Manufacturing container or tube from paper; or other manufacturi – Bending – Folding
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-28
2003-12-02
Rada, Rinaldi I. (Department: 3721)
Manufacturing container or tube from paper; or other manufacturi
Bending
Folding
C493S442000, C493S451000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06656103
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a method and machine for forming informational items such as outserts.
An outsert is an informational item formed from a sheet of paper which is folded in two perpendicular directions. The sheet of paper has information printed thereon, which is typically information relating to a pharmaceutical product or drug. The outsert may be adhesively attached to the top or side of a pharmaceutical container, such as a bottle of pills. Alternatively, the outsert may be inserted loosely into a cardboard box in which a pharmaceutical container is disposed. After purchase of the pharmaceutical product by a consumer, the outsert may be unfolded so that the consumer may read the information printed thereon.
There are a number of patents which disclose methods of forming outserts and machines that may be used in connection with the formation of outserts. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,616,815 to Michael Vijuk discloses an automatic stacking and folding apparatus. U.S. Pat. No. 4,812,195 to Michael Vijuk discloses various methods and apparatus for forming outserts. U.S. Pat. No. 4,817,931 to Robert Vijuk discloses a method and apparatus for forming a folded leaflet. U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,873 to Michael Vijuk discloses an apparatus for stacking folded sheets on edge. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,458,374, 5,813,700 and 5,909,899 disclose various methods of forming outserts.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one aspect, the invention is directed to a method of forming outserts having product information printed thereon. The method may comprise (a) folding a sheet of paper having product information printed thereon by making a plurality of folds in the sheet of paper to form a first folded article, the folds in the sheet of paper being parallel to each other and parallel to a first direction, the folds in the sheet of paper being made using a first folding apparatus having a plurality of folding rollers.
The method may include (b) folding the first folded article by making a fold in the first folded article to form a second folded article, the fold in the first folded article being parallel to a second direction, the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction, the fold in the first folded article being made using a second folding apparatus having a plurality of folding rollers.
The method may also include (c) applying pressure to the second folded article, the pressure being at least about 30 psi and being no greater than about 500 psi, the pressure being applied by a first pressing unit having a pair of pressure rollers; and (d) folding the second folded article by making a fold in the second folded article to form a third folded article after the pressure is applied to the second folded article, the fold in the second folded article being parallel to the second direction and being made using a third folding apparatus having a plurality of folding rollers having a nip therebetween and a movable blade member, the movable blade member making contact with a portion of the second folded article and forcing the portion of the second folded article towards the nip between the folding rollers of the third folding apparatus.
The method may further include (e) applying pressure to the third folded article after the fold in the second folded article is made, the pressure being at least about 30 psi and being no greater than about 500 psi, the pressure being applied by a second pressing unit having a pair of pressure rollers; (f) depositing an adhesive on a portion of the third folded article; and (g) folding the third folded article by making a final fold to form an outsert after the pressure is applied to the third folded article, the final fold being parallel to the second direction and being made so that the adhesive holds the outsert in a substantially closed position so that the outsert has no exposed unfolded exterior edges that lie in a direction parallel to the final fold.
The final fold may be made using a fourth folding apparatus having a plurality of folding rollers having a nip therebetween and a movable blade member, the movable blade member of the fourth folding apparatus making contact with a portion of the third folded article and forcing the portion of the third folded article towards the nip between the folding rollers of the fourth folding apparatus.
In another aspect, the invention is directed to a method of forming booklets having product information printed thereon. The method may comprise (a) applying an adhesive to a sheet of paper having product information printed thereon and (b) folding the sheet of paper by making a plurality of folds in the sheet of paper to form a first article having a plurality of sheet panels, each of the folds being parallel to a first direction and each of the sheet panels being adhesively bonded to at least one other sheet panel, the first article having a first folded edge parallel to the first direction and a second folded edge parallel to the first direction, the folds in the sheet of paper being made using a first folding apparatus having a plurality of folding rollers.
The method may also include (c) cutting off the first and second folded edges of the first article to form a second article, the second article having a plurality of sheet portions that are adhesively bonded together along an intermediate portion of the second article, the intermediate portion of the second article being disposed between a first end of the second article and a second end of the second article and (d) folding the second article by making a fold in the second article along the intermediate portion of the second article and in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction to form a booklet, the fold in the second article being made using a second folding apparatus having a plurality of folding rollers.
The method may further include (e) applying pressure to the booklet, the pressure being at least about 30 psi and being no greater than about 500 psi, the pressure being applied by a first pressing unit having a pair of pressure rollers; (f) folding the booklet by making a first fold in the booklet after the pressure is applied to the booklet, the first fold in the booklet being parallel to the second direction and being made using a third folding apparatus having a plurality of folding rollers having a nip therebetween and a movable blade member, the movable blade member making contact with a portion of the booklet and forcing the portion of the booklet towards the nip between the folding rollers of the third folding apparatus.
The method may also include (g) applying pressure to the booklet after the first fold in the booklet is made, the pressure being at least about 30 psi and being no greater than about 500 psi and being applied by a second pressing unit having a pair of pressure rollers; (h) depositing an adhesive on a portion of the booklet; and (i) after the pressure is applied to the booklet by the second pressing unit, folding the booklet by making a final fold to form a closed booklet, the final fold being parallel to the second direction and being made so that the adhesive holds the closed booklet in a substantially closed position so that the closed booklet has no exposed unfolded exterior edges that lie in a direction parallel to the final fold.
The final fold may be made using a fourth folding apparatus having a plurality of folding rollers having a nip therebetween and a movable blade member, the movable blade member of the fourth folding apparatus making contact with a portion of the booklet and forcing the portion of the booklet towards the nip between the folding rollers of the fourth folding apparatus.
In another aspect, the invention is directed to an outsert-forming apparatus that forms outserts having printed product information thereon. The apparatus may include a first folding unit that forms a first folded article from a sheet of paper having printed information thereon. The first folding unit may have a plurality of folding rollers and may form the first folded article by maki
Ilijevski Ilija
Mattila Roger
Neubauer William C.
Durand Paul
Rada Rinaldi I.
Vijuk Equipment, Inc.
LandOfFree
Informational item forming machine and method does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Informational item forming machine and method, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Informational item forming machine and method will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3178866