Coupon inserter

• US 5,549,233 A
• Filed: 12/23/1994
• Issued: 08/27/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Witt C. Joyce
• Original Assignee: Witt C. Joyce
• Inventors: Clauser, Donald E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Peterson, Kenneth E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PRYOR, SEAN AUGUSTUS
• Application Number:
  US08/370,779
• Time in Patent Office: 613 Days
• Field of Search: 225/100, 225/106
• US Class Current: 225/100
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2220/01 indicating an entity as a function of which control, adjustment or change is performed, i.e. input
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2220/02 indicating an entity which is controlled, adjusted or changed by a control process, i.e. output
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2403/21 Timing belts
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2511/20 Location in space
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2513/51 Sequence of process
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 35/10 from or with devices for breaking partially-cut or perforated webs, e.g. bursters
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 225/35 Work-parting pullers [bursters]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 225/393 Web restrainer

Abstract

An improved coupon inserter assembly receives a continuous supply of coupons and separates the forwardmost coupon and successive coupons from the web in a controlled fashion. The inserter assembly includes a pair of opposed feed rolls and opposed burst rolls for delivering the forwardmost coupon to a predispense position and deliver that coupon to a point of insertion. The feed rolls and delivery rolls are both driven from a first drive source during a feeding operation. The feed rolls are driven by the first source and the burst rolls are driven by a second drive source during a burst operation.

Claims

1. Apparatus for delivering successive coupons to a dispensing location, said coupons being provided as a continuous web of successive coupons with a forwardmost coupon having its trailing edge connected to the leading edge of the next coupon by a weakened web portion, each successive coupon being similarly connected in said web, the apparatus comprising:

feed roll means for engaging the continuous web of coupons and for passing the coupons downstream;

burst roll means located downstream from said feed roll means for receiving the forwardmost coupon in a nip formed between the burst roll means;

control means responsive to a timing signal related to the time when the forwardmost coupon is to be positioned at said dispensing location, for providing a sensing signal related to the presence of a coupon at a sensing position between said feed roll means and said burst roll means, for providing a first output signal in response to said timing signal and said sensing signal, and for providing a second output signal in response to said timing signal; and

actuating means including first drive means coupled with said feed roll means and said burst roll means, second drive means coupled with said burst roll means, and means for decoupling said second drive means from said burst roll means in a first mode of operation and for decoupling said first drive means from said burst roll means in a second mode of operation, said actuating means rotating said feed roll means and said burst roll means at a first angular speed in response to said first output signal in the first mode of operation and rotating said feed roll means at said first angular speed and said burst roll means at a second angular speed in response to said second output signal to thereby separate the forwardmost coupon engaged in said burst roll means from the continuous web and deliver the forwardmost coupon to said dispensing location in the second mode of operation.

2. The coupon inserting apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first drive means comprises a stepper motor.

3. The coupon inserting apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second drive means rotates said burst roll means at a constant angular speed.

4. The invention as in claim 1 wherein said feed roll means comprises:

first and second upper feed rolls located proximate a lower feed roll, said first and second upper feed rolls being axially spaced from each other to define a feed roll space therebetween, each of said upper feed rolls including a peripheral surface engaging a first portion of the continuous web of coupons in a nip formed between said peripheral surface and said lower feed roll while permitting a second portion of the continuous web of coupons to pass through said feed roll space.

5. The invention as in claim 1 wherein said burst roll means comprises:

first and second upper burst rolls located proximate a lower burst roll, said first and second upper burst rolls being axially spaced from each other to define a burst roll space therebetween, each of said upper burst rolls including a peripheral surface engaging a first portion of the forwardmost coupon in a nip formed between said peripheral surface and said lower burst roll while permitting a second portion of the forwardmost coupon to pass through said feed roll space.

6. Apparatus for positioning coupons into moving containers in a continuous fashion as the containers pass a dispensing location, the coupons provided in a continuous web wherein the trailing edge of a forwardmost coupon is connected to the leading edge of a successive coupon with a separable portion, the apparatus comprising:

a bursting subassembly including first and second opposed burst rolls, at least one of the opposed burst rolls selectively coupled with a first drive source and a second drive source, the opposed burst rolls disposed to engage each of the successive coupons and, in a first operable mode, said at least one of the opposed burst rolls being coupled with the first drive source to advance the first coupon, and in a second operable mode, being coupled with the second drive source to separate the trailing edge of the first coupon from the leading edge of the successive coupon along the separable portion;

a coupon feeding subassembly including first and second opposed feed rolls, at least one of the opposed feed rolls coupled with the first drive source, the opposed feed rolls disposed to engage each of the successive coupons and, in the first operable mode, advancing the coupons in cooperation with the bursting subassembly, and in the second operable mode, engaging the successive coupon while the first coupon is separated by the bursting subassembly;

a coupon position sensor located between the coupon feeding subassembly and the bursting subassembly for sensing the presence of the forwardmost coupon and providing a first sensing signal; and

a control circuit providing a timing signal related to the time when the coupon is to be positioned into a container when the container passes the dispensing location, and receiving the first sensing signal from the coupon position sensor, the control circuit providing a first output signal in response to the timing signal and the first sensing signal to operate the first drive source in the first and second operable modes and for providing a second output signal in response to the timing signal to selectively couple the bursting subassembly with the second drive source in the second operable mode.

7. The invention as in claim 6 wherein the coupon position sensor provides a second sensing signal to the control circuit when the forwardmost coupon is separated from the web.

8. The invention as in claim 6 wherein the control circuit receives a verification signal from an external source upon the insertion of the forwardmost into a container.

9. The invention as in claim 6 wherein the coupons are three-dimensional inserts.

10. The invention as in claim 6 wherein said coupon feeding subassembly comprises:

a third feed roll axially spaced from the first feed roll, the first and third feed rolls being axially adjustable relative to each other to define a feed roll space therebetween, each of the first and third feed rolls including a peripheral surface engaging a first section of the continuous web of coupons in a nip formed between the peripheral surface and the second feed roll while permitting a second section of the continuous web of coupons to pass through the feed roll space.

11. The invention as in claim 10 wherein the second section of the continuous web has at least portions thereof raised with respect to the first section of the continuous web.

12. The invention of claim 6 wherein the first feed roll is freely rotatable and the second feed roll is coupled with the first drive source.

13. The invention of claim 6 wherein the first burst roll is freely rotatable and the second burst roll is selectively coupled with the first drive source and the second drive source.

14. The invention as in claim 6 wherein said bursting subassembly comprises:

a third burst roll axially spaced from the first burst roll, the first and third burst rolls being axially adjustable relative to each other to define a burst roll space therebetween, each of the first and third burst rolls including a peripheral surface engaging a first portion of the forwardmost coupon in a nip formed between the peripheral surface and the second burst roll while permitting a second portion of the forwardmost coupon to pass through the burst roll space.

15. The invention as in claim 14 wherein the second portion of the continuous web has at least portions thereof raised with respect to the first portion of the continuous web.

16. Apparatus for delivering successive coupons to successive containers at a dispensing location, said coupons being provided as a continuous web of successive coupons with a forwardmost coupon having its trailing edge connected to the leading edge of the next coupon by a weakened web portion, each successive coupon being similarly connected in said web, the apparatus comprising:

feed roll means operable in a noninterrupted fashion to engage the continuous web of coupons and to pass the coupons downstream;

burst roll means located downstream from said feed roll means for engaging the forwardmost coupon;

a control circuit responsive to a plurality of timing signals supplied from an external source, each of said timing signals related to the time when the forwardmost coupon is to be positioned in one of the containers as it passes the dispensing location, said control circuit providing a plurality of sensing signals, each of said sensing signals related to the presence of a coupon at a sensing position between said feed roll means and said burst roll means, said control circuit generating a first series of output pulses of a variable frequency in response to said timing signal and said sensing signal, and providing a plurality of second output signals in response to said timing signals; and

an actuating subassembly operable in a first mode to rotate said feed roll means and said burst roll means in response to said first series of output pulses and operable in a second mode to rotate said burst roll means at a first angular speed in response to one of said second output signals while said feed roll means is rotated at a second angular speed less than said first angular speed in response to said first series of output pulses to thereby separate the forwardmost coupon engaged in said burst roll means from the continuous web and deliver the forwardmost coupon to one of the containers as it passes the dispensing location, said actuating subassembly thereafter continuously rotating said feed roll means to move the next succeeding coupon to said sensing position in response to said first series of output pulses.

17. The invention of claim 16 wherein the actuating subassembly comprises:

a first drive source coupled with said feed roll means and said burst roll means;

a second drive source coupled with said burst roll means;

means for decoupling said second drive source from said burst roll means in said first mode; and

means for decoupling said first drive source from said burst roll means in said second mode.

18. The invention of claim 16 wherein the coupons are three-dimensional inserts.

19. The invention as in claim 16 wherein the control circuit provides at least one of said sensing signals when the forwardmost coupon is separated from the web.

20. The invention as in claim 16 wherein the control circuit receives a verification signal from an external source upon the insertion of the forwardmost into a container.

21. The coupon inserting apparatus of claim 16 wherein said burst roll means comprises:

first and second upper burst rolls located proximate a lower burst roll, said first and second upper burst rolls being axially spaced from each other to define a burst roll space therebetween, each of said upper burst rolls including a peripheral surface engaging a first portion of the forwardmost coupon in a nip formed between said peripheral surface and said lower burst roll while permitting a second portion of the forwardmost coupon to pass through said burst roll space.

22. The coupon inserting apparatus of claim 16 wherein said feed roll means comprises:

first and second upper feed rolls located proximate a lower feed roll, said first and second upper feed rolls being spaced from each other to define a feed roll space therebetween, each of said upper feed rolls including a peripheral surface engaging a first portion of the continuous web of coupons in a nip formed between said peripheral surface and said lower feed roll while permitting a second portion of the continuous web of coupons to pass through said feed roll space.

23. The invention as in claim 22 wherein the second portion of the continuous web has at least portions thereof raised with respect to the first portion of the continuous web.