Method and apparatus for forming a container for liquids

In an apparatus for forming a liquid-tight carton from a foldable carton blank sheet, a device for sealing a length of tape over an aperture formed in said carton blank and bonding said tape length to a straw element positioned beneath said aperture, said device comprising:

• a conveyor, having a surface adapted to carry said carton blank with said straw element disposed beneath said aperture and said tape length positioned over said aperture;
• a heater plate mounted to reciprocate above said surface;
• and
• means for reciprocating said heater plate to contact said tape length over said aperture on said carton blank and simultaneously seal said tape length to said carton blank and bond a portion of said tape length to said straw element and wherein said surface of said conveyor includes a plurality of vacuum apertures to maintain said carton blank, straw element, and tape length thereon.

In an apparatus for forming a liquid-tight carton from a foldable carton blank sheet, a device for sealing a length of tape over an aperture formed in said carton blank and bonding said tape length to a straw element positioned beneath said aperture, said device comprising:

• a conveyor, having a surface adapted to carry said carton blank with said straw element disposed beneath said aperture and said tape length positioned over said aperture;
• a heater plate mounted to reciprocate above said surface;
• and
• means for reciprocating said heater plate to contact said tape length over said aperture on said carton blank and simultaneously seal said tape length to said carton blank and bond a portion of said tape length to said straw element and wherein said conveyor includes an access aperture formed on said surface and located proximal one end of said carton blank carried upon said surface and said heater plate is mounted to said conveyor beneath said access aperture.

In an apparatus for forming a liquid-tight carton from a foldable carton blank sheet, a device for sealing a length of tape over an aperture formed in said carton blank and bonding said tape length to a straw element positioned beneath said aperture, said device comprising:

• a conveyor, having a surface adapted to carry said carton blank with said straw element disposed beneath said aperture and said tape length positioned over said aperture;
• a heater plate mounted to reciprocate above said surface;
• and
• means for reciprocating said heater plate to contact said tape length over said aperture on said carton blank and simultaneously seal said tape length to said carton blank and bond a portion of said tape length to said straw element and
• wherein said conveyor includes an access aperture formed on said surface and located proximal one end of said carton blank carried upon said surface and said heater plate is mounted to said conveyor beneath said access aperture and
• wherein said means for reciprocating said heater plate includes means to sequentially move said heater plate (1) outward through said access aperture to be spaced from said conveyor surface, (2) forward in the direction of travel of said conveyor to contact said tape length, and (3) off said tape length and back through said access aperture to reside beneath said conveyor surface.

In an apparatus for forming a liquid-tight carton from a foldable carton blank sheet, a device for sealing a length of tape over an aperture formed in said carton blank and bonding said tape length to a straw element positioned beneath said aperture, said device comprising:

• a conveyor, having a surface adapted to carry said carton blank with said straw element disposed beneath said aperture and said tape length positioned over said aperture;
• a heater plate mounted to reciprocate above said surface;
• and
• means for reciprocating said heater plate to contact said tape length over said aperture on said carton blank and simultaneously seal said tape length to said carton blank and bond a portion of said tape length to said straw element and
• wherein said conveyor includes an access aperture formed on said surface and located proximal one end of said carton blank carried upon said surface and said heater plate is mounted to said conveyor beneath said access aperture and
• wherein said means reciprocating reciproating said heater plate includes means to sequentially move said heater plate (1) outward through said access aperture to be spaced from said conveyor surface, (2) forward in the direction of travel of said conveyor to contact said tape length, and (3) off said tape length and back through said access aperture to reside beneath said conveyor surface, and
• wherein said means for reciprocating said heater plate comprises a cam positioned within said conveyor and engaged with a cam follower linkage mounted to one end of said heater plate.

In an apparatus for forming a liquid-tight carton from a foldable carton blank sheet, a device for sealing a length of tape over an aperture formed in said carton blank and bonding said tape length to a straw element positioned beneath said aperture, said device comprising:

• a conveyor, having a surface adapted to carry said carton blank with said straw element disposed beneath said aperture and said tape length positioned over said aperture;
• a heater plate mounted to reciprocate above said surface;
• and
• means for reciprocating said heater plate to contact said tape length over said aperture on said carton blank and simultaneously seal said tape length to said straw element and
• wherein said conveyor includes an access aperture formed on said surface and located proximal one end of said carton blank carried upon said surface and said heater plate is mounted to said conveyor beneath said access aperture and
• wherein said means for reciprocating said heater plate includes means to sequentially move said heater plate (1) outward through said access aperture to be spaced from said conveyor surface, (2) forward in the direction of travel of said conveyor to contact said tape length, and (3) off said tape length and back through said access aperture to reside beneath said conveyor surface and
• wherein said means for reciprocating said heater plate comprises a cam positioned within said conveyor and engaged with a cam follower linkage mounted to one end of said heater plate and
• wherein said cam follower linkage additionally includes operator means mounted to said heater plate to firmly press said heater plate against said tape length and said carton blank.

In an apparatus for forming a liquid-tight carton from a foldable carton blank sheet, a device for sealing a length of tape over an aperture formed in said carton blank and bonding said tape length to a straw element positioned beneath said aperture, said device comprising:

• a conveyor, having a surface adapted to carry said carton blank with said straw element disposed beneath said aperture and said tape length positioned over said aperture;
• a heater plate mounted to reciprocate above said surface;
• and
• means for reciprocating said heater plate to contact said tape length over said aperture on said carton blank and simultaneously seal said tape length to said carton blank and bond a portion of said tape length to said straw element and wherein said conveyor includes an access aperture formed on said surface and located proximal one end of said carton blank carried upon said surface and said heater plate is mounted to said conveyor beneath said access aperture and wherein said conveyor comprises a rotating drum and said heater plate contacts said tape length during a 180.degree. arcuate rotation of said drum.

In an apparatus for forming a liquid-tight carton from a foldable carton blank sheet, a device for sealing a length of tape over an aperture formed in said carton blank and bonding said tape length to a straw element positioned beneath said aperture, said device comprising:

• a conveyor, having a surface adapted to carry said carton blank with said straw element disposed beneath said aperture and said tape length positioned over said aperture;
• a heater plate mounted to reciprocate above said surface;
• and
• means for reciprocating said heater plate to contact said tape length over said aperture on said carton blank and simultaneously seal said tape length to said carton blank and bond a portion of said tape length to said straw element and wherein said conveyor includes an access aperture formed on said surface and located proximal one end of said carton blank carried upon said surface and said heater plate is mounted to said conveyor beneath said access aperture and wherein said conveyor comprises a rotating drum and said heater plate contacts said tape length during a 180.degree. arcuate rotation of said drum and
• wherein said drum includes a plurality of heater plates and a plurality of said access apertures each spaced symmetrically about the periphery of said drum.

An apparatus for applying a length of tape onto a carton blank disposed upon a support surface comprising:

• a first conveyor member spaced from said support surface, including a land extending therefrom;
• means for supplying a length of tape tangentially adjacent said first member;
• a second conveyor member parallel with said first member and disposed adjacent said first member, said second member including pressure means extending therefrom;
• means for synchronously driving said first and second members;
• and
• means for advancing said tape length between said synchronously driven first and second members to place said tape length between said land and said pressure means to shear said tape to a desired length and deposit said tape upon said carton blank disposed upon said support surface.

In an apparatus for forming a liquid-tight container from a foldable blank of sheet material having an aperture formed on one sidewall of said container, a device for bonding a tape length over said aperture and tacking a straw element thereto to reside beneath said aperture comprising:

• a moving conveyor having a surface adapted to receive said straw element, said carton blank, and said tape length thereon;
• means for depositing said straw element onto said surface of said moving conveyor;
• means for applying said carton blank onto said surface of said conveyor with said aperture formed in said carton blank overlaying said straw element on said surface;
• tape dispenser means for applying a length of tape over said aperture;
• and
• heater means coupled to said conveyor so as to move with said surface for contacting said tape length for a fixed, predetermined time which time is independent of the speed of said conveyor within the normal operational speed range thereof, said contact sealing said tape length over said aperture formed in said carton blank and bonding a portion of said tape length to said straw element.

In an apparatus for forming a liquid-tight container from a foldable blank of sheet material having an aperture formed on one sidewall of said container, a device for bonding a tape length over said aperture and tacking a straw element thereto to reside beneath said aperture comprising:

• a moving conveyor having a surface adapted to receive said straw element, said carton blank and said tape length thereon;
• means for depositing said straw element onto said surface of said moving conveyor;
• means for applying said carton blank onto said surface of said conveyor with said aperture formed in said carton blank overlaying said straw element on said surface;
• tape dispenser means for applying a length of tape over said aperture;
• and
• heater means for contacting said tape length, said contact sealing said tape length over said aperture formed in said carton blank and bonding a portion of said tape length to said straw element and
• wherein said means for depositing said straw element comprises:
• a hopper storing a plurality of said straw elements;
• means mounted proximal said hopper for separating a single straw element from said plurality of straw elements;
• means for transporting said single straw element from said separating means toward said conveyor, said transporting means driven in synchronism with said conveyor;
• and
• means mounted proximal said conveyor surface adgacent one end of said transporting means, for transferring said single straw element from said transporting means onto said surface of said conveyor when said surface of said conveyor and said transporting means are juxtaposed and synchronously moving.

In an apparatus for forming a liquid-tight container from a foldable blank of sheet material having an aperture formed on one sidewall of said container, a device for bonding a tape length over said aperture and tacking a straw element thereto to reside beneath said aperture comprising:

• a moving conveyor having a surface adapted to receive said straw element, said carton blank, and said tape length thereon;
• means for depositing said straw element onto said surface of said moving conveyor;
• means for applying said carton blank onto said surface of said conveyor with said aperture formed in said carton blank overlaying said straw element on said surface;
• tape dispenser means for applying a length of tape over said aperture;
• and
• heater means for contacting said tape length, said contact sealing said tape length over said aperture formed in said carton blank and bonding a portion of said tape length to said straw element, and
• wherein said means for applying said carton blank onto said moving conveyor comprises:
• a pressure member spaced from said moving conveyor to form a narrow gap;
• means for entering said carton blank into said narrow gap;
• and
• means for adjusting said gap in timed coordination with said entering means and said moving conveyor to press said single carton blank entered into said gap between said pressure member and said moving conveyor so that said single carton blank is applied to said moving conveyor.

In an apparatus for forming a liquid-tight container from a foldable blank of sheet material having an aperture formed on one sidewall of said container, a device for bonding a tape length over said aperture and tacking a straw element theereto to reside beneath said aperture comprising:

• a moving conveyor having a surface adapted to receive said straw element, said carton blank, and said tape thereon;
• means for depositing said straw element onto said surface of said moving conveyor;
• means for applying said carton blank onto said surface of said conveyor with said aperture formed in said carton blank overlaying said straw element on said surface;
• tape dispenser means for applying a length of tape over said aperture;
• and
• heater means for contacting said tape length, said contact sealing said tape length over said aperture formed in said carton blank and bonding a portion of said tape length to said straw element further including stripper means for removing said carton blank with said tape length and straw element sealed thereon from said moving conveyor, and
• wherein said stripper means comprises:
• a cylinder rotating in synchronism with said moving conveyor, having an outer periphery spaced from said surface of said moving conveyor;
• channel means spaced from said cylinder and extending about said cylinder to form a curvilinear carton blank race;
• and
• means extending radially outward from the periphery of said cylinder to contact said carton blank on said moving conveyor, the leading edge of said carton blank upon approaching said rotating cylinder entering into said channel means so that said carton blank is peeled from said surface of said moving conveyor.