EP1352845B1 - Block of envelopes, process and apparatus for such packing - Google Patents

Abstract

The envelopes (3) are held between two rigid spacers (5, 7) at either end of the block (1). A wrapping (11, 110) is provided around the envelopes and spacers in order to hold them together. Independent claims are also included for the following: (1) Combination of the envelope blocks, a pallet and a stretch film for holding the blocks on top of the pallet; (2) Method for unwrapping the envelope blocks by removing a single piece of the wrapping, then removing the spacers and then loading the envelopes into a machine; (3) Machine for wrapping envelopes, comprising a pincer with jaws for gripping the envelopes and spacers and a device for tying a wrapping around them; and (4) Method for wrapping the envelopes using this machine.

Description

The invention relates to conditioning and deconditioning envelopes.

In this text, we call "envelopes", all pockets paper bags, or even cardboard intended to receive a letter, leaflets or any other object that may contain them. Generally, an envelope is considered by specialists in the field as a "flat product" and this term is frequently used. In this case, it applies to our term "envelope", which more or less structuring, flexibility or flexibility which under stress (for example, induced by a series of envelopes arranged one behind the other, back to back), a deformation born of differences in thicknesses in different parts of each envelope appears.

• un bloc d'enveloppes conditionnées présentant une stabilité et/ou une planéité améliorée,
• un ensemble de blocs d'enveloppes conditionnées sur une palette de manutention dans des conditions améliorées de maintien et/ou de stabilité et/ou de mise en blocs pour un déconditionnement futur plus aisé,
• un procédé pour déconditionner un bloc d'enveloppes en permettant d'améliorer les conditions de chargement d'un chargeur d'une machine de traitement d'enveloppes (par exemple, une machine d'insertion),
• une machine pour enrubanner une série d'enveloppes conditionnées conformément à l'invention,
• et un procédé pour conditionner ainsi une telle série d'enveloppes.

In this context, EP-A-0591099 discloses a machine for wrapping blocks of envelopes with one or more holding strips. US-A-4817260 discloses a machine for the deconditioning of envelope blocks held by elastic bands. The invention proposes:

• a pack of packaged envelopes having improved stability and / or flatness,
• a set of envelope blocks packaged on a pallet handling under improved conditions of maintenance and / or stability and / or blocking for easier unpacking future,
• a method for deconditioning a block of envelopes by making it possible to improve the loading conditions of a loader of an envelope processing machine (for example, an insertion machine),
• a machine for wrapping a series of envelopes conditioned in accordance with the invention,
• and a method for packaging such a series of envelopes.

Concerning the first aspect (pack of packaged envelopes), the invention proposes a solution to the problems found by default of flatness of a series of envelopes arranged one behind the other and / or the maladaptation of the typical cardboard packaging, in connection with particularly with a reduction in waste volumes and a decrease in time of the operators who have to prepare the envelopes, for example in an insertion machine loader. In this respect, it should be noted that improving the conditioning of a series of envelopes can induce a significant gain in the loading of envelopes processing machines, especially as before being processed by these machines, the envelopes must be deconditioned. There is therefore a real synergy between conditioning, deconditioning and subsequent processing of these envelopes.

• une série d'enveloppes présentant une surface avant par-dessus laquelle se ferme un volet de fermeture de l'enveloppe, une surface arrière et une tranche, les enveloppes étant disposées les unes en regard des autres, par l'une et/ou l'autre des surfaces avant et arrière,
• des cales rigides disposées de part et d'autre de ladite série d'enveloppes, en regard de la face avant ou de la face arrière des première et dernière enveloppes de la série,
• et un moyen de maintien de la série d'enveloppes, ce moyen de maintien entourant étroitement la série d'enveloppes et les deux cales rigides.

In this context, an important feature of the invention therefore advises the use of a pack of packaged envelopes comprising:

• a series of envelopes having a front surface over which closes a closure flap of the envelope, a rear surface and a wafer, the envelopes being arranged opposite one another, by one and / or other front and rear surfaces,
• rigid shims disposed on either side of said series of envelopes, opposite the front face or the rear face of the first and last envelopes of the series,
• and a holding means of the series of envelopes, this holding means closely surrounding the series of envelopes and the two rigid wedges.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the means of maintenance is advantageously elastically deformable, off exerted on it, and surrounds in an elastic state the series of envelopes and the rigid wedges.

This solution is preferred to a non-elastic banding band.

Indeed, with an elastically deformable means, it is possible to to absorb, over time, a possible decrease in the volume of the series of envelopes. It may be that after the fact, the air trapped between envelopes during conditioning can be evacuated gradually and that one is at the end of a certain time, with a "shrinkage" of the volume occupied by the series of envelopes.

As a preferred technical solution for absorbing such possible decrease of volume, it is advised that the means of maintenance includes plastic stretch film, used in its condition elastic.

To promote the use of packaged envelopes and in particular to save time for an operator, by drawing another party from the use of such stretch film, another feature of the invention advises that the rigid shims and the film holding the series of envelopes transparent, or that the film and / or the holds are provided with a locating means for providing the user of the envelope block conditionned a location in the space of the envelopes, which are, in the series, then all oriented in the same way.

a) toutes les enveloppes sont identiquement orientées, le moyen de maintien entourant les enveloppes à l'écart du volet de fermeture, et

b) un repérage de l'orientation des enveloppes, y compris la position du volet de fermeture, existe :

• du fait d'une capacité de repérer visuellement cette orientation à travers le moyen de maintien et l'une au moins des cales,
• et/ou par l'intermédiaire de moyens de repérage identifiant cette orientation et prévus sur le moyen de maintien et/ou sur au moins une des cales.

In connection with the foregoing, a problem solved by the invention precisely concerns the requirement of a correct orientation of each block of envelopes in connection with in particular the disposition of this block on the charger of a processing machine. envelopes, especially if they are not pouches, but rectangular envelopes with closure flap located on one of the longest lengths of the envelope. In this case, the solution widely recommended by the invention consists in that, within the series of envelopes:

a) all the envelopes are identically oriented, the holding means surrounding the envelopes away from the closure flap, and

(b) an orientation of the orientation of the envelopes, including the position of the closure flap, exists:

• because of an ability to visually identify this orientation through the holding means and at least one of the wedges,
• and / or by means of identification means identifying this orientation and provided on the holding means and / or on at least one of the shims.

As already indicated, the invention has also been interested in handling conditions of envelopes blocks thus conditioned.

Another aspect of the invention relates to the manner of preparing the handling of a series of packs of envelopes conditioned on a pallet, ensuring good conditions of stability, without any significant risk damage to the envelopes or even favoring the work of the operators for a faster and safer presentation of blocks envelopes with a view to their being deconditioned and put in place in the loader of the processing machine.

• une série de blocs d'enveloppes conditionnées tels que présentés ci-avant,
• une palette de manutention sur laquelle reposent plusieurs blocs d'enveloppes conditionnées, disposés au moins pour certains avec un tronçon de la tranche des enveloppes et des cales desdits blocs en regard d'une surface supérieure d'appui de la palette,
• et un moyen d'enrobage de la palette et de la série de blocs d'enveloppes disposés sur elle, ce moyen d'enrobage comprenant un film élastique étirable, étiré dans sa zone de déformation élastique.

As a result, a feature of the invention relates to an assembly comprising:

• a series of conditioned envelope blocks as presented above,
• a pallet of handling on which rest blocks of packaged envelopes, arranged at least for some with a section of the edge of the envelopes and wedges of said blocks facing an upper bearing surface of the pallet,
• and means for coating the pallet and the series of envelope blocks disposed thereon, said coating means comprising a stretchable elastic film stretched in its elastic deformation zone.

• la série de blocs d'enveloppes conditionnées se répartira sur plusieurs couches superposées,
• un intercalaire sera interposé entre certaines au moins des couches,
• certains au moins des blocs d'enveloppes présentant dans ce cas, au sein de la série d'enveloppes, des irrégularités de surface à un niveau supérieur et/ou inférieur du bloc, en liaison avec des tolérances de fabrication.

Advantageously, according to a complementary characteristic:

• the series of conditioned envelope blocks will be divided into several superimposed layers,
• an interlayer will be interposed between at least some layers,
• at least some of the packs of envelopes having, in this case, within the series of envelopes, surface irregularities at a higher and / or lower level of the block, in connection with manufacturing tolerances.

Moreover, according to yet another characteristic, alternative or complementary to the previous one, we advise that at the place of the first Envelope block level located immediately above the pallet, the relevant envelope blocks rest on a support surface full, not perforated, for this purpose at least one sheet interlayer and / or a full horizontal top surface of the pallet.

Another inventive aspect, which may be independent of what precedes, therefore relates to a method for deconditioning a said block envelopes.

A problem solved by the process of the invention is that of opening of the holding means tight, avoiding that its withdrawal can damage to envelopes or alter their proper positioning, for example example by shifting them.

a) on dispose au moins un dit bloc d'enveloppes dans un chargeur de machine de traitement d'enveloppes,

b) préalablement ou postérieurement à l'étape a), on retire d'une seule pièce le moyen de maintien qui enserre alors la série d'enveloppes et les cales rigides, sans donc rompre ce moyen de maintien, et on retire également les cales rigides,

c) puis on alimente la machine de traitement des enveloppes avec cette série d'enveloppes déconditionnées, disposées dans le chargeur.

A solution proposed by the invention therefore consists in that to decondition the block (s) of envelopes:

a) at least one said envelope block is arranged in an envelope processing machine loader,

b) before or after step a), the holding means is withdrawn in one piece, which then encloses the series of envelopes and the rigid blocks, without breaking the holding means, and the holds are also removed. rigid,

c) then feed the envelope processing machine with this series of deconditioned envelopes, arranged in the charger.

In particular if the holding means is elastically deformable, it is recommended to remove this holding means and / or rigid shims vis-à-vis a series of packaged envelopes, to discard the holding means and / or rigid wedges with respect to said series of envelopes, while still maintaining at this time the means of maintenance and / or the rigid blocks facing the front or rear surfaces of the envelopes facing them, then removing the holding means and / or the rigid plates, by relative transverse displacement, away from these between the series of envelopes and the shims and / or the means of maintenance.

Another aspect still inventive, which can also be independent of the foregoing, relates to a machine for coating the envelopes and their rigid holds.

• des pinces avec des mors pour serrer la série d'enveloppes et les cales rigides,
• et des moyens pour disposer, serré autour d'eux, un moyen de maintien de la série d'enveloppes et les cales rigides, ledit moyen de maintien étant disposé, lors de sa mise en place, autour de la série d'enveloppes, des cales rigides et des mors de la pince.

For this, it is advisable to use a machine comprising:

• clamps with jaws to clamp the series of envelopes and rigid wedges,
• and means for arranging, tightly around them, means for holding the series of envelopes and the rigid wedges, said holding means being arranged, when it is put in place, around the series of envelopes, rigid wedges and jaws of the clamp.

Preferably, at least some of the jaws of the clamp will be provided with a surface having sliding power with respect to rigid blocks and / or holding means, to facilitate removal after setting up of this holding means around the wedges and the series of envelopes.

Conditioning thus the envelopes and the rigid wedges allows to obtain a reliable, fast and inexpensive packaging, in particular in connection with the use of an elastically deformable holding means.

• on dispose la série d'enveloppes et les cales rigides entre des mors d'une pince,
• on serre les mors pour rapprocher l'une de l'autre les cales rigides entre lesquelles la série d'enveloppes est interposée,
• on entoure la série d'enveloppes, les cales rigides et les mors avec un moyen de maintien serré des cales et de la série d'enveloppes,
• on desserre les mors de la pince, et
• on retire hors de cette pince la série d'enveloppes et les cales entourées par le moyen de maintien serré.

According to yet another inventive characteristic of the invention, in connection with the machine which has just been presented, it is advisable, to condition, therefore, by coating the series of envelopes and the rigid shims, to proceed as follows:

• we have the series of envelopes and the rigid wedges between jaws of a clamp,
• the jaws are tightened to bring the rigid blocks between which the series of envelopes interposed, to one another;
• the series of envelopes, the rigid wedges and the jaws are surrounded by a means for tightly holding the wedges and the series of envelopes,
• the jaws of the forceps are loosened, and
• the series of envelopes and the shims surrounded by the tight holding means are removed from this clamp.

This solution is particularly interesting when using tightening film, its elasticity facilitating the removal of envelopes and packed holds, away from the jaws of the clamp.

• les figures 1 et 2 montrent deux solutions de conditionnement d'un lot d'enveloppes, conformément à l'invention,
• la figure 3 montre, à plus petite échelle, un lot d'enveloppes en train d'être conditionné par une banderoleuse,
• la figure 4 est une vue agrandie d'un détail de la figure 3,
• la figure 5 montre une palette de manutention remplie par toute une série de blocs d'enveloppes conditionnées, avec un détail agrandi d'un bloc d'enveloppes dont certaines sont en saillie,
• la figure 6 montre une alternative de réalisation de la figure 5,
• les figures 7, 8, 9, 10, montrent quatre étapes successives d'un déconditionnement automatisé d'un bloc d'enveloppes, et
• les figures 11, 12, 13, montrent trois étapes successives d'une alternative de réalisation d'un tel déconditionnement.

An even more detailed description of the invention will now be given with reference to the accompanying drawings given solely by way of example and in which:

• FIGS. 1 and 2 show two packaging solutions of a batch of envelopes, according to the invention,
• FIG. 3 shows, on a smaller scale, a batch of envelopes being conditioned by a wrapping machine,
• FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a detail of FIG. 3,
• FIG. 5 shows a handling pallet filled by a whole series of conditioned envelope blocks, with an enlarged detail of a block of envelopes some of which are projecting,
• FIG. 6 shows an alternative embodiment of FIG. 5,
• FIGS. 7, 8, 9, 10 show four successive steps of an automated deconditioning of a block of envelopes, and
• Figures 11, 12, 13 show three successive steps of an alternative embodiment of such a deconditioning.

In Figure 1, we see a block 1 of packaged envelopes. This block, or assembly, comprises a succession of envelopes 3 and shims rigid 5, 7, between which is arranged and maintained the batch of envelopes 3.

Within this series, all envelopes are, like identified 3a that has been extracted from the lot, preferably all identically arranged and oriented. They are therefore, for an intermediate envelope as the envelope 3, two by two in back-to-back contact, either by their front surface 30a, or by their rear surface 30b.

The holding wedges of the series of envelopes are advantageously constituted by two solid rigid plates, rectangular, for example flat plastic plates transparent, having as dimensions those of the envelopes, which are in this case all of the same size and are arranged with their shutter 9 identically located on all the envelopes of the lot. The flap 9, if folded over a portion of the front surface 30a, is not closed (that is to say, it is not glued to the body of the envelope since the envelopes 3 of the lot under consideration have not yet been fulfilled).

Although the solution seems less appropriate, given the multiple possible deformations of the envelopes of the lot, especially if it is flexible envelopes, not rigid, such as envelopes not cardboard, one and / or the other of the end blocks 5, 7, may be constituted by means other than a plate, such as a frame, with or without a central brace to ensure the flatness of the envelopes, central part of their surfaces.

One could also consider plates naturally curved rather thin, which would reach a plane state under the tension of the medium Clamping.

Around the envelopes of the lot and holds 5, 7, is arranged a medium 11 tight hold of the envelopes of the lot.

This band 11 tightly surrounds the envelopes and plates.

It will be found that the envelopes are rectangular. They each have a thin slice 13 with, along this slice, two opposite sides of smaller length l and two opposite sides of greater length L. It is the same for the plates 5, 7.

The means 11 for maintaining tight passes along the two opposite sections of shorter length / envelopes and pads 5, 7, and advantageously extends over the entire free length l envelopes and shims.

Thus, once such a batch of envelopes rests on a support support of each lower section of greater length L , it is blocked laterally by the means 11 and prevented, both frontally and dorsally, from arching, by the presence of shims 5, 7.

To maintain in time the most effective pressure on the batch of envelopes, the holding means 11 consists, in FIG. Stretchable plastic material, such as a thin polyethylene film.

It is therefore an elastically deformable means which, once placed tight around the lot of envelopes and wedges 5, 7, is still despite in its elastically deformable state, so that if the batch of envelopes loses its volume, it absorbs this "withdrawal" by continuing to nevertheless, to exert a tightening pressure on the batch of envelopes and end wedges.

Possibly, in substitution, we could have considered replace the elastically deformable means 11 with a strap or a thicker ribbon, not elastically deformable 110, that one would have simply tight around the lot of envelopes and holds 5, 7, at the moment original packaging (Figure 2).

In Figure 2, at least the shim 5 is transparent. The ribbon 110 is preferably too. An operator can thus detect through the hold 5 and the portion of the tape 110 which covers it, the position of the shutter 9 and thus check if the conditioned block 1 is correctly oriented, in particular for optimized placement on the loader of an insertion machine envelopes.

In FIG. 1, it has been imagined that neither the end wedges 5, 7, nor the wrapping 11 did not identify the shutters 9 through them. As well is there a way of locating 12. In the example, it is an arrow directed downwards and printed on an area of the holding means 11 extending opposite the outer surface of the shim 5 to indicate that the closure flap faces the hold 5 along its longer length (in the same way as the situation of the shutter 9 that we see by transparency in Figure 2). In another solution, the identification could be worn on at least one of the holds.

Figure 3 shows a solution for placing the plastic film stretchable 11 around the pack of envelopes 3 and the end blocks 5, 7.

The machine 10 for packaging the assembly 1 as illustrated on the FIG. 2 comprises a wrapping machine 15 in which is stored a roll of stretch film 111 which, once wound in the manner already indicated around shims 7, 5, and the batch of envelopes 3, constitutes the wrapping 11, after rupture of the strip 111 in a suitable place, for example, by cutting via a hot knife (not shown). To turn on the film stretchable 11, a system (not shown) of traction provides a stretch in its elastic zone of the end portion of the band 111.

As illustrated, the shims 5, 7, and the pack of envelopes 3 are disposed in the middle of the film roll and are supported by the clip 17 (of which the link with the rest of the machine has not been represented, for the sake of simplification).

The clamp comprises an upper jaw 19 comprising in the present case two plates 21a, 21b, and a lower jaw 23 consisting of the same way.

The two jaws are movable relative to each other in translation via a piston system 25 to tighten in the direction of the arrows of Figure 4.

Note that the clamping plates of the jaws, such as 21a, 21b, are, at the time of wrapping, interposed between the outer band 11 and rigid shims 5, 7 (see in particular Figure 3).

After tensioning the stretch film and separating the tape 11 relative to the rest of the roller 111, the removal of the whole 1 conditioned. For this, the surfaces of all or some of the jaws 19, 23, are preferably covered with a sliding coating 27 (for example a Teflon® coating). The coating can be located on the faces upper and lower platelets such as 21a, 21b. After withdrawal out of the machine 10, the block of envelopes 1 of FIG. we distinguish in 29 the welding zone where the band is closed on itself and from where it was separated from the rest of the roller 111 of the figure 3.

Figure 5 shows a set of envelope blocks packaged such as 1, 20, 30, 40 and arranged, in adjacent piles, on a pallet of handling 31.

The various blocks such as 20, 30, are identical to block 1 of FIG. 1 and are each arranged in the same manner as in FIG. 1, that is to say with a wrapping on the side walls, in the direction the height, with the upper and lower free edges, a lower portion of the lower portion L of the envelopes and shims resting on either an identical lower block or, for the lower block, directly on the upper surface 32 of the palette.

In a number of situations, some envelopes (such as 300) of a pack of packaged envelopes can be shifted in the sense of height, as shown in the enlarged view to the right on this same figure 5. More exactly, the blocks can present, within of the series of envelopes, surface irregularities at the upper level and lower block related to manufacturing tolerances.

To avoid problems arising from this situation, leaflets such as 33 are interposed at least between some of the packaged envelope block levels by extending individually on a larger surface than the upper or lower surface S of a single block. The thickness and flexibility of these spacers (typically in paper) are such that we recover the flatness between the block levels stacked, catching the irregularities created by these offsets in height some envelopes in a block, without damaging the envelopes (with the understanding that the offset is typically not pronounced).

At the lowest level of the batteries, the envelope blocks packaged, such as block 40 in FIG. 5, rest on a floor full 32 constituting the upper surface of the pallet 31.

Alternatively, it can be expected to replace this solid floor 32 by a perforated partition 37 forming the upper floor of the pallet 39 of FIG. 6, with the interposition of a series of intermediate sheets 35 which, as the intermediate leaflets 33, each have a surface greater than each individual surface S of a block of envelopes conditioned, and which are interposed, edge to edge or with a weak overlap, between the different packaged envelope blocks of the lowest level of piles and the discontinuous upper surface of the palette.

In FIG. 6, all the stacks of packaged envelopes are shown coated with a stretchable holding film 45.

In FIGS. 7 to 10, we see a first means of conditioning of the envelope block 1, according to several stages of setting implemented.

In these figures, as in the following figures 11 to 13, the unpacking device presented will allow to remove the holding means 11, without breaking it, thus avoiding any damage possible envelopes or alteration of the relatively compact set they constitute.

In FIG. 7, the deconditioning device 50 comprises a pusher 51 mounted on cylinder 53 carried by a frame 55 including two opposing arms 57, 59, carry rods 61a, 61b, 61c, 61d, movable in relative spacing, two by two, to constitute controlled means of enlargement of the band 11, to ensure the withdrawal, as can be seen in the figure 9.

Preferably, the spacing means 61a, ....., 61d, are provided to act on the holding means 11 at the location of the holds 5, 7, thus avoiding interfering with the envelopes, at the risk of damage or disrupt the uniform blocking and correctly positioned.

Note that in the event that one or more strapping, as in Figure 2, would replace the enrollment bench with the medium elastically deformable 11, the invention strongly advises unpacking the envelope block from at least one zone located at the place of the end wedges 5, 7, that is to say away from the envelopes, all especially for the same reasons as above.

In FIG. 7, the spacer rods 61a,..., 61d are mounted in slides 63a, 63b, 63c, 63d, which are located at the right longitudinal ends of the end wedges 5, 7, respectively.

On the height (small length) / of each of the holds, at these longitudinal ends, open grooves 65a, 65b, 65c, 65d, allow the rods 61a, ...., 61d, to act on the holding means 11, by engaging inside the open grooves, as seen on Figure 7.

In this position, the assembly of the frame 55 with the rods 61a, ...., 61d, was brought closer to the pack of packaged envelopes 1 and the pusher 51 is in support against a common slice of greater length L of the entire block of envelopes and two end blocks 5, 7, of in order to flatten them, under the effect of the jack 53, against their opposite surface support 67 (action in the direction of the arrow 69 in Figure 8). The surface 67 can constitute the bottom a charger of an envelope insertion machine.

In this position, the spacer rods 61a, ...., 61d, are in "retracted" position, at the rear end of their slide (respectively 63a, ..., 63d.

Stretchable holding means 11 is not over stretched.

It is, however, in FIG. 9 where the device 50 is in the same position as in FIG. 8, with the exception of the spacer rods 61a, ...., 61d, which are now in the "active" position, outputs of the grooves open 65a, ....., 65d, to push the stretchable means 11 away from the slice of two opposite sides of smaller length of the envelope lot (in this case, by stretching the film 11 in the two opposite directions 71a, 71b, following the same direction).

All that remains is to lift the entire building 55, including therefore included the rods 61a, 61b, .... which then maintain the headband stretchable 11 while still plating on their support surface 67 the batch 3 and the shims 5, 7, via the pusher 51 and the deployment of the cylinder rod 53 in the direction of the direction 72 (see FIG. 10).

It then remains only to remove the two end blocks 5, 7.

In FIGS. 11, 12, 13, an alternative embodiment of a deconditioning device, 70, has been illustrated. It is different from device 50 by the direction of the grooves 73a, 73b, 73c, 73d, following which move the spacer rods 61a, ..., 61d (being specified that in this figure, the same references have been attributed to the same means than those described in relation to the deconditioning device 50).

In this case, the grooves 73a, ...., are directed at an angle to ensure a spacing of the holding means 11 on all four sides side of the pack of conditioned envelopes 100, when all the stems spacers 61a, ...., act in conjunction.

Also note in Figures 11 to 13, another feature consisting in the possibility of withdrawing, in a single operation, both the elastically deformable means 11 and the end blocks 5, 7, away from the lot of envelopes 3.

Of course, the spacing of the four sides of the stretch film by the angled grooves 73a,... can be dissociated from the simultaneous withdrawal of shims.

That being so, for any automated removal of these end shims 5, 7, it must be clear that the invention provides delimited areas of support for the withdrawal means (such as 61a, ..., 61d), whether the withdrawal of the holding means 11 alone, or the conjugate withdrawal of this holding means and shims (as in Figure 13).

Indeed, it is important that these end blocks 5, 7, are locally conformed to receive support on them either means of thrust (as the rods 61a, ...,) is traction means (no represented here) which allow, at the location of these holds, to act at least on the holding means 11 (away from the batch of envelopes 3) or on the assembly constituted by this means 11 and the shims 5, 7, for, together, the away from the package of envelopes, as in Figure 13.

In FIGS. 7 to 10, said defined support zones reserved on the end wedges 5, 7 are constituted by the open grooves 65a,..., 65d. In FIGS. 11 to 13, there are open grooves 75a,..., 75d located on the height l of the wedges, at their opposite longitudinal ends, but these grooves are here formed at the location of the internal angle of these wedge ends, to reserve an outer bearing flange 77, at each end, to separate the means 11 through an action on areas thus limited.

Note that eventually these demarcated areas of support could be located elsewhere on holds and / or otherwise shaped, if necessary in connection with spacer means other than rods 61a, ..., even if these means facilitate the automation of deconditioning. Thus, one could for example consider the presence, on the end wedges, protruding legs accessible to the fingers of a operator and to ensure the deconditioning of the batch of envelopes 3, manually.

In FIGS. 11 to 13, the presence, on each end wedge 5, 7, of a cutout 79 that can be presented as a vertical groove (see figure 13) and which prevents the support bar 51 act on the holds.

Thus, once the push rods 61a, ..., engaged in front of the edges 77, these rods are activated, while the bar 51 presses the envelopes (Figure 12). Both the support wedges 5, 7, the means of 11 stretchable, are then removed from the batch of envelopes 3. There is no longer any than to discard this batch of envelopes 3 from the rest (see Figure 13).

In none of the figures showing the main elements of the deconditioning device 50, 70, have been illustrated the frames or ancillary means of support or actuation (engine, linkage, ...) allowing for example push rods 61a, ..., to pass from their retracted position to their active position. These means are within the reach of the skilled person and are known in themselves.

Claims (12)

1. A block of packaged envelopes comprising:

   a series of envelopes (3, 3a) having an anterior surface (30a) on top of which a closure flap of the envelope closes, a posterior surface (30b) and an edge, the envelopes being arranged facing one another by one and/or another of the anterior and posterior surfaces,

   and a means (11, 110) of maintaining the series of envelopes, characterised in that the said means comprises rigid liners (5, 7) arranged on the two sides of the said series of envelopes, facing the anterior face or the posterior face of the first and last envelopes in the series, and in that the maintaining means closely surround the series of envelopes and the two rigid liners.
2. A block of envelopes according to Claim 1, characterised in that, within the series:

   a) all the envelopes are identically orientated and the maintaining means (11, 110) surrounds the envelopes at a distance from the closure flap (9),

   b) the closure flap of each envelope extends along a side of the envelope having the greater length (L), and

   c) a method of registering the orientation of the envelopes, including the position of the closure flap (9), exists:

   due to the fact that it is possible to visually register this orientation via the maintaining means (11) and at least one of the liners (5, 7),

   and/or via the intermediary of registration means (11) identifying this orientation and provided on the maintaining means (11) and/or on at least one of the liners (5, 7).
3. A block of envelopes according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the maintaining means (11) is elastically deformable, barring stress exerted thereon, and surrounds the series of envelopes and the rigid liners in an elastic state.
4. A block of envelopes according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the maintaining means (11) comprises a stretchable film made of plastics material.
5. A block of envelopes according to Claim 4, characterised in that the rigid liners (5, 7) and the film for maintaining the series of envelopes are transparent, or else the film and/or the liners are provided with a registering means for providing the user of the block of packaged envelopes with a guide marker within the envelopes space, which envelopes are all orientated the same way within the series.
6. An assembly comprising:

   a series of blocks of packaged envelopes (1) according to any one of the preceding claims,

   a handling pallet (31) on which a plurality of packaged envelopes rest, at least some of which blocks are arranged with a length of the edge of the envelopes and of the liners of the said blocks facing an upper supporting surface of the pallet,

   and a means of wrapping the pallet and the series of blocks of envelopes arranged thereon, this wrapping means comprising a stretchable elastic film, stretched within its zone of elastic deformation.
7. An assembly according to Claim 6, characterised in that:

   the series of blocks (1) of packaged envelopes is distributed over a plurality of superimposed layers,

   a guide card (33) is interposed between at least some of the layers,

   and at least some of the blocks of envelopes have, within the series of envelopes, surface irregularities at an upper and/or lower level of the block, in accordance with manufacturing tolerances.
8. An assembly according to Claim 6 or Claim 7, characterised in that, at the point of the first envelope-block level located immediately above the pallet, the envelope blocks concerned rest on an intact, non-cut-back, support surface via the intermediary, to this end, of at least one guide sheet (35) and/or of one intact horizontal upper surface (37) of the pallet.
9. A method of unpacking a block of envelopes according to any one of Claim 1 to 5, characterised in that:

   a) at least one said block of envelopes (1; 3, 3a) is arranged in a loader (67) of an envelope-processing machine,

   b) before or after step a), the maintaining means (11, 110), which then closes the series of envelopes and the rigid liners (5, 7), is withdrawn in one piece without breaking this maintaining means, and the rigid liners are similarly withdrawn,

   c) the envelope-processing machine is then fed with this series of unpacked envelopes which are arranged in the loader.
10. A method according to Claim 9, characterised in that, for the purpose of withdrawing the maintaining means and/or the rigid liners from a series of packaged envelopes, the maintaining means (11) and/or the rigid liners (5, 7) are distanced relative to the said series of envelopes, while nevertheless maintaining the maintaining means and/or the rigid liners facing the anterior surfaces (30a) or posterior surfaces (30b) of the envelopes which face them, and the maintaining means and/or the rigid plates are then withdrawn by relative transverse displacement, away from the surfaces, between the series of envelopes and the said the liners and/or the maintaining means.
11. A machine for wrapping a series (1) of envelopes in the form of a block according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, the machine comprising:

    a grab (17) with jaws (19, 21) for clamping the series of envelopes and the rigid liners,

    and means for arranging, tightly around them, a means (11) of maintaining the series of envelopes and the rigid liners, the said maintaining means being arranged, during its installation, around the series of envelopes, the rigid liners and the jaws of the grab.
12. A machine according to Claim 11, characterised in that at least some of the jaws of the grab are provided with a surface (27) having an ability to slide relative to the rigid liners and/or the maintaining means, to facilitate the withdrawal following installation of this maintaining means around the liners and the series of envelopes.

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