FR2661392A1 - Method for packaging batches of products of diverse volumes, device for implementing this method and package thus obtained - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to the packaging of products of unequal volumes. The object of the invention is to package these products in standard-type packagings, in a stable and tightly held stack. This object is achieved with the aid of a method characterised in that: - a film (5) made from shrinkable (retractile) synthetic material is brought above and into a plane substantially parallel to the open face of the empty case (1), - a wedge (30) having, by means of grooving, on two of its opposite sides, two wings provided with means (110) for automatic locking in complementary openings (90) provided in the corresponding walls of the case, is positioned above the said film (5), - the said wedge (30) is introduced by means of pressure into the case, simultaneously entraining the film until it is made to lock automatically, - the batch of products is arranged, - the edges of the film are folded over, and - it is caused to shrink.

Description

PROCESS FOR PACKAGING BATCHES OF
PRODUCTS OF MISCELLANEOUS VOLUMES, DEVICE FOR IMPLEMENTING
WORK OF THIS PROCESS AND CONDITIONING THUS OBTAINED.

 The present invention relates to the packaging of batches of products of unequal volumes.

It relates more particularly to a process and a device for the packaging of batches of products of various volumes as well as the packaging obtained by their implementation.

 In economic and industrial life, it is not uncommon nowadays that a natural person or an industry wishes to have multiple and different products and that consequently, other companies are brought to transport or dispatch this type of order. disparate.

 I1 can be for example a reassortment of drugs for a pharmacy, consisting of a set of boxes or bottles, of very varied shapes or even a set of very different loose pliers for a repairer.

 The storage of these items is often very difficult. Indeed, their very varied formats are such that it is not possible to arrange them in a complementary manner by stembriquing into one another to lead to a stable stack. Consequently, during the transport of such lots, the products more or less free of movement can move and collide in their container at the risk of being damaged and sometimes even breaking. Furthermore, for obvious practical and economic reasons, there is no specific packaging available for the shapes and dimensions of each batch of products to be transported.

 To overcome these drawbacks, it has been envisaged to use a filling material such as wood chips, polystyrene balls, paper, etc.

allowing to wedge batches of products of different volumes placed in a packaging of standard dimensions.

 This method has the advantage on the one hand, of being able to use standard packaging, therefore inexpensive, whatever the batches to be conditioned and on the other hand, of avoiding the deterioration of the products by preventing their displacement. However, this packaging process cannot be automated, just like unpacking products. In addition, the use of a filling material leads to multiple impractical manipulations to maintain the products before introducing the debris, shavings or balls, to release said products as well as to remove them from their packaging; as many stages during which debris, chips or logs can be scattered everywhere.

 Faced with these drawbacks, packaging methods have been devised which essentially consist of trapping heterogeneous products under a film of shrinkable synthetic material in order to immobilize them relative to each other.

 Among these methods, it has been proposed to arrange the products of different volumes on the bottom of a cardboard tray, then to maintain them using a heat-shrunk film surrounding the bottom of the tray and the products. This assembly is then introduced laterally into an American box. This packaging being expensive and having a limited resistance to vertical compression, the applicant suggested (patent FR-81 02057) to place the products on the bottom of a cardboard tray having two opposite edges of height greater than that of the other two edges. A heat-shrinkable film is then passed below the bottom of the tray, then folded over the products at the lowest edges, and finally heat-shrunk to press them on the bottom. A U-shaped cardboard cover, the height of the two extensions corresponds to that of the highest walls of the tray, then comes to cap the tray so as to obtain a closed cardboard box.

 It has also been proposed to stick a film of heat-shrinkable material on the internal walls of an American box. However, the products to be packaged can only have a relatively moderate weight since the film can dissociate itself quite easily from the walls, in particular in the event of a fall. As a result the products can collide and break.

 According to another process taught by the applicant (patent FR-84.10528), a heat-shrinkable film is lowered using a piston, inside a package of American box type.

The film is trapped between the outer flaps and the inner flaps of the bottom of the box, then the piston is released. > The articles to be wrapped are placed in the box after the film has been cut, the edges of which are then folded inwards. By heat shrinking, the film tightly encloses the articles to be packaged but also the inner flaps, which gives the packaging a certain reliability which was not obtained when the film was simply glued against the bottom and / or the side walls. . However, the equipment necessary for the implementation of this process is specific and expensive.

 Although these latter methods allow more reliable packaging and more moderate cost compared to previously known techniques, it would be advantageous from a practical point of view, but above all economical to have a method whose implementation would involve machines and traditional packaging, and in which means are provided making it possible to strictly maintain the film at the bottom of said packaging.

 The present invention proposes to solve this problem by remedying the aforementioned drawbacks; to this end, the object of the invention is to provide a process and an apparatus for conditioning, in standard type packages, batches of heterogeneous products in variable quantities using a film of heat-shrinkable synthetic material, in a stable and rigorously maintained stack.

 A second objective of the invention is to automate the packaging of this type of batch using a device enabling the film to be deposited and locked at the bottom of the box intended to receive products of different volumes.

 A third objective of the invention is to provide the body with a kind of double bottom enabling the film of heat-shrinkable plastic to be held captive.

These objectives, as well as others which will appear subsequently, are achieved using a process for conditioning in a box using a heat-shrinkable film, batches of products of various volumes, characterized in that
a film of retractable synthetic material is brought above and in a plane substantially parallel to the open face of the empty box,
- A wedge cut to the dimensions of the body surface is positioned above said film but having, by creasing, on two of its opposite sides, two wings provided with self-locking means in complementary openings provided in the walls cash desk correspondents,
said pressure wedge is introduced into the body by pressure, simultaneously driving the shrink film until its self-locking occurs, corresponding to its arrival in abutment on the bottom of said body,
- we have on this hold, the batch of products to be packaged,
- the edges of the shrink film are folded down and
- it causes its hot shrinkage.

 According to other characteristics of the invention, the device for implementing this method comprises unwinding, reserve and transfer film members, means for gripping and positioning the shims above said film, means for simultaneously introducing the film and the shim, film cutting members and finally heating means to ensure the retraction of the film.

 The unwinding, reserve and film transfer members advantageously consist of a madly mounted reel discharging the shrinkable film on a succession of return pulleys borrowed by the film and defining, with a puppet, a usable film reserve, the transfer means being formed of at least two sets of clamps located on either side of the packaging box.

 The gripping means, for their part, may comprise a head for removing and holding the wedges, the latter being driven by a double angular and vertical movement.

 Finally, the packaging case for implementing the method according to the invention advantageously consists of a bottom bordered by four orthogonal ribs, two opposite faces of which have, at least over part of their height, a double wall, the wall internal thereof comprising at least one opening in which comes to self-locking a tongue of complementary shape projecting from the two corresponding opposite edges of the wings of the wedge.

The characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear better on reading the following description of a preferred embodiment given by way of nonlimiting example as well as the appended drawings in which
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the device for removing and locking the film in a box according to the invention,
FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the means for gripping and positioning a wedge according to the invention after removal of a wedge,
FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the means according to FIG. 2 during the positioning of said wedge,
FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the means according to FIG. 2 after locking the wedge at the bottom of the body,
FIG. 5 is a flat view of the blank constituting a box in accordance with the invention,
FIG. 6 is a flat view of a block according to the invention,
FIG. 7 is a flat view of another embodiment of a block according to the invention,
FIG. 8 is a flat view of a cover used in the method according to the invention,
FIG. 9 is a schematic sectional view of a packaging of products of different volumes obtained by implementing the method according to the invention,
FIG. 10 is an enlarged view showing the self-locking of a block according to the invention,
- Figure 11 is a flat view of another embodiment of a blank constituting the box with integrated cover for the implementation of the method according to the invention.

 The present invention relates to a method for packaging batches of products of different volumes. This process consists in trapping a film of heat-shrinkable synthetic material 5 between the bottom 70 of a box 1, intended to receive the batches of products 2 of different volumes, and a wedge 30 which comes to self-lock in abutment in the bottom of said box, the latter in a way defining a double bottom in which said film 5 is strictly maintained.

 The blanks constituting the body 1 and the shim 30 for implementing the method according to the invention are shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 respectively.

 The body 1 is preferably of the mechanical mounting type and comprises a bottom 70 bordered by four orthogonal ribs, two opposite faces of which have, at least over part of their height, a double wall. According to a preferred embodiment, after folding and gluing the blank shown in Figure 5, for example using a "hot melt" adhesive, the outer wall 86 is folded over the two parts 78, 80 constituting the inner wall .

Each of the opposite internal walls has at least one opening 90 provided for the self-locking of the wedge 30. It is also possible to envisage other forms of body, for example with manual mounting, two opposite walls of which are provided with at least an opening for the self-locking of the hold.

 The wedge 30, for its part, comprises a blank 95 cut to the dimensions of the bottom 70 of the body 1 separates, on two of its opposite ribs, from two wings 100 by two creasing lines 105. Each of the wings 100 has means of 'self-locking 110 which cooperate with the complementary openings 90 made in the inner wall 78, 80 in correspondence.

 These self-locking means 110 advantageously comprise one or more tabs 115 projecting from the edge of the wing, cut out.

 The openings 90, for their part, preferably consist of blind lights.

 Advantageously, the wedge 30 also has one or more friction pads 120, cut in the wing 100 at the level of the creasing line 105.

 We will now describe the process according to the invention.

 I1 consists first of all of bringing a film 5 of heat-shrinkable synthetic material above an empty box 1. To do this, unwinding, reserve and transfer members 10, 15, 20 are provided. As shown in FIG. 1, the unwinding members 10 can consist of a reel 12 around which the film 5 is wound, this reel being mounted idly on a reel support 14 so as to cut the film which then imprints the reserve members 15 The latter consist for example of a succession of pulleys 18 and a puppet 19.

The free end of the film is located at the transfer members 20, in the region AR. These transfer members advantageously consist of at least two sets of pliers arranged on either side of the body 1, a set of pliers called "front" schematically at 22 and a set of pliers called "rear" schematized at 24. The set of pliers 22 is advantageously driven by an alternating movement, for example by horizontal transfer to a ball bushing. Thus, the film 5 is pinched in the region AR by the set of pliers 22 (illustrated in dotted lines in FIG. 1), which pulls the film guided by the supports 28 by passing below the cutting member shown diagrammatically at 26 , so as to bring it above the body 1 in a plane substantially parallel to its open face, the set of clamps 22 stopping in the AV region.

During this pulling movement, the jack 19 is articulated so as to release the length of film 5 corresponding to the transfer stroke. The set of pliers 24 remains open in its position
AR fixed.

 The next step in the process according to the invention, illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, consists in removing and positioning a wedge 30 above the film 5, facing the body 1.

 To this end, the device according to the invention comprises means 40 for gripping and positioning the wedge. I1 may in particular be a head 50 for removing and holding the shim associated with means for simultaneously introducing the film 5 and the shim 30 and capable of taking a shim individually at each cycle, located for example in a reservation 32.

 According to the preferred embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the shims 30 are stacked regularly in a magazine 32 inclined at approximately 45th relative to the body 1. The sampling and holding head provided with means for simultaneously introducing the film and wedge advantageously have a double angular and vertical movement. More specifically, a shim 30 can be removed and retained by suction using the suction cups 55 supported by a mechanical system 60 mounted tilting along a horizontal axis, for example using the control arm 65. FIG. 2 illustrates the initiation of angular movement after removal of the wedge.

Then, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the shim 30 is positioned above the film 5 in a substantially parallel plane and is oriented so that the self-locking means are opposite the openings 90.

 During the next step, represented in FIG. 4, the mechanical system 60 controlled by a jack 66 or any other known means, pushes the film 5 vertically and simultaneously using the wedge 30, towards the bottom of the box 1. The shim 30 serves here as a piston.

When it reaches the top of the body 1, its elastically liftable wings 100 are arched against the internal walls of the latter (illustrated in dotted lines in FIG. 9), by folding along the creasing lines 105, thus forming the branches of said wedge 30 in a U shape. In addition, during the descent of the wedge 30, the friction pads 120 protrude as a result of raising the wings 100 along the creasing lines 105. Thus, these pads play the role of guide and brake against the internal walls (78, 80) of the body 1. According to a preferred variant, the presence of a single friction pad 120 in the central position on each wing 100 (as in FIG. 7) eliminates any risk that the pads do not engage more or less in the lights 90. Of course, the skilled person will have provided a play for example of a few millimeters, between the wedge and the walls of the body 1 for the passage of the film. The wedge 30 finally comes into abutment at the bottom of the body 1 and the tongues 115 self-lock by the spring effect of the wings when they arrive opposite the openings 90. These openings advantageously consist of blind lights and the song of each tongue 115 abuts against the upper edge of said lights. Throughout this introduction, the necessary length of film 5 is obtained from the reserve 15.

 At the end of this step, the film 5 is rigorously maintained in the double bottom defined by the bottom 70 of the body 1 and the wedge 30.

 Furthermore, the set of pliers 24 by pinching stops the travel of the film, the set of pliers 22 still holding the other end of the film. The latter is then sectioned using the cutting member shown diagrammatically at 26. It can be, for example, a knife, but any other means can be envisaged.

 After the cut, the set 22 opens and the film falls outside the box, on each side of it.

 As a result, the film covers the two opposite walls of the box in which there is no self-locking and the edges 68 of said film protrude on either side of the box 1 (Figure 4). Furthermore, the reel 12 starts to rotate in order to rebalance the puppet 19 and to supply the film reserve 15 for the next cycle. The set of pliers 22 returns, in turn, to the AR position pinching the end of the film protruding from the set of pliers 24 closed always in the AR position t a new cycle begins.

 The box 1, like the wedge 30 can be made of a semi-rigid sheet material and preferably of cardboard or corrugated cardboard.

 With this preferred material, the direction of folding of the blank constituting the box 1 (FIG. 5) indicated above, in which the part 86 is folded down and glued externally to the parts 78, 80, is particularly advantageous because of the orientation of the grooves. Indeed, the grooves of the internal walls 78, 80 comprising the lights 90 are vertical, which gives very good resistance to the self-locking assembly since the edge of the tongues 115, whose grooves are also vertical, abuts against the upper edge of said openings, or the grooves are also vertical.

 Folding in the other direction, namely the part 86 inside the body 1 and the parts 78, 80 outside, leads to a less resistant assembly since the grooves of the internal walls comprising the slots 90 would then be horizontal.

 In addition, to increase the stiffening of the packaging according to the invention, side walls 130 can be provided for the wedge 30, cut out, separated by creasing lines 125 from the blank 95.

This variant embodiment is shown in FIG. 7. The delivery 125 is advantageously set back relative to the edge of the wings 100. In addition, the length of the side walls 130 is slightly less than the distance separating the two creasing lines 105. D ' similar to the movement of the wings 100, these side walls 130 are bent during the vertical thrust applied by the mechanical system 60 and finally bear against the walls of the body 1 covered by the film 5. The edges of this are advantageously held in the notches due to the withdrawal towards the inside of the outlets 125, when the side walls 130 are raised. The presence of these side walls 130 contributes to the stiffening of the part 95 of the wedge 30, due to the orientation of the grooves in said walls 130.

 The next step of the process according to the invention consists in introducing the batch of products 2 into the packaging provided with the shrink film 5 rigorously positioned and maintained using the wedge 30.

 Products 2 are of very diverse volumes.

In the case for example of pharmaceutical products, it can be a multitude of boxes of very different formats, square, rectangular, thick ... In addition, these products can be fragile (case of lotions, syrups contained in glass bottles). It is the same in the field of perfumery and aesthetics where the packaging, often very stylized for aesthetic reasons, must be preserved intact during transport so as not to affect their subsequent sale.

 The batch of products to be packaged is therefore placed on the shim 30, then the edges 68 of the film 5 are folded over the products 2.

 In a subsequent step, the film 5 is shrunk by any known means. I1 may be, for example, a passage of the packaging in a jet of hot air. As a result, the heat-shrunk film 5 plates the various products 2 in the bottom of the box 1 while maintaining them strictly as shown diagrammatically in FIGS. 9 and 10.

 The method according to the invention can of course be implemented for the packaging of products of more regular volumes such as magazines.

In this case, it becomes possible to use a "self-adhesive" film by simply covering the edges 68 one on the other. This type of film has the advantage of eliminating the heat-shrinking station.

 Optionally, a cover 140 can be provided to form the box 1. FIG. 8 shows a possible embodiment in which said cover consists of a blank 143 cut substantially to the external dimensions of the box 1, and bordered according to crease lines 145 by four sides 142 preferably provided with cut sides.

Prior to its removal, the four sides of the cover 140 are glued, for example with a "hot melt" glue. I1 is then deposited by any known means on the body 1 containing the batch of products 2 by applying pressure to ensure 1 the adhesion of said ribs 142 to the outer walls of the body 1.

 According to an alternative embodiment illustrated in FIG. 11, the blank constituting the box 1 comprises on either side of the flaps 150, cut out, from which it is separated by creasing lines 162. These flaps act as a cover. The various process operations are carried out in a similar manner to that described above. After disposal of the batch of products, the sides 160 as well as the flaps 150 are glued and then folded down on the body by exerting pressure to ensure their proper adhesion.

 From an industrial and economic point of view, the process according to the invention has the advantage of being able to be fully automated.

 Indeed, the blanks constituting the boxes can be cut beforehand then glued, folded and glued by any known means. To do this, one can use a tray-type machine commonly used today for these operations.

 The box 1 can then be placed on a conveyor belt type conveyor, bringing said box successively to each station allowing the various operations of the process according to the invention to be carried out.

 Thus, the first station can include a device according to the invention, an embodiment of which is shown diagrammatically in FIG. 1, in which the film of heat-shrinkable synthetic material 5 and the wedge 30 are positioned above the body 1 open and empty. As shown previously, the operations carried out at this station, such as in particular the constitution of the holds of the shims and of the film, unitary removal of a shim, angular and vertical movement of the piston, simultaneous introduction of the film and the shim, cutting of the film, etc ... can be automated.

 After the film has been cut, the box I thus prepared can be conveyed by conveyor belt to the filling station at which the batches of products to be packaged are placed. This operation can be performed manually but it is also possible, for example, to provide a plurality of hoppers or chutes, each containing a kind of product, automatically controlled so as to select and introduce the products to be packaged. The box 1 containing the batches of products 2 can then be routed, still on the conveyor belt, to the heat-shrinking station of the film folded down beforehand on the products.

 Finally, the box 1 in which the products 2 are then rigorously maintained, can be brought to a closing station for removing a cover using a cover applicator or for gluing and gluing the flaps 150, 160 provided for this purpose. Of course, the cutting and routing of covers can be controlled by any known means. This last step completes the packaging cycle.

 Thus, the method according to the invention makes it possible to condition batches of products of disparate formats in a very reliable manner but also so that they do not collide. It avoids any risk of deterioration. It also has the advantage of allowing the use of standard packaging, available at favorable prices.

 Finally, as we have just seen, this process can be partially or entirely automated. So-called "standard" and conventional machines can be used which can help lower the cost of packaging and limit the investment required.

 Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiment described above and we can provide other alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (19)

 1 - Process for packaging in a box using a shrinkable plastic film, batches of products of various volumes, characterized in that  a film (5) of shrinkable synthetic material is brought above and in a plane substantially parallel to the open face of the empty box (1),  - A wedge (30) is cut above said film (5) cut to the dimensions of the surface of the body but having, by creasing, on two of its opposite sides, two wings provided with self-locking means (110) in additional openings (90) provided in the corresponding walls of the body,  said pressure wedge (30) is introduced by pressure into the body, simultaneously driving the shrink film until its self-locking occurs, corresponding to its arrival in abutment on the bottom (70) of said body,  - we have on this hold, the batch of products to be packaged,  - the edges of the shrink film are folded down and  - it causes its hot shrinkage.  2 - Process according to claim 1, further characterized in that one deposits and fixes a cover (140) above the box (1) containing the batch of products (2) of different volumes.  3 - Method according to claim 1, further characterized, in that the box (1) containing the batch of products (2) is closed using at least one flap (150, 160) provided for this effect, cut out and separated by creasing the sides of said box.  4 - Device for implementing the method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises unwinding members (10), reserve (15) and transfer (20) of the film (5) , means for gripping and positioning the shims (40) above said film, means for simultaneously introducing the film (5) and the shim (30), members for cutting the film and finally heating means to shrink the film.  5 - Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the unwinding means consist of a reel (12) idle mounted delivering the shrink film (5) on a succession of deflection pulleys (18) taken by the film and defining , with a puppet (19), a usable film reserve, the transfer means being formed of at least two sets of clamps (22, 24) located on either side of the packaging box (1).  6 - Device according to claim 5, characterized in that the transfer means are formed of a set of pliers (24) in the AR position, fixed and a set of pliers (22) in the AV position, animated by a reciprocating movement.  7 - Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the gripping and positioning means (40) consist of a sampling head and holding wedges (50), the latter being driven by a double angular movement and vertical.  8 - Device according to claim 7, characterized in that the sampling head (50) comprises on the one hand, suction cups (55) taking by suction at each cycle a wedge (30), on the other hand, a mechanical system (60) supporting said suction cups, mounted tilting on a horizontal axis of rotation, said mechanical system (60) being driven by a cylinder of vertical translational movement.  9 - Device according to claim 4, characterized in that it comprises a magazine (32) inclined at 45 "in the direction of the box in which are arranged in stacks the blocks individually lifted by the gripping means (40).  10 - packaging box for the implementation of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it consists of a bottom (70) bordered by four orthogonal sides including two opposite faces have, at at least over part of their height, a double wall, the internal wall (78, 80) thereof comprising at least one opening (90) in which a tongue (115) of complementary shape projecting from the self-locking two corresponding opposite edges of the wings (110) of the wedge (30).  11 - packaging box according to claim 10, characterized in that the openings (90) consist of blind lights and in that the edge of the locking tabs abuts against the upper edge of said lights.  12 - packaging box according to claim 10, characterized in that the wedge is formed of a cardboard blank (95) cut to the dimensions of the bottom of the box (1) but comprises, grooves, two wings (100) resiliently liftable forming, after folding, the branches of a U-shaped wedge, these wings (100) having, cutting edges, at least one locking tongue (115).  13 - packaging box according to claim 12, characterized in that the wings of the wedge are lifted by force during the introduction of said wedge (30) in the box (1) and arqueboutent against the corresponding walls of said body (1) so that its tabs (115) self-lock by spring effect when they arrive opposite their corresponding lights (90).  14 - Conditionenemnt box according to claim 12, characterized in that the wedge comprises at the level of the creasing lines (105) defining the wings (100) in U, one or more friction pads (120) cut from said wings and coming protruding during their raising, these pads having the role of brake on the corresponding internal walls of the body (1).  15 - packaging box according to any one of claims 12 to 14, characterized in that the shim (30) is further bordered by creasing, on its sides opposite to the wings 100, side walls (130), cut out .  16 - Packaging box according to any one of claims 10 to 15, characterized in that it is provided with a cover.  17 - packaging box according to claim 16, characterized in that the cover consists of a blank (140) cut to the external dimensions of the box (1) and bordered by creasing on four sides (140), cut from said sides (140) having cut ends at each of their ends.  18 - Packaging box according to claim 16, characterized in that the cover is formed by flaps (150, 160), coming from cutting, bordering by creasing the blank constituting the box (1).  19 - Packaging box according to any one of claims 10 to 18, characterized in that the box (1), the wedge (30) and the cover (140) are made from a semi-rigid sheet material such as cardboard or corrugated cardboard, cut and shaped according to their crease lines.