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:
Aug. 15, 2000
Filed:
Aug. 28, 1998
John Lees, Minneapolis, MN (US);
Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance, SA, Pully, CH;
Abstract
A packaging machine for processing a carton blank received from a magazine into a formed, filled and sealed carton package. The packaging machine includes an infeed sterilizer mechanism, a carton lift, a form and fill carousel and a sealing mechanism. The infeed sterilizer sterilizes an erected carton blank having an open top end and an open bottom end, and is disposed on a first level of the packaging machine. The carton lift lifts sterilized cartons from the infeed sterilizer mechanism on the first level to a second level. The form and fill carousel is located on the second level and has a central turret with a plurality of filling mandrels connected thereto. Each of the filling mandrels is in flow communication with a product supply and fills the carton as it is lowered for sealing. The sealing jaw mechanism is disposed to receive a filled carton from a mandrel on the form and fill carousel and to seal an open end of the carton.