Patent ID: 6569072
Filing Date: 2003-05-27
Classification: B31B,B31D,Y10S

Abstract:
An apparatus for making partitions for containers, the partitions each having a first set of first cards and a second set of second cards, the first set including at least one first card having at least one first card slot and the second set including at least one second card having at least one second card slot, the first and second sets of cards interfitting with one another at the respective first and second card slots to form a partition, the apparatus comprising:a first card stock supplier adapted to deliver an elongated first band of first card stock forming material from a first roll of such material, the first card stock supplier including a first card stock advancer adapted to advance the first band from the first roll; a first slot former adapted to repetitively engage the first band and cut the at least one first card slot in successive sections of the first band, each section corresponding to a portion of the first band from which a respective first card is to be formed; at least one first band feeder adapted to selectively advance the first band past the first slot former; a first card singulator adapted to selectively sever the sections of the first band into respective first cards; a first card transporter adapted to receive the singulated first cards from the first card singulator at a first location and to transport the singulated first cards from the first location to a delivery location; a card assembly station having a first card receiving location and a second card insertion location, the card assembly station including a card mover adapted to move respective sets of first cards from the first card receiving location to the second card insertion location and to orient the respective first sets of cards such that they are in an upright orientation at the second card insertion location; a first card transferor adapted to transfer first cards from the delivery location to the first card receiving location with the first cards oriented in an upright orientation at the first card receiving location; a second card stock supplier adapted to provide an elongated second band of second card stock forming material from a second roll of such material, the second card stock supplier including a second card stock advancer adapted to advance the band of second card stock forming material from the second roll; a second slot former adapted to repetitively engage the second band and cut the at least one second card slot in successive sections of the second band, each section corresponding to a portion of the second band from which a respective second card is to be formed; at least one second band feeder adapted to selectively advance the second band past the second slot former; a second card singulator adapted to selectively sever the sections of the second band into respective second cards and to deliver the singulated second cards to the second card insertion location and in an upright orientation at the second card insertion location, at which the first and second sets of cards are combined to form the partition and wherein the first and second sets of cards are positioned in an upright orientation when they are combined to form the partition; a programmed computer controller coupled to the first card stock supplier and operable to control the first card advancer, coupled to the first slot former and operable to control the first slot former to cut the first card slots, coupled to the at least one first band feeder and operable to control the advancing of the first band past the first slot former, coupled to the first card singulator and operable to control the first card singulator to control the severing of the sections of the first band into the respective first cards, coupled to the first card transporter and operable to control the first card transporter to control the transportation of the singulated first cards from the first location to the delivery location, coupled to the first card transferor to control the delivery of sets of first cards from the delivery location to the first card receiving location, coupled to the card mover and operable to control the moving of sets of first cards from the first card receiving location to the second card insertion location, coupled to the second card stock supplier and operable to control the second card advancer, coupled to the second slot former and operable to control the second slot former to cut the second card slots, coupled to the at least one second band feeder and operable to control the advancing of the second band past the second slot former, coupled to the second card singulator and operable to control the severing of the sections of the second band into the respective second cards and to control the delivery of singulated second cards to the second card insertion location, whereby the computer controller is operable to control the production of completed partitions.