Method and apparatus for forming containers
OwnerH. J. Paul Langeninventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus are disclosed for forming containers. The containers may be cans, including composite cans. The apparatus may include a cylindrical mandrel and a blank may be formed into a cylindrical tube around the mandrel. Rotational apparatuses may engage portions of a blank that may be in a flat configuration and may rotate the portions around the outward cylindrical surface of the mandrel. Free edges of the tubular blank may be sealed by a sealing strip that may be T-shaped in cross section. A cup may be installed in an end opening, such as a bottom end, of the cylindrical tube. The cup may be sealed in the end opening by a seaming process using a seaming apparatus.
Claims9
A system for forming a container from a re-configurable blank, said system comprising:
- (a) a blank support device having a generally cylindrical outward facing surface, said blank support device being positioned such that during operation, said outward facing surface of said blank support device is located proximate said blank while said blank is in a first configuration;
- (b) a rotating sub-system operable to rotate said blank around the outward facing surface of said blank support device to form a generally cylindrical tubular side wall configuration around said outward surface of said blank support device;
- (c) a bottom forming subsystem and a blank support movement subsystem;
- wherein in operation, after said blank is formed into said generally cylindrical tubular side wall configuration by said rotating sub-system, said blank support movement subsystem is operable to move said blank on said case blank support device to a bottom forming station, where said bottom forming subsystem is located, and said bottom forming sub-system is operable for forming a bottom portion of said container by installing a circular bottom cup in a circular bottom opening of said tubular side wall configuration of said blank.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.