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. 18, 2001
Filed:
Jul. 12, 2000
Manoj K. Wangu, Wexford, PA (US);
Frederick Pfleger, Voorhees, NJ (US);
Paul J. Eachus, Pittsgrove, NJ (US);
Michele L. Porcelli, Jr., Gloucester City, NJ (US);
Other;
Abstract
A packaging machine for enclosing items in a package delivers individual items, such as medicine, through a feeder that disposes the item between two strips of packaging material which are then joined together around the item by a closure member thus sealing the item in an individual package. The packaging machine demarcates upper and lower boundaries about the item such that the enclosed item may be separated from a continuously produced strand of packages. The packaging machine includes a selectively operable hole punch portion disposed adjacent the strand of packages for providing a hole in a portion of each package. The hole punch portion includes a punch driving member which is disengable responsive to unexpected resistance encountered by the punch. A cutter/stacker portion adjacent the strand of separable packages separates the strand into individual packages and stacks the packages in a removable magazine. The magazine has a rod member onto which the packages are inserted with the rod member extending through the hole in each package. A printer can be included for printing indicia on one side of one of the continuously fed strips of packaging material to provide information regarding the enclosed item.