US 11,994,237 B2
Apparatus and method for vacuumizing and sealing a package
Gregory E. McDonald, Duncan, SC (US); Gregory H. Grossman, Duncan, SC (US); Joe A. Price, Duncan, SC (US); Rod Hodgson, Duncan, SC (US); John L. King, Jr., Duncan, SC (US); Shuichi Nakamoto, Hiroshima (JP); Yoshitaka Nii, Hiroshima (JP); Silvio Rohrer, Stalden (CH); Joel Caillier, Cham (CH); and Peter Schmalz, Hochdorf (CH)
Assigned to Cryovac, LLC, Charlotte, NC (US); and Furukawa Mfg. Co., Ltd., Tokyo (JP)
Filed by Cryovac, LLC, Charlotte, NC (US); and Furukawa Mfg. Co., Ltd., Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Jun. 28, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/343,288.
Application 18/343,288 is a division of application No. 17/817,227, filed on Aug. 3, 2022, granted, now 11,725,748.
Application 17/817,227 is a continuation of application No. 17/159,742, filed on Jan. 27, 2021, abandoned.
Application 17/159,742 is a continuation of application No. 15/762,491, granted, now 10,941,879, issued on Mar. 9, 2021, previously published as PCT/US2016/053279, filed on Sep. 23, 2016.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/232,856, filed on Sep. 25, 2015.
Prior Publication US 2023/0341069 A1, Oct. 26, 2023
Int. Cl. B65B 31/02 (2006.01); B29C 65/00 (2006.01); B29C 65/22 (2006.01); B29C 65/38 (2006.01); B29C 65/74 (2006.01); B29C 65/78 (2006.01); B65B 25/06 (2006.01); B65B 51/14 (2006.01); F16K 3/02 (2006.01); F16K 3/18 (2006.01); F16K 51/02 (2006.01); B29L 31/00 (2006.01); G01F 17/00 (2006.01); G01F 22/00 (2006.01)
CPC F16K 51/02 (2013.01) [B29C 65/223 (2013.01); B29C 65/224 (2013.01); B29C 65/38 (2013.01); B29C 65/7451 (2013.01); B29C 65/7885 (2013.01); B29C 66/00145 (2013.01); B29C 66/1122 (2013.01); B29C 66/244 (2013.01); B29C 66/2442 (2013.01); B29C 66/30621 (2013.01); B29C 66/43121 (2013.01); B29C 66/73921 (2013.01); B29C 66/82421 (2013.01); B29C 66/8322 (2013.01); B29C 66/849 (2013.01); B65B 25/067 (2013.01); B65B 25/068 (2013.01); B65B 31/022 (2013.01); B65B 51/146 (2013.01); F16K 3/0254 (2013.01); F16K 3/029 (2013.01); F16K 3/184 (2013.01); B29C 66/71 (2013.01); B29C 66/723 (2013.01); B29C 66/7234 (2013.01); B29C 66/72341 (2013.01); B29L 2031/7128 (2013.01); B65B 31/024 (2013.01); G01F 17/00 (2013.01); G01F 22/00 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for vacuumizing and sealing one or more packages, the apparatus comprising:
a plurality of platens operably secured to a rotating carousel configured to rotate about a single axis of rotation, wherein the plurality of platens are configured to travel along a platen travel path comprising an angular portion of the platen travel path and one or more linear portions of the platen travel path around the single axis of rotation;
a linear-motion mechanism, embodied as thea linkage assembly, operatively securing each of the plurality of platens to the rotating carousel and configured to enable the platens to extend radially outward from the axis of rotation and to rotate such that each of the plurality of platens remains aligned with a linear direction of travel as each of the plurality of platens moves along a linear portion of travel; and
a plurality of vacuum chambers configured to selectably engage a corresponding platen of the plurality of platens to form an air-tight enclosure therebetween and operably secured to the rotating carousel such that the plurality of vacuum chambers travel along an angular chamber travel path synchronously with the plurality of platens such that each vacuum chamber of the plurality of vacuum chambers is aligned with the corresponding platen of the plurality of platens relative to the single axis of rotation.