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US 11,370,178 B1Granted
Seal plate assembly
OwnerDavd J. Benesinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The seal plate assembly of this invention includes a base plate, an insulator pad positioned on the base plate, an electric heater pad positioned on the insulator pad and a pair of seal plates positioned on the electric heater pad, all of which have registering vacuum openings formed therein. The base plate, insulator pad, heater pad and seal plates are bolted together. The seal plates have spaced-apart cavities formed therein. A support plate is positioned in each of the cavities with each of the support plates having a length and width which is less than the length and width of the respective cavity to create a vacuum space at the perimeter of the support plates. The support plates are spaced above the bottom of the cavities.
Claims7
A seal plate assembly for use with a plastic bag sealing apparatus, comprising:
- a horizontally disposed metal base plate having an upper side and a lower side;
- said metal base plate having a plurality of spaced-apart vacuum openings formed therein which extend from said lower side of said metal base plate to said upper side of said metal base plate;
- a horizontally disposed insulator pad having an upper side and a lower side;
- said insulator pad being positioned on said upper side of said metal base plate;
- said insulator pad having a plurality of spaced-apart vacuum openings formed therein which register with said plurality of spaced-apart vacuum openings in said metal base plate;
- a horizontally disposed electric heater pad having an upper side and a lower side;
- said electric heater pad being positioned on said upper side of said insulator pad;
- said electric heater pad having a plurality of spaced-apart vacuum openings formed therein which register with said plurality of vacuum openings in said insulator pad;
- a horizontally disposed first seal plate member, having upper and lower sides, positioned on a portion of said upper side of electric heater pad;
- a horizontally disposed second seal plate member, having upper and lower sides, positioned on a portion of said upper side of said electric heater pad adjacent to said first seal plate member;
- said first and second seal plate members being identical;
- each of said first and second seal plate members having a plurality of spaced-apart cavities which extend downwardly into the respective seal plate member from said upper side thereof;
- each of said cavities having a bottom;
- each of said bottoms of said plurality of cavities having a plurality of spaced-apart vacuum openings formed therein which register with said vacuum openings in said electric heater pad;
- and
- said base plate being secured to said first and second seal plate members with said insulator pad and electric heater pad being held in place therebetween.
13 more elements
A seal plate assembly for use with a plastic bag sealing apparatus, comprising:
- a horizontally disposed metal base plate including:
- (a) an elongated first frame member having a first end, a second end, a lower end, an upper end, an inner side and an outer side;
- (b) an elongated second frame member having a first end, a second end, a lower end, an upper end, an inner side and an outer side;
- (c) said first end of said second frame portion being joined to said second end of said first frame so as to extend transversely therefrom;
- (d) an elongated third frame member having a first end, a second end, a lower end, an upper end, an inner side and an outer side;
- (e) said first end of said third frame member being joined to said second end of said second frame member so as to extend transversely therefrom;
- (f) said first and third frame members being parallel to one another;
- (g) an elongated fourth frame member having a first end, a second end, a lower end, an upper end, an inner side and an outer side;
- (h) said first end of said fourth frame member being joined to said second end of said third frame member so as to extend transversely therefrom;
- (i) said second end of said fourth frame member being joined to said first end of said first frame member;
- (j) said second and fourth frame members being parallel to one another;
- (k) a horizontally disposed body portion, having upper and lower sides, extending between said inner sides of said first, second, third and fourth frame members below said upper ends of said first, second, third and fourth frame members;
- (l) said body portion having a plurality of spaced-apart vacuum openings formed therein which extend between said upper and lower sides of said body portion;
- (m) said body portion having a plurality of spaced-apart stand-offs extending upwardly from said upper side of said body portion;
- (n) said body portion having a plurality of spaced-apart sleeves extending upwardly from said upper side of said body portion with said sleeves having a central opening formed therein;
- (o) said body portion having a plurality of spaced-apart first bolt openings formed therein which extend upwardly into said lower side of said body portion and which communicate with said central openings of said sleeves;
- and
- (p) said body portion having a plurality of spaced-apart second bolt openings formed therein which extend upwardly into said lower side of said body portion;
- an insulator pad, having an upper side and a lower side, positioned on said upper side of said body portion of said base plate;
- said insulator pad having a plurality of spaced-apart openings formed therein which receive said sleeves of said body portion of said base plate;
- said insulator pad having a plurality of spaced-apart vacuum openings formed therein which register with said vacuum openings in said body portion of said base plate;
- said insulator pad having a plurality of spaced-apart openings formed therein which communicate with said first bolt openings in said base plate;
- said insulator pad having a plurality of spaced-apart openings formed therein which communicate with said second bolt openings in said base plate;
- an electric heater pad, having an upper side and a lower side, positioned on said upper side of said insulator pad;
- said heater pad having a plurality of spaced-apart openings formed therein which register with said plurality of spaced-apart openings formed in said insulator pad which receive said sleeves therein;
- said heater pad having a plurality of spaced-apart vacuum openings formed therein which register with said vacuum openings in said insulator pad;
- said heater pad having a plurality of spaced-apart openings formed therein which register with said plurality of spaced-apart openings in said insulator pad which communicate with said first bolt openings in said base plate;
- said heater pad having a plurality of spaced-apart openings formed therein which register with said plurality of spaced-apart openings formed in said insulator pad which communicate with said second bolt openings;
- a horizontally disposed first seal plate member positioned on said upper side of said heating pad;
- a horizontally disposed second seal plate member positioned on said upper side of said heating pad adjacent to said first seal plate member;
- said first and second seal plate members being identical;
- said first seal plate member comprising:
- (a) a first end, a second end, a third end and a fourth end;
- (b) a lower side;
- (c) an upper side;
- (d) a plurality of spaced-apart cavities extending downwardly into said upper side thereof;
- (e) each of said cavities having a bottom wall and an upper end which extends around said bottom wall above said bottom wall;
- (f) said bottom wall having a plurality of spaced-apart vacuum openings formed therein which register with said plurality of spaced-apart vacuum openings formed in said heater pad;
- (g) said bottom wall having a plurality of internally threaded bolt openings formed therein which register with said plurality of bolt openings formed in said base plate and said central openings in said sleeves;
- (h) a plurality of bolts extending upwardly through said plurality of bolt openings in said base plate, through said central openings in said sleeves, and into said plurality of internally threaded openings in said bottom wall of the associated cavity to secure said seal plate to said base plate;
- (i) a pair of spaced-apart openings, having upper and lower ends, extending downwardly into said bottom of each of said cavities;
- (j) a pair of spaced-apart openings, having upper and lower ends, extending upwardly into said lower end of said seal plate member below said pair of spaced-apart openings which extend downwardly into said bottom of each of said cavities;
- (k) a protruding annular shoulder positioned between said lower ends of said pair of spaced-apart openings, which extend downwardly into said bottom of each of said cavities and said upper ends of said pair of spaced-apart openings which extend upwardly into said lower end of said seal plate member;
- said second seal plate member comprising:
- (a) a first end, a second end, a third end and a fourth end;
- (b) a lower side;
- (c) an upper side;
- (d) a plurality of spaced-apart cavities extending downwardly into said upper side thereof;
- (e) each of said cavities having a bottom wall and an upper end which extends around said bottom wall above said bottom wall;
- (f) said bottom wall having a plurality of spaced-apart vacuum openings formed therein which register with said plurality of spaced-apart vacuum openings formed in said heater pad;
- (g) said bottom wall having a plurality of internally threaded bolt openings formed therein which register with said plurality of bolt openings formed in said base plate and said central openings in said sleeves;
- (h) a plurality of bolts extending upwardly through said plurality of bolt openings in said base plate, through said central openings in said sleeves, and into said plurality of internally threaded openings in said bottom wall of the associated cavity to secure said seal plate to said base plate;
- (i) a pair of spaced-apart openings, having upper and lower ends, extending downwardly into said bottom of each of said cavities;
- (j) a pair of spaced-apart openings, having upper and lower ends, extending upwardly into said lower end of said seal plate member below said pair of spaced-apart openings which extend downwardly into said bottom of each of said cavities;
- and
- (k) a protruding annular shoulder positioned between said lower ends of said pair of spaced-apart openings, which extend downwardly into said bottom of each of said cavities and said upper ends of said pair of spaced-apart openings which extend upwardly into said lower end of said seal plate member;
- a support plate assembly positioned in each of said cavities of said first and second seal plate members;
- each of said support assemblies including:
- (a) a horizontally disposed flat support plate having an upper side, a lower side, a first end, a second end, a first side and a second side;
- (b) a pair of spaced-apart and internally threaded tubes, having upper and lower ends, extending downwardly into said pair of spaced-apart openings which extend downwardly into said bottom of the cavity so that said lower ends of said pair of spaced-apart and internally threaded tubes engage said protruding annular shoulders so that said lower side of the support plate is positioned above the bottom of the cavity;
- (c) each of said support plates having a length and width which is less than the length and width of the respective cavity so that a vacuum space is provided at the ends and sides of the support plate;
- and
- (d) bolts extending upwardly into said pair of openings which extend upwardly into said lower side of said base plate for threadable engagement with said pair of internally threaded tubes to maintain the respective support plate in position in the respective cavity.
60 more elements
A seal plate assembly for use with a plastic bag sealing apparatus, comprising:
- a horizontally disposed metal base plate including:
- (a) an elongated first frame member having a first end, a second end, a lower end, an upper end, an inner side and an outer side;
- (b) an elongated second frame member having a first end, a second end, a lower end, an upper end, an inner side and an outer side;
- (c) said first end of said second frame portion being joined to said second end of said first frame so as to extend transversely therefrom;
- (d) an elongated third frame member having a first end, a second end, a lower end, an upper end, an inner side and an outer side;
- (e) said first end of said third frame member being joined to said second end of said second frame member so as to extend transversely therefrom;
- (f) said first and third frame members being parallel to one another;
- (g) an elongated fourth frame member having a first end, a second end, a lower end, an upper end, an inner side and an outer side;
- (h) said first end of said fourth frame member being joined to said second end of said third frame member so as to extend transversely therefrom;
- (i) said second end of said fourth frame member being joined to said first end of said first frame member;
- (j) said second and fourth frame members being parallel to one another;
- (k) a horizontally disposed body portion, having upper and lower sides, extending between said inner sides of said first, second, third and fourth frame members below said upper ends of said first, second, third and fourth frame members;
- (l) said body portion having a plurality of spaced-apart vacuum openings formed therein which extend between said upper and lower sides of said body portion;
- (m) said body portion having a plurality of spaced-apart sleeves extending upwardly from said upper side of said body portion with said sleeves having a central opening formed therein;
- an insulator pad, having an upper side and a lower side, positioned on said upper side of said body portion of said base plate;
- said insulator pad having a plurality of spaced-apart openings formed therein which receive said sleeves of said body portion of said base plate;
- said insulator pad having a plurality of spaced-apart vacuum openings formed therein which register with said vacuum openings in said body portion of said base plate;
- an electric heater pad, having an upper side and a lower side, positioned on said upper side of said insulator pad;
- said heater pad having a plurality of spaced-apart openings formed therein which register with said plurality of spaced-apart openings formed in said insulator pad which receive said sleeves therein;
- said heater pad having a plurality of spaced-apart vacuum openings formed therein which register with said vacuum openings in said insulator pad;
- a horizontally disposed first seal plate member positioned on said upper side of said heating pad;
- a horizontally disposed second seal plate member positioned on said upper side of said heating pad adjacent to said first seal plate member;
- said first and second seal plate members being identical;
- said first seal plate member comprising:
- (a) a first end, a second end, a third end and a fourth end;
- (b) a lower side;
- (c) an upper side;
- (d) a plurality of spaced-apart cavities extending downwardly into said upper side thereof;
- (e) each of said cavities having a bottom wall and an upper end which extends around said bottom wall above said bottom wall;
- (f) said bottom wall having a plurality of spaced-apart vacuum openings formed therein which register with said plurality of spaced-apart vacuum openings formed in said heater pad;
- said second seal plate member comprising:
- (a) a first end, a second end, a third end and a fourth end;
- (b) a lower side;
- (c) an upper side;
- (d) a plurality of spaced-apart cavities extending downwardly into said upper side thereof;
- (e) each of said cavities having a bottom wall and an upper end which extends around said bottom wall above said bottom wall;
- (f) said bottom wall having a plurality of spaced-apart vacuum openings formed therein which register with said plurality of spaced-apart vacuum openings formed in said heater pad;
- a support plate assembly positioned in each of said cavities of said first and second seal plate members;
- each of said support assemblies including:
- (a) a horizontally disposed flat support plate having an upper side, a lower side, a first end, a second end, a first side and a second side;
- (b) each of said support plates having a length and width which is less than the length and width of the respective cavity so that a vacuum space is provided at the ends and sides of the support plate;
- and
- (c) said support plates being positioned above said bottom of said respective cavity.
40 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.