The Procter Gamble Company

William Willhite, Jr

Ronald W Kock

Peter W Hamilton

Del M Thornock

Gerald M Weber

James R Goldberg

Robert A Paul

Godfrey Retier

Michael S Kolodesh

H Norman Reiboldt

Bruce A Pierson

Peter G Gosselin

Vicki L Weber

David Albert Sabatelli

Jeffrey T Leitner

Method and apparatus for ultrasonically bonding continuously moving webs to one another using a stationary vibrating horn and a relatively slick, non-thermally softenable moving slip layer interposed between the webs to be bonded and the horn to prevent web damage. Interposing the slip layer between the webs to be bonded and the ultrasonic horn improves both the quality and efficiency of web bonding. It reduces friction between the travelling webs and the substantially stationary ultrasonic horn not only due to its relatively slick surface, but also due to the compressive force which the slip layer exerts upon the webs to be bonded. This in turn minimizes jamming and hangups in the very limited clearance existing between the rotating anvil roll and the substantially stationary vibrating ultrasonic horn. In addition, the slip layer maximizes retention of heat either generated in the laminate web by the ultrasonic horn or transferred to the laminate web structure by preheating one or more of the webs. If desired, the slip layer may be comprised of a continuous belt which rotates about the ultrasonic horn. In addition, a secondary slip layer may be provided intermediate the webs to be bonded and the rotating anvil roll to minimize heat transfer from the webs to the anvil roll and to prevent sticking of the webs to the anvil roll. In a particularly preferred embodiment the peripheral edges of the raised anvil bosses are relieved slightly to minimize web tearing and to enhance bond strength. In still another preferred embodiment the anvil roll is heated to a temperature approximating the maximum temperature achieved by the webs being bonded to minimize heat transfer from the webs to the anvil roll during the boding operation. Novel laminate products bonded on-the-fly without the use of an ancillary adhesive may also be produced.

Adhesive-free bonding of continuously moving webs to form laminate web

A method for producing an integral bottle/collar combination for use in a package for storing and dispensing potentially dangerous material such as medicament tablets. The package is resistant to opening by children yet readily openable by adults. The process includes a step of injection molding a polymeric part having a finish portion, a preform portion, and a flange portion. The flange portion has at least one integrally formed socket having a resiliently deformable pushtab connected by a hinge. The preform portion of the injection molded part is blow molded into the shape of the bottle. The hingedly connected pushtab is then folded into its in-use position.

Injection blow molding process for forming a package exhibiting improved

A package for storing and dispensing potentially dangerous materials, such as medicament tablets or the like, said package being resistant to opening by children but readily openable by adults, particularly adults having impaired manual dexterity of their hands and/or fingers. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the package comprises a bottle, a collar which is secured in place over the uppermost portion of the bottle and a closure which is secured to the finish portion of the bottle by means of complementary screw threads. The collar preferably includes a pair of spring-like pushtabs containing vertical extensions which engage interlocking teeth on the innermost surface of the closure skirt when the closure is fully assembled onto the bottle. To remove the closure, the opposed pushtabs must be manually depressed prior to applying unscrewing torque to the closure to disengage the pushtab extensions from the interlocking teeth on the closure. In a particularly preferred embodiment, application of the closure to the finish portion of the bottle gives the user an audible confirmation that the package has been restored to its child resistant condition for the next dispensing cycle. Method and apparatus for producing the package are also disclosed.

Package exhibiting improved child resistance without significantly

A method of and apparatus for extracting the meat section and juice from a fruit while minimizing the amount of undesirable flavor components, e.g. peel oil, released from the fruit's peel. In one embodiment of the present invention, whole fruits are fed into a single station extraction apparatus that first cuts a equatorial groove in the fruit's peel while the fruit is rotated. A semicircular coring blade is then inserted into the groove and rotated 360.degree. which severs a spherical chunk of fruit meat from the peel. The small amount of fruit meat remaining on the peel's inner surface is then preferably extracted with a reaming element or fluid jet nozzle. In other particularly preferred embodiments, the grooving, coring, and reaming component mechanisms are incorporated into an indexing turret apparatus and a high-speed continuous motion turret apparatus.

Method of and apparatus for extracting juice and meat from a fruit

Method and apparatus for ultrasonically bonding continuously moving webs to one another using a stationary vibrating horn and a relatively slick, non-thermally softenable moving slip layer interposed between the webs to be bonded and the horn to prevent web damage. Interposing the slip layer between the webs to be bonded and the ultrasonic horn improves both the quality and efficiency of web bonding. It reduces friction between the travelling webs and the substantially stationary ultrasonic horn not only due to its relatively slick surface, but also due to the compressive force which the slip layer exerts upon the webs to be bonded. This in turn minimizes jamming and hangups in the very limited clearance existing between the rotating anvil roll and the substantially stationary vibrating ultrasonic horn. In addition, the slip layer maximizes retention of heat either generated in the laminate web by the ultrasonic horn or transferred to the laminate web structure by preheating one or more of the webs. If desired, the slip layer may be comprised of a continuous belt which rotates about the ultrasonic horn. In addition, a secondary slip layer may be provided intermediate the webs to be bonded and the rotating anvil roll to minimize heat transfer from the webs to the anvil roll and to prevent sticking of the webs to the anvil roll. In a particularly preferred embodiment the peripheral edges of the raised anvil bosses are relieved slightly to minimize web tearing and to enhance bond strength. In still another preferred embodiment the anvil roll is heated to a temperature approximating the maximum temperature achieved by the webs being bonded to minimize heat transfer from the webs to the anvil roll during the bonding operation. Novel laminate products bonded on-the-fly without the use of an ancillary adhesive may also be produced.

Growing community of inventors

Cincinnati, OH, United States of America

William Willhite, Jr