Illinois Tool Works Inc.

Kevin Owen

Clifton Ronald Howell

David C Wallace

Steven Ausnit

David Mark Wallace

Eric Paul Plourde

David J Anzini

Rusty Koenigkramer

Kenny E McCracken

Robert E Hogan

Victor Delisle

Clifton R Howell

Kenny Mccracken

Steven Olechowski

Robert Hogan

The disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for manufacturing a package with a rigid or semi-rigid container and a polymeric or plastic header with a reclosure, such as a zipper. The rigid or semi-rigid container is typically provided in a stack of flat containers. The header is sealed, glued or otherwise secured to the containers. The container, typically inverted, is filled, and the bottom is formed by folding and sealing the bottom portion of the container.

Carton with plastic reclosable header

A drum configuration uses first and second rotary drums to apply alternate zipper segments in a transverse direction to a sheet of moving web or film. This allows the web to maintain a constant speed without the intermittent pausing while the zipper segments are sealed to the web.

Dual drum configuration for transverse direction application of zippers

A method of manufacture comprises the following steps: (a) advancing a fastener tape made of flexible thermoplastic material along a process pathway during an indexing portion of a work cycle, the fastener tape not advancing during a dwell time of the work cycle; (b) during each dwell time, deforming the fastener tape at a first fixed station situated along the process pathway; (c) transmitting light toward the fastener tape at a second fixed station while the fastener tape is advancing; and (d) photodetecting a portions of the transmitted light after some or all of the transmitted light has passed the fastener tape, the photodetected portions of the transmitted light being converted into electrical signals; wherein the distance of the fastener tape advanced in step (a) is determined in accordance with an algorithm that takes into account characteristics of electrical signals acquired in step (d) during earlier work cycles.

Methods for sensing features on moving fastener tape during automated production

Methods and apparatus for controlling the registration of a first elongated continuous structure (e.g., plastic fastener tape) with attachments (e.g., sliders) or formed features (e.g., slider end stop structures), as it is fed to a sealing station, where it is joined to a second elongated continuous structure (e.g., a web of packaging material) with formed features (e.g., thermoformed troughs). The second elongated continuous structure is intermittently advanced through the machine by the same distance each advancement. During each dwell time, the first elongated continuous structure is processed, i.e., structural features are attached and/or formed. Proper registration of the structural features on the first elongated continuous structure with the second elongated continuous structure is accomplished by adjusting the distance that the unjoined upstream portion of the first elongated continuous structure advances as a function of feedback acquired downstream.

Method and apparatus for registering fastener tape in packaging machine

A method and an apparatus for ultrasonically welding plastic parts together. The ultrasonic welding apparatus includes: an air cylinder having a piston rod; an ultrasonic horn substantially rigidly coupled to an end of the piston rod and having a distal end; a rotary anvil having an axis of rotation generally perpendicular to an axis of the piston rod and comprising a periphery; a transducer for converting electric potential differences into ultrasound wave energy, the horn being acoustically coupled to the transducer; and drive means for causing the anvil to rotate. The distal end of the horn confronts the periphery of the anvil throughout rotation of the anvil. On one application, interlocked zipper strips are passed through a gap between the distal end of the horn and the periphery of the anvil. The anvil periphery has a plateau that presses the zipper against the distal end of the horn. The transducer is energized in synchronism with the plateau being opposed to the distal end of the horn.

Ultrasonic apparatus with non-rotating horn and rotating anvil for welding plastic parts

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Flowery Branch, GA, United States of America

Kevin Owen