Folding apparatus
AssigneeThe Procter & Gamble Company
InventorsGustav André Mellin, Pawel Marek Siczek
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Abstract
A folding apparatus is provided to be positioned adjacent a conveyor along which product having a flexible film wrapper wrapped about the product moves adjacent the folding apparatus such that the folding apparatus effects the folding of a first flap of the wrapper. The folding apparatus comprises a passive folding device comprising a first passive folding member defining a first passive folding surface adapted to engage the first flap as the product and the film wrapper move in a machine direction and folding the first flap from a first position away from the product to a second position adjacent the product.
Claims19
A folding apparatus adapted to be positioned adjacent a conveyor along which product having a flexible film wrapper wrapped about the product moves in a machine direction adjacent the folding apparatus such that the folding apparatus effects the folding of a first flap of the wrapper, the first flap having a first width extending from the product to an outermost edge of the first flap, the first width extending transverse to the machine direction, the folding apparatus comprising:
- a passive folding device comprising:
- a first passive folding member defining a first passive folding surface adapted to engage the first flap as the product and the film wrapper move in the machine direction and folding the first flap from a first position away from the product to a second position adjacent the product, the first passive folding surface comprising an entry section and an exit section and having a second width that increases from the entry section to an intermediate point between the entry section and the exit section to a size sufficient to fully support a substantial portion of the first flap as the flap moves from the intermediate point toward the exit section;
- and
- a passive folding element for engaging and folding a second flap from a first position away from the product to a second position adjacent the product, wherein the passive folding element is fixedly coupled to the first passive folding member.
A folding apparatus adapted to be positioned adjacent a conveyor along which product having a flexible film wrapper wrapped about the product moves in a machine direction adjacent the folding apparatus such that the folding apparatus effects the folding of a first flap of the wrapper, the first flap having a first width extending from the product to an outermost edge of the first flap, the first width extending transverse to the machine direction, the folding apparatus comprising:
- a passive folding device comprising:
- a first passive folding member defining a first passive folding surface adapted to support the first flap as the product and the film wrapper move in the machine direction and folding the first flap of the film wrapper from a first position away from the product to a second position adjacent the product, the first passive folding surface comprises an entry section which is positioned in a first plane and an exit section which is positioned in a second plane generally transverse to the first plane;
- and
- a passive folding element for engaging and folding a second flap from a first position away from the product to a second position adjacent the product, wherein the passive folding element is fixedly coupled to the first passive folding member.
A folding apparatus adapted to be positioned adjacent a conveyor along which product having a flexible film wrapper wrapped about the product moves in a machine direction adjacent the folding apparatus such that the folding apparatus effects the folding of first and second flaps of the wrapper, the folding apparatus comprising:
- a passive folding device comprising:
- a first passive folding member defining a first passive folding surface,
- a second passive folding member defining a second passive folding surface, the first and second passive folding members being positioned relative to one another such that the first and second passive folding surfaces are spaced apart and opposed to one another to define a slot into and through which the first flap moves as the product and film wrapper move in the machine direction to effect the folding of the first flap of the film wrapper from a first position away from the product to a second position adjacent the product, and
- a passive folding element fixedly coupled to one of the first passive folding member or the second passive folding member for engaging and folding the second flap of the wrapper from a first position away from the product to a second position adjacent the product.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.