Method for packaging articles

Claim 1

A method of applying a tubular member composed of a plastic film to an article wherein the tubular member comprises a circumferentially continuous article engaging wall terminating at an article receiving mouth and wherein the maximum cross section area of the tubular volume defined by the wall in a relaxed condition is substantially smaller than the cross sectional area of the article comprising: a. feeding said tubular member to a loading station; b. positioning said tubular member about a plurality of expander members having projecting ends extending into said tubular member through said mouth; c. providing signal structure adjacent a projecting end of an expander member for sensing an end of said tubular member, providing a signal in response to the sensed presence of the end of the tubular member opposite said mouth at the projecting end of said expander member and terminating the feeding of said tubular member; d. resiliently expanding the volume of said tubular member by relatively moving said expanded members, in response to said signal, to locations at which the cross sectional area defined by said mouth and at least part of the tubular volume defined by the wall is greater than the cross sectional area of the articles; e. inserting the article through the mouth along a path extending between the expander members; f. establishing a controlled frictional relationship between said tubular member and said expander members to enable relative movement between said expander members and said tubular member in the direction of extent of the expander members; g. moving said tubular member and article in the direction of said path relative to said expander members to remove said tubular member from about said expander members and to remove the article from between the expander members while maintaining said expander members at said locations; and, h. resiliently contracting said tubular member toward its relaxed condition so that said wall is contracted about the article as the tubular member and article are removed from the expander members and the article engaging wall of the tubular member tightly engages and at least partly assumes the coNtour of the article.

Claim 2

A method of applying a tubular member composed of a plastic film to an article wherein the tubular member comprises a circumferentially continuous article engaging wall terminating at an article receiving mouth and wherein the maximum cross section area of the tubular volume defined by the wall in a relaxed condition is substantially smaller than the cross sectional area of the article comprising: a. feeding said tubular member to a loading station; b. positioning said tubular member about a plurality of expander members having projecting ends extending into said tubular member through said mouth; c. providing signal structure adjacent a projecting end of an expander member for sensing an end of said tubular member, providing a signal in response to the sensed presence of the end of the tubular member opposite said mouth at the projecting end of said expander member and terminating the feeding of said tubular member; d. resiliently expanding the volume of said tubular member by relatively moving said expanded members, in response to said signal, to locations at which the cross sectional area defined by said mouth and at least part of the tubular volume defined by the wall is greater than the cross sectional area of the articles; e. inserting the article through the mouth along a path extending between the expander members; f. establishing a controlled frictional relationship between said tubular member and said expander members to enable relative movement between said expander members and said tubular member in the direction of extent of the expander members; g. moving said tubular member and article in the direction of said path relative to said expander members to remove said tubular member from about said expander members and to remove the article from between the expander members while maintaining said expander members at said locations; and, h. resiliently contracting said tubular member toward its relaxed condition so that said wall is contracted about the article as the tubular member and article are removed from the expander members and the article engaging wall of the tubular member tightly engages and at least partly assumes the coNtour of the article.

Claim 3

A method of applying a tubular member composed of a plastic film to an article wherein the tubular member comprises a circumferentially continuous article engaging wall terminating at an article receiving mouth and wherein the maximum cross sectional area of the tubular volume defined by the wall in a relaxed condition is substantially smaller than the cross sectional area of the article comprising: a. moving said tubular member to a loading station; b. positioning said tubular member about a plurality of expander members having projecting ends extending into said tubular member through said mouth; c. resiliently expanding the volume of said tubular member by relatively moving said expander members to locations at which the cross sectional area defined by said mouth and at least part of the tubular volume defined by the wall is greater than the cross sectional area of the article; d. inserting the article through the mouth along a path extending between the expander members; e. moving said tubular member and article in the direction of said path relative to said expander members to remove said tubular member from about said expander members and to remove the article from between the expander members while maintaining said expander members at said locations; f. providing a flow of air between said tubular member and said expander members while moving said tubular member from said expander members, said flow of air establishing an air bearing between said expander members and said tubular member; and, g. resiliently contracting said tubular member toward its relaxed condition so that said wall is contracted about the article as the tubular member and article are removed from the expander members and the article engaging wall of the tubular member tightly engages and at least partly assumes the contour of the article.

Claim 4

A method of applying a tubular member composed of a plastic film to an article wherein the tubular member comprises a circumferentially continuous article engaging wall terminating at an article receiving mouth and wherein the maximum cross sectional area of the tubular volume defined by the wall in a relaxed condition is substantially smaller than the cross sectional area of the article comprising: a. moving said tubular member to a loading station; b. positioning said tubular member about a plurality of expander members having projecting ends extending into said tubular member through said mouth; c. resiliently expanding the volume of said tubular member by relatively moving said expander members to locations at which the cross sectional area defined by said mouth and at least part of the tubular volume defined by the wall is greater than the cross sectional area of the article; d. inserting the article through the mouth along a path extending between the expander members; e. moving said tubular member and article in the direction of said path relative to said expander members to remove said tubular member from about said expander members and to remove the article from between the expander members while maintaining said expander members at said locations; f. providing a flow of air between said tubular member and said expander members while moving said tubular member from said expander members, said flow of air establishing an air bearing between said expander members and said tubular member; and, g. resiliently contracting said tubular member toward its relaxed condition so that said wall is contracted about the article as the tubular member and article are removed from the expander members and the article engaging wall of the tubular member tightly engages and at least partly assumes the contour of the article.

Claim 5

A method of applying a tubular member composed of a plastic film to an article wherein the tubular member comprises a circumferentially continuous article engaging wall terminating at an article receiving mouth, the maximum cross sectional area of the tubular volume defined by the wall in a relaxed condition is substantially smaller than the cross sectional area of the article, and wherein the tubular member forms part of a continuous strip of tubular members sucessively connected by weakened strip portions comprising: a. moving said tubular member to a loading station; b. gripping said tubular member and advancing the tubular member about a plurality of expander members having projecting ends extending into said tubular member through said mouth; c. feeding the strip of tubular members from a storage location while advancing said tubular member; d. stationarily positioning a portion of a second next succeeding tubular member adjacent the projecting ends of said expander members; e. resiliently expanding the volume of said tubular member by relatively moving said expander members to locations at which the cross sectional area defined by said mouth and at least part of the tubular volume defined by the wall is greater than the cross sectional area of the article; f. separating said first and second tubular members along said weakened strip portion when said expander members move relatively to said locations for expanding said first tubular member; g. inserting the article through the mouth along a path extending between the expander members; h. moving said tubular member and article in the direction of said path relative to said expander members to remove said tubular member from about said expander members and to remove the article from between the expander members while maintaining said expander members at said locations; and, i. resiliently contracting said tubular member toward its relaxed condition so that said wall is contracted about the article as the tubular member and article are removed from the expander members and the article Engaging wall of the tubular member tightly engages and at least partly assumes the contour of the article.

Claim 6

A method of applying a tubular member composed of a plastic film to an article wherein the tubular member comprises a circumferentially continuous article engaging wall terminating at an article receiving mouth, the maximum cross sectional area of the tubular volume defined by the wall in a relaxed condition is substantially smaller than the cross sectional area of the article, and wherein the tubular member forms part of a continuous strip of tubular members sucessively connected by weakened strip portions comprising: a. moving said tubular member to a loading station; b. gripping said tubular member and advancing the tubular member about a plurality of expander members having projecting ends extending into said tubular member through said mouth; c. feeding the strip of tubular members from a storage location while advancing said tubular member; d. stationarily positioning a portion of a second next succeeding tubular member adjacent the projecting ends of said expander members; e. resiliently expanding the volume of said tubular member by relatively moving said expander members to locations at which the cross sectional area defined by said mouth and at least part of the tubular volume defined by the wall is greater than the cross sectional area of the article; f. separating said first and second tubular members along said weakened strip portion when said expander members move relatively to said locations for expanding said first tubular member; g. inserting the article through the mouth along a path extending between the expander members; h. moving said tubular member and article in the direction of said path relative to said expander members to remove said tubular member from about said expander members and to remove the article from between the expander members while maintaining said expander members at said locations; and, i. resiliently contracting said tubular member toward its relaxed condition so that said wall is contracted about the article as the tubular member and article are removed from the expander members and the article Engaging wall of the tubular member tightly engages and at least partly assumes the contour of the article.

Claim 7

A method of packaging articles in bags of a web-like chain of plastic bags wherein an article being packaged is advanced into a bag along a path of article travel comprising: a. selecting a web-like chain of plastic bags each of which defines an internal volume having a cross sectional area, when in a relaxed condition, which is substantially smaller than the cross sectional area of articles to be packaged; b. feeding a bag of the chain onto a plurality of expander members which are closely adjacent each other in bag receiving positions along one lateral side of the article path of travel and project into the bag through an open end thereof; c. stationarily positioning the mouth of a second, next succeeding bag of the chain adjacent the projecting ends of the expander members in their bag receiving positions; d. stretching the bag by relatively moving the expander members away from each other to bag expanding positions wherin the cross sectional area of the bag is larger than the cross sectional area of an article and the article path of travel extends between the expander members; e. severing said bag from said second, next suceeding bag while stretching said bag; f. providing low friction bearing means between the stretched bag and the expander members; g. moving an article into the stretched bag along a path of travel extending between the expander members; h. engaging the article with the closed end of the stretched bag while moving the article; i. moving the bag along the bearing means from the expander members while maintaining the expander members in their bag expanding positions; and, j. resiliently contracting the bag about the article as the bag moves from the expander members.

Claim 8

A method of packaging articles in bags of a web-like chain of plastic bags wherein an article being packaged is advanced into a bag along a path of article travel comprising: a. selecting a web-like chain of plastic bags each of which defines an internal volume having a cross sectional area, when in a relaxed condition, which is substantially smaller than the cross sectional area of articles to be packaged; b. feeding a bag of the chain onto a plurality of expander members which are closely adjacent each other in bag receiving positions along one lateral side of the article path of travel and project into the bag through an open end thereof; c. stationarily positioning the mouth of a second, next succeeding bag of the chain adjacent the projecting ends of the expander members in their bag receiving positions; d. stretching the bag by relatively moving the expander members away from each other to bag expanding positions wherin the cross sectional area of the bag is larger than the cross sectional area of an article and the article path of travel extends between the expander members; e. severing said bag from said second, next suceeding bag while stretching said bag; f. providing low friction bearing means between the stretched bag and the expander members; g. moving an article into the stretched bag along a path of travel extending between the expander members; h. engaging the article with the closed end of the stretched bag while moving the article; i. moving the bag along the bearing means from the expander members while maintaining the expander members in their bag expanding positions; and, j. resiliently contracting the bag about the article as the bag moves from the expander members.

Claim 9

A method of packaging articles in plastic bags comprising: a. selecting plastic bags defining an internal volume having a cross sectional area when in a relaxed condition which is substantially smaller than the cross sectional area of articles to be packaged; b. supporting a bag at a loading station on a plurality of expander members which project into the bag through an open end thereof; c. stretching the bag by relatively moving the expander members away from each other to bag expanding positions wherein the cross sectional area of the bag is larger than the cross sectional area of an article; d. moving an article into the stretched bag along a path of travel extending between the expander members; e. engaging the article with the closed end of the stretched bag while moving the article; f. moving the bag from the expander members while maintaining the expander members in their bag expanding positions; g. providing low friction bearing means between the stretched bag and the expander members comprising establishing a flow of air between said expander members and adjacent surfaces of the bag to provide an air bearing between the expander members and the bag while the bag moves from the expander members; and, h. resiliently contracting the bag about the article as the bag moves from the expander members.

Claim 10

A method of packaging articles in plastic bags comprising: a. selecting plastic bags defining an internal volume having a cross sectional area when in a relaxed condition which is substantially smaller than the cross sectional area of articles to be packaged; b. supporting a bag at a loading station on a plurality of expander members which project into the bag through an open end thereof; c. stretching the bag by relatively moving the expander members away from each other to bag expanding positions wherein the cross sectional area of the bag is larger than the cross sectional area of an article; d. moving an article into the stretched bag along a path of travel extending between the expander members; e. engaging the article with the closed end of the stretched bag while moving the article; f. moving the bag from the expander members while maintaining the expander members in their bag expanding positions; g. providing low friction bearing means between the stretched bag and the expander members comprising establishing a flow of air between said expander members and adjacent surfaces of the bag to provide an air bearing between the expander members and the bag while the bag moves from the expander members; and, h. resiliently contracting the bag about the article as the bag moves from the expander members.

Claim 11

A method of packaging articles in plastic bags compising: a. selecting a strip of plastic bags in which successive bags of the strip are connected by a weakened strip portion, each bag defining an internal volume having a cross sectional area when in a relaxed condition, which is substantially smaller than the cross sectional area of articles to be packaged; b. gripping a first bag and advancing the bag about a plurality of expander members which project into the bag through an open end thereof while feeding the strip of bags from a storage location; c. positioning the mouth of a next succeeding bag of the strip adjacent projecting end portions of said expander members; d. stretching the first bag by relatively moving the expander members away frOm each other to bag expanding positions wherein the cross sectional area of the first bag is larger than the cross sectional area of an article; e. separating the first and second bags along said weakened strip portion as said first bag is expanded; f. moving an article into the stretched first bag along a path of travel extending between the expander members; g. engaging the article with the closed end of the stretched first bag while moving the article; h. moving the first bag from the expander members while maintaining the expander members in their bag expanding positions; and, i. resiliently contracting the first bag about the article as the bag moves from the expander members.

Claim 12

A method of packaging articles in plastic bags compising: a. selecting a strip of plastic bags in which successive bags of the strip are connected by a weakened strip portion, each bag defining an internal volume having a cross sectional area when in a relaxed condition, which is substantially smaller than the cross sectional area of articles to be packaged; b. gripping a first bag and advancing the bag about a plurality of expander members which project into the bag through an open end thereof while feeding the strip of bags from a storage location; c. positioning the mouth of a next succeeding bag of the strip adjacent projecting end portions of said expander members; d. stretching the first bag by relatively moving the expander members away frOm each other to bag expanding positions wherein the cross sectional area of the first bag is larger than the cross sectional area of an article; e. separating the first and second bags along said weakened strip portion as said first bag is expanded; f. moving an article into the stretched first bag along a path of travel extending between the expander members; g. engaging the article with the closed end of the stretched first bag while moving the article; h. moving the first bag from the expander members while maintaining the expander members in their bag expanding positions; and, i. resiliently contracting the first bag about the article as the bag moves from the expander members.

Claim 13

A method of packaging articles in plastic bags comprising: a. providing a storage location for a chain of plastic bags each defining a transverse end opening and a transverse end seal spaced from the end opening to define a fillable space therebetween; b. feeding a bag of the chain to an opening station with the bag proceeding toward the opening station open end first; c. at least partially opening the bag at said opening station and supporting said open end of said bag at a predeterined location; d. gripping said open end of said bag on one side thereof; e. removing said bag from said opening station while gripping said open end and moving said bag beyond said opening station while simultaneously moving a second succeeding bag of the chain toward said opening station; positioning said first bag about projecting expander members while moving said bag; g. releasing said first bag when said first bag is in a predetermined position with respect to said expander members and said second bag is at said opening station; h. at least partially opening said second bag; i. moving said expander members relative to each other to at least fully open said first bag; j. separating said first bag from said second bag; and, k. inserting an article into said first bag while supported on said expander members and removing said first bag and the article therein from said expander members.

Claim 14

A method of packaging articles in plastic bags comprising: a. providing a storage location for a chain of plastic bags each defining a transverse end opening and a transverse end seal spaced from the end opening to define a fillable space therebetween; b. feeding a bag of the chain to an opening station with the bag proceeding toward the opening station open end first; c. at least partially opening the bag at said opening station and supporting said open end of said bag at a predeterined location; d. gripping said open end of said bag on one side thereof; e. removing said bag from said opening station while gripping said open end and moving said bag beyond said opening station while simultaneously moving a second succeeding bag of the chain toward said opening station; positioning said first bag about projecting expander members while moving said bag; g. releasing said first bag when said first bag is in a predetermined position with respect to said expander members and said second bag is at said opening station; h. at least partially opening said second bag; i. moving said expander members relative to each other to at least fully open said first bag; j. separating said first bag from said second bag; and, k. inserting an article into said first bag while supported on said expander members and removing said first bag and the article therein from said expander members.

Claim 16

A method of packaging article in bags comprising: a. providing a storage location for a chain of bags each defining a transverse end opening and a transverse closed end space from the end opening to define a fillable space therebetween; b. feeding a bag of said chain of bags to an opening station with the bag proceeding toward the opening station open end first; c. at least partially opening a bag at said opening station and supporting said open end of said bag at a predetermined location; d. gripping said open end of said bag on one side thereof; e. removing said bag from said opening station and moving said bag beyond said opening station while simultaneously moving a second succeeding bag of the chain toward said opening station; f. positioning said first bag at a loading station; g. releasing said first bag when said first bag is at the loading station and said second bag is at said opening station; h. at least partially opening said second bag while supporting said first bag at said loading station; i. separating said first bag from said second bag while opening said first bag; j. inserting an article into said first bag while supported at said loading station and removing said bag and article therefrom.

Claim 17

A method of packaging article in bags comprising: a. providing a storage location for a chain of bags each defining a transverse end opening and a transverse closed end space from the end opening to define a fillable space therebetween; b. feeding a bag of said chain of bags to an opening station with the bag proceeding toward the opening station open end first; c. at least partially opening a bag at said opening station and supporting said open end of said bag at a predetermined location; d. gripping said open end of said bag on one side thereof; e. removing said bag from said opening station and moving said bag beyond said opening station while simultaneously moving a second succeeding bag of the chain toward said opening station; f. positioning said first bag at a loading station; g. releasing said first bag when said first bag is at the loading station and said second bag is at said opening station; h. at least partially opening said second bag while supporting said first bag at said loading station; i. separating said first bag from said second bag while opening said first bag; j. inserting an article into said first bag while supported at said loading station and removing said bag and article therefrom.