Granted Patent B2

US 12,240,642 · App. 17/459,238 · Granted Mar 4, 2025

Inventors: Dirk Hatje (Mannheim, DE); Daniel Christoph Gräf (Mutterstadt, DE)

Assignee: Sonoco Development, Inc.

B65B51/20B65B7/285B65B7/2878B65B51/227

Abstract

Claims (55)

1. A sealing system for hermetically sealing a closure to a container comprising:

a die assembly comprising:

a die having a positioning portion configured to retain a disc and a die opening adjacent the positioning portion; and

at least one sealing member configured to provide heat to seal the disc to the container; and

a mandrel assembly comprising:

an outer mandrel comprising an extending portion which is sized to fit within an inner circumference of the positioning portion;

an inner mandrel configured to translate through an inner circumference of the extending portion of the outer mandrel and the die opening; and

an ejector disposed within an inner circumference of the inner mandrel,

wherein at least the outer mandrel is configured to translate a first distance in a first time period,

wherein the inner mandrel and the ejector are configured to translate a second distance in a second time period,

wherein the inner mandrel is configured to retract a third distance in a third time period and wherein the ejector does not retract during such third time period,

wherein the ejector is configured to retract the third distance in a fourth time period which occurs later than the third time period, and

wherein each of the first distance, the second distance, and the third distance are different from each other.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the closure is paper-based.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the sealing member is configured to provide pressure to an exterior surface of the container.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the sealing member is disposed below the die.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the extending portion of the outer mandrel has a greater circumference than that of the die opening.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the outer mandrel is spring-loaded.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first distance is less than the second distance.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the inner mandrel, the outer mandrel, and the ejector translate in a unitary manner during the first time period.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the inner mandrel and the ejector are configured to translate the second distance in the second time period in a unitary manner.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the first time period, the second time period, the third time period, and the fourth time period are different from one another.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the ejector comprises a means for delivering a controlled blast of air directed toward the closure.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the outer mandrel, the inner mandrel, and the ejectors extend, translate, and retract parallel to one another.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the outer mandrel extends vertically;

the inner mandrel translates vertically; and

the ejector translates vertically.

14. A method for hermetically sealing a closure to a container comprising:

providing a die assembly comprising:

a die having a positioning portion configured to retain a disc and a die opening adjacent the positioning portion; and

at least one sealing member configured to provide heat to seal the disc to the container; and

providing a mandrel assembly comprising:

an outer mandrel comprising an extending portion which is sized to fit within an inner circumference of the positioning portion;

an inner mandrel configured to translate through an inner circumference of the extending portion of the outer mandrel and the die opening; and

an ejector disposed within an inner circumference of the inner mandrel, translating at least the outer mandrel a first distance in a first time period,

translating the inner mandrel and the ejector a second distance in a second time period,

retracting the inner mandrel a third distance in a third time period wherein the ejector does not retract during such third time period,

retracting the ejector the third distance in a fourth time period which occurs later than the third time period, and

wherein each of the first distance, the second distance, and the third distance are different from each other.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the sealing member is configured to provide pressure to an exterior surface of the container.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the extending portion of the outer mandrel has a greater circumference than that of the die opening.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the outer mandrel is spring-loaded.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the first distance is less than the second distance.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein the inner mandrel, the outer mandrel, and the ejector translate in a unitary manner during the first time period.

20. The method of claim 14 wherein the inner mandrel and the ejector are configured to translate the second distance in the second time period in a unitary manner.

21. The method of claim 14 wherein each of the first time period, the second time period, the third time period, and the fourth time period are different from one another.

22. The method of claim 14 wherein each of the first time period, the second time period, the third time period, and the fourth time period are successive time periods.

23. The method of claim 14 wherein the ejector delivers a controlled blast of air directed toward the closure during retraction from the closure.

24. The method of claim 14 , wherein the outer mandrel, the inner mandrel, and the ejectors extend, translate, and retract parallel to one another.

25. The method of claim 14 , wherein:

the outer mandrel extends vertically;

the inner mandrel translates vertically; and

the ejector translates vertically.

26. The method of claim 14 wherein the closure is paper-based.

Continuity (2)

References Cited (41)