Package making – Methods – Applying a partial cover
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-28
2001-05-01
Sipos, John (Department: 3721)
Package making
Methods
Applying a partial cover
C053S439000, C053S466000, C053S528000, C053S586000, C053S229000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06223500
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an apparatus for wrapping compressible articles, such as stacked printed products, with a web-like wrapping material.
An apparatus of the above type is known from EP-A-0 120 251 and the corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 4,738,078. In the known apparatus, the articles which are to be wrapped are introduced in the compressed state into a wrap-around channel, which is formed by a bearing table and a pressure-exerting arrangement assigned thereto, and at the same time are wrapped in the form of a U by a foil or web-like material. A guide arrangement then guides the material web, with the formation of a material-web loop, along the trailing side of the article, as seen in the conveying direction, and at the same time forms, on the one hand, a first material-web section and, on the other hand, a second material-web section, which runs on the trailing side of the article and of which the length is greater than the dimension of the article in the longitudinal direction of said second material-web section. The tensioned material-web sections are secured by means of retaining devices, which for this purpose have pins which pierce the material web. The material web is then severed between the two retaining devices by means of a stationary cutting arrangement. Once the stationary pressure-exerting arrangement has been raised, the bearing means, with the wrapped article and the second material-web section retained under tensile stressing, is rotated through 180°. As the wrapped article is conveyed from the bearing table onto a belt conveyor, the projecting end section of the second material-web section is wrapped around against the base of the article once it has been released.
As the bearing means is rotated, the article is retained solely by its own weight and the tensioned, and secured, second material-web section. This requires, on the one hand, a material web of certain strength and, on the other hand, in order to allow quick rotation, the at least virtually central arrangement of the article on the bearing table, with the result that the axis of rotation of said table runs at least approximately through the center of gravity of the article.
Taking this prior art as departure point, it is an object of the present invention to develop the apparatus of the described type such that, even when a less strong, and thus less expensive, material web is used, quicker rotation of the bearing means, and thus a reduction in the time necessary for wrapping the article, is made possible.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The above and other objects and advantages of the present invention are achieved by the provision of an apparatus which includes a conveyor system for serially conveying an article to be wrapped from a first position to a second position which includes a bearing table which is rotatable about a vertical axis, and to a third position. A pressure exerting arrangement is mounted to and above the bearing table for compressing an article positioned on the bearing table, and such that the pressure exerting arrangement rotates with the bearing table about the vertical axis, and such that the pressure exerting arrangement and the bearing table define a wrap around channel for receiving an article to be wrapped from the first position. A web guide arrangement is provided for withdrawing a section of the web-like wrapping material from a supply which has a length sufficient to at least substantially surround the article to be wrapped, and positioning the section so that it is engaged by and at least partially wrapped about three sides of the article to be wrapped as it is moved into the wrap around channel from the first position. Also, a portion of the section overlies and extends beyond a trailing side of the article to be wrapped as it advances into the wrap around channel. Upon rotation of the bearing table and the continued advance of the article to be wrapped to the third position, the section of the web-like wrapping material is thereby completely wrapped about the article.
The wrapped article is maintained in a compressed state between the bearing table and the pressure-exerting arrangement as the bearing table is rotated, which, on the one hand, results in the wrapping material butting closely against the article and, on the other hand, makes very quick rotation of the bearing table possible even when the article is arranged eccentrically with respect to the axis of rotation. In addition, it is no longer necessary for the wrapping material to absorb retaining forces for the article as the bearing table is rotated.
In the case of a particularly preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention, the bearing table mounts two spaced-apart pressure-exerting members which are controlled independently of one another with respect to its distance from the bearing table. This allows a further article which is to be wrapped to be introduced between the bearing table and one of the pressure-exerting members, while another article, which has already been wrapped and is arranged between the bearing table and the other pressure-exerting member, is conveyed away from the bearing table. In this case, the articles may be of different dimensions.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3385026 (1968-05-01), Schmremund
patent: 3469368 (1969-09-01), Churchill
patent: 3504476 (1970-04-01), Ehrefried et al.
patent: 4738078 (1988-04-01), Benz et al.
patent: 5189864 (1993-03-01), Cinotti et al.
patent: 5733099 (1998-03-01), Onneger
patent: 865077 (1961-04-01), None
patent: 2009085 (1979-06-01), None
GB 2293165A abstract, Mar. 1996.
Alston & Bird LLP
Ferag AG
Sipos John
LandOfFree
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