Tubular banding applicator and method
11 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The tubular banding applicator converts a flat tubular material into a cut length expanded tubular sleeve and mounts the sleeve circumferentially on a container. A driver moves a selected length of flat tubular material from a supply station, around a spreader, and into a hollow former having a retaining gate at an exit thereof. A cutter severs the selected length of tubular material from the supply station and a flow of air directed at a side of the flat tubular length assists in opening the sleeve. A conveyor carries a series of containers along a path to position each container in turn in alignment with the opened tubular sleeve. The driver moves a second selected length of flat tubular material from the supply into the former, thereby ejecting the first open sleeve from the former onto a container aligned below. The sleeve is subsequently caused to shrink to securely enwrap the container. The cut length may be either short in comparison to the height of the container and applied as a band between the container neck and a closure, or longer and applied to cover all or a portion of the container body.
23 Citations
47 Claims
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27. A method for applying tubular bands from a supply of flat tubular material to a series of containers, comprising the steps of:
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a. advancing a first length of flat tubular material from the supply;
b. opening the first length of flat tubular material to a two dimensional cross sectional shape;
c. extending a gate to a location for preventing the first length of tubular material from passing the gate;
d. separating the first length of tubular material from the supply of flat tubular material to form a cut sleeve;
e. positioning a container in axial alignment with the cut sleeve;
f. retracting the gate to a location for allowing the cut sleeve to pass; and
g. advancing a second length of flat tubular material to discharge the cut sleeve onto the container. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. An apparatus for applying tubular bands from a supply of flat tubular material to each one in a series of containers, comprising:
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a. a supply of tubular material in flat condition;
b. a spreader for opening the tubular material positioned within the tubular material at a location downstream of the supply;
c. means for advancing a selected length of the tubular material positioned downstream of the spreader;
d. a cutter positioned downstream of the means for advancing;
e. a former positioned downstream of the cutter for receiving and opening the tubular material;
f. an extendable and retractable gate mounted adjacent an exit of the former; and
g. means for sequentially positioning each one of a series of containers in axial alignment with and downstream of the former so that a cut length of opened tubular material is discharged from the former to circumferentially engage a container of the series of containers when a subsequent selected length of tubular material is advanced. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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Specification