EP1418145B1 - Method and apparatus for producing coupons of folded paper - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method for producing folded print media of thin material with at least two folding legs connected together by adhesive bonding.

The folding coupon serves as an additive for packs, in particular cigarette packs. The aim of the cigarette pack is to offer the consumer the largest possible volume of print media that includes factual information, advertisements or coupons. The usually multiply folded folding coupons are first separated as a blank from a material web (paper) and conveyed through a folding unit (buckle-folder), which performs the (multiple) folding. Following the folding unit, at least two folding legs of the folding coupon are connected to one another by spot or sheet-like bonding. The thus formed fold coupon is introduced into the manufacturing process of the (cigarette) pack and positioned within the pack. In cigarette packs, it is common to place the fold coupon between the actual cigarette pack and an outer wrapper made of foil. Alternatively, the fold coupon may also be attached to the outside of the outer wrapper.

Are known method and apparatus for producing double-layer webs for simply folded, so two folding leg having print carrier. The double wide continuous material web is provided with glue of the type Hotmelt. After curing of the strip-shaped, longitudinal and transverse glue areas, the continuous web is folded centrally in the longitudinal direction so that two continuous web legs are positioned one above the other. The web thus formed is heated by a heat and printing station passed through. By applying heat, the glue is reactivated. The two web legs are then pressed against each other and connected to each other ( US 4,420,147 ).

It is about the rational, economical production and supply of such folding coupons.

The invention has for its object to perform the production of particular multiply folded folding coupons so that the folding coupons can be supplied without sacrificing performance in the production of the package itself.

In the method according to the invention for solving this problem, the procedure is as follows:

One with respect to the width of the print carrier double-width continuous web is provided with glue fields of hot glue with respect to the folding leg to be bonded and these after folding by supplying heat and pressure to each other, with of the provided with cured glue panels web blanks with respect to the print carrier separated double width and the double-wide blanks are fed to a folding unit for performing the folds according to the design of the print carrier to be produced and wherein after folding the double-wide blank, the glue fields activated by supplying heat and the folding legs are connected by pressure and then wherein the Double width print media are severed longitudinally to produce two adjacent print media.

By using glue fields or glue spots, namely glue spots or small glue surfaces of hot-melt adhesive, it is possible to attach the glue fields already to the material web, according to the position on the finished folding coupon.

In the production of Falt coupons from a double-wide and / or double-ply folded material web two or more glue points or glue fields - prior to a transverse folding of the web to provide the two-ply training - to install on the web, the glue spots or glue fields are positioned so that each outer folding leg, possibly three outer folding leg, are connected together.

The peculiarity of the device according to the invention is that it is an independent apparatus unit that can be attached to a packaging machine so that the finished folding coupons are transferred directly to the packaging machine, and in particular to a film wrapping machine.

The device is provided with at least one glue unit for applying the glue fields in accordance with printed marks attached to the material web. Furthermore, a subsequent to the folding unit for the folding coupon activation unit for hot-melt is formed in a special way.

Fig. 1

eine Vorrichtung zum Herstellen von Falt-Coupons aus Materialbahnen in schematischer Seitenansicht,

Fig. 2

eine Einzelheit der Vorrichtung gemäß Fig. 1, nämlich ein Leimaktivierungsaggregat, in einem Querschnitt der Schnittebene II-II in Fig. 1, bei vergrößertem Maßstab,

Fig. 3

das Aktivierungsaggregat gemäß Fig. 2 in einer Stirnansicht gemäß Pfeil III in Fig. 1,

Fig. 4

das Aktivierungsaggregat gemäß Fig. 2, Fig. 3 in Draufsicht entsprechend Pfeil IV in Fig. 1, ebenfalls in vergrößertem Maßstab,

Fig. 5

eine weitere Einzelheit der Vorrichtung, nämlich ein Rillaggregat, in Seitenansicht, bei vergrößertem Maßstab (Ausschnitt V in Fig. 1).

Fig. 6

einen (doppelten) Falt-Coupon in Draufsicht,

Fig. 7

einen Querschnitt durch den Falt-Coupon gemäß Fig. 6 in der Schnittebene VII-VII,

Fig. 8

einen Abschnitt einer Materialbahn zum Herstellen von Zuschnitten für Falt-Coupons in Draufsicht,

Fig. 9

einen Querschnitt durch die Materialbahn gemäß Fig. 8 in der Schnittebene IX-IX,

Fig. 10

einen (doppelten) Falt-Coupon aus einer Materialbahn gemäß Fig. 8, Fig. 9, in Draufsicht,

Fig. 11

den Falt-Coupon gemäß Fig. 10 im Querschnitt in der Schnittebene XI-XI,

Fig. 12

einen (doppelten) Zuschnitt für die Fertigung von Falt-Coupons gemäß Fig. 6, Fig. 7,

Fig. 13

einen Abschnitt einer Materialbahn für die Fertigung von Falt-Coupons gemäß Fig. 10, Fig. 11.

Details of the device and the blanks or folding coupons to be produced are explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings. It shows:

Fig. 1

a device for producing folded coupons from material webs in a schematic side view,

Fig. 2

a detail of the device according to Fig. 1 namely, a glue activating aggregate, in a cross-section of the section plane II-II in FIG Fig. 1 on an enlarged scale,

Fig. 3

the activation unit according to Fig. 2 in an end view according to arrow III in Fig. 1 .

Fig. 4

the activation unit according to Fig. 2, Fig. 3 in plan view according to arrow IV in Fig. 1 , also on an enlarged scale,

Fig. 5

a further detail of the device, namely a creasing unit, in side view, on an enlarged scale (detail V in Fig. 1 ).

Fig. 6

a (double) folding coupon in plan view,

Fig. 7

a cross section through the folding coupon according to Fig. 6 in section plane VII-VII,

Fig. 8

a section of a material web for producing blanks for folding coupons in plan view,

Fig. 9

a cross section through the web according to Fig. 8 in the section plane IX-IX,

Fig. 10

a (double) folding coupon from a web according to Fig. 8, Fig. 9 , in plan view,

Fig. 11

according to the folding coupon Fig. 10 in cross-section in the sectional plane XI-XI,

Fig. 12

a (double) blank for the production of folding coupons according to Fig. 6, Fig. 7 .

Fig. 13

a section of a web for the production of Falt coupons according to Fig. 10, Fig. 11 ,

In the Fig. 1 schematically shown apparatus for producing folded print media, namely folding coupons 10, is formed as an independent unit with machine frame or machine housing. The apparatus may be connected to a packaging machine to introduce the finished folding coupons 10 into the packaging process. A suitable, advantageous solution results from this EP 1 125 843 ,

The folding coupons 10 are made of a continuous material web 11 made of paper or similar material. The material web 11 is withdrawn from a reel 12, 13, which is part of the device. The material web 11 passes through a splicing unit 14 for connecting an outgoing material web to a new one. It connects to a railway pendulum 15, which generates several path loops as compensation memory. Thereafter, the material web 11 enters the upper part of the device in which a preparation for the production of folding coupons 10 takes place.

For the production of the folding coupons 10, the material web 11 must first be exactly aligned in the direction of movement and passes through a unit 16 for edge control for this purpose. Thereafter, the material web 11 is deflected to form an upright or vertical web portion 17. In this area, the material web 11 is provided with glue, namely with glue dots or glue fields 18, 19. The glue is transferred by glue units 20, 21, preferably after Principle of Kontaktbeleimung work, ie with contact nozzles that receive a short time investment on the web for transferring one or more glue fields 18, 19. The glue units 20, 21 are arranged on both sides of the material web 11, namely the height offset from one another.

After an upper two-fold deflection and a subsequent vertical section of the material web 11, this passes into the area of a print mark reader 22. The material web 11 is provided with precisely positioned print marks, by means of which certain organs can be controlled. The print mark reader 22 is a particularly optoelectronic sensor which detects the print marks and then generates control signals.

By re-deflection of the material web 11, this passes into the range of feed rollers 23. These effect by appropriate drive an exact, preferably continuous conveying movement of the web 11, to a separation unit 24 for separating flat, unfolded blanks 25 of the web 11. Das Separating unit 24 consists of a rotating knife roller with a fixed counter blade. The separation unit 24 is controlled by the print mark reader 22.

The blanks 25 are successively conveyed by conveying members in a folding unit 26 (buckle folder). At an exit side, complete folding coupons 10 leave the folding unit 26 with regard to the folding.

The folding coupons 10 may be formed in different ways. A first version is in Fig. 7 shown in cross section. Thereafter, the blank 25 is folded so that a total of four folding legs 27, 28, 29, 30 arise. The folding is performed so that an inner folding leg 29 is covered by folding legs 28 and 30. An outer folding leg 27 is connected to the adjacent inner leg 28, by a free edge of the folding leg 27 facing adhesive field 18 of the described embodiment.

A so-formed folding coupon 10 is made of an elongated, rectangular blank ( Fig. 12 ) folded. In the present case, a double web is driven, so a material web 11 twice the width. The severed from the web 11, the folding unit 26 supplied blank 25 has accordingly Fig. 12 a double width and consists of two juxtaposed individual blanks 31, 32. The individual folding legs 27..30 are characterized by transverse dashed lines, these lines are also transverse fold lines. Each of the individual blanks 31, 32 is assigned a glue field 18. The consisting of the two individual blanks 31, 32 existing Blank 25 is introduced into the folding unit 26. For this reason, a double-width folding coupon emerges ( Fig. 6 ). This is severed in the region of a middle parting plane 33, so that thereafter two individual folding coupons 10 in the embodiment according to Fig. 7 arise. Before the separating cut, the glue fields 18 consisting of hot melt are (re-) activated by supplying heat. Furthermore, the folding legs 27..30 are pressed against each other, so that the connection between the folding legs 27 and 28 in the region of the glue field 18 is created.

In the device according to Fig. 1 is in the connection to the folding unit 26 a specially trained device 34 is arranged, which completes the folding coupons 10. The device 34 consists of a heating station 35 and a separating station 36. The (double-width) folding coupons 10 coming from the folding unit 26 pass directly into the device 34 for aftertreatment and are passed through the heat station 35 through a coupon conveyor and then through the Separation station 36 transported therethrough.

The device 34 consists for this purpose of several belt conveyors 37, 38, 39. Each of these belt conveyors 37..39 consists of two opposing upper and lower endless belts. Between facing conveyor belts 40 and 41, the folding coupons 10 are transported. The arranged on common shafts or axles belt conveyors 37, 38, 39 are arranged at a distance from each other. Between adjacent belt conveyors 37, 38 on the one hand and 38, 39 on the other hand, a heating element 42 is arranged in each case. These are elongate, running in the direction of transport radiator with a heating element, eg. B. a heating cartridge. This produces the required temperature to reactivate the glue of the glue fields 18, 19. In the present example ( Fig. 2 ) is positioned for each folding coupon 10, a heating element 42 above the movement path of the respective folding coupon 10, in the region of the glue field 18, 19. This is directed for optimum heat transfer upward. Below the heating elements 42 are each elongated support members 43 are arranged, which fill the intermediate space formed between the belt conveyors.

In the heat station 35 thus formed, the required heat is applied by the heating elements 42, 43, and the required pressure is applied to the folding legs 27, 28 to be joined by the conveying runs 40, 41.

Following the heating station 35, the (double-width) folding coupons are severed centrally by a separating knife 44. The separating knife 44 is mounted on the circumference of a knife roller 45. A counter-roller 46 is in the range of the cutting blade 44 with a running around groove 47 provided. The knife roller 45 is disposed below and the counter-roller 46 above the movement path of the folding coupons 10.

The coupon conveyor extends over both stations. For this purpose, the peripheral belt conveyors 37, 39 run into the region of the separating station 36. On a common axis with a knife roller 45 and counter roller 46, deflection rollers 48 for the belt conveyors 37, 39 are mounted. The middle belt conveyor 38 terminates at a distance from the knife roller 45 on a deflection roller 49 of a transverse axis mounted in this area.

A special feature is the folding coupon 10 according to Fig. 11 , This is folded in principle in the same way as the folding coupon 10 according to Fig. 7 , but of double-layered material or of a double-layered blank 25.

For the production of such a folding coupon 10 is a two-ply material web 11 according to Fig. 8, Fig. 9 for use. The originally double-width material web 11 is double-folded by folding over edge web thighs 50, 51, resulting in edges of the material web 11 folding edges. The web legs 50, 51 are dimensioned so that in the longitudinal center of the web 11, a small distance between the mutually facing edges of the web legs 50, 51 is formed, namely a longitudinal gap 52nd

Of the thus formed material web 11 ( Fig. 8 ) Blanks 10 are separated and transferred to the folding unit 26. The blank 25 prepared for this type of folding coupon 10 has the in Fig. 9 shown cross-sectional shape and in plan view of the Fig. 8 apparent structure.

In principle, the same folding steps are carried out, so that double-layered folding legs 27, 28, 29, 30 are formed, wherein the outer, free folding leg 27 consists of two layers 53, 54. The two layers 53, 54 are interconnected by an (additional) glue field 19. The entire folding leg 27 or its inner layer 54 is connected by the glue panel 18 with a facing position of the next folding leg 28. The material web 11 must also with regard to the attachment of the glue fields 18, 19 to the particular embodiment of the folding coupon 10 according to Fig. 11 to get prepared.

Fig. 13 shows a section of the material web 11 for a folding coupon 10 according to Fig. 11 , before folding the web legs 50, 51. By a middle dotted line 55, the dividing plane is indicated in the range of double-wide, double-layered Folding coupon according to Fig. 10 is severed. The dashed lines show the fold lines, wherein the lines running in the longitudinal direction of the edge-side fold edges of the two-ply material web 11 according to Fig. 9 correspond. Due to the special bonding of free folding legs according to Fig. 11 Each partial web of the material web 11 is assigned two glue fields 18, 19. These are positioned on different sides, ie at the top and bottom of the material web 11. Due to the folding of the material web 11 in the longitudinal direction and the subsequent transverse folding in the region of the folding unit 26, the glue fields 18, 19 arrive in a covering position accordingly Fig. 11 , Alternatively, the glue fields 18, 19 can be offset relative to one another at least in the transverse direction of the material web 11, so that in the finished fold coupon 10, the respective glue fields 18, 19 are likewise transversely offset.

In the area of the device 34 for the post-processing, a severing of the double-width folded coupon 10 (embodiment according to FIG Fig. 10 ) in the longitudinal center, namely along the line 55. The separating cut is performed in the region of the longitudinal gap 52, so that the (folded) web legs 50, 51 are not detected by the separating cut.

Another special feature is in Fig. 5 shown. When using materials for the folding coupon 10 with higher strength, but especially in multi-layer folding coupons 10 (execution according to Fig. 11 ), a preforming of the material or the material web 11 may be appropriate. For this purpose, an embossing member 56 according to Fig. 5 intended. The embossing member 56 consists of two embossing rollers, namely an upper roller 57 with rib-like projections 58 and a lower counter roller 59 with axially parallel grooves 60. The unfolded or in the sense of Fig. 8 / Fig. 9 folded web 10 is conveyed through between the two rollers. In this case, transverse grooves 61 are formed in the material or in the material web 11. These grooves 61 correspond to the folding lines in the production of the folding coupon 10 in the folding unit 26. The distances between the projections 58 and the grooves 60 correspond to the positions of Querfaltlinien which are produced in the region of the folding unit 26. Projections 58 and grooves 60 work together during the stamping process.

The device for producing folding coupons 10 (FIG. Fig. 1 ) is suitably set up so that, alternatively, one or the other embodiment of folding coupons 10 according to Fig. 7 or Fig. 11 can be made. In the production of folding coupons 10 of the latter embodiment, an auxiliary unit 62 of the device is used. This is attached to the top of the device and can either be an integral part of the device or removably attached to it.

If folding coupons 10 in the execution of Fig. 11 to be manufactured, the material web 11 is deflected horizontally following the gluing or following the glue units 20, 21 and opposite to the described embodiment (arrows in FIG Fig. 1 ) conveyed through the auxiliary unit 62 (dashed line). After being deflected, the material web 11 passes through a folding unit 63, which is shown schematically. The latter is formed in a known manner such that, during transport, the two web legs 50, 51 are continuously moved into the position Fig. 8, Fig. 9 be folded. Subsequent to the folding unit 63, the now double-layered material web 11 is conveyed through the stamping element 56 already described. After two redirections then passes the thus prepared material web 11 again in the range of the device already described, namely passed past the print mark reader 22. The subsequent sequence in the device corresponds to the described embodiment.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10

Folding coupon

11

web

12

reel

13

reel

14

Spliceaggregat

15

bus shuttle

16

unit

17

Track section.

18

Leimfeld

19

Leimfeld

20

glue assembly

21

glue assembly

22

Print Mark

23

feed rollers

24

separating unit

25

cut

26

folding unit

27

folding legs

28

folding legs

29

folding legs

30

folding legs

31

Single cut

32

Single cut

33

parting plane

34

device

35

heat station

36

separating station

37

Belt conveyors

38

Belt conveyors

39

Belt conveyors

40

conveying

41

conveying

42

heating element

43

support organ

44

separating knife

45

knife role

46

counter-roller

47

groove

48

idler pulley

49

idler pulley

50

path branch

51

path branch

52

longitudinal gap

53

camp

54

camp

55

line

56

impressing member

57

top roll

58

head Start

59

backing roll

60

groove

61

groove

62

additional unit

63

folding unit

Claims (10)

1. A process for producing folded printing carriers (10) made of thin material which have at least two folding legs (27, 28) that are connected to one another by adhesive bonding, with a continuous material web (11), whose width is twice the width of the printing carriers (10), being provided with regions of hot-melt glue (18, 19) for the adhesive bonding of the folding legs (27, 28), the latter being connected to each other after folding by the application of heat and pressure, with blanks (25) having double the width of the printing carrier (10) being severed from the material web (11) provided with the hardened regions of glue (18, 19), and the double-width blanks (25) being fed to a folding subassembly (26) for carrying out folding operations corresponding to the configuration of the printing carrier (10) to be produced, it being the case that once the double-width blank (25) has been folded, the regions of glue (18, 19) are activated by the supply of heat and the folding legs (27, 28) are connected to one another by the application of pressure, with the double-width printing carriers (10) then being severed in the longitudinal direction to produce in each case two printing carriers (10) lying next to one another.
2. The process according to Claim 1, characterized in that the blanks (25) are cut off from a double-width and double-layered material web (11), the material web (11) being folded such that two web legs (50, 51) are folded to coincide with a central region of the material web such that the double-layered material web (11) has folding edges along both borders.
3. The process according to Claim 2, characterized in that the web legs (50, 51) of the material web (11) run at a slight distance from one another such that a longitudinal gap (52) is formed between the web legs (50, 51), preferably in a longitudinal central plane of the material web (11).
4. The process according to Claim 2, characterized in that the printing carriers (10) produced from a two-layered blank (25) have two regions of glue (18, 19) for each printing carrier (10), the regions of glue (18, 19) being applied to opposite sides of the material web (11).
5. An apparatus for producing folded printing carriers (10) by severing blanks (25) from a double-width material web (11) provided with regions of hot-melt glue (18, 19) for connecting folding legs (27, 28) of the printing carriers (10) to one another, it being possible for the folding legs (27, 28), which abut one another by being folded, to be connected to each other in a heating station (35) through the application of heat and pressure, it being possible for the double-width material web (11) to be drawn off a reel (12, 13) and during transport to be moved past a gluing subassembly (20, 21) for the application of the regions of glue (18, 19) to the material web (11), and for the glue assembly (20, 21) to be controlled by at least one printed-mark reader (22) in accordance with printed marks on the material web (11) and it being possible to feed the material web (11) provided with glue to a severing subassembly (24) for the purpose of severing double-width blanks (25) from the material web (11), and to feed the double-width blanks (25) to a downstream folding subassembly (26) for the purpose of producing folded double-width printing carriers (20), with the heating station (35) with heating elements (42) being located downstream of the folding subassembly (26), it being possible to transport the blanks (25) or the folded, double-width printing carriers (10) between belt conveyors (37, 38, 39) in the region of the heating station (35), and it being possible, following the heating station (35), for the double-width printing carriers (10) to be conveyed through a severing station (36) for the purpose of severing the double-width printing carriers (10) in the longitudinal direction.
6. The apparatus according to Claim 5, characterized in that the double-width material web (11), following the glue subassemblies (20, 21), can - as an alternative - be conveyed through a folding unit (63) in the region of an additional subassembly (62), it being possible for the material web (11) to be folded in a double layer in the region of the folding unit (63), with two web legs (50, 51) being formed along the borders in the process.
7. The apparatus according to Claim 5, characterized in that the heating station (35) has an arrangement (34) for the post-treatment of the printing carrier (10) with a plurality of belt conveyers (37, 38, 39) for transporting the printing carrier (10), the belt conveyors (37, 38, 39) being spaced apart from one another and having heating elements (42) arranged between them for the purpose of transmitting heat to the printing carriers (10).
8. The apparatus according to Claim 7 or one of the further Claims, characterized in that the printing carriers (10), in the region of the heating station (35), can be transported between conveying strands (40, 41) of the belt conveyors (37, 38, 39) for the purpose of transferring pressure to the printing carriers (10).
9. The apparatus according to Claim 5, characterized in that arranged in the severing station (36) for the purpose of severing double-width printing carriers (10) is a revolving, circular severing blade (44), which is disposed on a blade roller (45) and interacts with a mating roller (46).
10. The apparatus according to Claim 5 or one of the further Claims, characterized in that the material web (11) can be directed through a stamping element (56) in order for transversely directed scores (61) to be provided in accordance with folding lines of the printing carrier (10), the stamping element (56) being arranged to follow the glue subassemblies (20, 21), preferably to follow the folding unit (63) for producing double-layered material webs (11).

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