US 5,471,822 AGranted

Apparatus and method for packaging articles

AssigneeCoors Brewing Company

InventorsLarry M. Dugan, LeRoy J. Haverland, Ronald L. Moore

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Abstract

Apparatus and method for packaging articles, such as container ends, using a product having a plurality of interconnected compartments formed in two continuous superposed sheets by a lengthwise extending seam and a plurality of spaced apart widthwise extending seams so that each compartment has one open end, by moving one of the compartments to a predetermined location, gripping the widthwise extending seams of the one compartment, moving one of the gripped seams toward the other of the gripped seams, applying a force to the open end to move apart the portions of the superposed strips forming the one compartment, holding a plurality of articles at a location aligned with the open end, pushing the articles into the one compartment, at least partially closing the open end to form a partially closed compartment having articles confined therein, moving the partially closed compartment to move another compartment into the predetermined location and repeating the process to form a plurality of interconnected partially closed compartments each having a plurality of articles confined therein. The interconnected partially closed compartments may be severed along the widthwise extending seams to form a plurality of separate partially closed compartments or may remain interconnected and be palletized. Mounting apparatus for mounting a rodless cylinder is also provided.

Claims52

Dependent claims

Apparatus for packaging a plurality of articles comprising:

base support means located at a relatively fixed location;
moving means for moving a continuous strip of material having a plurality of interconnected compartments each having one open end through a plurality of work stations in a predetermined linear direction;
said interconnected open ended compartments comprising at least two superposed sheets of a flexible material having opposite edge portions defining the width thereof and lengthwise and widthwise extending joining means for joining superposed portions of said at least two superposed sheets to form said open ended compartments;
said open ended compartments having parallel horizontally extending longitudinal axes extending in said widthwise direction and perpendicular to said predetermined linear direction;
said open ended compartments moving in the lengthwise direction with the open ends of said open ended compartments being located along one of said opposite edge portions;
opening means for moving the portions of said at least two superposed sheets of at least one of said open ended compartments in opposite directions to form a generally circular opening therein;
transfer means for holding a plurality of articles;
force applying means for applying a force on said plurality of articles to move said plurality of articles out of said transfer means, through said generally circular opening and into said at least one of said open ended compartments;
closing means for at least partially closing the portions of said at least two superposed sheets adjacent to said generally circular opening to form at least a partially closed compartment having said plurality of articles contained therein;
holding means for holding said at least a partially closed compartment;
said moving means moving said holding means to move said at least a partially closed compartment toward a third work station to form a plurality of interconnected partially closed compartments;
severing means for severing said widthwise joining means to form one separated partially closed compartment;
and
said movement of said at least a partially closed compartment also moving said continuous strip of material.

11 more elements

Apparatus for packaging a plurality of articles comprising:

base support means located at a relatively fixed location;
moving means for moving a continuous strip of material having a plurality of interconnected compartments each one having an open end through a plurality of work stations in a predetermined linear direction;
said interconnected open ended compartments comprising at least tow superposed sheets of a flexible material having opposite edge portions defining the width thereof and lengthwise and widthwise extending joining means for joining superposed portions of said at least two superposed sheets to form said open ended compartments;
said open ended compartments having parallel longitudinally extending horizontal axes extending in said widthwise direction and perpendicular to said predetermined linear direction;
said open ended compartments moving in the lengthwise direction with the open ends of said open ended compartments being located along one of said opposite edge portions;
opening means for moving the portions of said at least two superposed sheets of each open ended compartment in opposite directions to form a generally circular opening therein;
transfer means for holding a plurality of articles;
force applying means for applying a force on said plurality of articles to move said plurality of articles out of said transfer means, through said generally circular opening and into said at least one of said open ended compartments;
closing means for at least partially closing the portions of said at least two superposed sheets adjacent to said generally circular opening to form at least a partially closed compartment having said plurality of articles contained therein;
holding means for holding said at least a partially closed compartment;
said moving means moving said holding means to move said at least a partially closed compartment toward a third work station to form a plurality of interconnected partially closed compartments;
and
said movement of said at least a partially closed compartment also moving said continuous strip of material.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.