Systems and methods for the application and sealing of end closures on containers
AssigneeSonoco Development, Inc.
InventorsDirk Hatje, Daniel Christoph Gräf
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention is directed to a system and method for hermetically sealing a closure to a container comprising a die assembly and a mandrel assembly. The mandrel assembly comprises an outer mandrel, an inner mandrel, and an ejector disposed within an inner circumference of the inner mandrel. At least the outer mandrel is configured to translate a first distance in a first time period, the inner mandrel and the ejector are configured to translate a second distance in a second time period, the inner mandrel is configured to retract a third distance in a third time period, and the ejector is configured to retract the third distance in a fourth time period.
Claims26
A sealing system for hermetically sealing a closure to a container comprising:
- a die assembly comprising:
- a die having a positioning portion configured to retain a disc and a die opening adjacent the positioning portion;
- and
- at least one sealing member configured to provide heat to seal the disc to the container;
- and
- a mandrel assembly comprising:
- an outer mandrel comprising an extending portion which is sized to fit within an inner circumference of the positioning portion;
- an inner mandrel configured to translate through an inner circumference of the extending portion of the outer mandrel and the die opening;
- and
- an ejector disposed within an inner circumference of the inner mandrel,
- wherein at least the outer mandrel is configured to translate a first distance in a first time period,
- wherein the inner mandrel and the ejector are configured to translate a second distance in a second time period,
- wherein the inner mandrel is configured to retract a third distance in a third time period and wherein the ejector does not retract during such third time period,
- wherein the ejector is configured to retract the third distance in a fourth time period which occurs later than the third time period, and
- wherein each of the first distance, the second distance, and the third distance are different from each other.
A method for hermetically sealing a closure to a container comprising:
- providing a die assembly comprising:
- a die having a positioning portion configured to retain a disc and a die opening adjacent the positioning portion;
- and
- at least one sealing member configured to provide heat to seal the disc to the container;
- and
- providing a mandrel assembly comprising:
- an outer mandrel comprising an extending portion which is sized to fit within an inner circumference of the positioning portion;
- an inner mandrel configured to translate through an inner circumference of the extending portion of the outer mandrel and the die opening;
- and
- an ejector disposed within an inner circumference of the inner mandrel, translating at least the outer mandrel a first distance in a first time period,
- translating the inner mandrel and the ejector a second distance in a second time period,
- retracting the inner mandrel a third distance in a third time period wherein the ejector does not retract during such third time period,
- retracting the ejector the third distance in a fourth time period which occurs later than the third time period, and
- wherein each of the first distance, the second distance, and the third distance are different from each other.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.