Package making – Apparatus for forming or partially forming receptacle and... – Forming by opening or setting up collapsed receptacle
Reexamination Certificate
2002-09-30
2004-06-01
Gerrity, Stephen F. (Department: 3721)
Package making
Apparatus for forming or partially forming receptacle and...
Forming by opening or setting up collapsed receptacle
C053S468000, C053S573000, C053S284700, C053S373600, C053S481000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06742321
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to bag filling and sealing apparatus and, more particularly to the assemblies of these apparatus that hold the bags while the bags are filled or sealed. Specifically, the present invention relates to an assembly that aligns the flanges on the sides of a bag so that the flanges may be grasped by gripping jaws.
2. Background Information
Packaging various items in plastic bags is becoming increasingly popular in the packaging and food packaging industry. Plastic bags are inexpensive to manufacture and have the ability to keep food fresher than other types of traditional packaging. Some types of plastic bags may include a resealable closure. Problems have occurred in the food industry in filling these bags leading some packaging companies to fill the bags by hand. Filling bags by hand is expensive and increases the probability of food contamination.
One prior art apparatus that automatically fills and seals these bags is disclosed in application Ser. No. 09/698,830 filed Oct. 27, 2000 owned by the assignee of this application. This apparatus uses fingers that pinch the upper corners of the bag. One of the fingers is thus inserted into the bag when the corners are pinched. After the bag is filled, the upper portion of the bag is removed as a waste strip. The art desires a bag grasping assembly that holds the bag by the flanges of the bag with no portion of the grasping assembly being positioned in the bag.
One problem with grasping the flanges of the bag is that the flanges are often flat against the sidewall of the bag when the flanges must be grasped. The art desires a flange-grasping assembly that positions the flanges in an extending grasping position just before the grasping assembly arrives to clamp the flange. The art also desires an assembly that can reliably grasp the flanges while eliminating essentially all misses to increase the efficiency of the apparatus.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a flange alignment and grasping assembly that is adapted to straighten the flanges of a bag in a filling and sealing apparatus so that the flanges may be clamped by the assembly. The assembly includes opposed guides that engage the side of the bag in the general location of the flange. The guides position the flange in an extended position between the jaws of a clamp where the clamp will pinch the flange when the clamp closes.
Different embodiments of the guides are disclosed with the guides having different shapes and different mounting locations.
The invention also provides an apparatus for grasping a bag and pulling a portion of the bag tight. The apparatus includes arms that swing upwardly and inwardly to engage the flanges of the bag. Portions of the arms then move outwardly to pull the bag tight.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1007918 (1911-11-01), Chambers
patent: 2329360 (1943-09-01), Salfisberg
patent: 2842921 (1958-07-01), Rasmusson
patent: 2999627 (1961-09-01), Reinhardt
patent: 3008837 (1961-11-01), Kaplan
patent: 3155282 (1964-11-01), Leblanc
patent: 3342326 (1967-09-01), Zackheim
patent: 3372857 (1968-03-01), Brayla
patent: 3625351 (1971-12-01), Eisenberg
patent: 3731454 (1973-05-01), Crabb
patent: 3768725 (1973-10-01), Pilaro
patent: 3799914 (1974-03-01), Schmit et al.
patent: 3822527 (1974-07-01), Germunson et al.
patent: 3938299 (1976-02-01), Lerner
patent: 3948015 (1976-04-01), Lerner
patent: 3956866 (1976-05-01), Lattur
patent: 3980225 (1976-09-01), Kan
patent: 3983994 (1976-10-01), Wyslotsky
patent: 4014154 (1977-03-01), Lerner
patent: 4037387 (1977-07-01), Orikawa
patent: 4041846 (1977-08-01), Lerner
patent: 4078358 (1978-03-01), Henderson
patent: 4095723 (1978-06-01), Lerner
patent: 4115978 (1978-09-01), Langemeyer et al.
patent: 4176567 (1979-12-01), Weisberg
patent: 4201029 (1980-05-01), Lerner et al.
patent: 4202153 (1980-05-01), Lerner et al.
patent: 4247019 (1981-01-01), Lerner
patent: 4263768 (1981-04-01), Russell et al.
patent: 4337058 (1982-06-01), Lerner
patent: 4344557 (1982-08-01), Lerner
patent: 4350243 (1982-09-01), Weyandt
patent: 4354618 (1982-10-01), Weyandt
patent: 4368608 (1983-01-01), Ray
patent: 4382527 (1983-05-01), Lerner
patent: 4387550 (1983-06-01), Lerner
patent: 4392056 (1983-07-01), Weyandt
patent: 4401213 (1983-08-01), Lerner
patent: 4412876 (1983-11-01), Lerner et al.
patent: 4423583 (1984-01-01), Carey
patent: 4432186 (1984-02-01), McGregor
patent: 4467207 (1984-08-01), Lerner et al.
patent: 4510736 (1985-04-01), Muller
patent: 4565592 (1986-01-01), Wehrmann et al.
patent: 4575901 (1986-03-01), Lerner
patent: 4588392 (1986-05-01), Maddock
patent: 4589165 (1986-05-01), Lerner et al.
patent: 4598826 (1986-07-01), Shinbach
patent: 4613320 (1986-09-01), Lerner
patent: 4620888 (1986-11-01), Easter et al.
patent: 4651506 (1987-03-01), Lerner et al.
patent: 4652253 (1987-03-01), Benoit
patent: 4680205 (1987-07-01), Lerner et al.
patent: 4726170 (1988-02-01), Sawa et al.
patent: 4745658 (1988-05-01), Lerner
patent: RE32963 (1989-06-01), Lerner et al.
patent: 4843796 (1989-07-01), Furukawa
patent: 4899520 (1990-02-01), Lerner et al.
patent: 4901506 (1990-02-01), Weyandt
patent: 4914895 (1990-04-01), Kuckhermann et al.
patent: 4926048 (1990-05-01), Lerner et al.
patent: 4928455 (1990-05-01), Gereby et al.
patent: 4944825 (1990-07-01), Gifford et al.
patent: 4945252 (1990-07-01), Lerner et al.
patent: 4961503 (1990-10-01), Bell
patent: 4969310 (1990-11-01), Lerner et al.
patent: 5041148 (1991-08-01), Gereby et al.
patent: 5046621 (1991-09-01), Bell
patent: 5057824 (1991-10-01), Stokes
patent: 5059114 (1991-10-01), Stout et al.
patent: 5070674 (1991-12-01), Lerner et al.
patent: 5077958 (1992-01-01), Peppard et al.
patent: 5134833 (1992-08-01), Lerner et al.
patent: 5174449 (1992-12-01), Ball
patent: 5177939 (1993-01-01), Lipes
patent: 5222535 (1993-06-01), Roders
patent: 5232541 (1993-08-01), Gifford
patent: 5259172 (1993-11-01), Peppard et al.
patent: 5265402 (1993-11-01), Lerner et al.
patent: 5289671 (1994-03-01), Lerner et al.
patent: 5301492 (1994-04-01), Kader
patent: 5301889 (1994-04-01), Ball
patent: 5304264 (1994-04-01), Wehrmann
patent: 5310056 (1994-05-01), Ball
patent: 5341625 (1994-08-01), Kramer
patent: 5371521 (1994-12-01), Wehrmann
patent: 5375396 (1994-12-01), Huwelmann
patent: 5394674 (1995-03-01), Peppard et al.
patent: 5394676 (1995-03-01), Lerner et al.
patent: 5411627 (1995-05-01), Lerner et al.
patent: 5417639 (1995-05-01), Cronauer
patent: 5426918 (1995-06-01), Ball
patent: 5435114 (1995-07-01), Moehlenbrock et al.
patent: 5470419 (1995-11-01), Sasaki et al.
patent: 5474208 (1995-12-01), Ball
patent: 5499485 (1996-03-01), Lerner et al.
patent: 5535792 (1996-07-01), McGregor
patent: 5568718 (1996-10-01), Lerner et al.
patent: 5570568 (1996-11-01), Kramer
patent: 5586708 (1996-12-01), Lerner et al.
patent: 5600360 (1997-02-01), Lerner et al.
patent: 5619839 (1997-04-01), Peppard et al.
patent: 5626004 (1997-05-01), Gates et al.
patent: 5640834 (1997-06-01), Lerner et al.
patent: 5664406 (1997-09-01), Smith
patent: 5671787 (1997-09-01), Wehrmann
patent: 5711751 (1998-01-01), Harmanoglu
patent: 5722218 (1998-03-01), Lerner
patent: 5743070 (1998-04-01), Lerner et al.
patent: 5771667 (1998-06-01), McGregor et al.
patent: 5772565 (1998-06-01), Weyandt
patent: 5806276 (1998-09-01), Lerner et al.
patent: 5819509 (1998-10-01), McGregor et al.
patent: 5878553 (1999-03-01), Schlosser
patent: 5887412 (1999-03-01), Lerner et al.
patent: 5890346 (1999-04-01), Guess
patent: 5915555 (1999-06-01), Ball
patent: 5944424 (1999-08-01), Lerner et al.
patent: 5945252 (1999-08-01), Sokoluk et al.
patent: 5957824 (1999-09-01), Lerner et al.
patent: 5987856 (1999-11-01), Lerner
patent: 5996319 (1999-12-01), Lerner et al.
patent: 6035611 (2000-03-01), Lerner
patent: 6055796 (2000-05-01), Lerner et al.
patent: RE36759 (2000-07-01), Hoover et al.
patent: 6134864 (2000-10-01), McGregor et al.
patent: 6138723 (2000-10-01), Wagner
patent: 6170238 (2001-01-01), Lerner
patent: 6199349 (2001-03-01), Lerner
patent: 6226963 (2001-05-01), Rychlak et al.
patent:
Desai Hemant M.
Gates Automation, Inc.
Gerrity Stephen F.
Sand & Sebolt
LandOfFree
Flange alignment and grasping assembly for bag handling... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Flange alignment and grasping assembly for bag handling..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Flange alignment and grasping assembly for bag handling... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3355193