# US 12,759,747 B2 · Cut and seal method and apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,759,747 B2 - Document ID: US12759747B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 19/189,547 - Filed: 2025-04-25 - Published: 2025-08-07 - Granted: 2026-10-13 - Earliest claimed: 2017-03-29 - Assignees: Altria Client Services LLC - Applicants: Altria Client Services LLC - Inventors: Jarrod W. Chalkley; James D. Evans; Thien Hoang Nguyen; Patrick S. Mcelhinney - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12759747B2 ## CPC - B65B 61/06: by cutting - B29C 65/18: using heated tools - B29C 65/305: {involving the use of cartridge heaters} - B29C 65/7451: {the severing tool and the welding tool being movable with respect to one-another} - B29C 65/7894: {of continuously moving sheets or webs} - B29C 65/7897: {Means for discharging the joined articles from the joining apparatus (B29C66/005 takes precedence; discharging moulded articles from moulds B29C37/0003)} - B29C 66/005: {Detaching the article from the joining tool} - B29C 66/1122: {Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints (B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence)} - B29C 66/133: {Fin-type joints, the parts to be joined being flexible (the parts to be joined being rigid B29C66/1312)} - B29C 66/135: {Single hemmed joints, i.e. one of the parts to be joined being hemmed in the joint area} - B29C 66/4312: {for making flat seams in tubular or hollow articles, e.g. transversal seams} - B29C 66/4322: {by joining a single sheet to itself (B29C66/4332 takes precedence)} - B29C 66/83513: {cooperating jaws mounted on rollers, cylinders or drums and moving in a closed path} - B29C 66/849: {Packaging machines} - B65B 9/2049: {Package shaping devices acting on filled tubes prior to sealing the filling opening (shaping or reshaping completed packages B65B61/24)} - B65B 9/207: the web advancing continuously (B65B9/22 takes precedence) - B65B 51/306: {Counter-rotating devices} - B65B 61/28: for discharging completed packages from machines - B65B 65/08: Devices for counting or registering the number of articles handled, or the number of packages produced by the machine - B29C 66/73921: {characterised by the materials of both parts being thermoplastics} - B29L 2031/7128: {Bags, sacks, sachets (tea bags B29L2031/7122; medical bags B29L2031/7148)} - B65B 29/00: Packaging of materials presenting special problems - B65B 57/14: and operating to control, or stop, the feed of articles or material to be packaged - B65B: MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING (bundling and pressing devices for cigars A24C1/44; devices for tensioning and securing binders adapted to be supported by the article or articles to be bound B25B25/00; applying closure members to bottles, jars or similar containers B67B1/00-B67B6/00; concurrent cleaning, filling and closing of bottles B67C7/00; emptying bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels or similar containers B67C9/00) - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES ## Abstract A fin sealer and method to seal a radially outwardly directed fin of a tubular web structure by directing the fin through a nip between a first and a second fin sealing rollers while communicating heat to the fin through at least one of the fin sealing rollers is provided. The fin sealer is configured to maintain a nominal face-to-face relation between an outer annulus of the first fin sealing roller and an outer annulus of the second fin sealing roller with a flexible connection between a hub element of the second fin sealing roller with the outer annulus of the second fin sealing roller. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for forming a stream of individual pouches, comprising: a folder configured to form a tubular structure from a ribbon of web; a feeder configured to feed the tubular structure along a path to a nip; a plurality of rotors, at least one of the plurality of rotors including a plurality of sealing jaws, a knife, and an anvil, the plurality of rotors configured to seal a transverse portion of the tubular structure, and the knife and the anvil configured to sever the sealed transverse portion so as to form a severed, completed pouch beyond the nip; and an open-ended pouch catcher configured to catch the severed, completed pouch beyond the nip, the pouch catcher including, side walls, and a stripper, the stripper including, upper edges of the side walls, the stripper configured to strip severed, completed pouches from the anvil, the knife, or the plurality of sealing jaws if stuck thereto, the upper edges of the side walls having arcuate edge portions converging at an apex and configured to reduce escape of the completed pouches. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a controller configured to control rotation of the plurality of rotors such that the plurality of sealing jaws, the anvil, and the knife are rotated at a constant speed, including rotation through the nip. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the knife, the anvil, or both the knife and the anvil are spring loaded and at least one of the plurality of sealing jaws are spring loaded. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the knife, the anvil and the plurality of sealing jaws are constructed from a hardened metal. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the formed tubular structure is formed about an exterior of the feeder. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pouch catcher further comprises: an air jet configured to discharge a stream of gas downwardly into the pouch catcher, such that the pouch catcher is cleared of completed pouches through an open end of the pouch catcher below the nip. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a material feeder configured to feed a charge of flowable material into the formed tubular structure; a pivotable sampling funnel configured to receive a stream of completed pouches and move from a first position and a second position, when at the first position the sampling funnel configured to direct the stream of completed pouches in a first direction toward a pouch receiving location for a container and when at the second position the sampling funnel configured to divert the stream of completed pouches in a second direction away from the pouch receiving location; and a gated transfer funnel configured to receive the stream of completed pouches, the gated transfer funnel including, a hold-back gate configured to retain members of the stream of completed pouches within the gated transfer funnel upon closure of the gate when a container is positioned other than at the pouch receiving location. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising: a counter configured to count pouches passing by a location along a path to the pouch receiving location; a controller configured to controllably operate at least one of the sampling funnel and the hold-back gate of the gated transfer funnel so as to control delivery of completed pouches to a container at the pouch receiving location in accordance with a desired number of pouches, upon delivering completed pouches to a container at the pouch receiving location in accordance with a desired number of pouches, the apparatus thereafter controllably moving the container from the pouch receiving location to a second location and tamping the delivered completed pouches at the second location; and a weight check configured to weigh the container at a third container location beyond the second location, and the controller configured to adjust the feeding of the flowable material from a feed system responsively to output of the weight check so as to maintain consistency of the feeding. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the folder is configured to superimpose longitudinal edge portions of the web to form a radially outwardly directed fin. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising: a fin sealer configured to seal the radially outwardly directed fin by directing the fin through a nip between first and second fin sealing rollers while communicating heat to the fin through at least one of the fin sealing rollers. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the fin sealer includes, a flexible connection configured to maintain a nominal face to face relation between an outer annulus of the first fin sealing roller and an outer annulus of the second fin sealing roller, the flexible connection between the outer annulus of the second fin sealing roller and a hub component of the second fin sealing roller. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the flexible connection comprises: a floating roller and a flexible drive pin connection between the floating roller and the hub component. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the flexible connection comprises: a floating roller and a resilient metallic disc between the hub component and the outer annulus of the second fin sealing roller. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the flexible connection comprises: a floating roller and a body of elastic material between the hub component and the outer annulus of the second fin sealing roller. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a cooling system configured to cool at least one of the plurality of rotors. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a pair of driving rollers configured to draw the formed tubular structure along the feeder toward the nip. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a material feeder configured to feed a charge of flowable material through an interior of the feeder into the formed tubular structure. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the arcuate edge portions are a first arcuate edge and a second arcuate edge. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the first arcuate edge forms a first sweep path for one of the plurality of rotors. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the second arcuate edge forms a second sweep path for a second one of the plurality of rotors.