Apparatus for closing and sealing containers

Claim 2

Apparatus for closing and sealing an end closure of a container having a tubular body, the end closure having front and rear panels joined by side panels, the end closure panels extending axially from the tubular body in its open condition, said front and rear end closure panels each having a sealing strip defined at its outer end by a scored line, said apparatus comprising: closing means operable to fold the end closure panels to a closed position with the side panels folded beneath the front and rear panels with the front and rear panels lying substantially flat and substantially transversely of the tubular body to close the end of the tubular body with said sealing strips of the front and rear panels projecting axially outwardly of the tubular body in opposed face to face engaged relationship with each other; said closing means comprising a pair of closing jaws each mounted for movement in a path extending at an acute angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the tubular body of a container located between the closing jaws, each of said closing jaws having an outer end surface lying in a plane extending substantially normal to the longitudinal axis of the tubular body of the container; means for moving said closing jaws toward each other in said paths from retracted positions spaced from each other to extended positions such that when a container with an open end closure is located between the closing jaws, the front and rear end closure panels will be sequentially engaged by the leading edge of the end surface of respective ones of the closing jaws near said sealing strip and then said end surface as the closing jaws extend and be folded by the closing jaws to the closed position with said sealing strips projecting axially from the tubular body between the closing jaws in the fully extended positions of the closing jaws, and welding means operable to weld the sealing strips together to seal and secure the end closure in its closed condition.

Claim 3

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said welding means comprises an anvil engageable with one outer surface of the axially outwardly projecting outer end portions of the front and rear end closure panels in the closed condition, and vibrating means engageable with the opposite outer surface thereof and operable to generate heat sufficient to weld the end portions together.

Claim 4

Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said anvil has a support surface eNgageable with said one outer surface, said vibrating means being movable from an inoperable position spaced from the support surface of said anvil to an operable position in which it sequentially engages said other outer surface and presses said one outer surface into engagement with said support surface.

Claim 5

Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein said support surface of said anvil is formed with relieved areas to accommodate variations in the thickness of the end portions being welded together.

Claim 6

Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein said support surface includes an elongated plate member engageable by said one outer surface, and means resiliently supporting said plate member to permit the plate member to yield to accommodate variations in the thickness of the end portions being welded together.

Claim 7

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said welding means comprises an anvil engageable with one outer surface of the axially outwardly projecting outer end portions of the front and rear end closure panels in the closed condition, and vibrating means engageable with the opposite outer surface thereof and operable to generate heat sufficient to weld the end portions together.

Claim 8

Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein said anvil has a support surface engageable with said one outer surface, said vibrating means being movable from an inoperable position spaced from the support surface of said anvil to an operable position in which it sequentially engages said other outer surface and presses said one outer surface into engagement with said support surface.

Claim 9

Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said support surface of said anvil is formed with relieved areas to accommodate variations in the thickness of the end portions being welded together.

Claim 10

Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said support surface includes an elongated plate member engageable by said one outer surface, and means resiliently supporting said plate member to permit the plate member to yield to accommodate variations in the thickness of the end portions being welded together.

Claim 11

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said closing means is located at a closing station, said welding means is located at a welding station spaced from said closing station, and further including conveying means for moving containers from said closing station to said welding station.

Claim 12

Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 further including hold-down means located between said closing station and said welding station operable to hold the end closure panels of a container in the closed position as the container moves from the closing station to the welding station.

Claim 13

Apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein said hold-down means comprises a pair of guide bars spaced to define a slot therebetween extending in the direction of movement of containers from the closing station to the welding station, one of said guide bars being engageable with the rear end closure panel of a container moving from the closing station and the other of said guide bars being engageable with the front end closure panel of such container with the axially projecting outer end portions of the front and rear panels being received in said slot.

Claim 14

Apparatus for closing and sealing an end closure of a container having a tubular body to form a closed and sealed flat end closure for the container, the material of the end closure including thermoplastic material and having front, rear and side panels each extending axially from the tubular body in its open position, each of the end closure panels having a sealing strip defined at its outer end by a scored line and the rear panel including a closure flap extending from the outer edge of its sealing strip, said apparatus comprising: closing means operable to fold the end closure panels to a closed position with the side panels folded beneath the front and rear panels with the front and rear panels lying substantially flat and transversely of the tubular body to close the end of the tubular Body with the sealing strips and closure flap projecting outwardly of the tubular body; welding means operable to weld the sealing strips together to seal and secure the end closure panels in their closed position; and closure flap folding and welding means operable to fold the axially projecting sealing strips and closure flap over the front panel and weld the closure flap to the front panel such that the closure flap lies flat over the front panel, said flap closure means comprising a guide rod and a heating rod in substantially spaced, parallel relationship with each other, said guide rod being operable to bend the closure flap of a carton toward said heating rod as said carton moves from said welding means to said closure flap folding and welding means.

Claim 15

Apparatus for closing and sealing an end closure of a container having a tubular body to form a closed and sealed flat end closure for the container, the material of the end closure including thermoplastic material and having front, rear and side panels each extending axially from the tubular body in its open position, each of the end closure panels having a sealing strip defined at its outer end by a scored line and the rear panel including a closure flap extending from the outer edge of its sealing strip, said apparatus comprising: closing means operable to fold the end closure panels to a closed position with the side panels folded beneath the front and rear panels with the front and rear panels lying substantially flat and transversely of the tubular body to close the end of the tubular Body with the sealing strips and closure flap projecting outwardly of the tubular body; welding means operable to weld the sealing strips together to seal and secure the end closure panels in their closed position; and closure flap folding and welding means operable to fold the axially projecting sealing strips and closure flap over the front panel and weld the closure flap to the front panel such that the closure flap lies flat over the front panel, said flap closure means comprising a guide rod and a heating rod in substantially spaced, parallel relationship with each other, said guide rod being operable to bend the closure flap of a carton toward said heating rod as said carton moves from said welding means to said closure flap folding and welding means.

Claim 16

Apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein said closing means, welding means and closure flap folding and welding means are respectively located at a closing station, a welding station, and a closure flap folding and welding station spaced sequentially from each other; and further including a conveyor for conveying containers sequentially through said stations.

Claim 17

Apparatus as claimed in claim 14 further including a cooling member spaced from the closure flap folding and welding station on the opposite side thereof from said welding station; said cooling member being engageable by each container end closure as it is conveyed to said cooling member from said closure flap folding and welding station to remove heat from the end closure.

Claim 18

Apparatus for closing and sealing an end closure of a container having a tubular body to form a closed and sealed flat end closure for the container, the material of the container end closure including a thermoplastic material, the container end closure having front, rear and side panels each extending axially from the tubular body in its open position, each of said panels having a sealing strip defined at its outer end by a scored line, and said rear panel including a closure flap extending from the outer edge of its sealing strip, said apparatus comprising: closing means operable to bend the side panels of the cartons inwardly along the scored lines thereof between the front and rear panels thereof and to fold the front and rear panels flat over the top edges of the container sides with the sealing strips and closure flap projecting outwardly from the flat front and rear panels; welding means spaced from said closing means operable when a closed container is moved from the closing means to said welding means to weld the sealing strips of such container together to seal the container; flap closure means spaced from the welding means operable when a container is moved from said welding means to said flap closure means to fold the upstanding sealing strips and closure flap of such container over the front panel and weld the closure flap to the front panel such that the closure flap lies flat over the front panel; and conveying means for moving such containers sequentially to the closing means, welding means, and flap closure means; said closing means comprising: prebreaking jaws operable to prebreak the side panels of a container slightly inwardly along the scored lines thereof; closing jaws spaced from said prebreak jaws operable to fold the front and rear panels flat and bring the lower edges of the sealing strips of such container together such that the sealing strips and closure flap project outwardly from the front and rear panels; and a pair of spaced guide members on the side of the closing jaws opposite the prebreak jaws for holding the front and rear panels flat with the sealing strips and closure flap projecting through the space between the guide members as the container is conveyed to the welding means.

Claim 19

Apparatus for closing and sealing an end closure of a container having a tubular body to form a closed and sealed flat end closure for the container, the material of the container end closure including a thermoplastic material, the container end closure having front, rear and side panels each extending axially from the tubular body in its open position, each of said panels having a sealing strip defined at its outer end by a scored line, and said rear panel including a closure flap extending from the outer edge of its sealing strip, said apparatus comprising: closing means operable to bend the side panels of the cartons inwardly along the scored lines thereof between the front and rear panels thereof and to fold the front and rear panels flat over the top edges of the container sides with the sealing strips and closure flap projecting outwardly from the flat front and rear panels; welding means spaced from said closing means operable when a closed container is moved from the closing means to said welding means to weld the sealing strips of such container together to seal the container; flap closure means spaced from the welding means operable when a container is moved from said welding means to said flap closure means to fold the upstanding sealing strips and closure flap of such container over the front panel and weld the closure flap to the front panel such that the closure flap lies flat over the front panel; and conveying means for moving such containers sequentially to the closing means, welding means, and flap closure means; said closing means comprising: prebreaking jaws operable to prebreak the side panels of a container slightly inwardly along the scored lines thereof; closing jaws spaced from said prebreak jaws operable to fold the front and rear panels flat and bring the lower edges of the sealing strips of such container together such that the sealing strips and closure flap project outwardly from the front and rear panels; and a pair of spaced guide members on the side of the closing jaws opposite the prebreak jaws for holding the front and rear panels flat with the sealing strips and closure flap projecting through the space between the guide members as the container is conveyed to the welding means.

Claim 20

Apparatus as claimed in claim 16 wherein said welding means comprises an anvil engageable with one outer surface of the axially outwardly projecting outer end portions of the front and rear end closure panels in the closed condition, and vibrating means engageable with the opposite outer surface thereof and operable to generate heat sufficient to weld the end portions together.

Claim 21

Apparatus as claimed in claim 17 wherein said anvil has a support surface engageable with said one outer surface, said vibrating means being movable from an inoperable position spaced from the support surface of said anvil to an operable position in which it sequentially engages said other outer surface and presses said one outer surface into engagement with said support surface.

Claim 22

Apparatus for closing and sealing an end closure of a container having a tubular body to form a closed and sealed flat end closure for the container, the material of the container end closure including a thermoplastic material, the container end closure having front, rear and side panels each extending axially from the tubular body in its open position, each of said panels having a sealing strip defined at its outer end by a scored line, and said rear panel including a closure flap extending from the outer edge of its sealing strip, said apparatus comprising: closing means operable to bend the side panels of the cartons inwardly along the scored lines thereof between the front and rear panels and to fold the front and rear panels flat over the top edges of the container sides with the sealing strips and closure flap projecting outwardly from the flat front and rear panels; welding means spaced from said closing means operable when a closed container is moved from the closing means to said welding means to weld the sealing strips of such container together to seal the container; flap closure means spaced from the welding means operable when a container is moved from said welding means to said flap closure means to fold the upstanding sealing strips and closure flap of such container over the front panel and weld the closure flap to the front panel such that the closure flap lies flat over the front panel; and conveying means for moving such containers sequentially to the closing means, welding means, and flap closure means; said flap closure means comprising a guide rod and a heating rod in substantially spaced, parallel relationship with each other, said guide rod being operable to bend the closure flap of a carton moving from said welding station toward said heating rod to be heated thereby.

Claim 23

Apparatus for closing and sealing an end closure of a container having a tubular body to form a closed and sealed flat end closure for the container, the material of the container end closure including a thermoplastic material, the container end closure having front, rear and side panels each extending axially from the tubular body in its open position, each of said panels having a sealing strip defined at its outer end by a scored line, and said rear panel including a closure flap extending from the outer edge of its sealing strip, said apparatus comprising: closing means operable to bend the side panels of the cartons inwardly along the scored lines thereof between the front and rear panels and to fold the front and rear panels flat over the top edges of the container sides with the sealing strips and closure flap projecting outwardly from the flat front and rear panels; welding means spaced from said closing means operable when a closed container is moved from the closing means to said welding means to weld the sealing strips of such container together to seal the container; flap closure means spaced from the welding means operable when a container is moved from said welding means to said flap closure means to fold the upstanding sealing strips and closure flap of such container over the front panel and weld the closure flap to the front panel such that the closure flap lies flat over the front panel; and conveying means for moving such containers sequentially to the closing means, welding means, and flap closure means; said flap closure means comprising a guide rod and a heating rod in substantially spaced, parallel relationship with each other, said guide rod being operable to bend the closure flap of a carton moving from said welding station toward said heating rod to be heated thereby.

Claim 24

Apparatus as claimed in claim 19 further including a plate member engageable by the closure flap of a carton moving from said heating bar and guide rod operable to fold the heated closure flap to a flat closed position against the front end closure panel of the container.

Claim 25

Apparatus as claimed in claim 20 including means mounted on said plate member defining a chamber for cooling fluid to cool said plate member and the heated closure flaps of containers in contact with said plate member.

Claim 26

Apparatus as claimed in claim 21 including pipes connected with said cooling chamber for connection with a source of cooling fluid and operable to circulate cooling fluid through said cooling chamber.

Claim 27

Apparatus as claimed in claim 20 including a heating assembly, said heating bar forming a part of said assembly, said assembly being movable toward and away from said guide bar and operable to move away from said guide bar when movement of cartons along said guide bar is stopped.