AU606219B2

AU606219B2 - Apparatus and process for the production of a device for dealing with plate-like workpieces or the like

Info

Publication number: AU606219B2
Application number: AU23678/88A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Karl Josef Gaigl; Franz Vossen
Original assignee: Meurer Nonfood Product GmbH
Current assignee: Meurer Nonfood Product GmbH
Priority date: 1987-10-13
Filing date: 1988-10-12
Publication date: 1991-01-31
Anticipated expiration: 2008-10-12
Also published as: AU2367888A; DE3734535C2; DE3734535A1; KR890006379A

Description

S F Ref: 74249 FORM COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1952 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION 6 0

(ORIGINAL)

S r Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: Priority: FOR OFFICE USE: Class Int Class I 1 'i ait s curlect fr Related Art: 9 9 99 9= 99 Name and Address of A,-plicant: Address for Service: Meurer Nonfood Product GmbH Libellenweg D-7760 Radolfzell FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY Spruson Ferguson, Patent Attorneys Level 33 St Martins Tower, 31 Market Street Sydney, New South Wales, 2000, Australia Complete Specification for the invention entitled: Apparatus and Process for the Production of a Device for Dealing with Plate-like Workpieces or the Like The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us 5845/3 iri

DESCRIPTION

The invention relates to an apparatus and a process for the production of a device for detaching portions from workpieces in L plate, sheet or leaf form, in particular sheets of cardboard which are used in the folding box industry and which each contain at least one blank for a folding box or the like and adjoining waste pieces, wherein the latter are moved out of the plane of the sheet of cardboard or the like by means of a breaking-out tool.

;i The production of folding boxes primarily involves dealing with sheet material of cardboard. In an operation which is known as sheet i laying-out, depending on the size of the sheet and the folding box, i, one or more blanks or utilisable portions are produced in the sheet of i cardboard or the like. At any event waste areas or waste portions occur, adjoining the blanks and separated therefrm by desiredseparation lines. Efforts are made to position the blanks in the sheet laying-out operation relative to each other in such a way that the (i amount of waste produced is as small as possible; it will be appreciated moreover that the amount of waste produced also differs when dealing with different blanks.

i 20 After the sheet laying-out operation, the sheet material is continuously stamped and grooved in an automatic flat stamping i apparatus, that is to say, the fold lines, bend lines and desiredseparation lines are formed or impressed in the sheet material. The I waste is then broken out by means of breaking-out tools which engage 1 25 the waste portions at both sides thereof by means of pressure i elements, which clampingly hold such a waste portion and which for ii example draw it out of the plane of the sheet of material.

Breaking-out tools of that kind are known for example from German published specification (DE-AS) No 10 85 759; the waste portion is pushed by means of a plate which is moved perpendicularly thereto, out of the sheet of cardboard on to the head of a stem which is disposed resiliently therebeneath, and is ejected by same. Such a device is comparatively ccmplicated and expensive, especially as a -2sheet laying-out operation not infrequently necessitates the use of one hundred to two hundred individual breaking-out tools. In addition to that high level of capital investment, there is also the disadvantage that the operation of setting the breaking-out tools on a setting table outside the machine which performs the breaking-out operating is to be considered extremely time-consuming.

Similar disadvantages are suffered in a breaking-out apparatus which has two rollers which rotate on both sides on the sheet of cardboard, one thereof carrying radial breaking-out pins, in accordance with German published specification (DE-AS) No 16 11 617.

In the folding box industry, orders recur frequently so that as many lay-outs as possible are retained in order to avoid incurring long setting-up times. For that purpose, for recurrent orders, breaking-out boards with nails which are driven in by hand have long been used as the breaking-out tool, the breaking-out board being screwed fast to the upper 1 tool frame of the machine. That is a highly inaccurate method which results in frequent disorders in the automatic stamping machine.

It is the object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate the above disadvantages.

There is disclosed herein an apparatus to detach waste pieces from a substantially planar sheet, the apparatus comprising: a breaking-out tool comprising a breaking-out plate, a magazine of breaking-out pins, removing and inserting means for individually removing the breaking-out pins from the magazine and partially inserting the pins into the breaking-out plate in a desired pattern corresponding to the locations of the waste pieces, the removing and inserting means comprising a pressure member adapted to move in a direction substantially perpendicularly with respect to the breaking-out plate.

There is further disclosed herein a process to detach waste pieces from a substantially planar sheet, the process comprising providing a breaking-out tool with breaking-out pins which are clampingly fixed in a magazine strip at substantially equal spacing there along, passing the magazine strip into the path of movement of a piston, whereupon the piston detaches a respective breaking-out pin from the magazine strip and drives ARLF/25631 RLF/25631 3 it tip first into a breaking-out plate extending transversely with respect to a direction of striking movement of the piston.

Generally, the magazine strip brings the breaking-out pins into the path of impact of the piston which releases a respective breaking-out pin from the magazine strip and drives it into the breaking-out plate at a precisely predetermined location. During the striking or driving-in operation, the magazine strip is moved laterally away from the piston. The piston or punch may be automatically displaced for that purpose and therewith the above-described parts of the apparatus. The points at which operation is to be effected may be automatically controlled by a o microprocessor.

In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the strip-like 09 conveyor member may be guided in a rail system comprising preferably two c- 40 a Q00 flanking rails and is of a pivotable nature; the rail system is moved S J5 laterally away from the breaking-out pin, for removal thereof, with the pin ON passing through a gap in the rails. The magazine strip which is formed from elastic material is readily curved in that operation.

Advantageously, the magazine strip which is formed in particular from oo, plastic material is provided with lateral clamping members which are ""020 described in greater detail in the claims. Each of the clamping members, 4 09 0*9 in the nature of a slotted sleeve, may accommodate one of the breaking-out pins. For cost reasons the magazine strip may be divided into short S portions each for receiving about five to ten breaking-out pins, the connection between two strip portions being made by means of a pivot or hinge, the axis of which is formed by a breaking-out pin, after the removal of which the empty strip portion falls away and no longer interferes in movement of the entire system.

Typically, besides serving as hinge axes, the breaking-out pins also serve for driving the magazine strip; the shanks thereof are entrained by the teeth of a drive gear wheel.

Typically, in a first working stroke the piston picks up the shank of the breaking-out pin which is supplied cyclically and which was stopped against an abutment, in a sleeve portion of the piston rod, and holds the pin, possibly assisted by magnetic or spring forces, while the conveyor system consisting of the magazine strip and the rail guide arrangement pivots laterally away. Generally, the piston then drives the breaking-out pin automatically into the breaking-out plate at a predetermined point.

S /25631

NMPP__

f t t t r T Z 4 The pin setting apparatus according to the invention may be screwed to the support of a printing machine and thus forms a unit with the movable support. In that arrangement the breaking-out plate lies on the printing table. There is no lorqer any need for separate machines, while in comparison with a manual nailing operation, the level of accuracy is higher, with a faster production process.

Advantageously, the pin setting apparatus is disposed on the support of a movable transverse member which extends over a simple table plate; unlike the above-mentioned situation of fixing it to the printing machine 10 itself, it will be appreciated that it is necessary in this case for the contours of the sheet lay-out to be provided on the breaking-out plate.

When using the hand table or bench, a compass saw may then additionally be provided for producing large openings in the breaking-out, plate, in order to counteract the known suction effect as between the table plate and the breaking-out plate.

Generally, the breaking-out pins are fixed clampingly in the magazine strip at spacings and substantially parallel to each other and are guided with the magazine strip into the path of movement of a piston, whereupon a respecting breaking-out pin is detached from the magazine strip with the piston and driven with its point into the breaking-out plate which extends transversely with respect to the direction of striking movement of the piston. In addition it has been found to be advantageous for the piston to be displaced parallel to its direction of striking movement and/or for it to be guided to a driving-in point by means of a microprocessor. In that case the operation of moving the piston to the driving-in point may possibly be effected prior to the breaking-out pin being removed from the magazine strip.

The breaking-out pin may be provided with at least one substantially axial blind slot and anchoring fingers which flank the slot, preferably with a pair of anchoring fingers which possibly provide cutter-like front edges. Such a breaking-out pin can be easily driven into the appropriate holding plate and is then fixed therein in an operationally reliable manner.

For that purpose it has been found to be desirable for the anchoring fingers to be provided with sloping surfaces which are inclined at an angle inwardly at the end with respect to the axis of the pin. Instead of such surfaces however, other constructions may also be provided with outwardly ii 1 If Ill I

''II

C, IC I 7 L. L inclined clamping surfaces at the front edges. In the first-mentioned case, the anchoring fingers are urged outwardly when the pin is driven in, thus resulting in a V-shaped spread end, while in the other situation the anchoring fingers engage over each other, in which respect additional oppositely disposed inclination which is directed transversely with respect to the sloping surface assists the anchoring fingers in sliding past each other.

In accordance with further features of the invention the cross-section of the anchoring finger may be in the form of a segment or a sector of the cross-section of the shank, while in addition the limb surfaces of the anchoring fingers may preferably extend at a spacing r relative to the axis of the shank.

p: a' Generally, the nailing or breaking-out pin according to the invention oo,, is a cylindrical metal member which is bored into at its end and which is o J5 then machined with a countersink. The member may be then subjected to a Sslitting operation at its end. Nhen that nailing pin is driven for example into a wooden board, the shape of the spreading surfaces, as described above, causes the anchoring fingers to slide away outwardly so that the o o spacing thereof from each other is increased. The material 4 10 4 0 00 0 0 1 i 1 i i

'I

!E

RLF/25631 6 of the support plate or board flows in between the two anchoring f ingers until it reaches the deepest part of the slitted conf iguradon; that deepest part acts like a nail head.

It will be appreciated that, in the construction with the spreading surfaces, it is also possible for a cross slitting configuration to be provided in the metal member at the end thereof, thus forming four anchoring fingers; the number of anchoring fingers is limited only by manufacturing considerations.

In other situations of use it may be desirable for the anchoring fingers not to be allowed to spread outwardly in order for example not to increase the amount of space occupied by the breaking-out pin. In that case, in accordance with the invention, instead of the spreading surface on the anchoring fingers, the pin what are known as 0 04 clamping surfaces which extend in opposite relationship to the 4 0 15 spreading surfaces, that is to say they converge conically from an outside peripheral surface to a longitudinal axis of the nailing pin.

0 That arrangement of clamping surfaces provides that, when the pin is driven for example into a wooden support plate or board, the anchoring t' f ingers are moved towards each other. In order to produce such a clamping action, the anchoring f ingers should be capable of sliding past each other. That is ensured in particular when they cnee a cross-section in the form of sectors. At any event the clamping surfaces must be arranged to extend towards each other. It is prefer-red for the anchoring fingers to be arranged in oppo-sitely disposed sectors of a quadrant so that sufficient space for movement remains between them and in addition there is also a sufficiently large base surface which limi.ts the extent to which the nailing pin is driven in.

Further features, advantages and details of the invention will be apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments and with reference to the drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a plan view of a sheet of cardboard, Figure 2 is a view of a portion from Figure 1 on an enlarged ncale, showing blanks and waste pieces of the sheet of cardboard; Hi 7 Figure 3 is a view in section through a part of the sheet of cardboard which is clamped in a tool for breaking out the waste pieces; Figure 4 is a side view of a magazine strip for accrmnnodating breaking-out pins which are to be fitted in a breaking-out plate; 1i 5 Figure 5 is a plan view of Figure 4; |i Figure 6 is a side view of the magazine strip with an associated pressure element of an apparatus, above the breaking-out plate; Figure 7 is a plan view of a part of Figure 6; ij Figure 8 is a view corresponding to that shown in Figure 6 of other details of the apparatus; Figure 9 is a plan view of a further detail of the apparatus; Figure 10 is a perspective view on to a pin setting table; Figures 11-13 are diagrammatic views of an embodiment of a Sbreaking-out pin and use thereof; and Figures 14-17 show a further embodimen of a breaking-out pin and use thereof.

Fig. 18 is a different furnishing device for breaking-out pins.

Figure 1 shows a sheet of cardboard 10 which in an automatic flat stamping machine has been provided with continuously stamped or grooved blanks or o utilisable portions i2 for the production of flat boxes which are not further shown in the drawings. One of the blanks or utilisable portions 12 is particularly emphasised in Figure 2, and also waste portions 14 remaining between adjacent blanks 12.

I From the automatic flat stamping machine the sheet of cardboard 10 moves I. on to a holding board 16 of a breaking-out station 18; there, each waste portion 14 is clampingly engaged by an upper breaking-out tool 22 which is held on a ii *clamping bar 20 which is gripped in the frame, and a corresponding lower jj breaking-out tool 23 which is also held on a carrier bar 20, and the waste portion 14 jl is broken out through an opening 17 in the holding board 16.

In accordance with the invention the operation of breaking out the waste portions 14 is effected by means of breaking-out pins 30 which, as shown in Figures 4 to 6, comprise a shank 29, a radial collar M3 surrounding same and a tip portion 27, and which are clipped into 8 c-Lamping memnbers 32 of a magazine strip 36 of plastic material; each clamping irenber 32 comprises two gripping ribs 33 which are curved towards each other and which bear against the shank 29 of a respective one of the pins 30, and an associated abutrnent projection 34 for a collar 28 of the respective pin 30. As ohown in Figures 4 and 5, the magazine strip 36 is produced in inexpensively short portions which are A respectively provided at both ends of the strip with hinge portions which supplement each other, namely a central strip 38 which extends parallel to tne edges 37 of the strip on the one hand, and two side strips 39 which co-operate with the strip 38 to form the hinge arrangeme~nt. As the strips 39 and the strip 38 are provided with portions 33 of a clamnping member, one~ of the breaking-out pins, acting a as a hinge axis 30~ can connect two of the magazine strips together (see Figure 6).

The magaz in-e strip 36 with its breaking-out pins 30 which are fitted therein in parallel relationship at spacings e is wound on to a drumn (not shown) and is guided by a rail system 40. A toothed wheel 42 transports the magazine strip 36 and therewith the breaking-out pin cyclically into an operating position in contact with an abutmnent 43 at which the respective breaking-out pin 30 stops.

In that operating position, a piston 44 picks up the breakingout pin 30, with a sleeve portion 45, in a first downward movement. The pin 30 is now held by a spring or by a magnet 47 (which is not shown for the sake of clarity), disposed outside the sleeve portion The entire system of the magazine strip 36 now pivots to the side, in which case the pin 30 passes through an opening 46 in the rail system 40 and is drawn out of the magazine strip 36. The piston, 44 now has the necessary free space to perform its working stroke and to drive the breaking-out pin 30 or the tip 27 thereof into a breaking-out plato which is indicated at 50. The portions of the magazine strip 36 automatically drop into a collecting box 48 after the hinge axis 3% has been pulled out.

9 In the embodiment shown in Figure 10, the pin setting apparatus described is disposed in a steel table 60 of a simple construction. The steel table 60 carries a manually displaceable transverse member 62 with a support 64 which accommodates the pin setting apparatus. For that purpose it is necessary for the contours of the sheet lay-out, for example corresponding to Figure 1, to be provided on the breaking-out plate The steel table 60 can be horizontal or can be associated to an inclination, thus also resulting In a vertical or a respectively suitable piston direction Y of the piston 44.

The shank 29 of a breaking-out pin 30 which is indicated in a a Figure 11 com-prises a metal mmber which is for example of circular cross-section, for example a wire portion or a bolt portion. Two pronglike extension portions are formed out of the free end of the metal memnber, to provide anchoring fingers 52; a central slit 53 of a width V i, about a third of the shank diameter d, separates the two anchoring .fingers 52 from each other. The anchoring fingers 52 are of a segment- 0 15 like cross-section.

The provision of a conical bore surface in the shank 29a, prior to the shank being provided with the slit 53, results in sloping o surfaces 54 which are inclined inwardly at an angle w on the anchoring 0 4& 0 4' fingers 52.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 12 the cross-sections of the anchoring fingers 5 2 are of a sector-like shape, with the tips of 4their limb surfaces 55 arranged at a spacing i on both sides of the shank axis A.

When a breaking-out pin 30 of that kind is driven into a a breal,*ing-out plate 50 or the like carrier plt, material of the breaking-out plate 50 penetrates into the central slit 53 along the surfaces 54 and drives the anchoring fingers 52 outwardly, as shown in Figure 13.

That therefore results in the breaking-out pin 30 abeing anchored by a barb-like configuration in the breaking-out plate which would be destroyed upon removal of the pin 50. In the case of the breaking-out pin 30 b shown in Figure 14, the end surfaces 56 of the anchoring fingers 52 nare inclined outwardly. During the operation of driving the pin 30 a in, the anchoring fingers 52 n slide partly past each other, as shown in Figure 6, by undergoing bending deformation; that results in a kind of clamping effect or stapling action within the material of the plate.

The end or clamping surfaces 56 are produced in a simple fashion, by the corresponding metal member being conically tumrned off, ground or milled at its tip.

Thereupon the metal material is removed bNtween the two anchoring fingers 52 until forming the cross-sectional configuration provided by the two sectors.

The head surface 58 which remains between the pairs of anchoring fingers 52; 52 i 5 2 n of a breaking-out pin 30; 30 a 30 b acts in relation to the material of the breaking-out plate 50 like a nail head; when the surface 58 encounters the surface 51 of the breaking-out plate 50, the anchoring fingers 52; ~52 i 52 are prevented from being further driven into the breaking-out plate n or they can be driven into the plate 50 only by applying a disproportionately high pressure, with corresponding compression of the material.

°Especially the breaking-out pins 30 a atid 30 b as well as further constructions of pins can be driven into a stroke direction y by means of a device as illustrated in Fig. 18. Here, in a bolt-like mouth or guide piece 70, a recess 74 of a semi-circular cross-section and of a length n has been accommodated above a a° sisguide surface 72, whereby the recess corresponds to a width b of a box-like pin magazine. This transports singular breaking-out pins 30 z onto a guide surface 72 and then presents the resting breaking-out pins, which are situated in a pick-up groove, to a guide channel 75. The conveying direction Z of the pin magazine 76 is orthogonal (right-angled) to the stroke direction of a merely indicated piston 44.

This piston is further not explained more precisely, as this installation (which corresponds with fig. 6) the piston 44 drives when necessary, by means of a I: pressure-throat 44 the presented breaking-out pin 30 z in the stroke direction y out of the mouth piece 70, whose frontal stroke support is marked by 68.

J

Claims

1. An apparatus to detach waste pieces from a substantially planar sheet, the apparatus comprising: a breaking-out tool comprising a breaking-out plate, a magazine of breaking-out pins, removing and Inserting means for individually removing the breaking-out pins from the magazine and partially inserting the pins into the breaking-out plate in a desired pattern corresponding to the locations of the waste pieces, the removing and inserting means comprising a pressure member adapted to move in a direction substantially perpendicularly with respect to the breaking-out plate.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the pressure member is a piston or the like and the magazine is an elongate conveyor member and the i! breaking-out pins are releasably fixed at spaced locations fr-m each other oo rto t l e elongate conveyor member, the elongate conveyor member traversing a path of movement past the piston or the like which reciprocates substantially parallel to at least one of the breaking-out pins and which is adap',d to move towards a breaking-out pin conveyed between the piston or the like and the breaking-out plate onto which the substantially planar sheet is supported.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 further comprising a guide °o.o0 arrangement to pivot said conveyor member out of the path of movement of the piston. S4. Apparatus of claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the conveyor member is |1 guided in a rail system, which rail system is pivotable.

5. Apparatus of claim 4 wherein the conveyor member and/or the rail S* system is/are pivotable radially relative to the breaking-out pins.

6. Apparatus according to claim 4 or claim 5 wherein the rail system has a pair of rails flanking the conveyor member on both sides. Ib 7. Apparatus of any one of claims 4 to 6 wherein one rail of the rail system Is interrupted in a region of a path of travel of the piston.

8. Apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 7 wherein an abutment projects into the path of movement of the breaking-out pin or pins in the region of direction of movement of the piston.

9. Apparatus according to any one claims 2 to 8 wherein the conveyor member comprises clamping members for respective breaking-out 12 pins, the clamping members being arranged at substantially equal spacings from each other. Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein each clamping member comprises gripping ribs which are curved in cross-section towards each other and which form a slotted sleeve which are formed on a main surface of the conveyor member transversely relative to a longitudinal axis thereof.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein each pair of gripping ribs has at least one abutment projection on the conveyor member for accommodating a collar of a breaking-out pin fitted thereinto. j 12. Apparatus of any one of claims 2 to 11 wherein the conveyor j member comprises individual portions which are pivotally connected together by way of a breaking-out pin.

13. Apparatus of claim 12 wherein one end of each portion is in the forii of a tongue adapted to be inserted between side strips on the end of an adjacent portion, wherein the tongue eportion and the side strips together comprise parts of a pivotal connection. o::4 14. Apparatus of any one of the preceding claims wherein the breaking-out: pin has a collar on a shank and a tip adjoining the collar. 'o 15. Apparatus according to claim 14 when appended to claim 8 wherein o.O< the abutment projects into the path of nioverment of the collar.

16. Apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 15 wherein the conveyor member is driven by a toothed wheel or a chain-type star wheel whose teeth or the like engage the breaking-out pins.

17. Apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 16 wherein the piston is associated to a mouth piece which is situated in a supply lane of the conveyor member.

18. Apparatus according to claim 17 wherein the mouth-piece defines a guide channel for the breaking-out pins.

19. Apparatus of any one of claims 2 to 18 wherein the piston is a rod comprising a hollow portion into which is received the shank of a Sbreaking-out pin. Apparatus of any one of claims 2 to 19 wherein the breaking-out pin is held to the piston by a magnet, a spring or the like.

21. Apparatus of any one of claims 2 to 20 wherein tie piston is driven by a hammer tool. JI;~ o" -ci 3 ~c LJ 'h c~ r~L~rIr"." RLF/25631 I 13

22. Apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 21 wherein a breaking-out pin which is engaged by the piston can be released from the conveyor member by lateral pivotal movement thereof.

23. Apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 22 being disposed on a support which is movable in relation to co-ordinates of a transverse member or the like which is movable over the .laer-isheet, and/or the apparatus is fixed to a movable support of a printing machine and the o 9 Sn substantially planar sheet rests on a printing table in opposing o relationship thereto.

24. Apparatus of any one of the preceding claims being associated to o a horizontally inclined breaking-out plane. 0C 6 25. Apparatus of any one of the preceding claims wherein the breaking-out pins comprise a substantially axial blind slit and anchoring fingers flanking the same.

26. Apparatus according to claim 25 wherein a pair of anchoring fingers is provided with cutter-like front edges.

27. Apparatus of claim 25 or claim 26 wherein the anchoring fingers are provided at their ends with sloping surfaces which are inclined at an o angle inwardly 'elative to the axis of the pin.

28. Apparatus of any one of claims 25 to 27 wherein the anchoring fingers are provided at their front edges with clamping surfaces, the surfaces being inclined at an angle outwardly relative to the axis of the pin. S29. Apparatus according to any one of claims 25 to 28 wherein the cross-section of the anchoring fingers is in the form of a segment of a sector of the cross-section of the shank of the pin and limb surfaces of Si the anchoring fingers extend at a spacing relative to the axis of the shank. A process to detach waste pieces from a substantially planar Ssheet, the process comprising providing a breaking-out tool with breaking-out pins which are clampingly fixed in a magazine strip at substantially equal spacing there along, passing the magazine strip into the path of movement of a piston, whereupon the piston detaches a respective breaking-out pin from the magazine strip and drives it tip first irinto a breaking-out plate extending transversely with respect to a direction of striking movement of the piston. RLF/25631 14

31. A process according to claim 30 wherein the piston is moved parallel to its direction of striking movement and/or is guided by a microprocessor to a driving-in point.

32. A process according to claim 31 wherein the piston is transferred to the driving-in point prior to removal of the breaking-out pin from the magazine strip.

33. An apparatus to detach waste pieces from a substantially planar sheet, the apparatus being substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

34. A process to detach waste pieces from a substantially planar S' sheet, the process being substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 1 DATED this TWENTY-SEVENTH day of SEPTEMBER 1990 Meurer Nonfood Product GmbH 9000 0 0 0000 0010 0 00O 00 0 0000D o 0 000 0t 000 000 0 0 00 0 0 @0O 0 0a Patent Attorneys for the Applicant SPRUSON FERGUSON iI RLF/25631 L