OA11263A - Packaging a strip of material - Google Patents

Abstract

A package (10) of a continuous strip (11) of material comprises a plurality of parallel side by side stacks (20, 21, 22, 23) each containing a length of the strip (11) which is folded back and forth such that each folded portion of the stack (20, 21, 22, 23) is folded relative to the next portion about a line transverse to the stip (11) and such that the side edges of the strip portions are aligned. The strip (11) is continuous through each stack (20, 21, 22, 23) and is connected by a splice (46) from the end of one stack to beginning of the next stack. The package (10) is compressed to reduce the height of the stacks (20, 21, 22, 23) and maintained in the compressed condition by an evacuated sealed bag (40). The preferred package arrangement uses the package (10) for pay off of the strip (11) in the orientation in which it is formed with the bottom of the stacks (20, 21, 22, 23) resting on a support and the package (10) tilted to one side so that the stacks (20, 21, 22, 23) lean against a support surface (81) for stability. The spliced connecting portions (44, 45) extend along one end of the package (10) and are folded to take up the difference in height between the compressed condition and the released condition for unfolding. A spacer plate (58) prevents the connecting portion from being wrinkled against the end of the package (10) under the compression from the bag.

Description

1 01 1 26.

PACKAGING A STRIP OF MATERIAL

This invention relates to a package of a strip of material and ta a methodfor forming a package of a strip of material.

Previously packages of a continuous strip of material hâve been formedusing a technique known as "festooning" in which the strip is folded back and forth to laya sériés of strip portions back and forth with each portion being folded relative to the nextabout a line transverse to the strip. The technique of festooning has been available formany years and is used in packaging many different types of material but particularlymaterial of a fibrous nature such as fabric, non-woven strips and the like. In thistechnique, the strip is conventionally guided into a réceptacle such as a cardboard boxwhile a first reciprocating movement causes portions of the strip to be laid across theréceptacle and folded back and forth and a second reciprocating movement causes thepositions of the portions to be traversed relative to the réceptacle transversely to theportions. Normally the réceptacle comprises a rigid rectangular container at least partlyof cardboard having a base and four upstanding sides.

The purpose of the festooning method is for packaging the strip for supplyto a machine using the strip. Some users prefer the festooned package relative to awound package of this type of material. The festooned package contains a much greaterlength of material than a spirally wound pad. The festooned package can simply belocated adjacent the machine without the necessity for any driven unwinding stand. Inaddition, both the leading end and the tail end of the package are available at the top ofthe package so that a sériés of the packages can be connected lead to tail to act as anextended supply. Yet further, since the material is simply laid into the package, there isless problem with tension contrai in the material as it is withdrawn from the package, incomparison with larger traverse wound packages where tension control of largepackages can be a problem due to the inertia of the package thus requiring a drivenunwind stand. There is therefore no need when festooned packages are used for acomplex unwind stand which takes up more space than may be available and involvessignificant cost.

Festooned packages are formed in a stiff container or box to properlyenclose and contain the material and within which the material is stored duringtransportation for maintaining the material against compression and distortion due to thetransfer cf loads from surrounding packages. The cardboard container thus providessupport for other similar stacked containers and prevents the transfer of loads from thestacked packages from causing excessive compression of packages at the bottom of a 01 1 26 2 stack. The cardboard containers and the package structures used in theconventional arrangement however hâve a number of problems.

Firstly the container must be either recycled with the necessity of shippingthe cardboard containers in the retum direction to the supplier from the end user or they 5 must be discarded, both at considérable expense.

Secondly the cardboard containers simply receive the material without significant compression so that there is wastage of space within the container due to thepackaging of air with the material. In addition the conventional package structure doesnot minimize the amount of air spaces formed in the structure. The transportation costs 10 of the material therefore are significantly increased by the large volume of the material which provides a density which is significantly below the optimum for most efficienttransport.

Thirdly the presence of the essential box during formation of the structureprovides a restriction to the proper control of the strip as it is laid down since the sides of 15 the box provide limitations to the position and movement of the guide member controiiing the strip.

Fourthly it has been noted that the sides of the box which are parallel tothe strips as they are laid down do not closely confine the sides of the package structurewith the significant danger that the strips can fall down between the edge of the package 20 and the box side.

In addition, the conventional technique for forming the package in whicheach of the strips slit from a web of supply materiai is individually packaged at a separatefestooning station is slow and requires a large amount of floor space for the largenumber of stations. Also the large area covered by the stations causes a significant 25 distance to be travelled by the strip from the slitting station to the festooning station withthe potential for strip tension problems and damage to the strip.

There remains therefore a significant requirement for a package of thistype but the techniques presently available are unsatisfactory for the above reasonsleaving opportunity for an improved package structure. 30 It is known also to supply for exampie paper or tickets in a continuous strip which is folded back and forth in an accordion manner to form a stack of the strip sothat the strip can be pulled outfrom one end of the stack. However this significantly limitsthe length of the strip which can be packaged before the stack becomes unstable.

ϋ ν. 3 lt is one object of the présent invention, therefore, to provide an improvedpackage structure and a method of packaging a strip of material in which the stability ofthe package can be improved.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a package of astrip of material comprising: a plurality of stacks each containing a strip which is foldedback and forth such that each folded portion of the stack is folded relative to the nextportion about a line transverse to the strip and such that the side edges of the stripportions are aligned; the strip being continuous through each stack from a top endportion of the strip at one end of the stack to a bottom end portion of the strip at anopposed end of the stack; characterized in that the stacks are parallel and arranged side by side for transportationtogether as a common package; both the top and bottom end portions of the strip of each stack arearranged in the package so as to provide a connecting portion.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a methodof supplying a strip of material comprising: forming a package of a strip of materialcomprising: a plurality of stacks each containing a strip which is folded back and forthsuch that each folded portion of the stack is folded relative to the next portion about aline transverse to the strip and such that the side edges of the strip portions are aligned;the strip being continuous through each stack from a top end portion of the stack to abottom end portion of the stack; characterized in the steps of ; arranging the stacks so as to be parallel and side by side;transporting the package with the stacks parallel and side by side;and connecting the top end portion of each stack to a strip and the bottom end portion of each stack to another strip for continuous supply of the strip from thestack.

According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a method ofsupplying a strip of material comprising: forming a package of a strip of materialcomprising: at least one stack containing a strip which is folded back and forth such thateach folded portion of the stack is folded relative to the next portion about a linetransverse to the strip and such that the side edges of the strip portions are aligned; thestrip being continuous through the stack from a first end portion of the strip at one end of r /·"

Z O 0 4 the stack to a second end portion of the strip at an opposed end of the stack; andunfolding the stack to suppiy the strip; characterized in the steps of: compressing the stack in a direction at right angles to the strip so as toreduce the height of the stack; and wrapping the stack with a flexible packaging material so as tomaintain the stack in a compressed condition for transportation.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic isométrie view of a package of a strip according tothe présent invention, the package inciuding four stacks of the strip and being shownprior to connection of the strip from each stack to the next, prior to compression of thestacks and with the flexible packaging material omitted for convenience of illustration.

Figure 2 is a schematic isométrie view of the package of figure 1 with theconnections between the stacks made and the package compressed but with the flexiblepackaging material omitted for convenience of illustration.

Figure 3 is a front elevational view of the package of Figures 1 and 2showing the package with the connections partly made prior to compression. This figureinciudes spaces between the stacks but these are merely for convenience of illustrationand do not exist in practise.

Figure 4 is a side elevational of the package structure of Figure 3 showingthe bag in place but eut away, prior to compression and rotated through 90 degrees sothat the side with the connections is at the top. f

Figure 5 is the same view as that of figure 4 showing the packagecompressed and the bag closed.

Figure 6 is a view similar to that of Figure 5 showing a modifiedarrangement of the connection portion with the package rotated for transportation andunfolding.

Figure 7 is an isométrie view similar to that of Figure 2 showing a furthermodified arrangement of the connection portion.

Figure 8 is side elevational view of a package showing a yet furthermodified arrangement of the connection portion.

Figure 9 is an end elevational view of package as shown in Figure 8 withthe compression released and the strip partly unfolded for use. 01126, 5

Figure 10 is a side elevational view of the package of figure 9showing further details of the strip and the subséquent cutting thereof into sheet portions.

Figure 11 is an isométrie view of a package according to the présentinvention showing the package after release of the compression with the strip partlyunfolded for use and with the bag omitted for convenience of illustration. A first example of a package according to the invention is shown inFigures 1 to 5, where the package comprises a generally rectangular body 10formed from a strip or sheet 11 of a pliable material to be packaged and generallythis material will be of a fibrous nature formed by woven or non-woven materialalthough this is not essential to the package structure. Many materials of variousthicknesses can be packaged using the technique as described herein provided thematerials can accept the creasing necessary at the end of each folded strip portion.The strip has a width greater than its thickness so as to define two generally fiatsurfaces and two side edges. The strip is preferably of constant width but notnecessarily so.

As shown in figure 2, where a finished package for use in an endmachine is shown, the strip has a leading end 12 and a trailing end 13 of thepackage and otherwise is continuous through the package. The package whenoriented in its normal position for transportation or use as shown in Figure 2 has atop 14, a bottom 15, two sides 16 and 1 7 and two ends 18 and 19.

The package is formed by a plurality of stacks of strips. In theembodiments shown there are four stacks of the strip indicated respective,ly at 20,21, 22 and 23. The stacks are parallel and directly side by side with no interveningeiements. The stacks are parallel to the sides 16, 17. The package has end stacks20 and 23 and a plurality (in this embodiment two) of intermediate stacks.

The term "stack" as used herein is not intended to require that thestacks be vertical or that any particular orientation of the stacks is required. Whilethe stacks are normally formed by placing the strips each on top of the previous toform a generally upright stack, this is not essential to the construction.

It will be appreciated that the dimensions of the package can of course be varied in accordance with the requirement so that the number of stacks, the length of each stack and the height of each stack can be varied within wide limits. 01106, 6

Each stack of the strip comprises a plurality of portions of thestrip which are laid on top of one another. Thus as shown in Figure Ί the portionsare foided back and forth to form accordion folded sheets at respective end foldlines 25 and 26 so that the fold lines lie in a common vertical plane defining theends 18 and 19 of the package. Each portion of the strip lies directly on top of theprevious portion so that, with the strip being of constant width. As shown in Figure3, the side edges 27 and 28 of the portions of the strip lie in common verticalplanes 27A. The side edges 27 of the strips of the stacks are therefore aligned andthe side edges 28 of the strips of the stacks are also aligned.

Thus the package is formed by laying the portions each on top of thenext from a bottom portion 29 up to a top portion 30 to form the stack. Thepackage is thus formed from the plurality of stacks each of which has a length inthe direction of the strip portions from which it is formed equal to that of the otherstacks and therefore equai to that of the package; and the stacks are formed up to acommon height which is therefore equal to the height of the package.

As shown in figures 4 and 5 but omitted from figure 2 forconvenience of illustration, the package is wrapped by a flexible packaging material40 preferably of heat sealable non-permeable plastics which enccmpasses the wholeof the package. The packaging material is preferably formed as a bag whichincludes a base 41 and sides 42 with an open top 43 to be closed and wrappedover the package and heat sealed as indicated in Figure 5 at 43A. The package iscompressed from the ends 14 and 15 to significantly reduce the height of thepackage and this compression causes air to be extracted or expelled from thepackage. The sealed bag is used in a vacuum packaging system to maintain the airoutside the bag so that the air pressure outside the bag acts to maintain thepackage compressed in the height direction and maintains the stacks in contact sideby side. The amount of compression and thus the amount of height réduction canbe determined so as to minimize the volume of the package without interfering withthe required loft of the producî when withdrawn from the package. The packagedefined solely by the stacks and the sealed bag thus defines a free standing rigidstructure. In this way the package structure avoids the necessity for rigid sides of abox or similar container so the package structure is stable due to the compression of 01 7 the stacks to reduce the height of the stacks and due to the pressure of eachstack against the sides of the next adjacent stacks.

The flexible packaging material is not necessarily a bag but can be asimple wrapping. The use of vacuum to hold the wrapping in place and the stackcompressed is preferred but not essential.

Compression of the package is only possible in the direction D which is atright angles to the surfaces of the portions of the strip. This acts to compress thethickness of the portions so that the dimension of each stack in the direction D isreduced by that compression. Compression along the portions or at right angles to thestacks is not possible since this will act to distort the strip. Mechanical compressiontherefore of the package in the direction D by clamping plates D1 and D2 thus reducesthe dimension of the package in that direction allowing the air to be withdrawn from theflexible packaging material 40 causing the packaging material to be pulled down onto thepackage to maintain it in its compressed condition and to apply pressures tending to holdthe stacks in intimate contact.

In the rest condition of the packaging material as shown in Figure 4, thebase 41 of the packaging material or bag 40 is shaped and dimensioned so as to beslightly larger than the rest or uncompressed condition of the package structure itself. Inthis way the package structure can be readiiy inserted into the formed plastics packagingmaterial or bag and can remain in place held by the packaging material. Duringtransportation and storage the package structure is in the compressed and vacuumedcondition. In this condition the sides 42 of the packaging material are both compressedin the direction D so as to form wrinkles or creases 39. When the vacuum is released,however, the expansion of the package from its compressed condition to its normalrelaxed condition will cause the bag to expand to its initial dimensions thus causing thecreases 44 to be extracted.

The package can be oriented as shown in figure 2 which is the sameorientation as it is formed by laying the strip portions horizontaily to build up the stacksvertically as stacks. In this orientation, the top of the bag is at the top of the package. Inthe orientation shown in figures 4 and 5, the package is rotated through 90 degrees sothat one end 18 is at the top. This can be done but is not necessary but is not necessaryto assist splicing as discussed hereinafter. In this orientation , the top of the bag islocated at the end of the package. AIso the package can be rotated so the one side is atthe top as shown in figure 11. In ali these orientations the package is stable when 01 8 wrapped so that it can be transportée! and handled using conventional lifting andhandling Systems, stacked on paliets or stacked on top of other packages.

It is préférable however that the package be oriented at least for unfoldingso that the stacks remain vertical to supply the strip to the end use machine as shown infigures 9 and 10. In this orientation the stacks 20, 21, 22 and 23 are ail vertical and sideby side so that the ïndîvidual folded strip portions are horizontal from the horizontal topstrip portion 30 of each of the stacks to a horizontal bottom strip portion 29 of each of thestacks. It is appreciated therefore that in this arrangement each stack will necessarily beunfolded in turn from the top strip portion 30 down to the bottom strip portion 29.

The initial structure of the package as shown in figure 1 includes thestacks formed side by side with the strip of each separate from the strip of the next. Thiscan be achieved in one arrangement by slitting a web into a plurality of side by sidestrips and by folding those strips simultaneously side by side using a carriage having apair of nip rollers. The nip rollers lie in a horizontal plane and extend at right angles tothe sides 16 and 17. The nip rollers are reciprocated on the carriage in a direction atright angles to their length so that the nip moves back and forth between the ends 18and 19 to accurately iay down a measured strip length and to fold the strip portions at thefold lines 25, 26.

As shown in figure 1, the top end strip porticn 30 of each stack 20generally lays across the top of the stack and has the leading free end 44 at the end 18which is draped down from the top 14. The end at the top of the stack 20 can be pulledout to form the ieading end 12.

The bottom strip portion 29 includes a taii portion 45 which is pulled outfrom underneath the stack or is formed prior to the formation of the stack as a piece ofthe strip which hangs out from or beyond the side 18 of the package.

In some types of material and in some processes, it may be désirable towrap the package structure as shown in figure 1 with the tails 45 not yet connected orspliced and simpiy free at the top of the packaging material for splicing aftertransportation and storage is completed. Itwill be appreciated that the package structureis stationary and therefore readily available for leisurely splicing when it has been movedto the machine to be supplied. Splicing can therefore be effected after the transportationand while the package is awaiting unfolding or even while the first stack 20 is beingunfolded. The positioning of the tails 45 upwardly along the side of the package to aposition at the top of the package makes the tails readily available so that the packagingmaterial previously described can remain in place with simpiy the top portion of the 01 1 2ι 9 packaging material or bag opened or removed to allow access to the top portions 44 and the top end of the tail portions 45.

As shown ail of the tail portions 45 are arranged at the end 18 of thepackage. It is theoretically possible but practicaily undesirable that alternate ones of thetail portions are arranged at opposite ends 18 and 19 so that for example the tail portions 45 of the stacks 21 and 23 would be arranged at the end 19.

As shown in figure 2, preferably prior to transportation, the tail portions 45are spliced to the top portions 44 by a spiice 46. As the splice can be done without highspeed action necessary, effective splicing Systems can be used including stitching,taping and heat sealing which take more time than is generally available on a runningiine. The splices are shown overiapping but in practice, butt type slices may be used toprevent an overlap portion.

The splicing is effected such that the surface A of each strip is attached tothe surface A of the strip of the next adjacent stack and similarly the surfaces B are alsoconnected. In some cases this is essential as the strip has different surfacecharacteristics. In other cases, this may not be essential to the Processing of the stripbut in general this is a preferred arrangement to ensure that the strip is supplied in aconsistent manner and to avoid twisting of the strip.

In order to ensure that the strip remains without twist as it is unfolded, it isnecessary to twist the tail portion 45 in a direction which counters the twist which isintroduced into the strip as unfolding transfers from stack 20 to stack 21. Carefulanalysis of the strips and the process of unfolding will show that the transfer from onestack to the next automatically introduces one turn of twist. It is necessary therefore tocounter this turn of twist by a single turn 47 of twist applied to the tail portion prior tosplicing at the splice 46.

Preferably this turn of twist is applied at a first fold line 48 at a top of a firstportion 50 and a second fold line 49 at a bottom of a portion 51. The first fold line 48 andthe portion 50 are aligned with the stack 20 and the fold line 48 is arranged at an angleof 45° to the horizontal. This forms a horizontal portion 52 of the strip which extendsfrom the fold iine 48 to the fold line 49 and is therefore in effect horizontal and at rightangles to the normal vertical direction of the tail portion 45 and the portions 50 and 51.The first fold Iine 48 causes the horizontal portion 52 to lie outside of the vertical portion 50 of the tail portion 45. The second fold line 49 is arranged so that the vertical portion 51 of the tail portion 45 is inside the horizontal portion 52. This arrangement introducesone turn of twist while minimising the length of the horizontal portion 52 and providing a 01 1 10 tidy arrangement which is aesthetically attractive and which limits the loose partsavaiiable of the taii portion 45 which could otherwise interfère and inter-entangle.

The vertical portion 51 of the tail portion 45 then extends vertically up thestack 21 to the splice 46, from which the portion 44 continues up the side of the stack 21and onto the top of the stack 21.

The horizontal portion 52 is preferabiy arranged at or immediatelyadjacent the bottom of the stack 20 so that almost ali of the taii portion 45 is supportedby the stack 21 as the stack 20 is withdrawn. There is therefore little or no possibiüty forthe taii portion 45 becoming entangled with the strip from the stack 20 as it is withdrawnand prior to the transfer from the bottom portion 29 through the taii 45 to the top portion44 of the stack 21.

In figures 3, 4 and 5 is shown the same package structure as that of figure2. In figure 3 the package is shown in a condition partly spliced so that only some of thetaii portions 45 are connected to the associated portion 44 of the next stack. In figure 3,the package is shown in the same orientation as in figure 2 with the top 14 uppermost.The compression plates D1 and D2 therefore operate vertically. In figures 4 and 5, thesame package is rotated in the clamping plates D1 and D2 so that the plates are verticaland the end 18 is moved to the top. This places the tails 44 and 45 in a horizontalorientation to make easier the spiicing and twisting since the tails remain in placesupported by the horizontal end 18.

In figure 4, the package is in the condition prior to compression but aftertwisting and spiicing with the bag 40 open. In figure 5 the package is in a compressedcondition, maintained by the outer wrapping or bag 40. In this condition, the packageheight between the ends 14 and 15 is reduced from the rest height to a compressedheight as shown which is a proportion of the rest height which varies depending upon thecompressibility of the material.

This réduction in height leaves a free portion 54 of the connection portion44, 45 which must be accommodated in the compression. This is achieved as shown inFigure 5 by carefuily folding the connection portion 44,45 at a first transverse fold line 53and at a second transverse fold line 53A both of which are substantially at right angles tothe length and which are spaced by one half the length of the free portion 54.

Compression is effected mechanically in the direction D by the clamping plates D1 and D2 until the required réduction in height of the package is achieved.

During this compression the connection portion 44, 45 becomes slack and the excess length portion 54 is formed. The folding action is effected manually and carefuily so that 01126, 11 the fold as shown in Figure 2 lies on the respective stack aligned with therespective portion 44. When the compression is completed and the fold effected, thebag is closed and sealed using a conventional commerciaily available vacuum sealingSystem which seals the top edge of the bag and évacuâtes the bag. It is also possiblethat the vacuum extraction can be used to assist mechanical compression while the bagis left unseaied so that the bag can be opened to effect the careful folding action andsealed after the folding is complété. However the wrinkling of the tail 45 during vacuumextraction should be avoided. A spacer member 58 is located between the connection portions 44, 45and the end 18 containing the fold lines 25. It will be appreciated that the fold iines, evenwhen significantly compressed, form an uneven surface with a sériés of transverserecesses and ribs defined by the actual fold lines themselves. It is important that theconnection portions 44, 45 are maintained fiat and are free from the wrinkles whichwould otherwise be formed should these connection portions be compressed by thevacuum from the bag (that is the air pressure outside the bag) onto the end 18.

The spacer member 58 therefore comprises a stiffener sheet 59 formed ofa relatively stiff fiat material defining a fiat outer surface 60 which is attached to or carriesa compressible filler material 61 on the underside, for example of a closed cell foam.The stiffener sheet can be formed of cardboard or simiiar material which has sufficientrigidity to remain substantially fiat and thus define the fiat surface 60 presented towardthe connection portions. The compressible material or foam is arranged to fill therecesses between the fold lines and to compress at the fold lines so that the stiffenersheet can remain fiat and is not compressed into the recesses.

The spacer member is inserted during the process at a suitable point priorto the vacuum action of the bag. The height of this spacer member is equal to thecompressed height of the package.

The spacer member can also be used in the situation previouslydescribed where the package is transported after compression and wrapping in theconfiguration shown in Figure 1 where the spacer member is used to prevent wrinklingof the tail portions 44 and 45.

Turning now to Figure 6, there is shown an alternative arrangement for the connecting portion which avoids the necessity for folding the connecting portion during compression. Thus the connecting portion extending from the tail portion 45 to the tail portion 44 is twisted as previously described to form a twist portion 47 and spliced to form a splice portion 46. In this arrangement, however, the splice is effected so that 12 the connection portion is tight across the end 18 of the package with no foldcorresponding to the fold 54 of Figure 2. Thus in Figure 6, the package is shown in thecompressed condition with the bag seaied and under vacuum.

The package is shown in the in which the bottom end 15 rests upon ahorizontal support and the top end 14 is presented upwardly. In this orientation the bagcan be opened releasing the vacuum and allowing the package to expand back to its restcondition. During this expansion, the connection portion is of insufficient length to reachthe rest height and therefore the excess length necessary to form an extendedconnection portion is effected by pulling from the top strip portion 30 as indicated at thearrow 30A and 30B.

In order to ensure that the top end strip portion 30 slides freely acrossthe top end 14, there is provided a slip sheet 30C positioned between the top two stripportions and a third strip portion 30D. Thus the fold line 26 at the end 19 of the packageis pulled in a direction of the arrow 30B and can be pulled away from the next adjacentfold line and the strip portion 30D without a tendency to pull with it the next strip portion30D. The slip sheet can be formed of any suitabie flexible low friction sheet of plastics orsimilar material. The slip sheet covers the whole area between the ends and the sidesand thus séparâtes the top two strip portions from the remainder of the package.

Turning now to Figure 7 there is shown an alternative arrangement foreffecting the twisting, splicing and folding actions in the connection portions 44, 45. Inthis arrangement the package remains in the original orientation during Processing sothat the top 14 remains uppermost. In this orientation, prior to compression, theconnection portion defined by the tails 44 and 45 is twisted to form a twist portion 62 aspreviously described and is spliced to form a splice portion 63 as previously describedexcept that the twist and the splice are located on the top end 14. As these are effectedon the horizontal top surface of the package, they can be effected manually withoutdifficulty due to the support from the top end 14. The splice is effected so that the heightof the tail 45 from the bottom of the package along the end of each stack is equal to theheight of the package in the uncompressed condition.

With the package structure in the necessary wrapping bag, and with the bag having the open top facing to the end 18 of the package. The compression is effected as shown in Figure 3 using the clamping plates D1 and D2. In order to prevent the sides of the package from being squeezed outwardly by the compression, a pair of side plates 64 and 65 support the sides of the package during the compression action. 01 1 r /· <L ü 13

The bag is of course located inside the plates 64 and 65 undemeath the clampingplate D1 and on top of the clamping plate D2.

With the package compressed, the length of the tail portion is greaterthanthe compressed height of the package so that an excess portion is formed which is thencarefully folded as shown in Figure 7. In the situation where the compressed height isless than one half of the rest height, a multiple fold arrangement can be used to definethe fold 66 including fold lines 67, 68, 69 and 70, The spacer plate 68 is located inposition between the folds 66 and the tails 45 and the end 18 of the package,

Turning now to Figure 8 there is shown a yet further alternative techniquefor accommodating the necessary spiice, twist and fold in the connection portion. InFigure 8, therefore, the spiice 71 is located on top of the top end 14 similarly to thatarrangement in Figure 7. However the twist and fold are located on the end 18 of thepackage and are combined into one element.. Thus there is a first upper fold line 72 anda second fold line 73 which is in a direction which automatically twists the strip about itslength to make the required single twist 74 at the same position as the fold portion. Ineffect therefore, the folding is an extended version of the fold in Figure 2. This carefulfolding provides a clean attractive appearance and reduces the crinkling or creasing ofthe strip since the fold lines 72 and 73 are spaced by the length of the fold portion 74 andare close to transverse to the strip length.

Turning now to figures 9 and 10, there is shown the technique forunfolding the packages previously formed and shown in figures 2 to 8. The spécifiepackage illustrated is that shown in figure 8, but the position of the twist and spiice hâvelittle or no effect on the unfolding operation as will be appreciated and therefore thepackages shown in figures 2 to 7 will operate in the same manner..

Thus, when the package is released from the compression, as shown infigure 9, the connecting portions fall into loose lengths with the twist 74 at some positionalong the length allowing the connecting portion to effect transfer of unfolding from onestack to the next. The bag 40 is eut away so that the top 43 and the sides 42 areremoved leaving only the base 41, and a portion of the side draped over the surfaces 82.The spacer 58 is removed.

The package is laid on an unfold stand 80 for unfolding. This provides a generally horizontal main support surface 81 on which the stacks 20 to 23 stand upwardly in a generally upright manner for unfolding from the top downwards.

In addition the stand 80 includes a side support surface 82 at right angles to the surface 81. The stand is then inclined at a shallow angle of the order of 10 to 20 01 1 26 14 degrees which is just sufficient to tilt the package to one side so that the stack 23leans against the surface 82 and the remaining stacks each rest on the next adjacentstack. The angle is just sufficient to prevent toppling or buckling of the stacks away fromeach other in a direction away from the surface 82. 5 It will be appreciated that the tendency of the package to slightly expand and the pulling on the first stack 20 will create the greatest tendency on the first stack 20to toppie while the others remain stable. The angle is therefore selected to prevent thepossibility of toppling of the first stack and each subséquent stack as it becomes the firststack as the others are unfolded. The first stack 20 is thus available to be unfolded from 10 the top downwardly, followed by each stack in tum. This arrangement has the advantage that no other support for the package sides is required and the package isstable in the position shown during unfolding. Also transfer of unfolding from one stackto the next can occur without frictional contact of the strip with packaging material orother support which can cause tearing of weaker material. 15 The strips are often used for cutting of the strip into a sériés of consecutive sheet éléments each having a predetermined length. In order to prevent thefold lines from interfering with the effectiveness of the sheet éléments, during folding ofthe stacks in the packaging System previously described, a marker (not shown) islocated adjacent the packaging system for applying a machine readable marking 90 on 20 the strip in registration with the fold lines. The markings can comprise an ink jet marking, possibiy in the form of a dot or square, visible both to the eye and to the cutting machineor in some cases just ta the machine. The marking may or may not be located directly atthe fold line depending upon the location of the machine reader 91 relative to the cuttingblade 92 which is therefore arranged to effect a cutting immediately at or adjacent to the 25 fold line. In the example shown, the marking is located in advance of the fold line or the intended eut line. The marking may extend only across a short part of the width of thestrip. It will be appreciated that as the markings are registered with respective ones ofthe fold lines, each marking is offset from its associated fold line by the same distance.In an arrangement in which only the fold lines are marked by the ink jet marking, there 30 wiil be only one marking on each strip portion. In order to maintain the eut lines at the fold lines it is necessary that the number of sheet éléments on each strip portion isexactly a whole number. In many cases, the relative lengths of the éléments and the stripis such that the whole number is greater than one. Each intended eut line therefore canbe marked or only the fold lines may be marked. The eut lines are therefore arranged so 15 that the fold lines are arranged sufficiently close to an end of the sheet éléments toavoid compromising the performance of the sheet éléments.

Turning now to the arrangement shown in figure 11, a packageformed from the same stacks as previously described is oriented so that the stacksare horizontal each on top of another so that they can be unfolded from the topstack downwardly. This can use the same spiicing, twisting and foldingarrangements as previously described. However a more simple spiicing technique isavailable when the package is oriented in this manner. Thus, when wrapped,compressed and sealed, the package structure is oriented so that the stacks 20 to23 are horizontal. In this orientation, the application of vertical loads onto thepackage from other packages causes the transfer through the package structure toan underlying pallet without distorting or damaging the strip. This occurs due to thefact that the strip is relatively stiff across its width and when compressed into thestacks, the strips together form a substantially rigid structure.

As shown in figure 11, the top stack 20 is partly unfolded from the leadingend portion 12 toward a trailing end portion 94 of that stack at the end 14 of the package10. The next stack 21 has the leading end portion 95 thereof at the same end 14 as thetrailing end 94 and is connected by a connecting portion 96 including a splice 97 to theleading end 95 of the stack 21. The connecting portion 96 lies in the same plane as theend 14 and extends generally diagonally between the stacks 20 and 21.

In a symmetrical manner, the trailing end (not visible) of the stack 21 is connected to the leading end of the stack 22 by a connecting portion (not visible) ! including a splice. The trailing end of the stack 21, the connecting portion and the leadingend of the stack 22 are ail arranged at the end 15 of the package coplanar with the end15. A further connecting portion 98 and splice 99 at the end 14 interconnectthe trailing end 100 of the stack 22 and the leading end 101 of the stack 23.

The connecting portions 96, 98 and any further connecting portionsrequired for additional stacks are arranged at the end 14. The connecting portions foraiternate stacks are arranged at the opposed end 15. The connecting portions arecoplanar with the end portions of the strip and thus lie fiat against the side of thepackage when completed and wrapped as described herein,

This orientation of the package used for unfolding the package isshown in Figure 11. The bag remains in place to hold the end strip portions and the 01 1 16 connecting portions in place but the top 43 is opened by removai or cutting of asmall opening and the leading end 12 of the strip is found and pulled through theopening. By placing the package in this orientation, therefore, each stack in turncan be unwound without the danger of the stack toppling since it is lying on its sidesupported by the underlying stacks.

It will be noted that the splicing technique shown ensures that, when thestrips are unfolded as shown in figure 11, no twist is applied to the strip as the unfoidingtransfers from one stack to the next. However, in order to ensure that side A of the stripof stack 20 is connected to side A of the strip of stack 21 (and the sides B areconnected) it is necessary to reverse the strip in stack 21. Symmetrically the stack 22has the same orientation as stack 20 and the stack 23 is reversed as stack 21. Thisreversai can be obtained by physically lifting the intermediate stacks and rotating themthrough 180 degrees about an axis at right angles to the stacks. The same effect can beachieved by twisting the strip through 180 degrees as it is fed to the folding System forsimuitaneous side by side folding as previousiy described. This twisting has the effect ofplacing the side A at the outside in the fold iines at the end 18 of the stacks 20 and 22and placing the side B outside on the fold Iines at the same end for the stacks 21 and 23.

In an alternative arrangement (not shown) the folding and compressiontechnique as previousiy described can be used for a single stack of a strip. Such a stripcan be relatively wide, for example a length of carpet or fabric which is folded back andforth, packaged in the bag, compressed and maintained compressed by. the air pressureoutside the evacuated bag.

The compression reduces the height of the stack to an extent such thatthe structure becomes rigid and free standing so as to protect the strip and allow easyhandling. in order to prevent inadvertent expansion of the package at inopportunemoments during transportation, storage or handling due to puncturing of the bag andrelease of the vacuum, the bag may be further wrapped by a shrink wrap material orother material which will hold the package in the compressed condition.

In a further arrangement (not shown), the package can be formed by building each stack in turn from a single end of the strip so that the strip is continuous from each stack to the next without the necessity for splicing. This technique has the disadvantage that the building is relatively slow and requires a number of winding stations to take up a full width of a web from which the strips are slit. 17

In a yet further arrangement (not shown), the package as shown infigure 1 is compressed, wrapped and transported to the use location while the packageremains with the top and bottom end portions unconnected. At the use location, insteadof connecting the strip of each stack to that of the next adjacent stack for supply of a 5 continuous strip from the package, each stack is connected to a corresponding stack of a next adjacent package. Thus each stack supplies a separate strip to the use machineand the strip of each stack is connected by a splice at the use location to a stack of afurther package for continuous supply of that separate strip. The stacks are howeverarranged side by side in the package and the bottom strip portions are exposed as tails 10 as shown in figure 1 for connection.

In a yet further arrangement which is not shown but is similar to the constructions shown in figures 5 and 6, alternate ones of the tail portions 45 arearranged at the opposite end of the package structure. In such an arrangement it ispossible to omit the twist in the connecting portion and to connect the tail portions in 15 straight manner to the top portion of the next adjacent layer. When the tail portions are connected without twist, the automatic twisting effect caused by the transfer ofunwrapping from one layer to the next causes the introduction of a 360 degree twist intothe strip. That twist is then cancelled by a twist in the opposite direction at the nexttransfer position.

Claims (17)

18 CLAIMS ΟΊ 1 2 6

1. A package of strip matériel comprising: a plurality of stacks each containing a strip which is folded back and forthsuch that each folded portion of the strip is folded relative to the next portion about a 5 line transverse to the strip and such that the side edges of the folded strip portions arealigned; the strip being continuous through each stack from a top end portion of the stripat one end of the stack to a bottom end portion of the strip at an opposed end of thestack; wherein the stacks are parallel and arranged side by side together as aίο common package structure with the side edges of the strip portions of each stackadjacent the side edges of the next adjacent stack without intervening rigid container walls; wherein, at both the top and bottom end portions of the strip of each stackthe strip is arranged in the package so as to provide respective end connecting portionsis which are either both accessible for connection end to end to other respective endconnecting portions for a continuous strip to be produced from interconnected stacks, orat least one of which is already connected end to end to an end connecting portion of another of the stacks to provide a continuous strip forrned by interconnected stacks.

2. The package according to claim 1 wherein the stacks are20 substantially upright with a bottom and a top two sides parallel to the edges of the strips of the stacks and two ends containing the fold lines of the stacks and wherein the endconnecting portion of the bottom of each stack comprises a free unconnected tail f portion which extends from the bottom strip portion and is exposed beyond an end ofthe stack.

3. The package according to claim 1 wherein one end connecting portion of each stack is connected by a splice connecting portion to one end connectingportion of the next adjacent stack.

4. The package according to daim 3 wherein an end connectingportion of a top of one stack is connected to an end connecting portion of a top of a nextso adjacent stack to form a first splice connecting portion coplanar with and extendingacross the top of the stacks and wherein an end connecting portion of a bottom of said 19 one stack is connected to an end connecting portion of a bottom of a second nextadjacent stack to form a second splice connecting portion coplanar with and extendingacross the bottom of the stacks.

5. The package according to any one of daims 1 to 4 wherein there 5 are at least three stacks and wherein the splice connecting portions are arranged such that there is no accumulated twist in the strip when the three stacks are unfolded.

6. The package according to daim 3 wherein the stacks aresubstantially upright with a bottom and a top, two sides parallel to the edge of the stripsof the stacks and two ends containing the fùld lines of the stacks and wherein the end io connecting portion of the bottom of a stack is connected to an end connecting portion ofthe top of a next adjacent stack to form said splice connecting portion which extendsalong one end of the stack.

7. The package according to daim 6 wherein there are at least threestacks and wherein that part of the strip defined by the splice connecting portion and the is top end portion contains a 360 degree twist in the strip such that there is noaccumulated twist in the strip when the three stacks are unfolded.

8. The package according to daim 6 wherein there are at least threestacks and wherein the splice portions of altemate stacks are arranged at opposed endsof the stacks and each splice connecting portion is arranged to connect between the 20 bottom strip portion of one stack and the top strip portion of the next stack without atwist such that there is no accumulated twist in the strip when the three stacks areunfolded. ,

9. The package according to daim 6, 7 or 8 wherein the package is ina compressed condition so that the height thereof is decreased from a rest height to a 25 compressed height; wherein the package is engaged by packaging material whichmaintains the compression; wherein the splice connecting portion has a length at leastequal to the rest height; and the splice connecting portion is folded about fold linesgenerally transverse to its length so as to take up the différence between the length oftne splice connecting portion and the compressed height.

10. The package according to daim 9 wherein there is provided a slip sheet between two strip portions to allow relative sliding movement of the two strip 20 01126. portions as the package expands.

11. The package according to any preceding claim wherein the pluralityof stacks are arranged such that the strip of each stack has the side edges thereofalong the complété length of the strip unattached from the side edges of the strip of a 5 next adjacent stack.

12. The package according to any preceding claim wherein the strip ofeach stack is longitudinally slit from a web.

13. The package according to any preceding claim wherein the sideedges of the strip portions of each stack directly contact the side edges of the strip io portions of a next adjacent stack.

14. A package of strip material comprising: at least one stack containing a strip which is folded back and forth suchthat each folded portion of the at least one stack is folded relative to the next portionabout a line transverse to the strip and such that the side edges of the folded strip 15 portions are aligned; the strip being continuous through the at least one stack from abottom end portion of the strip at the bottom of the at least one stack to a top endportion of the strip at the top end of the at least one stack; the strip portions being arranged to form a first plurality of fold lines at oneend of the at least one stack and a second plurality of fold lines at an opposed second 20 end of the at least one stack; the at least one stack being compressed downwardly so as to reduce theheight of the at least one stack and the at least one stack being secured by a packagingmaterial so as to maintain the at least one stack in a compressed condition fortransportation; 25 wherein the at least one stack includes an end connecting portion of the strip extending from the bottom strip portion and extending beyond one of the ends ofthe at least one stack so as to be accessible for splicing.

15. The package according to any preceding claim wherein thepackage is in a compressed condition so that the height of the stacks is decreased from 30 a rest height to a compressed height and wherein the package is engaged by packagingmaterial which maintains the compression wherein the compression is sufficient to 21 01126c reduce the thickness of each strip portion of said stacks.

16. The package according to any preceding claim wherein there is provided a spacer sheet member between the fold lines at the end of the package and the end connecting portion. 5

17. A method of supplying a strip of materiai comprising supplying a package according to any preceding daim and providing an unfold stand having anindined support surface; placing the package on the unfold stand so as to incline thestacks at an angle to the vertical such that one end stack defines a side surface whichleans on and is supported by the inclined support surface and such that each stackio leans on and is supported by its next adjacent stack; and unfolding the strip from theend stack opposite to the support surface such that each stack îs unfolded and withdrawn in turn.