RICK STEVEN WEHRMANN
Pilots at Stow Rd, Hudson, OH

5394676, Mar 7, 1995

Sep 30, 1992

7/954378

Bernard Lerner - Aurora OH
Richard W. Hess - Hudson OH
William M. Cronauer - Tallmadge OH
Rick S. Wehrmann - Hudson OH
James D. Kramer - Medina OH

Automated Packaging Systems, Inc. - Twinsburg OH

B65B 4312, B65B 4116

53459

An improved packaging machine that has improved features for feeding a web in the form of a continuous chain of bags through the machine while helping maintain the web in proper alignment and proper tension, and having additional features for improved loading of the bags. The improved web feed includes a dancer assembly equipped with a pair of nips that are driven at speeds responsive to the rate of web travel through the machine so that tension between a web supply and the dancer nips is isolated from the downstream portions of the web. A web feed mechanism which automatically threads the web through baggers is also provided. The web feed mechanism includes elastic belts which frictionally grip the web to isolate the tension in the section between the dancer nips and the belts from the tension of the web feed mechanism. Nips adjacent the load station and at the downstream end of the web feed mechanism have surface speeds exceeding the surface speed of the belts to maintain tension on the web through the web feed mechanism and effect a slight pre-opening of the bags before they are delivered to the load station. Other features include a cantilevered support of the web supply and bagger, a bagger support which functions as a plenum, an improved dancer assembly, and improved application of compressed air for bag opening.

5586708, Dec 24, 1996

Jun 8, 1995

8/488791

Bernard Lerner - Aurora OH
Richard W. Hess - Hudson OH
William M. Cronauer - Tallmadge OH
Rick S. Wehrmann - Hudson OH
James D. Kramer - Medina OH

Automated Packaging Systems, Inc. - Streetsboro OH

B65H 2000

226172

A packaging machine that has features for feeding a web in the form of a continuous chain of bags through the machine while helping maintain the web in proper alignment and proper tension, and having additional features for improved loading of the bags. The improved web feed includes a dancer assembly equipped with a pair of nips that are driven at speeds responsive to the rate of web travel through the machine so that tension between a web supply and the dancer nips is isolated from the downstream portions of the web. A web feed mechanism which automatically threads the web through baggers is also provided. The web feed mechanism includes elastic belts which frictionally grip the web to isolate the tension in the section between the dancer nips and the belts from the tension of the web feed mechanism. Nips adjacent the load station and at the downstream end of the web feed mechanism have surface speeds exceeding the surface speed of the belts to maintain tension on the web through the web feed mechanism and effect a slight pre-opening of the bags before they are delivered to the load station. Other features include a cantilevered support of the web supply and bagger, a bagger support which functions as a plenum, an improved dancer assembly, and improved application of compressed air for bag opening.

4928455, May 29, 1990

Apr 28, 1989

7/346376

John L. Gereby - Rocky River OH
Eric P. Gifford - Orange OH
Rick S. Wehrmann - Hudson OH
William M. Easter - Solon OH

Automated Packaging Systems, Inc. - Twinsburg OH

B65B 4326

53570

A tabletop machine for automatically loading and sealing flexible containers such as plastic bags forming part of a chain of bags. The apparatus includes structure for supporting a supply of preformed, interconnected bags which are sequentially fed to a loading station. At the loading station, the bag is inflated by a blower having a shutter controlled outlet so that the flow of inflation air is reduced or terminated during feeding and which provides a blast or surge of air to "pop" the bag open when the bag arrives at a loading station. A residual air stream maintains inflation of the bag. After loading, a clamping mechanism is activated which applies a substantially increasing clamping force as a clamp bar nears a heat sealing unit so that should an obstruction or other obstacle be encountered as the clamping bar moves towards the bag, motion in the clamping bar can be resisted by the obstacle without damage to the obstacle or clamping mechanism. While the bag is clamped to the heat sealing unit, a perforation breaking mechanism comprising a blade-like member driven into the web path intermediate a locked web feed roll and the heat sealing unit causes severance of the loaded bag along a line of weakness formed by perforations. A relatively small, low volume air compressor in combination with a storage tank is used to provide the motive force for fluid pressure operated actuators used to operate the clamping bar and the perforation breaking mechanism so that a single source of electrical power is all that is needed to operate the machine.

5070674, Dec 10, 1991

Jan 29, 1990

7/471850

Bernard Lerner - Aurora OH
James P. Peppard - Newbury OH
Rick S. Wehrmann - Hudson OH
Anthony H. Gates - Atwater OH

Automated Packaging Systems, Inc. - Twinsburg OH

B65B 5706, B65B 4326, B65B 3902, B65B 3910

53 55

A packaging machine and method of packaging utilizing chains of interconnected preopened bags which are fed sequentially and one at a time to a load station. Bag tops are clamped against spreading horns by sensor equipped clamps which cause disablement of a bag filling mechanism unless a bag is properly located at the load station. A bag spreading and transfer mechanism spreads a loaded bag and transfers it to a bag closure station for sealing. The mechanism includes bag-supporting structures for supporting the bag during loading transfer and sealing and for expelling a completed package from the machine.

7897219, Mar 1, 2011

Dec 12, 2005

11/299933

Rick Steven Wehrmann - Hudson OH, US

Automated Packaging Systems, Inc. - Streetsboro OH

B32B 1/02, B32B 1/04, B32B 1/06

428 352, 428 341, 428 357, 428 359, 428 363, 428 369

A preformed web and a method of producing dunnage units from the preformed web. The web is an elongate flattened thermoplastic tube having an inflation edge and an opposite edge. The tube includes spaced transverse seals that define sides of pouches. The tube includes lines of perforations that allow adjacent dunnage units to be separated. A starting point of the lines of perforations is spaced apart from the inflation edge.

6948296, Sep 27, 2005

May 18, 2000

09/979256

Bernard Lerner - Aurora OH, US
Rick S. Wehrmann - Hudson OH, US

Automated Packaging Systems, Inc. - Streetsboro OH

B67B005/00

53476, 53469, 53567, 493967, 493239

A process of forming dunnage is disclosed. A chain of interconnected plastic pouches () are fed along a path of travel to a fill and seal station (). The pouches () are sequentially opened as each pouch is positioned in the fill station. Each pouch is opened by directing a flow of air through a pouch fill opening () to separate a face () from a back () of each such pouch and continuing the flow of air through each such opening to inflate each opened pouch. Each such inflated pouch is then sealed to create hermetically closed and inflated dunnage units (). Novel web and dunnage units are also disclosed.

2003010, Jun 12, 2003

Jan 17, 2003

10/346217

Bernard Lerner - Aurora OH, US
Rick Wehrmann - Hudson OH, US

Automated Packaging Systems, Inc.

B31B001/00

493/464000

A process of and apparatus for forming dunnage are disclosed. A chain of interconnected plastic pouches are fed along a path of travel to a fill and seal station. The pouches are sequentially opened as each pouch is positioned in the fill station. Each pouch is opened by directing a flow of air through a pouch fill opening to separate a face from a back of each such pouch and continuing the flow of air through each such opening to inflate each opened pouch. Steps are taken to control the volume of air in an inflated pouch. Each such inflated pouch is then sealed to create hermetically closed and inflated dunnage units. Novel web and dunnage units are also disclosed.

4969310, Nov 13, 1990

May 12, 1989

7/351702

Hershey Lerner - Aurora OH
Rick S. Wehrmann - Hudson OH

Automated Packaging Systems, Inc. - Twinsburg OH

B65B 4312

53459

A machine and method for loading bags of a preformed web of side interconnected bags. The top of a bag web is slit open and then fed between a pair of belt conveyors. The tops of the bags projecting over the conveyors belts are folded down over them and then gripped by a second pair of conveyor belts. At a load station the belts are spread to open bags sequentially and one at a time for loading. After loading a bag is separated from the web and fed through a sealing section.

5289671, Mar 1, 1994

Sep 30, 1992

7/954305

Bernard Lerner - Aurora OH
Rick S. Wehrmann - Hudson OH
William M. Cronauer - Tallmadge OH

Automated Packaging Systems, Inc. - Twinsburg OH

B65B 5708

53479

A jam prevention device comprises a light beam source that emits a light beam and is located on a main frame structure of a packaging machine in the machine's sealing section. During operation, the light beam is reflected off two reflective surfaces located on a moveable support operably connected to a prime mover. The reflected beam is received by a receiver located opposite the source. A clamping sub-assembly includes a seal bar and a reciprocatable seal pad housing. The housing is spring-mounted on the clamping sub-assembly and substantially surrounds the seal bar. The reflective devices are mounted on the housing. The prime mover moves the clamping sub-assembly towards a heater bar sub-assembly. The housing defines two cavities for receiving the reflective devices. The movement of the clamping sub-assembly brings a loaded bag into contact with the heater bar sub-assembly for the purpose of effectuating a seal of the bag.

4620888, Nov 4, 1986

Sep 4, 1984

6/646954

William M. Easter - Solon OH
Eric Gifford - Cleveland Heights OH
Rick S. Wehrmann - Hudson OH
Dana Liebhart - Cuyahoga Falls OH

Automated Packaging Systems, Inc. - Twinsburg OH

B32B 3100

156 64

An apparatus and method for applying tubular labels to a product container at a labeling station including a reciprocally movable labeling assembly. The assembly is adjustably secured to carriage that is mounted for reciprocating movement at the labeling station. A drive system including a drive cam defining an asymetrical profile is operatively coupled to the carriage by a lever arrangement including a cam follower driven by the drive cam. The profile of the drive cam is configured to have a steep rise and a gradual drop so that the average speed at which the labeling assembly is driven through a label applying strobe is substantially less than the speed at which the assembly is driven through a return stroke thus reducing the stress applied to the label as it is installed. A fluid pressure operated actuator pressurized to a first predetermined pressure exerts a biasing force on the lever to urge the cam follower into contact with the drive cam. A sensor monitors the contact between the follower and cam and de-energizes the drive system and arrests rotation of the drive cam in the event loss of contact between the follower and the cam is sensed.