# US 9,751,291 B2 · Method and apparatus for sealing two moving webs of material together, which webs have portions which are non-planar

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- Number: US 9,751,291 B2
- Document ID: US9751291B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/199,040
- Filed: 2014-03-06
- Published: 2015-09-10
- Granted: 2017-09-05
- Earliest claimed: 2014-03-06
- Assignees: The Procter & Gamble Company
- Applicants: The Procter & Gamble Company
- Inventors: Jason Matthew Orndorff; Shawn Christopher Pallotta
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9751291B2

## CPC

- B32B 38/0012: {Mechanical treatment, e.g. roughening, deforming, stretching}
- B65B 9/023: {Packaging fluent material (B65B9/04 takes precedence)}
- B65B 9/042: {for fluent material}
- B65B 51/146: {Closing bags}
- B65B 51/303: {reciprocating along only one axis}
- B29C 65/18: using heated tools
- B29C 65/7457: {comprising a perforating tool}
- B29C 66/1122: {Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints (B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence)}
- B29C 66/133: {Fin-type joints, the parts to be joined being flexible (the parts to be joined being rigid B29C66/1312)}
- B29C 66/344: {Stretching or tensioning the joint area during joining}
- B29C 66/4312: {for making flat seams in tubular or hollow articles, e.g. transversal seams}
- B29C 66/432: {for making tubular articles or closed loops, e.g. by joining several sheets (B29C66/547 takes precedence; bending and joining sheets at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the article being formed and joining the edges B29C53/38); for making hollow articles or hollow preforms}
- B29C 66/72321: {consisting of metals or their alloys}
- B29C 66/72341: {for gases}
- B29C 66/73713: {bi-axially or multi-axially}
- B29C 66/81421: {being convex or concave}
- B29C 66/81429: {comprising a single tooth}
- B29C 66/81431: {comprising a single cavity, e.g. a groove}
- B29C 66/81433: {being toothed, i.e. comprising several teeth or pins (comprising a single tooth B29C66/81429), or being patterned}
- B29C 66/8161: {said pressing elements being supported or backed-up by springs or by resilient material}
- B29C 66/83221: {cooperating reciprocating tools, each tool reciprocating along one axis}
- B29C 66/8432: {Machines for making separate joints at the same time mounted in parallel or in series}
- B29C 66/849: {Packaging machines}
- B29L 2031/712: {Containers; Packaging elements or accessories, Packages (closures therefor B29L2031/56; ink or toner cartridges B29L2031/7678; squeeze tubes B29L2023/20; suitcases B29L2031/7418)}
- B32B 2038/0028: {Stretching, elongating}
- B32B 2250/02: 2 layers
- B65B 2039/009: {Multiple outlets}
- B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
- B65B: MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING (bundling and pressing devices for cigars A24C1/44; devices for tensioning and securing binders adapted to be supported by the article or articles to be bound B25B25/00; applying closure members to bottles, jars or similar containers B67B1/00-B67B6/00; concurrent cleaning, filling and closing of bottles B67C7/00; emptying bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels or similar containers B67C9/00)
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES

## Abstract

A method and apparatus for pleating or otherwise shaping a web are described herein. The method and apparatus may have numerous applications. In some embodiments, the method and apparatus are used in the formation, filling, and sealing of unit dose packages for consumer products. A method and apparatus for forming sealing two moving webs together, which webs have portions that are non-planar are also described herein.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus for sealing two moving webs of material together, wherein said webs are moving in a machine direction and said webs have a width, and said webs of material have portions which are non-planar across their width, said apparatus comprising:
a) a first component having a web-contacting surface configured to contact at least one of the two moving webs the first component having at least one recess in the web-contacting surface;
b) a second component opposing said first component and having a web-contacting surface configured to contact at least one of the two moving webs, said second component comprising at least one projection that mates with said at least one recess in the web-contacting surface of said first component, the moving webs of material being located between webs of material between the first and second components; and
c) a sealing mechanism located on or proximate to said first and second components, said sealing mechanism being configured to seal portions of said moving webs of material together;
wherein said at least one projection and said at least one recess are positioned and configured to stretch said two moving webs when said at least one projection mates with said at least one recess, said at least one projection and said at least one recess being configured to not seal together said two moving webs.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said sealing mechanism is configured to form a cross-machine direction oriented seal across said webs of material.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein at least a portion of said sealing mechanism is located upstream of said first and second components.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein at least a portion of said sealing mechanism is located downstream of said first and second components.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein at least a portion of said sealing mechanism is located downstream of said first and second components.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said sealing mechanism comprises a pair of cross-machine direction seal-forming elements, wherein said cross-machine direction seal-forming elements are spaced apart in the machine direction, and at least a portion of said first and second components are located between the cross-machine direction seal-forming elements in the machine direction.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said sealing mechanism is located on at least one of said first and second components and at least one of said first or second components is movable toward the other of said first or said second component so that when said first or second component moves toward the other of said first or second component, it both flattens said non-planar portions and forms a seal.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least one projection comprises a projecting element that is spring-loaded.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the web-contacting surfaces of said first and second component have a sinusoidal wave configuration having crests, wherein the crests of the waves extend in the machine direction.