Method for assembling a closure tab to a lid
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorsRalph W. MacKenzie, Tyler J. DeLong, Ryan P. Gingras
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for assembling a first thermoformed workpiece, such as a tab closure, to a second thermoformed workpiece, such as a lid.
Claims50
An automated manufacturing line for making a composite article from first and second thermoformed workpieces by automatically assembling the first thermoformed workpiece to the second thermoformed workpiece, comprising:
- a thermoforming station for thermoforming the first and second thermoformed workpieces in a plastic sheet, wherein the plastic sheet comprises alternating one of rows and columns of the first thermoformed workpieces and the second thermoformed workpieces;
- a trim station for trimming the first thermoformed workpiece from the plastic sheet to form a trimmed first thermoformed workpiece;
- and
- an assembly station for assembling the trimmed first thermoformed workpiece onto the second thermoformed workpiece to form the composite article while the second thermoformed workpiece remains untrimmed in the plastic sheet.
An automated manufacturing line for making a composite article from first and second thermoformed workpieces by automatically assembling the first thermoformed workpiece to the second thermoformed workpiece, comprising:
- a thermoforming station for thermoforming the first and second thermoformed workpieces in a plastic sheet;
- a trim station for individually trimming the first thermoformed workpiece from the plastic sheet to form a trimmed first thermoformed workpiece;
- and
- an assembly station for assembling the trimmed first thermoformed workpiece onto the second thermoformed workpiece to form the composite article while the second thermoformed workpiece remains untrimmed in the plastic sheet comprising a carrier moveable between a first position, where it picks the trimmed first thermoformed workpiece, and a second position, where it assembles the trimmed first thermoformed workpiece to the second thermoformed workpiece.
An automated manufacturing line for making a composite article from first and second thermoformed workpieces by automatically assembling the first thermoformed workpiece to the second thermoformed workpiece, comprising:
- a thermoforming station for thermoforming the first and second thermoformed workpieces in a plastic sheet;
- a trim station for individually trimming the first thermoformed workpiece from the plastic sheet to form a trimmed first thermoformed workpiece;
- and
- an assembly station for assembling the trimmed first thermoformed workpiece onto the second thermoformed workpiece to form the composite article while the second thermoformed workpiece remains untrimmed in the plastic sheet by moving the trimmed first thermoformed workpiece directly from the trim station onto the second thermoformed workpiece without temporarily storing the trimmed first thermoformed workpiece prior to assembly to the second thermoformed workpiece.
An automated manufacturing line for making a composite article from first and second thermoformed workpieces by automatically assembling the first thermoformed workpiece to the second thermoformed workpiece, comprising:
- a thermoforming station for thermoforming the first and second thermoformed workpieces in a plastic sheet comprising a portion of a web of plastic;
- a trim station for individually trimming the first thermoformed workpiece from the plastic sheet to form a trimmed first thermoformed workpiece;
- and
- an assembly station for assembling the trimmed first thermoformed workpiece onto the second thermoformed workpiece to form the composite article while the second thermoformed workpiece remains untrimmed in the plastic sheet.
An automated manufacturing line for making a composite article from first and second thermoformed workpieces by automatically assembling the first thermoformed workpiece to the second thermoformed workpiece, comprising:
- a thermoforming station for thermoforming the first and second thermoformed workpieces in a plastic sheet;
- a trim station for individually trimming the first thermoformed workpiece from the plastic sheet to form a trimmed first thermoformed workpiece;
- and
- an assembly station for assembling the trimmed first thermoformed workpiece onto the second thermoformed workpiece to form the composite article while the second thermoformed workpiece remains untrimmed in the plastic sheet;
- wherein the sheet comprises opposing front and rear sides, and the trim station trims the first thermoformed workpiece from the front side, and the assembly station assembles the trimmed thermoformed workpiece onto the second thermoformed workpiece on the front side.
An automated manufacturing line for making a recloseable lid assembly comprising a lid with a drink opening and a closure tab for selectively closing the drink opening, comprising:
- a thermoforming station for thermoforming the lid and the closure tab in a plastic sheet;
- a trim station for trimming one of the lid and closure tab from the plastic sheet;
- and
- an assembly station for assembling the trimmed one of the lid and closure tab to the other of the lid and closure tab to form the recloseable lid assembly while the other of the lid and closure tab remains untrimmed in the plastic sheet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.