The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 27, 1994
Filed:
Nov. 09, 1992
Ronald Tuckner, White Bear Lake, MN (US);
David Persells, Twin Lakes, WI (US);
Tetra Alfa Holdings, S.A., Pully, CH;
Abstract
An apparatus for sterilizing and breaking score lines on cartons prior to filling includes a spraying assembly for spraying sterilizing solution into the interior of the carton and a score line breaking assembly that breaks the score lines on the upstanding walls of the carton. The spraying assembly and the score line breaking assembly are located at the same station within a filling machine so that both operations can be performed simultaneously. The spray assembly includes a movably mounted spray head that is provided with a spray nozzle. The score line breaking assembly includes a breaker member that is operatively connected to a drive assembly for driving the breaker member into contacting relation with the upper portion of the upstanding walls of a carton in order to urge the upstanding walls of the carton inwardly and thereby break the score lines on the carton walls. A device can be included to urge the breaker member and the spray head towards one another so that downward movement of the breaker member towards the carton results in downward movement of the spray head into the interior of the carton.