EP0115746A2 - Method of manufacturing boxes and boxes made by this method - Google Patents

Abstract

Two continuous material webs (2, 3) are adhesively bonded to one another at a forming station (22) in such a manner that corrugation pairs (4) are formed at specific intervals on the upper material web (3) and the lower material web (2) forms a protruding margin region (6). The protruding margin region is folded up on either side, with the result that filling spaces (34) are produced between the corrugation pairs (4). After the filling spaces have been filled with products to be packaged (28), cover webs (35) are adhesively bonded over the filling spaces (34), either in the form of individual blanks or else from a roll. Finally, the individual boxes (1) are divided at a separating station (31), the separation always being carried out between two single corrugations (5) of a corrugation pair (4). The boxes can also be divided at an earlier point in time. The method according to the invention has the advantage that the boxes can be manufactured from a roll of continuous strips of material immediately prior to filling. The boxes manufactured by the method are stable and can be subdivided with additional corrugations in virtually any desired manner. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a method for producing a box consisting of at least two material webs and to a box which is produced by this method.

There are many different ways in the packaging industry to produce a box. Depending on the type and nature of the goods to be packaged, this requires more or less complex procedures. Most boxes for small and medium-sized packaging are made as folding boxes in order to reduce the storage volume and to simplify transportation. Folding boxes have the disadvantage that they have to be opened again before filling, which requires an additional operation. In the case of non-foldable, finished boxes, the production is relatively complex. Appropriate blanks must first be punched, which are first printed and then put together by gluing and folding operations. Such boxes require very large storage volumes and complicated facilities for transport in automated packaging lines.

Only for special packaging, in particular for the packaging of ampoules, are relatively simple boxes which consist of two material webs known can be made immediately before filling. For example, German patent application R 11 252 XII / 81 a dated March 21, 1953 shows a method for producing ampoule packs in which a prefabricated shaft part is glued to a material web. However, the shaft part must first be manufactured in a separate process. The material web protrudes on both sides over the shaft part and thus forms an edge area that can be folded over as a lid after filling. Every second wave is filled with an ampoule so that the empty waves can be cut with a knife. In this way, individual packagings are created, although it is of course also conceivable that several shafts are filled in succession and only one shaft is released at the desired separation point.

Despite the long-known ampoule packaging, it has not yet been possible to produce a box in a similarly simple manner, in which the dimensions of the box can be chosen practically as desired and which is suitable for practically any solid or pourable packaging material. It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a method for producing boxes, in which the box can be produced in any dimensions immediately before being filled in an optimally simple manner. Another task is also to rationalize the process and make it versatile in such a way that the process can be changed over to other boxes at short notice, depending on the needs of the user. In addition, a stable and torsion-resistant box is to be created for a variety of applications. These objects are achieved according to the invention with a method which has the features of claim 1 and with a box which has the features of claim 5.

The use of endless material webs enables the raw material to be stored in rolls that can be exchanged at short notice. The configuration of the individual waves and the The distance between the pairs of shafts can practically be set as desired. A method and an apparatus for manufacturing such irregular shaft parts is described in detail in European Patent Publication No. 83,741. The lateral edge areas can be folded up in a relatively simple manner and the sealing of the packaging with a cover sheet can also be automated. The boxes made in one piece can be cut either before or after filling. The method has the extraordinary advantage that the packaging is produced directly in front of the filling station, and that the same method can be used to produce packaging with a wide variety of configurations or properties. In this way, the bottler no longer needs to store prefabricated packaging and achieves an enormous rationalization effect. Instead of having to store different box sizes, only the forming station can be set accordingly if another good is to be packed. The bottler can also produce the packaging himself and is no longer dependent on subcontractors. He only has to buy the individual material webs, which are relatively easy to store, as raw material. The boxes produced by the method according to the invention are also considerably cheaper than conventional boxes, since no waste material is produced by punching operations and the manufacturing process can be fully automated.

A further rationalization effect can be achieved if the lid web is fed in as an endless material web and is cut together with the material webs of the box. In this way, the lids do not have to be applied to the boxes as individual cuts.

If additional shafts are installed between the individual shaft pairs to subdivide the packaging space, two and multi-part boxes can be produced, which with different packaged goods can be filled. The boxes are particularly easy to open if the cover sheet is provided with a predetermined tear line to tear open a cover before it is glued on. The target tear line can obviously be punched or indented into the cover sheet as desired, so that when opened, an opening corresponding to the packaged goods is created, which can also be closed again if necessary.

A box produced in particular by this method has the features of claim 5. Such a box has very good mechanical properties, since at least two parallel side walls are designed as double walls in the form of the shafts. As a result, the boxes become warp-resistant and can absorb pressure loads relatively well. The boxes according to the invention are therefore also particularly suitable for holding relatively sensitive packaging goods such as Chocolates, glassware, but also technical devices such as calculators, watches, etc.

A box, in which further waves for dividing the packaging are arranged between the waves forming the two side walls, is particularly advantageously suitable as display packaging. For example, the box can have two chambers that hold the two tubes of a two-component adhesive. Up to now, complex, deep-drawn plastic parts have been required for such packaging, which have also caused high costs. A box divided into several chambers could also accommodate different sizes of screws, dowels, drills, rivets, etc.

A further advantage can be achieved if the cover sheet is provided with a predetermined tear line in such a way that a material web covering the outermost waves remains after the cover is torn open. As already described, the predetermined tear line makes it easier to open the packaging. The remaining one The material web also covers the waves, so that they cannot be recognized as such from the outside. As a result, the box also meets aesthetic requirements, since it hardly differs from bleachable, conventionally manufactured boxes. The remaining web of material also has the advantage that the box forms a relatively stable unit even after the lid has been opened.

If the lid is hinged to the packaging on one side, a reclosable box is obtained in a particularly simple manner. The lid can be designed, for example, as a plug-in lid, so that the box can be closed again after each use until the contents have been used up. If necessary, the box can have several lids which cover partial areas of the packaging and can be opened independently of one another. This is particularly advantageous if the box is divided into different chambers.

In order to ensure that the lid closes reliably even when used multiple times without thereby complicating the construction of the box, the box can have the features of claim 9.

Folding the cover sheet on the front of the box triples the wall thickness of the box. Since the insertion tongue is usually cut directly into the cover web, the outermost material strip of the cover web is no longer available when the insertion tongue is torn open to form an insertion pocket. On the other hand, there is still the inwardly folded material strip and the folded-up edge area of the first material web, between which the insertion tongue can be pushed after it has been opened for the first time. The additional material strip on the cut of the cover sheet is a little additional effort compared to the benefits achieved. Depending on the configuration of the insertion tongue and gluing of the individual material webs, the closing mechanism can be designed so that the lid closes reliably.

Particular advantages can be achieved if at least on one side of the box two immediately adjacent shafts form a closed chamber together with the material web remaining after the lid has been opened. The closed chamber is separated from the packaged goods and remains closed even after the lid has been opened. This chamber can be used in a variety of ways. For example, the closed chamber can be filled with a stiffening body. The stiffening body can consist of wood, plastic material or another suitable material. In this way, boxes can be produced which are made of a conventional material such as Cardboard are made, but which can still absorb large pressure loads and are therefore particularly easy to stack.

The closed chamber can also be used in other ways to protect the packaged goods. For example, the shaft of the closed chamber adjacent to the filling chamber can be provided with openings and the closed chamber can be filled with a moisture-absorbing substance. As is known, there are certain goods that are particularly sensitive to moisture, such as Medicines, electronic components, etc. In the case of such goods, a separate container with the moisture-absorbing substance had to be added to the actual packaging. With the closed chamber, this container is integrated directly into the packaging. The openings in the form of perforations are particularly easy to punch into the material web before the waves are deformed. The substance remains in the packaging and is thrown away together with it after the contents have been used up.

If the cover sheet is a transparent film, the box is particularly suitable as display packaging. If a transparent film is used as the cover sheet, the box is also particularly advantageous for short-term foods such as e.g. Confectionery, fruit, etc. The goods are stably packaged and still remain visible to the consumer, so that they can see their quality and quality for themselves.

A particularly advantageous display pack can also be created if the cover sheet has a tab projecting beyond the base of the box and a window closed with a transparent film in the area of the filling space. An opening can be provided in the tab so that the box can be hung up.

Finally, with a box according to the invention, ampoules can also be packaged particularly advantageously if the second material web has waves at regular intervals and if a protruding edge area on one side also forms a strip glued to the top of the waves next to a side wall. The bar prevents the ampoules from falling out when the cover is torn open, in a manner known per se. Since the cover web is a separate cut, there are particular advantages in printing, perforating, punching, embossing, etc.

• Figur 1 eine Variante eines erfindungsgemässen Verfahrens in schematischer Darstellung,
• Figur 2 eine nach dem Verfahren hergestellte Schachtel mit wiederverschliessbarem Deckel,
• Figur 3 eine in zwei Kammern eingeteilte Schachtel mit separaten Deckeln, und
• Figur 4 eine Schachtel mit einer separaten, vom Verpackungsgut abgetrennten Kammer zur Aufnahme einer feuchtigkeitsabsorbierenden Substanz.
• Figur 5 eine perspektivische Ansicht einer Schachtel mit Tasche für die Einsteckzunge,
• Figur 6 eine Seitenansicht der Schachtel gemäss Figur 5,
• Figur 7 eine Draufsicht auf die Abwicklung der Deckelbahn bei einer Schachtel gemäss Figur 5,
• Figur 8 eine Schachtel mit Klarsichtfenster,
• Figur 9 eine Schachtel für Ampullen mit längs verlaufender Aufreisszunge, und
• Figur 10 die Schachtel gemäss Figur 9 mit geöffnetem Deckel.

Various exemplary embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings and are explained in more detail below. Show it:

• FIG. 1 shows a variant of a method according to the invention in a schematic illustration,
• FIG. 2 shows a box produced by the method with a reclosable lid,
• 3 shows a box divided into two chambers with separate lids, and
• FIG. 4 shows a box with a separate chamber, separated from the packaged goods, for receiving a moisture-absorbing substance.
• FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a box with a pocket for the tongue,
• FIG. 6 shows a side view of the box according to FIG. 5,
• FIG. 7 shows a plan view of the development of the cover web in a box according to FIG. 5,
• FIG. 8 a box with a transparent window,
• Figure 9 is a box for ampoules with a longitudinal tear tab, and
• Figure 10 shows the box of Figure 9 with the lid open.

As shown in FIG. 1, a first material web 2 is unwound from a roll 20 and a second material web 3 from a roll 21. The first material web 2 is somewhat wider than the second material web 3, so that a protruding edge region 6 is formed on both sides of the second material web. The two material webs are fed to a forming station 22, which is shown schematically in FIG. The forming station is described in detail in the European Patent Publication No. 83,741 mentioned at the beginning. It essentially consists of the clockwise pressing tools 23 and the laterally insertable deformation element 24, which defines the configuration of the shafts. The pressing tools 23 bend the second material web 3 around the deformation element 24 and press it on the deformation table 25 for gluing onto the first one Material web 2. Depending on the working cycle and feed speed, pairs of waves 4 or individual waves 5 can thus be glued onto the first material web 2 at the deformation station 22 at certain intervals. Of course, other processing stations such as punching or printing tools can be connected upstream of the deformation station in order to prepare the two material webs 2 and 3 accordingly. The material of the two material webs is also selected according to the desired requirements for the box. Cardboard, plastic materials, metal foils or laminates can be processed on the deformation station 22.

After leaving the deformation station 22, the edge regions 6 are folded up with the aid of lateral rollers 26 and placed on the end faces of the shaft pairs and, if necessary, glued. This process is shown in Figure 1b. The width of the edge regions 6 is advantageously chosen such that it corresponds approximately to the height of the shafts 5. After the edge regions 6 have been folded up, filling spaces 34 are already formed between the pairs of shafts 4.

FIG. 1c shows a filling station in which, for example, packaged goods 28 are filled into the filling spaces 34 between the pairs of shafts 4 using a feed chute 27. FIG. 1d shows the closing station 30, in which the cover webs 35 are unwound from a roll 29 in the form of an endless material web.

The cover sheets 35 are glued onto the top sides of the shaft pairs and / or onto the folded-up edge areas 6.

FIG. Le finally shows the separating station 31, in which the individual boxes 1 are cut off with the aid of a separating knife 32, the cut evidently taking place between the two shafts of a pair of shafts.

Numerous modifications of the method according to the invention are conceivable without thereby leaving the subject matter of the invention. For example, the separation of the individual pack sections could take place immediately after the deformation station 22 or also immediately before or after the individual filling spaces are filled. The edge regions 6 could also be folded up using other means than the side rollers 26 shown. For example, mechanical gripping arms would also be conceivable. The cover sheets 35 could, for example, be glued to the filling spaces 34 as individual cuts. Finally, it is also known to the person skilled in the art to apply the suitable adhesives to the material webs in a suitable manner. If the material webs consist of metal or plastic foils, suitable welding devices could also be used instead of adhesive.

FIG. 2 shows a box 1 produced by the method with the lid 8 open. The first material web 2 and the second material web 3 can practically no longer be distinguished on the finished box. The end faces 7 of the shafts 5 are not visible from the outside at all, since they are covered by the folded-up edge areas 6 or by the side walls 12. The two shafts 5 form parallel side walls 11. The bottom 10 of the box is evidently double-walled and consists of the two material webs 2 and 3. In the exemplary embodiment, the cover web 35 overlaps the entire width of the two side walls 12, so that these are also double-walled. A predetermined tear line 9 defines the actual lid 8 of the packaging and an insertion tongue 33. On one side, the lid 8 is connected to a side wall 12 with a hinge-like connection 15. The material webs 13 remaining after tearing open cover the top 14 of the shafts 5.

Figure 3 shows a modified embodiment in which an additional shaft 5 'below the filling space in two chambers Splits. Each chamber is closed in a manner similar to that in the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 2 with a separate cover 8 and 8 '. Between the two lids 8 and 8 'again there is a material web 13 which covers the top of the shaft 5'. Obviously, the configuration of the openable lid could also be selected differently with the aid of the predetermined tear line 9. The configuration of the shafts serving to subdivide the filling space does not necessarily have to correspond to the configuration of the shafts 5 serving as side walls 11.

In the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 4, a closed chamber 16 is formed with the aid of an additional shaft 5 'and a relatively wide material web 13'. The material web 13 'is shown partially cut open for illustration purposes, so that stiffening bodies 17, which are inserted into the chamber 16, become visible. A moisture-absorbing substance 19 is introduced between the two stiffening bodies 17. The shaft 5 'is provided with openings 18 so that the substance 19 can absorb the moisture present in the filling space 34. Of course, such chambers can be arranged on both sides of the filling space. The chambers can also be filled exclusively with stiffening bodies or exclusively with a substance for dehumidification. Finally, the chambers 16 could also be filled with other substances which exert an influence on the filling material in some way. Disinfectants, fragrances, etc. would be conceivable.

In the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 5, a pocket 38 remains for inserting the insertion tongue 33 after it has been opened for the first time.

On the front side of the box opposite the hinge 15, the cover web is folded inwards once by a fold 37 located below, so that a total of three material webs lie on one another on this front side of the box. These are the folded-up edge area 6 of the first material web 2, the folded inner material strip 36 of the cover sheet 35 and the outer material strip 39 of the cover sheet 35. The position of the individual material sheets can be seen in particular from FIG. 6.

An insertion tongue 33 is cut in the outer material strip 39 and can be broken out to open the cover 8. After the cover has been opened for the first time, the insertion tongue 33 can be inserted into a pocket 38 which is formed by the inner material strip 36 and the folded-up edge region 6. As a result of the three layers of material lying one above the other, two material webs are evidently still available even after the insertion tongue 33 has broken out, between which the insertion tongue can be pushed. This ensures that the tongue is firmly seated, so that the lid closes reliably at any time even after repeated use.

FIG. 7 shows a development of a cover sheet 35 with the integrated cover 8, which is delimited by the predetermined tear line 9. The predetermined tear line 9 can either be a perforation of the material or a line of weakness caused by notching. The hinge 15 is part of the fold, which is required at this point anyway. However, it is also conceivable to attach the hinge at a different location, so that the cover 8 only releases part of the base area of the packaging. The insertion tongue 33 is cut in the outer material strip 39. The configuration of the insertion tongue can obviously be chosen arbitrarily. The inner material strip 36 is folded around the fold 37 before gluing.

The cover sheet does not necessarily have to extend at the end over the entire height of the folded-up edge region 6. However, this is generally recommended for aesthetic reasons. Depending on the configuration of the tongue 16 must also the inner material strip 36 does not necessarily have the same width as the outer material strip 39.

In the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 8, the cover web 35 protrudes beyond the actual box in the form of a tab 41. An opening 42 is provided in the tab so that the box can be hung, for example, on a sales stand. A window 40 covered with a transparent film allows the contents of the packaging to be viewed.

Figures 9 and 10 show a box that is particularly suitable for packaging ampoules. The shafts 5 are arranged at regular intervals over the entire length of the box. One of the protruding edge regions of the first material web 2 not only forms a side wall, but also a strip 44 glued onto the shafts 5. This strip holds the ampoules in place. The cover sheet 35 is only glued to the side walls 12. A tear-open tongue 43 advantageously extends in the area of the strip 44 over the entire length of the box.

Claims (17)

1. A method for producing boxes consisting of at least two material webs, characterized in that a) an endless second material web (3) which is narrower than the first material web is glued onto an endless first material web (2), b) before the second material web (3) is provided with waves running transversely to the material web, the height of which corresponds approximately to the height of the box (1), c) that the edge regions (6) of the first material web (2) projecting beyond the second material web (3) are folded up sideways and placed on the end faces (7) of the shafts (5), d) after the packaging space formed by the shafts and the folded-up side parts has been filled, the box is sealed with a cover sheet (35), e) and that the material webs between the shafts (5) are cut into individual packs at the latest after the cover sheet has been stuck on. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the second material web before opening glue is provided with pairs of shafts (4) running transversely to the material web, the spacing of which corresponds approximately to the length of the box, and that the material webs are separated between the pairs of shafts. 3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the cover web is fed as an endless material web and is severed together with the material webs. 4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the cover sheet is provided with a predetermined tear line (9) for tearing open a cover (8) before gluing. 5. Box in particular produced by the method according to claim 1, characterized in that it has a bottom (10) made of a second material web (3) glued to a first material web (2), that two parallel side walls (11 or 12) are formed by a shaft (5) in the second material web or by a raised edge region (6) of the first material web, and that a cover web (35) with the top sides (14) of the two parallel shafts (5) forming the side walls and / or is glued to at least part of the folded-up edge regions (6) of the first material web. 6. Box according to claim 5, characterized in that the cover web (35) for opening a cover (8) is provided with at least one predetermined tear line. 7. Box according to claim 6, characterized in that the cover web (35) is provided with a predetermined tear line (9) such that after tearing of the cover (8), one material web (13) covering the outermost waves remains. 8. Box according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the lid (8) for reclosing the box is hinged on one side to the packaging. 9. Box according to claim 8, characterized in that the cover web (35) on the end face of the box opposite the cover hinge (15) is folded once inwards and connected to the folded-up projecting edge region (6) of the first material web (2), so that the inwardly folded material strip (17) of the cover sheet (35) and the folded up edge area (6) of the first material sheet form a pocket (19) for receiving an insertion tongue (16) of the cover (8). 10. Box according to claim 9, characterized in that the insertion tongue (16) is cut on the end face in the outer material strip (20) of the folded cover sheet (4). 11. Box according to claim 8, characterized in that it has several sub-areas of the packaging covering and independently openable lids (8, 8 '). 12. Box according to claim 7, characterized in that at least on one side of the box two immediately adjacent shafts (5, 5 ') together with the material web (13) remaining after opening the lid form a closed chamber (16). 13. Box according to claim 12, characterized in that the closed chamber (16) is filled with a stiffening body (17). 14. Box according to claim 12, characterized in that the shaft of the closed chamber (16) adjacent to the filling chamber is provided with openings (18) and that the closed chamber is filled with a moisture-absorbing substance (19). 15. Box according to claim 5, characterized in that the cover sheet is a transparent film. 16. Box according to claim 5, characterized in that the cover web (35) has a tab (41) projecting beyond the base of the box and in the area of the filling space a window (42) closed with a transparent film. 17. Box according to claim 5, characterized in that the second material web (3) has waves at regular intervals and that a protruding edge region (6) on one side next to a side wall also forms a strip (44) glued to the top of the waves .

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