US 6,656,101 B2Granted

Container liners

AssigneePhilton Polythene Converters Limited

InventorAntony Luigi Paul Tisi

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Abstract

A method of and apparatus for the automated manufacture of a liner of a cargo container has a work area (35) over which tubular plastics material (15) may be drawn out, for forming the liner. A shuttle (39) is disposed between the layers (18, 19) of the material and is maintained stationary as the material is drawn out, until a portion of the liner (15) to carry an attachment is disposed over the shuttle (39). The shuttle provides a counter-force for the bonding of the attachment (23) (such as an access pipe) to the liner and also serves to hold apart the upper layer (18) of the material from the or each other layer during the bonding operation. The shuttle may have rollers (41) which run on an internal surface of the liner material and may be maintained stationary with respect to the work area by magnets (52, 53) on the work area (35) and the shuttle (39) respectively. Following the drawing of a sufficient length of material while holding the shuttle stationary, the drawn length may be welded across (FIG. 9) to form and end panel for the liner and severed from the remaining material, with the shuttle (39) disposed in the remaining material.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A method of manufacturing a bulk transport cargo container liner from a web of folded-flat gussetted sheet plastics material having over-lying upper and lower layers between the long edges of which are respective pairs of inwardly-folded gusset panels, which method comprises the steps of:

extending the web over a work-area and arranging a shuttle between the layers of the material, which shuttle extends substantially across the width of the web so as to hold separated layers of the plastics material above and below the shuttle and with the side edge margins of the shuttle located between the upper layer and the adjacent inwardly-folded gusset panels;
defining in the web a first end region for the finished liner;
advancing the web over the work-area whilst applying a force to the shuttle through the plastics material so as to maintain the shuttle substantially stationary with respect to the work-area, until a part of the material corresponding to a required location for an attachment of the finished liner over-lies the shuttle;
bonding to the plastics material at said location an attachment for the liner, using the shuttle to provide a counter-force for bonding operation;
further advancing the web over the work-area whilst continuing to maintain the shuttle stationary with respect to the work-area, until the required length of plastics material for the finished liner extends beyond a closure station downstream of the shuttle;
providing at the closure station a pair of separator boards disposed one each side of the web and each projecting between the folded material defining the gusset panels thereby separating the upper and lower gusset panels;
effecting at the closure station upper and lower weld seams across the width of the web thereby to join the upper and lower layers to the respective upper and lower gusset panels with the weld seams on each layer being in a generally V-shaped configuration thereby to form an end panel at a second end region of the liner;
and
cutting the plastics material from the web so at least partially completing the liner.

6 more elements

Apparatus for the automated production of a bulk transport cargo container liner, comprising:

a holder for a reel of liner-forming folded-flat gussetted sheet plastics material web having over-lying upper and lower layers between the long edges of which are respective pairs of inwardly-folded gusset panels;
means to draw the web from a held reel thereof and advance the web over a work-area;
a shuttle adapted for location between the layers of the web, which shuttle extends substantially across the width of the web to hold separated the layers of the plastics material above and below the shuttle with the side edge margins of the shuttle located between the upper layer and the adjacent inwardly-folded gusset panels, the shuttle being disposed over the work-area and being provided with means to maintain the shuttle substantially stationary during advancement of the web;
gripping means for an attachment for the liner and arranged to move said attachment into engagement with the web at a location where the attachment is to be secured to the liner;
a plastics bonder adapted to effect a bonding operation of the engaging surfaces of the web and the attachment;
a pair of separator boards provided at a closure station, one each side of the web and each projecting between the folded material defining the gusset panels, thereby separating the upper and lower gusset panels;
seam-welding apparatus disposed at the closure station to effect upper and lower weld seams across the width of the web thereby to join the upper and lower layers to the respective upper and lower gusset panels with the weld seams on each layer being in a generally V-shaped configuration thereby to form an end panel at a second end region of the liner;
and
a web-cutter to sever a length of web material drawn from the reel, so as at least partially to form the liner.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/148,605Filed 30 May 2002
Priority: GB 99286404 Dec 1999
Published: US 2002/0193221 A119 Dec 2002
Granted: 2 Dec 2003
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

B31B 50/78
Opening and distending flattened articles: mechanically
B31B 50/00
Making rigid or semi-rigid containers
B31B 70/64
Uniting opposed surfaces or edges; Taping: by applying heat or pressure
B31B 70/844
Forming or attaching means for filling or dispensing contents, e.g. valves or spouts: applying rigid valves, spouts, or filling tubes