Manufacturing container or tube from paper; or other manufacturi – With cutting – breaking – tearing – or abrading – And with bending
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-26
2001-02-20
Vo, Peter (Department: 3721)
Manufacturing container or tube from paper; or other manufacturi
With cutting, breaking, tearing, or abrading
And with bending
C493S355000, C493S363000, C493S372000, C493S947000, C402S014000, C412S034000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06190298
ABSTRACT:
BROAD DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a file folder, the method including the steps of
displacing a predetermined length of a flexible material in a feed direction;
forming a pair of spaced apertures in the material;
inserting a prong of a binder through each aperture, the binder having an elongate central portion with a prong extending from each end of the central portion; and
securing the central portion of the binder to the material.
The method may further include
supplying the flexible material from a roll of the flexible material; and
parting the material to form sheets, so that each sheet has the predetermined length.
Alternatively, the method may include supplying pre-cut sheets of the material from a supply of sheets, each sheet having the predetermined length.
The apertures may be formed in the material along a line parallel to the feed direction.
The material may be punched to form the apertures.
A depression may be formed on a first side of the material, to extend it at least between the apertures, to accommodate the central portion of the binder. An adhesive may be applied in the depression prior to inserting the prongs of the binder through the apertures, for securing the central portion of the binder to the material.
The method may further include
supplying the binder with its prongs extending substantially transversely to the central portion and inserting the prongs through the apertures from a first side of the material; and
displacing the prongs relative to the central portion towards a second side of the material so that the prongs lie substantially flat against the second side of the material.
The binder may be secured in position by adhering a length of tape to a first side of the material along a line parallel to the feed direction, to cover the central portion of the binder. An adhesive may be applied to the length of tape prior to adhering it to the material.
The tape may be continually adhered to the first side of the material and parted so that a portion of the tape extends beyond an edge of either side of each length of material.
Each portion of tape may be folded about its associated cut edge and adhered to a second side of each length of material.
The method may further include scoring each length of material to form at least one fold line along a line parallel to the feed direction in a region of the material which is covered-by the tape.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided an apparatus for manufacturing a file folder, the apparatus including
a displacement means for displacing a predetermined length of a flexible material in a feed direction;
an aperture forming means for forming a pair of spaced apertures in the material;
an inserting means for inserting a prong of a binder through each aperture, the binder having an elongate central portion with a prong extending from each end of the central portion; and
a securing means for securing the central portion of the binder to the material.
The apparatus may also include
a supply means for supplying the flexible material from a roll of the flexible material; and
a parting means for parting the material to form sheets, so that each sheet has the predetermined length.
The roll of the flexible material may be in the form of a roll of paper board.
Alternatively, the apparatus may include a supply means for supplying pre-cut sheets of the material from a supply of sheets, each sheet having the predetermined length.
The aperture forming means may be a punching device which includes a punching die which is displaceable towards and away from the material to punch the apertures in the material. The punching die may be configured so that when the punching die executes an operating stroke, at least a region between the apertures is embossed to define a depression.
The apparatus may further include an adhesive application means, located upstream of the inserting means, for applying adhesive in the depression, between the apertures.
The inserting means may include a magazine for carrying a plurality of the binders, the magazine being configured to feed a binder, with its prongs extending substantially transversely to the central portion, at predetermined intervals, which correspond with the rate at which each pair of apertures passes the magazine. The apparatus may further include a displacement means for displacing the prongs relative to the central portion towards a second side of the material so that the prongs lie substantially flat against the second side of the material.
The securing means may include a dispenser for dispensing tape, the dispenser being positioned relative to the material to dispense a length of tape on to a first side of the material so that the tape is adhered to the first side of the material and covers the central portion of the binder.
The dispenser may be positioned to dispense the tape continually on to a central region of the material to extend substantially parallel to the feed direction. The dispenser may include an adhesive applicator for applying adhesive to the tape prior to the tape being adhered to the material.
The dispenser may further include a roll of the tape and an application means for applying the tape from the roll on to the side of the material.
In one embodiment of the invention, the parting means may be in the form of a first cutter which is positioned upstream of the dispenser, to cut the material into the required lengths prior to the tape being applied to the material. A separating means which may be positioned downstream of the first cutter to separate the lengths of material so that the lengths of material are spaced a predetermined distance apart. The apparatus may further include a second cutter which is positioned downstream of the dispenser to cut the tape so that a portion of the tape extends beyond each cut edge of the lengths of material.
In another embodiment of the invention, the apparatus may include a cutter which is positioned downstream of the dispenser to cut the tape so that a portion of the tape extends beyond each cut edge of the lengths of material.
The apparatus may then include a folding device for folding each portion of the tape over its associated edge and applying each portion to an opposed side of the material.
The apparatus may also include a fold line forming means for scoring each length of material to form at least one fold line along a line parallel to the feed direction in a region of the material which is covered by the tape.
The invention is now described, by way of examples, with reference to the accompanying drawings.
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Form PTO -436 A A File Folder Having Reinforcing Tape on One Side of the Folder Covering Fold Lines and Extending Beyond Edges of the Folder Being Folded onto the Other Side, Jun. 1998.
Huynh Louis
Press Products (Proprietary) Limited
Vo Peter
Wood Herron & Evans L.L.P.
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