Patent US3777451A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3777451A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for making and filling liquid containing pods
Assignee: Eastman Kodak Co
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Filing: 1972-07-31
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Granted: 1973-12-11
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Expires: 1992-07-31
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for forming and filling liquid containing pods which have a rupturable seal permitting release of the liquid content when the pod is subjected to a predetermined mechanical stress. Strips of laminated material are continuously formed into a plurality of liquid containing pods by advancing the strips, having a width equal to the width of the pods, through heat sealers which seal the edges of the strips to form a tubular structure which is continuously filled with a liquid after which the filled tubular structure is passed through a cross-sealer to form the end seals of the individual pods. The individual pods are chopped from the strip by cutting between the cross seals.
Inventors
- 👤 L Larson
- 👤 R Feasey
- 👤 R Wheeler
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 16:09
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65B; B65B9/00; B65B9/02; B65B9/023
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 35
Claim 1
Independent Claim
359 words
In an apparatus for continuously forming a plurality of liquid-filled pods each having a sealed passage adapted to become unsealed upon the application of a predetermined physical stress, the combination of two supplies of multilayer strip material having a heat sealable coating on one surface; means for guiding said two strips of material from their respective supplies into superposed relation with the surfaces having the heat sealable coating facing one another after which they are continuously advanced through a given path conjointly in said superposed relation; a first heat sealer engaging one longitudinal margin of said superposed strips as they are advanced along said path to activate said heat sealable coatings and rupturably seal the strips together along said margin; a mid-sealer spaced along said path from said first heat sealer and engaging said one sealed margin at regularly spaced intervals to increase the strength of said seal at said intervals relative to the strength of the rupturable seal made by said first heat sealer; a second heat sealer engaging the other longitudinal margin of said strips as they are advanced along said path to activate said heat sealable coatings and seal the strips together along said other margin and thus form the strips into a tubular structure; an elongated filler tube extending into the open margin of said strips ahead of said second heat sealer and longitudinally along said strips to an extent that its exit end extends beyond said second heat sealer to deposit a liquid into said tubular structure; means for pumping liquid into said filler tube at a rate commensurate with the rate of movement of said strips along said path; a rotary cross-sealer including a plurality of pairs of opposed heating and pressure applying members movable into engagement with said liquid-filled tubular structure at regularly spaced transverse sections thereof as the structure is advanced, said members being adapted to transversely bond the heat sealable coatings of said strips together at spaced transverse sections to form a succession of connected liquid-filled compartments; and chopping means for severing said compartments from one another at said transverse bonded sections to form a plurality of individual liquid-filled pods.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
359 words
In an apparatus for continuously forming a plurality of liquid-filled pods each having a sealed passage adapted to become unsealed upon the application of a predetermined physical stress, the combination of two supplies of multilayer strip material having a heat sealable coating on one surface; means for guiding said two strips of material from their respective supplies into superposed relation with the surfaces having the heat sealable coating facing one another after which they are continuously advanced through a given path conjointly in said superposed relation; a first heat sealer engaging one longitudinal margin of said superposed strips as they are advanced along said path to activate said heat sealable coatings and rupturably seal the strips together along said margin; a mid-sealer spaced along said path from said first heat sealer and engaging said one sealed margin at regularly spaced intervals to increase the strength of said seal at said intervals relative to the strength of the rupturable seal made by said first heat sealer; a second heat sealer engaging the other longitudinal margin of said strips as they are advanced along said path to activate said heat sealable coatings and seal the strips together along said other margin and thus form the strips into a tubular structure; an elongated filler tube extending into the open margin of said strips ahead of said second heat sealer and longitudinally along said strips to an extent that its exit end extends beyond said second heat sealer to deposit a liquid into said tubular structure; means for pumping liquid into said filler tube at a rate commensurate with the rate of movement of said strips along said path; a rotary cross-sealer including a plurality of pairs of opposed heating and pressure applying members movable into engagement with said liquid-filled tubular structure at regularly spaced transverse sections thereof as the structure is advanced, said members being adapted to transversely bond the heat sealable coatings of said strips together at spaced transverse sections to form a succession of connected liquid-filled compartments; and chopping means for severing said compartments from one another at said transverse bonded sections to form a plurality of individual liquid-filled pods.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
43 words
An apparatus for continuously forming liquid-filled pods as defined in claim 1, wherein the mid-sealer, the cross-sealer and the chopper in combination constitute the means for pulling the strips from the supply and continuously feeding them at a given rate through said path.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
means for pulling said two strips of material from their respective supplies and guiding them into superposed relation with the surfaces having the heat sealable coating facing one another and continuously advancing said strips through a given path conjointly in said superposed relation;
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
means for pulling said two strips of material from their respective supplies and guiding them into superposed relation with the surfaces having the heat sealable coating facing one another and continuously advancing said strips through a given path conjointly in said superposed relation;
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
41 words
An apparatus for continuously forming liquid-filled pods as defined in claim 2, characterized by the fact that the mid-sealer, the cross-sealer and the chopper are mechanically linked to ensure correct registration of the operations performed on the strips by these parts.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
a first heat sealer engaging one longitudinal margin of said superposed strips as they are advanced along said path to activate said heat sealable coatings and rupturably seal the strips together along said margin;
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
a first heat sealer engaging one longitudinal margin of said superposed strips as they are advanced along said path to activate said heat sealable coatings and rupturably seal the strips together along said margin;
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
52 words
a second heat sealer spaced along said path from said first heat sealer and engaging the oTher longitudinal margin of said strips as they are advanced along said path to activate said heat sealable coatings and seal the strips along said other margin and thus form the strips into a tubular structure;
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
52 words
a second heat sealer spaced along said path from said first heat sealer and engaging the oTher longitudinal margin of said strips as they are advanced along said path to activate said heat sealable coatings and seal the strips along said other margin and thus form the strips into a tubular structure;
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
48 words
An apparatus for continuously forming liquid-filled pods as defined in claim 3, characterized by the fact that the mid-sealer tends to under-drive and the chopping means tends to over-drive the strips with respect to the cross-sealer to maintain a degree of tension in the strips between these parts.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
68 words
An apparatus for continuously forming liquid-filled pods as defined in claim 1 wherein said first and second heat sealers each comprise a pair of parallel heated jaws between which the margins of the superposed strips are moved, one or the other of each pair of jaws being sonically vibrated toward and from its companion jaw to reduce the friction drag on the strips being moved between said jaws.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
43 words
an elongaged filler tube extending into the open margin of said strips ahead of said second sealer and longitudinally along said strips to an extent that its exit end extends beyond said second heat sealer to deposit a liquid into said tubular structure;
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
43 words
an elongaged filler tube extending into the open margin of said strips ahead of said second sealer and longitudinally along said strips to an extent that its exit end extends beyond said second heat sealer to deposit a liquid into said tubular structure;
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
means for pumping liquid into said filler tube at a rate commensurate with the rate of movement of said strips along said path;
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
means for pumping liquid into said filler tube at a rate commensurate with the rate of movement of said strips along said path;
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
122 words
An apparatus for continuously forming liquid-filled pods as defined in claim 1, wherein said mid-sealer comprises a driven flanged Drum; a plurality of heated jaws carried by and equally spaced circumferentially of said drum, each jaw having an arcuate surface forming a part of a circle concentric with the flange of the drum and which frictionally engage and support the innermost of the superposed strips at spaced intervals when said strips are wrapped therearound; and a plurality of spring-loaded back-up rollers circumferentially spaced around said drum for ironing the margin of said strips sealed at said frist heat sealer when the jaws pass under them and increase the adhesive strength of the seal at selected points along the length of said margin.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
178 words
An apparatus for continuously forming liquid-filled pods as defined in claim 1, wherein said rotary cross-sealer comprises a rotatable shaft whose axis extends transversely of, and whose periphery underlies, a portion of the path of said strips; a plurality of heated jaws fixed to and equally spaced circumferentially of the periphery of said shaft and adapted to move into engagement with and advance the liquid-filled tubular structure which is wrapped around the cross-sealer; an ironing head for each jaw; means for mounting said ironing heads so that they rotate with said jaws and are capable of movement to and from an operative position, wherein each ironing head presses the tubular structure against an associated jaw to make a cross-seal in the tubular structure; and means for moving each ironing head to its operative position after said tubular structure has engaged its associated jaw, and holding it in said operative position during a partial rotation of said cross-sealer after which said ironing head is moved from its operative position to allow the cross-sealed tubular structure to leave said cross-sealer.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
62 words
a rotary cross-sealer including a plurality of pairs of opposite heating and pressure applying members movably into engagement with said liquid-filled tubular structure at regularly spaced transverse sections thereof as the structure is advanced, said members being adapted to transversely bond the heat sealable coatings of said strips together at spaced transverse sections to form a succession of connected liquid-filled compartments; and
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
62 words
a rotary cross-sealer including a plurality of pairs of opposite heating and pressure applying members movably into engagement with said liquid-filled tubular structure at regularly spaced transverse sections thereof as the structure is advanced, said members being adapted to transversely bond the heat sealable coatings of said strips together at spaced transverse sections to form a succession of connected liquid-filled compartments; and
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
22 words
chopping means for severing said compartments from one another intermediate said transverse bonded sections to form a plurality of individual liquid-filled pods.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
22 words
chopping means for severing said compartments from one another intermediate said transverse bonded sections to form a plurality of individual liquid-filled pods.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
110 words
An apparatus for continuously forming liquid-filled pods as defined in claim 7, wherein each of said jaws has two sealing surfaces arranged in the form of an inverted V with its vertex extending transversely of the path of said tubular structure, said jaws spaced apart by a distance such that the adjacent sealing surfaces of successive jaws form the end seals of a given pod, and wherein each ironing head is positioned intermediate each adjoining pair of jaws and includes two heads adapted to mate with adjacent sealing surfaces of successive ones of said jaws and simultaneously produce the end seals of one pod when moved to its operative position.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
96 words
An apparatus for continuously forming liquid-filled pods as defined in claim 7 wherein said ironing heads are normally moved from said operative position by spring means, and wherein the means for moving said ironing heads to their operative position includes a stationary cam embracing a portion of the periphery of said cross-sealer, and a cam follower associated with each ironing head adapted to engage said cam and be moved by engagement therewith to move said ironing heads to their operative position and hold them in said position during a portion of one rotation of its cross-sealer.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
67 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 9, characterized in that the connection between said cam followers and their associated ironing heads comprises at least one compressible member which is put under compression by movement of said cam followers when moved by said cam so that the pressure applied to the jaws by said ironing heads to make said cross seals is resilient rather than positive in nature.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
128 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 7, including means for mounting said ironing heads for movement axially of said cross-sealer between a retracted position, wherein they are displaced from their respective jaws to allow the tubular structure to engage the disengage said jaws as it enters and leaves, respectively, said cross-sealer; and an extended position, wherein they are in radial alignment with their associated jaws; and including means for moving each of said ironing heads to its extended position after the tubular structure is wrapped onto their respective jaws and holding it in said extended poSition until the tubular structure is about to leave the cross-sealer at which time it is moved to its retracted position and held therein until it is again moved to its extended position.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
44 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 11, wherein said last mentioned means includes a stationary barrel cam concentric with, and located axially to one side of, the path of said jaws and engaged by a cam follower connected to each of said ironing heads.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
129 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 7 including means on the cross-sealer for making a partition seal in each pod intermediate said cross-seals to divide the pods into two separate compartments, said means including a heated partition jaw fixed to said shaft between each pair of said jaws, said heated partition jaw extending transversely of said tubular structure wrapped around said cross-sealer and having a sealing surface adapted to engage the under side of that portion of the tubular structure stretched between two successive jaws; and a partition ironing head fixed to each of said first mentioned ironing heads arranged to squeeze the liquid-filled tubular structure down against said partition jaw and heat seal the inner surfaces of the structure together at the same time the cross-seals are made.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
63 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein that portion of the tubular structure wrapped around and advanced by said cross-sealer follows a path which is a portion of a polygon having a number of sides corresponding to the number of jaws; and means for rotating said cross-sealer so that the tubular structure will be advanced thereby at a substantially constant linear velocity.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
55 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein said last mentioned means includes a drive shaft on said cross-sealer, a polygonal sprocket fixed to said drive shaft and having a polygonal path aligned with the path of the tubular structure passing around said cross-sealer, and a constant angular velocity power source for driving said sprocket.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
102 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 7, in which there are eight pairs of jaws so that the path of the tubular structure through the cross-sealer is a portion of an octagon, and including means for rotating said cross-sealer so that the tubular structure will be advanced thereby at a constant linear velocity; said last mentioned means comprising a drive shaft for said cross-sealer; an octagonal sprocket fixed to said shaft with its octagonal path aligned with the octagonal portion of the path of the tubular structure; and a drive chain driven from a constant angular velocity source engaging said octagonal sprocket.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
70 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 15, including a common drive for said mid-sealer, cross-sealer and chopper for advancing said superposed webs at a constant linear velocity between these three components, said common drive comprising a circular sprocket for each of the mid-sealer and the chopper; a drive motor; and a chain drive inter-connecting said circular sprockets and the polygonal sprocket of the cross-sealer and driven by said drive motor.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
37 words
In an apparatus for continuously forming a plurality of liquid-filled pods each having a sealed passage adapted to become unsealed upon the application of a predetermined physical stress to the exterior of the pods, the combination of:
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
37 words
In an apparatus for continuously forming a plurality of liquid-filled pods each having a sealed passage adapted to become unsealed upon the application of a predetermined physical stress to the exterior of the pods, the combination of:
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said second heat sealer is spaced along said path from said mid-sealer.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2982066A
Cited
US3228170A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-12-10 | 1977-06-11 | 1977-12-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-12-10 | 1981-06-11 | 1981-12-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-12-10 | 1985-06-11 | 1985-12-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |