Continental Can Company, Inc.

The Continental Group, Inc.

Continental Packaging Company, Inc.

Continental Holdings Inc.

Charles S Kubis

John Walter

Donald J Roth

George D Pfaffmann

Norbert R Balzer

Graham R Adams

John P Currie

Glenn R Mohr

Jens L Moller

Donals J Roth

This relates to a sealing head for sealing lids to cartons. The sealing head is provided with suction heads or cups for receiving a lid from a lid supply and depositing such lid in position on a carton which is mounted in a nest. The sealing head is provided with a seal member which forms the seal with a nest carrying a carton so that a vacuum may be drawn within the nest both within and around the carton. Thereafter, the sealing head provides an inert gas, such as nitrogen, to fill the carton with the inert gas, after which a support further sealing head moves the sealing head down further so that a lower edge of a projecting induction heating coil will clamp a lid against a carton and effect a heat bonding of the lid to the carton. The sealing head is self contained and has a fitting including a plurality of electrical prongs and fluid line sockets for coupling the sealing head to a receptacle. Finally, the induction heating coil of the sealing head is of a special configuration so as to compensate for a pull tab carried by the lid, which lid is generally oval to match the oval carton. The outline of the coil deviates slightly from the oval shape so as to provide a seal which has a starting point to initiate peeling of the lid from the carton. Further, this starting point is aligned with the pull tab and there are current compensating pins carried by the coil to compensate for the metal within the pull tab.

Sealing head including an induction heating coil

A modular type replaceable heating unit with a downwardly facing heating ring for use in an apparatus for sealing a flat lid with a lower layer of heat bondable material onto the upper, generally flat surface of a flange extending around the periphery of an access opening in a container. The apparatus moves the heating unit between first and second positions. The apparatus includes a generally fixed high frequency power supply for energizing the heating ring, connecting the high frequency power supply to the heating ring only while the heating unit is moving between the first and second positions. The ring is forced against the lid as the power supply is energized and is released from the lid after the power supply has been de-energized. Preferably the ring is an inductor. A plurality of these heating units is carried by a turret to define individual heating stations on the turret which stations rotate to selectively energize the individual heating units. The heating units include means for coupling with the moving means of the apparatus and a transformer for energizing the heating ring.

Apparatus and method for sealing a lid onto a container

A method and apparatus for sealing a flat lid with a lower layer of heat bondable material onto the upper, generally flat surface of a flange extending around the periphery of an access opening in a container of the type used to store a substance subsceptible to deterioration when exposed to atmosphere for a prolonged time such as prepared foods, which method and apparatus moves a separate and distinct heating unit with a downwardly facing heating ring in a preselected path, preferably circular in shape, between first and second positions, includes a generally fixed high frequency power supply for energizing said heating ring, connects this fixed high frequency power supply to the individual heating rings of the moving heating unit only when the unit is moving between the first and second positions, and energizes the power supply only while the heating unit is moving between the first and second positions. The ring is forced against the lid as the power supply is energized and is released from the ring from the lid after the power supply has been de-energized and before the moving heating unit reaches the second position. Preferably the ring is an inductor and the plurality of heating units are carried by a turret to define individual heating stations on the turret which stations rotate to selectively energize the individual heating units by the single fixed high frequency power supply whereby single power supply energizes a plurality of separate heating stations.

A method and apparatus for sealing a flat lid with a lower layer of heat bondable material onto the upper, generally flat surface of a flange extending around the periphery of an access opening in a container of the type used to store a substance susceptible to deterioration when exposed to atmosphere for a prolonged time such as prepared foods, which method and apparatus moves a separate and distinct heating unit with a downwardly facing heating ring in a preselected path, preferably circular in shape, between first and second positions, includes a generally fixed high frequency power supply for energizing said heating ring, connects this fixed high frequency power supply to the individual heating rings of the moving heating unit only when the unit is moving between the first and second positions, and energizes the power supply only while the heating unit is moving between the first and second positions. The ring is forced against the lid as the power supply is energized and is released from the ring from the lid after the power supply has been de-energized and before the moving heating unit reaches the second position. Preferably the ring is an inductor and the plurality of heating units are carried by a turret to define individual heating stations on the turret which stations rotate to selectively energize the individual heating units by the single fixed high frequency power supply whereby single power supply energizes a plurality of separate heating stations.

This relates to the mounting of a sealing head for sealing a plastic lid in a plastic container by way of induction heating. In order that a sealing head may be readily removed and replaced by a like sealing head for cleaning and repair, there is provided a quick detachable coupling between the sealing head and a support which is carried by a movable positioner for vertically positioning the sealing head. Further, there is associated with the support a supply unit which supplies to the sealing head electrical energy for an induction heating coil and for a gas detector. In addition, there is supplied to the sealing head from the supply unit two separate vacuum supplies and an inert gas supply with one of the vacuum supplies serving to hold a lid in place on the underside of the sealing head and the other vacuum supply serving to evacuate the container prior to the lid being applied thereto. The inert gas supply is provided to supply an inert gas to an evacuated container prior to sealing.

Quick detach assembly for a sealing head

This relates to a nest for receiving a container which is to be filled and thereafter have a lid applied thereto with the lid being sealed to the container by a sealing head in conjunction with the nest. Most particularly, there will be a plurality of such nests with the nests being carried by an endless conveyor chain. The endless conveyor chain is provided with special links which are elongated and wherein an upper one of each set of elongated links is adapted to have seated thereon a nest in supporting relation. Further, the chain links are connected together by customary pins which have been elongated so as to project upwardly above the chain. In conjunction with these projecting pins, the nest is provided with bores which receive the pins. Thus the nest may be readily placed on and removed from the conveyor chain. Each nest is in the form of a housing which defines a cavity for a container. An upper part of the cavity carries a seat member over which a flange of a container is engaged. The seat member also divides the cavity into a container receiving cavity and a vacuum chamber. Further, the upper surface of the nest surrounding the vacuum chamber is smooth so as to provide sealing engagement between the sealing head and the nest so that a vacuum may be first drawn within the nest and thereafter an inert gas provided thereto so that a vacuum may be drawn within a container prior to the closing thereof and the container filled with the gas. The seat member also provides an adequate support for the container and lid when the same are engaged by an induction heating coil so that the required bonding pressure may be applied thereto the lid.

Nest for container closing machine

This relates to the removal of articles from a nest which is travelling along a predetermined path. Most particularly, nests are mounted on an endless conveyor chain and carried thereby past various stations for forming a package beginning with a container, a product placed in the container, and finally a lid. This particularly relates to the removal of such a article as the afore described package. Each nest is provided with a pad or plate in the bottom thereof to be positioned below the container. The plate is carried by a plunger which projects downwardly through the bottom of the nest and also through the conveying chain. In accordance with this invention, the lower end of the plunger engages a ramp which pushes the plunger upwardly as the nest travels along a predetermined path to lift the package out of the nest. The nests are removably mounted on pins of the chain and in order to prevent undesired upward movement of the nests relative to the chain, there are also provided holddowns disposed on opposite sides of the path of the nests for engaging a smooth upper surface of each nest to hold it down as the plunger is being lifted by the ramp.

Automatic article unloader

This relates to a mechanism for transferring carton lids from a hopper or magazine to a carton closing machine and more particularly to a sealing head of such a machine. The carton closing machine has a plurality of sealing heads each carried at a work station and mounted for rotation with the machine. The carton lid transfer mechanism includes a picker for pulling a lower most lid from the hopper and thus assisting in the transfer from the hopper to a ferris wheel assembly in sequence carton lids. The ferris wheel assembly then deposits each picked up lid on to a lid carrier of a merry-go-round assembly. The merry-go-round assembly then transfers each lid to the respective sealing head of the carton closing machine. The merry-go-round assembly is provided with control plates which serve to orient lid carriers both at the time a lid is being transferred thereto and at the time a lid is being transferred to the carton closing machine so that the lid carrier is in proper alignment for receiving a lid and furthermore in proper alignment for transferring a lid to a sealing head.

Carton lid transfer assembly

This relates to a package wherein there is a container having bonded thereto for removal a peelable lid. The lid is provided with a pull tab extension to facilitate one pulling on the lid to effect removal of the lid from the associated container. The pull tab is releasably stored by folding the pull tab upon itself so as to overlie the lid and thereafter releasable bond the pull tab nose to the underlying lid to assure that the pull tab is retained during handling of the package in a position closely overlying the lid and out-of-the-way. When it desired to utilize the pull tab, the bond between the pull tab and the lid is released and the pull tab is moved upwardly and forwardly to a position where it may be readily gripped between ones thumb and adjacent finger to apply the necessary pull on the lid to effect the peeling thereof from the container.

Pull tab storage and method of effecting same

This relates to a dispenser for a hot melt material which is supplied in rod-like form from a spool and which is heated to the required semi-liquid dispensing state. The dispensing head is provided with a heating passage which provides for uniform heating of the rod-like hot melt material and there is further provided a special piston having a throughbore through which hot melt material is fed into a pumping cylinder as the piston retracts after a pumping stroke so as to eliminate in the dispensing head downstream of the piston any momentary voids. There is also a feed mechanism which will feed the hot melt material in accordance with the demand of the dispensing head and which will urge the rod-like hot melt material into the heating passage of the dispensing head under a preselected pressure so as to assure flow not only through the heating passage, but also through the piston. There are also provided means for detecting the existence of the rod-like hot melt material in advance of the feed mechanism to make certain that the apparatus be shut down when no hot melt material supply is available. There is also provided a reverse drive unit for retracting the previously fed hot melt material a short distance to relieve the build-up of pressure in the heating passage when the dispensing operation is momentarily shut down and heat is still being applied to the hot melt material disposed within the heating passage.

Hot melt material dispenser

This relates to a machine for assembling end units with container bodies. The container bodies have cylindrical open upper ends over which a cylindrical lower portion of an end unit or dome is telescoped with the overlapping portions being adhesively bonded together. The machine receives the end units serially and by way of a Ferris wheel type conveyor moves the end units first to an adhesive applicator where a band of adhesive is applied to the interior of each end unit, after which each end unit is then telescoped over and pressed into position relative to an associated body. The operation of the machine is continuous.

Combination machine for assembling container components

This relates to a system for reheating adhesive bonding an end unit to a can body under controlled conditions and then further telescoping the end unit relative to the can body to assure proper adhesive flow relative to the can body. An end unit has been previously applied to a can body and is bonded thereto by a hot melt adhesive which has partially set. The end unit is not in its fully telescoped position. The adhesive is reheated to a temperature wherein the adhesive has the desired fluidity, after which the adhesive is maintained at this temperature and the end unit is moved to its fully telescoped position with a bead of the adhesive flowing over and encapsulating the raw edge of the can body.

Heating system for and method of finally bonding container end unit to

This relates to a can, preferrably formed of aluminum, which may be formed by a drawing process and which is so constructed wherein it may utilize wall thicknesses less than those which are presently commercially permissible so as to be suitable for the packaging of food products and the like which are either hot filled or subject to retorting and still commercially compete with three-piece steel cans. A primary feature of the can is the elimination of the customary double seam securing the end unit to the can body and replacing the same with telescoping of portions of the can body and end unit and providing an adhesive bond therebetween with the adhesive bond being enhanced by the reaction of the can body and end unit under conditions of internal pressure and internal vacuum due to the radial compression of the adhesive forming the adhesive bond to increase the shear strength of the adhesive. The end unit is provided with a securing flange which is connected to the end panel by a corner defining a line of weakness wherein the securing flange may be torn from the end panel and at the same time peeled from the can body.

Drawn can for food and the like

This relates to the assembling of a can end with a can body wherein there is an interference fit between the can end and the can body. There is provided an assembly head which receives in centered relation the can end and squares the can end with respect to its axis and where necessary reforms the peripheral portion of the can end. The can to be assembled with respect to the can end has an upper portion thereof entering into a lower guide portion of the assembly head both to align the can body with the can end and to reform the can body should it be out of round. Telescoping may then be automatically effected between the can end the the can body to complete the assembly. This abstract forms no part of the specification of this application and is not to be construed as limiting the claims of the application.

Growing community of inventors

Weston, CT, United States of America

Charles S Kubis