1. A method comprising the steps of:
(a) advancing a web of paperboard along a first path, the web of paperboard having a width;
(b) advancing a plurality of ribbons of reinforcing material along a second path, the ribbons each having a width less than the width of the web of paperboard;
(c) progressively altering at least one ribbon of the plurality of ribbons of reinforcing material to form a pattern in the at least one ribbon of reinforcing material that enhances adhesion of the at least one altered ribbon to the web of paperboard; the pattern comprising an array of perforations in the at least one altered ribbon of reinforcing material; and
(d) progressively laminating the plurality of ribbons of reinforcing material to the web of paperboard at predetermined locations across the width of the web.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) comprises passing the at least one ribbon of reinforcing material between a pair of cylinders.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of ribbons are formed from a single web of reinforcing material.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein after the plurality of ribbons are formed, the plurality of ribbons are separated and move along separate selectively positioned paths.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of ribbons are progressively altered before being laminated to the web of paperboard.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the reinforcing material is paperboard.
7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of forming reinforced carton blanks from the web of paperboard and reinforcing material.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) comprises forming an array of perforations in each of the plurality of ribbons of reinforcing material.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein in step (d) the at least one altered ribbon is laminated to the web by liquid adhesive, the adhesive flowing through at least some of the perforations to form an interlocking bond between the at least one altered ribbon and the adhesive.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the liquid adhesive is applied to the at least one altered ribbon before the altered ribbon is laminated to the web.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein the adhesive is applied by nip rollers.
12. The method of claim 9, wherein the adhesive is applied by spraying.
13. A method comprising the steps of:
(a) advancing a web of paperboard along a first path, the web of paperboard having a width;
(b) advancing at least one ribbon of reinforcing material along a second path, the at least one ribbon having a width less than the width of the web of paperboard;
(c) progressively altering the at least one ribbon of reinforcing material to form a pattern in the at least one ribbon of reinforcing material that enhances adhesion of the at least one altered ribbon to the web of paperboard; the pattern comprising an array of perforations covering substantially the entire surface of the at least one altered ribbon of reinforcing material; and
(d) progressively laminating the at least one altered ribbon of reinforcing material to the web of paperboard at a predetermined location on the web.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein step (c) comprises passing the at least one ribbon of reinforcing material between a pair of cylinders.
15. The method of claim 13, wherein a plurality of ribbons of reinforcing material are laminated to the web at predetermined locations across the width of the web.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein the plurality of ribbons are formed from a single web of reinforcing material.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein after the plurality of ribbons are formed, the plurality of ribbons are separated and move along separate selectively positioned paths.
18. The method of claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of ribbons are progressively altered before being laminated to the web of paperboard.
19. The method of claim 15, wherein step (c) comprises forming an array of perforations covering substantially the entire surface of each of the plurality of ribbons of reinforcing material.
20. The method of claim 13, wherein the reinforcing material is paperboard.
21. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of forming reinforced carton blanks from the web of paperboard and reinforcing material.
22. The method of claim 13, wherein in step (d) the at least one altered ribbon is laminated to the web by liquid adhesive, the adhesive flowing through at least some of the perforations to form an interlocking bond between the at least one ribbon and the adhesive.
23. The method of claim 22, wherein the liquid adhesive is applied to the at least one ribbon before the altered ribbon is laminated to the web.
24. The method of claim 22, wherein the adhesive is applied by nip rollers.
25. The method of claim 22, wherein the adhesive is applied by spraying.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A utility knife for holding a cutting blade having at least one retaining notch therein, comprising:
an outer housing having a forward opening;
a blade carriage having a blade-receiving bay; said blade carriage moveable in said housing to move said cutting blade disposed in said bay from a retracted position to a deployed position, said cutting blade extending through said forward opening in said deployed position;
a locking mechanism operative to releasably couple said cutting blade to said carriage; said locking mechanism connected to said carriage for movement therewith relative to said housing; said locking mechanism moveable between a locked position operative to couple said cutting blade to said carriage for movement therewith and an unlocked position wherein said cutting blade can be removed from said carriage; said locking mechanism biased toward said locked position;
said locking mechanism having a protrusion; said protrusion configured to engage the cutting blade’s retaining notch in said locked position and disengage from said retaining notch in said unlocked position; said protrusion having an underside disposed toward the cutting blade when said cutting blade is disposed in said blade-receiving bay; and
a first actuator moveably coupled to said housing and operative to engage with the underside of said protrusion and move said locking mechanism from said locked position to said unlocked position.
2. The utility knife of claim 1 further comprising a second actuator coupled to said carriage for movement therewith, said second actuator biased to an upward position for engaging said housing so as to retain said carriage in a selected horizontal position relative to said housing.
3. The utility knife of claim 1 wherein said first actuator mounts to a sidewall of said housing and moves generally vertically to engage said locking mechanism and move said locking mechanism from said locked position to said unlocked position.
4. The utility knife of claim 3 wherein said blade-receiving bay opens toward said first sidewall.
5. The utility knife of claim 1 wherein the cutting blade can be inserted into said blade-receiving bay via said forward opening.
6. A utility knife, comprising:
an outer housing having first and second lateral sidewalls and a forward opening;
a blade carriage having a blade-receiving bay opening toward said first sidewall; said blade carriage moveable in said housing to move a cutting blade disposed in said bay from a retracted position to a deployed position, said cutting blade extending through said forward opening in said deployed position;
a locking mechanism operative to releasably couple said cutting blade to said carriage; said locking mechanism connected to said carriage for movement therewith relative to said housing; said locking mechanism moveable generally parallel to and generally along the plane of said cutting blade between a locked position operative to couple said cutting blade to said carriage for movement therewith and an unlocked position wherein said cutting blade can be removed from said carriage; said locking mechanism biased toward said locked position; and
a first actuator moveably mounted to said first sidewall of said housing; said first actuator moveable generally parallel to said cutting blade to engage said locking mechanism and move said locking mechanism from said locked position to said unlocked position.
7. The utility knife of claim 6 further comprising a second actuator coupled to said carriage for movement therewith, said second actuator biased to an upward position for engaging said housing so as to retain said carriage in a selected horizontal position relative to said housing.
8. The utility knife of claim 6 wherein said housing further comprises a top and a bottom, said first and second lateral sidewalls extending between said top and said bottom; said sidewalls being longer than said top and said bottom; and wherein a second actuator for controlling movement of said carriage is associated with said top.
9. The utility knife of claim 8 wherein said first actuator is disposed closer to said top than said bottom when said locking mechanism is in said unlocked position.
10. The utility knife of claim 6 wherein the cutting blade can be inserted into said blade-receiving bay via said forward opening.
11. A utility knife, comprising:
an outer housing having a forward opening;
a blade carriage having a blade-receiving bay; said blade carriage moveable in said housing to move a cutting blade disposed in said bay from a retracted position to a deployed position, said cutting blade extending through said forward opening in said deployed position;
a locking mechanism operative to releasably couple said cutting blade to said carriage; said locking mechanism connected to said carriage for movement therewith relative to said housing; said locking mechanism moveable generally parallel to said cutting blade between a locked position operative to couple said cutting blade to said carriage for movement therewith and an unlocked position wherein said culling blade can be removed from said carriage; said looking mechanism biased toward said locked position;
a first actuator moveable a first distance, when aligned with said locking mechanism, to engage said locking mechanism and move said locking mechanism from said locked position to said unlocked position; said first actuator moveable not more than a second distance when not aligned with said locking mechanism, said second distance shorter than said first distance.
12. The utility knife of claim 11 further comprising a second actuator coupled to said carriage for movement therewith, said second actuator biased to an upward position for engaging said housing so as to retain said carriage in a selected horizontal position relative to said housing.
13. The utility knife of claim 11 wherein said housing further comprises a top, a bottom, and first and second lateral sidewalls extending between said top and said bottom; said sidewalls being longer than said top and said bottom; and wherein a second actuator for controlling movement of said carriage is associated with said top.
14. The utility knife of claim 13 wherein said first actuator is disposed closer to said top than said bottom when said locking mechanism is in said unlocked position.
15. The utility knife of claim 11 wherein said first actuator moves generally vertically to engage said locking mechanism and move said locking mechanism from said locked position to said unlocked position.