EP0072302B1 - Method of treating panels of compressible material, and packages made by this method - Google Patents

Abstract

The process according to the invention consists of superposing a plurality of panels of compressible materials (1), of providing the pile thus produced with at least one enclosure (2) of shrinkable plastic material, of subjecting the pile to a first compression normally on its wide surface, of causing the shrinking of the enclosure (2) on the compressed pile to provide a package, of superposing in order of thickness a plurality of identical packages of compressed panels, of applying a flat rigid element (12) against each of the terminal surfaces of the pile of packages thus produced, of subjecting the said pile to a second compression, perpendicular to the flat elements (12) and of joining the pile of packages (5) thus compressed with the aid of assembly means.

Description

The invention relates to the packaging of panels of compressible material. More particularly, it relates to a process for packaging panels of fibrous materials in one or more separate batches, themselves combined into a single assembly.

It is to this application that reference will be made in the remainder of this description, but it will be clear to those skilled in the art that the process according to the invention applies equally to any compressible material other than fibrous materials.

It is known that fibrous materials, in particular glass fibers, are frequently delivered to users in the form of panels or mattresses having substantially the shape of a parallelepiped of relatively large dimensions, since its largest dimensions are often of the order of 100 x 50 cm and that its thickness can vary from 30 to 200 mm and even reach 500 mm. These panels can be coated, on one or more of their faces, with a sheet material and the panels are themselves joined either in bundles of ten elementary panels, assembled by a shrinkable polyethylene sheath or by a sheath of paper, either in rolls which can optionally be packaged themselves in the compressed state by the process described in patent application FR-A-2 460 862 and in the application for first certificate of addition FR-A -2 491 889 attached to this patent application, on behalf of Saint-Gobain industries.

Furthermore, from Belgian patent 866,144, a method of packaging compressible panels is known, according to which partial compressions of batches of superimposed panels are carried out which are introduced into a packaging envelope.

The delivery to the users of the panels in the form of simple bundles however leads to a deterioration of the panels thus conditioned, and, when the bundle is opened, the panels have lost their initial properties, which is obviously very harmful to the use of the product.

It is however important, both for storage by the manufacturer or the user, and for handling or transport operations, that the panels be packaged in as small a volume as possible, which implies a significant compression of these panels, to an extent compatible however with a satisfactory return to shape, when compression stops, and without deterioration of their mechanical properties.

The present invention aims to provide a method of packaging panels of a compressible material which meets these conditions, without having the drawbacks of the prior art mentioned above.

The Applicant has in fact established that, if the compression is divided into at least two successive elementary compressions of an individual amplitude less than the desired overall compression rate, by maintaining the panels in compression between rigid, planar and parallel elements, it it is possible to achieve very high compression ratios (ratio of the thickness of a mattress before compression to the thickness after compression), of the order of 2 to 4 or even 5, without the panels being conditioned under pressure suffer from compression operations.

• on superpose, verticalement ou horizontalement, suivant leur épaisseur, une pluralité de panneaux ;
• on gaine la pile ainsi réalisée d'au moins une housse de matière plastique rétractable ;
• on soumet à une première compression, perpendiculairement aux grandes faces de panneaux, la pile de panneaux ainsi gainée ;
• on provoque la rétraction de la housse sur la pile comprimée pour obtenir un colis de panneaux comprimés ;
• on superpose suivant leur épaisseur, éventuellement suivant plusieurs piles contiguës, une pluralité de colis identiques de panneaux comprimés ;
• on applique contre chacune des faces d'extrémité de la pile de colis ainsi réalisée un élément rigide plan ;
• on soumet à une seconde compression, perpendiculairement auxdits éléments plans, ladite pile de colis ;

The subject of the invention is therefore a method of packaging compressible panels characterized by the following successive operations:

• a plurality of panels are superimposed, vertically or horizontally, depending on their thickness;
• the stack thus produced is sheathed with at least one shrinkable plastic cover;
• the stack of panels thus sheathed is subjected to a first compression, perpendicular to the large faces of the panels;
• causing the cover to shrink on the compressed stack to obtain a package of compressed panels;
• a plurality of identical packages of compressed panels are superimposed according to their thickness, possibly along several contiguous stacks;
• a rigid planar element is applied against each of the end faces of the stack of packages thus produced;
• said stack of packages is subjected to a second compression, perpendicular to said planar elements;

and the stack of packages thus compressed is brought together in a single batch, using assembly means.

According to a variant of the particularly economical process which applies well to the packaging of easily compressible panels, the package of compressed panels is produced from the first compression by introducing the stack of panels in the compressed state into a tubular sheath, made in particular wrapping paper, the dimensions of which correspond to those of the shrink-wrapped plastic cover. The packages thus obtained are then subjected to the second compression and to assembly as described above, in order to produce the stack of compressed packages.

Optionally, the elementary packages can undergo at least one additional compression followed by an additional retraction of the shrinkable material sheath, before stacking these packages.

Thus, the Applicant produced such packages by subjecting a stack of six panels to compression at a rate of 1.27, then, after retraction of the heat-shrinkable sheath surrounding them, it carried out additional compression of the resulting package, at a rate of 1.37, followed by additional retraction of the retractable sheath, for example by heating the sides of this sheath when it is made of a heat-shrinkable material.

Finally, the packages thus produced were superimposed to form a stack of six packages which was placed between two rigid plates and compressed at a rate of 2, to then be kept in the compressed position using assembly means to form a single batch.

Preferably, the batch thus produced will itself be then wrapped in a shrinkable plastic envelope which will be subjected to a retraction.

At least two identical batches may possibly be stacked on top of each other, united by assembly means and possibly sheathed with an additional cover of shrinkable material.

The means of assembling the packages and planar elements partially or totally covering the end faces of the lot will comprise a strapping means such as a plastic strip, so that the assembly constituted by said planar elements and the means strapping maintains the batch of packages in the compressed position and has sufficient resistance to the back pressure exerted by the packages, without deformation of the batch. The flat elements associated with the upper faces of the batch of packages may consist of a simple flat plate and / or several parallel panels, made of wood, cardboard or any other material having sufficient rigidity. This or these planar elements may advantageously have at least two parallel ends of the returns forming flaps, applied against the lateral faces of the stack.

So that the individual lots that constitute such stacks of packages can be moved using forklifts whose forks will pierce the envelope (s) of heat-shrinkable material to pick up the lots by their base, it will be preferable that mechanical means rigid enclosing each batch of packages leave passages for said forks, even when a batch rests on a similar batch. For this purpose, beams forming a stiffener will preferably be applied between each strapping means and the planar element of the corresponding face of the lot. To avoid any displacement of the strapping means during handling, the associated beam may advantageously include a groove to accommodate the strapping means. This can also be made integral, by nailing or by any other means, with the associated beam. In the case of at least two similar lots stacked on top of each other, each lot may include individual strapping means, the beams associated with the underside of a lot being in this case offset transversely to those associated with the upper side of the lot immediately below. The two batches of objects may also include a common strapping means passing over the beams of the lower face of the batch arranged at the base and over the beams of the upper face of the upper batch, the latter resting by its lower beams on the beams of the upper face of the base lot.

The beams in question can also be fixed to a frame so as to form a true handling pallet.

Of course, means for reinforcing and / or protecting the lot may be provided, for example plates protecting certain vertical faces of the lot, possibly with flaps applied against the adjoining faces, or angles placed along the vertical edges of the lot, or even stiffeners arranged vertically and / or transversely along one or more vertical faces of the batch.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the packaging process which has just been defined, but it also includes batches of panels of compressible material produced by this process.

• les figures 1a à 1d illustrent, dans son principe, la compression en plusieurs phases successives des panneaux de matière compressible ;
• la figure 2 est une vue en perspective d'un premier type de lot de panneaux préparé par le procédé selon l'invention ;
• la figure 3 est une vue partielle, en perspective éclatée, montrant la constitution d'un autre type de lot ;
• la figure 4 illustre le gerbage de deux lots du type de la figure 2, mais comportant des moyens de cerclage communs ;
• la figure 5 illustre le gerbage de deux lots d'un autre type réalisé par le procédé conforme à l'invention ;
• la figure 6 est une coupe transversale d'une poutre présentant une gorge pour le passage d'un feuillard de cerclage ;
• la figure 7 est une vue en perspective d'un autre lot préparé par le procédé conforme à l'invention ;
• la figure 8 illustre une autre forme de réalisation du procédé selon l'invention ; et
• la figure 9 est une vue en perspective, partiellement arrachée, d'un autre lot préparé selon le procédé conforme à l'invention.

The accompanying drawings illustrate various forms of implementation of the invention. In these drawings:

• Figures 1a to 1d illustrate, in principle, the compression in several successive phases of the panels of compressible material;
• FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a first type of batch of panels prepared by the method according to the invention;
• Figure 3 is a partial exploded perspective view showing the constitution of another type of lot;
• FIG. 4 illustrates the stacking of two lots of the type of FIG. 2, but comprising common strapping means;
• FIG. 5 illustrates the stacking of two batches of another type carried out by the method according to the invention;
• Figure 6 is a cross section of a beam having a groove for the passage of a strapping strip;
• Figure 7 is a perspective view of another batch prepared by the method according to the invention;
• FIG. 8 illustrates another embodiment of the method according to the invention; and
• Figure 9 is a perspective view, partially broken away, of another batch prepared according to the method according to the invention.

Reference will first be made to FIG. 1, which illustrates, in principle, the production, in accordance with the method of the invention, of a batch of compressible panels 1.

The panels 1 are first stacked vertically according to their thickness (FIG. 1a), to form a stack of height x, equal for example to 600 mm.

This stack is then wrapped in a sheath 2 of retractable polyethylene and is compressed at a rate of 1.27, its height thus reduced to a value x ₂ equal to 480 mm. The polyethylene sheath 2 is then shrunk by heating, and a package 3 with an ovoid section is thus obtained, the sides of which have a height _Y2 less than x ₂ and equal, for example, to 360 mm (FIG. 1b).

Package 3 is again compressed with a compression ratio of 1.37, which reduces its height to a value x ₃ equal to 350 mm, the sheath 2 being again subjected to shrinkage by heating its sides. A package 4 is thus obtained with an ovoid section, the sides of which have a height y _{3 of} less than x ₃ and equal, for example, to 220 mm (FIG. 1c).

The packages 4 are finally stacked one on the other, in the direction of their thickness between two rigid flat plates 12 (FIG. 1d) and are again compressed, perpendicular to their large face, along the arrow F _i , which has for effect of giving each of the packages the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped 5, similar to the original stack shown in FIG. 1a. but whose height _X4 is equal to 220 mm.

Then, or simultaneously, the compact stacks of packages 5 thus produced are rigidly joined together using assembly means which will be described below, then capped with a shrinkable polyethylene cover, which ensures the protection of the compact batch of panel package thus produced.

It should be noted that the panels of each package and / or each batch, including those arranged at the base or at the top of each stack, do not undergo any deterioration due to the fractional compressions to which they are subjected and that they resume their initial shape without permanent deformation, when the user undoes the batch thus produced and releases the panels of the sheath 2 which encloses the package.

As indicated above, numerous means for assembling the packages 5 in the compressed state and the plates 12 (FIG. 1d) can be used in the context of the invention. In the types of package lots which will be described below and which have no limiting nature, these assembly means are also such that they allow stacking of two several similar lots without, however, opposing handling lots by forklifts.

In the case of FIG. 2, a cardboard plate 6 comprising lateral flaps 7 is arranged below the package 5 situated at the base of the stack and a similar plate covers the upper package. Beams 8 forming stiffeners are arranged on the external face of the plates 6 and plastic links 9 serving as strapping means bear on the beams 8 and enclose the package. Cardboard plates 10, provided with flaps 11, cover the two parallel lateral faces of the stack of packages over which the links 9 do not pass and serve as protection for these faces. Finally, the assembly thus produced is wrapped in a heat-shrinkable polyethylene sheath, to form a compact package, not very bulky and easily manipulated by a forklift, the gripping members of which can be easily introduced under the package, even when that -this is stacked on a similar packaging, as will be seen below.

In the variant of FIG. 3, a reinforcing and protective plate 13 is applied to the lower and upper faces of the package stack and, between this plate 13 and the stiffeners 14, over which the plastic links, not shown, pass, are interposed individual panels 15 of wood or cardboard, provided at their ends with flaps 16. As in the case of FIG. 2, the two lateral faces of the stack of packages over which the plastic ties do not pass are protected by a plate 17 provided with flaps 18, but, between plate 17 and the packages, a reinforcing plate 19 is interposed.

Figure 4, in which the members already described in relation to Figure 2 keep the same reference numbers, shows how two batches of objects similar to that of Figure 2 can be stacked and assembled to form a single package, making rest the stiffeners 8 arranged at the base of the upper batch on the stiffeners of the upper face of the batch situated below, and by replacing the individual strapping links of each batch with common links 21, which enclose the entire stack of lots. As before, each individual lot is wrapped in a retractable envelope, and the compact assembly formed by the two superimposed lots can itself be protected by a retractable cover.

FIG. 5 illustrates another method of stacking another type of packaging according to the invention.

In this packaging, a cardboard plate 22 is applied against the lower face and the upper face of each batch and the stiffeners 23 are secured to a common frame 24, with which they form a sort of pallet, which is applied against the plate 22. Metal strips 25 join the ends of the stiffeners 23 of the upper face and the lower face of each batch of packages 5, the stiffeners 23 and the associated strips 25 thus constituting a means of strapping the batch. The metal strips 25 are simply nailed to the ends of the stiffeners 23.

The upper batch rests on the upper frame 24 of the lower batch by its stiffeners 23, which are offset with respect to the upper stiffeners of the lower batch. It will be noted that the stiffeners 23 are also offset in position on their respective frames 24, so that the two stacked lots are perpendicular to each other. The frames 24 of the two lots arranged opposite are joined by joining means, for example by pieces of metal strip 26 nailed at regular intervals to the two frames.

As seen in Figure 6, it is also possible to practice in stiffeners 27 a groove 28 serving as a housing for the strapping link. It will be noted that, in this variant of the stiffeners, these are integral with a sole 29 by which they come into contact with the packages.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 7, vertical stiffeners 30 and / or transverse are provided on the lateral faces of the batch of objects, the vertical edges of which are protected by angles 32.

FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate another embodiment of the method according to which the means for assembling the compact stack 5 of packages shown in FIG. 1d consist of a packing box, in particular a cardboard box 40 with flaps 41 (figure 8). As illustrated by this figure, the stack 5 of packages, compressed between the two flat and rigid plates 12, is introduced into the box 40 placed on edge and whose flaps 41 are in the open position. After the stack 5 has been placed in the carton 40, the flaps 41 are folded and optionally fixed to one another, so as to constitute a modular batch 42 (FIG. 9) according to the invention.

As shown in FIG. 9, several of these modular lots 42 are stacked on top of each other to form the packaging 45, supported by the plate 43, itself made for example of a sheet of cardboard provided with stiffeners 44 or wooden or polystyrene studs. It will be noted that the batches 42 are in contact with one another by their faces defined by the folded flaps 41, which implies, according to FIG. 9, that the packages of panels 1 are arranged on edge in the packaging 45 and therefore that said panels rest on their edges.

Finally, the packaging 45 is assembled by styling it with a polyethylene cover 46, which is brought to a temperature sufficient to cause it to shrink and thereby link the batches 42 to each other. In this case, it is not necessary to encircle the packaging obtained, the manufacture of which is thus made more economical.

• la construction du conditionnement 45 est rendue indépendante de la composition du remplissage des lots modulaires 42,
• la cote de la hauteur du conditionnement 45 est très régulière et elle peut être tenue à 2 cm près, ce qui facilite l'introduction dudit conditionnement dans les véhicules couverts,
• les arêtes des lots modulaires 42 résistent bien à l'empilement et les contraintes imposées à l'emballage pour le maintien des feutres 1 en compression n'existent pas dans la direction de l'empilement des lots 42, ce qui a pour effet, dans le cas d'un relachement de cette compression dû à la détérioration accidentelle d'un ou plusieurs lots modulaires 42, d'éviter d'affecter la hauteur du conditionnement 45 dans sa constance et par- là de conserver la faculté d'extraire facilement celui-ci du véhicule couvert.

Among the advantages provided by the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, there may be mentioned:

• the construction of the packaging 45 is made independent of the composition of the filling of the modular lots 42,
• the height of the packaging 45 is very regular and can be kept to within 2 cm, which facilitates the introduction of the said packaging into the covered vehicles,
• the edges of the modular batches 42 resist the stacking well and the constraints imposed on the packaging for maintaining the felts 1 in compression do not exist in the direction of the stacking of the batches 42, which has the effect, in in the case of a loosening of this compression due to the accidental deterioration of one or more modular lots 42, to avoid affecting the height of the packaging 45 in its constancy and thereby retain the ability to easily extract that -this of the covered vehicle.

Claims (21)

1. Process for packaging compressible panels characterized by the following successive operations :

a plurality of panels (1) is superposed, vertically or horizontally, according to the thickness ;

the pile thus produced is sheathed with at least one enclosure (2) of shrinkable plastic material ;

the pile of panels thus sheathed is subjected to a first compression, perpendicularly to the wide panel faces ;

the shrinkage of the enclosure (2) on the compressed pile is caused in order to obtain a package (3) of compressed panels ;

a plurality of identical packages of compressed panels is superposed according to thickness, and possibly according to several contiguous piles ;

a flat rigid element (12) is applied against each of the end faces of the pile of package thus embodied ;

the said pile of packages is subjected to a second compression, perpendicularly to the said flat element (12), and

the pile of packages (5) thus compressed is joined into a single parcel by assembly means.

2. Process according to claim 1, characterized in that, before being stacked, the packages (3) are subjected to an additional compression followed by a complementary shrinkage of the enclosures (2).

3. Process according to either claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said assembly means of the packages (5) and the flat elements (6, 15), at least partially covering the bottom and top surfaces of the parcel of packages (5), comprise binding means (9) joining the flat elements attached to the other side.

4. Process according to claim 3, characterized in that the said flat elements (15) comprise, following two parallel edges, bent portions (16) forming flanges applied against the lateral surfaces of the parcel of packages (5).

5. Process according to either claim 3 or 4, characterized in that at least one flat reinforcement element (13) is interposed between the said flat elements (15) and the corresponding surface of the parcel of packages (5).

6. Process according to any one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that beams forming braces (8, 14) are interposed between the said binding means (9) and the flat elements (6, 15) attached.

7. Process according to claim 6, characterized in that the said binding means (9) are lodged in a groove (28) of the said beams (27).

8. Process according to either claim 3 or 4, comprising beams (23), applied against the outer surface of the said flat elements (22) and portions of metallic bands (25) joining the ends of the corresponding beams attached to the other flat elements, said beams and said bands forming the binding means.

9. Process according to claim 8, characterized in that the said parts of band (25) are nailed on the attached beams (23).

10. Process according to any one of claims 8 and 9, characterized in that the said beams (23) are unitary with a common frame (24) with which they form a palette.

11. Process according to any one of claims 3 to 10, characterized in that the flat elements (17) for reinforcement and protection are applied against the surfaces of the said parcel of packages (5) over which the said binding means do not pass.

12. Process according to claim 11, characterized in that the said flat element (17) comprises bent portions (18) forming flanges, applied against the adjacent surfaces of the said parcel of packages (5).

13. Process according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that, after placement of the said rigid assembly means, the said parcel of packages (5) is sheathed with a shrinkable enclosure.

14. Process according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that, before placement of the said rigid assembly means, the said parcel of packages (5) is sheathed with a shrinkable enclosure, in that it is next stacked on a similar parcel, and in that the two parcels are joined by common rigid assembly means to form a compact unit.

15. Process according to claims 6 and 14, considered in combination, characterized in that the beams (8) attached to the bottom surface of the top parcel rest on the beams (8) attached to the top surface of the bottom parcel of packages.

16. Process according to either claim 14 or 15, characterized in that the two parcels of packages (5) are next sheathed with a common shrinkable enclosure.

17. Process according to claims 6 and 13, considered in combination, characterized in that two parcels of packages (5) are stacked on top of each other, in that the beams (23) is attached to the bottom surface of the top parcel rest directly on the top surface of the bottom parcel, in that the beams attached to the bottom surface of the top parcel are displaced in relation to the corresponding beams of the top surface of the bottom parcel in such a way that the two parcels are sligned above or below one another and in that the said beams of the two parcels are joined by rigid assembly means (26) to form a compact unit.

18. Process according to claim 17, characterized in that the said unit is next sheathed with a shrinkable enclosure.

19. Process according to either claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the said assembly means of the pile (5) of packages are formed by a packing case (40) with flanges (41) in which the said packages are placed edgewise, the whole thing forming a modular parcel (42).

20. Process according to claim 19, characterized in that several modular parcels (42) placed on top of each other are stacked on a platform (43) the pile (45) thus obtained being assembled with an enclosure (46) of plastic material shrunk on the parcels (42).

21. Parcels of packages (5) of panels of a compressible material apt to be embodied by a process according to any one of claims 1 to 20.

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