Package making – Methods – Forming a cover adjunct or application of a cover adjunct to...
Reexamination Certificate
2001-01-16
2002-07-16
Sipos, John (Department: 3721)
Package making
Methods
Forming a cover adjunct or application of a cover adjunct to...
C053S472000, C053S139700
Reexamination Certificate
active
06418700
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for protecting the corners of rectangularly-shaped frames, particularly picture frames, from impact damage during shipping. More particularly, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for attaching protective corners to two adjacent corners of a picture frame in tandem.
B. Description of Background Art
Picture frames for holding and displaying paintings, photographs, diplomas, certificates and similar flat articles are manufactured in prodigious quantities worldwide. Although picture frames vary in shape and construction details, most frames have a rectangular plan view shape. Moreover, the structure of most picture frames consists essentially of four straight channel members or moldings, each having an inner channel that intersects channels of adjacent members at a ninety degree angle. Four such channel members fastened together form a rectangular ring-shaped frame. The channels or recesses in the moldings comprise spaces for receiving a rectangularly-shaped flat display piece such as a photograph or painting, and sometimes, a backing panel, mat and protective cover glass.
Picture frames of the type described above are made from a variety of materials including, wood, metal and plastic. Whatever material the frame is made of, the geometry of a rectangular picture frame dictates that it have four peripheral members of generally uniform thickness which are joined at each other at forty-five degree mitre angles to form ninety-degree corners. These corners are sharp, and are therefore highly subject to breakage, denting or cosmetic damage during shipment. Accordingly, most picture frames, whether empty or occupied, are fitted with some sort of corner protectors during shipment. Such corner protectors are usually made of a relatively inexpensive recyclable material such as cardboard or polystyrene foam. Typical corner protectors of this type are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,955,677, 4,598,825, and 5,447,233. Other patents, related to protecting corners of objects during shipping include U.S. Pat. No. 4,407,898. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 5,255,458 discloses a three-dimensional picture corner and U.S. Pat. No. 4,787,553 discloses a corner fastening device.
In addition to the above-referenced patents related to corner protectors and the like, a variety of machines for bending sheet metal or cardboard of the type used for corner projectors have been disclosed in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 4,132,102, 4,585,432, 4,713,957, 4,857,038, 4,956,961, and 5,184,998.
None of the aforementioned references disclose a machine for automatically attaching corner protectors to picture frames. Accordingly, the task of attaching corner protectors to picture frames was formerly labor intensive and time consuming. In response to those limitations of the prior art, the present inventor disclosed an automatic Method and Apparatus For Attaching Corner Protectors to Picture Frames, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,018,934. In that patent, the present inventor disclosed a method and apparatus for installing covers to protect picture frame corners from damage during shipment, utilizing thin cardboard preforms having symmetric, left and right-hand, right-triangular cover flaps joined at vertical sides thereof to opposite vertical sides of a vertically elongated, rectangular spine flap, the left-hand triangular cover flap having depending downwardly from its base a horizontally elongated rectangular side cover flap, and depending downwardly from the lower lateral edge of the side cover flap a trapezoidally-shaped securement flap. The preform is positioned below a picture frame corner, with intersecting side members of the frame vertically aligned with the sides of the left-hand right-triangular cover flap, which serves as a lower face cover flap. The apparatus includes folder mechanisms including flap folder arms which are retractable into recesses provided in a work table, and which are extendible and rotatable to thereby bend the side cover flap and securement flap into a vertical position adjacent a first side of the frame corner and perpendicularly inwardly to overlie the first frame member, bend the spine flap and right-hand triangular cover flap into a vertical position adjacent the second frame member, and bend the right-hand triangular flap perpendicularly inwards from the spine flap to overlie the second and first frame members. An automatic staple gun then inserts a staple downwardly through the right-triangular cover flap into the securement flap and left-hand frame member, securing the corner protector in a folded disposition over the frame corner.
The present invention was conceived of to provide an automatic tandem corner protector attachment method and apparatus characterized by increased throughput rate, and a further enhanced degree of automation over the prior art.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a method for attaching in tandem a pair of protective covers to adjacent corners of a picture frame, to protect the corners from damage during transit.
Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for automatically attaching in tandem a pair of protective covers to adjacent corners of a picture frame.
Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for folding a pair of flat sheets of flexible material over two adjacent corners of a picture frame, and securing the folds of each sheet together to form a pair of separate protective covers, one for each of the two adjacent corners of the picture frame.
Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for bending a pair of flat cardboard preforms cut to a pre-determined shape over a pair of adjacent corners of a picture frame, and securing the folded portion of each cardboard preform to thereby form a pair of corner protectors for the picture frame.
Another object of the invention is to provide a picture frame corner protector attaching apparatus which includes means for clamping and holding a pair of adjacent corners of the frame, folding over each corner a separate one of a pair of preform sheets, each having the shape of a truncated isosceles triangle with a trapezoidally-shaped tab depending downwardly from one side of the base of the triangle, into three separate flaps which overlay each of the two corners of the frame, and securing the flaps of each preform sheet together and to a frame molding to form a pair of corner protectors covering the two corners of the frame.
Another object of the invention is to provide a picture frame corner protector attaching apparatus which includes a pair of adjustably spaced apart, mutually perpendicular holding jigs adapted to receive a pair of adjacent corners of picture frames of various sizes, the apparatus including sensor means associated with each of the two holding jigs to provide an index signal indicating that a picture frame corner has been fully inserted into a holding jig in a properly aligned disposition, and logic means responsive to the simultaneous presence of index signals from both holding jig sensors in producing a command signal to initiate attachment of a pair of corner protectors to the adjacent corners of the picture frame.
Various other objects and advantages of the present invention, and its most novel features, will become apparent to those skilled in the art by perusing the accompanying specification, drawings and claims.
It is to be understood that although the invention disclosed herein is fully capable of achieving the objects and providing the advantages described, the characteristics of the invention described herein are merely illustrative of the preferred embodiments. Accordingly, I do not intend that the scope of my exclusive rights and privileges in the invention be limited to details of the embodiments described. I do intend that equivalents, adaptations and modifications of the invention reasonably inferable from the description contained herein be included within the scope of the invention as defined by t
Chapin William L.
Sipos John
LandOfFree
Automatic tandem corner protector attachment method and... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Automatic tandem corner protector attachment method and..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Automatic tandem corner protector attachment method and... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2874825