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US 11,167,518 B2Granted
System for forming constructs that include microwave interactive material
AssigneeGraphic Packaging International, Inc.
InventorsBrian R. O'Hagan, Laurence M. C. Lai, Joseph Walsh, William Cox, George Hackel, Neilson Zeng, Michael Shaw, Timothy Henry Bohrer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A container that includes a microwave interactive web at least partially overlying and joined to a three-dimensional support, wherein the three-dimensional support may be formed prior to having the microwave interactive web mounted thereto. The three-dimensional support may be a preformed container that is sufficiently rigid and dimensionally stable for use in containing food.
Claims23
A system for at least forming constructs that include microwave interactive material, the system comprising:
- a container transporting apparatus serially moving containers along a first path of travel;
- a web transporting apparatus serially moving microwave interactive webs along a second path of travel, wherein at least a portion of the first path of travel and a portion of the second path of travel are superposed with respect to one another so that the containers and microwave interactive webs are superposed with respect to one another in a serial fashion;
- and
- a mounting apparatus mounting at least one of the microwave interactive webs to at least one of the containers while the at least one of the microwave interactive webs and the at least one of the containers are in a superposed arrangement with respect to one another, wherein the mounting apparatus includes a forming tool having a first position in which the forming tool is in contact with the at least one of the microwave interactive webs in a flat configuration and having a second position in which the forming tool presses the at least one of the microwave interactive webs into an interior of the at least one of the containers so that the at least one of the microwave interactive webs conforms to the forming tool and to the at least one of the containers, the forming tool press-forms a cavity of the at the at least one of the microwave interactive webs when the forming tool is moved from the first position to the second position so that the cavity is present during the mounting of the at least one of the microwave interactive webs to the at least one of the containers, and the forming tool extends into the cavity of the at least one of the microwave interactive webs when the forming tool is in the second position.
1 more element
A system for forming containers including microwave interactive material, the system comprising:
- an installing apparatus including a forming tool;
- a web transporting apparatus serially providing microwave interactive webs to the installing apparatus with the microwave interactive webs in a flat configuration;
- and
- a support transporting apparatus serially supplying supports to the installing apparatus, wherein
- the installing apparatus is operative to serially combine the microwave interactive webs and the supports to form the containers, so that
- each container includes at least one of the supports supporting at least one of the microwave interactive webs, with the at least one of the microwave interactive webs extending at least partially around and at least partially defining a cavity of the container, and
- the forming tool has a first position in which the forming tool is in contact with the at least one of the microwave interactive webs in the flat configuration and has a second position in which the forming tool extends at least partially into the cavity of the container to at least partially facilitate mounting of the at least one of the microwave interactive webs to the at least one of the supports, wherein the forming tool contacts and presses the at least one of the microwave interactive webs into an interior of the at least one of the supports and against the at least one of the supports to press-form the cavity of the container so that the at least one of the microwave interactive webs conforms to the forming tool and to the at least one of the supports.
4 more elements
A system for forming at least one container including microwave interactive material, the system comprising:
- a die plate positioned above an anvil;
- first pleating plates mounted to the die plate and second pleating plates mounted to the anvil for releasably holding at least one microwave interactive web;
- an apparatus supporting at least one support;
- and
- a forming tool having a first position and a second position, wherein the forming tool is in contact with the microwave interactive web in the flat configuration in the first position, the forming tool moves relative to the apparatus, the die plate, and the anvil when moved from the first position to the second position to thereby move the microwave interactive web relative to the support and at least partially form the container, so that the forming tool extends at least partially into a cavity of the container and the microwave interactive web conforms to the forming tool and to the support,
- wherein the first pleating plates and the second pleating plates cooperate for at least tensioning the microwave interactive web while the forming tool moves the microwave interactive web relative to the support.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.