Manufacturing container or tube from paper; or other manufacturi – Container making – Rigid container
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-07
2001-11-06
Vo, Peter (Department: 3721)
Manufacturing container or tube from paper; or other manufacturi
Container making
Rigid container
C493S058000, C493S143000, C229S004500, C229S104000, C229S128000, C229S184000, C229S400000, C053S475000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06312370
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a machine for folding containers, and more particularly to an improved machine for folding a die-scored box blank along score lines impressed by the die. The invention also relates to a prefolded container blank and an assembled container with one or both ends closed with a fanfold closure.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Advances in technology now enable construction of containers from a broad variety of materials that may be laminated or otherwise coated. A box folding procedure may be followed in succession by a sealing process, dependent on whether the container is intended for storage of dry or liquid contents.
The initial activity in box folding is scoring the container blank to form segments or box sections that are divided by weakened points which are the score lines. The prior art folding procedure generally provides for advancing container blanks along a conveyor belt to a backing bar where a folding belt engages a box flap edge to fold the flap onto a container panel. The container blanks are thus folded along their score lines for box formation with the designed segments or sections.
The paramount considerations for box folding machines is speed of the operation and minimizing process interruptions, for effective reductions in manufacturing costs.
Therefore, a need exists for a paper box folding apparatus that would enable simple manual alignment of the box blank on the backing bar to form properly proportioned segments according to the box design; that would give folds on the score lines to avoid skewing; and, to achieve the folding process with paramount speed and a minimum of interruptions in the process. In addition to the foregoing, a need exists for an inexpensive paper board container that is easy to assemble and close. These are among the objectives that are achieved by the invention disclosed herein.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to pre-form a plurality of prescored fanform flaps for a container closure speedily and with minimal interruptions to permit subsequent completion of the closure manually or by other means.
Another object is to prepare a prefolded closure for a cylindrical or frustum-shaped container blank whereby subsequent closure of the container is facilitated.
Still another object is a cylindrical or frustum-shaped container having a closure at one or both ends comprising a plurality of fanform pyramidals.
These and other objects are accomplished according to the teachings of the present invention by the use of a container folding machine for construction of containers using box blanks having score lines, in preparation for shipping the containers ready for completion of the container formation by manual folding. The machine comprises a male pedestal in a fixed position that serves as an inner pattern adapted to receive a box blank installed on the inner pattern; a press comprising an outer pattern for closure over the inner pattern with a box blank therebetween; and, a means to crease the paperboard along its score lines for formation of a pre-folded container. The pedestal comprises upper and lower edges, and repositioning pedestal fingers pivotally connected along at least one of the edges by pedestal hinges. The hinges are spring loaded to bias the hinges and the fingers between a normal upright position and an inward positions. The press comprises two or more press sides which forms the outer pattern. The press sides include repositioning press fingers that are joined to the press sides by flat hinges and are adapted for inward movement against the inner pattern. Springs interconnect each finger with the press side to which it is hinged to maintain the finger in a normal upright position. An armature controls movement of each press side for closure upon and withdrawal of the press side from the box blank installed on the pedestal. The press includes a hydraulic or pneumatic actuated pin adjacent to a corresponding press finger for engaging the finger to drive the finger inward to contact and to crease the box blank along a score line. Each of the pins is mounted on one or more pin stabilizers surrounding the press and located near the top and/or bottom periphery of each press side. All pins on one stabilizer are connected to a common fluid lead line for simultaneous action thereof. The machine further may include a loading track for positioning a box blank directly adjacent the pedestal and a driver shaft for repositioning a box blank from the loading track for installation on the pedestal.
A further embodiment of the present invention is a machine for prefolding one end of a container blank along score lines, said container blank having an interior surface and an exterior surface. The machine contains a plurality of hinged spring-biased pedestal fingers positioned at spaced intervals around a central pedestal and joined thereto by spring-loaded hinges at spaced intervals, and a plurality of press fingers spaced intermediate said pedestal fingers. Means are included to bias each of the press fingers about a flat hinge from their normal position toward the interior of the container blank and to return the pins to their normal position. The pedestal fingers are adapted to be positioned around the interior surface of the container blank and the press fingers adapted to be positioned around the exterior surface of said blank. The fingers on the press and the pedestal are in the shape of a triangle, generally an isosceles triangle and conform in shape to the score lines on the container blank.
In yet another embodiment, the present invention comprises a container blank in the shape of a frustum or a cylinder for use as a the container comprising a body having at least one opening at one end thereof. The blank contains a plurality of creases to be folded into fanfold ribs around the opening. The creases are formed by the steps of creating a plurality of score lines around the periphery of the opening to form contiguous triangles; placing the blank in a creasing machine containing a plurality of triangular fingers whereby the fingers are in registry with the contiguous triangles; and actuating the fingers to form creases in the blank along the score lines around the opening. The fingers are composed of a plurality of press fingers spaced apart from one another around the outside of the opening of the container blank, and an equal number of pedestal fingers intermediate the press fingers around the inside of the opening of the blank. The press fingers cause the periphery of the opening to move in on itself, and the pedestal fingers resist the inward movement of the periphery thereby creating the creases.
In yet another embodiment of the invention, a container having a closure at one end is composed of a plurality of fanfold ribs round the periphery of the container. The ribs are formed by the steps of a) preparing a container blank in the form of a frustum or a cylinder; b) creating a plurality of score lines around the periphery of the container blank to form contiguous triangles; c) placing the container blank in a creasing machine containing a plurality of triangular hinged fingers whereby the fingers are in registry with the triangles; d) activating the fingers to form creases along the score lines; e) removing the container blank from the machine, and f) folding the periphery of the container blank along the creases to form a plurality of inwardly directed ribs serving as the closure for the container. The container can have a circular or frusto-conical cross section whereupon each of the triangles around the periphery thereof comprises an isosceles triangle having a height equal to the radius of the closure. The fingers are composed of a plurality of press fingers spaced apart from one another around the outside of the container blank, and an equal number of pedestal fingers intermediate the press fingers around the inside of the container blank.
In still another embodiment of the present invention, a container is described which is cylindrical or frustoconical i
Desai Hemant M.
Taddeo Joseph H.
Vo Peter
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