US 11,383,456 B2Granted

Forming funnel for constraining cushioned mailers as well as system and method for closing an opening of a mailer

AssigneeSealed Air Corporation (US)

InventorsChristopher C. Hamlin, Thomas P. Orsini, Patrick G. White, Russell T. Christman

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Abstract

A system (300) for closing mailers includes a forming funnel (320) and a fusing device (310). The forming funnel includes funneling surfaces that receive an opening of a mailer in an insertion direction (302) and constrain the opening of the mailer after the opening of the mailer is inserted. The funneling surfaces are arranged to continue constraining the opening of the mailer as the mailer moves in a sliding direction (304). The fusing device includes a slot that receives the constrained opening of the mailer from the forming funnel. The fusing device applies pressure and heat to the opening of the mailer as the opening of the mailer moves through the slot. The pressure and the heat applied by the fusing device cause portions of the opening to fuse together to close the mailer.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A system comprising:

a forming funnel comprising funneling surfaces arranged to receive an opening of a mailer in an insertion direction between the funneling surfaces and to constrain the opening of the mailer after the opening of the mailer is inserted between the funneling surfaces, wherein the funneling surfaces are arranged such that, after the opening of the mailer is inserted between the funneling surfaces, the funneling surfaces continue to constrain the opening of the mailer as the mailer is moved in a sliding direction;
and
a fusing device comprising a slot configured to receive the constrained opening of the mailer from the forming funnel as the mailer is moved in the sliding direction, wherein the fusing device is configured to apply pressure to an exterior of the opening of the mailer as the opening of the mailer is moved through the slot and to apply heat to the opening of the mailer as the opening of the mailer is moved through the slot, wherein the pressure and the heat applied by the fusing device cause portions of the opening to fuse together to close the mailer;
wherein the fusing device further comprises:
a first set of rollers on a first side of the slot, wherein the first set of rollers is configured to contact a first side of the exterior of the opening of the mailer as the opening of the mailer is moved through the slot, and
a second set of rollers on a second side of the slot, wherein the second set of rollers is configured to contact a second side of the exterior of the opening of the mailer as the opening of the mailer is moved through the slot,
wherein the first and second sets of rollers are configured to apply the pressure to the exterior of the opening of the mailer.

4 more elements

A forming funnel comprising:

a closed end;
an open end;
a first funneling surface extending between the closed end and the open end;
and
a second funneling surface extending between the closed end and the open end;
wherein the first and second funneling surfaces are arranged to receive an opening of a mailer in an insertion direction between the first and second funneling surfaces;
wherein the first and second funneling surfaces are arranged to constrain a first side of the opening of the mailer and a second side of the opening of the mailer, respectively, as the opening of the mailer is inserted between the first and second funneling surfaces;
and
wherein the first and second funneling surfaces are arranged such that, after the opening of the mailer is inserted between the first and second funneling surfaces, the mailer can be moved in a sliding direction while the first and second funneling surfaces continue constraining the first and second sides of the opening;
wherein each of the first and second funneling surfaces has a substantially constant cross section between the closed end and the open end;
wherein portions of the first and second funneling surfaces are substantially parallel to each other to form a slot that extends between the closed end and the open end, wherein the slot is configured to constrain the opening of the mailer when the mailer is moved in the sliding direction;
wherein:
a portion of the first funneling surface between the slot and a front of the forming funnel includes a first planar surface;
a portion of the second funneling surface between the slot and the front of the forming funnel includes a second planar surface;
the first planar surface and the second planar surface are not parallel to each other;
and
each of the first and second planar surfaces is not parallel to the portions of the first and second funneling surfaces that form the slot and
wherein:
the portion of the first funneling surface between the slot and the front of the forming funnel further includes a third planar surface, wherein the first and third planar surfaces are not parallel to each other;
the portion of the second funneling surface between the slot and the front of the forming funnel includes a fourth planar surface, wherein the second and fourth planar surfaces are not parallel to each other;
the third planar surface and the fourth planar surface are not parallel to each other;
and
each of the third and fourth planar surfaces is not parallel to the portions of the first and second funneling surfaces that form the slot.

20 more elements

A forming funnel comprising:

a closed end;
an open end;
a first funneling surface extending between the closed end and the open end;
and
a second funneling surface extending between the closed end and the open end;
wherein the first and second funneling surfaces are arranged to receive an opening of a mailer in an insertion direction between the first and second funneling surfaces;
wherein the first and second funneling surfaces are arranged to constrain a first side of the opening of the mailer and a second side of the opening of the mailer, respectively, as the opening of the mailer is inserted between the first and second funneling surfaces;
and
wherein the first and second funneling surfaces are arranged such that, after the opening of the mailer is inserted between the first and second funneling surfaces, the mailer can be moved in a sliding direction while the first and second funneling surfaces continue constraining the first and second sides of the opening;
and
wherein:
a first portion of the first funneling surface has a substantially constant cross section;
a second portion of the first funneling surface has a non-constant cross section;
the first portion of the first funneling surface extends between the closed end and the second portion;
the second portion of the first funneling surface extends between the first portion and the open end;
and
an average distance between the first and second funneling surfaces at the open end is less than an average distance between the first and second funneling surface at the closed end.

14 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/046,983Filed 12 Apr 2019 · us provisional application
Priority: 13 Apr 2018
Published: US 2021/0154949 A127 May 2021
Granted: 12 Jul 2022
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification23 codes

B29C 66/849
Specific machine types or machines suitable for specific applications: packaging machines
B29C 65/18
By heating, with or without pressure: using heated tools
B29C 65/22
Using heated tools: heated wire resistive ribbon, resistive band or resistive strip
B29C 65/787
In-line machines, i.e. feeding, joining and discharging are in one production line: using conveyor belts or conveyor chains