Manufacturing container or tube from paper; or other manufacturi – Container making – Rigid container
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-08
2003-05-27
Kim, Eugene (Department: 3721)
Manufacturing container or tube from paper; or other manufacturi
Container making
Rigid container
C493S091000, C493S092000, C493S350000, C493S391000, C493S957000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06569072
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
The present invention relates to an apparatus for making partitions for containers and to components of such an apparatus.
Divider structures or partitions for containers are known and commonly employ slotted interlocking cards or strips which, when interconnected, define cells for receiving objects such as bottles, containers or other items and for separating the objects from one another within a box or other structure. For example, two cards may be interlocked with one another and when positioned orthogonal to one another in a box and together with the walls of the box, define four cells for receiving objects. The partitions may be made of any number of first cards in a set of first cards and any number of second cards in a set of second cards, which the sets of first and second cards interfitting with and typically being orthogonal to one another when the partition is in use in a container.
The partition structures formed of the sets of first and second cards typically may be collapsed together when not installed in a box or other container so that the first and second cards forming the partition structure extend generally in the same direction. Conversely, when in use the first and second cards typically extend at right angles to one another. The first and second cards may be different from one another, for example the first cards may be longer than the second cards, but in some cases, for example when a partition structure is to be used with a square box or case, the first and second cards may be identical in length.
In general, it is desirable to minimize the cost of partitions since they are typically disposed of or recycled following their use. Consequently, those who pack bottles or other objects into partition structure containing boxes naturally do not want to spend more money than necessary on these partition structures.
In a common approach, partition structures have been manufactured utilizing a series of separate operations. These separate operations have including the separate formation of the first sets of partition strips, the separate formation of the second sets of partition strips, and the separate assembly of these partition strips. It is common for separate pieces of equipment to be employed for each of the separate operations with labor being required to transfer the first and second cards from the location where they are formed to an assembly location.
A single pass partition manufacturing machine disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,685,401 to Peters, which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference, is also known. In this machine, the first and second types of partition strips are manufactured and delivered to an assembly location of the machine where the partitions or divider structures are assembled. By single pass, it is meant that the same machine manufactures both types of partition cards and assembles them. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,691,859 and 3,728,925 to Peters disclose components which may be included in such a partition manufacturing machine.
Although the Peters' approach offers some advantages over approaches wherein first partition strips and second partition strips are formed at separate locations and in a separate operation from a divider structure assembly operation, a need nevertheless exists for an improved partition manufacturing apparatus and in components useful in such an apparatus.
SUMMARY
In accordance with one aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus is disclosed for making partitions for containers. The partitions each have a first set of first cards and a second set of second cards. The first set includes at least one first card having at least one first card slot, and typically includes two or three of the first cards each with a number of slots which corresponds to the number of second cards in the second set which is to be included in the partition. The second set includes at least one second or crosscard having at least one second card slot. More specifically, the second set typically includes two or three cards with each second crosscard of the set having a number of slots which corresponds to the number of first cards included in the set of first cards which is to be assembled with the second cards into the partition. The slots of the first and second cards interfit with one another, in a conventional manner to form a partition. For convenience, the first cards may sometimes herein be called long cards and the second cards may be called short cards or crosscards even though the first cards may be of the same length as the second cards. Again, the number of cards of each type included in the partition may be varied with a typical maximum number of cards being three long cards and five short cards, although this is subject to change depending upon the partition that is being assembled.
A first embodiment of a partition manufacturing apparatus may include a first card stock supplier adapted to deliver an elongated first band of first card stock forming material from a first roll of such material. The first stock supplier typically includes a first card stock advancer which is adapted to advance the first band from the first roll. A first slot former is adapted to repetitively engage the first band and cut the first card slots in successive sections of the first band. Each slotted section corresponds to a portion of the first band from which a respective individual first card is to be formed.
Although multiple first band feeders may be used, at least one first band feeder may be provided in this embodiment and is adapted to selectively advance the first band past the first slot former. A first card singulator selectively severs the sections of the first band into the respective first cards. The first band feeder may comprise a single feeder positioned between the first slot former and first card singulator. Although the first band feeder may vary in form, in a specific example the first band feeder comprises first and second elongated rolls defining a nip therebetween through which the first band passes. These rolls may include elongated lands separated by valleys with a nip being defined between the lands of the rolls. In one specific example, the rolls may be formed by machining elongated gears with the teeth of the gears forming the lands of the rolls.
As an aspect of an embodiment, a first card transporter is adapted to receive the singulated first cards from the first card singulator at a first location and to transport the singulated first cards from the first location to a delivery location. A card assembly station is provided with a first card receiving location and a second card insertion location. The card assembly station includes a card mover, such as a conveyor, adapted to move respective sets of first cards from the first card receiving location to the second card insertion location. A first card transferor is adapted to transfer first cards from the delivery location of the first card transporter to the first card receiving location. The first card transferor may comprise a plurality of pairs of rollers, with one pair of rollers being provided for each first card to be included in the set of first cards. The pairs of rollers are shifted to position each pair of rollers in engagement with a respective one of the first cards so as to transfer the set of first cards as a complete set from the first card transporter to the first card receiving location of the card assembly station.
A second card stock supplier may be included in this embodiment. The second card stock supplier is adapted to provide an elongated second band of second card stock forming material from a second roll of such material. The second card stock supplier may include a second card stock advancer which is adapted to advance the band of second card stock forming material from the second roll. A second slot former repetitively engages the second band and cuts at least one second card slot, and typically more such slots depending on the structure of the partition being manufactured, in successive sections of the s
Herigstad David P.
Herigstad George Walter
Riley Michael D.
Rupp Phillip Dale
Kay Packaging Company, Inc.
Kim Eugene
Klarquist & Sparkman, LLP
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