Method and system for forming sleeved containers
AssigneeFuji Seal International, Inc.
InventorJacobus Andreas Verbeeten
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present application relates to a system and method for forming sleeved containers. The method comprises conveying a row of containers, arranging sleeves around the containers being conveyed, attaching the sleeve to the container being conveyed by heat shrinking, removing a part of the sleeve, the removing comprising at least partially laser cutting a part out of the sleeve thereby causing the creation of a fume region containing fumes of sleeve material evaporated by the laser cutting and blowing air along the wall of the container, wherein the flow of air is directed towards the fume region to force the fumes to move away from the container.
Claims20
A method for forming sleeved containers, the method comprising:
- conveying a row of containers;
- arranging sleeves around the containers being conveyed;
- attaching the sleeve to the container being conveyed, preferably by heat shrinking;
- removing a part of the attached sleeve, the removing comprising:
- at least partially laser cutting a part out of the sleeve thereby causing the creation of a fume region containing fumes of sleeve material evaporated by the laser cutting, wherein the laser cutting includes moving a laser beam over the sleeve to cut the sleeve material along a predetermined trajectory, and wherein the trajectory is such that a strip of sleeve material remains uncut to keep the cut portion of the sleeve connected to the remainder of the sleeve;
- blowing air along the wall of the container, wherein the flow of air is directed towards the fume region to force the fumes to move away from the container, wherein a flow rate of the air blown along the wall of the container is between 1 l/min and 10 l/min, inclusive, and wherein the flow rate of the air does not cause movement of the cut portion;
- and
- directing the air flow such that the air first reaches the uncut strip of sleeve material and then move further along the sleeve.
A system for forming sleeved containers comprising:
- a conveyor configured to transport a row of containers;
- a sleeve supply configured to arrange sleeves around containers;
- a cutting apparatus comprising:
- a laser device configured to at least partially laser cutting a part out of the sleeve thereby causing the creation of a fume region containing fumes of sleeve material evaporated by the laser cutting, wherein the laser cutting includes moving a laser beam over the sleeve to cut the sleeve material along a predetermined trajectory, and wherein the trajectory is such that a strip of sleeve material remains uncut to keep the cut portion of the sleeve connected to the remainder of the sleeve;
- and
- an air flow unit configured to blow air along the wall of a container, wherein the air flow unit is further configured to direct the air flow towards the fume region so as to force the fumes to move away from the container, and wherein the airflow is directed flow such that the air first reaches the uncut strip of sleeve material and then move further along the sleeve, wherein the air flow unit is configured to supply air with a flow rate or a flow direction sufficient to avoid ignition of the fumes generated by the laser cutting tool, wherein the air flow unit is configured to provide a flow rate of the air blown along the wall of the container between 1 l/min and 10 l/min, inclusive, and wherein the flow rate of the air does not cause movement of the cut portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.