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:
Jun. 19, 2007
Filed:
Sep. 02, 2004
Mark Garceau, Bethlehem, CT (US);
Paul Van Huis, Whithall, NY (US);
Mark Garceau, Bethlehem, CT (US);
Paul Van Huis, Whithall, NY (US);
Sealed Air Corporation (US), Saddle Brook, NJ (US);
Abstract
The invention is an under-filled cushion detector that is capable of conveying a string of packaging cushions and detecting whether the string of packaging cushions may be under-filled. The detector includes an upper driven belt that is movably suspended above a lower belt. The belts cooperate together to define a longitudinal cushion pathway between the belts. The distance between the upper and lower belts may vary depending upon the thickness of the string of packaging cushions. If a string of under-filled cushions travels between the upper and lower belts, the upper belt can move downwardly in the direction of the lower belt. A switch stops the upper and lower belts if the height of the cushion pathway decreases below a predetermined threshold. The detector can be used in a system for manufacturing and transporting packaging cushions to a desired location.