US3729892A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and a device for manufacturing a package containing a plurality of ear-plugs
Assignee: Gullfiber AB
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Filing: 1970-11-09
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Granted: 1973-05-01
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Expires: 1990-11-09
Abstract
Abstract The invention relates to the manufacture of a package containing a plurality of ear-plugs. Pieces of mineral fiber felt are successively by means of a plunger pressed through a hole of a mould down into the sleeves of a sleeve band fed below the mould.
Inventors
- 👤 B Aslund
- 👤 A Liljeqvist
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 05:13
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F11/00; A61F11/06; A61F11/08; B; B65; B65B; B65B9/00; B65B9/02; B65B9/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
172 words
A method of fabricating and packaging a plurality of earplugs formed of fine mineral fibers, said method comprising the steps of forming a band of upright interconnected sleeves open at least at the top, moving the band of sleeves in a stepwise manner for positioning the sleeves individually at a packaging station, introducing individual pieces of a mineral fiber felt to the packaging station at a position above and in alignment with the sleeve at the packaging station, positioning a mold member at the packaging station, the mold member having an opening therethrough which has a diameter substantially the same as the diameter of the sleeve, and locating the mold member at the packaging station between the piece of mineral fiber felt and the sleeve with its oPening which has a diameter substantially the same size as the diameter of the sleeve in alignment with the sleeve, pressing the piece of mineral fiber felt downwardly through the opening in the mold into the sleeve thus forming an ear-plug held within the sleeve.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
172 words
A method of fabricating and packaging a plurality of earplugs formed of fine mineral fibers, said method comprising the steps of forming a band of upright interconnected sleeves open at least at the top, moving the band of sleeves in a stepwise manner for positioning the sleeves individually at a packaging station, introducing individual pieces of a mineral fiber felt to the packaging station at a position above and in alignment with the sleeve at the packaging station, positioning a mold member at the packaging station, the mold member having an opening therethrough which has a diameter substantially the same as the diameter of the sleeve, and locating the mold member at the packaging station between the piece of mineral fiber felt and the sleeve with its oPening which has a diameter substantially the same size as the diameter of the sleeve in alignment with the sleeve, pressing the piece of mineral fiber felt downwardly through the opening in the mold into the sleeve thus forming an ear-plug held within the sleeve.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
48 words
A method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of pressing the ear-plug includes moving a member having a diameter less than the opening in the mold and in the sleeve downwardly against the piece of mineral fiber felt and forcing the felt into the sleeve.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of pressing the ear-plug within the sleeve includes positioning a portion of the material forming the ear-plug extending above the top of the sleeve.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method, as set forth in claim 3, including the further step of applying a binder material on the portion of the material of the ear-plug extending above the top of the sleeve.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method, as set forth in claim 4, wherein the step of applying a binder comprises spraying a wax on the portion of the material forming the ear plug which extends above the top of the sleeve.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
65 words
A method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of introducing individual pieces of a mineral fiber felt comprises feeding a continuous section of the mineral fiber felt toward the packaging station, cutting individual pieces of the continuous section of mineral fiber felt, and supporting each cut piece in position to be pressed downwardly through the opening in the mold into the sleeve.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
80 words
A method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of forming a band of upright interconnected sleeves comprises feeding two separate vertically oriented strips of plastic coated paper to a forming station, shaping the strips at the forming station so that each strip forms half of a sleeve with the half sleeve portions spaced apart by a web, and heat welding the webs of the strips together to form therebetween the sleeves open at the top and bottom.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
137 words
A method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of introducing individual pieces of a mineral fiber felt includes feeding a continuous section of the mineral fiber felt toward the packaging station, cutting individual pieces of the continuous section of mineral fiber felt and supporting the cut pieces in position to be pressed downwardly through the opening in the mold into the sleeve, and the step of forming a band of upright interconnected sleeves comprises feeding two separate vertically oriented strips of plastic coated paper to a forming station, shaping the strips at the forming station so that each strip forms half of a sleeve with the half sleeve portions spaced apart by a web, and heat welding the webs of the strips together to form therebetween the sleeves open at the top and bottom.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
117 words
A method of fabricating and packaging a plurality of ear-plugs comprising steps of feeding the two separate vertically oriented strips of heat-weldable material to a forming station, heat-welding the two strips together at spaced locations and forming vertically extended open ended sleeves between the heat-welded locations, moving the band from the forming station in a step-wise manner for positioning the sleeves individually at a packaging station, aligning an individual piece of mineral fiber felt above each sleeve in the packaging station, pressing the piece of mineral fiber felt downwardly into the sleeve thus forming an ear-plug held within the aligned sleeve with a portion of the mineral fiber felt projecting upwardly from the top of the sleeve.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
117 words
A method of fabricating and packaging a plurality of ear-plugs comprising steps of feeding the two separate vertically oriented strips of heat-weldable material to a forming station, heat-welding the two strips together at spaced locations and forming vertically extended open ended sleeves between the heat-welded locations, moving the band from the forming station in a step-wise manner for positioning the sleeves individually at a packaging station, aligning an individual piece of mineral fiber felt above each sleeve in the packaging station, pressing the piece of mineral fiber felt downwardly into the sleeve thus forming an ear-plug held within the aligned sleeve with a portion of the mineral fiber felt projecting upwardly from the top of the sleeve.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
152 words
An apparatus for fabricating and packaging a plurality of ear-plugs in a packaging strip, comprises a mold having a vertically extended opening therethrough, means for successively supplying individual pieces of mineral fiber felt to said mold above the opening therethrough, means for forming a band of interconnected upright packaging sleeves with the sleeves open at least at the upper end and with the sleeves having a diameter substantially the same as the diameter of the opening in said mold, means for feeding the band of interconnected packaging sleeves in a step-wise manner with the sleeves oriented vertically for successively aligning each sleeve below the opening in said mold, a plunger associated with said mold and arranged to move in the vertical direction through the opening in said mold for pressing each piece of mineral fiber felt downwardly into the sleeve aligned below the opening for forming an ear-plug held within the sleeve.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
152 words
An apparatus for fabricating and packaging a plurality of ear-plugs in a packaging strip, comprises a mold having a vertically extended opening therethrough, means for successively supplying individual pieces of mineral fiber felt to said mold above the opening therethrough, means for forming a band of interconnected upright packaging sleeves with the sleeves open at least at the upper end and with the sleeves having a diameter substantially the same as the diameter of the opening in said mold, means for feeding the band of interconnected packaging sleeves in a step-wise manner with the sleeves oriented vertically for successively aligning each sleeve below the opening in said mold, a plunger associated with said mold and arranged to move in the vertical direction through the opening in said mold for pressing each piece of mineral fiber felt downwardly into the sleeve aligned below the opening for forming an ear-plug held within the sleeve.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
48 words
An apparatus, as set forth in claim 9, wherein said mold forms a support plate surface, and said means for successively supplying pieces of mineral fiber felt to said mold includes means for cutting individual pieces of the mineral fiber felt from a continuous section of the felt.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
50 words
An apparatus, as set forth in claim 10, wherein said means for forming a band comprises a heat-welding device for welding two strips of a plastic coated material at spaced positions along the length of the strips for forming sleeves between the positions at which the strips are welded together.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
107 words
An apparatus, as set forth in claim 10, wherein said mold providing a support plate surface for supporting the individual pieces of mineral fiber felt above the opening in said mold, said means for successively supplying pieces of mineral fiber felt to said mold includes means for cutting individual pieces of the mineral fiber felt from a continuous section of the felt, and said means for forming a band comprises a heat-welding device for welding two strips of a plastic coated material at spaced positions along the length of the strips for forming sleeves between the location of the positions at which the strips are welded together.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
96 words
An apparatus, as set forth in claim 12, wherein said heat-welding device comprises a pair of coplanar rotatable heat wheels, the circumferential periphery of said wheels each having alternating grooves and lands and arranged to cooperate to produce a sleeve forming station at which one groove in the periphery of one said wheel is located in registration with a corresponding groove in the other said wheel, and a mandrel arranged for insertion into the registered grooves for cooperating with the circumferential periphery of said wheels in forming sleeves in the two strips of plastic coated material.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
48 words
An apparatus, as set forth in claim 10, wherein means are provided at a position spaced downstream in the movement of the band of interconnected packaging strips from said mold for spraying a binder on the upper part of said mold located at the top of said sleeves.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-04-30 | 1976-10-30 | 1977-05-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-04-30 | 1980-10-30 | 1981-05-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-04-30 | 1984-10-30 | 1985-05-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |