CZ9803115A3 - Process for producing coated units of compressible flexible articles - Google Patents

Abstract

A pressure vice (13) positioned adjacent to the side panels (18, 19) and the side panel (17) of the array (11) pushes it toward the plastic an outer packaging material (20) of two sheets of film in the middle bonded. This packaging material is arranged adjacent the front part (16), the upper part (14) and the lower part (15) and the array (11) is held stationary a pressure plate (23) and resting on the backing plate (22). When the pressure vice (13) is retracted, the guide rollers (24) wrap the material adjacent the back piece (17). The array (11) is compressed in the C direction by a pressure vice (13) and pressed perpendicular to the direction C is a pressure plate (23) while the wrapping material extends transverse to the edge of the array is arranged adjacent side panels (18, 19).

Description

A method of manufacturing and stretching a wrapped unit of compressible flexible products

Technical field

The invention relates to an improvement in the process of wrapping a stretched outer plastic wrapping material around a stack of packages of compressible flexible products to form while stretching the wrapped unit (package).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is widely known in the art to facilitate the handling, storage and transport of a package of packages comprising compressed flexible products enclosed in a flexible bag in outer corrugated cardboard boxes. However, the space inside these cardboard outer boxes cannot be fully utilized due to the tolerances given by the variations in package dimensions resulting from manufacturing processes and conventional automatic mechanical packaging systems. The problem of space utilization is becoming more and more important with the increasing, widespread use of standard size pallets resulting from the requirements of large manufacturing, distribution and sales organizations. In addition, due to variations in the dimensions of the packages resulting from the packaging of the compressible flexible products into flexible bags, the cardboard boxes need to be oversized. As a result of this over-dimensioning, the bundles of packages at the bottom of the pallets are unable to support the load when the product pallets are stacked or grouped into

- 2 heights of three pallets. Cardboard boxes must therefore be designed to withstand the extra load.

The array of bales of compressed flexible products may also be wrapped in plastic film. The plastic film may comprise relatively inexpensive material such as polymer or thermoplastic films. These materials reduce the severity of the environmental degradation problem both in terms of the amount of packaging material required and the degradability / degradability of the particular packaging material. In addition, the plastic sheet is lighter and more flexible than cardboard paper, which is heavy, requires space and is less adaptable to storage because it is stiff and occupies the same amount of space 1 in use when almost empty.

The development of the prior art includes EP 0 294 339 A2 which discloses an apparatus for packaging a plurality of articles, either in bulk, placed on a floor or inside a container, within an expandable or semi-expandable type of film structure. The apparatus comprises a stretching device, a wrapping device, and a complete closure unit. In particular, the invention provides a segment of stretched and stretched film structure that is wrapped circumferentially around the products by pushing the film structure under the products and moving the product support plane and finally replacing it with two roller conveyors associated with the packaging device. The invention utilizes the elastic memory of the film structure to seal the packaged articles, rather than utilizing the compressibility of the articles by means of a compression vice and a pressure plate to form a tight-tight wrapped unit.

US 3 910 011 claims an apparatus for and a method of packaging superposed products in a shipping container. The apparatus includes means for circumferentially restricting the package of articles in the sleeve with the open ends of the heat-shrinkable film leaving the surface portions of the package of articles exposed. Cooling Heat Shrink Film • ·

- 3 forms a relatively rigid package. Similarly, US 3,672,116 discloses an apparatus and method for wrapping a film about four sides of an article or a stack of articles, the film having sufficient elasticity to stretch without rupture. Both patents focus on the stretch properties of the films, in order to guarantee the stability of the unit and, moreover, the packaging is only around the perimeter of the bundle / article (s).

Thus, the prior art does not teach a packaging process that involves tensioning in two directions using a plastic outer packaging material that is independent of rigid sized boxes that relies on the compressibility of the array of flexible packages of compressible flexible products in conjunction with a pusher and pusher to produce a stable unit which is independent of the stretching properties of the plastic outer packaging material and which uses a curved pressure plate which is in close proximity to the pressure vise.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to wrap a bundle of packages of compressed floppy articles, under tension in two directions using a plastic outer wrapping material, to form under tension the wrapped unit. It is a further object of the present invention to prevent twisting and deformation of the corners of a stack of packages of compressible flexible products when wrapped under tensioning with a plastic outer packaging material.

The invention uses process steps that include modifications to manufacture to stretch a wrapped unit containing an outer plastic packaging material that is most suitable as a replacement for traditional cardboard outer boxes. This process was originally used to package a plurality of individual floppy products to form primary packaged bales using a compression vise and a compression plate. Grouping • · • ·

- 4 live products were wrapped in only one direction under tension and the pusher simply pushed the product group to a fixed point where the packaging process was started. The resulting primary packaged bales could be easily twisted and deformed, and in addition, the compressibility of the floppy products was not used to form a more stable package. The present invention relates to a pressurized wrapping grouping of primary packaged packages of compressible flexible products to form completely enclosed (encapsulated) units.

During the wrapping process, the inherent compressibility of the stack of packages of compressible flexible products by means of a compression vise and pressure plate can be utilized to tightly wrap the plastic outer wrapping material around the entire stack in two directions. This gives the unit increased stability and strength. In addition, the key optimizations of the design - the use of a pressure plate that is curved and in close proximity to the compression vise - have been incorporated into this process. These features subsequently led to several advantages, namely, units that are more stable and capable of maintaining higher load capacity, better unit shapes; and the results are improved unit appearance and improved and optimized pallet support during handling, storage and transport.

In accordance with the objectives of the present invention, there is provided a unit comprising a grouping of at least one substantially parallelepiped package comprising compressed flexible products. The unit has a top and a bottom panel, a front panel and a back panel, and two side panels and includes a plastic outer packaging material. The compression vise pushes the array to a plastic outer packaging material consisting of two sheets in the middle joined by melting. The plastic outer wrapping material has a width dimension that extends beyond the transverse edges of the array and is disposed adjacent the front, top, and bottom portions of the array. The array is maintained in a fixed position by the action of the pusher plate and resting on the backing plate.

• • •

The compression vise then recedes and the guide rollers ensure that the plastic outer wrapping material is positioned adjacent the rear portion. This can then be pulled together, sealed and cut. The array is compressed in the compression direction C by a compression vise and is pushed in the direction C ¹ , perpendicular to this compression direction, by a pressure plate. The plastic outer wrapping material extending beyond the transverse edges of the array is arranged adjacent to the remaining side panels of the array and then contracted (folded), folded, fused, and cut. The unit may comprise at least one non-enclosed opening means in the plastic outer packaging material.

The pressure plate is curved at its edges and comprises a radius ranging from 5 to 30 millimeters and an angle A ranging from 30 to 90 degrees. The distance H from the top of the vise to the bottom of the pressure plate ranges from 0 to 50 millimeters.

According to the present invention, the objects are achieved by a pressure plate having the characteristics specified in the claims.

Overview of the drawings

The invention will now be further described with reference to the following drawings, in which:

Giant. 1 is a perspective view of an array of pliable bales (s) compressed by a compression vise in the direction of compression C.

Giant. 2 is an elevational view of a partially wrapped bale assembly supported on a support plate and maintained under tension by a curved pressure plate.

Giant. 3 is a front elevational view of the package stack after the compression vise has contracted and at the point when the plastic outer packaging material is pulled together.

• · · ·

Giant. 4 shows a front view of a curved pressure plate.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Giant. 1 shows an array 11 comprising at least one substantially parallelepiped package 12. Specifically, FIG. 1 shows two substantially parallelepiped packages 12. Each package 12 is encased in an adaptive bag and includes a compressed array 11 being compressed by 13 in the direction of compression C. Compressed malleable include disposable absorbent diapers, malleable compression vise products can elastic bag products were US 4,934 535, US sanitary articles, incontinence pads, dressings and the like. These flexible products are compressed to between 20 and 70 percent of their uncompressed volume. Each flexible package 12 comprises eight to fifty disposable absorbent diapers and a flexible plastic bag having a thickness of between 30 and 120 microns. The method of compressing the disposable diaper packs into is described in detail in the following patents:

966,286, 5,022,216, 5,050,742 and 5,150,561.

Referring to FIG. 1, the stack 11 of packs 12 of compressed flexible products comprises an upper portion 14, a lower portion 15, a front portion 16 a back portion 17, and two side portions 18, 19. The compression vice 13 is disposed adjacent the side portions 18, 19, and the side portion 17 of the UL group. . The compression vise 13 pushes the assembly 11 towards a plastic outer packaging material 20 consisting of two sheets of foil supplied by two feed rollers 21, which are connected in the center by melting. The plastic outer wrapping material 20 has a width dimension extending beyond the edges of the stack UL to be packaged. A preferred material for the plastic outer wrapping material 20 is a polyethylene film, which may have a low, medium or high density. More specifically, the film has a thickness ranging from 30-100 microns, preferably 50 microns.

- 7 micrometers. The foil may be either transparent or white, and thus various combinations are possible for the grouping of 11 packages 12. In addition, the foil may contain graphic characters which may also be colored. The plastic outer wrapping material 20 is disposed adjacent the front panel 16, the top panel 14, and the bottom panel 15 of the array 11 and maintained under tension by a compression vise 13. The compression vice 13 compresses the array H in the direction of compression C and ideally a value ranging from 2-20 percent, preferably 5 percent.

Giant. 2 shows the plastic outer wrapping material 20 wrapped tightly against the front panel 16, the top panel 14, and the bottom panel 15 of the array H. The array 11 is then held in a fixed position by resting on the backing plate 22 and the action of the curved pusher 23. arranged adjacent the upper part of the grouping ϋ and compresses the grouping 11 with the top in the direction of compression C ¹ . The circumference of the array 11 around the side panels 18, 19 is reduced by approximately 2-8 percent, preferably 5 percent. The group 11, which is partially wrapped, is still subjected to lateral compression from the vise 13.

In FIG. 3, the compression vise 13 is retracted and the guide rollers 24 ensure that the plastic outer wrapping material 20 is tensioned and positioned adjacent the rear panel 17 of the array.

11. The plastic outer packaging material 20 is subsequently pulled together, melted and cut. The sealing seam may comprise a straight seam. In order to pull the plastic outer wrapping material 20 together to form the sealing seam, some compression of the array 11 may be lost, but this is minimal and is about 2-4 percent. By cutting, the plastic outer wrapping material 20 is released from the stack 11 and is available for wrapping around the next stack 11

12. The plastic outer wrapping material 20 extending beyond the transverse edges of the array 11 is pulled around and disposed adjacent the remaining side panels 18, 19, array 11. Then.

The plastic outer packaging material 20 is pulled together, folded, melted and cut. The side sealing seam may be either folded or contain a straight sealing seam. As before, the cutting step is not essential. The final product is a voltage-packed unit 10.

Giant. 4 shows a second projection of the pusher plate 23. The pusher plate 23 is typically characterized by a flat surface and its dimensions are typically smaller than the assembly of packages for packaging. The new embodiment is based on its curved surface and is designed to fit the dimensions of the cluster 11. This modification results in a higher level of compressed mass being retained within the cluster 11 because the uppermost corners of the cluster 11 are retained. In addition, the pusher plate 23 is positioned in close proximity to the pusher vise 13 to provide a much tighter, tight wrapped unit 10. By placing the pusher vane 13 beside the pusher plate 23, a limited level of excessively compressed mass may escape when pulled together and sealing the parts 17 18, 19. Typically, the excess compressed material held compressed by the flat surface push plate could easily be squeezed through the free space located in the corners of the primary packaged packages.

The radius R of the pressure plate may range from 5 to 30 millimeters, preferably 20 millimeters. The angle θ ranges from 30 to 90 degrees, preferably 60 degrees. The distance H from the top of the pusher 13 to the bottom of the pusher plate 23 can vary from 0 to 50 millimeters, preferably 5 millimeters.

With respect to all figures, the plastic outer wrapping material 20 may include a free (non-obscured) opening 25 that is easy to find and that can be easily and reliably opened for easy access to packages 12 within the unit 11 of the unit 10. This treatment with the free aperture 25 is included to provide a more controlled release of the compressive forces exerted on the compressed flexible packages 12. The plastic outer wrapping material 20 comprises at least one free aperture 25 treatment, which may include a priori

- a predetermined tear-off portion in the form of a line of weakness. The lines of attenuation can be formed by many means known in the art and typically include, for example, perforations. The lines of attenuation may be manufactured online or may already be present in the plastic outer packaging material 20 when provided to the supplier. Thus, the non-obscured aperture 25 includes some line of attenuation that may extend across the periphery of the whole unit 10 in both the horizontal and vertical planes, or which may extend across the upper portion 14 or the lower portion 15 of the unit 10, or In addition, graphic features may be provided on the plastic outer packaging material 20 to emphasize the location of the treatment with the aperture 25 free.

For the purpose of transporting and storing a plurality of units 10, each unit 10 preferably comprising two to twelve bales 12, may be stacked or stacked in a plurality of pallet arrangements such that a load is applied to the top or side portion of the pallet arrangement, with a load that is perpendicular to the direction of compression that is around the perimeter of the pallet configuration. The units 10 are less compressible in directions perpendicular to the direction of compression.

Legend to Figures 1-4:

- unit

- groupings

- package

- compression vise

- upper part

- bottom part

- front portion

- rear part

18, 19 - side parts

- plastic outer packaging material

- feeding rollers

- base plate

- pressure plate

- guide rollers

- treatment with blind hole.

Claims (8)

PATENT CLAIMS A method of manufacturing a voltage-wrapped unit (10), comprising a stack (11) of at least one substantially parallelepiped package (12), wherein a pusher (18, 19) and a rear portion (17) of the stack (11) are disposed adjacent the side panels (18, 19) a vise (13) that pushes the array (11) toward the plastic outer wrapping material (20) comprising two sheets of foil in the middle joined by melting, in which the width dimension of the plastic outer wrapping material (20) extends beyond the transverse edges of the assembly (11) the outer wrapping material (20) is disposed adjacent the front panel (16), the top panel (14) and the bottom panel (15) of the array (11), the array (11) being subsequently held in a fixed position by the pusher plate actions (23) and resting on the backing plate (22), the compression vise (13) is retracted and the guide rollers (24) ensure that the plastic outer wrapping material (20) is positioned adjacent the rear d lu / 17 /; characterized in that the assembly (11) is compressed in the direction of compression C by means of a compression vise (13) and compressed in the direction C ¹ perpendicular to that direction by a pressure plate (23), a plastic outer packaging material (20) extending beyond the transverse edges of the array (11) are disposed adjacent the remaining side members (18, 19) of the array (11). The method of claim 1, wherein the plastic outer wrapping material (20) disposed adjacent the back panel (17) is pulled together, melted and cut. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the plastic outer wrapping material (20) disposed adjacent the remaining side members (18, 19) of the array (11) is pulled together, folded, melted and cut. • · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · - 11 Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the pressure plate (23) is curved at the edges to retain the groupings (11). Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the pressure plate (23) comprises a radius ranging from 5 to 30 millimeters and an angle A ranging from 30 to 90 degrees. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the distance H from the top of the pressure vise (13) to the bottom of the pressure plate (23) ranges from 0 to 50 millimeters. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the plastic outer packaging material (20) comprises at least one non-enclosed opening means (25). A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the package (12) may comprise disposable absorbent diapers, sanitary napkins, incontinence pads, dressings and the like.