Method and apparatus for automatically preparing flexible, disposable packing containers
AssigneeTodo Seisakusho Ltd.
InventorKoichi Shimofuri
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In automatic preparation of flexible, disposable packing containers for materials such as eggs or fruits during intermittent transportation along a straight path of travel of each packing container, an opener cord is wound up and tied about the joint between receptacle and cover of the packing container while provisionally deforming, making use of the flexibility, the packing container so that the joint should assume an arcuate construction, and removal of deformation brings about tight winding-up of the joint so that pulling of the cord in a sealed packing container by users should enable easy opening of the packing container through breakage of the joint.
Claims12
A method for providing a flexible container of the type which includes a receptacle section and a cover section connected to one another by a substantially straight elongated joint with an opener cord surrounding said joint, said method comprising the steps of:
- bending said flexible container along said joint in such a manner that said joint is bent into an arc as viewed in a plane which passes through the entire length of said joint;
- placing an opener cord around said joint while it is bent into said arc, the length of said cord being approximately twice the length of said joint;
- and, thereafter,
- permitting said container to assume its original shape.
A method for automatically preparing flexible, disposable packing containers of the type which includes a receptacle section and a cover section connected to one another by a substantially straight elongated joint, and an opener cord surrounding said joint, said method comprising the steps of:
- (A) intermittently supplying flexible containers, each of which has a cover section and receptacle section connected together by a substantially straight joint, one at a time, to a first operation station with said joint extending in a first direction;
- (B) advancing each said packing container after it has been placed at said first station along a path of travel which runs parallel to said first direction to a second operation station while maintaining the orientation of said joint in said first direction;
- (C) carrying out an opening cord tying operation on each said container located at said second station, said tying operation including the steps of:
- (1) applying oppositely directed forces to first and second opposite ends, respectively, of each said container located at said second operation station, said oppositely directed forces being applied along said first direction, in order to cause elastic deformation of the said container located at said second station into an arcuate configuration whereby its said joint is bent into an arc as viewed along a plane running through said first direction;
- (2) guiding an opener cord from a supply source fully around said joint of the said container located at said second station and bent into said arcuate configuration;
- (3) knotting together ends of said opener cord after it extends fully around said joint of said container located at said second station;
- and
- (4) removing said oppositely directed forces applied to the said container located at said second station thereby allowing the said container to resume its unbent configuration;
- and
- (D) advancing each said packing container from said second station after said cord tying operation for that said container has been completed to a third operation station for removal of said packing containers from said path of travel, said steps being all carried out in an automatic fashion.
Apparatus for automatically preparing flexible, disposable packing containers of the type which includes a receptacle section and a cover section connected to one another by a substantially straight elongated joint, and an opener cord surrounding said joint, said apparatus comprising:
- (A) means for intermittently and sequentially supplying flexible containers, each of which has a cover section and a receptacle section connected together by a substantially straight joint, one at a time, to a first operation station with said joint extending in a first direction;
- (B) means for advancing each said packing container after it has been placed at said first station along a path of travel which runs parallel to said first direction to a second operation station, maintaining said packing container at said second operation station during a cord tying operation and thereafter advancing said packing container to a third operation station at which said packing containers may be removed from said path of travel, said advancing means advancing each said packing container from said first, to said second operating station while maintaining the orientation of said joint in said first direction;
- (C) means for carrying out an opener cord tying operation on each said container located at said second station, said tying operation including the steps of:
- (1) applying oppositely directed forces to respective opposite ends of each said container located at said second operation station, said oppositely directed forces being applied along said first direction, in order to cause elastic deformation of the said container located at said second station into an arcuate configuration whereby its said joint is bent into an arc as viewed along a plane running through said first direction;
- (2) guiding an opener cord from a supply source fully around said joint of the said container located at said second station and bent into said arcuate configuration;
- (3) knotting together ends of said opener cord after it extends fully around said joint of said container located at said second station;
- and
- (4) removing said oppositely directed forces applied to the said container located at said second station thereby allowing the said container to resume its unbent configuration;
- and
- (D) means for removing each said packing container from said third station after it reaches said third station.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.