Manufacturing container or tube from paper; or other manufacturi – Container making – Rigid container
Reexamination Certificate
1997-01-08
2001-04-10
Jordan, Charles T. (Department: 3644)
Manufacturing container or tube from paper; or other manufacturi
Container making
Rigid container
Reexamination Certificate
active
06213925
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a method of and to an apparatus for manipulating blanks which can form part of packets for cigarettes or other smokers' products. More particularly, the invention relates to improvements in methods of and in apparatus for manipulating blanks which can constitute so-called shoulder pieces or understrips of containers known as hinged-lid packets for plain or filter cigarettes or the like.
As disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,967,543 to Seragnoli, blanks which are to be converted into the shoulder pieces of hinged-lid packets are separated from the leading end of an intermittently advanced body of coherent blanks, and the freshly separated blanks are introduced into discrete pockets of an indexible turntable for assembly with other constituents of hinged-lid packets. The properly installed shoulder piece of a hinged-lid packet extends somewhat beyond the open end of the main body of the packet and can be concealed by and then releasably engages and holds a lid which is pivotable relative to the rear wall of the main body of the packet.
A drawback of presently known and utilized methods of and apparatus for manipulating shoulder pieces and analogous blanks which are to form part of hinged-lid packets or the like is that successive freshly formed blanks must be advanced along a complex path on their way into the receptacles of a turntable or another conveyor. This increases the likelihood of misalignment, undesirable deformation and/or other adverse influences upon the blanks. Moreover, the transfer of a freshly formed or separated blank into a pocket or another receptacle of a conveyor takes up a relatively long interval of time.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to provide a simple, compact and relatively inexpensive but highly reliable apparatus for the manipulation of shoulder pieces or understrips for hinged-lid packets and/or of other types of blanks of paper, cardboard, plastic board material or the like.
Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved arrangement for transferring freshly formed blanks from a blank forming (such as separating or severing) station into discrete pockets or other suitable receptacles.
A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which is less likely to cause or to permit undesirable deformation and/or misalignment of freshly formed blanks than heretofore known apparatus.
An additional object of the invention is to provide the apparatus with novel and improved simple, compact and efficient means for effecting a desirable and predictable deformation of blanks not later than during introduction into their receptacles.
Still another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which can be installed in existing (single-track or multiple-track) packing machines for plain or filter cigarettes or other smokers' products as a superior substitute for presently known and utilized blank manipulating apparatus.
A further object of the invention is to provide and novel and improved method of manipulating blanks which are to constitute component parts of packets for smokers' products.
An additional object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved method of manipulating so-called shoulder pieces or understrips prior to incorporation into hinged-lid packets for cigarettes or other smokers' products.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One feature of the instant invention resides in the provision of a method of introducing blanks (particularly blanks of paper or cardboard which are convertible into component parts of packets, such as hinged-lid packets, for confinement of plain or filter cigarettes or other smokers' products) into discrete pockets or other suitable receptacles of a conveyor. The improved method comprises the steps of advancing discrete receptacles of the conveyor to a first station, separating successive blanks of a series of blanks from a body (e.g., a a web or panel or sheet) of coherent blanks at a second station, and transferring successive separated blanks from the second station along an at least substantially straight path and into discrete receptacles at the first station.
The first and second stations are preferably located at different levels. The positions of the first and second stations are or can be selected in such a way that the aforementioned path is an at least substantially vertical path. Furthermore, the first station is or can be located at a level above the second station.
The method can further comprise the step of deforming selected portions (e.g., two end portions) of each of the successive blanks in the course of the transferring step. Such deforming step can include moving successive blanks through a mouthpiece which surrounds a portion of the path and which is or which can be maintained at a standstill at least during movement of the blanks therethrough.
In accordance with a presently preferred embodiment of the improved method, the first station is disposed at a level above the second station, and the path is at least substantially vertical.
Another feature of the present invention resides in the provision of an apparatus for introducing blanks (e.g., blanks of paper or cardboard which can be converted into so-called shoulder pieces or understrips of hinged-lid packets for arrays of plain or filter cigarettes or other smokers' products) into discrete receptacles of a conveyor which is arranged to advance discrete receptacles to a first station. The improved apparatus comprises means for severing successive blanks of a series of blanks from a web or strip or another suitable body of coherent blanks at a second station, and means for transferring successive severed blanks from the second station into discrete receptacles at the first station along an at least substantially straight path.
The conveyor is preferably indexible about an at least substantially vertical axis, and the aforementioned path can be an at least substantially vertical path.
The means for severing can comprise a substantially horizontal cutting edge and means for moving the cutting edge between two different levels to thus sever a blank from the aforementioned body of coherent blanks.
The apparatus can further comprise means for deforming selected portions of successive severed blanks during transfer of blanks along the aforementioned path, i.e., from the second station to discrete receptacles at the first station. The deforming means can comprise at least one mouthpiece, and such mouthpiece is or can be a stationary mouthpiece. The deforming means is preferably located at a level above the second station.
The means for transferring can comprise means for pneumatically holding succesive blanks during transfer along the aforementioned path, preferably along a vertically upwardly extending path (i.e., the second station is preferably located at a level below the first station).
It is presently preferred to employ transferring means which includes at least one suction conveyor.
The means for severing can include a knife having a supporting surface for successive blanks of the series and at least one recess in the supporting surface. The transferring means of such apparatus can comprise a suction head which is movable between a lower position in the at least one recess to be overlapped by a blank which has been separated from the body of coherent blanks at the second station, and a higher position in which the blank overlapping the suction head is located in the discrete receptacle at the first station.
The body of coherent blanks can include a sheet or the like and the severing means can include cooperating stationary and mobile knives which are located at the second station. The second station is preferably disposed at a level below the first station and the conveyor can include an indexible turntable having an annulus of pockets located in a preferably horizontal plane and each forming part of one of the discrete receptacles.
The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the inventio
Georgitsis Nikolaos
Rose Nils
Jordan Charles T.
Kinberg Robert
Palo Francis T.
Spencer George
Topack Verpackungstechnik GmbH
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