DE69800128T2 - PACKING A MATERIAL RAIL - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to a package of a strip of material and a method of forming a package of a strip of material.

In most cases, the continuous strip material is wound into a roll, which may be a single spiral known as a block or pancake, or it may be a cross-wound packing where the strip runs back and forth across in a helical fashion. Both of these designs are limited in the length of material and require flying splicing for continuous operation. Also, the packing design can damage the strip due to tension changes through the diameter of the packing.

Previous packages of a continuous strip of material have been formed using a process known as "loop folding" in which the strip is folded back and forth to lay a series of strip sections back and forth, each section being folded relative to the next about a line running across the strip. The process of loop folding has been available for many years and is used in forming a package of many different types of material, but particularly with material of a fibrous nature, such as woven, nonwoven strips and the like. In this method, the strip is conventionally fed into a receiving container, such as a cardboard container, while a first reciprocating motion causes sections of the strip to be laid across the receiving container and folded back and forth, and a second reciprocating motion causes the positions of the sections to be moved transversely relative to the receiving container to be transverse to the sections. Typically, the receiving container comprises a rigid rectangular container made at least partially of cardboard and having a base and four upstanding sides.

The purpose of the loop-folding process is to form a package of strip for feeding to a machine that employs the strip. Some users prefer the loop-folded package relative to a wound package of this type of material. The loop-folded package contains a much greater length of material than a spiral-wound log. The loop-folded package can be easily placed adjacent to the machine without the need for any powered unwinding rack. In addition, both the front end and the back end of the package are available on top of the package so that a series of packages can be joined end-to-end to function as an extended feeder. Furthermore, since the material is simply laid into the pack, there is less of a problem in controlling the tension in the material as it is being drawn from the pack, compared to larger cross-wound packs, where controlling the tension of the large packs can be a problem due to the inertia of the pack, thus requiring a powered unwinding rack. There is therefore no need, when using loop-folded packs, for a complicated unwinding rack, which requires more space than may be available and involves significant costs.

Loop-folded packages are formed in a rigid container or box to properly contain and contain the material and within which the material is stored during transportation to secure the material against compression and distortion due to the transfer of loads from the surrounding packages. The paperboard container therefore provides a support for other like stacked containers and prevents the transfer of loads from the stacked packages from causing excessive compression of the packages at the bottom of a stack. However, the paperboard container and package constructions used in the conventional arrangement have a number of problems.

Firstly, the container must either be recycled, which involves shipping the cardboard containers in the reverse direction to the supplier from the end user, or they must be discarded, both at considerable cost.

Second, the cardboard containers simply contain the material without significant compression, so that there is a waste of space within the container due to air being packed with the material. In addition, the conventional packing design does not minimize the amount of air spaces created in the design. The cost of transporting the material is therefore significantly increased by the large volume of material, which causes a density that is significantly below the optimum for most effective transport.

Third, the presence of the necessary box during the formation of the structure imposes a limitation on the proper control of the strip as it is being laid down, since the sides of the box impose limitations on the position and movement of the guide element that controls the strip.

Fourthly, it was noted that the sides of the box which run parallel to the strips as they are laid down do not closely confine the sides of the pack construction, with a significant risk that the strips may fall down between the edge of the pack and the box side.

In addition, the conventional method of forming the package, in which each of the strips slit from a web of supply material is individually packed at a separate loop-folding station, is slow and requires a large floor area for a large Number of stations. Also, the large area occupied by the stations means that a significant distance must be travelled by the strip from the slitting station to the loop folding station, with the potential for strip tension problems and strip damage.

An example of a conventional loop arrangement is shown in US Patent 5,087,140, issued to Keeton in February 1992.

There therefore remains a significant need for a packing of this general design, but the currently existing techniques are unsatisfactory for the reasons stated above and create an opportunity for improved packing design.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved packing structure which can deliver a long strip length at high speed as in the strip packs described above, but in which the stability and density of the material in the pack can be improved.

It is also known to provide a continuous rubber strip folded back and forth in a fan-fold manner to form a stack of the strip so that the strip can be pulled out from one end of the strip. Thus, fan-folded strips folded simultaneously to form stacks of strips lying side by side are known from US Patent No. 3,729,367 issued to Shore in April 1993. The strips are connected to each other by a series of connecting tabs which must be broken before the strips can be used. The rubber strips are used in an extrusion machine and are fed into the machine one at a time by an operator.

In an unrelated field, it is also known to pack individual stacks of strips, such as tickets, in a fan-folded arrangement in which each stack is contained in its own individual container or cassette. An example of such an arrangement is shown in EP 0 338 501 A (Almex Control Systems Ltd). The strip has a tail portion which projects from the bottom of the cassette to an open top and hangs over one end for connection of the strip to that of another similar cassette. However, the individual cassettes are necessarily supplied as individual supply units of the strip. The cassettes are supplied to supply tickets in a car parking system in which at most one or two additional cassettes can be provided for a continuous supply of customers.

Another example of the prior art in this area is U.S. Patent No. 5,117,934 issued to Yamamoto in January 1993, which relates to a single strip of toilet paper which, instead of being rolled, is fanned into a stack and compressed into a vacuum package.

According to the invention there is provided a package of strip material comprising a plurality of stacks each containing a strip folded back and forth such that each folded portion of the strip is folded relative to the next portion about a line transverse to the strip and such that the side edges of the folded strip portions are aligned with each other, the strip being continuous through each stack from an upper end portion of the strip at one end of the stack to a lower end portion of the strip at an opposite end of the stack; the stacks being parallel and arranged side by side as a common package structure, the side edges of the strip portions of each stack being adjacent to the side edges of the next adjacent stack without intervening rigid container walls; characterized in that that the strip is arranged at both the upper and lower end portions of the strip of each stack in the package so as to provide respective end connecting portions which are either both accessible for end-to-end connection with other respective end connecting portions to produce a continuous strip of interconnected stacks, or at least one of which is already connected end-to-end with an end connecting portion of another of the stacks to provide a continuous strip formed by interconnected stacks.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a method of forming a package from strip material comprising: providing the strip material as a plurality of strips arranged side by side; forming a plurality of stacks each containing the respective strips which are folded back and forth such that each folded portion of the stack is folded relative to the next portion about a line transverse to the strip and such that the side edges of the strip portions are aligned with each other; the strip being continuous through each stack from an upper end portion of the stack to a lower end portion of the stack; arranging the stacks so that they are parallel and side by side to form the package structure such that the side edges of the strip portions of each stack abut the side edges of the next adjacent stack without the interposition of rigid container walls; characterised by: providing respective end connecting portions at both the upper and lower end portions of the strip of each stack in the package and in that either both end connecting portions are made accessible for end-to-end connection with another end connecting portion to create a continuous strip of interconnected stacks; or at least one end connecting portion of a stack is connected end-to-end with a respective end connecting portion of another stack to create a continuous strip formed from interconnected stacks.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It shows

Fig. 1 is a schematic isometric view of a package of a strip according to the present invention, the package comprising four stacks of the strip and shown prior to joining the strip from each stack to the next, prior to compressing the stacks, and with the flexible packaging material omitted for convenience of illustration,

Fig. 2 is a schematic isometric view of the pack of Fig. 1 with connections made between the stacks and the pack compressed, but with the flexible packaging material omitted for convenience of illustration,

Fig. 3 is a front view of the pack of Figs. 1 and 2, showing the pack with the joints partially made before compression; this figure includes spaces between the stacks, but these are for convenience only and do not exist in practice,

Fig. 4 is a side view of the pack construction of Fig. 3, showing the bag in place but cut away, prior to compression and rotated 90 degrees so that the side with the connections is at the top,

Fig. 5 is the same view as in Fig. 4 showing the package compressed and the bag closed,

Fig. 6 is a view similar to that of Fig. 5 and shows a modified arrangement of the connecting portion, wherein the pack is turned for transport and unfolding,

Fig. 7 is an isometric view similar to that of Fig. 2 and showing a further modified arrangement of the connecting section,

Fig. 8 is a side view of a package showing a still further modified arrangement of the connecting section,

Fig. 9 is an end view of the pack shown in Fig. 8, with the compression released and the strip partially unfolded for use,

Fig. 10 is a side view of the pack of Fig. 9 showing further details of the strip and its subsequent cutting into layer sections,

Figure 11 is an isometric view of a package according to the present invention showing the package after release of compression, with the strip partially unfolded for use, and with the pouch removed for convenience of illustration.

A first example of a pack according to the invention is shown in Figures 1 to 5, wherein the pack comprises a generally rectangular body 10 formed from a strip or sheet 11 of a flexible material from which a pack is to be formed, and generally this material will be of a fibrous nature, being formed from woven or nonwoven material, although this is not important for the pack construction. Many materials of different thicknesses can be formed into packs using the method described herein, provided that the materials can accept the wrinkling which is inevitable at the end of each folded strip section. The strip has a width greater than its thickness so as to form two generally flat surfaces and two side edges. The strip preferably has a constant width, but this does not have to be the case.

As shown in Fig. 2, where a finished package is shown for use in a final machine for which it is intended, the strip has a front end 12 and a rear end 13 of the package and otherwise runs continuously through the package. When oriented in its normal position for transport or use, as shown in Fig. 2, the package has a top 14, a bottom 15, two sides 16 and 17 and two ends 18 and 19.

The pack is formed from a plurality of stacks of strips. In the embodiments shown, there are four stacks of strip, shown as 20, 21, 22 and 23, respectively. The stacks are parallel and lie directly next to each other, with no intervening elements. The stacks run parallel to the sides 16, 17. The pack has two end stacks 20 and 23 and a plurality (two in this embodiment) of intermediate stacks.

The term "stack" as used herein is not intended to require that the stacks be vertical or to require any particular orientation of the stacks. While the stacks are normally formed by placing the strips each on top of the previous ones to form a generally upright stack, this is not important to the design.

It should be emphasized that the dimensions of the stack can of course be changed in accordance with the requirement so that the number of stacks, the length of each stack and the height of each stack can be changed within wide limits.

Each stack of the strip has a variety of strips sections which are placed on top of one another. As shown in Fig. 1, the sections are therefore folded back and forth to form accordion-folded layers at the corresponding fold lines 25 and 26 at the end faces so that the fold lines lie in a common vertical plane which defines the end faces 18 and 19 of the package. Each strip section lies directly on top of the preceding section so that the strip presents a constant width. As shown in Fig. 3, the side edges 27 and 28 of the strip sections lie in common vertical planes 27A. The side edges 27 of the strips of the stacks are therefore aligned and the side edges 28 of the strips of the stacks are also aligned.

Therefore, the pack is formed by placing the sections one on top of the next from a lower section 29 to an upper section 30 to form the stack. The pack is thus formed from the plurality of stacks each having a length in the direction of the strip sections from which it is formed which is equal to that of the other stacks and therefore equal to that of the pack; and the stacks are formed to a common height which is therefore equal to the height of the pack.

As shown in Figures 4 and 5, but omitted from Figure 2 for convenience of illustration, the package is wrapped by a flexible packaging material 40, which is preferably a heat sealable impermeable plastic, which encloses the entire package. The packaging material is preferably formed as a bag comprising a base 41 and sides 42 with an open top 43 which is closed and which is pulled over the package and heat sealed as shown in Figure 5 at 43A. The package is compressed from the ends 14 and 15 to significantly reduce the height of the package and this compression causes the air to be expelled or expelled from the package. The closed bag is placed in a Vacuum packing system used to keep the air outside the bag so that the air pressure outside the bag acts to keep the pack compressed in the height direction and to keep the stacks in contact next to each other. The degree of compression and hence the amount of reduction in height can be determined so as to minimize the volume of the pack without compromising the required airiness of the product when it is pulled out of the pack. The pack, which is delimited only by the stacks and the sealed bag, therefore defines a free-standing rigid construction. In this way the pack construction avoids the need for rigid sides of a box or similar container so that the pack construction is stable due to the compression of the stacks to reduce the height of the stacks and due to the pressure of each stack against the sides of the next adjacent stacks.

The flexible packaging material need not be a bag, but can be a simple wrap. The use of vacuum to hold the package in place and the stack compressed is preferred but not essential.

Compression of the pack is only possible in the direction D which is at right angles to the surfaces of the strip sections. This acts to compress the thickness of the sections so that the dimension of each stack in the direction D is reduced by that compression. Compression along the sections or at right angles to the stacks is not possible as this will act to deform the strip. Mechanical compression of the pack in the direction D by tension plates D1 and D2 therefore reduces the dimension of the pack in that direction, allowing the air to be drawn out of the flexible packaging material 40, thereby causing the packaging material to be drawn down onto the pack. to maintain them in their compressed state and to apply pressures tending to maintain the stacks in intimate contact.

In the resting state of the packaging material, as shown in Fig. 4, the base area 41 of the packaging material or bag 40 is shaped and sized to be slightly larger than the resting or uncompressed state of the packaging structure itself. In this way, the packaging structure can be easily inserted into the molded plastic packaging material or bag and can remain in place by being held in place by the packaging material. During transportation and storage, the packaging structure is in the compressed and vacuum state. In this state, the sides 42 of the packaging material are both compressed in the direction D so as to form folds or creases 39. When the vacuum is released, the expansion of the package from its compressed state to its normal relaxed state will cause the bag to expand to its original dimensions, thereby causing the pleats 44 to come out.

The package can be oriented as shown in Fig. 2, which is the same orientation as that in which it is formed by laying the strip sections horizontally to build the stacks vertically as a stack. In this orientation the top of the bag is on the top of the package. In the orientation shown in Figs. 4 and 5 the package is rotated 90 degrees so that one end face 18 is at the top. This can be done but is not required to assist in bonding as discussed hereinafter. In this orientation the top of the bag is at the end of the package. The package can also be rotated so that one end face is at the top as shown in Fig. 11. In all of these orientations the package is stable when packaged so that it can be easily lifted using conventional lifting and handling techniques. systems, stacked on pallets or stacked on top of other packages, transported and handled.

However, it is preferred that the package be oriented at least for unfolding so that the stacks remain vertical for feeding the strip to the end-use machine as shown in Figures 9 and 10. In this orientation, the stacks 20, 21, 22 and 23 are all vertical and lie side by side so that the individual folded strip sections are horizontal from the horizontal upper strip section 30 of each of the stacks to a horizontal lower strip section 29 of each of the stacks. It will therefore be appreciated that in this arrangement each stack must in turn be unfolded from the upper strip section 30 downwards to the lower strip section 29.

The initial construction of the package as shown in Fig. 1 comprises the stacks formed side by side with the strip of each separated from the strip of the next. This can be achieved in one arrangement by slitting a web into a plurality of side by side strips and folding those strips simultaneously side by side using a carriage having a pair of nip rollers. The nip rollers lie in a horizontal plane and extend at right angles to the sides 16 and 17. The nip rollers are reciprocated on the carriage in a direction at right angles to their length so that the nip moves back and forth between the end faces 18 and 19 to accurately deposit a measured length of strip and fold the strip sections at the fold lines 25, 26.

As shown in Figure 1, the upper end strip portion 30 of each stack 20 generally lays across the top of the stack and presents a front free end 44 at the face 18 which is draped downward from the top 14. The end at the top of the stack 20 can be pulled out to form the front end 12.

The lower strip portion 29 includes a rear portion 45 which is pulled out from beneath the stack or formed prior to formation of the stack as a strip piece which hangs out from or beyond the side 18 of the package.

With certain types of material and with certain processes, it may be desirable to wrap the package construction as shown in Figure 1 with the rear portions 45 still unjointed and simply free on top of the packaging material for joining after completion of transportation and storage. It will be appreciated that the package construction is consistent and therefore readily available for quiet joining once it has been moved to the machine to which it is to be fed. Joining can therefore be effected after transportation and while the package awaits unfolding, or even while the first stack 20 is being unfolded. The arrangement of the rear sections 45 upwardly along the side of the package to a position on the top of the package causes the rear sections to be readily available so that the packaging material described above can remain in place by simply opening or removing the top section of the packaging material or bag to allow access to the top sections 44 and the top of the rear sections 45.

As shown, all of the rear sections 45 are located at the front of the pack. It is theoretically possible, but practically undesirable, for alternating rear sections to be located at the opposite fronts 18 and 19, so that, for example, the rear sections 45 of the stacks 21 and 23 would be located at the front 19.

As shown in Fig. 2, preferably before transport the rear sections 45 are connected to the upper sections 44 by a joint 46. While the joint can be formed without the need for high speed, effective joining systems are used, involving sewing, taping and heat welding, which takes more time than is generally available on a running plant. The joints are shown as overlapping, but in practice butt joints may be used to prevent an overlapping section.

The bonding is effected so that the surface A of each strip is secured to the surface A of the strip of the next adjacent stack, and similarly the surfaces B are also bonded. In certain cases this is important because the strip has different surface properties. In other cases this may not be important to the processing of the strip, but in general this is a preferred arrangement to ensure that the strip is fed in a consistent manner and to avoid twisting of the strip.

To ensure that the strip remains without twisting while it is being unfolded, it is necessary to twist the rear portion 45 in a direction that counteracts the twist introduced into the strip as it unfolds from stack 20 to stack 21. Careful analysis of the strips and the unfolding process will show that the transition from one stack to the next automatically introduces a twist. It is therefore necessary to counteract this twist by a single twist 47 applied to the rear portion prior to joining at joint 46.

Preferably, this rotation is applied to a first fold line 48 on the top of a first section 50 and a second fold line 49 on the bottom of a section 51. The first fold line 48 and the section 50 are aligned with the stack 20 and the fold line 48 is disposed at an angle of 45º to the horizontal. This forms a horizontal strip section 52 extending from the fold line 48 to the fold line 49 and is therefore substantially horizontal and at right angles to the normal vertical direction of the rear portion 45 and portions 50 and 51. The first fold line 48 causes the horizontal portion 52 to lie outside the vertical portion 50 of the rear portion 45. The second fold line 49 is arranged so that the vertical portion 51 of the rear portion 45 lies inside the horizontal portion 52. This arrangement introduces rotation while minimizing the length of the horizontal portion 52 and providing a neat arrangement which is aesthetically attractive and which limits the loose parts available from the rear portion 45 which might otherwise interfere and become entangled with one another.

The vertical section 51 of the rear section 45 then extends vertically up the stack 21 to the butt 46, from which the section 44 continues further up along the side of the stack 21 and onto the top of the stack 21.

The horizontal portion 52 is preferably located at or immediately adjacent to the bottom of the stack 20 so that almost all of the rear portion 45 is supported by the stack 21 as the stack 20 is being pulled. There is therefore little or no chance of the rear portion 45 becoming entangled with the strip from the stack 20 as it is being pulled and prior to the transition from the lower portion 29 through the rear portion 45 to the upper portion 44 of the stack 21.

In Figs. 3, 4 and 5 the same pack construction as that in Fig. 2 is shown. In Fig. 3 the pack is shown in a partially connected state so that only some of the rear sections 45 are connected to the corresponding section 44 of the next stack. In Fig. 3 the pack is shown in the same orientation as in Fig. 2 with the top 14 uppermost. The compression plates D1 and D2 therefore function vertically. In Figs. 4 and 5 the same package in the clamping plates D1 and D2 is rotated so that the plates are vertical and the face 18 is moved upward. This places the rear sections 44 and 45 in a horizontal orientation to facilitate joining and twisting since the rear ends remain in place, supported by the horizontal face 18.

In Fig. 4, the package is in the pre-compression condition but after twisting and bonding with the bag 40 open. In Fig. 5, the package is in the compressed condition maintained by the outer wrap or bag 40. In this condition, the package height between ends 14 and 15 is reduced from the rest height to a compressed height as shown, which is a proportion of the rest height which varies depending on the compressibility of the material.

This reduction in height leaves a free portion 54 of the connecting portion 44, 45 which must be accommodated during compression. This is achieved, as shown in Fig. 5, by carefully folding the connecting portion 44, 45 at a first transverse fold line 53 and a second transverse fold line 53A, both of which are substantially at right angles to the length and which are spaced apart by half the length of the free portion 54.

The compression is effected mechanically in the direction D by the clamping plates D1 and D2 until the required reduction in the height of the package is achieved. During this compression, the connecting portion 44, 45 becomes loose and the excess length portion 54 is formed. The folding operation is effected manually and carefully so that, as shown in Fig. 2, the fold lies on the corresponding stack which is aligned with the corresponding portion 44. When the compression is completed and the fold is effected, the bag is closed and sealed using a conventional commercially available vacuum sealing system which upper edge of the bag and evacuates the bag. It is also possible that vacuum extraction can be used to assist in mechanical compression while the bag remains unsealed so that the bag can be opened to effect careful folding and can be closed after folding is complete. However, creasing of the rear portion 45 during vacuum extraction should be avoided.

A spacer element 58 is disposed between the connecting sections 44, 45 and the face 18 containing the fold lines 25. It will be appreciated that the fold lines, even when compressed to a significant extent, form an uneven surface with a series of transverse recesses and ridges defined by the actual fold lines themselves. It is important that the connecting sections 44, 45 be kept flat and free of wrinkles that would otherwise be formed should these connecting sections be compressed by the vacuum from the bag (i.e., the air pressure outside the bag) on the face 18.

The spacer element 58 therefore comprises a stiffening layer 59 of a relatively rigid flat material defining a flat outer surface 60 which is attached to or supports a compressible filler material 61 on the underside, for example a closed cell foam. The stiffening layer may be formed of cardboard or a like material having sufficient rigidity to remain substantially flat and thus define the flat surface 60 which is presented towards the connecting sections. The compressible material or foam is arranged to fill the recesses between the fold lines and to compress the fold lines so that the stiffening layer can remain flat and not be pressed into the recesses.

The spacer element is inserted during the process at a suitable point in front of the vacuum effect of the bag. The height of this spacer element is equal to the compressed height of the package.

The spacer element can also be used in the situation described above where the package is transported after being compressed and packaged in the configuration shown in Fig. 1, the spacer element being used to prevent the rear portions 44 and 45 from creasing.

In Fig. 6 an alternative arrangement for the connecting portion is shown which avoids the need for folding the connecting portion during compression. Therefore the connecting portion extending from the rear portion 45 to the rear portion 44 is twisted as previously described to form a twisting portion 47 and is connected to form a butt portion 46. However, in this arrangement the butt is effected so that the connecting portion passes closely across the face 18 of the package with no fold corresponding to the fold 54 in Fig. 2. In Fig. 6 the package is therefore shown in the compressed condition with the bag sealed and under vacuum.

The package is shown with the bottom 15 resting on a horizontal support and the top 14 presented upwards. In this orientation the bag can be opened, releasing the vacuum and allowing the package to expand back to its resting position. During this expansion the connecting section exhibits insufficient length to achieve the resting height and therefore the excess length required to form an extended connecting section is provided by pulling from the upper strip section 30 as shown by arrows 30A and 30B.

To ensure that the top strip portion 30 slides freely over the top surface 14, a slip layer 30C is provided which is positioned between the top two strip portions and a third strip portion 30D. Thus, the fold line 26 on the face 19 of the package is pulled in a direction of arrow 30B and can be pulled away from the next adjacent fold line and strip portion 30D without tending to pull the next strip portion 30D with it. The slip layer can be formed from any suitable flexible layer of plastic or similar low friction material. The slip layer covers the entire area between the faces and the sides and therefore separates the top two strip portions from the rest of the package.

In Fig. 7 an alternative arrangement is shown for effecting the twisting, joining and folding in the joining sections 44, 45. In this arrangement the package remains in the original orientation during processing so that the top 14 remains uppermost. In this orientation the joining section defined by the rear sections 44 and 45 is twisted prior to compression to form a twisting section 62 as previously described and is joined to form a butt section 63 as previously described except that the twisting and butt are located on the top 14. Since these are effected on the horizontal upper surface of the package they can be effected manually without difficulty due to the support provided by the top 14. The impact is effected such that the height of the rear portion 45 from the bottom of the package along the front of each stack is equal to the height of the package in the uncompressed state.

The packing construction is located in the required packaging bag, and the bag has the open top towards the front face 18 of the pack. The compression is achieved, as shown in Fig. 3, by using the clamping plates D1 and D2. To prevent the sides of the package from being squeezed outward by compression, a pair of side plates 64 and 65 support the sides of the package during compression. The bag is of course located within the plates 64 and 65 below the clamping plate D1 and on top of the clamping plate D2.

When the package is compressed, the length of the rear portion is greater than the compressed height of the package, so that an excess portion is formed which is then carefully folded as shown in Figure 7. In the situation where the compressed height is less than half a rest height, a multi-fold arrangement can be used to define the fold 66 which includes the fold lines 67, 68, 69 and 70. The spacer plate 68 is placed in position between the folds 66 and the rear portions 45 and the face 18 of the package.

In Fig. 8 there is shown yet another alternative method of accommodating the required joint, twist and fold in the joint section. In Fig. 8 the joint 71 is therefore located on top of the top face 14 in the same way as in that arrangement in Fig. 7. However the twist and fold are located on the face 18 of the package and are combined into one element. Thus there is a first top fold line 72 and a second fold line 73 running in the direction which automatically twists the strip around its length to effect the required single twist 74 at the same location as the fold section. In reality, therefore, the fold is an extended version of the fold in Fig. 2. This careful folding produces a clean attractive appearance and reduces wrinkling or creasing of the strip because the fold lines 72 and 73 are spaced apart by the length of the fold section 74 and are almost transverse to the length of the strip.

In Figs. 9 and 10 is shown the process for unfolding the packages previously formed and shown in Figs. 2 to 8. The specific package illustrated is that shown in Fig. 8, but the position of the twist and push have little or no influence on the deployment process, as will be appreciated, and therefore the packages shown in Figs. 2 to 7 will function in the same manner.

Therefore, when the compression of the package is released, as shown in Figure 9, the connecting sections fall into loose lengths with the twist 74 in a particular position along the length, allowing the connecting section to cause unfolding to proceed from one stack to the next. The bag 40 is cut so that the top 43 and sides 42 are removed, leaving only the base 41, and a portion of the side is draped over the panels 82. The spacer 58 is removed.

The package is placed on a rack 80 for unfolding. This provides a generally horizontal main support surface 81 on which the stacks 20 to 23 stand upright in a generally upright manner for top-down unfolding.

The rack 80 also includes a side support surface 82 at right angles to the surface 81. The rack is then tilted at a shallow angle on the order of 10 to 20 degrees, which is just sufficient to tilt the package to one side so that the stack 23 leans against the surface 82 and the remaining stacks rest against the next adjacent stack. The angle is just sufficient to prevent the stacks from tipping over or buckling away from each other in a direction away from the surface 82.

It will be recognized that the tendency of the pack to expand slightly and the pulling on the first stack 20 will cause the first stack 20 to have the greatest tendency to tip over, while the others remain stable. The angle will therefore chosen to prevent the possibility of the first stack and each subsequent stack tipping over as it becomes the first stack while the others are being unfolded. The first stack 20 is therefore available to be unfolded from top to bottom, followed by each stack in turn. This arrangement has the advantage that no further support for the pack sides is required and the pack is stable in the position shown during unfolding. The transition of unfolding from one stack to the next can also take place without frictional contact of the strip with the packaging material or other support which may cause tearing of the weaker material.

The strips are often used for cutting the strip into a series of consecutive sheet elements each having a predetermined length. To prevent the fold lines from interfering with the effectiveness of the sheet elements during folding of the stacks in the packaging system described above, a marker (not shown) is located adjacent to the packaging system for the application of a machine readable marker 90 on the strip in alignment with the fold lines. The markers may comprise an ink jet marking, possibly in the form of a dot or square, visible to both the eye and the cutting machine or, in certain cases, just to the cutting machine. The marker may or may not be located directly on the fold line depending on the location of the machine reader 91 relative to the cutting blade 92, the location therefore being such as to effect cutting immediately on or adjacent to the fold line. In the example shown, the marker is located in front of the fold line or intended cutting line. The marker may extend over only a short part of the width of the strip. It will be appreciated that while the marks are aligned with corresponding fold lines, each mark is offset from the corresponding fold line by the same distance. In an arrangement where only the fold lines are marked by the ink jet mark there will be only one mark at each strip section. In order to keep the cut lines at the fold lines, it is necessary that the number of ply elements at each strip section is exactly a whole number. In many cases, the relative lengths of the elements and the strip are such that the whole number is greater than one. Any intended cut line can therefore be marked, or only the fold lines can be marked. The cut lines are therefore arranged so that the fold lines are sufficiently close to one end of the ply elements to avoid compromising the performance of the ply elements.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 11, a package formed from the same stacks as previously described is oriented so that the stacks are each horizontal on top of each other so that they can be unfolded downwards from the top stack. This can use the same arrangements for splicing, twisting and folding as previously described. However, a simpler method of splicing is available when the package is oriented in this way. When wrapped, compressed and sealed, the package structure is therefore oriented so that the stacks 20 to 23 are horizontal. In this orientation, the application of vertical loads to the package from the other packages causes transfer through the package structure to a pallet below without deforming or damaging the strip. This is due to the fact that the strip is relatively stiff across its width, and that when compressed into stacks, the strips together form a substantially rigid structure.

As shown in Fig. 11, the upper stack 20 is partially unfolded from the front end portion 12 toward a rear end portion 94 of that stack at the end 14 of the package 10. The next stack 21 has the front end portion 95 at the same end 14 as the rear end 94 and is connected by means of a connecting portion 96 having a joint 97 connected to the front end 95 of the stack 21. The connecting portion 96 lies in the same plane as the end 14 and extends generally diagonally between the stacks 20 and 21.

In a symmetrical manner, the rear end (not visible) of the stack 21 is connected to the front end of the stack 22 by means of a connecting portion (not visible) comprising a butt. The rear end of the stack 21, the connecting portion and the front end of the stack 22 are all arranged coplanar with the end 15 of the package.

Another connecting section 98 and joint 99 at end 14 connect to the rear end 100 of stack 22 and the front end 101 of stack 23.

The connecting sections 96, 98 and any further connecting sections required for additional stacks are located at the end 14. The connecting sections for alternate stacks are located at the opposite end 15. The connecting sections are coplanar with the end sections of the strip and therefore lie flat against the side of the package when completed and wrapped as described herein.

This orientation of the package, used for unfolding the package, is shown in Fig. 11. The bag remains in place to hold the end strip portions and the connecting portions in place, but the top 43 is opened by removing or cutting a small opening and the leading end 12 of the strip is grasped and pulled through the opening. By arranging the package in this orientation, each stack can therefore be unwound in turn without any risk of the stack tipping over, as it lies on its side supported by the stacks below.

It will be noted that the method of joining shown ensures that when the strips are unfolded as shown in Fig. 11, no twist is applied to the strip as unfolding proceeds from one stack to the next. However, to ensure that side A of the strip of stack 20 is joined to side A of the strip of stack 21 (and sides B are joined), it is necessary to turn the strip over in stack 21. Symmetrically, stack 22 shows the same orientation as stack 20, and stack 23 is turned over as stack 21. This turning over can be obtained by physically lifting the intermediate stacks and rotating them 180 degrees about an axis at right angles to the stacks. The same result can be achieved by twisting the strip through 180 degrees while feeding it to the folding system for simultaneous side-by-side folding as previously described. This twisting has the effect of locating side A at most within the fold lines on the face 18 of stacks 20 and 22, and locating side B outside on the fold lines on the same face for stacks 21 and 23.

In an alternative arrangement (not shown), the folding and compressing process as described above can be applied to a single stack of strip. Such a strip can be relatively wide, for example a length of carpet or fabric, which is folded back and forth, packed into the bag, compressed and held in the compressed state by the air pressure outside the deflated bag.

The compression reduces the height of the stack to such an extent that the construction becomes rigid and free-standing, thus protecting the strip and allowing easy handling.

To prevent unintentional expansion of the package at inappropriate times during transport, storage or handling To prevent damage as a result of puncturing the bag and breaking the vacuum, the bag may be further wrapped using a shrink wrapping material or other material that will hold the package in the compressed state.

In a further arrangement (not shown) the package can be formed by building up each stack in turn from a single end of the strip so that the strip is continuous from each stack to the next without the need for splicing. This method has the disadvantage that the build-up is relatively slow and requires a number of winding stations to accommodate a full width of web from which the strips are slit.

In a still further arrangement (not shown) the package is compressed, wrapped and transported to the point of use as shown in Fig. 1, while the package has its top and bottom sections unconnected. At the point of use, instead of connecting the strip of each stack to that of the next adjacent stack for the supply of a continuous strip from the package, each stack is connected to a corresponding stack of a next adjacent package. Thus, each stack delivers a separate strip to the machine where it is to be used, and the strip of each stack is connected by a joint at the point of use to a stack of another package for the continuous supply of that separate strip. However, the stacks are arranged side by side in the package and the lower strip sections are exposed for connection as rear sections as shown in Fig. 1.

In yet another arrangement, not shown, but similar to the constructions shown in Figures 5 and 6, alternating rear sections 45 are arranged at the opposite end of the packing construction. In such an arrangement it is possible to compensate for the twist in the connecting section and to join the rear sections in a straight line to the upper section of the next adjacent layer. If the rear sections are joined without twisting, the automatic twisting effect caused by the transition of unwrapping from one layer to the next will cause a twist of 360 degrees to be introduced into the strip. This twist is then cancelled by a twist in the opposite direction at the next transition point.

Claims (62)

1. A package of strip material comprising a plurality of stacks (20, 21, 22, 23), each of which contains a strip (11) folded back and forth such that each folded portion of the strip is folded relative to the next portion about a line (25, 26) extending transversely to the strip and such that the side edges (27, 28) of the folded strip portions are aligned with one another, the strip being continuous through each stack (20, 21, 22, 23) from an upper end portion (30) of the strip at one end of the stack to a lower end portion (29) of the strip at an opposite end of the stack; wherein the stacks (20, 21, 22, 23) are parallel and arranged side by side as a common packaging structure (10), the side edges (27) of the strip portions of each stack abutting the side edges (28) of the next adjacent stack without intervening rigid container walls; characterized in that the strip is arranged in the package at both the upper and lower end portions (30, 29 in Figs. 1 and 2 and 94, 94 in Fig. 11) of the strip of each stack so as to provide respective end connecting portions (44, 45 in Figs. 1, 2 and 96 in Fig. 11) which are either both (Fig. 1) accessible for end-to-end connection with other respective end connecting portions to produce a continuous strip of interconnected stacks or at least one of which (Figs. 2 and 11) is already connected end-to-end with an end connecting portion of another of the stacks to provide a continuous strip formed by interconnected stacks. 2. A package according to claim 1, wherein the stacks (20, 21, 22, 23) are substantially upright, forming a bottom (29) and a top (30), two sides (16, 17) parallel to the edges (27, 28) of the strips of the stacks, and two ends (18, 19) containing the fold lines (25, 26) of the stacks, and wherein the end connecting portion (45) of the bottom of each stack has a free unconnected end portion extending from the lower strip portion (29) and exposed beyond one end (18) of the stack. 3. A package according to claim 1, wherein an end connection section (45 in Fig. 2 and 94 in Fig. 11) of each stack is connected by a splice connection section (48 in Fig. 2 and 96, 97 in Fig. 11) to an end connection section (44 in Fig. 2 and 95 in Fig. 11) of the next adjacent stack. 4. A package according to claim 3, wherein (Fig. 11) an end connection portion (94 Fig. 11) of a top side (14) of one stack is connected to an end connection portion of a top side of a next adjacent stack to form a first splice connection portion (96, 97) coplanar with the top side of the stacks and extending across the top side of the stacks, and wherein an end connection portion of a bottom side (15) of one stack is connected to an end connection portion of a bottom side of a second next adjacent stack to form a second splice connection portion coplanar with the bottom side of the stacks and extending across the bottom side of the stacks. 5. A package according to claim 4, wherein the package is oriented so that the stacks (20, 21, 22, 23) are horizontal and that loads from upper stacks (20) to lower stacks (23) are transferred through edges of the strip. 6. A package according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the next adjacent barted stack (21) is inverted (A/B) relative to the one stack (20) such that the orientation of the strips therein is reversed, whereby the first splice connection section (97) is connected between the stacks such that a first surface (A) of the strip of the one stack is connected to a first surface of the strip of the next adjacent stack and a second surface (B) of the strip of the one stack is connected to a second surface of the strip of the next adjacent stack. 7. A package according to claim 3, wherein the stacks are substantially upright, having a bottom (15) and a top (14), two sides (16, 17) parallel to the edges (27, 28) of the strips of the stacks, and two ends (18, 19) containing the fold lines (25, 26) of the stacks, and wherein the end connection portion (45) of the bottom (15) of one stack is connected to an end connection portion (44) of the top (14) of a next adjacent stack to form the splice connection portion (44, 45, 46) extending along an end (18) of the stack. 8. A package according to claim 7, wherein there are at least three stacks (20, 21, 22) and wherein the splice connection sections (44, 45, 46) are arranged such that there is no accumulated twist in the strip when three stacks (20, 21, 22) are unfolded. 9. A package according to claim 7, wherein there are at least three stacks (20, 21, 22) and wherein that part (44, 45, 46, 30) of the strip formed by the splice connection portion (44, 45, 46) and the upper end portion (30) contains a twist (47) of 360 degrees in the strip so that there is no cumulative twist in the strip when the three stacks (20, 21, 22) are unfolded. 10. A package according to claim 7, wherein there are at least three stacks (20, 21, 22) and wherein the splice sections of every other stack are located at opposite ends (18, 19) of the stacks and each splice connection section (44, 45, 46) is arranged to be interposed between the lower strip section (29) of one stack and the upper strip section (30) of the next stack without twisting so that there is no accumulated twisting in the strip when the three stacks (20, 21, 22) are unfolded. 11. A package according to claim 7, 8, 9 or 10, wherein the package is in a compressed condition so that the height of the stacks (20, 21, 22, 23) is reduced from a rest height to a compressed height; wherein the package is wrapped in packaging material (40) which maintains the compression; wherein each splice connection section (44, 45, 46) has a length (Fig. 6) which is substantially the same as the compressed height and therefore less than the rest height; and wherein the package is arranged such that as the package expands to the rest height, the length required to increase the length of each splice connection section to the rest height is subtracted (30A, 30B) from the top two strip sections (30) of the stacks. 12. A package according to claim 7, 8, 9 or 10, wherein the package is in a compressed state so that its height is reduced from a rest height to a compressed height; wherein the package is wrapped in packaging material (40) which maintains the compression; wherein the splice connection portion (44, 45, 46) has a length at least equal to the rest height; and the splice connection portion is folded (54) about fold lines which run generally transverse to its length to reduce the difference between the length of the splice connection section and the compressed height. 13. A package according to claim 11 or 12, wherein a sliding sheet (30C) is provided between two strip sections (30, 30D) to allow relative sliding movement of the two strip sections as the package expands. 14. A package according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the package is in a compressed condition so that the height of the stacks is reduced from a rest height to a compressed height, and wherein the package is wrapped in packaging material (40) which maintains the compression. 15. A package according to any one of claims 11 to 14, wherein the compression is sufficient to reduce the thickness of each strip portion of the stacks. 16. A package according to claim 15, wherein the strip is fibrous. 17. A package according to any preceding claim, wherein a spacer sheet member (58) is provided between the fold lines (25) at the end (18) of the package and the end connection portion (44, 45). 18. A package according to any preceding claim, wherein the plurality of stacks are arranged such that the side edges (27, 28) of the strip of each stack are unconnected along the entire length of the strip to the side edges of the strip of a next adjacent stack. 19. A package according to any preceding claim, in which the strip of each stack is slit lengthwise from a web. 20. A package according to any preceding claim, wherein the side edges (27, 28) of the strip portions of each stack directly contact the side edges of the strip portions of a next adjacent stack. 21. A package according to any preceding claim, in which the package is enveloped by a flexible packaging material (40) forming a closed bag from which air has been evacuated and which is sealed against the ingress of air, so that the stacks are held in a compressed condition in a direction perpendicular to the surfaces of the sections of the strip, and the stacks are each held in contact with the next by the air pressure acting on the packaging material. 22. A package according to claim 21, wherein the package is held compressed by the enveloping flexible packaging material in a direction perpendicular to the strips of the stacks to an extent sufficient to form a rigid free-standing package structure (10) without rigid container walls. 23. A package according to any preceding claim, wherein on the strip of each stack there is a series of machine-readable applied markings (90), each arranged at a longitudinal location on the strip arranged to identify the longitudinal location of a corresponding one of the fold lines (25, 26). 24. A method of forming a package from strip material, comprising: providing the strip material as a plurality of strips (11) arranged side by side; forming a plurality of stacks (20, 21, 22, 23) containing the respective strips (11) which are folded back and forth such that each folded portion the stack is folded relative to the next section about a line (25, 26) extending transversely to the strip, and such that the side edges (27, 28) of the strip sections are aligned with one another; the strip being continuous through each stack (20, 21, 22, 23) from an upper end section (30) of the stack to a lower end section (29) of the stack; arranging the stacks (20, 21, 22, 23) so that they are parallel and side by side to form the package structure (10) so that the side edges (27, 28) of the strip sections of each stack abut the side edges of the next adjacent stack without the interposition of rigid container walls; characterised by: providing respective end connecting portions (44, 45 in Figs. 1, 2 and 96 in Fig. 11) at both the upper and lower end portions (30, 29 in Figs. 1 and 2 and 94, 94 in Fig. 11) of the strip of each stack in the package and in that either (Fig. 1) both end connecting portions (44, 45) are made accessible for end-to-end connection with another end connecting portion to create a continuous strip of interconnected stacks; or (Figs. 2 and 11) at least one end connecting portion from one stack is connected end-to-end with a respective end connecting portion of another stack to create a continuous strip formed from interconnected stacks. 25. A method according to claim 24, wherein the stacks (20, 21, 22, 23) are substantially upright, having a bottom (29) and a top (30), two sides (16, 17) parallel to the edges (27, 28) of the strips of the stacks, and two ends (18, 19) containing the fold lines (26, 27) of the stacks, and wherein the end connecting portion (45) of the bottom of each stack has a free unconnected end portion extending from the lower strip portion and is exposed beyond one end (25) of the stack. 26. The method of claim 24, wherein an end connection section (45 in Fig. 2 and 94 in Fig. 11) of each stack is connected by a splice connection section (46 in Fig. 2 and 96, 97 in Fig. 11) to an end connection section (44 in Fig. 2 and 95 in Fig. 11) of the next adjacent stack. 27. The method of claim 26, wherein (Fig. 11) an end connection portion (94 Fig. 11) of a top side (14) of a first stack is connected to an end connection portion of a top side of a next adjacent stack to form a first splice connection portion (96, 97) coplanar with the top side of the stacks and extending across the top side of the stacks, and wherein an end connection portion of a bottom side (15) of the first stack is connected to an end connection portion of a bottom side of a second next adjacent stack to form a second splice connection portion coplanar with the bottom side of the stacks and extending across the bottom side of the stacks. 28. A method according to claim 27, wherein the package is oriented so that the stacks (20, 21, 22, 23) are horizontal and such that loads from the upper stacks (20) are transferred to lower stacks (23) through edges of the strip. 29. A method according to claim 27 or 28, wherein the next adjacent stack (21) is inverted (A/B) relative to the first stack (20) such that the orientation of the strips therein is reversed, whereby the first splice connection section (97) is connected between the stacks such that a first surface (A) of the strip of the first stack is in contact with a first surface of the strip of the next adjacent stack and a second surface surface (B) of the strip of the first stack is connected to a second surface of the strip of the next adjacent stack. 30. A method according to claim 29, wherein the next adjacent stack (21) is turned over by twisting the strip 180 degrees before folding. 31. A method according to claim 26, wherein the stacks are substantially upright, having a bottom (15) and a top (14), two sides (16, 17) parallel to the edges (27, 28) of the strips of the stacks, and two ends (18, 19) containing the fold lines (25, 26) of the stacks, and wherein the end connection portion (45) of the bottom (15) of one stack is connected to an end connection portion (44) of the top (14) of a next adjacent stack to form a splice connection portion (44, 45, 46) extending along an end (18) of the stack. 32. A method according to claim 31, wherein there are at least three stacks (20, 21, 22), the splice sections (44, 45, 46) being arranged so that there is no accumulated twist in the strip when the three stacks (20, 21, 22) are unfolded. 33. A method according to claim 31, wherein there are at least three stacks (20, 21, 22), that part (44, 45, 46, 30) of the strip formed by the splice connection section (44, 45, 46) and the upper end section (30) being arranged to include a twist (47) of 360 degrees in the strip, so that there is no accumulated twist in the strip when the three stacks (20, 21, 22) are unfolded. 34. A method according to claim 31, wherein at least three stacks (20, 21, 22) are present, the splice sections of every other stack at opposite ends (18, 19) of the stacks and the splice section (44, 45, 46) is connected between the lower strip sections (29) of one stack and the upper strip sections (30) of the next stack such that there is no accumulated twist in the strip when the three stacks (20, 21, 22) are unfolded. 35. A method according to claim 31, 32, 33 or 34, in which the package is compressed downwards (D) so that the height of the stacks (20, 21, 22, 23) is reduced from a height in the rest state to a compressed height; in which the package is wrapped in packaging material (40) which maintains the compression; in which each splice connection section (44, 45, 46) has a length (Fig. 6) which is substantially the same as the compressed height and therefore less than the height in the rest state; and wherein the package is arranged so that as the package expands to the rest height, the length required to increase the length of each splice connection section to the rest height is subtracted from the top two strip sections (30) of the stacks (30A, 30B). 36. A method according to claim 31, 32, 33 or 34, wherein the package is compressed downwards (D) so as to reduce its height from a rest height to a compressed height; wherein the splice connection section (44, 45, 46) has a length at least equal to the rest height; and wherein the splice connection section is folded about fold lines generally transverse to its length to accommodate the difference between the length of the splice connection section and the compressed height. 37. Method according to claim 35 or 36, wherein a sliding sheet (30C) is provided between two strip sections (30, 30D) to allow relative sliding movement of the two strip sections as the package expands. 38. A method according to any one of claims 24 to 34, in which the package is compressed downwards (D) to reduce the height of the stacks from a rest height to a compressed height, and in which the package is wrapped in packaging material (40) which maintains the compression. 39. A method according to any one of claims 35 to 38, wherein the compression is sufficient to reduce the thickness of each strip portion of the stacks. 40. The method of claim 39, wherein the strip is fibrous. 41. A method according to any one of claims 24 to 40, wherein a spacer sheet member (58) is provided between the fold lines (25) at the end (18) of the package and the end connection portion (44, 45, 46). 42. A method according to any one of claims 24 to 41, wherein the plurality of stacks (20, 21, 22, 23) are arranged such that the side edges (27, 28) of the strip of each stack are unconnected to the side edges of the strip of a next adjacent stack along the entire length of the strip. 43. A method according to any one of claims 24 to 42, wherein the strip of each stack is slit lengthwise from a web. 44. A method according to any one of claims 24 to 43, wherein the side edges (27, 28) of the strip portions of each stack overlap the side edges of the strip portions of a of the next adjacent stack. 45. A method according to any one of claims 24 to 44, in which the package (10) is wrapped in a flexible packaging material forming a closed bag (40) from which air is evacuated and which is sealed against the ingress of air so that the stacks are maintained in a compressed condition in a direction perpendicular to the surfaces of the sections of the strip so as to maintain the stacks in contact with the next by the air pressure acting on the packaging material. 46. A method according to claim 45, wherein the package is held compressed by the enveloping flexible packaging material (40) in a direction perpendicular to the strips of the stacks to an extent sufficient to form a rigid free-standing package structure without rigid container walls. 47. A method according to any one of claims 24 to 46, comprising applying to the strip of each stack a series of machine-readable markings (90), each arranged at a longitudinal location on the strip arranged to determine the longitudinal location of a corresponding one of the fold lines (25, 26); including unfolding the strip; scanning the unfolded strip to locate the machine-readable markings; and cutting the unfolded strip using the machine-readable markings to locate cut lines transverse to the strip at or adjacent to the fold lines. 48. A method according to any one of claims 24 to 47, including unfolding the strip and cutting each folded strip portion of the strip by cutting lines extending transversely to the strip into a whole number of sheet elements, two of the cutting lines of each folded strip section being arranged on or next to respective fold lines of the respective folded strip section such that a central processing region of each sheet element is free of a fold line. 49. A method according to any one of claims 24 to 48, including providing a deployment stand having an inclined support surface; placing the package on the deployment stand to incline the stacks at an angle to the vertical (80) such that a final stack (23) forms a side surface leaning against and supported by the inclined support surface and such that each stack (20, 21, 22) leans against and is supported by its next adjacent stack; and unfolding the strip from the final stack (20) opposite the support surface such that each stack is unfolded and peeled off in turn. 50. A method of forming a package from strip material, comprising: forming at least one stack (20, 21, 22, 23) containing a strip (11) which is folded back and forth such that each folded portion of the at least one stack is folded relative to the next portion about a line (25, 26) extending transversely to the strip, and such that the side edges (27, 28) of the folded strip portions are aligned with one another; wherein the strip is continuous through the at least one stack from a lower end portion (29) of the strip at the bottom of the at least one stack to an upper end portion (30) of the strip at the top of the at least one stack; wherein the strip portions are arranged to form a first plurality of fold lines (25) at one end (18) of the at least one stack and a second plurality at fold lines (26) at an opposite second end (19) of the at least one stack; compressing the at least one stack downward (D) to reduce the height of the at least one stack; and securing the at least one stack by a packaging material (40) to maintain the at least one stack in a compressed condition for shipping; characterized by: providing an end connection portion (45) of the strip on the at least one stack extending from the lower strip portion and extending beyond one of the ends (18) of the at least one stack to be accessible for splicing. 51. The method of claim 50, wherein the packaging material (40) comprises a sealable closed bag that is sealed to prevent the ingress of air to prevent expansion of the closed bag from the compressed state. 52. A method according to claim 50 or 51, wherein the degree of compression and the flexible packaging material are arranged to form a substantially rigid, free-standing package. 53. The method of claim 50, 51 or 52, wherein the compression is sufficient to reduce the thickness of each strip portion of the at least one stack. 54. The method of claim 53, wherein the strip is fibrous. 55. A method according to claim 50, 51, 52, 53 or 54, wherein a spacer sheet member (58) is provided between the fold lines (25) at the end (18) of the package and the end connection portion (44, 45). 56. A package of strip material comprising at least one stack (20, 21, 22, 23) containing a strip (11) folded back and forth such that each folded portion of the at least one stack is folded relative to the next portion about a line (25, 26) extending transversely to the strip, and such that the side edges (27, 28) of the folded strip portions are aligned with one another; the strip being continuous through the at least one stack from a lower end portion (29) of the strip at the bottom of the at least one stack to an upper end portion (30) of the strip at the top of the at least one stack; wherein the strip portions are arranged to form a first plurality of fold lines (25) at one end (18) of the at least one stack and a second plurality of fold lines (26) at an opposite second end (19) of the at least one stack; wherein the at least one stack is compressed downwards (D) to reduce the height of the at least one stack, and the at least one stack is secured by a packaging material (40) to maintain the at least one stack in a compressed condition for shipping; characterized in that the at least one stack includes an end connection portion (45) of the strip extending from the lower strip portion and extending beyond one of the ends (18) of the at least one stack to be accessible for splicing. 57. A package according to claim 56, wherein the packaging material (40) comprises a sealable closed bag which is sealed to prevent the ingress of air to prevent expansion of the closed bag from the compressed state. 58. A package according to claim 56 or 57, wherein the degree of compression and the flexible packaging material are so arranged to form a substantially rigid, free-standing package. 59. A package according to claim 56, 57 or 58, wherein the compression is sufficient to reduce the thickness of each strip portion of the at least one stack. 60. A package according to claim 59, wherein the strip is fibrous. 61. A package according to claim 56, 57, 58 or 59, wherein a spacer sheet member (58) is provided between the fold lines (25) at the end (18) of the package and the end connection portion (44, 45). 62. A method according to any one of claims 24 to 49, including: shipping a web from which the plurality of strips are formed side by side by slitting, folding the shipped web to form the stacks (20, 21, 22, 23) simultaneously side by side; and thereafter unfolding each stack (20, 21, 22, 23) in turn to separate the strip (11) of the stack from the remaining stacks formed by the web.