Shanklin Corporation

Cryovac, Inc.

Other

Sealed Air Corporation (us)

Mitchell W Smith, Sr

Kenneth Chrisman

Stephen Floyd Compton

Frank Bryan Edwards

Francis X King, Jr

Roger J Morrissette

Thomas P Orsini

Russell T Christman

David S Seebauer

Frank G Shanklin

Robert Simonelli

Kenneth John Mierzejewski

Atul Arora

Robin G Thurgood

Glen Vincent

James L Michaelian

Edward R Lawson

Michael A Kalinowski

John Wysmuller

Charles P Tatarian

Jonathan Van

Kenneth P Chrisman

Francis X King

Frank B Edwards

Francis King

Jim Michaelian

A method for producing packaging cushioning includes successively feeding sheets of a substrate at a first speed to a crumpling mechanism, crumpling the sheets at a second speed to convert the sheets into packaging cushion units, and controlling at least one of the first and second speeds to produce a desired degree of overlap between successive sheets, thereby generating a connected series of the packaging cushion units.

Method and machine for producing packaging cushioning

The present invention describes an improved grip belt drive system for use in sealing machines used to wrap articles in thermoplastic film. Briefly, a timing belt is used in place of the traditional flat or V belt. The presence of teeth on the pulleys, coupled with the use of a timing belt eliminates the possibility of slippage between the belt and the pulleys. To protect the system in the case of a film jam or misplaced article, a torque-limiting mechanism is included, which disengages the drive system if there is excessive counterforce. Furthermore, the outer surface of timing belt contains a pattern, which when mated with a second belt having the same or a complementary pattern, meshes in such a way so that the two belts are positively locked in both the longitudinal and transverse directions.

Grip belt drive system

The present invention describes a blade assembly for use with side-sealing and lap-sealing machines, which are used to seal thermoplastic film. Briefly, the cutting element is oval in shape, and has its entire outer edge profiled. This provides four distinct cutting surfaces, depending on the mounting orientation of the cutting element in the machine. This cutting element is held against a heating block, and its temperature is continuously monitored by a temperature sensor. The sensor is spring-loaded to insure solid contact with the cutting element, and thus, accurate temperature measurements. This entire assembly is then encased in insulation. Additionally, the cutting element is mounted on an adjustable platform, which permits vertical adjustments relative to the film. Thus, the specific portion of the cutting element which actually engages the film can be adjusted to improve the cutting quality or further extend the useful life of the cutting element.

Cutting element for sealing machine

Control system and apparatus for controlling current input to an electrical resistance element such as a seal wire. The system and apparatus of the present invention is a closed loop feedback modification to conventional systems, and takes advantage of the inherent expansion of the seal wire as it is heated. The feedback mechanism monitors both the actual current passing through the wire, and the length of the sealing wire, and adjusts the current applied to the wire, responsive to those monitored inputs. The usage of the sealing machine is also monitored and the application and amount of current flowing to the wire is varied based on this usage.

Hot wire control apparatus and method

Apparatus for the automatic packaging of one or more articles. One or more modular infeed systems are provided, each adapted to feed product to a wrapping machine, and each preferably adapted to communicate with a wrapping machine to identify its configuration to the wrapping machine. In a preferred embodiment, each modular infeed includes a film roll unwind assembly, an integrated film folding head, a product conveyance mechanism and a closed-loop communications network.

Modular infeeds for automatic forms/fill/seal equipment

An easy-opening feature in a flexible package is provided by forming a tear feature in the package material by slitting, perforating, or otherwise forming a stress riser in the material, and affixing a label to the package material so that the label adheres to the tear feature. The formation of the tear feature and affixing of the label are performed prior to wrapping a product in the package material and sealing the material, and preferably are performed while the package material is moving along a path in a packaging apparatus. The label in one embodiment includes a detachable middle portion that tears free of the rest of the label upon pulling the detachable portion, such that remaining portions of the label remain on the package adjacent the opening created by the tear feature.

Easy-opening feature for flexible packages and process and apparatus for forming same

An operating mechanism for the seal jaw in a package wrapping machine has an operating arm with means along its length to alter the length of the arm between two finite positions. The arrangement is such that the operating arm for the sealing jaw in the package wrapping machine can be controlled so that it can open to a higher position for large packages and yet also open to a shorter position for less high packages, thus, speeding up the operation of the machine so that it can accept a greater number of packages for any given length of time.

Seal jaw operating mechanism

Growing community of inventors

Newton, NH, United States of America

Mitchell W Smith, Sr