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:
Apr. 16, 1996
Filed:
Dec. 10, 1993
Rodney K Gwiazdon, St. Louis Park, MN (US);
John E Korte, Cedar Rapids, IA (US);
Richard S Deadmond, West Bend, WI (US);
Frank C Starr, New Berlin, WI (US);
General Mills, Inc., Minneapolis, MN (US);
Abstract
A device for opening bags (12) held in fixtures (32) movable in an operation direction is disclosed including first and second suction cups (104, 106). The first suction cups (104) are mounted to an elongated bar (108) slideably mounted on posts (112) in turn upstanding from pivot arms (110). The elongated bar (108) can be slid on the posts (112) to an upper, transport position allowing passage of the fixtures (32) and bags (12) held therein. The second suction cups (106) are mounted to the lower ends of rods (114) mounted to a slide shaft (116), with sliding of the slide shaft (116) moving the rods (114) and suction cups (106) from a transport position intermediate the lanes of the fixtures (32) as they move in the operation direction and an attachment position in front of the bags (12). The slide shaft (116) and the rods (114) are tilted along an arc to open the unsealed ends (22) of the bags (12). During opening, the bottoms (16) of the bags (12) deform around first and second, stationary pins (280) which then sandwich the top gussets of the sides (18) of the bags (12) against the tops (14) of the bags (12). After release of the suction cups (104, 106), the tops (14) of the bags (12) deform around the stationary pins (280) when the fixtures (32) move in the operation direction.