Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture – Methods – Surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
Reissue Patent
1999-07-16
2001-01-23
Sells, James (Department: 1734)
Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture
Methods
Surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
C156S580100, C264S445000, C425S174200, C493S087000, C493S213000
Reissue Patent
active
RE037025
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a new and improved method and apparatus for attaching fitments to cartons. More particularly, the invention relates to apparatus and method for ultrasonically welding a plastic fitment (comprising a pouring spout, flange at one end thereof and closure at the opposite end thereof) to a paperboard carton of the type used to package milk and other products. In accordance with the invention, the fitment is inserted into an open end of the carton into alignment with a hole formed in a wall of the carton, moved laterally until the closure end of the spout extends through the hole in the carton wall and the flange abuts the inside of the carton wall end and then welded to the interior of the carton wall.
2. Description of Related Art
Fitments of the general types used with the present invention are known in the art. Examples of improved fitments of this type are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,174,465 and 5,249,695, owned by the assignee of this application, among others.
Paperboard cartons of the general type used in conjunction with the present invention are commonly used for packaging milk, juice, and other products. Heretofore flanges of fitments used with such cartons have been welded either to the inside or the outside of the walls of such cartons by ultrasonic welding.
An important advantage in using fitments on such cartons is that they facilitate dispensing the carton contents. Cartons which do not use such fitments require opening the upper end of the tent-type closure, which is a task of some difficulty.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention apparatus is provided for attaching to a paperboard carton, in a condition of its fabrication wherein the upper end is open and the sides are erected in rectangular tubular form and wherein one wall is formed with a pre-punched hole, of a thermoplastic fitment having a spout formed with a peripheral flange at one end and a spout closure at the opposite end.
The apparatus of the invention is installed as one station on a paperboard carton filling line such as, for example, Tetrapak® TR6. The apparatus is mounted on a frame which is, in turn, mounted above a longitudinally intermittently moving carton conveyor on a transverse horizontal frame member of the machine.
Fitments are conveyed to a loading station which has an air-actuated cylinder which picks one fitment at a time off the terminus of a conveyor.
Mounted on the frame of the apparatus are two transverse horizontally spaced apart rods which serve as ways for other moving members of the apparatus. Reciprocating in a transverse horizontal direction on the rods is a first carriage to which is pivotly mounted an L-shaped arm. Mounted on an end of the arm is an anvil or spud which in the upper position (e.g., 35° above horizontal) of the pivoted L-shaped arm is positioned to receive the fitment as it is pushed out of the fitment terminus. The arm then is pivoted downwardly to a vertical position to enter the open end of a carton which is moved intermittently along the conveyor of the filler machine. The fitment is horizontally and vertically aligned with a hole in the carton wall. As the carton remains stationary, the first carriage or slide is moved on the ways so as to push the closed end of the fitment through the hole in the carton wall until a flange on the fitment engages the inside of the panel. At the same time an ultrasonic welding horn mounted on a second carriage is moved along the ways in a direction opposite the movement of the first carriage so that the horn engages the carton panel opposite the fitment flange and ultrasonically welds the fitment to the carton.
Conventionally, carton filling machines accommodate one or two filling lines—that is, two lines of cartons are moved longitudinally on separate conveyors parallel to each other. One of the features of the present invention is that space requirements are minimal so that two of the apparatus hereinafter described may be mounted end to end to accommodate both filling lines.
Accordingly, in accordance with the present invention, tubular rectangular cartons having at least one open end and formed with a hole in a side wall adjacent the open end are deposited on a conveyor in a filling line which carries the carton to a fitment insertion station where the fitment is positioned in the carton in alignment with the hole, moved so that the closure end of the fitment projects out through the hole, and the flange is welded to the inside of the carton.
A principal advantage of the present invention is the facility with which fitments may be inserted into the open end of the carton, positioned with the closure end of the fitment protruding out through the hole in the carton and the flange welded to the inside wall of the carton.
Another principal advantage of the present invention is that the machine may be installed in a carton filling machine so that the attachment of fitments occurs at the same dwell time as the cartons are filled. Accordingly the present invention requires little or no alteration or timing adjustment of conventional filler machines with which it is used even when the speed of the filler is changed by the operator.
One important advantage of this invention is that the carton may be erected and a fitment welded thereto with minimal modification of a standard filler.
The present invention makes it possible to attach fitments to cartons more rapidly, thereby making the production of fitment-attached cartons more economical and thus more generally available to the public. The apparatus is installed at a station in the filling line. It requires little space and hence does not require major modification of the filling line and does not retard the speed of operation of the line.
Modern fillers use filtered air to reduce contamination of the carton. Another advantage of the present invention is that the apparatus does not contaminate the filtered airspace of the filler and may be installed within the enclosure of the filler.
Another advantage of the present invention is that insertion and welding may be accomplished at the rate of 2500 per hour in each of two parallel filling lines.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5484374 (1996-01-01), Bachner et al.
patent: 5601669 (1997-02-01), Moody et al.
patent: 5653832 (1997-08-01), Thompson et al.
Billet Ronald J.
Blain Gerald M.
Moody Rodger A.
Flehr Hohbach Test Albritton & Herbert LLP
Portola Packaging, Inc.
Sells James
LandOfFree
Apparatus and method for attaching fitments to cartons does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Apparatus and method for attaching fitments to cartons, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Apparatus and method for attaching fitments to cartons will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2541725