US4215460A — Apparatus and method for assemblying tubular slee…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 134 words

Combined apparatus for applying a tubular band to an article continuously moving along a horizontal path comprising means for supplying a preformed heat-shrinkable semi-rigid tubular band in flat-folded condition, vacuum means adapted to movement downwardly and divergently to grip juxtaposed exterior surfaces of said band and to effect its major opening while transporting the same along a downward path, means for continuously conveying the article in upright timed relation with its upper extremity closely adjacent and physically contacting the lower extremity of a lowered open band while still retained by said vacuum means, said band having a slightly greater diameter than the exterior diameter of an upper portion of said article, said vacuum means being pivotally mounted to facilitate pivotal movement of said band upon contact by said article to assist its delivery thereon.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 134 words

Combined apparatus for applying a tubular band to an article continuously moving along a horizontal path comprising means for supplying a preformed heat-shrinkable semi-rigid tubular band in flat-folded condition, vacuum means adapted to movement downwardly and divergently to grip juxtaposed exterior surfaces of said band and to effect its major opening while transporting the same along a downward path, means for continuously conveying the article in upright timed relation with its upper extremity closely adjacent and physically contacting the lower extremity of a lowered open band while still retained by said vacuum means, said band having a slightly greater diameter than the exterior diameter of an upper portion of said article, said vacuum means being pivotally mounted to facilitate pivotal movement of said band upon contact by said article to assist its delivery thereon.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 46 words

Combined apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said vacuum means comprises a pair of pivoted vacuum cups adapted to downward and divergent movement in juxtaposed facing relation adapted to engage and separate opposing flat surfaces of said flat-folded band for essentially fully opening the same.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 41 words

Combined apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the means for supplying the said preformed tubular band comprises a holder for a nested stack of flat-folded bands with their open ends in vertical alignment mounted adjacent and facing said vacuum means.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 30 words

Combined apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said heat-shrinkable tubular band is comprised of foamed polystyrene or foamed polyethylene having a thickness ranging from about 0.002 to 0.030 inch.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 60 words

Combined apparatus in accordance with claim 2, wherein said means for continuously conveying the article in upright, equi-spaced, timed relation comprises a lineal conveyor adapted to transport the said article between a lowermost alignment of a pair of pivoted vacuum cups constituting said vacuum means for engagement of said band by an upper portion of said article for delivery thereon.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 48 words

Combined apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said vacuum means comprises two reaches of spaced-apart vacuum cups arranged to cooperate in pairs in downward and divergent relationship for gripping opposing exterior surfaces of said band for essentially fully opening the same prior to delivery onto said article.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 41 words

Combined apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said article and said band are conveyed in timed sequence so that the upper extremity of said article and the opened band physically and telescopically engage during their respective horizontal and downward travel.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 142 words

Combined apparatus for applying a tubular band to a container continuously moving along a horizontal path comprising a supply means of preformed heat-shrinkable tubular bands of predetermined length and diameter retained in flat-folded condition, vacuum means consisting of two reaches of equi-spaced vacuum cups arranged in cooperative pairs in downward and divergent relation adapted to gripping opposing exterior surfaces of an individual flattened band delivered from said supply means for fully opening same, conveyor means for continuously transporting the containers in equi-spaced, timed relation with the upper extremity of each container closely adjacent and physically contacting the lower extremity of a lowered opened band while still retained at a lowermost position by said vacuum means, said vacuum cups being pivotally mounted to facilitate pivotal movement of said band upon contact by the upper extremity of said container to assist its delivery thereon.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 142 words

Combined apparatus for applying a tubular band to a container continuously moving along a horizontal path comprising a supply means of preformed heat-shrinkable tubular bands of predetermined length and diameter retained in flat-folded condition, vacuum means consisting of two reaches of equi-spaced vacuum cups arranged in cooperative pairs in downward and divergent relation adapted to gripping opposing exterior surfaces of an individual flattened band delivered from said supply means for fully opening same, conveyor means for continuously transporting the containers in equi-spaced, timed relation with the upper extremity of each container closely adjacent and physically contacting the lower extremity of a lowered opened band while still retained at a lowermost position by said vacuum means, said vacuum cups being pivotally mounted to facilitate pivotal movement of said band upon contact by the upper extremity of said container to assist its delivery thereon.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 30 words

Combined apparatus in accordance with claim 8, wherein said supply means consist of a holder for a nested stacked plurality of flat-folded bands mounted adjacent and facing said vacuum means.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 48 words

Combined apparatus in accordance with claim 8, wherein said vacuum means consist of two continuous belts having two facing divergent reaches extending vertically downwardly with said cooperative pairs of equi-spaced vacuum cups mounted thereon adapted to juxtaposed and divergent travel with an individual band therebetween for opening same.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 44 words

Combined apparatus in accordance with claim 8, wherein said conveyor means consists of a worm screw feed for equi-spacing said containers in a position immediately below and in alignment normal to the direction of travel of said two divergent reaches of said vacuum means.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 45 words

Combined apparatus in accordance with claim 8, wherein said tubular bands consist of rigid or semi-rigid foamed polystyrene or foamed polyethylene having a thickness ranging from about 0.002 to 0.030 inch, said bands having a diameter slightly greater than the upper portion of said containers.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 165 words

Combined apparatus for applying a tubular band to a container continuously moving along a horizontal path comprising a supply means of preformed heat-shrinkable tubular bands of predetermined length and diameter retained in flat-folded condition, vacuum means consisting of two reaches of equi-spaced vacuum cups arranged in cooperative pairs in downward and divergent facing relation adapted to gripping opposing exterior surfaces of an individual band delivered from said supply means for partially opening same, a series of cylindrical mandrels of lesser diameter than said bands mounted on an endless belt in equi-spaced vertical arrangement in a path intersecting the path of said lowermost opened band, conveyor means for continuously transporting the containers in equi-spaced timed relation immediately below said series of mandrels and in the same spacing, the opened bands adapted to loading onto said mandrels serially for their further opening, the mandrels adapted to vertical rotation in a vertical plane on said belt to effect delivery of said bands onto said containers passing serially therebeneath.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 165 words

Combined apparatus for applying a tubular band to a container continuously moving along a horizontal path comprising a supply means of preformed heat-shrinkable tubular bands of predetermined length and diameter retained in flat-folded condition, vacuum means consisting of two reaches of equi-spaced vacuum cups arranged in cooperative pairs in downward and divergent facing relation adapted to gripping opposing exterior surfaces of an individual band delivered from said supply means for partially opening same, a series of cylindrical mandrels of lesser diameter than said bands mounted on an endless belt in equi-spaced vertical arrangement in a path intersecting the path of said lowermost opened band, conveyor means for continuously transporting the containers in equi-spaced timed relation immediately below said series of mandrels and in the same spacing, the opened bands adapted to loading onto said mandrels serially for their further opening, the mandrels adapted to vertical rotation in a vertical plane on said belt to effect delivery of said bands onto said containers passing serially therebeneath.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 26 words

Combined apparatus in accordance with claim 13, including stripper means adapted to remove said bands from said mandrels onto an upper portion of each said container.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 46 words

Combined apparatus in accordance with claim 13, wherein said vacuum means including the two facing reaches of vacuum cups, the said endless belt carrying the series of cylindrical mandrels, and the conveyor means are all operated in synchronism for delivery of said bands onto said containers.

Claim 19

Independent Claim 87 words

The method of applying a tubular band to the upper portions of a container comprising the steps of supplying a preformed heat-shrinkable semi-rigid tubular band in flat-folded condition, transporting said band downwardly by a pair of vacuum cups moving downwardly and divergently gripping opposing exterior surfaces of said band for opening same, conveying the said container in upright timed relation so that its upper portion contacts the lower extremity of said band, and telescoping said band over the upper portion of said container during their intersecting travel.

Claim 20

Independent Claim 87 words

The method of applying a tubular band to the upper portions of a container comprising the steps of supplying a preformed heat-shrinkable semi-rigid tubular band in flat-folded condition, transporting said band downwardly by a pair of vacuum cups moving downwardly and divergently gripping opposing exterior surfaces of said band for opening same, conveying the said container in upright timed relation so that its upper portion contacts the lower extremity of said band, and telescoping said band over the upper portion of said container during their intersecting travel.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 38 words

The method in accordance with claim 16, including the step of transporting said band downwardly with its fold lines parallel to the direction of travel of said containers for opening said band prior to its contacting said container.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 31 words

The method in accordance with claim 16, including the step of transporting said band downwardly in pivotal relation with its pivotal axis normal to the direction of travel of said container.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 33 words

The method in accordance with claim 16, including the step of gripping opposing exterior surfaces of said band with a facing pair of vacuum cups moving downwardly and divergently for opening said band.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 35 words

The method in accordance with claim 16, including the step of placing said band on a cylindrical mandrel for more fully opening same prior to its being telescoped over the upper portion of said container.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method in accordance with claim 20, including the step of stripping said band from said mandrel onto said container during its horizontal upright travel.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 41 words

The method in accordance with claim 16, wherein said band consists of semi-rigid foamed polystyrene or foamed polyethylene having a thickness ranging from about 0.002 to 0.030 inch and having a diameter slightly greater than the upper portion of said container.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1983-08-05	1984-02-04	1984-08-05	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1987-08-05	1988-02-04	1988-08-05	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1991-08-05	1992-02-04	1992-08-05	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Apparatus and method for assemblying tubular sleeve preforms and containers

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