Forming and filling flexible plastic packaging
First Claim
1. Apparatus for automatically assembling and packaging articles comprisingan assembler at which said articles are assembled and discharged one after another,a form and fill packaging line including a vacuum thermoformer where a plastic web is formed to provide receptacles for receiving said articles, a filling station where articles are placed in the formed receptacles, and a sealer where a sheet seals closed the filled receptacles,a transporting line receiving said articles from said assembler and transporting them to said filling station, said articles being presented in a group at a location spaced from said web at said filling station, anda first transfer mechanism for engaging said articles one group at a time and transferring them to a corresponding group of said receptacles at said filling station.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus for automatically assembling and packaging articles including an assembler at which the articles are assembled and discharged one after another, a form and fill packaging line including a vacuum thermoformer where a plastic web is formed to provide receptacles for receiving the articles, a filling station where articles are placed in the formed receptacles, and a sealer where a sheet seals closed the filled receptacles, a transporting line receiving the articles from the assembler and transporting them to the filling station, the articles being presented in a group at a location spaced from the web at the filling station, and a first transfer mechanism for engaging the articles one group at a time and transferring them to a corresponding group of the receptacles at the filling station. Also disclosed are inspecting articles prior to filling receptacles so as to fill receptacles with only defect-free articles; changing spacing between finished products during transfer from a conveyor to another location; and forming the receptacles by providing a first pressure difference on opposite sides of the plastic web when heated to provide an initial contour with uniform stretching and thereafter providing a second larger pressure difference to force the heated web into the desired shape.
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Citations
41 Claims
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1. Apparatus for automatically assembling and packaging articles comprising
an assembler at which said articles are assembled and discharged one after another, a form and fill packaging line including a vacuum thermoformer where a plastic web is formed to provide receptacles for receiving said articles, a filling station where articles are placed in the formed receptacles, and a sealer where a sheet seals closed the filled receptacles, a transporting line receiving said articles from said assembler and transporting them to said filling station, said articles being presented in a group at a location spaced from said web at said filling station, and a first transfer mechanism for engaging said articles one group at a time and transferring them to a corresponding group of said receptacles at said filling station.
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12. Apparatus for automatically packaging articles comprising
groups of receptacles for receiving said articles, a filling station where articles are placed in said receptacles a packaging line, means for automatically moving said receptacles along said packaging line past said filling station, a conveyor presenting said articles to said filling station, said articles being presented in groups at a location spaced from said group of receptacles at said filling station, a transfer mechanism for engaging said articles one group at a time and transferring them to a corresponding group of receptacles at said filling station, article inspection means for identifying defective articles on said conveyor, and article removal means for selectively removing articles so that only groups containing defect-free articles are transferred by said transfer mechanism.
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20. Apparatus for simultaneously transferring a group of products from one location to another comprising
a conveyor presenting said products in a group having first predetermined positions characterized by a first spacing with respect to each other at a first predetermined location, a product receiving station at a second predetermined location spaced from said first location, said product receiving station having second predetermined product positions characterized by a second spacing with respect to each other different from said first spacing, and a transfer mechanism that is movable between said first and second predetermined locations and includes a plurality of product engagers for engaging respective products in a said group, said product engagers being movable with respect to each other so as to engage said products at said first predetermined positions at said first location and to disengage said products at said second predetermined positions at said product receiving station.
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30. In forming and filling flexible plastic packages comprising forming a web of plastic pulled through and processed in a thermoformer to provide formed receptacles, placing articles in said formed receptacles to provide filled receptacles, providing a cover over said filled receptacles, sealing said cover to said web around said receptacles, and cutting said web between said filled receptacles to provide separate packages, the improvement wherein said forming comprises,
advancing a thin flexible web of plastic through said thermoformer, providing a first pressure difference on opposite sides of said plastic web when heated and positioned in a mold of said thermoformer to provide an initial contour with substantially uniform stretching of said heated, plastic web, and thereafter providing a second pressure difference which is larger than said first pressure difference and is sufficiently large to force the heated plastic web into the desired shape of a mold of said thermoformer to provide formed receptacles with a wall thickness at least equal to a predetermined minimum thickness sufficient to maintain integrity of said packages.
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39. The method of thermoforming flexible plastic web in a thermoformer comprising
advancing a thin flexible web of plastic through said thermoformer, providing a first pressure difference on opposite sides of said plastic web when heated and positioned in a mold of said thermoformer to provide an initial contour with substantially uniform stretching of said heated, plastic web and thereafter providing a second pressure difference which is larger than said first pressure difference and is sufficiently large to force the heated web into the desired shape of a mold of said thermoformer to provide a wall thickness at least equal to a predetermined minimum thickness sufficient to maintain integrity.
Specification