Frito-lay North America, Inc.

Douglas Machine Inc.

Douglas Machine Limited Liability Company

Leon J Krause

Ronald M Gust

Frank Mathew Brenkus

Ronald Matthew Gust

Patrick Joseph Bierschenk

Jerry Mike Reaves

Amelinda Melanson

Frank M Brenkus

Jerry M Reaves

Patrick J Bierschenk

Irvan Leo Pazdernik

Sunitha Nair

Parick Joseph Bierschenk

A method for compacting a slug of product and apparatus for accomplishing the same. The invention describes collecting weighed product in an intermediate settling device to form a compact slug of product. The device can comprise a single settling chamber or can comprise multiple settling chambers which are axially rotatable. The slug can be compacted by jostling and/or vibrating the settling device. Thereafter, the product is discharged to a packaging apparatus. Because the product in the final package is denser, a smaller package can be utilized reducing manufacturing and shipping costs.

Method and apparatus for compacting product

A method and apparatus for making a structurally resilient package having a substantially box-shaped configuration is disclosed. A pillow pouch package is received onto a flighted conveyor. The pillow pouch package has a first squared end and an angular end located opposite to the first squared end. The pillow pouch package is received so that the first squared end rests on the flighted conveyor. Thereafter the pillow pouch package is conditioned at least in part by tamping the angular end with a tamping plate. The angular end of the package is subsequently heat treated to form a second squared end. A set of cooling plates is then applied to the second squared end to set the final shape and form the structurally resilient package having a substantially box-shaped configuration.

Apparatus and method for a structurally resilient package

A tape applying apparatus (10) includes a plurality of pairs of vacuum heads (120, 122) extending axially at circumferentially spaced intervals on a disc (24) rotated about an axis by the extension of a cylinder (48) which is operatively connected by a cam follower (60) to a cam (40) rotatably fixed to the disc (24). The vacuum head (120) adjacent the free end of the tape includes a trough (126) including vacuum bleed holes (128) for drawing the tape segment extending over the trough (126) into the trough (126) to form a tab when desired. A slide (66) is reciprocated between retracted and extended positions by a further cylinder (72). A knife (98) is movably connected to the slide (66) for cutting the tape when the knife (98) reaches a cutting position, with the knife (98) stopping at the cutting position before the slide (66) reaches the extended position. The first ends of first and second arms (74) are pivotably mounted to the slide (66) about spaced pivot axes (76), and rollers (78) are rotatably mounted to the second ends of the arms (74). In the retracted position, the rollers (78) are spaced from the tape segment removably held by the last pair of vacuum heads (120, 122) and from the carton. As the slide (66) moves towards the extended position, the rollers (78) engage the tape and sandwich it against the carton and then roll on the sides of the corner to adhere the tape segment to the corner, with the tape segment being cut and then pulled from the vacuum heads (120, 122) after the rollers (78) are in their engagement position.

Tape applying apparatus and methods

Growing community of inventors

Miltona, MN, United States of America

Leon J Krause