System and method for sealing containers

Abstract

Systems, apparatus, and methods for sealing containers are provided. [Solution] The device for securing a film to a container includes a main body portion for housing the film and a sealing portion. The sealing portion includes a loading zone for receiving a portion of the film from the main body portion and an opening for receiving the top of the container and a portion of the film passing through it, enabling positioning within the sealing volume. Multiple near-infrared light-emitting diodes (NIR LEDs) face the top of the container and at least partially surround the top of the container when placed within the sealing volume. The controller is configured to receive sensor input from a sensor indicating that the top of the container is within the sealing volume and, in response, activate the multiple NIR LEDs to secure a portion of the film to the top of the container.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] (Cross - Reference to Related Applications) This application is a continuation - in - part of U.S. application Ser. No. 16 / 700,164, filed on Dec. 2, 2019, entitled "Film Securing Apparatus and Method", which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 848,735, filed on May 16, 2019, entitled "Film Securing Apparatus and Method", and U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 775,227, filed on Dec. 4, 2018, entitled "Film Securing Apparatus and Method". The entire contents of each of these are hereby incorporated by reference into this specification.

[0002] (Field of the Invention) Exemplary embodiments of the present invention generally relate to systems and methods for utilizing film to form seals for containers.

Background Art

[0003] i Various systems for automatically securing lids or the like to containers are known. For example, in the beverage industry, a number of automatic lid - securing devices are known. However, many automatic lid - securing devices are not well - suited for interaction with users who do not have extensive training and manual review. Further, such lid - securing devices are designed for industrial applications and do not fit well into commercial retail spaces such as individual applications.

[0004] Another drawback associated with existing lid - sealing devices relates to the limited ability of such systems to accommodate containers of alternative shapes, sizes, and materials. That is, known lid - securing devices are generally adjusted to operate with containers having only a single size and shape or containers with a very limited deviation associated with the size and shape of the container. Further, many lid - securing devices require the use of containers or adhesives of specific materials to ensure proper attachment of the lid to the container.

[0005] There is a need for a film sealing device that can be quickly and conveniently configured to provide sealing for containers of various sizes and shapes. Furthermore, to meet user requirements, the efficiency of such film sealing needs to be improved. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

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[0007] [Non-Patent Document 1] "Clean Step XTC" [online], Clean Step Inc., accessed March 24, 2021, Internet <http: / / www.cleanstep.pl / technologia> [Non-Patent Document 2] James, AJ, “Useful for places where you can't take your shoes off,” March 10, 2021, Internet search <https: / / www.linkedin.com / posts / sayed-saif-pmp%C2%AE-837a063buseful-for-places-whereyou-cant-take-your-ugcPost-6770449686890332161-HHwD> [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] To achieve these and other advantages, and in accordance with the objectives of the disclosed subject matter as embodied and described herein, the disclosed subject matter includes systems, apparatus, and methods relating to exemplary sealing devices described herein. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] Some exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide a film sealing device and corresponding systems and methods for securing a film from a film supply section (e.g., a film roll) at the top of a container. In particular, the container may vary in size and shape but may still be used with the exemplary sealing device. Furthermore, the sealing device may be automated and may simply require the user to place the top of a container (e.g., a cup, bowl, soup container, tray, etc.) through an opening into the sealing portion of the device. Accordingly, the sealing device can detect the presence of the container and automatically secure a portion of the film on the container, thereby providing automatic sealing. Some such exemplary sealing devices provide useful individual container sealing devices that can be used quickly and easily by the user.

[0010] In some exemplary embodiments, a portion of the film can be cut and positioned within a mounting zone in the sealing portion. The user can push the top of the container upward onto the portion of the film, pushing it through the opening to the sealing volume of the sealing portion. The portion of the film positioned on the top of the container and within the sealing volume activates one or more energy radiating elements to fix the film around the opening of the container by thermal shrinkage or the like, thereby forming a sealed lid.

[0011] In some embodiments, the energy radiating element can be a plurality of near-infrared light-emitting diodes (NIR LEDs). The NIR LEDs can be arranged on a printed circuit board, such as in rows, and operated to cause sealing formation. The use of NIR LEDs as energy radiating elements has been shown to provide increased sealing efficiency compared to halogen bulbs. This can lead to a reduction in cycle time, thereby allowing more sealing to be formed (e.g., per minute). Another potential advantage is the increased ability to control the operation of the power output, and / or specific to the NIR LEDs, which allows for changes and unique positioning / arrangement of the NIR LEDs to further increase efficiency when sealing is formed.

[0012] In some embodiments, support rollers may be used to support the film roll that supplies the film in the device, and the support rollers are designed to automatically cause lateral alignment of the film as the film is pulled from the film roll and translated along the film path in the sealing device. In particular, depending on the manufacturing and / or handling, the film roll may not be perfectly straight on its side edges, and therefore, as the film roll rotates on the support rollers, the film may come off at different lateral angles that result in a nip (defined, for example, by the drive roller and pinch roller). However, various components of the sealing device may be positioned and / or designed to operate at specific lateral positions on the film path. For example, a perforator may be positioned to perforate the film at a desired lateral position. Similarly, a printer may be configured to print on the film at a desired lateral position. If the film comes off the film roll at an undesirable angle, the film may not be able to align with such components, which may result in various misalignments (e.g., film printed and / or perforated in the wrong position). Therefore, in some embodiments, the support roller may include an edge shuttle that translates laterally along the axis of the support roller. The edge shuttle may have engagement features that interact with one or more edges of the film roll. A biasing element (e.g., a spring) can bias the edge shuttle toward the center of the support roller, causing the film roll to reposition on the support roller as it rotates, thereby maintaining the lateral alignment of the film when the film is pulled from the film roll.

[0013] In some embodiments, a film roll installed in a sealing device may have an associated radio frequency identification (RFID) tag (e.g., attached to the core of the film roll). The sealing device may include an RFID read / write system configured to read from the RFID tag of the installed film roll. In some such exemplary embodiments, the sealing device may write the current estimated amount of film remaining on the film roll to the RFID tag, thereby maintaining an updated amount of film remaining on the roll. In this way, when the film roll is moved to or reinstalled in a new sealing device (perhaps after exchanging a different film roll for a different product), the sealing device may read the amount of film remaining on the roll and maintain a track accordingly. Such information may be used to help notify maintenance when the amount of film remaining on the installed film roll is low and / or to enable an automatic reordering function. In some embodiments, the RFID tag of the installed film roll may include identification data that enables the sealing device to identify the film. Such exemplary embodiments may be used to control the operation of the sealing device, for example, by enabling and / or disabling various features / components of the sealing device. Such functions may help ensure that proper sealing of the container occurs.

[0014] In some embodiments, a container presence sensor can be used in close proximity to an opening that receives the top of a sealed container. The container presence sensor can be configured to detect the presence of a container and stop or prevent the film from advancing into the loading zone. In this regard, if a container is pushed into the opening before or during the film's advance into the loading zone (which it passes through before entering the opening), the film may jam or bunch, thereby creating maintenance problems and consumable film, which may hinder the user. In some cases, a planned amount of film may be brought into the sealing volume, thus forming an improper seal, which may create an undesirable situation for the user, who intends to discard film and / or have a proper seal on the container. However, by utilizing a container presence sensor, the film's advance can be stopped or prevented, and a corresponding error message can be presented to the user, allowing the container to be removed from the opening to allow the film to fully advance into the loading zone, thereby enabling the user to move the container through the opening to the sealing volume later and form a proper seal.

[0015] In an exemplary embodiment, a device for securing a film to a container is provided herein. The device comprises a body portion for housing the film, a sealing portion comprising a sealing volume for receiving the top of the container, and a plurality of near-infrared light-emitting diodes (NIR LEDs) positioned within the sealing volume such that they at least partially surround the top of the container when the top of the container is positioned within the sealing volume. The sealing portion further comprises a sensor configured to detect when the top of the container is at least partially positioned within the sealing volume. The sealing portion further comprises a loading zone sized to receive a portion of the film from the body portion and position the portion of the film for insertion into the sealing volume at the top of the container. The device includes a controller configured to receive a sensor input from the sensor indicating that the top of the container is at least partially positioned within the sealing volume, and in response to this, to activate at least one of the plurality of NIR LEDs to secure the portion of the film to the top of the container.

[0016] In some embodiments, the controller is configured to operate at least one of a plurality of NIR LEDs for a sealing cycle to fix a portion of the film to the top of the container. The controller is further configured to adjust the energy output of at least one first NIR LED of the plurality of NIR LEDs compared to at least one second NIR LED of the plurality of NIR LEDs during the sealing cycle, such that the operating characteristics of at least one first NIR LED differ from those of at least one second NIR LED. The operating characteristics are at least one of the amount of operating time or the amount of power output.

[0017] In some embodiments, a portion of the film defines a rectangular shape having four sides and four corners. The top of the container defines a circular shape having a perimeter. The four corners of the film portion pass through the perimeter of the top circle at a distance greater than the center point along each of the four sides, such that there is a relative excess of film passing through the top at each of the four corners. At least one of the plurality of NIR LEDs includes at least a first set of edge NIR LEDs and a second set of corner NIR LEDs. The first set of edge NIR LEDs are positioned within the sealing volume close to at least one center point on one side of the portion of the film. The second set of corner NIR LEDs are positioned within the sealing volume close to at least one corner of the portion of the film. The controller is configured to operate at least one of the plurality of NIR LEDs during the sealing cycle to secure the portion of the film to the top of the container. During the sealing cycle, the controller is configured to operate the first set of edge NIR LEDs differently from the second set of corner NIR LEDs. In some embodiments, during the sealing cycle, the controller is configured to operate a second set of corner NIR LEDs to provide a larger amount of energy to a portion of the film than the first set of edge NIR LEDs, thereby providing increased energy to a portion of the film corners to promote increased film shrinkage at that portion of the film corners. In some embodiments, the controller is configured to operate the second set of corner NIR LEDs for a longer operating time or at a higher power output than the first set of edge NIR LEDs. In some embodiments, the first set of edge NIR LEDs are positioned within the sealing volume close to the center point of each of the four sides of the portion of the film, and the second set of corner NIR LEDs are positioned within the sealing volume close to each corner of the portion of the film.

[0018] In some embodiments, the top of the container defines a plane corresponding to the container lip. At least one of the plurality of NIR LEDs comprises at least a first set of NIR LEDs and a second set of NIR LEDs. The first set of NIR LEDs is positioned in the sealing volume at a first vertical position corresponding to the plane corresponding to the container lip when the top of the container is positioned in the sealing volume. The second set of NIR LEDs is positioned in the sealing volume at a second vertical position, which is lower than the first vertical position. The controller is configured to operate the plurality of NIR LEDs to fix a portion of the film to the top of the container during the sealing cycle. During the sealing cycle, the controller is configured to operate the first set of NIR LEDs differently from the second set of NIR LEDs. In some embodiments, during the sealing cycle, the controller is configured to operate the second set of NIR LEDs to supply more energy to a portion of the film than the first set of NIR LEDs, thereby increasing the energy below the container lip to promote increased film shrinkage below the container lip. In some embodiments, the controller is configured to operate a second set of NIR LEDs for a longer operating time or at a higher power output than the first set of NIR LEDs.

[0019] In some embodiments, the controller is configured to operate at least one of a plurality of NIR LEDs according to one of a plurality of operating profiles during a sealing cycle to secure a portion of the film to the top of the container. The plurality of operating profiles include at least a first operating profile and a second operating profile. The operating characteristics of the first operating profile differ from those of the second operating profile. The operating characteristics are at least one of the operating time of one or more of the plurality of NIR LEDs, or the power output of one or more of the plurality of NIR LEDs. In some embodiments, an identification sensor is configured to detect identification data related to the film contained in the main body portion. The controller is configured to determine, based on the identification data, to operate at least one of the plurality of NIR LEDs according to the first operating profile during a sealing cycle. In some embodiments, a user interface is configured to receive user input. The controller is configured to determine, based on the user input, to operate at least one of the plurality of NIR LEDs according to the first operating profile during a sealing cycle.

[0020] In some embodiments, the controller is configured to activate at least one of a plurality of NIR LEDs for a sealing cycle to fix a portion of the film to the top of the container. The controller is configured to activate at least one of the plurality of NIR LEDs for less than two seconds during the sealing cycle to achieve fixing a portion of the film to the top of the container.

[0021] In some embodiments, at least one of a plurality of NIR LEDs comprises at least a first set of NIR LEDs and a second set of NIR LEDs. The first set of NIR LEDs is mounted on a first printed circuit board. The second set of NIR LEDs is mounted on a second printed circuit board. The first printed circuit board includes a first thermistor configured to measure the temperature corresponding to the operation of the first set of NIR LEDs. The second printed circuit board includes a second thermistor configured to measure the temperature corresponding to the operation of the second set of NIR LEDs. In some embodiments, a controller is configured to prevent or regulate the operation of at least one of the plurality of NIR LEDs if the first or second thermistor indicates that the temperature is above a temperature threshold. In some embodiments, the first printed circuit board further includes a first heatsink, and the second printed circuit board further includes a second heatsink. In some embodiments, a fan is configured to circulate air around the plurality of NIR LEDs. The controller is configured to activate the fan when either the first thermistor or the second thermistor indicates that the temperature is above a temperature threshold.

[0022] In some embodiments, each of the multiple NIR LEDs operates at wavelengths in the range of 0.75 μm to 1.4 μm.

[0023] In some embodiments, the main body comprises a support roller configured to hold a film roll thereon. The support roller comprises a spindle configured to rotate about an axis. The spindle comprises a contact portion configured to contact the outer surface of the film roll. The support roller further comprises an edge shuttle configured to translate along the axis between a first position and a second position. The edge shuttle defines an engagement feature configured to interact with the edge of the film roll. A biasing element is configured to bias the edge shuttle toward the center of the support roller.

[0024] In some embodiments, the film is housed as a film roll and includes a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag. The RFID tag contains supply data, including the remaining supply amount on the film roll. The device further includes an RFID read / write system configured to read the supply data from the RFID tag when the film roll is housed in the main body. A controller determines the updated remaining supply amount on the film roll and is configured to cause the RFID read / write system to update the supply data on the RFID tag of the film roll with the updated remaining supply amount on the film roll.

[0025] In another exemplary embodiment, a sealing portion is provided for securing a film to a container. The sealing portion comprises a sealing volume for receiving the top of the container and a plurality of near-infrared light-emitting diodes (NIR LEDs) positioned within the sealing volume such that they at least partially surround the top of the container when the top of the container is placed within the sealing volume. The sealing portion further includes a sensor configured to detect when the top of the container is at least partially placed within the sealing volume and a loading zone sized to receive a portion of the film from a body portion and position the portion of the film for insertion into the sealing volume together with the top of the container. When the top of the container is at least partially positioned within the sealing volume, at least one of the plurality of NIR LEDs is activated to secure the portion of the film to the top of the container.

[0026] In yet another exemplary embodiment, a method is provided for securing a film to a container, comprising an apparatus for containing the film and a sealing portion. The sealing portion comprises a sealing volume for receiving the top of the container and a plurality of near-infrared light-emitting diodes (NIR LEDs) positioned within the sealing volume such that they at least partially surround the top of the container when the top of the container is placed within the sealing volume. The sealing portion further includes a sensor configured to detect when the top of the container is at least partially placed within the sealing volume and a loading zone sized to receive a portion of the film from the body portion and position the portion of the film for insertion into the sealing volume together with the top of the container. The apparatus further includes a controller. The method further includes receiving a sensor input indicating that the top of the container is at least partially placed within the sealing volume and, in response, activating at least one of the plurality of NIR LEDs to secure the portion of the film to the top of the container.

[0027] In yet another exemplary embodiment, a device for securing a film in a container is provided. The device comprises a body portion for housing a film roll. The body portion comprises a support roller configured to support the film roll thereon. The support roller comprises a spindle configured to rotate about an axis. The spindle comprises a contact portion configured to contact the outer surface of the film roll. The support roller further comprises an edge shuttle configured to translate along the axis between a first position and a second position. The edge shuttle defines an engagement feature configured to interact with the edge of the film roll. The support roller further comprises a biasing element configured to bias the edge shuttle along the axis toward the center of the support roller. The device further comprises a drive roller and a pinch roller, the drive roller and pinch roller defining a nip configured to receive film from the film roll passing therethrough. The device further comprises a motor configured, when activated, to drive the drive roller to translate the film along the film path toward a loading zone. The device further includes a sealing portion comprising a sealing volume for receiving the top of a container, one or more energy radiating elements, a sensor configured to detect when the top of the container is at least partially positioned within the sealing volume, and a loading zone sized to receive a portion of a film from a main body portion and position the portion of the film for insertion into the sealing volume together with the top of the container. The device further includes a controller configured to receive sensor input from the sensor indicating that the top of the container is at least partially positioned within the sealing volume, and in response to this, to activate one or more energy radiating elements to secure the portion of the film to the top of the container.

[0028] In some embodiments, when a motor is activated and the film is placed in the nip, the film is pulled from a film roll supported by support rollers, and the film roll rotates so that different portions of the outer surface of the film roll contact the contact surface of the spindle. In some embodiments, an edge shuttle is configured to reorient the edge of the film roll as the film roll rotates and aligns the film with the film path. In some embodiments, a perforator is configured to puncture holes in the film as the film is placed along the film path. The perforator is in a fixed lateral position relative to the film path. The edge shuttle is configured to align the film with the film path to ensure that holes are formed at desired perforation locations on the portion of the film that forms the top and seal of the container. In some embodiments, a printer is configured to print on the film as the film is placed along the film path. The edge shuttle is configured to align the film with the film path to ensure that the printed information is printed at desired printing locations on the portion of the film that forms the top and seal of the container. In some embodiments, the edge shuttle is configured to align the film with the film path, ensuring that the film is aligned with a perforator for puncturing holes in the film, a printer for printing on the film, a cutter for cutting portions of the film, and a loading zone for receiving portions of the film.

[0029] In some embodiments, the engagement feature defines a flange that extends radially away from the axis.

[0030] In some embodiments, the engaging feature defines a tapered surface, and the inclination of the tapered surface leads toward the center of the film roll to utilize gravity to help redirect the edge of the film roll.

[0031] In some embodiments, the edge shuttle defines a first edge shuttle, the edge of the film roll defines a first edge of the film roll, and the biasing element defines a first biasing element. The support roller further comprises a second edge shuttle configured to translate along an axis, the second edge shuttle defining a second engagement feature configured to interact with a second edge of the film roll, the second edge being on the opposite side of the first edge of the film roll. The support roller further includes a second biasing element configured to bias the second edge shuttle along the axis toward the center of the film roll.

[0032] In some embodiments, the edge shuttle is configured to rotate freely relative to the spindle.

[0033] In some embodiments, the motor comprises at least one motor configured to operate to drive the rotation of a drive roller and a support roller. The drive roller has a smaller diameter than the support roller so that it operates at a faster rotational speed than the support roller so that it generates tension in the film being pulled along the film path.

[0034] In some embodiments, the motor is further configured to operate to drive the rotation of the spindle.

[0035] In some embodiments, the pinch roller is configured to move between an engaged position with the drive roller to form a nip and an unengaged position away from the nip. The main body includes a cover configured to move between an open position and a closed position. When the cover is moved to the open position, the pinch roller is configured to automatically move to the unengaged position to allow the film to be filled onto the drive roller.

[0036] In yet another exemplary embodiment, a support roller is provided configured to support a film roll for use in securing a film from a film roll to a container. The support roller comprises a spindle configured to rotate about an axis, the spindle having a contact portion configured to contact the outer surface of the film roll. The support roller further comprises an edge shuttle configured to translate along the axis between a first position and a second position. The edge shuttle defines an engagement feature configured to interact with the edge of the film roll. The support roller further includes a biasing element configured to bias the edge shuttle along the axis toward the center of the support roller.

[0037] In some embodiments, the engagement feature defines a flange that extends radially away from the axis.

[0038] In some embodiments, the engagement feature defines a tapered surface, and the inclination of the tapered surface leads toward the center of the support roller to help use gravity to redirect the edge of the film roll.

[0039] In some embodiments, the edge shuttle defines a first edge shuttle, and the edge of the film roll defines a first edge of the film roll. A biasing element defines a first biasing element. The support roller further comprises a second edge shuttle configured to translate along an axis. The second edge shuttle defines a second engagement feature configured to interact with a second edge of the film roll. The second edge is on the opposite side of the first edge of the film roll. The support roller further includes a second biasing element configured to bias the second edge shuttle along an axis toward the center of the support roller.

[0040] In yet another exemplary embodiment, a device for securing a film to a container is provided. The device comprises a body portion for housing a film roll, the film roll comprising a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag. The RFID tag contains supply data, including the remaining supply amount of the film roll. The device further includes a drive roller and a pinch roller, the drive roller and pinch roller defining a nip configured therefor to receive film from the film roll passing therethrough. The device further includes a motor configured, when activated, to drive the drive roller to translate the film along the film path toward a loading zone. The device further includes an RFID read / write system configured to read the supply data from the RFID tag when the film roll is housed in the body portion. The device further includes a sealing portion comprising a sealing volume for receiving the top of a container, one or more energy radiating elements, a sensor configured to detect when the top of the container is at least partially positioned within the sealing volume, and a loading zone sized to receive a portion of the film from the body portion and position the portion of the film for insertion into the sealing volume together with the top of the container. The device further includes a controller configured to operate a motor to advance a portion of the film into the loading zone, determine the updated remaining supply amount on the film roll, and cause an RFID reading / writing system to update the supply data on the RFID tag of the film roll with the updated remaining supply amount on the film roll.

[0041] In some embodiments, the RFID tag includes film identification data. The controller is further configured to receive the identification data corresponding to the installed film roll via an RFID read / write system and, based on the identification data, to perform at least one of the following: enable the operation of one or more components of the device, disable the operation of one or more components of the device, or modify the operation of one or more components of the device.

[0042] In yet another exemplary embodiment, a device for securing a film to a container is provided. The device comprises a body portion for housing a film roll, a drive roller, and a pinch roller. The drive roller and pinch roller define a nip configured to receive the film from the film roll. The device further includes a motor configured, when activated, to drive the drive roller to translate the film along a film path toward a loading zone. The device further includes a sealing portion comprising a sealing volume for receiving the top of a container, one or more energy radiating elements, and a loading zone sized to receive a portion of the film from the body portion and to position a portion of the film for insertion into the sealing volume together with the top of the container. The device further includes a container presence sensor located inside or below the opening or sealing volume and configured to detect the presence of a container. The device further includes a controller configured to receive a sensor input from the container presence sensor indicating the presence of a container approaching the opening, and in response to this, cause at least one of stopping or preventing the motor from moving further into the loading zone while the container is approaching the opening.

[0043] In some embodiments, the container presence sensor is a first sensor. The sealing portion includes a second sensor configured to detect when the top of the container is at least partially located within the sealing volume. The controller is further configured to receive a sensor input from the second sensor indicating that the top of the container is at least partially located within the sealing volume, and in response to this, activate one or more energy radiating elements to secure a portion of the film to the top of the container.

[0044] In some embodiments, the container presence sensor includes a fracture beam sensor.

[0045] In some embodiments, the container presence sensor includes a reflection sensor.

[0046] In some embodiments, the container presence sensor includes a light curtain sensor.

[0047] Some additional embodiments include apparatus, systems, and methods, which include various exemplary embodiments as described herein.

[0048] Therefore, although the present invention has been described using general terms, the attached drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, will be referenced here. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0049] [Figure 1] This is a plan perspective view of an exemplary sealing device according to some embodiments described herein. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a bottom perspective view of an exemplary sealing device according to some embodiments described herein. [Figure 3] This is a cross-sectional side view of an exemplary sealing device shown in Figure 1 along line AA, according to some embodiments described herein. [Figure 4] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional side view along line AA of an exemplary sealing apparatus shown in Figure 1, in which a film roll is placed inside the sealing apparatus and a portion of the film is ready for sealing, according to some embodiments described herein. [Figure 5] This is a side view of an exemplary sealing device shown in Figure 1, in which the main body cover is in the open position, and the arms are also in the open position, according to some embodiments described herein. [Figure 6] This is an enlarged view of a film roll loaded into the exemplary sealing device shown in Figure 1, according to some embodiments described herein. [Figure 7] Figure 1 is an enlarged view of a portion of an exemplary sealing apparatus, which shows an exemplary nip according to some embodiments described herein. [Figure 8] This is a plan view of an exemplary sealed container with a customized message printed on the lid, according to some embodiments described herein. [Figure 9] This is a plan view of some exemplary films usable by the exemplary sealing device shown in Figure 1, according to some embodiments described herein. [Figure 10] Figure 1 is an enlarged view of another part of an exemplary sealing apparatus shown, in which a cutter is shown according to some embodiments described herein. [Figure 11] Figure 1 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of an exemplary sealing apparatus shown, illustrating a sealing volume and a plurality of near-infrared light-emitting diodes (NIR LEDs) according to some embodiments described herein. [Figure 11A] This is an enlarged cross-sectional view of another exemplary sealing device, according to some embodiments described herein, in which multiple NIR LEDs are positioned downward within a sealing volume to secure a film to the top of a container placed within the sealing volume. [Figure 12A] This is a cross-sectional side view of an exemplary sealing device according to some embodiments described herein, in which a container is positioned below the opening and is ready for sealing. [Figure 12B] Figure 12A shows a partial side cross-sectional view of an exemplary sealing device according to some embodiments described herein, in which a container is partially placed within a sealing volume and a portion of the film is sealed over the top of the container. [Figure 12C] Figure 12A shows a partial side cross-sectional view of an exemplary sealing device, according to some embodiments described herein, with the sealing container removed from the opening. [Figure 13A] This is an enlarged view showing an exemplary container presence sensor adjacent to the opening for the sealing portion of an exemplary sealing device shown in Figure 1, according to some embodiments described herein. [Figure 13B] This is an enlarged view showing an exemplary container arranged to be detected by the container presence sensor shown in Figure 13A, according to some embodiments described herein. [Figure 14A] This specification shows an exemplary single-sided roll of a film roll mounted on an exemplary support roller, according to some embodiments described herein. [Figure 14B] This specification shows a schematic representation of film from one roll of a film roll supplied along a film path in an exemplary sealing device, according to several embodiments described herein. [Figure 15A] Figure 14A shows an exemplary single-sided roll of a film roll mounted on an exemplary support roller, in which the roll rotates on the support roller, according to some embodiments described herein. [Figure 15B] Figure 14B schematically shows one side roll of a film roll, as described herein, rotating on a support roller, from which the film is fed along a film path in an exemplary sealing device. [Figure 16] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of the main body of an exemplary sealing device, showing an exemplary support roller according to some embodiments described herein. [Figure 17] Figure 16 is a front view of an exemplary support roller according to some embodiments described herein. [Figure 17A] Figure 16 shows an exemplary support roller along line BB, according to some embodiments described herein. [Figure 18A] Figure 17 shows an exemplary single-sided roll of a film roll mounted on a support roller, according to some embodiments described herein. [Figure 18B] This specification shows an exemplary single-sided roll of a film roll mounted on a support roller shown in Figure 17 after the film roll has been rotated, according to some embodiments described herein. [Figure 19A] This specification shows a front right perspective view of an exemplary fixed assembly according to several embodiments described herein. [Figure 19B] This specification shows a rear left perspective view of an exemplary fixed assembly according to several embodiments described herein. [Figure 20] This is a partial perspective view of a fixed assembly in which a sensor is shown, according to some embodiments described herein. [Figure 20A] This is a partial perspective view of a fixed assembly in which multiple NIR LEDs are mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB), as shown in some embodiments described herein. [Figure 20B] Figure 19A is a partial plan view of a fixed assembly showing an exemplary circular sealing volume according to some embodiments described herein. [Figure 21A] A portion of the fixed assembly shown in Figure 20B, separated for illustrative purposes, according to some embodiments described herein, is shown along with a portion of the film and a circle corresponding to the shape of the top of the container to be sealed. [Figure 21B] Figure 20B shows a portion of the fixed assembly, stacked together for illustrative purposes, according to some embodiments described herein, along with a portion of the film and a circle corresponding to the shape of the top of the container to be sealed. [Figure 22] This is a partial bottom perspective view of a fixed assembly showing different rows of NIR LEDs according to some embodiments described herein. [Figure 22A] This specification shows two sets of corner NIR LEDs and one set of edge NIR LEDs for sealing volumes according to several embodiments described herein. [Figure 23] A block diagram is shown of an exemplary system utilizing an exemplary sealing device according to several embodiments described herein. [Figure 24] A flowchart illustrating an exemplary method for operating an exemplary sealing device according to several embodiments described herein is shown. [Figure 25] A flowchart illustrating an exemplary method for preventing supply errors in an exemplary sealing device, according to several embodiments described herein, is shown. [Figure 26] This specification shows flowcharts of exemplary methods for reading from and writing to RFID tags on a film roll installed in an exemplary sealing device, according to several embodiments described herein. [Figure 27] This specification shows flowcharts of exemplary methods for operating exemplary sealing devices that utilize RFID tags associated with installed film rolls, according to several embodiments described herein. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0050] With reference to the accompanying drawings, which show some, though not all, exemplary embodiments, several exemplary embodiments are described below in more detail. In fact, the embodiments described and illustrated herein should not be construed as limiting the scope, applicability, or configuration of this disclosure. Rather, these exemplary embodiments are provided to satisfy the legal requirements to which this disclosure is applicable. Similar reference numbers refer to similar elements throughout.

[0051] According to the disclosed subject matter, an apparatus is provided for fixing a film to a container to at least partially cover and / or block the flow from the container, thereby forming a sealed portion of the container (e.g., a fully sealed portion, a partially sealed portion, etc.).

[0052] Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the exemplary sealing device 100 may include a main body portion 200 and a sealing portion 300.

[0053] The main body portion 200 may include a main body housing 204, which includes a main body base 207 and a main body cover 205, and any other suitable structure therein for housing various components. The main body cover 205 may be coupled to the main body base 207, for example, by hinges, screws, positioning, or other coupling devices, or further or alternatively, rotatably by friction and / or gravity alone. The main body housing 204 can improve the usability, safety, aesthetics, and other characteristics of the device 100. For example, the main body housing 204 can improve usability by reducing the amount of debris entering the main body portion 200. The main body housing 204 can contribute to the safe operation of the device, for example, by reducing the possibility of physical contact with internal components. The main body housing 204 may be sized and / or shaped to accommodate a film roll used for fixing to a container.

[0054] The main body portion 200 may include one or more components of the sealing device 100 as described herein. Referring to Figure 2, a plug 209 and a corresponding electrical cord may extend from the main body portion 200, allowing access to an external power source (e.g., plugged into an external power outlet).

[0055] The sealing portion 300 may also include one or more components of the apparatus 100 as described herein.

[0056] The sealing portion 300 can define, for example, a molded housing 305 that can define a container receiving volume 329. The container receiving volume 329 can be sized to facilitate the positioning of the container, such as for insertion into an opening 325 defined in the sealing portion 300 (shown in Figure 2). In some embodiments, one or more indicators 327 may be used to position the container to initiate the formation of the seal or to provide a command or instruction for where to operate the container.

[0057] The sealing portion 300 may also include a container presence sensor 390, such as one formed by a transmitter 391 and a receiver 392. As further described herein, the container presence sensor 390 may be configured to detect the presence or absence of a container and may be positioned in close proximity to the opening 325 (for example, directly below or inside).

[0058] The device 100 can be configured to receive inputs and commands. Such inputs and commands can be achieved by a user interface operably coupled with the device. Alternatively or additionally, the device can be configured to receive inputs and commands remotely or wirelessly from a user and / or a remote electronic device.

[0059] In some embodiments, the sealed portion 300 includes a user interface 310 for receiving user input and commands and / or providing information to the user. The user interface 310 may include a display 311, which may be a touchscreen display enabling the reception of user input. In some embodiments, the user interface 310 may be formed by one or more other interfaces, such as one or more light-emitting diodes, lights, rotary indicators, sound devices, actuation indicators, smart devices, push buttons, levers, dials, or virtual inputs on a graphical user interface.

[0060] The user interface 310 can provide the user with various information. For example, the user interface 310 can indicate the status or mode of the device 100. For example, the user interface 310 can indicate that the device 100 is in a ready state, fixed state, ready state, or another state. Additionally or alternatively, the user interface 310 may, as needed, indicate how many cycles the device has run since a reset, the status of adjustable settings, repair information, warnings such as replacing the film roll, ink levels, error messages, and / or other information about the device. For example, during operation of the device 100, the user interface 310 can indicate the completion of a sealing cycle.

[0061] In some embodiments, the user interface 310 may be configured to display and receive user input, such as one or more user selections. For example, in some embodiments, a user may be able to select and / or provide instructions for the apparatus 100. As an example, the user interface may display printing options for the user to select (such as by a printer as described herein) for printing on the film. In some embodiments, the user may be able to input a desired message for printing on the film. In such embodiments, the resulting sealed lid includes the message and / or image selected by the user. As another example, the user may select a desired product within the sealed container. Such a selection can result in specific operating parameters being applied to the next sealing cycle, such as for use when sealing the corresponding container. For example, in the case of a cold beverage, it may be desirable to include a puncture for sealing (such as in the case of a straw), and thus the apparatus 100 can utilize a punch to puncture such a hole in the film for use when sealing a container containing a cold beverage. Such instructions can be provided via the user interface 310 and / or can be applied automatically (such as based on identification of the film, based on selection of a beverage profile, based on the last sealing cycle, etc.).

[0062] [[ID=^4]]In some embodiments, as further described herein, the apparatus 100 may further include at least one controller 30 (shown in FIG. 23) that can be disposed therein and / or configured to cooperate with an external computer or apparatus. The controller 30 can be configured to control the operation of the apparatus 100 and / or its various components. In some embodiments, the controller 30 can communicate with the user interface 310, such as to receive user input and / or to present information to the user.

[0063] Returning to FIG. 1, the apparatus 100 may include a thermal management system, such as within the sealing portion 300 and / or the body portion 200. Thus, the housing 305 of the sealing portion 300 may include one or more ventilation holes 307 to allow for the flow of air between the interior of the housing 305 and the external environment, for example, to manage the heat within the housing 305. In some embodiments, the body housing 204 of the body portion 200 may include one or more ventilation holes.

[0064] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side view of the apparatus 100 according to the disclosed subject matter. As shown, the sealing portion 300 can be disposed adjacent to the body portion 200 on the front face of the apparatus 100. The body portion 200 can be positioned at the rear of the apparatus. As further described herein, referring to FIG. 4, the body portion 200 can house a film supply, such as a film roll 500, that can supply the sealing portion 300 (e.g., along the film path 211).

[0065] Referring to Figure 5, the main body cover 205 can be opened (e.g., relative to the main body base 207) to allow removal and / or installation of the film roll 500. With the main body cover 205 in the open position, the film roll 500 can be positioned on one or more support rollers 210, 215. The arm 255, including the pinch roller 230, may be lifted to move the pinch roller 230 from an engaged position (forming a nip 236 with the drive roller 235) to a disengaged position, allowing the leading edge of the film to be fed from the film roll 500 along the film path 211. In particular, the user can pull the film away from the film roll 500 and position it on at least the drive roller 235. When the arm 255 is closed with the film in that position (e.g., along the film path 211), the pinch roller 230 grips the film between itself and the drive roller 235, forming a nip 236 together (as shown in Figure 4). With the film inside the nip 236, the motor 213 can be operated to rotate the film roll and / or pull the film away from the film roll 500 and translate it along the film path 211. In some embodiments, the arm 255 may be attached to the main body cover 204 (for example, via a mounting function 256) such that when the main body cover 204 is moved to the open position, the arm 255 also moves to the open position.

[0066] Returning to Figures 3 and 4, the main body 200 may comprise various components, including, for example, a first support roller 210 and a second support roller 215, a first pinch roller 230 and a first drive roller 235 (defining a first nip 236 when in contact with each other), a puncturer 220 having a puncture tip 225, a printer 250, a second pinch roller 230' and a second drive roller 235' (defining a second nip 236'), a motor 213 (for operating the first drive roller 235, the second drive roller 235', and / or the first support roller 210, etc.), a cutter 214, one or more film sensors 240, an RFID reading / writing system 595, and one or more controllers 260. Although illustrated and described as being located within the main body 200, any of these features can be placed in any other suitable location. For example, at least one of the perforator 220, printer 250, second nip 236', and film sensor 240 can be placed within the sealing portion 300.

[0067] Referring to Figure 6, the installed film roll 500 may be placed on the first support roller 210 and the second support roller 215. That is, the film roll 500 is placed between the first support roller 210 and the second support roller 215 and is rotatable relative to the first and second support rollers (however, other forms of holding the film roll using a roll holder etc. are also intended herein). As shown in Figure 6, the first and second support rollers 210, 215 can support the roll from below.

[0068] In some embodiments, one or both of the film support rollers 210, 215 are rotated via the operation of a motor 213 or the like (e.g., by other driving means such as a belt connection or gears). Thus, the rotation of one or both of the support rollers 210, 215 can impart rotation to the supported film roll. Additionally or alternatively, the force applied to the leading portion of the film 501 by the first nip 236 and / or the second nip 236' can pull the film away from the film roll 500, which can impart rotation to the film roll 500. In some embodiments, one or more of the nip 236, 236' (via corresponding drive rollers, etc.) may be configured to impart a translational film speed faster than the rotational speed of the film roll so as to create tension in the film translating through the film path 211. For example, the motor 213 may be configured to rotate the first drive roller 235, the second drive roller 235' and the first support roller 210. In some such embodiments, the motor 213 can give each roller the same rotational speed. However, the first drive roller 235 and / or the second drive roller 236 may have a smaller diameter than the first support roller 210 so that tension is generated along the film path 211, for example, because the first drive roller 235 and / or the second drive roller 235' are operating at a faster rotational speed so that they pull the film at a faster speed than the support roller 210 forces the film roll 500 on which it is placed to rotate.

[0069] In some embodiments, one or both of the film support rollers 210, 215 can rotate passively due to a non-negligible resistance, etc. In these embodiments, the rotation of the film roll imparts a rotational force to such support rollers 210, 215. In yet another embodiment, one or both of the support rollers 210, 215 can be prevented from rotating. In such embodiments, the lack of rotation causes slippage between one or both of the support rollers 210, 215 and the film roll 500, imparting rotational resistance to the film roll and thereby creating tension in the film between the film roll and the drive rollers 235, 235'. In this regard, in some embodiments, the controller is configured to operate the motor to produce a different rotational speed in one or more of the drive rollers 210, 215' compared to one or more of the support rollers 235, 235 for supplying the film to form tension in the film (this can assist in puncturing and / or printing the film). One or more support rollers are shown upstream of the sealing portion 300, but one or more support rollers can be placed at any suitable position along the film path 211.

[0070] In some embodiments, at least one of the first drive roller 235, the second drive roller 235', and the first support roller 210 can be mechanically rotated (e.g., via a crank mechanism, a rotary driver, a drive shaft, a drive belt, a drive chain, or any other means of applying rotational force). In some embodiments, the first drive roller 235, the second drive roller 235', and the first support roller 210 can be driven together by a motor 213, for example, via one or more gears or one or more drive belts. In some embodiments, the first pinch roller 230 and the second pinch roller 230' can rotate freely in response to torque (however, in some embodiments, one or more pinch rollers can be driven by one or more motors, etc.). Torque can be applied, for example, by friction between the pinch rollers 230, 230' and their respective rotary drive rollers 235, 235', or by friction between the pinch rollers 230, 230' and the film 501. In particular, some of the illustrated embodiments show a gap between the first pinch roller 230 and the first drive roller 235, but some embodiments may allow contact between the first pinch roller 230 and the first drive roller 235. Furthermore, in some embodiments, one or more drive or pinch rollers may be replaced by other driving means such as, among other things, a conveyor belt, a pull drive, or a track.

[0071] Referring to Figure 7, the apparatus 100 may also include a printer 250. The printer 250 may be configured to print any appropriate information (e.g., a message or image) onto the film 501, such as the type of beverage or product (or its symbol or emoji) placed inside a container (e.g., an exemplary image printed on the sealed lid 460 in Figure 8 (e.g., Cola 459)). The printer 250 can be any appropriate type of printer for providing information on the film 501. For example, the printer may utilize laser printing, inkjet printing, laser etching, or any other type of printing suitable for the film 501.

[0072] In some embodiments, a printer 250 can be used to print the same message on the film 501 between multiple sealing cycles. Additionally or alternatively, the printer 250 can be used to print a message on the film 501 in response to input. For example, the device 100 may further include a controller 30 for receiving at least one command. The controller 30 can be operably coupled with the device (e.g., controller 260). Thus, when at least one command is received, the controller 30 can signal the printer 250 to print a determined message on the film 501 associated with at least one command. For example, the message could indicate at least one of the type of content sealed in the container, a trademark, a safety message, or any other suitable message. Alternatively or in addition, the printer may be configured to receive commands wirelessly over a network.

[0073] The printer 250 can be positioned at any suitable location within the device and is not limited to being positioned within the main body portion 200. In some embodiments, the printer 250 may be positioned at a specific lateral position along the film path. For example, referring to Figure 7, the printer 250 may be configured to print on approximately the right half of the film as the film passes along the film path 211 (any lateral position is possible, and in some embodiments, the printer 250 may be movable laterally (or longitudinally) along the film path to enable printing anywhere on the film 501). In some embodiments, the printer 250 can be positioned in the sealing portion 300. For example, the printer 250 can be positioned above the sealing volume 301. The printer may be configured to print on the film 501 immediately before, during, or immediately after fixing. In some embodiments, the shielding plate of the sealing portion may include a print window through which the printer 250 can print a message on the film 501.

[0074] In some embodiments as described herein, the controller may be configured to print one or more messages or icons on the film based on input from an external device / network. For example, the controller may communicate with a remote device / server and receive commands or other data that can cause the controller to print on the film, for example, using a printer 250. As an example, the sealing device 100 may communicate with a point-of-sale (POS) system (e.g., POS system 13 shown in Figure 23). In such embodiments, the POS system may receive an order that may include one or more beverage orders. Accordingly, the controller 30 of the sealing device 10 may be configured to receive data corresponding to the order and, accordingly, control its operation by printing a label on the film to indicate the beverage order (e.g., "Cola" or "Diet Cola"). In some embodiments, the printed message or image may be customized, such as indicating a customer (e.g., "John's Cola" 459 in Figure 8). In such a way, the corresponding sealed lid may contain appropriately printed data that can be used to fulfill the order. In some embodiments, the determination of what to print may be performed remotely from the sealing device 10 and communicated thereto, for example, in a POS system 13 or some other remote system. An exemplary customized lid 460 having a logo 458 and a printed customized message ("John's Cola") 459 is shown in Figure 8. An exemplary system for use with a point-of-sale management system, including exemplary print determination and data management, can be found in U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 212,047, entitled "Personalized Food Service Material Printing Systems," published as U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2019 / 0180392, owned by the assignee of the present invention, and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0075] In some embodiments, a sealing device and / or its components may form part of a beverage forming device or system. For example, a beverage forming device / system may create a beverage order (e.g., mix, fill, dispense, form, etc.), such as pouring a glass of soda, water, coffee, or juice from one or more dispensers. In addition to forming beverages, a beverage forming device / system may use various components / systems described herein (e.g., sealing devices) in conjunction with producing beverages so that the beverage is manufactured for the customer with a sealed lid. In some embodiments as described herein, the sealed lid may include one or more identification messages or images appropriate to the produced beverage.

[0076] In some embodiments, the controller may be configured to cause the printer to print a specific code to provide the operator with one or more instructions, such as the location of a seam, the amount of film remaining in the feeder, or other instructions, depending on certain operating conditions. This may allow the sealing device to warn the operator that, in the case of a seam, a particular film and / or component within the sealing device may be malfunctioning (e.g., due to the presence of a seam). In the case of the amount of remaining film, the operator may be warned that the sealing device may require replacement of the film feeder (e.g., due to an instruction that a small amount of film remains).

[0077] Referring to Figure 7, the apparatus 100 may also include a perforator 220 configured to puncture one or more holes in the film 501 to form a vent hole and / or straw hole for a sealed lid. An exemplary hole 457 formed in a sealed lid 460 is shown in Figure 8. In some embodiments, the apparatus 100 may include a perforator 220 having one or more projections 225 (e.g., a tip, a blade). In some embodiments, the perforator and projections are monolithic so that the perforator is actuated. For illustrative purposes, the projections 225 may imprint on (or through) the film to weaken the film in such a position for ventilation and / or insertion of a drinking straw. The perforator 220 may actuate the projections 225 in any suitable way, such as electromagnetically via a solenoid, hydraulically, a rotary arm actuator, or a linear actuator. In other embodiments, the entire perforator 220, including the projections 225, is actuated relative to the body portion. In other embodiments, the piercer 220 does not include the projection 225. Examples of piercers without projections include air jets, lasers, blast heaters, or any other suitable piercers. In some embodiments, the piercer 220 may consist of two or more spaced projections (e.g., tips, blades, etc.).

[0078] The perforator 220 can be positioned at any suitable location within the apparatus, including being located within the sealing portion 300. In some embodiments, the perforator 220 may be positioned at a specific lateral position along the film path. For example, referring to Figure 7, the perforator 220 may be configured to penetrate the film approximately in the middle (lateral) of the film as it passes along the film path 211 (however, any lateral position is intended). In some embodiments, the perforator 220 can be positioned in the sealing portion 300. The perforator may be configured to puncture the film 501 immediately before, during, or immediately after fixing. In some embodiments, the perforator 220 includes a puncture rod coupled to a puncture tip 225, the puncture rod being coaxial with the guide rod of the fixing assembly 400 and movable relative to the guide rod.

[0079] In some embodiments, a controller (e.g., controller 30 described in relation to Figure 23) may be configured to operate the perforator 220 so that perforations or slits are formed in the film, such as when the perforations or slits move along the film path 211. In some embodiments, the controller may be configured to control the relative position of the perforations or slits on the lid based, for example, on desired operating parameters of the expected product or the film being used. In some embodiments, the controller 30 may be configured to decide whether or not to apply the perforator to the film based on a provided user input. For example, if the user indicates that the contents of the container are hot, the controller 30 may operate the perforator to provide a corresponding vent. In some embodiments, if the user indicates that the contents of the container are cold or not hot, the controller 30 may operate the perforator to provide a hole for use with a straw. In some embodiments, if the user indicates that the contents of the container are not hot, the controller 30 may not operate the perforator to prevent the provision of a vent. In some embodiments, if the user indicates that the contents of the container are frozen, ventilation or use with a straw may be undesirable, so the controller 30 does not need to operate the perforator to prevent holes from being made. In some embodiments, the perforated holes may be provided at any temperature of the contents for ventilation and / or use with a straw, etc.

[0080] Referring to Figure 7, the apparatus 100 may also include one or more film sensors 240 configured to detect one or more indicators on the film 501, for example, to determine the distance the film travels along the film path 211. In this regard, in some embodiments, as shown in Figure 7, the film sensor 240 may include a film signal emitter 241 and a film signal sensor 242 to detect a film sensor window 510 passing between them (although other types of sensors are also intended). An exemplary sensor window 510 is shown in Figure 9. The positioning of the film sensor window 510 may directly correspond to the position of the film moving through the second nip 236'. The film signal emitter 241 may continuously emit an optical signal detectable by the film signal sensor 242. The film 501 may be positioned between the film signal emitter 241 and the film signal sensor 242 so as to block the optical signal when the opaque portion of the film 501 is opaque. However, when the film sensor 240 detects a change in the film, such as when detecting a transparent portion / window of the film or a film sensor window 510, the film sensor 240 can transmit a signal input indicating that the continuous emission of light from the signal emitter has been interrupted. Thus, as the film 501 moves between the film signal emitter 241 and the film signal sensor 242, the film sensor window 510 can allow the transmission of an optical signal to the film signal sensor. When the film signal sensor detects an optical signal or a change in the intensity of the optical signal, it can record that the film 501 has advanced upstream and generate a film sensor input. In other embodiments, the reverse setting can be provided; that is, the film can allow the transmission of an optical signal to the film signal sensor 242 until it is blocked or partially blocked by the film after the film has advanced. When the film signal sensor detects a decrease in the optical signal, it can record that the film has advanced and generate a film sensor input to disable the drive nip.

[0081] In other embodiments, the film sensor 240 may be any sensor suitable for detecting film progression. For example, the film sensor 240 may include, among other things, at least one of the optical sensor, mechanical sensor, and motion sensor described. The mechanical sensor may include a rotation sensor that rotates with the progression of the film and records that the film has progressed when such rotation occurs. For example, the mechanical sensor may record the degree of progression by the amount of rotation. In some embodiments, the rotation sensor may be coupled to a pinch roller 230 to detect its rotation.

[0082] In some embodiments, the motor 213 can be operated according to input from the film sensor 240. That is, in response to the film sensor input from the film sensor 240, the drive rollers 235, 235' can start, continue, or stop their rotation. For example, after a sealing cycle, the rotation of the drive rollers 235, 235' can be started, the film sensor 240 can detect the progress of the film 501, and the film sensor 240 can provide a film sensor input. In response to the film sensor input, the rotation of the drive rollers 235, 235' can be stopped.

[0083] Referring to Figure 10, the apparatus 100 may also include one or more cutters 214 (e.g., film cutters) configured to separate the film 501 into predetermined lengths of film (e.g., a portion of film sized to fit into the loading zone 326 of the sealing portion 300 and designed to seal around the top of the container) (e.g., via one or more cutting sections). For example, Figure 10 shows an exemplary cutter 214 including a drive mechanism 216. The predetermined length of the film may be sized to cover the top opening of the container so that the film can be secured to the container for a preferred sealing portion at the top. In some embodiments, the film cutter is positioned along a film path 211 between the loading zone 326 and a second nip 236' consisting of a second drive roller 235' and a second pinch roller 230'. In some embodiments, the film cutter comprises at least one of a guillotine cutter and a shear cutter. Additionally or alternatively, the film cutter may be equipped with any film separator suitable for separating portions of the film 501 or for at least puncturing the film to form film segments. For example, the film cutter may include a rotary cutter, an air jet cutter, a laser cutter, a blast heater cutter, or any other suitable cutter, tearing mechanism, or separator.

[0084] In some embodiments, a controller (e.g., controller 30) may be configured to control the operation of the film cutter to separate (e.g., cut) a portion of the film from the film roll. As described herein, such control may be based, for example, on the measured distance traveled by the film along the film path 211 and on data conveyed from one or more film sensors 240.

[0085] According to some embodiments, apparatus 100 can be used in conjunction with any suitable type of film. During operation, when the energy emitting element is activated and energy is directed towards the free end of the film, the free end of the film changes shape and thermally shrinks around the upper portion 602 (e.g., lip) of the container 600, as shown in FIG. 12A and further described herein. Suitable films include those that will shrink in the presence of heat or radiant energy. For example, the film can be a plastic packaging film that has the ability to shrink when heated and, in some cases, shrink up to near the melting point of the film. These films are generally made from plastic resins such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polypropylene (PP), linear-low density polyethylene (LLDPE), low density polyethylene (LDPE), high density polyethylene (HDPE), copolymers of ethylene and vinyl acetate (EVA), copolymers of ethylene and vinyl alcohol (EVOH), ionomers (e.g., SURLYN (trademark) by E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Wilmington, Delaware), copolymers of vinylidene chloride (e.g., PVDC, wrap, etc.), copolymers of ethylene acrylic acid (EAA), polyamides (PA), polyesters, polystyrene, nylon, and copolymers of ethylene and octene. Additionally or alternatively, the film can be a biaxially oriented thin shrink film having a thickness of 40 to 120 gauge (1.02 mm to 3.05 mm). In another embodiment, the film can be a biaxially oriented thin shrink film having a thickness of 60 to 100 gauge (1.52 mm to 2.54 mm).

[0086] According to some embodiments, the film may further include at least one energy-absorbing material (e.g., a radiation-absorbing layer of ink) on at least a portion of the film. In some embodiments, one or more energy-absorbing materials may be pre-applied to the film by, for example, printing, brushing, spray coating, electrostatic coating, electrodeposition coating, flow coating, roller coating, or dip coating. Additionally or alternatively, materials may be incorporated into the film during its formation or manufacture. In other embodiments, one or more materials may be printed onto the film during the operation of the disclosed apparatus. Such materials may allow or enable shrinkage of the film at desired locations to create a suitable seal. In some embodiments, a reduction or absence of the amount of such material at a particular portion / location of a portion of the film may result in the formation of a partial seal at such portion / location, which may be useful, for example, to allow peeling of the seal (e.g., for drinking and / or pouring). For example, a pull tab may be designed within the seal to allow easy lifting of that portion of the seal. In some embodiments, a corresponding instruction for lifting the pull tab may be provided on the film (and thus the seal).

[0087] The film can be sized to operate within the area of ​​the apparatus. In one embodiment, the film may have a width dimension of approximately 8 to approximately 30 cm. In some embodiments, the film can be cut to a predetermined length dimension of approximately 8 to approximately 30 cm. In some embodiments, the width and length dimensions of a predetermined film may be the same. In some embodiments, a predetermined film may be square, but other shapes are also contemplated herein.

[0088] In some embodiments, the film may have some degree of elasticity. Thus, once the film is fixed to the top of the container and then removed from the container, the removed film generally retains its shape against heat-shrinked edges, and the film can be reattached to the top of the container for fixation. In some embodiments, the film may be pre-printed before being placed in the sealing device.

[0089] Returning to Figures 3 and 4, the sealing portion 300 can be configured to allow a portion of the film to be fixed to the container in order to form a seal on the container. For example, the sealing portion 300 may comprise various components, such as a loading zone 326, a sealing volume 301, and an opening 325. In some embodiments, the sealing volume 301 may be housed within a fixed assembly 400. In some embodiments, a user interface 310 (or a portion thereof) may be housed within the sealing portion 300. Although illustrated and described as being located within the sealing portion 300, any of the features can be located in any other suitable location, such as within the main body portion 200.

[0090] Referring to Figure 11, the loading zone 326 can be sized to receive and hold a portion of the film prepared for use during the sealing process. For example, Figure 4 shows an exemplary portion of film 501a that has been separated from the film using a cutter 214 and is waiting in the loading zone 326 for engagement with the top of a container (as described herein).

[0091] Referring again to Figure 11, the sealing portion 300 may include various features / structures to enable or facilitate the proper positioning of a portion of the film 501a within the loading zone 326. For example, the sealing portion 300 may include an inlet structure 270 positioned close to the cutter 214 to help hold the side of a portion of the film 501a and prevent it from falling through the opening 325. The other side of the portion of the film 501a may be held by one or more ribs 447a-447d spaced apart from each other and positioned on the opposite side of the opening 325 from the inlet structure 270.

[0092] In some embodiments, two or more of the ribs 447a-447d can define varying heights to promote the rigidity of a portion of the film 501a within the loading zone 326, so that a portion of the film 501a can extend across the opening 325 and engage with the top of the container to form a complete seal around the top of the container. In other words, the ribs 447a-447d may be designed to cause a portion of the film 501a to maintain a profile that it retains within the loading zone 326 so that it does not fall through the opening 325 and the edge of the portion of the film 501a extends across the top of the container, thereby allowing the excess film over the top edge of the container (for example, when heated in the sealing volume 301) to be fixed around the top of the container and form a seal. In some embodiments, as corresponding to the illustrated embodiment in Figure 11, one or more of the ribs 447a-447d may increase in height toward the side edge of a portion of the film 501a. In such exemplary embodiments, the ribs 447a-447d can give a desired curvature to a portion of the film 501a, which can enhance rigidity.

[0093] With a portion of the film 501a positioned within the loading zone 326 and ready for fixation, the user can insert the container into the sealing volume 301 through the opening 325 to obtain a seal on the container. For illustrative purposes only and not limiting, Figures 12A–12C show the operation of the device 100 with a typical container 600, such as a disposable beverage cup.

[0094] Figure 12A shows a portion of the film 501a in the loading zone 326 within the sealing portion 300, in a position ready to be fixed to the container 600. To form a seal on the upper part 602 of the container 600, the user moves the container 600 into the opening 325. The upper part 602 of the container 600 presses (e.g., engages) a portion of the film 501a in the loading zone 326 as the upper part 602 of the container 600 moves upward and contacts the shielding plate 315 of the fixing assembly 400.

[0095] Referring to Figure 12B, the user continues to push upward the upper part 602 of the container 600, along with a portion of the film 501a, into the sealing volume 301 of the fixed assembly 400. The shielding plate 315 moves into the sealing volume 301 along with the upper part 602 of the container. The sensor 421 detects the presence of at least a portion of the container 600 in the sealing volume 301, and the sealing cycle is activated. Referring to Figure 11, as further described herein, in some exemplary embodiments, the shielding plate 315 moves upward with the shaft 429, and when the shaft 429 and the corresponding sensor trigger 415 reach a certain position, the sensor 421 detects the sensor trigger 415 as an indication that at least a portion of the container 600 is inside the sealing volume 301. During the sealing cycle, one or more energy radiating (e.g., heating) elements 340 are activated to cause the portion of the film 501a to seal the upper part 602 of the container 600. For example, excess film from a portion of the film 501a may hang down over the top 602 of the container 600 (e.g., the lip). When activated, the energy radiating element 340 can shrink the excess film around the top 602 of the container 600 to form a seal, as shown in Figure 12B. In some embodiments, as detailed herein, the energy radiating element may be a near-infrared light-emitting diode (NIR LED), but other energy radiating elements may be used.

[0096] Figure 12C shows the film 501a fixed in the container 600 before the device 100 supplies the next portion of the film (along the film path 211) to the loading zone 326. The next portion of the film may be perforated and printed and then cut as well as, or according to, different operations, in conjunction with being supplied to the loading zone 326 for the next sealing cycle.

[0097] Figure 11A shows another exemplary fixed assembly 400', in which the energy radiating element 340' comprises a plurality of NIR LEDs mounted on a PCB 343' positioned above the shielding plate 315 in the upper part of the sealing volume 301. In particular, the plurality of NIR LEDs 340' face downward and are arranged on the PCB 343' in a circular pattern surrounding the top of the container when placed inside the sealing volume 301 (other configurations are also envisioned). One or more reflective elements 487 may be placed inside the sealing volume 301 and configured to redirect the energy radiated from the plurality of NIR LEDs towards the top of the container when the plurality of NIR LEDs are placed inside the container. As shown, the reflective elements 487 can define an inclined surface that reflects and redirects energy (e.g., via a mirror, polished surface, etc.). In this regard, any angle or a variety of inclination angles are envisioned.

[0098] A barrier 488, such as a glass barrier, may be positioned above the opening 325 within the sealed volume 301 and configured to receive the shielding plate 315 and / or the top of the container. The barrier 488 can protect the sealed volume 301 and its various components from splashing or spilling of the contents of the container, etc. In some embodiments, the barrier 488 is stationary, while in other embodiments, the barrier can move together with the shielding plate 315, etc. In some embodiments, the barrier 488 may not be present. In particular, similar barriers may be used in other embodiments described herein.

[0099] A single large heatsink 341' can be provided on the opposite side of the multiple NIR LEDs 340' to collect the heat generated by the device and dissipate it based on the airflow over the heatsink 341'. Such a single heatsink 341' enables efficient thermal management due to its size and ability to direct air over it.

[0100] Some potential advantages of exemplary embodiments, such as those shown in Figure 11A, include enabling increased airflow over the heatsink 341', providing more space for other components (e.g., cutters), facilitating assembly, and / or reducing the number of parts. Furthermore, by utilizing a reflective element, optimization for directing the energy radiated from the NIR LED can be improved. Along these lines, in some embodiments, a lens or collimating reflector is placed between the NIR LED and the reflective element to further guide the energy radiated from the NIR LED, for example, before it is redirected by the reflective element.

[0101] While the above description of various embodiments details openings through which the user places the top of the container, in some embodiments the sealing volume may be lowered around the top of the container. For example, the user may place the container on a surface and, in order to initiate a sealing cycle, one or more components of the sealing volume may be lowered around the top of the container. In such exemplary embodiments, one or more components of the device may be movable relative to other components and / or the container, etc.

[0102] In some embodiments, the apparatus 100 may be configured to automatically present the next portion of the film into the loading zone 326 after the completion of the sealing cycle. Alternatively, the apparatus 100 may be configured to advance the film based on a provided command and perform various operations (e.g., puncture, print, etc.), and in some such embodiments, it may wait for such command to be provided (e.g., via the user interface 310, controller 30, and / or remotely) before performing the operation and advancing the portion of the film into the loading zone 326 for use in the sealing cycle.

[0103] In the operating state where the device 100 automatically advances the film and provides the next portion of the film to the loading zone 326 for the next sealing cycle, a user may attempt to insert the container into the opening 325 too early. In such a situation, the advancement of the film into the loading zone 326 may be hindered. For example, the film may jam or get stuck, which can lead to maintenance problems, wasted film, and disappointment to the user. As another example, a user may move some amount of film into the sealing volume. This can cause wrinkles or bends in the film. In some cases, the sealing cycle may be inadvertently started, resulting in a partial seal, which can waste film and / or create an undesirable situation for a user who intends to have a proper seal on the container.

[0104] Accordingly, in some embodiments, the device 100 may include a container presence sensor configured to detect the presence of a container and stop or prevent the film from advancing into the loading zone. The container presence sensor is positioned close to the opening 325 and can detect the container when it is brought near or into the opening 325. The container presence sensor may be configured to send an instruction to the controller 30 to indicate that the container presence sensor has detected a container. The controller can then receive an instruction (e.g., a sensor input) from the container presence sensor and stop or prevent the film from advancing into the loading zone, thereby avoiding or limiting the undesirable scenarios described above.

[0105] An exemplary container presence sensor 390 is shown in Figures 2, 13A, and 13B. The container presence sensor 390 includes a transmitter 391 located on a first side of the opening 325 and a corresponding receiver 392 located on a second side opposite the opening 325. In this regard, the transmitter 391 is configured to transmit a signal 393 across the opening 325 to the receiver 392, as shown in Figure 13A. However, when the container 600 is brought close to the opening 325 (e.g., directly below or inside), the signal 393 is obstructed by the container 600 at 394 and is not received by the receiver 392 (e.g., shown in Figure 13B). Thus, the container presence sensor 390 can transmit an indication to the controller that a container is present. In response, the controller can stop the motor from operating, or otherwise stop or prevent the film from advancing along the film path 211.

[0106] The above example container presence sensor 390 is a fracture beam sensor, but other forms of sensors such as reflective sensors, light curtain sensors, infrared sensors, and mechanical switch sensors are also intended.

[0107] Depending on various factors such as the manufacturing and / or handling of the film roll, the roll may not be perfectly straight at its side edges (e.g., the film roll). For illustrative purposes, Figure 14A shows a front view of an exemplary one-sided roll 700 of film positioned on an exemplary support roller 710. In this regard, the film roll 700 is formed by film 701 wound around a core 702 (shown by a dashed line to indicate its position, but hidden by the film 701 in this figure). As the film 701 is wound around the core 702, the diameter of the film roll 700 increases as each new layer is laid. Whether during roll formation or processing, the various layers of film 701 within the film roll 700 may skew laterally (e.g., to the left or right of the core 702, depending on their relative position to the core 702). For example, Figure 14A shows the uppermost layer corresponding to the outer surface of the film roll 700, with portion 706a (the upper part in this figure) skewed laterally to the left and the corresponding portion 706b (the lower part in this figure) skewed laterally to the right. In this regard, the side edges 700a and 700b of the film roll 700 define a certain inclination (which is approximately linear in Figure 14, but may be any curve depending on which layer crossing the radius of the film roll 700 is inclined and to what extent). In particular, in this figure, the center of the film roll 700 is generally above the center 710c of the support roller 710.

[0108] Figure 14B shows a schematic diagram of a film roll 700 mounted on two support rollers 710, 715, as in the various embodiments described herein (the dashed line 700d indicates the front edge of the film roll 700), with the top layer of film 701 being pulled apart (for example, by force from two drive rollers 735, 735'). As shown, the film roll 700 is generally positioned at the center of the support rollers 710 between a first end 710a and a second end 710b. The film 701 moves along the film path 711 (the boundary of a desired film path is indicated by two thick dashed lines). Generally, a desired film path 711 has a first end 711a, a second end 711b, and a center 711c. In this regard, there may be one or more components designed to operate at specific lateral positions along the film path 711 (for example, considering the transverse axis as indicated by the double arrow LA). For example, the perforator 720 may be designed to puncture the center of the film and therefore may be positioned laterally along the film path 711 at its center 711c. Similarly, the printer 750 may be configured to print at a specific lateral position as shown in the figure.

[0109] As the film 701 moves along the film path 711 (for example, in the machine direction as indicated by arrow MD), it is pulled from the film roll 700, causing the film roll 700 to rotate on the support rollers 710, 715. However, due to the biased nature of the film roll 700 (for example, shown in Figure 14A), when the film 701 is pulled away from the film roll 700, the center of the film roll 700 is repositioned laterally (for example, along arrow C in Figure 15A). In this regard, Figure 15A shows that the center of the film roll 700 has moved to the left in the figure, for example, relative to the center 710c of the support roller 710.

[0110] Referring here to Figure 15B, such a scenario can adversely affect the operation of the sealing device. In this regard, comparing with Figure 14B, we can see that the film 701 enters here at an angle within the first drive roller 735 and is almost inclined along the transverse axis LA as it moves through the sealing device along the machine direction MD. Thus, the center 701c' of the film 701 is offset from the center 711c of the desired film path 711 (as highlighted in 799a). In comparison, looking at Figure 14B, the center 701c of the film 701 is aligned with the center 711c of the desired film path 711. If the film 701 is misaligned with the desired film path 711, various components of the sealing device may be misaligned and perform their operations at less desirable positions along the transverse axis of the film. For example, the perforator 720 may perforate the film 701 at the offset position. Similarly, the printer 750 may print at the offset position on the film 701. In more extreme cases, the film 701 may become bundled, leading to jamming or other maintenance issues. Potential jamming may occur, for example, in the areas highlighted by 799b, which indicate a relatively large degree to which the film 701 is offset from the desired film path 711.

[0111] In the example described above, a single-sided roll was shown, but similar problems can occur even if the film roll is not a single-sided roll, such as the film roll being eccentric. Such situations can occur for several reasons, including improper installation, vibration, and physical movement of the equipment. In this regard, such misalignment (whether from an off-center roll and / or an eccentric roll) can result in a misalignment from the desired film path 711.

[0112] In some embodiments, support rollers may be used to support a film roll that supplies film to the device, and the support rollers are designed to automatically cause lateral alignment of the film as the film is drawn from the film roll and translated along the film path in the film sealing device. Figure 16 shows an exemplary support roller 210 configured along these lines. In particular, the illustrated support roller 210 is positioned to support the front portion of the film roll 500 on it, but in some embodiments, the support roller 210 may be positioned to support another portion of the film roll 500. Additionally or alternatively, multiple support rollers 210 may be used, such as corresponding to the front and rear portions of the film roll 500. As described herein, in some embodiments, the support roller 210 may be driven by a motor 213 to help translate the film from the film roll 500 along the film path 211.

[0113] Figure 17 shows a front view of the support roller 210. The support roller 210 defines a first end 210a, a second edge 210b on the opposite side, and a center 210c. The support roller 210 is located on axis A SR The system includes a spindle 217 configured to rotate around a central point. The spindle 217 may include a contact surface 218 having a relatively raised radius, configured to rotate (or impart rotation) in contact with the outer surface of a film roll placed on it.

[0114] The support roller 210 may also include one or more edge shuttles 280a, 280b. In some embodiments, the edge shuttles 280a, 280b are configured to translate relative to the spindle 217. In some embodiments, the edge shuttles 280a, 280b may be configured to rotate freely around the spindle 217. The illustrated support roller 210 includes a first edge shuttle 280a adjacent to its first end 210a and a second edge shuttle 280b adjacent to its second end 210b. However, in some embodiments in particular, only one edge shuttle may be used. The edge shuttles 280a, 280b each include corresponding engagement features 281a, 281b that project radially and are configured to interact with the corresponding edges of the installed film roll. In some embodiments, the engagement feature 281a is connected to the support roller (A SR This is a flange that extends radially from the axis of rotation of the film roll. For example, referring briefly to Figure 18A, the engagement feature 280a of the first edge shuttle 281a abuts against the first edge 700a of the film roll 700 mounted on the support roller 210. Returning to Figure 17, the engagement feature 281a includes a tapered surface 283 extending downward from the upper end 283a to the bottom edge 283b, the inclination of which generally extends toward the center 217 of the support roller 210. In this regard, its tapered surface 283 can utilize gravity to help redirect the side edge of the film roll.

[0115] In some embodiments, the edge shuttles 280a, 280b may be configured not to contact the outer surface of the film roll. In this regard, the contact surface 218 of the spindle 217 is better positioned than the corresponding surface 288 of the edge shuttle 280a (shown, for example, in Figure 17A) than the support roller A. SR It may extend radially, further away from the axis of rotation.

[0116] Referring to Figure 17A, the support roller 210 further includes at least one biasing element corresponding to each edge shuttle 280a, 280b (e.g., springs 285a, 285b, but other biasing elements such as elastic bands, magnets, etc. are also intended). For example, the first spring 285a is configured to provide bias to the first edge shuttle 280a so as to bias the translation of the first edge shuttle 280a toward the center 210c of the support roller 210. In this regard, the edge shuttles 280a, 280b are configured to translate laterally along the spindle 217 (e.g., as indicated by the double arrow D). In the illustrated embodiment, the spindle 217 includes a stop feature 218a configured to prevent the first edge shuttle 280a from translating further toward the center 210c of the support roller 210 (e.g., through interaction with the corresponding stop feature 284a of the edge shuttle 280a).

[0117] As described above, and also referring to Figure 18A, in some cases a misaligned film roll 700 may be placed on the support roller 210. In particular, the support roller 210 is configured to maintain the alignment of the film roll and the corresponding film drawn from the film roll during the operation of the motor (and sealing device 100). In some embodiments, the support roller 210 is configured to passively maintain such alignment (e.g., without using control signals). Thus, as the film roll rotates, the edge 700a comes into contact with the engagement feature 281a. Due to the taper of the tapered surface 283 and the force of the spring 285a, the engagement feature 281a realigns the edge 700a (e.g., along arrow E) so that the center 700c of the film roll aligns with the center 210c of the support roller 210. Therefore, even after a rotation of 100 to 180 degrees (by a new portion of the outer circumference of the film roll 700 that contacts the contact surface 218 of the support roller 210), the center 700c of the film roll 700 is substantially aligned with the center 210c of the support roller 210, thereby substantially maintaining the downstream alignment of the film 701 along the film path 211. Thus, for example, a perforator (which may be in a fixed lateral position) can form perforations at desired hole locations on the film, and a printer can print printing information at desired printing locations on the film (ensuring that the resulting seal has perforations and printing information at the desired locations). Similarly, a cutter can cut the film in a desired orientation / position. In particular, the buoyancy of the edge shuttle 280a allows for passive alignment as it compensates for variations in the relative position of the edges of the film roll.

[0118] As described herein, the apparatus 100 may include a fixed assembly 400 that is located within the sealing portion 300 (for example, as shown in Figures 3-4). An exemplary fixed assembly is shown in Figures 19A and 19B. In particular, various features / components are described as being located inside or as part of the fixed assembly 400, but any such features / components may be located separately and / or not form part of the fixed assembly.

[0119] As shown in Figures 19A and 19B, the fixed assembly 400 includes a housing 425. The housing 425 can be molded to accommodate (at least partially) one or more features / components of the fixed assembly 400. Furthermore, the housing 425 may be molded to provide one or more airflow channels. For example, the fixed assembly 400 may include an outlet 426 including a fan 304 which can be configured to draw air from inside the housing 425 (e.g., around various heat sinks 341 and PCBs) to expel the currently heated air to the outside environment (e.g., through a vent 307 shown in Figure 1). In this regard, the housing 425 may include an inlet 427 which allows air from the outside environment to enter the housing 425. In some embodiments, the direction of the airflow may be reversible.

[0120] Returning to Figure 11, the fixed assembly 400 also includes a shielding plate 315 that can move up and down within the housing 425. As described herein, when the shielding plate 315 moves upward, the shaft 429 and the corresponding sensor trigger 415 also move upward. While some embodiments described herein detail the shielding plate 315 moving with the top of the container, in some embodiments the shielding plate 315 may remain stationary. For example, the shielding plate 315 may be positioned above the sealing volume 301.

[0121] The shielding plate 315 is positioned above the opening 325 and can lead to a sealed volume 301 as described herein. In particular, the opening 325 and / or the shielding plate 315 may each have a diameter larger than the average diameter of a container such as a disposable drinking cup. In one embodiment, the diameter can range up to about 30 cm, and in another embodiment, it can be about 15 cm. The opening 325 and / or the shielding plate 315 may have any suitable shape, such as polygonal, square, rectangular, elliptical, linear, egg-shaped, circular, or irregular. As detailed with respect to Figures 21A and 21B, the opening 325 may be sized to deflect some corners of the film when the top of the container is pressed through, in order to position an excess film around the top of the container to secure it around the top (e.g., by heat shrinkage).

[0122] Further details regarding the shaft 429 and sensor trigger 415 attached to the illustrated shielding plate 315 are shown in Figure 20. In the illustrated embodiment, the sensor trigger 415 is operably coupled to the shielding plate 315 when the shielding plate is embodied as a movable part. As described above, the sensor trigger 415 can be detected by the sensor 421 when the top of the container (and the shielding plate) has moved to a specific position within the sealing volume, thereby indicating that it is appropriate to initiate the sealing cycle. In other examples, such as when the shielding plate is embodied as a stationary part, the sensor 421 can be located within the device to detect the presence of the container within the sealing volume 301, such as beyond the opening 325.

[0123] The illustrated sensor 421 includes a signal emitter 423 and a signal sensor 422. The positioning of sensor 421 can directly correspond to the position of the shielding plate as it is moved by the container. The signal emitter 423 can continuously emit a signal detectable by the signal sensor 422. A sensor trigger 415 can be positioned between the signal emitter 423 and the signal sensor 422 so that the sensor trigger 415 blocks opaque signals. However, the sensor trigger 415 can further define a window 415a at a given position to allow a signal to trigger the signal sensor 422. Thus, as the signal trigger 415 moves between the signal emitter 423 and the signal sensor 422, the window 415a can allow the transmission of a signal to the signal sensor 422. When the signal sensor 422 detects a signal, it can record that the shielding plate 315 has moved to a specific position within the sealing volume 301, and thus can generate a corresponding sensor input to the controller 30 to indicate that the container is properly positioned within the sealing volume 301.

[0124] In other embodiments, the sensor 421 can be any sensor suitable for detecting the presence of a container in the sealed volume 301. For example, the sensor may include, among other things, at least one of the signal sensor, mechanical sensor, and motion sensor described.

[0125] During the sealing cycle, the controller 30 may be configured to activate one or more energy emitting elements 340 to transfer energy to a portion of the film 501a in order to fix the film to the container 600 (for example, a radiation-absorbing layer of ink on the film can absorb energy and shrink around the top of the container to form a seal on top of the container). The one or more energy emitting elements may be any suitable device that can be configured to emit an appropriate amount of energy to fix the film to the container and form a seal on it. In one example, at least one energy emitting element includes a near-infrared light-emitting diode (NIR LED), but in some embodiments, multiple NIR LEDs are utilized. Other exemplary energy emitting elements include, but are not limited to, light bulbs (e.g., tungsten-halogen bulbs), resistors, cathode ray tubes, light-emitting diodes, carbon filament bulbs, and ceramic heaters. In some embodiments, the energy emitting element may be selected / tuned to a specific component of the film that absorbs radiant heat (e.g., a carbon black pigment or other near-infrared absorbing pigment / dye, which may be a component of the applied coating / ink). For example, a suitable energy radiating element can be selected that emits heat of a type that maximizes efficient absorption from the type of film and / or ink / coating thereon for sealing purposes. In some embodiments, two or more different types of energy radiating elements may be installed in the sealing device, and the most efficient / effective type of energy radiating element may be selected to operate based on the film currently in use (as described with respect to various embodiments herein).

[0126] At least one energy radiating element 340 can be activated via a controller (e.g., controller 30) to radiate energy. In this regard, the term “radiation” may encompass any type of heat transfer to the film (e.g., conduction, convection, radiation, transfer, etc.). The energy radiated from at least one energy radiating element 340 can come into contact with the film, heat it, and cause it to shrink. For example, energy from at least one energy radiating element can come into contact with the film. The shrinkage of the film then fixes or tightly fastens the film to or around the top of the container (e.g., lip, rim, or edge). In this regard, in some embodiments, the film is not bonded or heat-bonded to the container, but rather heat-shrinks around the container. In some embodiments, the film can cooperate with the container to melt and fuse together. For example, the container may include a coating that interacts with the film when energy is ignited therein. While the exemplary NIR LED described emits energy, some embodiments of the present invention envision other types of energy-emitting elements that emit energy through other means such as convection, conduction, heat transfer, and radiation.

[0127] In some embodiments, the apparatus 100 is configured to utilize multiple NIR LEDs as energy emitting elements to cause a portion of the film to be fixed to the container within the sealing volume. As used herein, in some embodiments, the NIR LEDs may be configured to operate at wavelengths in the range of 0.75 μm to 1.4 μm. In particular, in some embodiments, the film utilized absorbs radiant energy at 0.94 μm (which is within the operating wavelength range of the NIR LEDs). Figure 20 shows an example of the arrangement of multiple NIR LEDs 340. In this regard, the sealing volume 301 is defined by multiple NIR LEDs 340 that at least partially surround the sealing volume 301, so as to at least partially surround the top of the container when it is located inside the sealing volume 301.

[0128] In particular, it has been shown that using NIR LEDs as energy radiating elements provides higher sealing efficiency than incandescent bulbs and other energy radiating elements. For example, tests have shown that using NIR LEDs increases overall efficiency to 37.8%, compared to 12.5% ​​with halogen bulbs. While not bound by theory, for the sake of explanation, some notable differences that can lead to such an improvement in efficiency include, for example, the fact that NIR LEDs provide focused energy, while incandescent bulbs spread energy in 360 degrees. Further notable advantages include a longer lifespan compared to halogen bulbs, thereby reducing maintenance. In addition, NIR LEDs do not flicker visible light because their operating wavelength is imperceptible to the human eye. Therefore, there is no irritation to the user from flickering light. A further advantage is that NIR LEDs can be mounted on printed circuit boards (PCBs), allowing for increased effective thermal management options by mounting heat sinks and thermistors in close proximity.

[0129] The advantages described above lead to shorter cycle times, thereby allowing for more sealing to occur (e.g., per minute). Another potential advantage is the improved ability to control the power output and / or the operation of specific NIR LEDs, which allows for variations and unique positioning / arrangement of the NIR LEDs to further increase efficiency when sealing is formed, as described herein.

[0130] In some embodiments, referring to Figure 20, the NIR LEDs 340 can be mounted in rows or similar manner on a printed circuit board (PCB) 343 and operated to cause the formation of a seal. Furthermore, in some embodiments, a heatsink 341 can be attached to the opposite side of the NIR LEDs 340 to dissipate heat from them. Referring to Figures 20A to 20B, in some embodiments, each PCB may have a heatsink 341a to h. Referring to Figures 19A to 19B, the airflow around the heatsink 341 draws its heat away from the heatsink 341 and out of the device 100, thereby enabling further thermal management and reducing the off-time required to cool the NIR LEDs 340.

[0131] In some embodiments, one or more temperature sensors (e.g., thermistors 399) may be mounted in close proximity to the NIR LED 340, such as on the PCB (and in some embodiments, on the same PCB). The temperature sensors can provide the controller with temperature information that can be used to help know the temperature of the NIR LED and to control the operation of the NIR LED and other components of the apparatus 100. In this regard, in some embodiments, it may be desirable to operate the NIR LED only when it is below a specific first (e.g., critical) temperature threshold (e.g., 100°C, 85°C, or another selected temperature). By knowing the temperature of the NIR LED, the controller 30 can know whether to operate the NIR LED or to cool the NIR LED (as may happen when the NIR LED is not operating). For example, if the temperature of one or more NIR LEDs reaches the first temperature threshold, the controller 30 may stop or prevent the operation of the NIR LEDs, e.g., a specific set of NIR LEDs corresponding to the temperature reading and / or any or all of the NIR LEDs.

[0132] In some embodiments, a second (e.g., restart) temperature threshold may be applied so that the NIR LED does not restart operation until the temperature falls below a second temperature threshold (e.g., 75°C, 60°C, or another selected temperature). The second temperature threshold can fall below the first temperature threshold to allow space within the temperature range for additional operation before reaching the first temperature threshold. Such a “margin” allows for variance (e.g., time between uses) or other features (e.g., fan operation) to help maintain a lower temperature.

[0133] In some embodiments, a third (e.g., fan start) temperature threshold can be applied so that the controller 30 is configured to start fan operation when it reaches a third temperature threshold. Depending on the configuration of the fixed assembly, the third temperature threshold may be any temperature and may correspond to, for example, a second (e.g., restart) temperature threshold (although this is not required in some embodiments).

[0134] The above exemplary temperature thresholds are some exemplary features and controls that can be applied to assist in the thermal management of the NIR LED in order to maintain operational capability and provide a desired number of sealing cycles to be completed, such as per minute. In some embodiments, the desired number of sealing cycles per minute is 8 to 10, such that each sealing cycle is 6 seconds or less. In this regard, in some embodiments, the controller 30 may be configured to allow the NIR LED to operate for less than 2 seconds and other operations of the apparatus 100 (e.g., advancing a new portion of the film into the loading zone and separating a portion of the film) to be performed for 4 seconds. This allows the start of the next sealing cycle. In particular, in relation to the other operations for 4 seconds, the apparatus and the NIR LED can also benefit from cooling during that time.

[0135] In some embodiments, the NIR LEDs may be arranged in specific ways, such as to provide efficient sealing during the sealing cycle. For example, referring to Figures 20A-20B, the NIR LEDs may be arranged in rows, and two or three rows of NIR LEDs may be mounted on a single PCB. For example, there may be eight PCBs, four PCBs 344a-344d arranged in the sealing volume 301 facing a corner of part of the film, and four PCBs 346a-346d arranged in the sealing volume 301 facing an edge of part of the film.

[0136] Four PCBs 344a-344d, positioned to face the corners of a portion of the film, can each contain three rows 348a-348c of a total of 19 NIR LEDs (however, any number of NIR LEDs and rows can be used). Such corner NIR LEDs facing PCBs 344a-344d may be referred to herein as corner NIR LEDs 345a-345d. Referring to Figures 21A-21B, it can be seen that the corner NIR LEDs (on corner PCBs 344a-344d) face the corners 511a-511d of a portion of the film 501a (which, in the illustrated example, is rectangular in shape (including squares, etc.)) when it is brought into the sealing volume 301, and secure the film that overhangs around the upper part 602 of the container near the corners 511a-511d. Although the above example shows a rectangular shape, other shapes of parts of the film may be intended and formed, such as by using one or more film separators described herein.

[0137] Four PCBs 346a-346d, positioned to face a portion of the film's edge, can each contain two rows 349a-349b of a total of 13 NIR LEDs (however, any number of NIR LEDs and rows can be used). Such NIR LEDs on the edges facing PCBs 346a-346d are sometimes referred to herein as edge NIR LEDs 347a-347d. Referring to Figures 21A-21B, it can be seen that the edge NIR LEDs (on edge PCBs 346a-346d) face a portion of the film's edge 513a-513d (for example, close to the center point along each edge 513a-513d) when brought into the sealing volume 301 to cause the film to extend around the upper part 602 of the container near the edges 513a-513d.

[0138] It can be seen that beyond the extra film that extends around the upper part 602 of the container near the edges 213a-213d, there is even more extra (e.g., excess) film that extends around the upper part 602 of the container at the corners 511a-511d. Thus, in some embodiments, additional NIR LEDs are placed in the corner PCBs 344a-344d to account for the additional extra material and to provide increased energy to that area (for example, there are three rows 348a-348c with a total of 19 NIR LEDs compared to two rows 349a-349b and edge PCBs 346a-346d with a total of 13 NIR LEDs). Furthermore, in some embodiments, as will be described later, the controller 30 may be configured to operate the corner NIR LEDs 345a to 345d according to different operating characteristics (e.g., different power output and / or different operating time (amount of time and / or position in the sealing cycle)) than the edge NIR LEDs 347a to 347d, for example, to account for additional extra film near some corners 511a to 511d of the film 501a. For example, the controller 30 may operate the corner NIR LEDs 345a to 345d to provide more energy than the edge NIR LEDs 347a to 347d during the sealing cycle.

[0139] As described above, an exemplary advantage of using NIR LEDs is the ability to change the operation to adjust the energy output by changing the operating characteristics of one or more NIR LEDs (e.g., using different power outputs and / or different operating times (amount of time and / or position in the sealing cycle)). In this regard, in some embodiments, the operation of the NIR LEDs can be customized and / or adapted depending on the situation (e.g., among other things, the type of film, the desired sealing cycle duration, the temperature of the NIR LEDs, the characteristics of the contents of the container, the type or shape of the container). For example, only some of the NIR LEDs may be operated. Additionally or alternatively, the power output may vary for one or more NIR LEDs during the sealing cycle (e.g., full output for 1 second and half output for 1 second, but any appropriate variation is intended). In this regard, for example, the controller 30 can be configured to operate the NIR LEDs according to different operating profiles that can correspond to a particular film to be installed (which can be determined from identification information, for example, via the RFID reading / writing system described herein or via user input, such as provided by a user interface).

[0140] In some embodiments, the NIR LEDs may be arranged to enhance the efficiency of securing the film to the container. For example, referring to Figures 22-22A, the NIR LEDs may be arranged in two or more rows on the PCB. For example, edge PCB 346c may include the top row 349a and the bottom row 349b of NIR LEDs (e.g., at different vertical positions). Similarly, corner PCB 344c may include the top row 348a, the middle row 348b, and the bottom row 348c of NIR LEDs (e.g., at different vertical positions). In some embodiments, one or more of the rows may be aligned with an expected plane corresponding to the top of the container. For example, that plane may be designed to align with (e.g., coincide with, drop directly above, or drop directly below) the top row 349a and the top row 348a of NIR LEDs. This leaves the bottom row 349b, the middle row 348b, and the bottom row 348c of NIR LEDs below the top of the container, which can correspond to the places where the film thermally shrinks to itself to secure around the top of the container. In such a respect, the controller 30 may be configured to make the rows operate differently to achieve the securing. For example, the rows below the top of the container may be operated according to a higher output than the rows at or above the top of the container. Additionally or alternatively, the amount of time the rows falling below the top of the container operate may be longer than the amount of time the rows at or above the top of the container operate. In such exemplary embodiments, certain portions of the film may receive additional energy.

[0141] In some embodiments, the device 100 may include a film identification system configured to determine identification information (e.g., detection, reading, comparison, etc.) and / or supply information about the installed film roll. Thus, in some embodiments, the film may include one or more identification markings associated with it. For example, the film may include a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag appropriately positioned or attached to the film roll (e.g., the end of the film, the core of the film, etc.) containing identification information and / or supply information that can be read from there. In some embodiments, the RFID tag may be configured to allow writing of information from a corresponding RFID read / write system, etc. Additionally or alternatively, the film may include one or more markings that can be read (e.g., along the film, such as near the edge). The markings may be specific to the film or type of film and may correlate with the identification information and / or supply information. Some exemplary markings include, among other things, unique marking patterns, barcodes, and quick response (QR) codes.

[0142] Identification information can enable the identification of the type of film and / or the desired product to be manufactured from the film. Therefore, the controller 30 of the apparatus 100 can be configured to determine the corresponding desired operation of various features / components of the apparatus 100 when such film is placed in the apparatus 100. Supply information may include, for example, the amount of film remaining on the roll.

[0143] In some embodiments, referring to Figure 6, the apparatus 100 may include an RFID read / write system 595 positioned in close proximity to the installed film roll 500. The RFID read / write system 595 may be configured to read from and write to an RFID tag 598 (e.g., RFID tag 598) on the installed roll of the film roll 501, which is positioned on the core 502 of the film roll. Thus, the RFID read / write system 595 can read identification data (e.g., corresponding to a unique or semi-unique identification of the film or roll) from the RFID tag 598 and / or supply data (e.g., corresponding to supply information such as the amount of film remaining on the roll) and provide it to the controller 30.

[0144] In some such exemplary embodiments, the device 100 can update the information stored therein by writing to an RFID tag 595 via an RFID read / write system 595, for example. For example, the controller 30 can determine the amount of film remaining on a installed film roll 500. This can be achieved in many different ways. For example, the controller 30 can track the count of the number of times the controller 30 has advanced the film into the loading zone 325 and cut the film. Using a known or estimated starting amount of film on the installed film roll, the controller 30 can estimate the remaining amount of film (e.g., the number of remaining film portions - which may correspond to distance). In particular, the starting amount of film on the film roll can be read, for example, from an RFID tag associated with the film roll. In some embodiments, one or more film quantity sensors can be utilized, such as a weight sensor, a roll radius sensor (e.g., a mechanical paddle, a line-of-sight sensor, an infrared sensor, etc.), or other sensors used to determine the size of the roll or the amount of film remaining on the roll (e.g., the size of the film roll decreases as film is removed from it).

[0145] Using knowledge of the amount of film remaining on an installed film roll, the controller 30 can be configured to use the RFID read / write system 595 to update the supply data of the RFID tag 598 with the current estimated amount of film remaining on the film roll, thereby maintaining the updated amount of film with the roll. In this way, when a film roll is moved to or reinstalled in a new device (e.g., after being replaced with a different film roll, perhaps for a different product), the device 100 can read the amount of film remaining on the roll and continue tracking accordingly. Such information can be used to help inform the maintenance manager of the current amount of film on the roll (e.g., the controller can continue tracking from that point in time or determine the amount of film remaining as described above). In some embodiments, various thresholds for the amount of film remaining can be used to inform the maintenance manager of the amount of film remaining on the roll. For example, if 10% of the roll remains, the user interface 310 can provide a corresponding message or instruction, and / or provide a message or instruction in other ways (e.g., remotely, audibly, etc.). In some embodiments, additional or different thresholds are contemplated. In some embodiments, an automatic or semi-automatic reordering function can be used to automatically order new film rolls and / or set up such orders for approval by the maintenance manager.

[0146] In some embodiments, the RFID reading / writing system 595 may be configured to read identification information from the RFID tags 598 on the installed film roll 500. In some such exemplary embodiments, the identification information may be used to control the operation of the device 100, for example, by enabling and / or disabling various features / components of the sealing device. Such functions can help ensure that proper sealing of the container occurs.

[0147] For example, the controller 30 may be configured to access a database (such as in memory) of approved identification data (e.g., corresponding to identification data read from the RFID tag 598) and determine whether the detected identification data is approved. If approved, then the device 100 and / or various functions / components of the device 100 (e.g., as described herein) may be made available. If not approved, the device 100 and / or various functions / components of the device 100 (e.g., as described herein) may be disabled or modified. Additionally, reports of approved or unapproved film use may be provided to a remote server for data generation and use (e.g., reordering, maintenance, etc.). In this regard, the controller 30 may affect the operation of the device 100 and / or one or more components of the device 100 by enabling, disabling, or changing (e.g., modifying) their operation. For example, the controller 30 can enable / disable / change the power transmission to the device 100 (or its components), enable / disable / change the operation of the motor 213, enable / disable / change the operation of the energy radiating element 340, enable / disable / change the operation of the printer 250, enable / disable / change the operation of the perforator 220, and / or enable / disable / change the operation of various other components. In some embodiments, the current or future sealing cycle of the device may be affected.

[0148] For example, if the detected identification information is not approved, the controller 30 may operate one or more components with reduced or impaired capabilities to prevent further use of the unauthorized film. For instance, the controller 30 may reduce the operating speed of the motor 213, misalign the film with the top of the container, reduce the output or operating time of at least one energy radiating element 340, cause the printer 250 to print one or more messages or images at an offset position on the film, cause the printer 250 to print one or more messages indicating that unauthorized film is being used, increase the delay time between sealing cycles performed by the device 100, or cause the perforator 220 to puncture the film at an undesirable position. More examples include the controller causing an increase or excess of the amount of film used to cause misalignment of feature portions to result in faster depletion of the unauthorized film supply and / or a less desirable final product.

[0149] In some embodiments, the identification information can be read and used to provide information (e.g., characteristics) related to the installed film. For example, various characteristics of the film (e.g., thickness, pre-printed information, etc.) can be determined, and / or various desired operating parameters of the device while it is used with the film (e.g., the time to activate the energy radiating element, what to print on the film, whether to perforate the film, etc.) can be determined. For example, the installed film roll may have a thickness that requires a longer operating time than usual for the energy radiating element to remain active in order to provide a sealed lid. Similarly, the planned seal may be printed with a lighter ink that requires a different operating time than usual for the energy radiating element to remain active in order to provide a sealed lid.

[0150] For example, in response to the determination of identification information, the controller 30 may further determine and trigger a desired operation of one or more components of the apparatus. As an example, the controller may cause at least one energy radiating element 430 to operate according to at least one of a specific time quantity or a specific power output based on one or more determined characteristics (for example, a particular film may require a specific amount of heat for proper shrinkage and sealing). As another example, the controller may operate the motor 213 based on one or more characteristics determined according to at least one of a specific time period or a specific number of detected markings (for example, the film may correspond to a specific product and / or be designed for use with a container of a specific size, thereby it may be desirable to provide a portion of the film of a specific length). As yet another example, the controller may operate the puncher 220 based on one or more characteristics determined (for example, the product in question may not require the puncher to operate, or it may be desirable to utilize the puncher to provide slits / punches at a specific location or of a specified size). As yet another example, the controller may operate the printer 250 based on one or more characteristics determined, for example, by printing one or more messages or images on the film based on one or more characteristics determined (for example, the product in question used with the film may be associated with a specific logo to be printed on the film). In addition to the above examples, other exemplary controllable operations / features are contemplated, among other things, such as providing delays between sealing cycles, controlling fan airflow, controlling motor operating speed, controlling the type and number of energy radiating elements to activate, and controlling the user interface.

[0151] Exemplary system architecture Figure 23 shows an exemplary system / environment in which several exemplary embodiments of the present invention may be employed. System 1 may include an exemplary sealing device 10 (as described herein). The sealing device 10 may be equipped with hardware and / or software capable of performing the functions described herein. In this regard, the device 10 may include a film roll 9 (in some embodiments the film may be a laminate) including a leading edge that extends through the sealing device along the film path 7. Furthermore, the device 10 may include a controller 30 (e.g., controller 260), a motor 22, a memory 32, a communication interface 34, a user interface 36, an identification (ID) system 37, a fan 33, a container sensor 26, and a power supply 39. Furthermore, the device 10 may include a printer 50, a puncher 20, a nip 23, one or more film sensors 25, a cutter 27, and a sealing portion 11, all positioned along the film path 7. The sealing portion 11 may include a shielding plate 15, a sensor 42, one or more energy radiating elements 40, and one or more temperature sensors 31. The user may position the container 6 within the sealing portion 11 to cause the sealing. In this regard, various described components and features of the exemplary system 1 can correspond to components and features described herein with respect to apparatus 100, etc. (among other described embodiments). In particular, some components / features are described within specific parts of apparatus 100, while other components / features are not described, but it is intended that any component or feature can be placed anywhere within system 1.

[0152] The controller 30 may be any suitable means configured to operate according to software or to execute various programmed operations or commands stored in a memory device such as a device or circuit embodied in hardware or a combination of hardware and software, thereby configuring the device or circuit to perform the corresponding functions of the controller 30 described herein. In this regard, the controller 30 may be configured to receive (e.g., via the communication interface 34 or the user interface 34) and / or determine (e.g., based on sensor data) one or more commands to operate one or more components of the device 10. In this regard, the controller 30 is connected to the user interface 36, memory 32, communication interface 34, motor 22, printer 50, puncher 20, film sensor 25, cutter 27, shielding plate 15, sensor 42, energy radiating element 40, temperature sensor 31, fan, container sensor 26, and ID system 37, and can control or trigger their operation. Although shown as a single controller, in some embodiments, various separate controllers (one alone or communicating with each other) may perform the functions described herein.

[0153] One or more motors 22 may be used to drive the nip 23 (e.g., a drive roller) (e.g., by rotation or in other ways) to advance the film from the film roll 9 along the film path 7. In some embodiments, a controller 30 may be configured to operate the motors 22 as appropriate.

[0154] The printer 50 may be configured to print on a film. In some embodiments, the printer 50 includes ink that enables printing, provided, for example, from one or more ink cartridges, tanks, reservoirs, etc. In some embodiments, the controller 30 may be configured to instruct the printer 50 to trigger the printing of various messages and / or images.

[0155] The perforator 20 may be configured to puncture one or more holes in the film along the film path 7. In some embodiments, the controller 30 can operate the perforator 20 to move the perforator 20 toward the film and puncture it, and / or move the film toward the perforator 20 and puncture it.

[0156] The nip 23 may be formed from a drive roller and a pinch roller as described herein. The film path 7 may include a plurality of nip that can be used to generate tension in the film and drive the translation of the film along the film path 7. Other film conveying means and / or variations of the drive roller and pinch roller may be utilized as detailed herein.

[0157] The film sensor 25 may be configured to detect one or more markings on the film, as described herein. The film sensor 25 may be configured to provide sensor data to the controller 30, as described herein.

[0158] The cutter 27 may be configured to operate in response to commands from the controller 30, for example, to separate one or more portions of the film from the rest of the film.

[0159] The container sensor 26 may be configured to detect the presence of a container, such as by being located near an opening leading to the sealing portion 11, as described herein. The container sensor 26 may be configured to provide sensor data to the controller 30.

[0160] The shielding plate 15 may be configured to provide a shielding surface for positioning the container 6 within the sealing portion 11. The shielding plate 15 can provide physical resistance and / or thermal dispersion or other properties to assist in sealing the container 6. In some embodiments, the shielding plate 15 can connect to or interact with a sensor 42 to indicate that the container 6 is properly positioned within the sealing volume and initiate the sealing cycle.

[0161] The energy radiating element 40 may be configured to operate based on commands from, for example, the controller 30 or other sensor assemblies as described herein. In particular, in some embodiments, the energy radiating element 40 may be configured to emit energy to shrink a film over or around the top of the container 6 to form a sealing lid thereon. In some embodiments, the formed seal may be configured to be absolute. In other embodiments, the formed seal may be partially configured so that a portion of the top container is not sealed or is lightly sealed. In such exemplary embodiments, the user can drink from the unsealed portion and / or peel off the unsealed or lightly sealed portion (for example, to facilitate drinking from there and / or pouring through there).

[0162] The sensor 42 can be configured to detect the presence of a container within the sealed volume and provide corresponding sensor data to the controller 30, for example, to initiate a sealing cycle.

[0163] As described herein, one or more temperature sensors 31 may be used to determine the temperature within the sealed volume and / or the temperature of one or more of the energy radiating elements 40. The temperature sensors 31 can provide sensor data to the controller 30.

[0164] The fan 33 may be configured to draw in air from the external environment to help manage the heat within the device 10. The controller 30 can control the operation of the fan 33 as described herein.

[0165] The ID system 37 may be configured to read information from the film roll, either directly from the film or from associated tags. In some embodiments, RFID tags are associated with the film roll 9 and can be read and written by the ID system 37, as described herein.

[0166] The memory 32 may be configured to store instructions, computer program code, approved marking schemes and / or characteristics, and other data / information associated with the device 10 in a non-temporary computer-readable medium for use by, for example, the controller 30.

[0167] The communication interface 34 may be configured to enable connection to an external system (e.g., one or more other systems / devices such as an external network 12 and / or another device 10). In some embodiments, the communication interface 34 may include one or more transmitters configured to transmit one or more signals, for example, according to exemplary embodiments described herein. Similarly, the communication interface 34 may include at least one receiver configured to receive data, for example, according to exemplary embodiments described herein. In some embodiments, the transmitters and receivers may be combined as a transceiver. In this regard, the device 10 may be configured for wired and / or wireless communication. In some embodiments, the communication interface 34 may have wireless capabilities for WiFi, Bluetooth, or other wireless protocols. In some embodiments, the device 10 may be connected to one or more point-of-sale (POS) systems 13 to assist in the execution of food orders (e.g., by forming a sealing lid for use with an order).

[0168] The user interface 36 may be configured to receive input from the user and / or provide output to the user. The user interface 36 may include, for example, a display, keyboard, keypad, function keys, mouse, scroll device, input / output ports, touchscreen, or any other mechanism that allows the user to interface with the system. Although the user interface 36 is shown to be directly connected to the controller 30 and within the device 10, the user interface 36 may alternatively be remote from the controller 30 and / or the device 10. Similarly, in some embodiments, other components of the device 10 may be located remotely.

[0169] The power supply 39 may be any suitable type of power supply, such as a battery (or multiple batteries) and / or an external power supply (for example, one that can receive power from an outlet using plug 209). Power from the power supply 39 may be used to power any of the components / devices used in the apparatus 10.

[0170] Example flowcharts (multiple examples allowed) Embodiments of the present invention provide methods, apparatus, and computer program products for operating exemplary sealing devices according to various embodiments described herein. Various examples of operations performed according to embodiments of the present invention are provided herein with reference to Figures 24 to 27.

[0171] Figure 24 shows a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method for operating an exemplary sealing device according to an exemplary embodiment. In particular, while Figure 24 provides a flow of various operations, the order in which the operations occur is not limited to the order shown in Figure 24 and may vary within embodiments of the present invention. However, in some embodiments, a specific order of operations and / or certain operations may be required, while other operations may be arbitrary, such as those corresponding to embodiments described herein. The operations shown and described in relation to Figure 24 may be performed with the assistance and / or under the control of one or more components of the exemplary systems / devices described herein, such as, in particular, devices 10, 100.

[0172] Method 1000 may include, in operation 1002, detecting the top of the container (e.g., through a shielding plate) within the sealing portion. In operation 1004, the method may include activating one or more energy radiating elements to seal the film to the container. In operation 1006, the method may include printing on the film, for example, one or more messages or images. The method may then include, in operation 1008, using a puncher to punch holes in the film. The method may further include, in operation 1010, operating a motor to cause the film to advance along a film path. In operation 1012, the method may include sensing one or more markings on the film. The method may then, in operation 1014, cause the motor to stop operating to position a portion of the film within the sealing portion. The method may then, in operation 1016, include cutting the film, thereby returning the sealing device to a ready state.

[0173] As described above, in some embodiments, different operating sequences shown in Figure 24 may occur in various embodiments described herein. For example, printing and / or puncture may occur before the energy radiating element is activated. Similarly, printing and / or puncture may occur after the motor has operated to advance the film. In some embodiments, the operations may occur simultaneously (for example, puncture may occur while the motor is operating to advance the film, or sensing may occur while the motor is operating to advance the film).

[0174] Figure 25 shows a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method for preventing supply errors in an exemplary sealing device according to an exemplary embodiment. Figure 25 provides a flow of various operations, and the order in which the operations occur is not limited to the order shown in Figure 25 and may vary within embodiments of the present invention. However, in some embodiments, a specific order of operations and / or certain operations may be required, and other operations may be arbitrary, such as those corresponding to embodiments described herein. The operations shown and described in relation to Figure 25 may be performed with the assistance and / or under the control of one or more components of the exemplary systems / devices described herein, such as, in particular, devices 10, 100.

[0175] Method 1100 may include detecting the presence of a container in operation 1102, such as approaching an opening leading to a sealed volume. Then, in operation 1104, the method may include stopping or preventing the motor from operating to stop or prevent the film from advancing into a loading zone or the like. In some embodiments, the motor can be restarted or enabled once the presence of a container is no longer detected.

[0176] Figure 26 shows a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method of reading from and writing to RFID tags on a film roll installed in an exemplary sealing device according to an exemplary embodiment. Figure 26 provides a flow of various operations, and the order in which the operations occur is not limited to the order shown in Figure 26 and may vary within embodiments of the present invention. However, in some embodiments, a specific order of operations and / or specific operations may be required, and other operations may be arbitrary, such as corresponding to embodiments described herein. The operations shown and described in relation to Figure 26 may be performed with the assistance and / or under the control of one or more components of the exemplary systems / devices described herein, such as, in particular, devices 10, 100.

[0177] Method 1200 may include reading an RFID tag in operation 1202 for purposes such as collecting supply data. In operation 1204, the method may include operating a motor to advance the film into a loading zone or the like. In operation 1206, the method may include determining the updated remaining amount of film on the installed film roll by considering the number of uses by the controller. Next, in operation 1208, the method may include writing the updated remaining amount of film onto the RFID tag.

[0178] Figure 27 shows a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method for operating an exemplary sealing device utilizing RFID tags associated with installed film rolls, according to an exemplary embodiment. Figure 27 provides a flow of various operations, and the order in which operations occur is not limited to the order shown in Figure 27 and may vary within embodiments of the present invention. However, in some embodiments, a specific order of operations and / or specific operations may be required, while other operations may be arbitrary, such as those corresponding to embodiments described herein. The operations shown and described in relation to Figure 27 may be performed with the assistance and / or under the control of one or more components of the exemplary systems / devices described herein, such as, in particular, devices 10, 100.

[0179] Method 1300 may include reading an RFID tag in operation 1302 for purposes such as collecting identification data therefrom. In operation 1304, the method may include determining identification information and corresponding operating modes for one or more features / components of the device 100. For example, various operations of various features / components may be disabled, enabled, and / or changed / modified. Then, in operation 1306, the method includes operating according to the determined identification information according to the corresponding operating mode, etc.

[0180] Figures 24–27 show exemplary flowcharts of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various exemplary embodiments described herein. It will be understood that each block in the flowchart, and combinations of blocks within the flowchart, can be implemented by various means, such as a computer program product comprising one or more computer-readable media in which hardware and / or computer-readable program instructions are stored. For example, one or more of the procedures described herein can be embodied by computer program instructions of a computer program product. In this regard, a computer program product that embodies the procedures described herein may be stored, for example, in memory and executed, for example, by controller 30. As will be understood, such a computer program product may be loaded into a computer or other programmable device to manufacture a machine, such that the computer program product, which comprises instructions executed on a computer or other programmable device, creates means for implementing the functions specified in the flowchart blocks. Furthermore, a computer program product may include one or more non-temporary computer-readable media in which computer program instructions can be stored, so that one or more computer-readable memories can instruct a computer or other programmable device to perform a series of operations on the computer or other programmable device to produce a computer execution process, and as a result, instructions executed on the computer or other programmable device implement the function specified in the flow diagram block(s).

[0181] conclusion Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention described herein will be recalled to those skilled in the art to whom these inventions relate, as they benefit from the teachings presented in the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings. Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments of the invention are not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to fall within the scope of the invention. Furthermore, while the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings illustrate exemplary embodiments in the context of specific exemplary combinations of elements and / or functions, it should be understood that different combinations of elements and / or functions may be provided by alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention. In this regard, for example, combinations of elements and / or functions different from those expressly described above are also conceived within the scope of the invention. Certain terms are used herein, but they are used only in a general and descriptive sense and not for limiting purposes.

Claims

1. A device for fixing a film to a container, The main body that houses the film, The sealing part, A sealing volume for receiving the upper part of the container, A plurality of near-infrared light-emitting diodes (NIR LEDs) are disposed within the sealing volume such that they at least partially surround the upper part of the container when the upper part of the container is placed within the sealing volume, A first sensor configured to detect when the upper part of the container is at least partially positioned within the sealing volume, A sealing portion comprising: a loading zone that receives a portion of the film from the main body portion and is sized to position the portion of the film so as to be inserted into the sealing volume together with the upper part of the container; Equipped with a controller, The aforementioned controller, Receiving a sensor input from the first sensor indicating that the upper part of the container is at least partially located within the sealing volume, In response to the received sensor input, at least one of the plurality of NIR LEDs is activated to fix the portion of the film to the upper part of the container. During the sealing cycle in which the portion of the film is fixed to the upper part of the container, the energy output of the first NIR LED is adjusted relative to the second NIR LED such that the operating characteristics of at least one first NIR LED among the plurality of NIR LEDs are different from those of at least one second NIR LED among the plurality of NIR LEDs. An apparatus in which the aforementioned operating characteristic is at least one of the operating time or power output.

2. The portion of the film defines a rectangular shape having four sides and four corners, the upper part of the container defines a circular shape having a perimeter, the four corners of the portion of the film extend through the perimeter of the upper circular shape by a distance greater than the center point along each of the four sides, such that there is a relative excess of film passing through the upper part at each of the four corners, and at least one of the plurality of NIR LEDs comprises at least a first set of edge NIR LEDs and a second set of corner NIR LEDs, the first set of edge NIR LEDs is positioned in the sealing volume close to at least one center point of one side of the portion of the film, and the second set of corner NIR LEDs is positioned in the sealing volume close to at least one corner of the portion of the film. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein during the sealing cycle, the controller is configured to cause the edge NIR LEDs of the first set to operate differently from the corner NIR LEDs of the second set.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein during the sealing cycle, the controller is configured to operate the second set of corner NIR LEDs to supply a greater amount of energy to the portion of the film than the first set of edge NIR LEDs, in order to supply increased energy to the corner of the portion of the film and to promote increased film shrinkage at the corner of the portion of the film.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to operate the second set of corner NIR LEDs for a longer operating time or at a higher power output than the first set of edge NIR LEDs.

5. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the first set of edge NIR LEDs are arranged within the sealing volume in proximity to the center points of each of the four sides of the portion of the film, and the second set of corner NIR LEDs are arranged within the sealing volume in proximity to each corner of the portion of the film.

6. The upper part of the container defines a plane corresponding to the container lip, and at least one of the plurality of NIR LEDs comprises at least a first set of NIR LEDs and a second set of NIR LEDs, wherein the first set of NIR LEDs is positioned within the sealing volume at a first vertical position corresponding to the plane corresponding to the container lip when the upper part of the container is positioned within the sealing volume, and the second set of NIR LEDs is positioned within the sealing volume at a second vertical position, the second vertical position being below the first vertical position. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein during the sealing cycle, the controller is configured to operate the first set of NIR LEDs differently from the second set of NIR LEDs.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein during the sealing cycle, the controller is configured to operate the second set of NIR LEDs to supply a greater amount of energy to the portion of the film than the first set of NIR LEDs, thereby increasing the energy below the container lip in order to promote increased film shrinkage below the container lip.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to operate the second set of NIR LEDs for a longer operating time or at a higher power output than the first set of NIR LEDs.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to operate at least one of the plurality of NIR LEDs according to one of a plurality of operation profiles during the sealing cycle in which the portion of the film is fixed to the upper part of the container, the plurality of operation profiles include at least a first operation profile and a second operation profile, the operation characteristics of the first operation profile differ from those of the second operation profile, the operation characteristics being at least one of the operating time of one or more of the plurality of NIR LEDs or the power output of one or more of the plurality of NIR LEDs.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising an identification sensor configured to detect identification data associated with the film housed in the main body portion, wherein the controller is configured to determine, based on the identification data, to operate at least one of the plurality of NIR LEDs in accordance with the first operating profile during the sealing cycle.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a user interface configured to receive user input, wherein the controller is configured to determine, based on the user input, to operate at least one of the plurality of NIR LEDs in accordance with the first operating profile during the sealing cycle.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to operate at least one of the plurality of NIR LEDs for a period of less than two seconds during the sealing cycle in order to fix the portion of the film to the top of the container.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of NIR LEDs comprises at least a first set of NIR LEDs and a second set of NIR LEDs, the first set of NIR LEDs is mounted on a first printed circuit board, the second set of NIR LEDs is mounted on a second printed circuit board, the first printed circuit board includes a first thermistor configured to measure the temperature corresponding to the operation of the first set of NIR LEDs, and the second printed circuit board includes a second thermistor configured to measure the temperature corresponding to the operation of the second set of NIR LEDs.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to prevent or adjust the operation of at least one of the plurality of NIR LEDs when the first thermistor or the second thermistor indicates that the temperature is higher than a temperature threshold.

15. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the first printed circuit board further includes a first heat sink, and the second printed circuit board further includes a second heat sink.

16. The apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a fan configured to circulate air around the plurality of NIR LEDs, wherein the controller is configured to operate the fan when the first thermistor or the second thermistor indicates that the temperature is above a temperature threshold.

17. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of NIR LEDs operates at a wavelength in the range of 0.75 μm to 1.4 μm.

18. The main body portion includes a support roller configured to hold a film roll in the main body portion, and the support roller is A spindle configured to rotate around an axis, and including a contact portion configured to contact the outer surface of the film roll, An edge shuttle configured to translate along the axis between a first position and a second position, defining an engagement feature configured to interact with the edge of the film roll, The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a biasing element configured to bias the edge shuttle toward the center of the support roller.

19. The film is housed as a film roll, the film roll is equipped with a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, the RFID tag contains supply data including the remaining supply amount of the film roll, and the device further includes an RFID reading / writing system configured to read the supply data from the RFID tag when the film roll is housed in the main body portion. The aforementioned controller Determining the amount of the remaining supply on the film roll after it has been updated, The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the RFID reading / writing system is configured to update the supply data on the RFID tag of the film roll with the updated remaining supply amount on the film roll.

20. A device for fixing a film to a container, The main body that houses the film, The sealing part, A sealing container for receiving the upper part of the container, wherein the upper part of the container defines a circular shape having a perimeter, and has a sealing volume. A plurality of near-infrared light-emitting diodes (NIR LEDs) are disposed within the sealing volume such that they at least partially surround the upper part of the container when the upper part of the container is placed within the sealing volume, A first sensor configured to detect when the upper part of the container is at least partially positioned within the sealing volume, A loading zone sized to receive a portion of the film from the main body and to position the portion of the film for insertion into the sealed volume together with the upper part of the container, wherein the portion of the film defines a rectangular shape having four sides and four corners, and the four corners of the portion of the film extend through the periphery of the circular shape of the upper part by a distance greater than the center point along each of the four sides, such that there is a relative excess of film passing over the upper part at each of the four corners; Equipped with a controller, The aforementioned controller, The system is configured to receive a sensor input from the first sensor indicating that the upper part of the container is at least partially located within the sealing volume, and to activate at least one of the plurality of NIR LEDs in response to the received sensor input to fix the portion of the film to the upper part of the container, At least one of the plurality of NIR LEDs comprises at least a first set of edge NIR LEDs and a second set of corner NIR LEDs, wherein the first set of edge NIR LEDs is positioned within the sealing volume in proximity to at least one center point of one side of the portion of the film, and the second set of corner NIR LEDs is positioned within the sealing volume in proximity to at least one corner of the portion of the film. The device wherein the controller is configured to operate at least one of the plurality of NIR LEDs for a sealing cycle that secures the portion of the film to the top of the container, and during the sealing cycle, the edge NIR LEDs of the first set operate differently from the corner NIR LEDs of the second set.

21. The apparatus according to claim 20, wherein during the sealing cycle, the controller is configured to operate the second set of corner NIR LEDs to supply a greater amount of energy to the portion of the film than the first set of edge NIR LEDs, in order to supply increased energy to the corner of the portion of the film and to promote increased film shrinkage at the corner of the portion of the film.

22. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the controller is configured to operate the second set of corner NIR LEDs for a longer operating time or at a higher power output than the first set of edge NIR LEDs.

23. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the first set of edge NIR LEDs are arranged in the sealing volume in proximity to the center points of each of the four sides of the portion of the film, and the second set of corner NIR LEDs are arranged in the sealing volume in proximity to each corner of the portion of the film.

24. A device for fixing a film to a container, The aforementioned device The main body that houses the film, The sealing part, A sealing volume that receives the upper part of the container, wherein the upper part of the container defines a plane corresponding to the container lip, A plurality of near-infrared light-emitting diodes (NIR LEDs) disposed within the sealing volume such that they at least partially surround the upper part of the container when the upper part of the container is placed within the sealing volume, wherein at least one of the plurality of NIR LEDs comprises at least a first set of NIR LEDs and a second set of NIR LEDs, the first set of NIR LEDs being disposed within the sealing volume at a first vertical position corresponding to the plane corresponding to the container lip when the upper part of the container is placed within the sealing volume, and the second set of NIR LEDs being disposed within the sealing volume at a second vertical position, the second vertical position being below the first vertical position, A first sensor configured to detect when the upper part of the container is at least partially positioned within the sealing volume, A sealing portion comprising: a loading zone that receives a portion of the film from the main body portion and is sized to position the portion of the film so as to be inserted into the sealing volume together with the upper part of the container; Equipped with a controller, The aforementioned controller, Receiving a sensor input from the first sensor indicating that the upper part of the container is at least partially located within the sealing volume, In response to the received sensor input, at least one of the plurality of NIR LEDs is activated to fix the portion of the film to the upper part of the container. An apparatus configured to operate the first set of NIR LEDs differently from the second set of NIR LEDs during a sealing cycle in which the portion of the film is fixed to the upper part of the container.

25. The apparatus according to claim 24, wherein during the sealing cycle, the controller is configured to operate the second set of NIR LEDs to supply a greater amount of energy to the portion of the film than the first set of NIR LEDs, thereby increasing the energy below the container lip in order to promote increased film shrinkage below the container lip.

26. The apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the controller is configured to operate the second set of NIR LEDs for a longer operating time or at a higher power output than the first set of NIR LEDs.

27. A device for fixing a film to a container, The main body that houses the film, The sealing part, A sealing volume for receiving the upper part of the container, A plurality of near-infrared light-emitting diodes (NIR LEDs) are disposed within the sealing volume such that they at least partially surround the upper part of the container when the upper part of the container is placed within the sealing volume, A first sensor configured to detect when the upper part of the container is at least partially positioned within the sealing volume, A sealing portion comprising: a loading zone that receives a portion of the film from the main body portion and is sized to position the portion of the film so as to be inserted into the sealing volume together with the upper part of the container; Equipped with a controller, The aforementioned controller, Receiving a sensor input from the first sensor indicating that the upper part of the container is at least partially located within the sealing volume, In response to the received sensor input, at least one of the plurality of NIR LEDs is activated to fix the portion of the film to the upper part of the container. During the sealing cycle in which the portion of the film is fixed to the upper part of the container, the system is configured to operate at least one of the plurality of NIR LEDs according to one of the plurality of operation profiles, The apparatus wherein the plurality of operating profiles include at least a first operating profile and a second operating profile, and in the sealing cycle, the operating characteristics of the first operating profile differ from those of the second operating profile, and the operating characteristics are at least one of the operating time of one or more of the plurality of NIR LEDs and the power output of one or more of the plurality of NIR LEDs.

28. The apparatus according to claim 27, further comprising an identification sensor configured to detect identification data associated with the film housed in the main body portion, wherein the controller is configured to determine, based on the identification data, to operate at least one of the plurality of NIR LEDs in accordance with the first operating profile during the sealing cycle.

29. The apparatus according to claim 27, further comprising a user interface configured to receive user input, wherein the controller is configured to determine, based on the user input, to operate at least one of the plurality of NIR LEDs in accordance with the first operating profile during the sealing cycle.

30. A device for fixing a film to a container, The main body that houses the film, The sealing part, A sealing volume for receiving the upper part of the container, A plurality of near-infrared light-emitting diodes (NIR LEDs) disposed within the sealing volume such that they at least partially surround the upper part of the container when the upper part of the container is placed within the sealing volume, wherein at least one of the plurality of NIR LEDs comprises at least a first set of NIR LEDs and a second set of NIR LEDs, the first set of NIR LEDs is mounted on a first printed circuit board, the second set of NIR LEDs is mounted on a second printed circuit board, the first printed circuit board includes a first thermistor configured to measure the temperature corresponding to the operation of the first set of NIR LEDs, and the second printed circuit board includes a second thermistor configured to measure the temperature corresponding to the operation of the second set of NIR LEDs, A first sensor configured to detect when the upper part of the container is at least partially positioned within the sealing volume, A sealing portion comprising: a loading zone that receives a portion of the film from the main body portion and is sized to position the portion of the film so as to be inserted into the sealing volume together with the upper part of the container; It is a controller, Receiving a sensor input from the first sensor indicating that the upper part of the container is at least partially located within the sealing volume, A device comprising: a controller configured to activate at least one of the plurality of NIR LEDs in response to the received sensor input to fix the portion of the film to the upper part of the container.

31. The apparatus according to claim 30, wherein the controller is configured to prevent or adjust the operation of at least one of the plurality of NIR LEDs when the first thermistor or the second thermistor indicates that the temperature is higher than a temperature threshold.

32. The apparatus according to claim 30, wherein the first printed circuit board further includes a first heat sink, and the second printed circuit board further includes a second heat sink.

33. The apparatus according to claim 30, further comprising a fan configured to circulate air around the plurality of NIR LEDs, wherein the controller is configured to operate the fan when the first thermistor or the second thermistor indicates that the temperature is above a temperature threshold.

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