US3597793A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Bottles and the method and apparatus for forming them
Assignee: Catalent USA Woodstock Inc
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Filing: 1969-05-28
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Granted: 1971-08-10
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Expires: 1989-05-28
Abstract
Abstract Improved methods and apparatus are disclosed for blowing, filling and hermetically sealing bottles having end closures such as caps which can be easily removed and thereafter used to reclose or reseal the bottles.
Inventors
- 👤 Gerhard H Weiler
- 👤 Henry Komendowski
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 10:28
CPC Classifications
B; B67; B67B; B67B5/00; B26; B26D; B26D1/00; B29; B29C; B29C49/00; B29C49/42; B29C49/48; B29C49/4802; B29C49/4817; B29C49/76; B29C49/761; B65; B65D; B65D1/00; B65D1/02; B65D1/0223; B65D1/023; B65D1/0238; B65D2501/00; B65D2501/0009; B65D2501/0018; B65D2501/0036
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
221 words
Apparatus for molding, filling and sealing containers from a tube of thermoplastic material comprising: a pair of relatively movable mold forms for forming a main body portion of the container including the bottom part of the container; a pair of neck jaw mold forms affixed respectively to said pair of movable mold forms for forming the neck portion of the container and the main body portion of a cap for said container; a pair of slidable upper cap forming mold forms for forming the top of said cap to seal said container; a mandrel including a filling spout, means for introducing said filling spout into the open end of a length of said tube, means associated with said filling spout for supplying fluid under pressure into said tube to expand it into contact with said mold forms to form the main body portion of the container and for supplying a flowable material into the formed container, said mandrel and said pair of neck jaw mold forms having means cooperating to provide a weakened flange connection between the upper end of the neck portion of the container and the cap integrally formed therewith so as to permit said cap to be severed from said container by simultaneously twisting and lifting it, or by twisting and downwardly engaging said cap with said container.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
221 words
Apparatus for molding, filling and sealing containers from a tube of thermoplastic material comprising: a pair of relatively movable mold forms for forming a main body portion of the container including the bottom part of the container; a pair of neck jaw mold forms affixed respectively to said pair of movable mold forms for forming the neck portion of the container and the main body portion of a cap for said container; a pair of slidable upper cap forming mold forms for forming the top of said cap to seal said container; a mandrel including a filling spout, means for introducing said filling spout into the open end of a length of said tube, means associated with said filling spout for supplying fluid under pressure into said tube to expand it into contact with said mold forms to form the main body portion of the container and for supplying a flowable material into the formed container, said mandrel and said pair of neck jaw mold forms having means cooperating to provide a weakened flange connection between the upper end of the neck portion of the container and the cap integrally formed therewith so as to permit said cap to be severed from said container by simultaneously twisting and lifting it, or by twisting and downwardly engaging said cap with said container.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
99 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said pair of neck jaw mold forms have a flat, horizontally disposed molding surface, and the terminal end of said mandrel has an annular downwardly depending pointed flange which cooperates with said molding surface to pinch the tube therebetween to form an annular groove in the flange connection between the upper end of the neck portion of the container and the cap integrally formed therewith on the interior of said cap to thereby weaken said flange connection to permit said cap to be severed from said container by simultaneously twisting and lifting it.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
61 words
The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said mandrel is adjustably affixed to said filling spout so as to be vertically adjustably displaced with respect to it to adjust the spacing between the pointed flange on the terminal end thereof and the molding surface on said pair of neck jaw mold forms, whereby the depth of said annular groove can be controlled.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
102 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said pair of neck jaw mold forms are formed to provide an upstanding pointed annular flange, and the terminal end of said mandrel has a flat horizontally disposed molding surface on it which cooperates with said annular flange to pinch the tube therebetween to form an annular groove in the flange connection between the upper end of the neck portion of said container and the cap integrally formed therewith on the exterior surface thereof to thereby weaken said flange connection to permit said cap to be severed from said container by simultaneously twisting and lifting it.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
61 words
The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said mandrel is adjustably affixed to said filling spout so as to be vertically adjustably displaced with respect to it to adjust the spacing between the molding surface on its terminal end and the annular pointed flange on said pair of neck jaw mold forms, whereby the depth of said annular groove can be controlled.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
114 words
The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said neck jaw mold forms are adapted to form an annular recessed groove in the neck portion of said container, and wherein said mandrel and said neck jaw mold forms are proportioned to form an annular groove in the flange connection between said neck portion of said container and the cap integrally formed therewith of a diameter such that the peripheral edge of the severed portion of said flange connection which remains integral with said cap when the latter is severed from said container will snap-fittingly engage in said recessed groove in the neck portion of said container to affix said cap to said container to reclose it.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
114 words
The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said neck jaw mold forms are adapted to form an annular recessed groove in the neck portion of said container, and wherein said mandrel and said neck jaw mold forms are proportioned to form an annular groove in the flange connection between said neck portion of said container and the cap integrally formed therewith of a diameter such that the peripheral edge of the severed portion of said flange connection which remains integral with said cap when the latter is severed from said container will snap-fittingly engage in said recessed groove in the neck portion of said container to affix said cap to said container to reclose it.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
107 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said pair of neck jaw mold forms have an annular pointed flange which is disposed to extend horizontally into the mold cavity formed therebetween, and wherein said mandrel has a conical-shaped end portion which tapers inwardly from the top to the bottom thereof, said conical-shaped end portion cooperating with said annular pointed flange of said pair of neck jaw mold forms to provide a substantially horizontally disposed recess in the flange connection between the neck portion of said container and the cap integrally formed therewith, to thereby weaken said flange connection to permit said cap to be severed from said container.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
218 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said pair of neck jaw mold forms are adapted to form interior peripheral threads on the neck portion of said container and have an annular pointed flange which is disposed to extend horizontally into the mold cavity formed therebetween at the terminal edge of said neck portion, a pair of cap forming mold forms affixed atop said pair of nEck jaw mold forms for forming the main body portion of a cap and a neck portion having external peripheral threads on it on said main body portion of said cap, said neck portion and the threads thereon being proportioned to threadably fit into the neck portion of said container to reclose said container when said cap is severed from said container, said pair of slidable upper cap forming mold forms being disposed atop said pair of cap forming mold forms, said mandrel having a conical-shaped end portion which tapers inwardly from the top to the bottom thereof, said conical-shaped end portion cooperating with said annular pointed flange of said pair of neck jaw mold forms to provide a substantially horizontally disposed recess in a flange connection between the neck portions of said container and said cap, to thereby weaken said flange connection to permit said cap to be severed from said container.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
97 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said pair of neck jaw mold forms have an upstanding annular pointed flange formed on them, and wherein the terminal end of said mandrel has an annular downwardly depending pointed flange which cooperates with the annular pointed flange on said pair of neck jaw mold forms to pinch the tube therebetween to form an annular weakened flange connection between the upper end of the neck portion of the container and the cap integrally formed therewith, to permit said cap to be severed from said container by simultaneously twisting and lifting it.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
109 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said pair of neck jaw mold forms are formed to provide a conical-shaped mold cavity therebetween which tapers inwardly from the top to the bottom thereof, and wherein the end of said mandrel has a conical-shaped flange on it which tapers downwardly and outwardly to form a pointed mold surface, said pointed mold surface cooperating with said conical-shaped mold cavity to pinch said tube therebetween to form an annular groove in the flange connection between the neck portion of the container and the cap integrally formed therewith to thereby weaken said flange connection to permit said cap to be severed from said container.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
113 words
The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said neck jaw mold forms are adapted to form peripheral threads on the neck portion of said container, and wherein said mandrel and said neck jaw mold forms are proportioned to form an annular groove in the flange connection between said neck portion of said container and the cap integrally formed therewith of a diameter such that the peripheral edge of the severed portion of said flange connection which remains integral with said cap when the latter is severed from said container will threadedly engage with the peripheral threads formed on the neck portion of said container to affix said cap to said container to reclose it.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
113 words
The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said neck jaw mold forms are adapted to form peripheral threads on the neck portion of said container, and wherein said mandrel and said neck jaw mold forms are proportioned to form an annular groove in the flange connection between said neck portion of said container and the cap integrally formed therewith of a diameter such that the peripheral edge of the severed portion of said flange connection which remains integral with said cap when the latter is severed from said container will threadedly engage with the peripheral threads formed on the neck portion of said container to affix said cap to said container to reclose it.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
146 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said mandrel comprises a tubular sleeve, the lower terminal end of said sleeve cooperating with said pair of neck jaw mold forms to weaken the flange connection between the upper end of the neck portion of the container and the cap integrally formed therewith, the side walls of said tubular sleeve being formed to provide a plurality of flexible fingers therein, a cam surface on each of said flexible fingers, a cam sleeve slidably concentrically disposed about said sleeve having a cam suRface therein which is disposed to engage said cam surfaces on said flexible fingers to cause said flexible fingers to bend inwardly of said sleeve, and cam sleeve operating means for operating said cam sleeve to engage the cam surface therein with said cam surfaces on said flexible fingers, said filling spout being slidably disposed within said sleeve.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
100 words
The apparatus of claim 14, further including an enlarged outwardly extending flange portion about the upper end of said cam sleeve, a collar removably affixed to said sleeve having an annular cavity therein for receiving and retaining therein the flange portion on said cam sleeve to affix the latter to said sleeve, biasing means within said cavity engaged with said flange portion for normally biasing said cam sleeve to disengage the cam surface therein from the cam surfaces on said flexible fingers, said cam sleeve operating means operating said cam sleeve against said biasing means to engage said cam surfaces.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
95 words
The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said biasing means normally bias said cam sleeve vertically downwardly with respect to said sleeve, an air inlet in said collar in communication with the cavity therein for impinging air beneath the flange portion on said cam sleeve to vertically raise said cam sleeve with respect to said sleeve to engage the cam surfaces to bend said flexible fingers, said cam sleeve operating means comprising a source of air coupled to said air inlet and means for controlling the supply of air from said source to said air inlet.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
90 words
The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said cam sleeve is concentrically disposed about said sleeve in spaced relation thereto so as to provide an air passageway between said sleeve and said cam sleeve which is in communication with said cavity in said collar, an air inlet in said sleeve in communication with said cavity in said collar for supplying air into said cavity and through said air passageway to blow the neck portion of said closure cap, and a source of air coupled to said air inlet in said sleeve.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said mandrel is axially offset with respect to the center axis of said pair of relatively movable mold forms and said pair of neck jaw mold forms.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
193 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said mandrel comprises a tubular sleeve, the lower terminal end of said sleeve cooperating with said pair of neck jaw mold forms to weaken the flange connection between the upper end of the neck portion of the container and the cap integrally formed therewith, the side walls of said tubular sleeve being formed to provide a plurality of flexible fingers therein, the lower terminal end of said flexible fingers cooperating with said pair of neck jaw mold forms to form a corresponding number of outwardly extending cavities in the neck portion of a closure cap for receiving therethrough partial threads formed on the neck portion of a container, a cam surface on each of said flexible fingers, a cam sleeve slidably concentrically disposed about said sleeve having a cam surface therein which is disposed to engage said cam surfaces on said flexible fingers to cause said flexible fingers to bend inwardly of said sleeve, and cam sleeve operating means for operating said cam sleeve to engage the cam surface therein with said cam surfaces on said flexible fingers, said filling spout being slidably disposed within said sleeve.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
72 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said mandrel is axially offset with respect to the center axis of said pair of relatively movable mold forms and said pair of neck jaw mold forms so as to form a narrow in width flange connection about a substantial portion of the diameter of the neck portion of a container and a relatively wide in width flange connection about the remaining portion of the diameter.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3325860A
Cited
US3330006A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-08-09 | 1975-02-08 | 1975-08-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-08-09 | 1979-02-08 | 1979-08-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-08-09 | 1983-02-08 | 1983-08-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |