Package making – Progressively seamed cover web or web folds – With package severing and subsequent closing of severed end
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-20
2001-04-10
Vo, Peter (Department: 3721)
Package making
Progressively seamed cover web or web folds
With package severing and subsequent closing of severed end
C053S131400, C053S133600, C053S148000, C053S545000, C053S550000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06212860
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to improvements in the making of wrapped drinking or sipping straws, and more particularly to improvements in the methods of and apparatus for confining drinking of sipping straws (hereinafter called sipping straws) in tubular envelopes of paper or the like.
It is well known to confine sipping straws in suitable elongated tubular envelopes of thin paper or the like. As a rule, conventional apparatus for the making and wrapping of sipping straws comprise an extruder that turns out a continuous tube which is normally made of a suitable plastic material (e.g., a transparent or translucent plastic material) and is caused to pass through a cutter. The latter repeatedly severs the leader of the tube to thus convert it into a file or row of discrete sections (hereinafter called straws) of desired length. The thus obtained straws are thereupon wrapped into envelopes in such a way that each envelope exhibits a longitudinally extending flap or fin and is closed at the ends. The making of fins and closing at the ends is accomplished by resorting to suitable knurling tools which interlace overlapping portions of the respective envelopes. Such knurling necessarily involves the making of rather pronounced fins which interfere with predictable confinement of wrapped sipping straws in cardboard boxes or other types of containers. Furthermore, the wrapping operation does not always result in the making of airtight seals and the flaps detract from the appearance of the ultimate products.
The maximum output of presently known apparatus for wrapping sipping straws is in the range of between about 600 and 1000 per minute. On the other hand, an extruder can turn out 2000 or even more straws per minute. Thus, the extruder must operate at less than full capacity due to the lesser output of the wrapping apparatus.
Another drawback of presently known and utilized apparatus for making and wrapping sipping straws is that their requirements for wrapping paper or other suitable wrapping material greatly exceed the minimal requirements which must be satisfied in order to adequately confine and preferably seal or substantially seal an individual straw in a tubular envelope. The disparity between the required quantities of wrapping material and the number of wrapped sipping straws which are turned out per unit of time increases with increasing lengths of the straws.
In addition, the rather limited capacity of conventional straw wrapping or draping apparatus renders it necessary to increase the number of extruding, wrapping and cartoning machines which, in turn, contributes significantly to the overall cost and necessitates the utilization of additional floor space as well as the services of additional attendants.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved wrapping or draping apparatus for sipping straws.
Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved apparatus for on-line making, wrapping and packing sipping straws.
A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved method of wrapping sipping straws in an economical manner.
An additional object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which can wrap sipping straws at a rate that is a multiple of the capacities of presently known straw wrapping apparatus.
Still another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which can wrap sipping straws in such a way that the space requirements of the ultimate products, e.g., in a box or carton, are less pronounced than those of presently known wrapped or draped sipping straws.
A further object of the invention is to provide wrapped sipping straws which can be more readily confined in cartons or other types of receptacles than presently known and presently available wrapped sipping straws.
Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which can mass produce wrapped sipping straws with substantial savings in paper or other wrapping material.
An additional object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which can ensure the wrapping of sipping straws in a highly satisfactory manner superior to that achievable by resorting to heretofore known wrapping apparatus.
Still another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which can be readily converted for the wrapping of longer, shorter, smaller-diameter or larger-diameter, rigid or flexible sipping straws.
A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for wrapping sipping straws the space requirements of which are considerably less than those of presently known apparatus.
Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which can be automated to a desired extent and the output of which can be varied within a wide range, e.g., starting at a minimum output at least matching the maximum output of presently known apparatus.
An additional object of the invention is to provide the above outlined apparatus with a novel and improved straw wrapping unit.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a production line which employs a straw wrapping apparatus and means for delivering sipping straws from a source (such as an extruder) to the wrapping apparatus, and wherein the delivering means is designed to compensate for eventual fluctuations of the output of the source and/or for eventual fluctuations of the requirements of the wrapping and/or packing apparatus.
A further object of the invention is to provide a production line which employs at least one straw wrapping apparatus, at least one packing apparatus for freshly wrapped straws and means for transferring wrapped straws from at least one source to the at least one packing apparatus in such a way that the operation of the packing apparatus is not affected by eventual fluctuations of the operation of the wrapping apparatus and/or vice versa.
Another object of the invention is to provide sipping straws which are produced in the above outlined apparatus or production lines and/or in accordance with the above outlined method.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a wrapped sipping straw which comprises an elongated open-ended tube and an envelope which confines the tube and includes a converted strip of flexible wrapping material. The envelope has two overlapping marginal portions which extend longitudinally of the tube and form a seam wherein one of the marginal portions is bonded to the other marginal portion.
The seam is preferably formed in such a way that the inner side of the other marginal portion is adjacent the tube and the inner side of the one marginal portion is bonded to the outer side of the other marginal portion.
It is often preferred to provide the converted strip with end portions which at least substantially close the envelope at the ends of the tube.
The tube can consist of a plastic material and the converted strip can consist of or at least contain paper.
The envelope can be further provided with at least one weakened portion which at least partially surrounds the tube intermediate the end portions of the envelope and serves to break (such as tear) in response to the exertion of a pull upon at least one of the end portions relative to the other end portion. The at least one weakened portion can include at least one group (e.g., a circumferentially extending row) of perforations.
At least one end portion of the converted strip can be closed (or even sealed) by knurling with a suitable tool, e.g., a rotary knife.
The envelope can have an at least substantially circular cross-sectional outline and is preferably devoid of external radial or substantially radial protuberances (such as the aforediscussed fins of conventional wrappers for sipping straws).
Another feature of the instant invention resides in the provision of a method of confining open-ended sipping straws in discrete envelopes. The improved method comprises the steps of gathering unconfined sipping straws into at least one accumulation (e.g., in a hopper) of at least substantially parallel straws, tra
Oppe Hans-Joachim
Preisner Peter M.
Hauni Richmond, Inc.
Huynh Louis
Kontler Peter K.
Vo Peter
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