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US 2023/0415441 A1Published application
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.
Claims87
A method for forming a cylindrical container from a re-configurable blank that is supported in a first generally flat configuration with a first wall surface and an opposite second wall surface;
- wherein said method comprises:
- (a) positioning a blank support device proximate said first wall surface of said blank while said blank is in said first configuration, said blank support device having a generally cylindrical outward facing surface;
- (b) engaging said first wall surface of said blank and rotating a first portion of said blank, around a first portion of the outward facing surface of said blank support device, such that said first portion of said blank wraps around a first quarter surface area of the generally cylindrical outward facing surface of the blank support device;
- (c) engaging the first wall surface and rotating a second portion of said blank around a second portion of the outward facing surface of said blank support such that said section portion of said blank wraps around a second quarter surface area of the generally cylindrical outward facing surface of said blank support device, said first and second quarter surface areas of the generally cylindrical outward facing surface of said blank support device being adjacent to each other;
- (d) rotating a part of said first portion of the blank around a third quarter surface area of the generally cylindrical outward facing surface of said blank support device, said second and third quarter surface areas of the generally cylindrical outward facing surface of said blank support device being adjacent to each other;
- (e) rotating a part of said second portion of the blank around a fourth quarter surface area of the generally cylindrical outward facing surface of said blank support device, said third and fourth quarter surface areas of the generally cylindrical outward facing surface of said blank support device being adjacent to each other;
- to thereby form a blank that has a generally cylindrical tubular side wall configuration for said container around the generally cylindrical outward facing surface of said blank support device;
- wherein said first wall surface of said blank forms an inner surface of said blank when said blank is in said generally cylindrical tubular side wall configuration around said blank support device.
5 more elements
A method for forming a cylindrical container from a re-configurable blank comprising:
- (a) Forming a cylindrical tubular side wall around a mandrel with a single vertical sealed joint;
- (b) Installing a cup into an end opening of said cylindrical tubular side wall with a seaming apparatus to form a circumferential seamed sealed joint.
A method for forming a container from a re-configurable blank comprising:
- a. forming a tubular side wall by wrapping first and second portions of a blank around a mandrel;
- b. after (a), forming a vertical sealed joint between two free edges of said first and second portions of said blank by providing a sealing strip that is interconnected to both said first and second portions;
- and wherein said sealing strip has a generally T-shape in cross section and comprises a first top portion that bonds to inner surfaces of first and second portions of said blank and across a joint between the first and second portions of the blank, and said sealing strip comprises a base portion that is received between and bonds the opposing edge faces of said first and second portions of said blank.
A method for forming a container from a re-configurable blank comprising:
- (a) positioning part of an outward facing surface of a blank support device proximate a first surface of said blank while said blank is in a first orientation;
- (b) rotating a first portion of said blank with a rotating sub-system in a clockwise direction around a first semi-cylindrical portion of an outward facing surface of said blank support device;
- (c) rotating a second portion of said blank with said rotating sub-system in a counterclockwise direction around a second semi-cylindrical portion of said outward facing surface of said blank support device;
- wherein a generally cylindrical tubular side wall configuration is formed around said outward surface of said blank support device.
1 more element
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 in operation said blank support device is located proximate said blank while said blank is in a first generally flat configuration;
- (b) a rotating sub-system operable to:
- i. engage a first wall surface of said blank and rotate a first portion of said blank around a first portion of a first facing surface of said blank support device, such that said first portion of said blank wraps around a first quarter surface area of the generally cylindrical outward facing surface of the blank support device;
- ii. engage the first wall surface and rotate a second portion of said blank around a second portion of the first outward facing surface of said blank support such that said section portion of said blank wraps around a second quarter surface area of the generally cylindrical outward facing surface of said blank support device, said first and second quarter surface areas of the generally cylindrical outward facing surface of said blank support device being adjacent to each other;
- iii. rotate a part of said first portion of the blank around a third quarter surface area of the generally cylindrical outward facing surface of said blank support device, said second and third quarter surface areas of the generally cylindrical outward facing surface of said blank support device being adjacent to each other;
- iv. rotate a part of said second portion of the blank around a fourth quarter surface area of the generally cylindrical outward facing surface of said blank support device, said third and fourth quarter surface areas of the generally cylindrical outward facing surface of said blank support device being adjacent to each other;
- to thereby form a blank that has a generally cylindrical tubular side wall configuration around the generally cylindrical outward facing surface of said blank support device;
- wherein said first wall surface of said blank forms an inner surface of said blank when said blank is in said generally cylindrical tubular side wall configuration around said blank support device.
5 more elements
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.
1 more element
A system for forming a cylindrical container from a re-configurable blank comprising:
- an apparatus operable for forming a cylindrical tubular side wall around a mandrel with a single vertical sealed joint;
- an apparatus operable for locating a bottom cup into a bottom opening of said cylindrical tubular side wall;
- and
- a seaming apparatus operable to form a circumferential seamed sealed joint between a circumferential edge region of said bottom cup and a circumferential lower edge region of said cylindrical tubular side wall.
1 more element
A system for forming a container from a re-configurable blank comprising:
- (i) an apparatus operable for forming a tubular side wall around a mandrel with a single vertical sealed joint at opposed vertical free edges of said blank;
- (ii) an apparatus operable to place a vertically extending sealing strip that extends across and between said joint to form a seal, wherein said sealing strip has a generally T-shape in cross section and comprises a first top portion that bonds to inner surfaces of the opposed free edges of said blank and across said joint and said sealing strip comprises a base portion that is received between and bonds opposing edge faces of said free edges of said blank.
A blank for a can comprising a generally cylindrical tubular side wall having a single vertical joint at opposed vertical free edges of said blank;
- wherein said opposed vertical free edges of said blank are interconnected by a vertically extending sealing strip that extends across said joint;
- and
- wherein said sealing strip has a generally T-shape in cross section and comprises a first top portion that bonds to inner surfaces of the opposed free edges of said blank and across said joint and said sealing strip comprises a base portion that is received between and bonds opposing edge faces of said free edges of said blank.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.