US 11,718,435 B2
Pack to pouch systems
Greg P. Magnell, Vicksbury, MI (US); Jon Sonnenberg, Wisconsin Rapids, WI (US); and Jeffrey Willers, Phillips, WI (US)
Assigned to WestRock Shared Services, LLC, Atlanta, GA (US)
Filed by WestRock Shared Services, LLC, Atlanta, GA (US)
Filed on Apr. 3, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/374,446.
Prior Publication US 2020/0317383 A1, Oct. 8, 2020
Int. Cl. B65B 5/02 (2006.01); B65B 59/00 (2006.01); B65B 5/04 (2006.01); B65B 61/26 (2006.01); B65B 43/04 (2006.01); B65B 61/08 (2006.01); B65B 35/24 (2006.01)
CPC B65B 59/001 (2019.05) [B65B 5/022 (2013.01); B65B 5/045 (2013.01); B65B 35/24 (2013.01); B65B 43/04 (2013.01); B65B 61/08 (2013.01); B65B 61/26 (2013.01)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system comprising:
a conveyor;
a separator;
a controller operatively connected to the conveyor and to the separator to control the conveyor to drive a custom length of a flattened tube of stock packaging material through the separator, and to control the separator to separate a custom length of the tube from the tube to form a pouch pre-from;
a first closer assembly operatively connected to the separator to receive the pouch pre-form, wherein the first closer includes:
a portion of a slide with retractable tines with an extended position for receiving the pouch pre-form from a cutter and to hold the pouch pre-form during erecting and closing one end of the pouch pre-form, and a retracted position for allowing a pre-form with one closed end to pass from the first closer assembly;
a closure plate parallel to the slide mounted for movement toward and away from the slide to press the pouch pre-form flat after erecting the pouch pre-form and applying adhesive to close one end of the pouch pre-form; and
an opposed pair of lateral plates extending along the slide on opposite sides of the closure plate mounted for movement relative to the slide to laterally to close inward on the pouch-preform to erect the pouch pre-form.