EP0478414B1 - Protecting envelope for packaging heavy products and packaging method using the same - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a protective envelope for the packaging of heavy products, made of a flexible plastic material, forming a substantially rectangular contour pocket closed on two of its four sides, the two lateral parts. It also relates to a packaging process using such an envelope.

Traditionally, the products to be packaged, and more particularly when these are fragile and heavy, are protected from shocks by means of wedging systems before being enclosed in packaging or in crates. The wedging systems used generally consist of polystyrene blocks in the form of wedges or half-shells having a certain rigidity in order to avoid direct transmission of shocks. However during transport or handling of this type of packaging, the conditioned product is inevitably subjected to vibrations and slight displacements and frictions inside the wedging system which has the effect of leaving marks and degrading the external appearance of the packaged product (for example deterioration of the paint).

A commonly used means (US-A-4,759,446) to eliminate this risk of degradation consists in surrounding the product of a flexible plastic envelope before affixing the wedging system. The envelope then undergoes friction and vibration but by its flexibility protects the product and thus prevents it from any marking or deterioration.

However, the use of such a protective envelope has certain drawbacks. In particular, during a packaging operation of a product weighing it is often maintained by means of a gripping member, for example an articulated suction cup applied to the upper surface of the product, this in order to facilitate handling during this operation. A first drawback appears first when the envelope is slid around the product, the gripping member interfering with the passage and the closing thereof and then when it is desired to remove the gripping member, the troublesome envelope then the passage of it. Under these conditions, the packaging operation cannot, and this at least during these last two phases, be automated.

In addition, the closing of such an envelope is difficult, once the product is surrounded, it is then necessary to close the opening for example by means of an adhesive tape, which also generates a loss of time and consequently a additional colt.

The object of the present invention is to remedy these various drawbacks of the prior art and proposes a protective envelope which, at a practically equivalent cost, offers great flexibility of use during the packaging operation, which can therefore be made easily automated.

For this the protective envelope mentioned in the preamble is remarkable in that the third side corresponding to the bottom of the envelope and the fourth side are more partially closed, while from said bottom is provided a passage means to allow d on the one hand the introduction of the product to be packaged into said envelope while the product is maintained by means of a gripping member and on the other hand the release of the gripping member once the envelope is arranged around the product.

According to a preferred application, the passage means consists of a cutout made from the bottom of the envelope and over its entire thickness in a plane substantially orthogonal and median to said bottom of the envelope and over approximately three quarters of the length of the envelope.

Thus, the idea of the invention makes it possible to considerably facilitate the introduction of the product into the envelope, any discomfort due to the presence of the gripping member being eliminated by virtue of the passage means practiced in the envelope which also allows convenient release of the gripping member.

In addition, the closing of the envelope is also facilitated since it follows the shape of the product and it is no longer necessary to close the opening with an adhesive tape, which saves time and reduces the cost of the packaging operation.

Another drawback relating to the prior art occurs when the product is unpacked. In fact, in order to avoid displacements inside the packaging, the wedging systems are designed to be, once the product is protected, slid without play in said packaging. This has the consequence of causing a delicate extraction during the unpacking of the product, the latter then being trapped inside the packaging and access being made all the more difficult as the filling rate (volume ratio of the content) is sought out as best as possible.

An advantageous characteristic of the invention also makes it possible to remedy this other drawback and to considerably facilitate the unpacking operation.

According to this last characteristic, the protective envelope further comprises, on its fourth side, a gripping means for extracting and / or holding the product-envelope assembly thus conditioned.

According to a remarkable embodiment of the present envelope, the gripping means consists of a strip of material cut in the extension of said envelope over a fraction. center of the width of its fourth side, strip which is closed at its end furthest from the fourth side of the envelope, thus forming a loop making it possible to extract and / or hold the product-envelope assembly. The hand (or any extraction member) can then be passed inside the loop ensuring in a simple and efficient manner the extraction or the support of the product-envelope assembly.

Thus the unpacking operation is likewise made easier, the gripping means allowing extraction and maintenance without difficulty and effort of the product-envelope assembly.
In addition, remarkably, the gripping means can comprise a stiffened part ensuring a balanced distribution of the tensile and tensile forces over the entire width of the gripping means. This stiffened part can be obtained by welding the strip in extension of the envelope in two symmetrical segments each originating from an edge of the closed end of the strip and for end a common point located on the median axis of the strip. .

In this way, an even more solid gripping means is obtained which is effectively resistant to tension or tensile forces because the symmetry and the shape of the stiffened part make it possible to judiciously ensure the distribution of forces. Depending on the property of the symmetrical segments (linear or curvilinear), different shapes can be generated, in V or in U in the case where the gripping means consists of a strip cut in the extension of the envelope or quite simply a strip comprising for example a handle, strip which would be welded on and in extension of the fourth side of the envelope.

The protective envelope according to the invention can be advantageously used in a packaging process during which, the heavy product being maintained by means of a gripping member, in a first step called presentation of the envelope, the two ends of the bottom are spaced on either side of the passage means and the envelope thus opened is presented to receive the heavy product, in a second step called laying the envelope, said envelope is engaged and slid around the heavy product until '' to completely cover it, in a third step called inserting wedges a wedging system is placed on the product-envelope assembly and in a last step called packaging, the product wrapped and fitted with the wedging system in a package while the gripping member is released, free to pass through the passage means.

It goes without saying that such a method can be used either manually or automatically.

The following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, all given by way of example, will make it clear how the invention can be implemented.

Figure 1 gives an embodiment of a protective envelope according to the invention according to a top view.

Figure 2 provides a perspective view of the protective cover of Figure 1.

FIG. 3 represents a variant of the protective envelope of FIG. 1.

Figure 4 shows in four stages a packaging process using the protective envelope according to the invention.

In Figure 1 is proposed the top view of an embodiment of a protective envelope 1 for the packaging of heavy products.
This envelope 1 is made of a flexible plastic material forming a pocket of substantially rectangular outline closed on two of its four sides, the two lateral parts S2 and S3.
In accordance with the idea of the invention, the third side S1 corresponding to the bottom of the envelope and the fourth side S4 are partially closed while, from the bottom S1 is provided a passage means 2 to allow on the one hand l introduction of the product to be packaged into said envelope 1 while the product is held by means of a gripping member (see FIGS. 4a and 4b) and on the other hand the release of the gripping member once the envelope is placed around the product.

In the present application example, the passage means 2 consists of a cutout made from the bottom S1 of the envelope and over its entire thickness in a plane substantially orthogonal and median to said bottom of the envelope and as shown in the example of FIG. 1, over approximately three quarters of the length of the envelope.

The protective envelope further comprises, as an extension of its fourth side S4, a gripping means 3 for extracting and / or holding the product-envelope assembly thus conditioned.

In Figure 1 is shown a gripping means 3 which consists of a strip of material cut in the extension of the casing 1 over a central fraction of the width of its fourth side S4. The strip is closed at its end S5 furthest from the fourth side S4 and thus forms a loop which serves as a handle making it possible to extract from its packaging and / or to hold the product-envelope assembly.

In practice, the protective envelope can advantageously be produced in series from a hose of flattened flexible plastic material and preferably forming a bellows on each of its lateral parts, each envelope being cut out. to the desired length and shape and closed by welding at the predetermined locations.

The casing material used for the manufacture of the protective covering may for example be transparent polyethylene, the thickness of which must be chosen according to the weight of the products to be packaged.

The following reading in combination with the observation of Figures 1 and 2 will better understand this last operation. The flattened hose with its two lateral bellows 4 and 5 is cut to the desired length and according to the shape (pocket with its extension). The bottom S1, the non-extended part of the side S4 as well as the end S5 of the gripping means 3 are welded and the cutting of the passage means 2 is carried out. Simultaneously the stiffened part S6 of the gripping means can be obtained by welding the strip 3 along two symmetrical segments each originating from an edge (A, B) of the closed end S5 of the strip and for end a common point C located on the median axis of the strip. In the form of representation proposed here, the two symmetrical segments are linear and thus generate a stiffened part S6 in the form of an inverted V. The welded surfaces S1, S4, S5 and S6 appear in hatching in FIG. 1. Likewise, in order to obtain a loop of sufficient magnitude once the envelope is intimately arranged around the product, two short cuts 6 and 7 are advantageously made in the extension of gripping means 3 towards the inside of the protective envelope.
Cutouts 2, 6 and 7 are shown in phantom in the drawing.

In FIG. 3 is shown a variant of the envelope 1 which can advantageously be produced in series, the gripping means 3 of each envelope then being cut out from the bottom of the preceding envelope. In this way there is no longer any loss of material and the cost of an envelope can thus be further improved.

In FIG. 4 are shown diagrammatically four stages (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) of a packaging method using the protective envelope 1 according to the invention (the stiffened part S6 is not shown to avoid overloading the drawing ). The product to be packaged 10 is during these four stages maintained by a gripping member 11 which in the figure is represented by a suction cup affixed to the upper surface of said product. The gripping member is preferably articulated so as to orient and move the heavy product without difficulty.

Figure 4a is the first step called presentation of the envelope. The two ends of the bottom S1 are spaced on either side of the passage means 2 thus opening the envelope which is presented to cover the product 10.

The second so-called envelope laying step is shown in Figure 4b. The envelope 1 is engaged and slid around the product 10 until completely covering it without being hindered by the gripping member 11. The expansion of each of the bellows 4 and 5 allows the envelope to marry the form of product to be packaged 10.

The third step is called inserting wedges. The envelope 1 is at this instant completely closed on the product. The wedging system (two polystyrene half-shells 12a and 12b are shown here) is then placed on the product-shell assembly.

During the last so-called packaging step, the product wrapped and fitted with the wedging system is introduced into a package (represented here by a cardboard box 13), the gripping means 3 of the envelope being oriented so as to be find the opening side of the package at the end of the introduction. Previously, that is to say when the product-envelope-wedge assembly is partially introduced into the packaging, the gripping member 11 is released free to pass through the passage means 2.

In conclusion, such a protective envelope makes it possible to considerably facilitate the packaging and unpacking operations while remaining simple to execute and at a very moderate cost. In addition, the packaging process using such an envelope can be easily automated because the the very design of the envelope makes it possible to mechanize its positioning on the product.

Claims (10)

1. A protective envelope (1) for packaging heavy products (10), constituted by a flexible plastic material, forming a pocket of a substantially rectangular shape closed on two of its four sides, the two lateral portions (S2, S3), characterised in that the third side S1 corresponding to the bottom of the envelope (1) and the fourth side (S4) are, moreover, partially closed, whilst passage means (2) are provided, starting from the bottom (S1), to permit on the one hand the insertion of the product (10) to be packaged into the envelope (1) while the product (10) is held by means of a gripping element (11), and on the other hand the release of the gripping element (11) once the envelope (1) is disposed around the product (10).
2. A protective envelope (1) for packaging heavy products (10) according to claim 1, characterised in that the passage means (2) consists of a cut made starting at the bottom (S1) of the envelope (1) and over its entire thickness according to a plane substantially orthogonal and median to said bottom (S1) of the envelope (1) and over approximately three quarters of the length of the envelope (1).
3. A protective envelope (1) for packaging heavy products (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that it further comprises as an extension of its fourth side (S4), a gripping means (3) for extracting and/or holding the product-envelope assembly (10, 1) thus packaged.
4. A protective wrapper for packaging heavy products (10) according to claim 3 characterised in that the gripping means (3) consists of a strip of material cut in the extension of said envelope (1) over a central part of the width of its fourth side (S4), the strip being closed at its end (S5) furthest from the fourth side (S4) of the envelope (1), thus forming a loop permitting extraction and /or holding of the product-envelope assembly (10, 1).
5. A protective envelope (1) for packaging heavy products (10) according to claim 3 or 4, characterised in that the gripping means (3) further comprises a stiffened portion (S6) that ensures a balanced distribution of the traction and tensile forces over the total width of the gripping means (3).
6. A protective envelope (1) for packaging heavy products (10) according to claim 5, characterised in that the stiffened portion (S6) is produced by welding the strip (3) so as to extend the envelope (1) according to two symmetrical segments, each having for its origin one edge (A, B) of the closed end (S5) of the strip (3) and for its end a common point (C) located on the median axis of the strip (3).
7. A protective envelope (1) for packaging heavy products (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it is produced starting from a flattened flexible plastic tube forming bellows (4, 5) on each of its lateral portions (S2, S3), each envelope (1) being cut to the desired length and shape and closed by welding at predetermined places (S1, S4, S5, S6).
8. A protective envelope (1) for packaging heavy products (10) according to claim 7, characterised in that two short cuts (6, 7) are made in the extension of the gripping means (3) towards the inside of the protective envelope (1).
9. A protective envelope (1) for packaging heavy products (10) according to claim 8, characterised in that it is mass-produced, the gripping means (3) of each envelope (1) then being cut in the bottom (S1) of the previous envelope.
10. A method for packaging heavy products (10), using the protective envelope (1) according to any of the preceding claims, the heavy product (10) being held by means of a gripping element, characterised in that in a first, envelope presentation step, the two ends of the bottom (S1) are moved apart on either side of the passage means (2) and the envelope (1), thus opened, is presented to cover the heavy product (10), in a second, envelope placing step, said envelope (1) is fitted and slid around the heavy product (10) so far as to cover it completely, in a third, wedging insertion step, a wedging system (12a, 12b) is disposed on the product-envelope (10, 1) and in a final, packaging step, the wrapped product, equipped with the wedging system (12a, 12b) is inserted into a package (13) whilst the gripping element (11) is released, free to traverse the passage means (2).

Images