Package making – Methods – Forming a cover adjunct or application of a cover adjunct to...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-08
2003-03-04
Rada, Rinaldi I. (Department: 3721)
Package making
Methods
Forming a cover adjunct or application of a cover adjunct to...
C053S133100, C053S133200, C493S087000, C493S379000, C083S331000, C083S663000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06526725
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for attaching straws wrapped in protective covering to containers and more particularly to a high speed machine having a slotted roller for receiving a web of parallel straws and a cutting roller for separating the straws as it rotates in close association with the slotted roller.
2. Description of Related Art
The attachment of drinking straws wrapped in a protective covering to a beverage container has been performed many ways in the prior art. Generally the wrapped straws are arranged in parallel with respect to each other and each straw is positioned perpendicular to the length of the roll forming a web. It is known to provide an adhesive surface along the length of the web. It is also known to apply a hotmelt adhesive on the side of a container or package. It is further known to provide a knife or blade to separate the straw from the web in order to be able to attach it to the container. However, the speed at which straws can be attached to containers has been in the range of 300-350 straws per minute. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,233,331, issued Nov. 11, 1980 to Harold C. Lemke, et al., a method of securing a can opening key to a container end is described using oriented polypropylene film with solventless acrylic adhesive. The method comprises providing a container end feeder and providing a key feeder which cooperates with a vacuum applicator and tape cutoff system to position tapes and keys for assembly and bonding to the container ends. The method includes interfacing a cutoff blade wheel to a vacuum wheel to form the vacuum applicator and tape cutoff system. The blade wheel carries tool steel blades. The vacuum wheel rotates clockwise and cutoff blade wheel rotates counter-clockwise. The method includes the step of a feeder system supplying tape to a mandrill having an anvil surface. The cutoff blade meets the anvil severing a preset strip of tape.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,584,819, issued Apr. 29, 1986, to Jan Hakansson, an apparatus for feeding a series or band of straws off a strip onto a series of packages with adhesive is described. The straws are supplied to a rotary drum where they are severed from the band by a reciprocating knife. An adhesive applicator applies adhesive (hotmelt) on the side of the package for holding the straws on the package. However, the use of a hotmelt adhesive is a slower process whereby a slower reciprocating knife is suitable for the apparatus.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,572,758, issued Feb. 25, 1986, to Rudolf Wild, a machine and method for attaching drinking straws in protective coverings to beverage containers is described. Efficiency is achieved by batch processing wherein a number of straws are separated from a tape at one time at a cutting station, several separating knives are fastened to a knife disk. The knives vertically move into slots. Placing a leading batch of straw packages of tape in the cutting machine results in five straw packages being separated resulting in parallel processing of the five straw packages and beverage containers. Adhesive strip has a covering tape peeled away for attaching the straw to the container. However, reciprocating knives in such a straw application machine have been known to heat up resulting in the adhesive or glue attaching to the knives which results in the machine jamming.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,707,965, issued Nov. 24, 1987, to Gert Becker, a method and apparatus for attaching drinking straws to packaging containers from a straw roller is described. A first conveyor transports containers, a second conveyor transports drinking straws, the containers and drinking straws enter into a fastening device for attaching individual straws to individual containers at a controlled moment, defining the moment by determining the position and the transporting speed of the individual containers before entering the fastening device, and determining the relative position of the individual containers in relation to the first conveyor. A knife holder comprises a knife shaft on which are fixed two knife holders which carry at their ends the actual severing knives. When the shaft rotates the connecting webs of the straw belt are severed enabling the drinking straws to be extracted individually from the straw roller. A hotmelt glue unit having a hotmelt glue application head applies glue to the container for holding the straws. However, hotmelt glue requires a drying time which limits the speed of the apparatus for attaching drinking straws to packaging containers.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,903,458, issued Feb. 27, 1990, to Jan Hakansson, an apparatus for attaching bendable elongated drinking straws to a side of a container is described. After attaching the straw a device folds the drinking straw beyond the edge of the container. The straws are accumulated around a drum in spaces arranged at a uniform pitch around the drum. The straws are supplied to the drum in a band. The straws are separated from each other by a knife which is controlled by an air cylinder, and the knife penetrates spaces around the drum on each side of the straw. An applicator applies a bonding agent (hotmelt) to the container for holding the straw. However, this cutting system is inherently slower because of the drying time of the hotmelt thereby permitting the use of a slower knife controlled by an air cylinder.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,344,519, issued Sep. 6, 1994, to John M. Galchefski et al., an apparatus for applying labels onto small cylindrical articles including a label transport drum constructed for aiding the transfer is described. Vacuum drawn through parts on the drum and through orifices on label retaining plates, retains the label to the drum surface.
FIG. 1A
shows an off-drum cutting assembly. The knife assembly includes a cutting wheel having opposing cutting blades that engage the strip, cutting the strip into labels. The cut label is transferred to the surface of the label transport drum. The label then moves with the drum into an article wrapping position.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,391, issued Dec. 27, 1994, to Goran Persson et al., a system for feeding straws on a package by means of a feed wheel is described which receives a series of parallel straws from a strip holder for feeding onto a package. Adjacent to the feed wheel is a knife (not shown) for separating the various straws from the connected straws. The knife is controlled by some form of pneumatically controlled piston and cylinder wire.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is therefore an object of this invention to apply protectively covered drinking straws to containers at high speeds.
It is another object of this invention to provide a blade cutting drum for separating a web of parallel straws positioned on a slotted drum as the blade cutting drum rotates in close association with the slotted drum.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an ejector bar to apply the covered straw separated from a straw web to a container.
It is yet another object of this invention to accommodate a web of straws comprising a preattached adhesive tape or a web straws whereby glue is applied to the straws after the web is positioned on the slotted drum.
It is another object of this invention to provide sensors to detect a plurality of functions and to shut down the apparatus if a malfunction is sensed.
It is a further object of this invention to provide first alternate embodiment of a straw drum comprising rubber ends having slots for holding larger straws.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a second alternate embodiment of a straw drum having end plates with inserts inserted into slots of the end plates.
The objects are further accomplished by providing an apparatus for separating straws from a web at a high rate of speed and attaching each of the straws to one of a plurality of containers, the improvement comprising means, rotating in a first direction and having a plurality of slots, for receiving the web of straws, means, rotating in a second opposite directio
Pearson & Pearson LLP
Rada Rinaldi I.
Shrink Packaging Systems Corporation
Truong Thanh
LandOfFree
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