US3791267A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for making packages of interconnected plastic bags and the like
Assignee: ABERDEEN BAG CO
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Filing: 1972-11-27
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Granted: 1974-02-12
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Expires: 1992-11-27
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for making a plurality of packages of interconnected flexible plastic bags or the like and wherein an advancing web of thermoplastic sheet material is longitudinally folded to define upper and lower overlying sheets. The sheets are then fusibly joined and simultaneously severed along longitudinally spaced transverse lines while leaving a nonsevered connecting portion to thereby form a series of connected bags each having a folded bottom edge, fusibly joined side edges, and an open top. The series of connected bags is formed into a plurality of individual stacks of aligned overlying bags by circularly conveying the series about a central axis to form a plurality of overlying convolutions and with the bags of each convolution generally aligned with the bags of the adjacent convolutions. The bags of each stack may then be interconnected, and the connecting portion severed such that each stack forms a separate package of interconnected bags.
Inventors
- 👤 T Brooks
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 13:05
CPC Classifications
B; B31; B31B; B31B70/00; B31B70/74; B31B70/92; B31B70/98; B31B2155/00; B31B2155/001; B31B2155/0014; B31B2160/00; B31B2160/10; B31B70/94; B31B70/946
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
137 words
A method for making a plurality of individual packages of interconnected flexible plastic bags and comprising the steps of advancing a longitudinally folded web of thermoplastic film material along a path of travel, the web defining upper and lower overlying portions, fusibly joining the upper and lower portions of the advancing web along longitudinally spaced transverse lines, severing the upper and lower portions of the advancing web along the fusibly joined transverse lines while leaving a non-severed connecting portion to thereby form a series of connected bags each having a folded bottom edge, fusibly joined side edges, and an open top, forming the series of connected bags into a plurality of stacks of aligned overlying bags, interconnecting the bags of each stack, and severing the connecting portions to form a plurality of individual packages of interconnected bags.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
137 words
A method for making a plurality of individual packages of interconnected flexible plastic bags and comprising the steps of advancing a longitudinally folded web of thermoplastic film material along a path of travel, the web defining upper and lower overlying portions, fusibly joining the upper and lower portions of the advancing web along longitudinally spaced transverse lines, severing the upper and lower portions of the advancing web along the fusibly joined transverse lines while leaving a non-severed connecting portion to thereby form a series of connected bags each having a folded bottom edge, fusibly joined side edges, and an open top, forming the series of connected bags into a plurality of stacks of aligned overlying bags, interconnecting the bags of each stack, and severing the connecting portions to form a plurality of individual packages of interconnected bags.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
70 words
The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the step of interconnecting the bags of each stack includes the step of forming an interconnection adjacent the open tops of the bags, and the method comprises the further step of forming a serrated tear line longitudinally across the bag and immediately below the interconnection to permit individual bags to be readily removed from the package by tearing along the tear line.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method as defined in claim 2 wherein one of the portions of the folded web is longer in the transverse direction than the other portion to define a longitudinally extending flap portion, and wherein the non-severed connecting portion includes the flap portion.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method as defined in claim 3 wherein the interconnection and the serrated tear line are both positioned on the flap portion.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
56 words
The method as defined in claim 4 wherein the step of interconnecting the bags of each stack includes advancing and withdrawing a heated pin transversely through the flap portions after the series of connected bags are formed into a plurality of individual stacks whereby the flap portions are fusibly united upon withdrawal of the heated pin.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method as defined in claim 5 wherein the step of interconnecting the bags of each stack further includes the step of securing a header board over the flap portions after the series of connected bags are formed into a plurality of individual stacks to thereby reinforce the flap portions.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the step of forming the series of connected bags into a plurality of individual stacks includes conveying the series of connected bags circularly about a central axis to form a plurality of overlying convolutions.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
213 words
A method for making a plurality of individual packages of interconnected flexible plastic bags and comprising the steps of advancing a web of thermoplastic film material along a path of travel, longitudinally folding the advancing web along a line offset from the center line of the web to define upper and lower overlying portions and with one of the portions being longer in the transverse direction to define a longitudinally extending flap portion, fusibly joining the upper and lower portions of the advancing web along longitudinally spaced transverse lines, severing the portions of the advancing web along the fusibly joined transverse lines and without severing the flap portion to thereby form a series of connected bags each having a folded bottom edge, fusibly joined side edges, and an open top, and with the flap portion defining a non-severed connecting portion between adjacent bags, conveying the series of connected bags circularly about a central axis to form a plurality of overlying convolutions and with the bags of each convolution generally aligned with the bags of the adjacent convolutions to thereby form a plurality of stacks of aligned overlying bags, interconnecting the flap portions of the bags of each stack, and severing the connecting portions to form a plurality of individual packages of interconnected bags.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
213 words
A method for making a plurality of individual packages of interconnected flexible plastic bags and comprising the steps of advancing a web of thermoplastic film material along a path of travel, longitudinally folding the advancing web along a line offset from the center line of the web to define upper and lower overlying portions and with one of the portions being longer in the transverse direction to define a longitudinally extending flap portion, fusibly joining the upper and lower portions of the advancing web along longitudinally spaced transverse lines, severing the portions of the advancing web along the fusibly joined transverse lines and without severing the flap portion to thereby form a series of connected bags each having a folded bottom edge, fusibly joined side edges, and an open top, and with the flap portion defining a non-severed connecting portion between adjacent bags, conveying the series of connected bags circularly about a central axis to form a plurality of overlying convolutions and with the bags of each convolution generally aligned with the bags of the adjacent convolutions to thereby form a plurality of stacks of aligned overlying bags, interconnecting the flap portions of the bags of each stack, and severing the connecting portions to form a plurality of individual packages of interconnected bags.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method as defined in claim 8 comprising the further step of forming a serrated tear line longitudinally across the flap portions of the bags and after interconnecting the same to permit individual bags to be readily removed from the stack by tearing along the tear line.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method as defined in claim 8 wherein the steps of fusibly joining and severing the upper and lower portions of the advancing web occur simultaneously and include applying sufficient heat along the transverse lines to melt and sever the thermoplastic material while sealing the portions together adjacent the line of severance.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
79 words
The method as defined in claim 8 wherein the step of conveying the series of connected bags circularly about a central axis includes maintaining a controlled resilient outwardly directed radial force on the convolutions such that the diameter thereof decreases slightly as the convolutions build to thereby insure that the bags being formed into the convolutions are applied at substantially the same radial distance from the central axis and so that the bags of each stack are substantially aligned.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method as defined in claim 8 wherein the step of conveying the series of connected bags circularly about a central axis includes maintaining a controlled tension on the series of connected bags while the series is being formed into the convolutions to thereby prevent tearing the web.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
153 words
An apparatus for continuously forming a series of connected articles of thin film material into a plurality of stacks of aligned overlying articles to facilitate the formation of a plurality of packages of interconnected articles and comprising a wheel mounted for rotation about a central axis, said wheel including a plurality of article receiving stations spaced about the periphery thereof, means for rotating said wheel about said central axis, means carried at each of said article receiving stations for retaining an individual article of the series such that the series may be conveyed onto the wheel from a tangential direction by rotation of the wheel to thereby form a plurality of overlying convolutions and with the articles of each convolution being positioned at an article receiving station and generally aligned with the articles of the adjacent convolutions to thereby form a plurality of stacks of aligned overlying articles at each article receiving station.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
153 words
An apparatus for continuously forming a series of connected articles of thin film material into a plurality of stacks of aligned overlying articles to facilitate the formation of a plurality of packages of interconnected articles and comprising a wheel mounted for rotation about a central axis, said wheel including a plurality of article receiving stations spaced about the periphery thereof, means for rotating said wheel about said central axis, means carried at each of said article receiving stations for retaining an individual article of the series such that the series may be conveyed onto the wheel from a tangential direction by rotation of the wheel to thereby form a plurality of overlying convolutions and with the articles of each convolution being positioned at an article receiving station and generally aligned with the articles of the adjacent convolutions to thereby form a plurality of stacks of aligned overlying articles at each article receiving station.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 13 wherein said retaining means comprises a radially directed pointed pin at each article receiving station and adapted to pierce each of the articles received at the article receiving station.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
46 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 13 wherein said retaining means comprises a radially directed arm at each of said article receiving stations, each arm including shoulder means at the remote end thereof for supportingly engaging each of the articles positioned at the article receiving station.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
80 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein said retaining means further comprises means for slidably mounting each of said arms for limited radial movement between a first radially extended position and a second radially withdrawn position, and means for resilieNtly biasing each of said arms toward said first position with a predetermined force such that the diameter of the convolutions decreases slightly as the convolutions build to thereby insure that the articles formed in each stack are substantially aligned.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
44 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 16 wherein said retaining means further includes adjustable stop means for limiting the radial extent of said first position to thereby permit the effective circumference of the wheel to be adjusted and thereby accommodate articles of different sizes.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
43 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 17 further comprising means for collectively releasing said biasing means such that each of said arms may be freely moved to said second position to facilitate removal of the stacks of articles from said article receiving stations.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-02-11 | 1977-08-13 | 1978-02-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-02-11 | 1981-08-13 | 1982-02-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-02-11 | 1985-08-13 | 1986-02-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |