EP3793918A1

EP3793918A1 - System and protective supporting device for the transport and customization of gift items, such as bottles in particular

Info

Publication number: EP3793918A1
Application number: EP19730228.4A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Giuseppe CAMISA
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2018-05-17
Filing date: 2019-05-16
Publication date: 2021-03-24
Also published as: WO2019220475A1; IT201800005483A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to an automated system and a device for the creation, through a printing device, of packaging to support and transport gift items, such as bottles, where packaging can be automatically customized by a user directly. The first technical problem that the present invention aims to solve is that of the automatic generation of the dimensions of the element to contain an item, so that it can contain items of different bases and heights, ensuring that the items are clearly visible and preventing them from slipping out and breaking. Furthermore, the present invention allows to provide the transport device with a thickness suitable to bear any weight chosen by a user, once the printing process is complete.

Description

DESCRIPTION

DESCRIPTION of a patent for an industrial invention titled:

System and protective supporting device for the transport and customization of gift items, such as bottles in particular.

FIELD OF APPLICATION

The present invention relates to an automated system and a device for the creation, through a printing device, of packaging to support and transport gift items, such as bottles, where packaging can be automatically customized by a user directly.

In particular, the present invention relates to a protective support for an item, such as a bottle, suitable to simultaneously transport an item and prevent it from slipping out. The protective support can be adjusted to any type of item.

In order to create said device, consisting of an element to contain an item and a central supporting band, the present invention uses the numerical control system of a machine capable of shaping a three- dimensional hollow housing, such as a laser cutting machine for a high- density expanded material, or any other material that can serve the purpose, or any other machine capable of creating a three-dimensional hollow housing based on the shape and height of the item to transport, so that the depth of the three-dimensional hollow housing allows to i secure the item in it.

Said system also uses the numerical control of a die-cutting machine for laminated materials, or any other cutting tool for laminated materials or cardboard or any other materials in sheets, where said numerical control is capable of setting up the thickness of the supporting band based on the weight of the item to transport, as it will be described in the following paragraphs.

Besides being provided with an element to contain an item, said device also has a supporting band that is used to transport the item and is designed to be customized using a simple printing machine for standard grammage, where, once the printing process is complete, said supporting band can at least double its thickness thanks to a system of foldable flaps that can be folded to lie on said supporting band.

Said supporting band for the transport of gift items is also provided with integrated retaining sections to retain a card, already customized or customizable, which can be open by the receiver only and also has a system for activating an augmented reality technology, which will have a further emotional impact on the receiver.

In particular, the present invention relates to devices for the transport of various items, such as bottles or other objects, where said items are visible through the packaging and are embellished with a customized packaging which can solve the following technical problems:

1. automatic generation of the depth of the three-dimensional hollow housing of the element to contain an item, placed at the base, so that it can contain items of different bases and heights, ensuring that the items are clearly visible and secured in the three-dimensional hollow housing, even in case of accidental overturning or tilt of more than 90°;

2. automatic generation of the thickness of the supporting band, so that said thickness can be adjusted to the weight and size of the item to transport, through a system of foldable flaps which increase the grammage of the supporting band, once the printing process is complete;

3. automatic customization of a greeting card integrated in the device.

PRIOR ART

It is well known that the consumer’s need for customization, on the one hand, and the manufacturer’s need for automatic mass production, on the other, are becoming increasingly widespread, especially in the new markets that do not make use of any intermediary between producers and consumers, as it happens on online marketplaces.

In the field of gift items - which can also be mass-produced, such as promotional gifts, merchandise rewards, anniversary gifts, celebration gifts, and so on - it is particularly difficult to customize an item with special markings or unique messages without renouncing the use of automation or the user’s opportunity to choose the customization features autonomously.

Some solutions to the problem are already well known in the market, such as bottle holders featuring a top handle that are engraved with customized decorations and provided with a greeting card. In this specific case, they are made of wood:

htps://www.regaiooriemal.com/it/portaboilislia-m-legnol.htmi

However, they differ from the present invention because they do not solve the main technical problem that the present invention intends to solve, as they cannot be adjusted to every type of bottle or other items, and they are not provided with an automated system that allows to adjust the size of the retaining element, based on the parameters provided by a user, in order to prevent the item from slipping out. Furthermore, they are not provided with a customization system integrated into the device itself

Also the cutting and gluing system of this example seems to be different. Some cardboard bottle holders with an aesthetically customizable packaging are also known in the market:

htp :/^'/ www. wa shi . me/^'h e-personal i zzate . litml

In this case, the customization is merely aesthetic and the bottle holder can only be adjusted to bottles with a diameter between 75 mm and 90 mm, which means that there is no automated cutting system based on the real dimensions of the item at hand.

These bottle holders can be customized in colour or written text, but they are not provided with any greeting card or any system for activating an augmented reality technology to create a further emotional impact on the receiver. There is no system that calculates the necessary depth of the base based on the height of the bottle, in order to ensure that the bottle does not slip out of the packaging.

Other products known in the market are some customizable leather wine bottle carrier bags:

htps://mw.groupan.it/deals/cabanycQ-bQrsa-pQrta--vino~

personalizzabili

They differ from the present invention because they cannot be adjusted to every type of bottle and they can only be customized in three colours or the text engraved. Furthermore, they are not provided with any greeting card or any system for activating an augmented reality technology to create a further emotional impact on the receiver.

They do not make use of any cutting system and subsequent gluing system to strengthen the transport bands.

Sealed envelopes containing customized cards must also be mentioned: https://www.misshobby.com/il/oggetti/lettera-dammissione-a-liogwaits-

They are not mass-produced and integrated in a section of the packaging, as in the present invention.

Prior art includes some patents that represent the basis for the present invention to innovate, in order to solve further technical problems that previous patents have left unsolved.

Patent WO2018010747/A 1 must be mentioned, as it has a similar function to that of the present invention, i.e. to contain and transport a bottle or another item, using a disposable material such as cardboard, although it differs from the present invention as it is designed to be hung from a metal support, such as a bike handlebar, and not to be automatically adjusted to any type of item, besides not being customizable and not being provided with any greeting card or any system for activating an augmented reality technology to create a further emotional impact.

Another patent part of the prior art is patent US5782357/A, consisting of a special greeting card and a retaining tray. The invention comprises a greeting card constructed with a pair of panels having two other inner foldable panels creating a receptacle capable of retaining a gift such as a living plant, a bottle of wine, etc.

In this way, the greeting card serves to not only present a greeting, but also functions as a gift holder and protection for a gift which may be given to the receiver, along with the greeting card. The greeting card and the tray both can be constructed of foldable paper stock material. The tray has a preferably triangular shape and holds the card in a standing upright position. Furthermore, the tray provides room for additional gift items and/or other decorative items. Thus, the greeting card becomes a relatively permanent item, as opposed to one which is disposable and immediately discarded.

However, it does not solve the problem of the customization of the dimensions of the gift holder. It is not clear if the greeting card, when closed, is provided with a seal that allows to disclose the message to the receiver only. Finally, it does not solve the problem of both the protection of the lower part of the bottle (identification of the safety factor) and the system for activating an augmented reality technology to create a further emotional impact.

Patent US2018010785/A 1 also needs to be mentioned, as it describes a bottle holder body and a lighting device module. The bottle holder body is structured to accommodate a lower portion of a bottle. The lighting device module is removably fitted in the bottle holder body and is removable from underside of the bottle holder body. Light generated by an LED light source of the lighting device module is illuminated through the lower portion of the bottle accommodated in the bottle holder body, thereby providing visual lighting effects and creating a romantic, hence emotional, atmosphere.

However, it does not solve the technical problem of the customized protection (anti-fall system) of the bottle or the customization of the thickness based on weight. Furthermore, it does not solve the technical problem of the customization of the packaging with the automatic incorporation of a greeting card, although the emotional effect is already given by the lighting effects provided by the augmented reality technology.

Patent GB2470931/A describes a decorative band and integral holder, which is joined, and detachable, along a line of weakness. The holder allows for easy hanging and display and provides an area for printed indicia (i.e. brand, price, etc.).

The decorative band comprises a ribbon-like band, which has a wider decorative portion and a gift tag panel, on which a message or greeting can be written.

The label provides an area for indicia that can be seen by the recipient. The adhesive layer allows the decorative band to be easily attached around a gift item. The band and holder have an attractive and distinctive appearance, and they may be applied to a bottle. However, the decorative band and integral holder do no solve both the problem of general customization and the problem of disclosing the greeting card to the receiver only, as the card is clearly visible.

Furthermore, it cannot support an item, such as a bottle, but said band is applied to the item, and it does not solve the problem of the protection of the lower part of the item through the customization of the depth of the base and of the thickness of the transport side bands.

Patent GB2449896/A describes a tag that can be looped over the neck of a bottle, such as a wine bottle, and features a slot or adhesive pad, to which an item such as a greeting card can be attached. In this way, a bottle of wine given as a gift can be accompanied by an appropriate greeting card.

However, it does not solve both the technical problem of the customization of packaging and that of preventing the item from slipping out, although it gives the opportunity to attach an envelope or sealed greeting card. Furthermore, it does not solve the technical problem of the system for activating an augmented reality technology to create a further emotional impact.

The old Italian patent IT1995MI00960 must also be mentioned, as it discloses greeting card envelopes sealed by punching, which are already available in the market, visible in the links above and clearly different from the present invention for the same reasons mentioned above.

TECHNICAL PROBLEM AND ITS SOLUTION

In light of the previously described prior art, the first technical problem that the present invention aims to solve is that of the automatic generation of the dimensions of the element to contain an item, so that it can contain items of different bases and heights, ensuring that the items are clearly visible and preventing them from slipping out and breaking. To achieve this aim, the present invention is capable of calculating the depth of the three-dimensional hollow housing of the supporting base, based on the shape of the base and the height of the item, which are entered into the system by a user.

The user can enter the shape of the base, its diameter size in centimetres and/or the length of its catheti in centrimetres and/or the length of its sides, along with the height of the item, in the purchase order, which can be placed in any way, even anonymously on the Internet.

Thanks to a predetermined logarithm, a cutting tool will be automatically set up to provide the element to contain an item with a three-dimensional hollow housing of a depth capable of containing the gift item in order to prevent it from slipping out in case of tilting during transport. In particular, the system systematically organizes a standard production process for the mass-production of elements to contain an item and supporting bands made of cardboard, easy-to-die-cut materials or any other material that can serve the purpose, using a microprocessor, a tool to create three-dimensional hollow housings, which is capable of managing the shape and depth parameters automatically, in the different areas of the housing, in order to ensure a shape and height that are proportional to the data entered in the purchase order, thus preventing the item from accidentally slipping out of the element to contain an item once it has been fitted into the three-dimensional hollow housing obtained in the supporting base.

The algorithm of the microprocessor processes the parameters entered by the user in the purchase order and monitors the machine used to create the three-dimensional hollow housing, becoming part of the abovementioned process and creating the shape of the element to contain an item and its depth, the latter being proportional to the height of the item, in order to prevent it from slipping out.

The second technical problem, which consists in giving thickness to the transport device so that it can bear any weight, is solved thanks to a second algorithm which processes the weight of the item entered by the user and communicates to a cutter, via the microprocessor, how many times said cutter has to cut the outline of the side flaps which, when folded or bound to a central supporting band, create the thickness of said central supporting band, once the printing process is complete.

The cutter cuts a supporting band provided with at least two symmetrical semi-reproductions of the supporting band itself, where said symmetrical semi-reproductions can be folded onto the supporting band, in order to double or significantly increase its thickness. The shape of the central supporting band can be reproduced automatically to obtain a series of semi side flaps, as long as they are an even number, so that the thickness of the central supporting band can be increased correspondingly and its robustness can be adjusted to the weight of the item to transport.

This method and the invention that derives from it also solve the further problem of strengthening the material only when the printing process is complete, so that the necessity of an increased thickness does not require nonstandard printing tools.

A further technical problem which still has not been solved by the prior art is the fact of intervening in a standard industrial production process for packaging and similar products, regulating the customization parameters in order to modify packaging in a unique and individual way, without renouncing mass production. In particular, the present invention uses a method to incorporate a covering element in the supporting band, where said covering element can be folded on itself, or applied at a later stage, with a particular system of cuts and folds which, once unfolded, create a pocket with a tear-away opening that can be only open from the inner side of the central supporting band.

The covering element allows to insert a customized card, such as a greeting card with a message or an augmented reality technology, and seal it as in an industrial manufacturing process. The covering element is cut so that it can be folded on itself and sealed. Furthermore, thanks to a specific application available to any smartphone device, it is possible to require a customized video with slides, where said video is uploaded to a server and can be played by simply scanning the card with a smartphone.

MODE OR MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

These and other aims are achieved by:

- a device for the transport and marking of various items, such as gift items and especially bottles, consisting of an element to contain an item (1), which can be automatically customized in its dimensions in order to prevent the item (2) to transport from slipping out of it, and a central supporting band (3) with at least two foldable flaps (4) (5) that can be folded onto said central supporting band for the customization of the thickness of said central supporting band (3), so that it can bear any weight, where the central supporting band and the flaps can be cut and printed with a standard machine, according to claims 1, 2 and 3;

- a customization element consisting of a covering element (9) and a card (10), they both to be integrated or inserted in the central supporting band (3) of the abovementioned device, according to claims 4, 5, 6, and 7;

- a cutting and assembly organized system for the customization of the abovementioned device, consisting of a cutting tool (6) for a high- density expanded material or any other material that can serve the purpose, a cutter (7) for laminated materials, cardboard or any other materials in sheets or that can serve the purpose, a microprocessor (8), capable of setting up the three-dimensional hollow housing of the element to contain an item (1), based on - variable - base and height (18) data, and capable of increasing the thickness of the central supporting band, based on the weight (20) of the item to transport, according to claims 8, 9 and 10.

In particular, the present invention allows to automatically control and manage variable shape, height (18) and weight (20) parameters of various items that a user (19) needs to transport, as well as provide said items with a particular marking and a further inner customization.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 shows the device for the transport and customization of packaging of an item, with the foldable flaps unfolded.

Figure 2 shows the device for the transport and customization of packaging of an item, with the foldable flaps folded and bound to the central supporting band.

Figure 3 shows the element to contain an item, in three different examples of possible shape.

Figure 4 shows the assembled device with an example of item to transport.

Figure 5 shows a block diagram that illustrates the stages of the cutting and assembly organized system of a device for the transport and marking of items.

Figure 6 shows a covering element of a card that has been taken out of the transport device.

Figure 7 shows the covering element and the card.

Figure 8 shows the covering element that has been sealed once the card has been inserted into it. All the shapes shown in the Figures describe some particular modes for carrying out the present invention, although the present invention can be carried out with different shapes and materials, as long as they can serve the purpose. For instance, the shapes shown in Figure 3 are just some particular examples of the element to contain an item and they are meant to be illustrative only, as the element to contain an item can have any shape that can be graphically represented as a three-dimensional negative space.

Therefore, all the Figures are meant to be illustrative and representative of only one of the modes for carrying out the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Device for the transport and customization of packaging of items of variable shapes, heights and weights, where said shapes, heights and weights can be automatically entered by a user (19), comprising:

- a retaining element (11), consisting of a central supporting band (3) and at least two foldable flaps (4 and 5) which can be folded and bound to said central supporting band, in order to constitute a single supporting band with an increased thickness;

- at least an element to contain an item (1), which is integrated, through a binding element, in the base of said retaining element (11), where said element to contain an item (1) can be bound to the central supporting band (3) with any binding or gluing method or any other method that can serve the purpose.

The central supporting band (3) is laser-cut or die-cut, or cut in any other way already existing or still to be invented, in order to create the negative space of at least a hollow cutout (13) of any shape and appearance on said central supporting band and at least two openings (14 and 15) placed at the two respective extremities of said central supporting band (3).

Said at least two side foldable flaps (4 and 5) are laser-cut or die-cut, or cut in any other way already existing or still to be invented, in order to create at least two symmetrical indentations (16) having the same profile as the hollow cutout (13) and at least four indentations (17) having the same profile as the openings (14 and 15) in the central supporting band (3), so that, when in use, the side foldable flaps (4 and 5) can be folded to overlap the outline of both the hollow cutout (13) and the openings (14 and 15) in the central supporting band (3), without altering their shape.

The profile that creates the appearance and shape of the supporting band as well as said indentations (16 and 17), which create the outline of the hollow cutout (13) of the central supporting band (3) from which it is possible to see the item (2), do not constitute part of the invention, and their shape, lines and contour, any possible drawings and colours can change from case to case, but they could be part of a further and different IP title, such as a verbal, figurative or three-dimensional trademark, a design, copyright or any other suitable form of protection.

A cutting and assembly organized system for a transport device consists of at least:

- a cutting tool (6) using a laser system or any other tool capable of cutting or perforating a suitable material, such as a high-density expanded material, in order to provide an element to contain an item (1) with the shape and depth to transport an item (2) preventing it from slipping out;

- a programmable logic controller (8) that controls and processes the data related to the base and height (18) of an item (2) entered by a user (19), in order to calculate the depth (20) and shape of the base that will be created to make the abovementioned element to contain an item (1) suitable to retain an item;

- a cutter (7), consisting of at least a frame and at least a supporting slab, both made of a material suitable to work with standard cutting processes, which will create the three-dimensional hollow housing in the element to contain an item (1); - a second programmable logic controller (21) that controls and processes the data related to the weight (22) of an item (2) entered by a user (19), in order to calculate the number of side foldable flaps (4 and 5) necessary to provide the retaining element (11) with the suitable thickness to bear the weight of the item (2) to transport.

The device for the transport and customization of packaging of gift items, such as bottles, also includes a covering element (9) and a customizable card (10).

Said covering element (9) has a preferably quadrangular shape, in any case corresponding to the positive space of the hollow cutout (13) in the central supporting band (3).

Said covering element (9) includes a central panel (23), two rear panels (24 and 25), two side panels (26 and 27), a rear fastening section (28), and two perforated lines (29) that run along said rear fastening section (28).

The covering element (9) is provided with a fastening section (28) including a binding element bound to one of the rear panels (24). The covering element (9) also includes retaining sections for a card, where said card (10) has already been customized or can be customized even using augmented reality technology, and said retaining sections consist of four lines to fold along that run along the base of the rear panels (31) and along the base of the side panels (30), so that said panels can be folded along said lines, in order to retain the card (10), once it has been inserted.

The covering element (9) includes a binding element and at least a tear- away strip (32) obtained through at least a horizontal cut or a series of diagonal cuts (29) that create corresponding flexible tabs.

The cuts are preferably created by punching, in order to allow the tearing away of the tear-away strip.

The binding element can be characterized by a glue component, a double-sided tape component or any other component that can seal the covering element, binding the two rear panels (24 and 25) together, along a line beyond which they move freely.

The covering element (9) is preferably integrated in the central supporting band (3), and hence the central panel (23) corresponds to the positive space of the hollow cutout in the central supporting band (3), but it can also be bound to the central supporting band (3) at a later stage, by means of any binding element that can serve the purpose.

Through said cuts, the covering element creates one or more tear-away strips (32) to simplify the removal of the covering and the taking out of the card it contains .

Figure 3 shows a preferred element to contain an item. However, the material, shape and dimensions can be diverse, as long as they can serve the purpose. Therefore, the material used needs to be resistant, at least slightly flexile and suitable to be cut to create the three- dimensional hollow housing.

Figures 1, 2 and 4 show a device for the transport and customization of packaging having a standard shape with a standard inner hollow cutout (13) and two simple openings (14 and 15) for the transport. The item (2) shown in the example is a bottle, but the device is designed to contain any item that can be transported by hand.

However, the material, shape and dimensions, the presence, or not, of the openings, their shape and dimensions, the type of cutting tool and the item to transport can be diverse, as long as they can serve the purpose. Therefore, the material has to be suitable to be printed, in order to ensure the customization, with standard printing tools used in a standard graphics and printing company. Also the inner cutout can be different from that in the example, as long as it allows to create the negative space of a cutout that can make the transported item stand out, as well as a corresponding positive space that can serve as a central panel for the covering element or as a base where to bind said covering element. Likewise, the corresponding covering element can have a different shape from that shown in the example, as long as it corresponds to the positive panel of the hollow cutout in the central supporting band.

The marking tool for the element to contain an item can serve the purpose also by laser perforation or cutting or any other way already existing or still to be invented, and the same goes for the cutter.

Advantageously, the invention described allows to customize the packaging of a gift item, such as a wine or liqueur bottle, choosing its colour or an image or a company logo to be printed on the central supporting band.

Advantageously, the system allows to insert an already customized or customizable card and a sealed or to-be-sealed retainer, in a standard industrial and automated production process, without renouncing individual customization.

Advantageously, the organized system can be applied to any gift item through the automatic calculation of both the depth necessary to prevent the item from slipping out and the thickness necessary for its transport. Advantageously, the possible increased thickness does not imply the use of a printing tool for products with an increased thickness, thanks to the fact that from two to an infinite number of foldable flaps can be used. Advantageously, the system can customize a gift item in an automatic, easy and cheap way, compliant with the safety requirements for the transport of the item.

Claims

1. A device for the automated customization of packaging to transport items of a shape, height and weight provided by a user, even remotely, and hence variable depending on the user’s needs, and system to assemble said device, comprising:

- a retaining element (11), consisting of a central supporting band (3) and at least two foldable flaps (4 and 5) which can be folded and bound to said central supporting band, in order to constitute a single supporting band with a double or further increased thickness;

- at least an element to contain an item (1) and a binding element that, in use, integrates said element to contain an item (1) into the central supporting band (3) with any binding or gluing method or any other method that can serve the purpose;

- at least a covering element (9) and a card (10), where said covering element is provided with a central panel (23) corresponding to the positive space of a hollow cutout (13) created in the central supporting band (3), in order to constitute a single element with the retaining element (11).

2. A device for the automated customization of items, according to the main claim, further characterized by the fact that the central supporting band (3) is provided with at least a hollow cutout (13), having the same shape as a non-hollow element constituting the central panel (23) of the covering element (9), and at least two openings (14 and 15) placed at the two respective extremities of said central supporting section (3).

3. A device for the automated customization of items, according to the previous claims, further characterized by the fact that the at least two side foldable flaps (4 and 5) are provided with at least two symmetrical indentations (16) corresponding to the outline of the negative space of the hollow cutout (13) and at least four indentations (17) corresponding to the outline of the openings (14 and 15) in the central supporting band (3), so that, when in use, the side foldable flaps (4 and 5) can be folded to overlap the outline of the hollow cutout (13) and the outline of the openings (14 and 15) in the central supporting band (3), without covering their negative space.

4. A device for the automated customization of items, according to the previous claims, characterized by a covering element (9) consisting of a central panel (23), two rear panels (24 and 25), two side panels (26 and 27), a fastening section (28) and two perforated lines (29) marking a tear-away strip (32), with the central panel (23) corresponding to the positive space inside the hollow cutout (13) in the central supporting band (3).

5. The covering element (9) according to claim 4 is further characterized by the fact that the fastening section (28) includes a binding element placed on one of the rear panels (25) and by the fact that the two perforated lines (29) run along said fastening section (28).

6. The covering element (9) according to claims 4 and 5 also includes retaining sections for a card, where said card (10) has already been customized or can be customized even using augmented reality technology, and said retaining sections consist of four lines to fold along, two of said lines (31) being longitudinal to the base of the rear panels and the other two lines (30) being longitudinal to the base of the side panels, so that said panels (24, 25, 26 and 27) can be folded along said lines (30 and 31) to retain the card (10), once it has been inserted.

7. The covering element (9) according to the previous claims includes a binding element that, when in use, seals the rear panels (24 and 25), and a tear-away strip (32), obtained through at least a horizontal cut or a series of diagonal cuts (29) creating at least a flexible tab that, once removed, allows the opening of the covering element (9) and the taking out of the card (10) it contains.

8. A cutting and assembly organized system of a device for the automated customization of items according to the previous claims, characterized by the fact that a user (19) enters the data related to the base and height (18) of an item into the system;

- a programmable logic controller (8) receives and processes the data to calculate the depth (20) of the element to contain an item (1);

- a cutting tool (6), controlled by said programmable logic controller (8), provides the element to contain an item (1) with a three-dimensional hollow housing (12) that has the depth (20) previously calculated, so that the item (2) can be retained in the three-dimensional hollow housing of the element to contain an item (1).

9. A cutting and assembly organized system of a device for the automated customization of items according to the previous claims, characterized by the fact that a user (19) enters the data related to the weight (22) of an item into the system;

- a second programmable logic controller (21), which controls and manages the data related to the weight (22) of an item, processes said data and calculates the thickness of the retaining element (11), hence the number of side foldable flaps (4 and 5) necessary to build it;

- a printing device (33) customizes the retaining element when it still has a standard thickness;

- a cutter (7), consisting of at least a frame and at least a supporting slab, cuts a number of foldable flaps corresponding to the number calculated by the programmable logic controller (21), in order to provide the retaining element (11) with the thickness necessary to bear a specific weight (22).

10. System and method according to the previous claims, characterized by the fact that a user (19) enters a customizing element into the system, so that the printing device (33) prints it onto the card (10) that is inserted into the covering element (9) integrated into the retaining element (11) to which the element to contain an item (1) is bound, in order to build the finished product (34).