IP Library Granted Patent US 10,492,547
Granted Patent B2
US 10,492,547 · App. 15/307,398 · Granted Dec 3, 2019

Method and system for introducing a reserve nose wire in a facemask production line

Inventors: Joseph P. Weber (Suwanee, GA); Ajay Y. Houde (Duluth, GA); David Lamar Harrington (Cumming, GA); Mark Thomas Pamperin (Cumming, GA); Nathan Craig Harris (Canton, GA)
Assignee: O&M Halyard, Inc.
A41D13/11B65H63/082B65H67/02Y10T83/2083Y10T83/2085Y10T83/2087Y10T83/902
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,492,547
App. No.
15/307,398
Granted
Dec 3, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method and associated method are provided or introducing a supply of reserve nose wires in a facemask production line prior to depletion of running nose wires in the production line. A first nose wire source and first cutter system are provided for supplying the running nose wires to the production line. A reserve nose wire source and second cutter system are staged in a stand-by state proximate to the first nose wire source. Prior to depletion of the first nose wire source, the reserve nose wire source and second cutter system are brought up to an operational speed while diverting nose wires from the second cutter system away from the production line. At operational speed of the reserve nose wire source and second cutter system, nose wires from the second cutter system are diverted to the production line while diverting nose wires from the first cutter system away from the production line.

Claims (15)

1. A method for introducing a supply of reserve nose wires in a facemask production line prior to depletion of running nose wires in the facemask production line, comprising:

providing a first nose wire source and first cutter system for the facemask production line, the running nose wires supplied by the first nose wire source and first cutter system;

staging a reserve nose wire source and second cutter system in stand-by proximate to the first nose wire source;

prior to depletion of the first nose wire source, bringing the reserve nose wire source and second cutter system up to an operational speed while diverting nose wires from the second cutter system away from the production line; and

at operational speed of the reserve nose wire source and second cutter system, diverting nose wires from the second cutter system to the production line while diverting nose wires from the first cutter system away from the production line.

2. The method as in claim 1 , further comprising stopping and replacing the first nose wire source with a new nose wire source and placing the new nose wire source and first cutter system in stand-by, wherein the new nose wire source becomes the reserve nose wire source in a subsequent operation of the method.

3. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the first nose wire source and reserve nose wire source are rolls of the nose wire that are rotationally driven at the operation speed to supply nose wire to their respective cutter system for the production line.

4. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the nose wires from the second cutter system are diverted to a reject location prior to the reserve nose wire source and second cutter system reaching the operational speed.

5. The method as in claim 4 , wherein the nose wires from the first cutter system are diverted to a reject location once the nose wires from the second cutter system are diverted to the production line.

6. The method as in claim 1 , further comprising sensing one or a combination of speed of the reserve nose wire source or throughput of the second cutter system to determine when the reserve nose wire source and second cutter system are at operational speed.

7. The method as in claim 1 , further comprising sensing a depletion state of the first nose wire source for determining when to start bringing the reserve nose wire source and second cutter system up to the operation speed.

8. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the second cutter system and staging location for the reserve nose wire are permanent and fixed in the production line.

9. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the second cutter system and staging location for the reserve nose wire are portable and are moved to the production line at a sensed depletion state of the first nose wire source.

10. The method as in claim 9 , wherein the first cutter system and location for the first nose wire source are portable and moved to the production line.

11. A system for introducing a supply of reserve nose wires in a facemask production line prior to depletion of running nose wires in the facemask production line, wherein the system is specifically configured for practice of the method of claim 1 .

Assignments (10)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 19, 2026
From: O&M HALYARD, INC.; MEDICAL ACTION INDUSTRIES INC.; OWENS & MINOR DISTRIBUTION, INC.
To: PLC AGENT LLC
Reel/Frame 075647/0354 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 6, 2026
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
To: MEDICAL ACTION INDUSTRIES INC.; O&M HALYARD, INC.; OWENS & MINOR DISTRIBUTION, INC.
Reel/Frame 074203/0026 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 6, 2026
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: O&M HALYARD, INC.; OWENS & MINOR DISTRIBUTION, INC.
Reel/Frame 074212/0570 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT (ABL) Recorded Dec 31, 2025
From: MEDICAL ACTION INDUSTRIES INC.; O&M HALYARD, INC.; OWENS & MINOR MEDICAL, LLC
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS LEAD COLLATERAL AGENT; PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS CO-COLLATERAL AGENT; WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS CO-COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 074161/0401 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 29, 2022
From: O&M HALYARD, INC.; OWENS & MINOR DISTRIBUTION, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 059541/0024 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 12, 2021
From: MEDICAL ACTION INDUSTRIES INC.; OWENS & MINOR DISTRIBUTION, INC.; O&M HALYARD, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 055582/0407 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 12, 2021
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
To: OWENS & MINOR DISTRIBUTION, INC.; MEDICAL ACTION INDUSTRIES, INC.; O&M HALYARD, INC.
Reel/Frame 055583/0722 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 8, 2018
From: AVENT, INC.
To: O&M HALYARD, INC.
Reel/Frame 046324/0320 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded May 8, 2018
From: O&M HALYARD, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 046100/0646 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 21, 2017
From: WEBER, JOSEPH P.; HOUDE, AJAY Y.; HARRINGTON, DAVID LAMAR; PAMPERIN, MARK THOMAS; HARRIS, NATHAN CRAIG
To: AVENT, INC.
Reel/Frame 041666/0973 →
Cited By (6)
US 12,186,647 US 12,336,889 US 12,433,797 US 12,458,083 US 12,616,617 US 12,635,745