US5761878A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Horizontal wrapper with a side seal attachment
Assignee: AUDION AUTOMATION Ltd
•
Filing: 1996-09-19
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Granted: 1998-06-09
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Expires: 2016-09-19
Abstract
Abstract A continuously operating machine is provided for wrapping articles with a heat shrinkable plastic film automatically and sequentially. Articles are continuously, transferred along a horizontal pathway to a plurality of processing stations. At a first station, articles are tubularly overwrapped and sealed along a side edge thereof with excess film material being automatically trimmed away. Next, the articles are separated one from the other at a second station and at a last succeeding station, the resulting wrapped articles are subjected to thermal film shrinking. The side seal and trim apparatus includes a heat seal and trim unit which engages free side edges of the film tube to one another and trims excess away, the unit being sandwiched between drive and alignment members.
Inventors
- 👤 Zigmunt J. Walkiewicz, Jr.
- 👤 Franck E. Hansen
- 👤 Edmund D. Brett
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 09:14
CPC Classifications
B; B29; B29C; B29C65/00; B29C65/74; B29C65/743; B29C65/7435; B29C65/02; B29C65/18; B29C65/24; B29C65/30; B29C65/305; B29C65/749; B29C66/00; B29C66/01; B29C66/05; B29C66/10; B29C66/13; B29C66/133; B29C66/40; B29C66/41; B29C66/43; B29C66/432; B29C66/4322; B29C66/70; B29C66/73; B29C66/737; B29C66/7371; B29C66/73715; B29C66/80; B29C66/81; B29C66/814; B29C66/8141; B29C66/81411; B29C66/81415; B29C66/81417; B29C66/816; B29C66/8167; B29C66/818; B29C66/8182; B29C66/81821; B29C66/82; B29C66/822; B29C66/8221; B29C66/8223; B29C66/824; B29C66/8242; B29C66/83; B29C66/834; B29C66/8341; B29C66/83411; B29C66/83413; B29C66/84; B29C66/841; B29C66/8416; B29C66/849; B29C66/87; B29C66/872; B29C66/90; B29C66/91; B29C66/914; B29C66/9141; B65; B65B; B65B51/00; B65B51/10; B65B51/16; B65B51/26; B65B61/00; B65B61/005; B29C66/81433; B29C66/832; B29C66/8324; B29C66/91421; B29C66/919; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T156/00; Y10T156/12; Y10T156/1313
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
133 words
A side seal and trim unit for use in a continuously operating wrapping machine wherein articles being wrapped are first sequentially and longitudinally overwrapped with a continuous film, said unit comprising a pair of horizontal jaws comprising an upper jaw and a lower jaw; each of said jaws including, a first alignment and drive wheel, a section of a rotatable heat sealing and cutting assembly and a second alignment and drive wheel, said first and second alignment and drive wheels and said section of said rotatable heat sealing and cutting assembly on said lower jaw being actively driven; said first and second alignment and drive wheels and said section of said rotatable heat sealing and cutting assembly on said upper jaw being actively driven when said jaws are functionally engaged against one another.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
133 words
A side seal and trim unit for use in a continuously operating wrapping machine wherein articles being wrapped are first sequentially and longitudinally overwrapped with a continuous film, said unit comprising a pair of horizontal jaws comprising an upper jaw and a lower jaw; each of said jaws including, a first alignment and drive wheel, a section of a rotatable heat sealing and cutting assembly and a second alignment and drive wheel, said first and second alignment and drive wheels and said section of said rotatable heat sealing and cutting assembly on said lower jaw being actively driven; said first and second alignment and drive wheels and said section of said rotatable heat sealing and cutting assembly on said upper jaw being actively driven when said jaws are functionally engaged against one another.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The unit of claim 1, wherein said first alignment and drive wheels on said upper and lower jaws are constantly maintained engaged.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
The unit of claim 1, wherein said jaws are hingedly fixed to one another at a leading end thereof and are separable at a trailing end thereof, said trailing ends of said jaws are engaged to one another by a hydraulic piston and cylinder arrangement.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
The unit of claim 3, wherein said jaws at the leading end thereof have a ramped abutment surface which maintains abutment of said hinged end of said jaws when the opposite ends of said jaws are separated from one another.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
95 words
The unit of claim 1, wherein said section sealing and cutting assembly mounted on said lower jaw comprises a rotatable base member in the form of a wheel having a circumferential portion thereof made of an insulating material, and cutting assembly mounted on said upper jaw comprises a heater head which is rotatably mounted by means of a hollow shaft, said heater head including a ceramic heat element therein, having a configuration to produce a circumferential tip being positioned to engage against said circumferential portion of said base member which is made of insulating material.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
122 words
A side seal and trim apparatus for adhering together free side edge portions of tubular overwrap extended circumferentially about an article from a continuous film in an area alongside the article and trimming away excess film, the apparatus comprising: two jaws, one being an upper jaw and the other being a lower jaw, said jaws being hingedly fixed to one another at a leading end thereof and being separable at a trailing end thereof, said trailing ends of said jaws being engaged to one another by a hydraulic piston and cylinder arrangement, each of said jaws having engaged thereon a first alignment and drive wheel, a section of a rotatable heat sealing and cutting assembly, and a second alignment and drive wheel
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
122 words
A side seal and trim apparatus for adhering together free side edge portions of tubular overwrap extended circumferentially about an article from a continuous film in an area alongside the article and trimming away excess film, the apparatus comprising: two jaws, one being an upper jaw and the other being a lower jaw, said jaws being hingedly fixed to one another at a leading end thereof and being separable at a trailing end thereof, said trailing ends of said jaws being engaged to one another by a hydraulic piston and cylinder arrangement, each of said jaws having engaged thereon a first alignment and drive wheel, a section of a rotatable heat sealing and cutting assembly, and a second alignment and drive wheel
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
46 words
The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said second alignment and drive wheel on said lower jaw is actively driven and drives, by drive means, said first alignment and drive wheel and said section of said rotatable heat sealing and cutting assembly mounted on said lower jaw.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said second alignment and drive wheel on said lower jaw frictionally engages against and drives said second alignment and drive wheel on said upper jaw.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
42 words
The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said second alignment and drive wheel on said upper jaw drives, by drive means, said first alignment and drive wheel and said section of said rotatable heat sealing and cutting assembly mounted on said upper jaw.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said wheels and said rotatable heat sealing and cutting assembly are all synchronously driven by said drive means when said jaws are functionally engaged to one another.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said first and second alignment and drive wheels on said upper and lower jaws are constantly maintained engaged.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
40 words
The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said jaws at the leading end thereof have a ramped abutment surface which maintains abutment of said hinged end of said jaws when the opposite ends of said jaws are separated from one another.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
97 words
The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said section of said sealing and cutting assembly mounted on said lower jaw comprises a rotatable base member in the form of a wheel having a circumferential portion thereof made of an insulating material, and cutting assembly mounted on said upper jaw comprises a heater head which is rotatably mounted by means of a hollow shaft, said heater head including a ceramic heat element therein, having a configuration to produce a circumferential tip being positioned to engage against said circumferential portion of said base member which is made of insulating material.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising means for vertically and horizontally adjusting the apparatus to rest alongside the article.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
145 words
A side seal and trim apparatus for adhering together free side edge portions of a tubular overwrap extended circumferentially about an article from a continuous film in an area alongside the article and trimming away excess film for use in a continuously operating wrapping machine, the apparatus comprising: two jaws, one being an upper jaw and the other being a lower jaw, the jaws being hingedly fixed to one another at a leading end thereof and being separable at a trailing end thereof, said trailing ends of the jaws being engaged to one another by a hydraulic piston and cylinder arrangement, each of said jaws having engaged thereon a first alignment and drive wheel, a section of a rotatable heat sealing and cutting assembly, and a second alignment and drive wheel, and means for vertically and horizontally adjusting the apparatus to rest alongside the article.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
145 words
A side seal and trim apparatus for adhering together free side edge portions of a tubular overwrap extended circumferentially about an article from a continuous film in an area alongside the article and trimming away excess film for use in a continuously operating wrapping machine, the apparatus comprising: two jaws, one being an upper jaw and the other being a lower jaw, the jaws being hingedly fixed to one another at a leading end thereof and being separable at a trailing end thereof, said trailing ends of the jaws being engaged to one another by a hydraulic piston and cylinder arrangement, each of said jaws having engaged thereon a first alignment and drive wheel, a section of a rotatable heat sealing and cutting assembly, and a second alignment and drive wheel, and means for vertically and horizontally adjusting the apparatus to rest alongside the article.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
49 words
The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said second alignment and drive wheel on said lower jaw is actively drive and drives, by means of drive chain engagement, said first alignment and drive wheel and said section of said rotatable heat sealing and cutting assembly mounted on said lower jaw.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said second alignment and drive wheel on said lower jaw frictionally engages against and drives said second alignment and drive wheel on said upper jaw.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
45 words
The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said second alignment and drive wheel on said upper jaw drives, by means of drive chain engagement, said first alignment and drive wheel and said section of said rotatable heat sealing and cutting assembly mounted on said upper jaw.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said wheels and said rotatable heat sealing and cutting assembly are all synchronously driven by said drive chains when said jaws are functionally engaged to one another.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said first and second alignment and drive wheels on said upper and lower jaws are constantly maintained engaged.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
99 words
The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said section of said sealing and cutting assembly mounted on said lower jaw comprises a rotatable base member in the form of a wheel having a circumferential portion thereof made of an insulating material, and cutting assembly mounted on said upper jaw comprises a heater head which is rotatably mounted by a means of a hollow shaft, said heater head including a ceramic heat element therein, having a configuration to produce a circumferential tip being positioned to engage against said circumferential portion of said base member, which is made of an insulating material.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
45 words
The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the second alignment and drive wheel on said upper jaw is mounted in an individual shaft and mounting assembly within said upper jaw for continuous engagement and abutment with said second alignment and drive means on said lower jaw.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said first alignment and drive wheel is independently driven by drive means.
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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) | 2001-06-08 | 2001-12-08 | 2002-06-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-06-08 | 2005-12-08 | 2006-06-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-06-08 | 2009-12-08 | 2010-06-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |