US 7,404,787 B2 · Method and apparatus for feeding zipper with sliders to packaging machine

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for feeding continuous zipper material with sliders to a thermoforming packaging machine that advances the packaging film N package lengths each advance, where N is a positive integer greater than unity. In the packaging machine, pockets are thermoformed in a central zone of the web, while the zipper material is sealed to the web along a lateral zone that is parallel to the machine direction and does not intersect the pockets. A trailing portion of the zipper material in a zipper processing machine is advanced N times every work cycle, one package length per advance. A slider is inserted during each dwell time between advances of the trailing zipper portion. In the zone between the slider insertion device and the zipper sealing station, the zipper material is accumulated each time the zipper material is advanced without concurrent advancement of the packaging material. The accumulator retracts during advancement of the packaging film, allowing the accumulated zipper material to advance concurrently with the packaging film.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A method of manufacture comprising the following steps:

intermittently advancing a packaging material along a process pathway during a first portion of each work cycle, wherein said process pathway passes through a joining station, each advance of said packaging material being equal in distance to N package lengths, where N is a positive integer greater than unity, said packaging material not advancing during a second portion of each work cycle;
joining a respective portion of a zipper material to a respective portion of said packaging material at said joining station during said second portion of each work cycle;
and
inserting successive sliders at regular spaced intervals on portions of said zipper material not yet joined to said packaging material, slider insertion being performed at a slider insertion station located upstream of said joining station, said sliders being spaced such that said zipper material carries one slider per package length.

1 more element

A method of manufacture comprising the following steps:

joining respective portions of a first elongated continuous structure made of flexible material with attached articles and/or formed features of a first type to respective portions of a second elongated continuous structure made of flexible material that has formed features of a second type during a first portion of each work cycle of a sequence of work cycles, said second elongated continuous structure being stationary during said first portion of each work cycle;
advancing said second elongated continuous structure and the portions of said first elongated continuous structure joined thereto during a second portion of each work cycle of said sequence of work cycles by a distance equal to N unit lengths per advance, where N is a positive integer greater than unity;
accumulating portions of said first elongated continuous structure with attached articles and/or formed features but not yet joined to said second elongated continuous structure, said accumulation occurring in (N−1) discrete stages during said first portion of each work cycle of said sequence of work cycles;
and
undoing each accumulation during each advancement of said second elongated continuous structure during said second portion of each work cycle of said sequence of work cycles.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for feeding zipper with sliders to packaging machine

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for feeding zipper with sliders to packaging machine

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims11