Flexible full package deflators and former
AssigneeKellogg Company
InventorsDave Ours, Shari Juntunen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A deflator apparatus for use in a form, fill and seal bagging machine to deflate excess air from and form a filled or partially filled package of bulk goods includes a first deflator having a plurality of first flexible bands that extends between a pair of first arms. The apparatus further includes a second deflator having at least one second flexible band that extends between a pair of second arms. The first and second deflators are spaced from one another and movable relative to one another to sandwich the package of bulk goods between the plurality of first flexible bands and the at least one second flexible band to remove excess air from the package and form the package.
Claims31
A deflator apparatus for use in a form, fill and seal bagging machine to deflate excess air from and form a filled or partially filled package of bulk goods comprising:
- a first deflator having a pair of first arms extending from a first base to a first distal end, said first arms being spaced to define a first gap therebetween;
- a plurality of first flexible bands extending across said first gap and between said first arms;
- a second deflator having a pair of second arms extending from a second base to a second distal end, said second arms being spaced to define a second gap therebetween;
- and
- at least one second flexible band extending across said second gap and between said second arms;
- wherein said first and second deflators are spaced from one another and movable relative to one another for sandwiching the package of bulk goods between said plurality of first flexible bands and said at least one second flexible band to remove excess air from the package and form the package.
The apparatus as set forth in claim 18 wherein the tension of said single second flexible band adjacent said second base is greater than the tension of said single second flexible band adjacent said second distal end.
A method of deflating excess air from and forming a filled or partially filled package of bulk goods comprising the steps of:
- placing a package of bulk goods having a closed bottom and open top between a first deflator having a plurality of first flexible bands with each of the first flexible bands having a first flexible band tension and a second deflator having at least one second flexible band with a second flexible band tension;
- and
- removing excess air from the package of bulk goods by moving the first deflator relative to the second deflator to sandwich the package of bulk goods between the plurality of first flexible bands of the first deflator and the at least one second flexible band of the second deflator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.