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US 4,047,473 AGranted
Assembly system for container flexible end closures
AssigneeSonoco Products Company
InventorsWade D. Fletcher, E. Riley Rowe
Life of this patent
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AssigneeSonoco Products Company
InventorsWade D. Fletcher, E. Riley Rowe
Estimating the term…
A system for assembling flexible end closures for containers, the closure itself including a peelable sealing membrane, with a folded pull tab, and a plastic overcap separably combined as a single unit for application to the container. Apparatus cuts the individual sealing membranes from a continuous web for deposit thereof on individual holders which vacuum retain the membranes during movement through stations which fold an integra pull tab in overlying relation to each membrane for subsequent reception within an associated overcap applied to the holder along the path of movement thereof, the combined membrane and overcap ultimately being discharged for later application to a container as a closure therefor. A central manifold controls air flow to and away from the individual holders so as to selectively retain and discharge the closure forming membrane and overcap components.
A method of forming a closure for mounting as a unit over the open end of a container, said method comprising the steps of forming a sealing membrane and releasably engaging an overcap over the membrane in a manner so as to releasably secure the membrane within the confines of the overcap, the forming of the sealing membrane including the steps of forming an integral outwardly projecting tab on said membrane and folding said tab laterally of the plane of said membrane.
Assembly apparatus for a container closure comprising multiple holders, means mounting said holders for carrying said holders through a plurality of assembly stations, said assembly stations including a first station incorporating means for forming a disc-like sealing membrane, with a laterally projecting integral tab on said membrane, and depositing the formed membrane on one of said holders, a second station, immediately downstream of the first station along the path of travel of the holders, including means for engaging and folding said tab in overlying relation to the membrane, a subsequent station along the path of travel of the holders including means for mounting an overcap over the membrane accommodating holder in a manner so as to seat on the holder with the membrane received within the overcap, and a final discharge station, along the path of travel of the holders, including means for effecting a discharge of the combined membrane and overcap from the associated holder.
Assembly apparatus for a container closure comprising multiple holders, means mounting said holders for carrying said holders through a plurality of assembly stations, said assembly stations including a first station incorporating means for forming a substantially planar sealing membrane, with a laterally projecting integral tab on said membrane, and depositing the formed membrane on one of said holders, a second station, downstream of the first station along the path of travel of the holders, including means for engaging and folding said tab relative to the membrane to a position displaced from the plane of the membrane, a subsequent station along the path of travel of the holders including means for mounting an overcap over the membrane accommodating holder in a manner so as to seat on the holder with the membrane received within the overcap, and a final discharge station, along the path of travel of the holders, including means for effecting a discharge of the combined membrane and overcap from the associated holder.
Assembly apparatus for a container closure comprising at least one holder, means mounting said holder for carrying said holder through a plurality of assembly stations, said assembly stations including means for supplying a substantially planar sealing membrane with a laterally projecting tab thereon, means for depositing the membrane on said holder, means for engaging the tab of the holder mounted membrane and for folding the tab relative to the membrane to a position displaced from the plane of the membrane, means for mounting an overcap over the holder and membrane mounted thereon to seat the overcap on the holder with the membrane received within the overcap, and means for effecting a discharge of the combined membrane and overcap from the associated holder.
A method of forming a closure for mounting as a unit over the open end of a container, said method comprising the steps of forming a sealing membrane and releasably engaging an overcap over the membrane in a manner so as to releasably secure the membrane within the confines of the overcap, the forming of the sealing membrane including the steps of forming an integral outwardly projecting tab on said membrane and progressively folding said tab into overlying relation with said membrane.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.