C66/05; B29C66/10; B29C66/11; B29C66/112; B29C66/13; B29C66/131; B29C66/20; B29C66/23; B29C66/232; B29C66/24; B29C66/242; B29C66/2424; B29C66/24243; B29C66/24244; B29C66/345; B29C66/3452; B29C66/50; B29C66/51; B29C66/53; B29C66/534; B29C66/5346; B29C66/53461; B29C66/80; B29C66/81; B29C66/814; B29C66/8141; B29C66/81427; B29C66/81431; B29C66/8145; B29C66/81457; B29C66/81463; B29C66/81465; B29C66/816; B29C66/8169; B29C66/82; B29C66/824; B29C66/8242; B29C66/83; B29C66/832; B29C66/8322; B29C66/84; B29C66/841; B29C66/843; B29C66/8432; B29C66/849; B65B47/00; B65B47/08; B65B47/10; B65B59/00; B65B59/001; B65B59/003; B65B9/00; B65B9/02; B65B9/04; B29C2793/00; B29C2793/009
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
135 words
Packaging apparatus comprising, a series of pocket members mounted for movement along an endless path, a first station along said path having means thereat for forming a pocket in a first packaging film overlying a pocket member at said first station, a second station having means for sealing a second packaging film to said first packaging film around several sides of said formed pocket but leaving at least one side open, a third station having means thereat for drawing a vacuum from between said films and sealing said films together to form a completely sealed package, and means for modifying the effective size of the pocket members and the operative position of the means at the first and second stations to perform package forming steps on first and second packaging films of many different widths.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
135 words
Packaging apparatus comprising, a series of pocket members mounted for movement along an endless path, a first station along said path having means thereat for forming a pocket in a first packaging film overlying a pocket member at said first station, a second station having means for sealing a second packaging film to said first packaging film around several sides of said formed pocket but leaving at least one side open, a third station having means thereat for drawing a vacuum from between said films and sealing said films together to form a completely sealed package, and means for modifying the effective size of the pocket members and the operative position of the means at the first and second stations to perform package forming steps on first and second packaging films of many different widths.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
62 words
Packaging apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said pocket members are of plastic and each has a resilient strip extending around the top edge Thereof, and said means for modifying the effective size of the pocket members includes an insert member for each pocket with resilient material on the top thereof positioned to underlie an edge of said first packaging film.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
71 words
Packaging apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein the means at the first and second stations includes a member at each of said stations and adjustably movable along a line extending transverse to the path of said pocket members to a modified operative position to overlie the resilient material on the top of the insert member or a part of the resilient strip on the top edge of the pocket member.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
132 words
A packaging apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein the means at the first station includes a plurality of hold-down members to hold the first packaging film against the resilient strip of a pocket member, and a vacuum connection to the pocket member, the means at the second station includes heated sealing bars overlying the resilient strip of a pocket member, one of said hold-down members and one of said heated sealing bars which each extend lengthwise at one side of said path being adjustably mounted on a line transverse to said path to overlie the resilient material on the top of the insert member, and the sealing means at the third station being positioned at the other side of said path to coact with all packages regardless of the width thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
47 words
A packaging apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said means at the third station includes a sealing head overlying the pocket member and movable into engagement with the resilient strip on the pocket member to form an airtight chamber with the vacuum drawing means communicating therewith.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
51 words
A packaging apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein the first packaging film extends beyond the second packaging film at said other side of the path and said sealing head engages the first packaging film but not the second packaging film at said third station to facilitate drawing a vacuum therebetween.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
71 words
A packaging apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein the means at the first station includes a plurality of hold-down members to hold the first packaging film against the resilient strip of a pocket member, one of said hold-down members along one side of said path being adjustably mounted, and said means for modifying the operative position at the first station includes manually operable structure for adjusting said one hold-down member.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
196 words
Packaging apparatus comprising, a series of pocket members mounted for movement along an endless path, each of said pocket members having a cavity for receiving a first packaging film and a resilient strip extending around the top edge thereof to underlie the packaging film, and a plurality of insert members positionable one in each of the cavities of the pocket members to fill a part of the cavities and thereby reduce the size of the cavities and form a top surface which is at the level of the top edge of the pocket member, resilient material on said top surface to underlie an edge of a packaging film which is narrower than said first packaging film a first station with means coacting with the pocket member for making a pocket in the packaging film including hold-down members to engage the edges of the film against the resilient strip, and means mounting one of the hold-down members for movement to a different operative position when the pocket members have the insert members therein to have said one hold-down member engage the edge of a packaging film which is narrower against said resilient material of the insert member.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
196 words
Packaging apparatus comprising, a series of pocket members mounted for movement along an endless path, each of said pocket members having a cavity for receiving a first packaging film and a resilient strip extending around the top edge thereof to underlie the packaging film, and a plurality of insert members positionable one in each of the cavities of the pocket members to fill a part of the cavities and thereby reduce the size of the cavities and form a top surface which is at the level of the top edge of the pocket member, resilient material on said top surface to underlie an edge of a packaging film which is narrower than said first packaging film a first station with means coacting with the pocket member for making a pocket in the packaging film including hold-down members to engage the edges of the film against the resilient strip, and means mounting one of the hold-down members for movement to a different operative position when the pocket members have the insert members therein to have said one hold-down member engage the edge of a packaging film which is narrower against said resilient material of the insert member.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
197 words
Packaging apparatus comprising, a series of pocket members mounted for movement along an endless path, each of said pocket members having a cavity for receiving a first packaging film and a resilient strip extending around the top edge thereof to underlie the packaging film, and a plurality of insert members positionable one in each of the cavities of the pocket members to fill a part of the cavities and thereby reduce the size of the caviTies and form a top surface which is at the level of the top edge of the pocket member, resilient material on said top surface to underlie an edge of a packaging film which is narrower than said first packaging film, a station with heated sealing bars overlying the resilient strip of a pocket member to engage superimposed packaging films against the resilient strip for sealing the superimposed films together, and means mounting at least one of said heated sealing bars for movement to a different operative position when the pocket members have the insert members therein to have said one heated sealing bar overlie packaging films that are narrower and press the films against the resilient material of the insert member.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
197 words
Packaging apparatus comprising, a series of pocket members mounted for movement along an endless path, each of said pocket members having a cavity for receiving a first packaging film and a resilient strip extending around the top edge thereof to underlie the packaging film, and a plurality of insert members positionable one in each of the cavities of the pocket members to fill a part of the cavities and thereby reduce the size of the caviTies and form a top surface which is at the level of the top edge of the pocket member, resilient material on said top surface to underlie an edge of a packaging film which is narrower than said first packaging film, a station with heated sealing bars overlying the resilient strip of a pocket member to engage superimposed packaging films against the resilient strip for sealing the superimposed films together, and means mounting at least one of said heated sealing bars for movement to a different operative position when the pocket members have the insert members therein to have said one heated sealing bar overlie packaging films that are narrower and press the films against the resilient material of the insert member.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
Packaging apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said pocket members and insert members are of plastic.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
175 words
A packaging method for making packages of varying width comprising the steps of gripping the edges of a first film and forming a pocket in a first packaging film, placing a product in the pocket, superimposing a second packaging film on the first packaging film, sealing the superimposed films together to form three sides of the package including sealing along one edge of the films while leaving a fourth side open, drawing a vacuum within the package through the fourth side, sealing the films together at the fourth package side to complete the package, and, for a package of narrower width, using narrower packaging films locating one edge of the films along the same line as wider films and gripping the other edge of the first packaging film at a different operative location and engaging the other edges of the superimposed film at a different operative position to seal them together, the location of the vacuum draw of the package and sealing of the fourth package side remaining constant for all widths of packaging films.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
175 words
A packaging method for making packages of varying width comprising the steps of gripping the edges of a first film and forming a pocket in a first packaging film, placing a product in the pocket, superimposing a second packaging film on the first packaging film, sealing the superimposed films together to form three sides of the package including sealing along one edge of the films while leaving a fourth side open, drawing a vacuum within the package through the fourth side, sealing the films together at the fourth package side to complete the package, and, for a package of narrower width, using narrower packaging films locating one edge of the films along the same line as wider films and gripping the other edge of the first packaging film at a different operative location and engaging the other edges of the superimposed film at a different operative position to seal them together, the location of the vacuum draw of the package and sealing of the fourth package side remaining constant for all widths of packaging films.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
115 words
Packaging apparatus comprising, a series of pocket members mounted for movement along an endless path, means for forming a pocket in a first packaging film overlying a pocket member, means for sealing a second packaging film to said first packaging film around several sides of said formed pocket but leaving at least one side open, means for drawing a vacuum from between said firms and sealing said films together to form a completely sealed package, and means for modifying the effective size of the pocket members and the operative position of the pocket forming means and the first-mentioned sealing means to perform package forming steps on first and second packaging films of many different widths.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
115 words
Packaging apparatus comprising, a series of pocket members mounted for movement along an endless path, means for forming a pocket in a first packaging film overlying a pocket member, means for sealing a second packaging film to said first packaging film around several sides of said formed pocket but leaving at least one side open, means for drawing a vacuum from between said firms and sealing said films together to form a completely sealed package, and means for modifying the effective size of the pocket members and the operative position of the pocket forming means and the first-mentioned sealing means to perform package forming steps on first and second packaging films of many different widths.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
242 words
Packaging apparatus comprising, a first station having means for forming a pocket in a first packaging film, a second station having means for sealing a second parkaging film to said first packaging film around several sides of the formed pocket in the first packaging film but leaving at least one side open, a third station having means for drawing a vacuum from between said films and sealing said films together to form a completely sealed package, said means at the first station including a pair of spaced support surfaces for the edges of the first packaging film and hold-down means for pressing said edges against the support surfaces, said means at the second station including a pair of support surfaces for the edges of the first packaging film and a movable member to press the second packaging film against an edge of the first packaging film, and means for forming packages from film of many different widths including means for positioning one of the first and second stations at a distance from the other support surface proportioned to the width of the first packaging film, while maintaining said other support surfaces along a constant line, means for variably positioning that part of the hold-down means that coacts with said one support surface at the first station, and means for variably positioning said movable member at the second station, and said means at the third station being in line with said constant line.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
242 words
Packaging apparatus comprising, a first station having means for forming a pocket in a first packaging film, a second station having means for sealing a second parkaging film to said first packaging film around several sides of the formed pocket in the first packaging film but leaving at least one side open, a third station having means for drawing a vacuum from between said films and sealing said films together to form a completely sealed package, said means at the first station including a pair of spaced support surfaces for the edges of the first packaging film and hold-down means for pressing said edges against the support surfaces, said means at the second station including a pair of support surfaces for the edges of the first packaging film and a movable member to press the second packaging film against an edge of the first packaging film, and means for forming packages from film of many different widths including means for positioning one of the first and second stations at a distance from the other support surface proportioned to the width of the first packaging film, while maintaining said other support surfaces along a constant line, means for variably positioning that part of the hold-down means that coacts with said one support surface at the first station, and means for variably positioning said movable member at the second station, and said means at the third station being in line with said constant line.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3343332A
Cited
US3537229A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-12-03 | 1977-06-04 | 1977-12-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-12-03 | 1981-06-04 | 1981-12-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-12-03 | 1985-06-04 | 1985-12-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |