Method and apparatus for manufacturing container having bellows bottom and lid

• US 4,619,636 A
• Filed: 01/07/1985
• Issued: 10/28/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/1983
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ingemar S.B. Bogren
• Original Assignee: Ingemar S.B. Bogren
• Inventors: Bogren, Ingemar S. B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Husar, Francis S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Terrell, William E.
• Application Number:
  US06/694,672
• Time in Patent Office: 659 Days
• Field of Search: 493/108, 493/109, 493/102, 493/103, 493/104, 493/105, 493/474
• US Class Current: 493/109
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 3/22 with double walls; with walls incorporating air-chambers; with walls made of laminated material for thermal insulating purposes B65D81/3818

Abstract

In a method of producing a container having a bellows bottom (2) and a protection lid (3), sleeve (1) is maintained in one axial position while a bellows bottom blank (27) is pressed into sleeve (1) to a position whereat it is welded in place by heating the thermoplastic, whereupon sleeve (1) is axially moved to and maintained in another position and lid blank (3) is pressed into sleeve (1) to position whereat lid blank (3) is similarly welded in place. The apparatus comprises a carrier (9) having an opening for supporting sleeve (1) in each of two (raised and lowered) positions, a welding ring (10) around the opening for melting the adhesive, and a plunger (11) for successively pressing the two blanks (27, 3) into sleeve (1), while at the same time shaping them and forming a folded rim or flange on each. Plunger (11) comprises a lower plunger part (17) which shapes bellows bottom (2) and which is movable relative to an upper plunger part (18), to cause expansion of a rubber ring (19) located between the plunger parts (17, 18), to force the bellows bottom rim against sleeve (1) and the latter against the welding ring (10) during welding. Welding of protection lid (3) is effected while interaction of lower plunger part (17) and carrier (9) causes lid rim and sleeve (1) to bulge outwardly, with the latter against heated welding ring (10).

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a container comprising the steps of:

providing a plunger;

providing a rigid tubular sleeve;

providing a pair of flexible deformable blanks, each blank comprising a first layer of metallic material and a second layer of thermoplastic material which becomes adhesive when melted;

maintaining said sleeve in one axial position while pressing one blank into said sleeve into a first position relative to said sleeve by operating said plunger wherein a portion of said second layer thereof contacts said tube and while exposing said one blank to radiation which effects heating of said first layer thereby causing melting and adhesion of said second layer and thereby securing said first blank in said sleeve;

and shifting and then maintaining said sleeve in another axial position while pressing the other blank into said sleeve into a second position relative to said sleeve by operating said plunger wherein a portion of said second layer thereof contacts said sleeve and while exposing said other blank to radiation which effects heating of said first layer thereby causing melting and adhesion of said second layer and thereby securing said second blank in said sleeve.

2. A method of manufacturing a container comprising the steps of:

providing a plunger;

providing a rigid tubular sleeve open at opposite ends and having an inner wall;

providing a pair of flexible deformable blanks;

at least one of said tubular sleeve and said pair of blanks comprising a layer of thermoplastic material which becomes adhesive when melted;

maintaining said sleeve in one axial position while pressing one blank into said tubular sleeve through one open end thereof into a first position relative to said tubular sleeve by operating said plunger wherein thermoplastic material is disposed between said sleeve and said one blank and melting said thermoplastic material and thereby securing said one blank in said tubular sleeve;

and shifting and then maintaining said tubular sleeve in another axial position while pressing the other blank into said tubular sleeve through said one open end into a second position spaced apart from said first position relative to said tubular sleeve by operating said plunger wherein thermoplastic material is disposed between said sleeve and said other blank and melting said thermoplastic material and thereby securing said other blank in said tubular sleeve.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein each of said tubular sleeve and each of said blanks comprises a layer of thermoplastic material and wherein, when each blank is inserted in said tubular sleeve, thermoplastic material on said tubular sleeve makes contact with thermoplastic material on the blank.

4. A method according to claim 2 or 3 wherein each layer of thermoplastic material is associated with a layer of electrically conductive material which exhibits heating when subjected to radiant energy to thereby effect melting of its associated layer of thermoplastic material,

and including the step of subjecting said layer of electrically conductive material to radiant energy while each of said blanks is in its respective position within said tubular sleeve to effect melting of the thermoplastic material.

6. A method according to claim 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 wherein the step of pressing each blank into said tubular sleeve includes the step of deforming each said blank so as to provide flange means thereon which engages said inner wall of said tube.

7. A method according to claim 6 including the step of forcing said flange means radially outwardly against said inner wall of said tubular sleeve at least while the second layer thereof is melted to enhance adhesion of said second layer to said inner wall of said tubular sleeve.

5. A method of manufacturing a container comprising the steps of:

providing a plunger;

providing a rigid tubular sleeve open at opposite ends and having an inner wall;

providing a pair of flexible deformable blanks, each blank comprising a first layer of electrically conductive material which exhibits heating when subject to radiation and a second layer of thermoplastic material which becomes adhesive when melted in response to heat from said first layer;

maintaining said sleeve in one axial position while pressing one blank into said tubular sleeve through one open end thereof into a first position relative to said tubular sleeve by operating said plunger wherein a portion of said second layer of said one blank contacts said inner wall of said tube and while exposing said one blank to radiation which effects heating of said first layer thereof thereby causing melting and adhesion of said second layer of said one blank and thereby securing said one blank in said tubular sleeve;

and shifting and then maintaining said tubular sleeve in another axial position while pressing the other blank into said tubular sleeve through said one open end into a second position relative to said tubular sleeve by operating said plunger wherein a portion of said second layer of said other blank contacts said inner wall of said tube and while exposing said other blank to radiation which effects heating of said first layer thereof thereby causing melting and adhesion of said second layer of said other blank and thereby securing said other blank in said tubular sleeve.

8. Apparatus for manufacturing a container comprising a tubular sleeve (1) having a bellows bottom (2) and a protection lid (3), both of which are mounted within said sleeve (1) in axially spaced apart relationship from each other and secured to the inner wall of said sleeve by a thermoplastic adhesive, said apparatus comprising:

a carrier (9) having an opening therethrough;

means for supporting a sleeve (1) at a predetermined position in said opening;

welding means (10) disposed adjacent said opening for effecting melting of a thermoplastic adhesive;

a plunger (11) and means associated therewith for moving said plunger (11) between a retracted position on one side of said carrier (9) and a predetermined extended position within said opening, said plunger (11) defining means in association with said sleeve supporting means for inserting a bellows bottom (2) blank and a protection lid (3) blank one at a time into said sleeve (1) into axially spaced apart relationship from each other;

means for supporting a bellows bottom (2) blank and a protection lid (3) blank between said carrier (9) and said plunger (11) when said plunger (11) is in said retracted position;

and means in said opening to effect pressing of a blank already within said sleeve (1) against the inner wall of the sleeve (1) in said opening while said thermoplastic adhesive is melted.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said predetermined position of said sleeve (1) in said opening is a fully inserted position and wherein said predetermined extended position of said plunger (11) is a fully extended position.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said means to effect pressing of said blank already within said sleeve (1) comprises expandable means (19) on said plunger (11) which operates to expand outwardly when said plunger (11) is in said extended position.

11. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said predetermined position of said sleeve (1) in said opening is a partially inserted position and wherein said predetermined extended position of said plunger (11) is a partially extended position.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said means to effect pressing of said blank already within said sleeve (1) comprises a portion of said welding means (10) and a portion of said plunger (11) between which said blank and said sleeve are entrapped.

13. Apparatus for manufacturing a container comprising a tubular sleeve (1) having a bellows bottom (2) and a protection lid (3), both of which are mounted within said sleeve (1) in axially spaced apart relationship from each other and secured to said sleeve by a thermoplastic adhesive, said apparatus comprising:

a carrier means (9) having opposite sides and an opening therethrough for receiving and supporting a sleeve (1) inserted from one side of said carrier means (9) in either a fully inserted position or a partially inserted position;

an annular welding ring means (10) disposed around said opening for effecting melting of a thermoplastic adhesive;

a plunger (11) comprising a first plunger part (18), a relatively movable second plunger part (17), means associated therewith for effecting said relative motion and expandable means (19) disposed between those parts for expanding outwardly when said second plunger part (17) is moved toward said first plunger part (18);

means associated with said plunger for moving said plunger (11) between a retracted position on the other side of said carrier means (9), a fully extended position wherein said second plunger part (17) is within said opening and wherein said expandable means (19) is within said welding ring means (10), and a partially extended position wherein said second plunger part (17) is within said opening and wherein said expandable means (19) is past of said welding ring means (10);

and means for supporting a bellows bottom (2) blank and a protection lid (3) blank located between said carrier means (9) and said plunger (11) when the latter is in said retracted position.

14. Apparatus for manufacturing a container comprising a tubular sleeve (1) having a bellows bottom (2) and a protection lid (3), both mounted and adhesively secured within said sleeve (1) in axially spaced apart relationship from each other, said apparatus comprising:

a carrier (9) having opposite sides and a carrier opening means extending therethrough along an axis, for receiving and maintaining therein a tubular sleeve (1) inserted from one side of said carrier in either of two positions;

an annular welding ring means (10) disposed around said opening means for effecting heating of an adhesive;

a plunger (11) disposed on the other side of said carrier in a retracted position and means associated therewith for moving said plunger movable along said axis to either of two extended positions within a tubular sleeve (1) disposed in said opening;

said plunger (11) comprising a first plunger part (18) and a relatively movable second plunger part (17) mounted thereon and defining means for engaging a blank and forcing it into a tubular sleeve when said plunger (11) is moved to either of said two extended positions, means associated with said plunger for moving said second plunger part (18) axially toward said first plunger part (18) when said plunger is moved to one of said two extended positions;

means for supporting a bellows bottom blank and a protection lid blank located between said carrier and said second plunger part;

and means disposed around said plunger (11) between said first plunger part (18) and said second plunger part (17) for expanding, when said plunger (11) is in said one of said two positions, in response to the movement of said second plunger part (17) toward said first plunger part (18), said expanding being radially outwardly of said plunger (11).

15. Apparatus for manufacturing a container that comprises a substantially tubular sleeve and axially inner and outer closures at one end of the sleeve, each formed from a flat blank having a central portion and a marginal portion that is bent axially outward from said central portion and is secured to the sleeve around an inner surface thereof, said axially inner closure being supple and having its central portion of bellows-like form to accommodate expansion and contraction of container contents and said axially outer closure being substantially stiff and having a substantially flat central portion, said apparatus comprising a carrier means having an opening which has an upright axis for closely receiving and radially confining a sleeve, a welding ring means on the carrier means coaxially surrounding said opening for fusing coatings on a sleeve and on a closure to bond them, positioning means cooperating with the carrier means to releasably confine a sleeve in said opening against axial displacement relative to the carrier means, and means comprising a plunger having an axis coinciding with the axis of said opening and movable relative to the carrier means downwardly into and upwardly out of said opening for forming closures from flat blanks and inserting them into sleeves in the carrier means, said apparatus being characterized by:

(a) said plunger comprising

(1) an upper part having an annular and coaxial downwardly facing surface,

(2) a lower part which is confined to limited up and down motion relative to said upper part and which

(a) defines a bottom surface on the plunger and

(b) has an annular upwardly facing surface which is spaced above said bottom surface and which opposes said annular downwardly facing surface and cooperates with the latter in defining a radially outwardly opening groove around the plunger that is narrowed by upward movement of the lower part relative to the upper part, and

(3) means for clamping the sleeve and closure to said welding ring means, comprising a resilient ring in said groove, said upper and lower parts defining means for radially outwardly expanding said ring by axially compressing said ring by narrowing said groove;

(b) said bottom surface on the plunger having

(1) a central downwardly opening cavity and

(2) a coaxial annular area surrounding said cavity that lies in a single plane normal to the axis of the plunger; and

(c) said plunger having means therein comprising a suction passage, one end of which is connectable with a vacuum source and the other end of which opens to said cavity for drawing up into the cavity the central portion of a supple closure to impart bellows-like form thereto.