Package making – Partial cover application – Band or tube
Reexamination Certificate
2001-12-13
2003-08-12
Rada, Rinaldi I. (Department: 3721)
Package making
Partial cover application
Band or tube
C226S094000, C226S170000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06604345
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a national entry application of International Patent Application Serial No. PCT/NL00/00437, entitled “Apparatus for Applying a Banderole” to Willem Langemaat having an international filing date of Jun. 22, 2000, and claiming priority to Netherlands Patent Application Serial No. 1012412, having a filing date of Jun. 23, 1999, and the specifications thereof are incorporated herein by reference.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
(Not Applicable)
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISK OR MICROFICHE APPENDIX
(Not applicable)
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an apparatus for applying a banderole around one or a plurality of products, which banding machine is provided with a feeding mechanism for band material, with a conveyor unit extending at least partly around a product space in which the product or products are contained, and including and cooperating with holding means for causing the band material to adhere to the conveyor unit so that, when in operation, the band material supplied is taken around the product space such as to form a loop of band material around the product space, with cutting means for cutting a portion of the band material applied around the product or the products, and with sealing means for sealing the loop of band material surrounding the product or products.
2. Description of Related Art
Such an apparatus for applying a banderole is disclosed in the European patent publication EP-B-0 741 656. This prior art banding machine is provided with the conveyor unit embodied as conveyor belt, connected with suction means for holding the band material. The suction means comprise a vacuum pump whose suction side is connected with the conveyor belt by means of an under-pressure channel surrounding the conveyor belt. The conveyor belt is provided with openings that are thus in communication with the suction side of the vacuum pump. Due to the pressure difference over the conveyor belt, the band material adheres to the conveyor belt, allowing the conveyor belt to take the band material around the product space. The transport unit may also be formed by a plurality of mutually spaced conveyors cords. However, the force holding the band material to the conveyor unit in the form of the conveyor belt or cords is brought about indirectly by means of pressure difference, and the magnitude of said force, as well as the pressure difference will be determined by the degree of friction between the band material and the conveyor unit. In addition to the friction coefficient between band material and conveyor unit, the degree of friction will also be determined by the contact surface between the conveyor unit and the band material, which contact surface will be limited due to the necessity of openings in the conveyors unit. To allow the prior art banding machine to work properly it is further essential that the sides of the band material join on to the walls of the under-pressure channel. If this is not the case, the pressure difference will decrease, resulting in a reduction in the force holding the band material to the conveyor unit. The necessary presence of openings in the conveyor unit will also increase the elasticity of the conveyor unit. This will result in the occurrence of slip between band material and conveyor unit, involving considerable inaccuracy as the band material is taken around the product space, which is further amplified by the elasticity of the conveyor unit.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
WO-A-96/34799 discloses a banding machine of the type mentioned in the preamble, which is provided with means for generating electrostatic attraction between the band material being supplied and the conveyor unit.
In the banding machine according to the invention, the conveyor unit is connected to earth potential and an electrode, connected to a high voltage, is positioned in the vicinity of the trajectory to be followed by the band material. Due to these measures the conveyor unit and the band material receive different charges, generating an electrostatic attraction that causes the band material to adhere to the conveyor unit.
The electrostatic attraction produces a direct holding force causing the band material to adhere to the conveyor unit, the magnitude of the holding force being variable by the degree of electrostatic attraction. The occurrence of slip between the band material and conveyor unit will be extremely unlikely, and the conveyor belt to be used need only possess very little elasticity. As a result the band material can be supplied in very exact amounts so that, for example, a precisely determined length of band material can be applied around a product. This is of particular importance with products that due to a tensile force become deformed in the banderole. Further, due to the greater adhesive force, the rate of conveying the band material around the product space may be increased, allowing the application of a banderole around the product or products to proceed more quickly, and reducing the processing costs.
Preferably the electrode is positioned in the vicinity of the starting point of the trajectory around the product space so that the electrostatic attraction is already effective from this starting point.
In a preferred embodiment the conveyor unit is connected at various positions along the trajectory around the product space to earth potential, and/or is provided with a number of electrodes that are connected to high voltage and are positioned in the vicinity of and distributed over the trajectory around the product space. This is a simple manner for ensuring the electrostatic charge difference between the band material and the conveyor unit over the trajectory around the product space.
In an embodiment of the banding machine in which the trajectory around the product space comprises a plurality of segments, it is preferred for each segment to include at least one electrode, with the electrode(s) of each subsequent segment, viewed in the transport direction of the band material around the product space, having an opposite charge in relation to the electrode(s) of a preceding segment. Practice has proven that in this manner each segment acquires an exceedingly good adhesion between the band material and the conveyor unit. In an optimal situation an electrode is positioned in the vicinity of the starting point of each segment.
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Durand Paul
Myers Jeffrey D.
Rada Rinaldi I.
Sollas Holland B.V.
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