Package making – Methods – Forming a cover adjunct or application of a cover adjunct to...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-29
2001-02-27
Johnson, Linda (Department: 3721)
Package making
Methods
Forming a cover adjunct or application of a cover adjunct to...
C053S136100, C029S775000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06192658
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND RELATED ART STATEMENT
The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for fitting a sheet-like article, and more particularly, to such method and apparatus which can be used in fitting a sheet-like article which may be a leaflet as exemplified by a piece of paper printed with an advertisement or the like around the neck of a whisky bottle while the latter is encased.
The leaflet comprises a fixture including an opening which is to be fitted around the neck of a vessel such as a bottle and a display piece integral with the fixture and printed with an advertisement or the like. The opening in the fixture of the leaflet is fitted around the neck of a whisky bottle or any other vessel while allowing the advertisement display piece to extend along the shoulder of the vessel, which is to be exhibited on the shop-front of a liquor dealer for sale.
When fitting the leaflet around a vessel, the conventional practice has been the employment of a number of operators standing along a conveyor on which vessels are being conveyed so that the fixtures of leaflets can be manually engaged around the necks of vessels. The manual fitting of leaflets requires an increased number of operators, which increases with an increasing throughput of the production line, causing an increased labor cost and resulting in an inefficient operation.
OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus for fitting a sheet-like article which enables an automatic fitting of a sheet-like article such as a leaflet around an encased vessel, thereby reducing the need for operating personnel and allowing a higher efficiency and a lower cost of operation to be achieved.
The above object is accomplished by providing an apparatus for fitting a sheet-like article comprising conveying means for conveying a case containing an array of vessels which is formed by a plurality of longitudinal and transverse rows, feed means for feeding a row of sheet-like articles, and holder means for holding sheet-like articles for one row of vessels, the sheet-like articles held by the holder means being simultaneously fitted around the vessels in either longitudinal or transverse one row.
The apparatus which fits a sheet-like article such as a leaflet around a vessel contained in a case may be constructed to achieve a fitting operation automatically by using a robot. In this instance, a robot holds part (fixture) of the leaflet attracted thereto, inserts an end of the display piece of the leaflet into a clearance between a partition of the case and a vessel, and finally fits the opening of the fixture around the neck of the vessel. However, only part (the fixture) of the leaflet is held attracted by suction means of the robot while the remaining part (display piece used for advertisement or the like) remains to be freely movable. Accordingly, as the robot removes and holds the leaflet attracted thereto from a magazine and moves toward the case which contains vessels, the freely movable part of the leaflet rocks up and down, preventing an accurate positioning when the end of the display piece is to be inserted between the partition and the vessel and frequently resulting in a failure of insertion.
It is then another object of the invention to provide a method of fitting a sheet-like article in which when a sheet-like article is to be fitted around the neck of a vessel, the sheet-like article is positioned accurately and inserted into a case containing vessels in a reliable manner to be fitted around the neck of a vessel, and an apparatus for fitting a sheet-like article which carries out the method.
This object is accomplished by providing a method of fitting a sheet-like article, having a fixture with an opening adapted to be fitted around the neck of a vessel and a contiguous part extending from the fixture, around a vessel contained in a case having a partition, comprising the steps of holding a portion of the sheet-like article located adjacent to the fixture with holder means, bringing the holder means to a position above the case, bringing the lower surface of the portion adjacent to the fixture into abutment against a top end of the partition at a location adjacent to a particular vessel around which the sheet-like article is to be fitted while maintaining said portion depending downward, moving the holder means toward the particular vessel while maintaining the abutment until the holder means is located above the particular vessel, whereupon the sheet-like article is released from abutment against the top end of the partition, and fitting the sheet-like article around the particular vessel while maintaining the article in a space defined by the partition in which the particular vessel is received.
The above second object is also accomplished by providing an apparatus for fitting a sheet-like article, having a fixture with an opening adapted to be fitted around the neck of a vessel and a contiguous part extending from the fixture, around a vessel contained in a case having a partition, comprising holder means for holding a portion of the sheet-like article located adjacent to the fixture, and moving means for moving the holder means up and down and also in a horizontal direction, said moving means moving the portion of the sheet-like article adjacent to the fixture downward while maintaining said portion declined downward and bringing the lower surface of said portion into abutment against a top end of the partition at a location adjacent to a particular vessel around which the sheet-like article is to be fitted, said moving means effecting a relative movement between the holder means and the case to bring the holder means toward the particular vessel while maintaining the abutment until the holder means is located above the particular vessel, whereupon the sheet-like article is released from abutment against the top end of the partition, subsequently the moving means moving the holder means down to fit the sheet-like article around the particular vessel while maintaining the article in a space defined by the partition in which the particular vessel is received.
When transferring the holder means while the latter holds only part of the sheet-like article, namely, the fixture, attracted thereto, a rocking motion of the remaining part, namely, the display piece serving as an advertisement, may cause a jamming thereof with the partition of the case. In particular, when the display piece is in a folded form to increase its weight, the rocking motion thereof is greatly amplified to further worsen the likelihood of causing a trouble when it is tried to fit the fixture around the neck of the vessel.
It is therefore a further object of the invention to provide an apparatus for fitting a sheet-like article that is provided with holder and transfer means which allows a sheet-like article to be transferred in a stable attitude without causing an unstable rocking motion thereof.
The third object is accomplished by providing an apparatus for fitting a sheet-like article around the neck of a vessel, comprising holder and transfer means including a suction unit at its bottom which holds part of the article attracted thereto from above and for transferring the sheet-like article, the holding and transferring means also including a retainer member capable of an elevating motion relative to the suction unit, the retainer member having a lower end which extends below the sheet-like article as it is held attracted by the suction unit, whereby the sheet-like article is transferred while it is held down.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3439404 (1969-04-01), Pearson
patent: 4213283 (1980-07-01), Calvert et al.
patent: 5412859 (1995-05-01), Hubbs
patent: 5537801 (1996-07-01), Granbakken et al.
patent: 7-13708 (1995-03-01), None
patent: 7-503441 (1995-04-01), None
patent: 7-156088 (1995-06-01), None
patent: 8-301243 (1996-11-01), None
Sasaki Eizo
Yamagishi Akinori
Yamamoto Takanobu
Flynn ,Thiel, Boutell & Tanis, P.C.
Johnson Linda
Shibuya Kogyo Co. Ltd.
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