PT1807325E - Packaging for a panel stack - Google Patents

Description

ΡΕ1807325 - 1 -

DESCRIPTION " PACKAGING FOR PANEL STACKING " The present invention relates to the stacking of panels, in particular rolled panels, which are packed for transport or storage. In general, the laminated panels are packed in tiered stacks, for example with 4 to 10 unit panels. The stacks are generally wrapped with transparent film, and / or packaged in packaging carton of specific shapes, for example corrugated. As regards the films, they are for example retractable films made from polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, or polyethylene terephthalate. According to the packaging regulations, the packages - or, respectively, the films - are manufactured so that the volume and the weight are limited to the quantities strictly necessary. Thus, the packages - or, respectively, the films - have the disadvantage that they can be easily broken by hand, or with a sharp object, to remove individual panels.

This can for example occur in a building materials store. With some regularity, the articles displayed in warehouses of building materials will be opened by the customers, to pull the individual panels -2- ΡΕ1807325 out of the package, partially or completely, for example for a better evaluation of the surface configuration. In addition, the film at the outer ends may be unduly stressed and ruptured during the vertical transportation of the stacks because of the sharp edges of the panels. Such panels, in particular those which are on the outside of the package, can only be laboriously reintroduced into the package, or this may even be impossible. Because of the widespread skepticism on the part of buyers of ready-to-sell packages for the condition and quality of the articles, open stacking is generally difficult to sell. EP-A 1 437 456 discloses, in Figures 8 and 9, a stack with multiple laminated panels, comprising a stacking carton having means for counteracting the removal of panels from the carton, wherein said means for counteracting the removal of panels have at least one retaining element mounted on one side of the stack, namely the narrower side, made of corrugated board.

In view of the disadvantages described above, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide improved stacking of panels with a view to their packaging.

This object is achieved by a device of an appropriate type with the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments are obtained from the dependent claims. The stack according to the invention consists of multiple laminated panels. As an example, these are laminated panels, plywood boards, fibreboard boards, or wood panels. The stack additionally has a carton. Means are also provided to counteract the removal of panels from the package. For example, these means provide far-reaching protection against packaging deterioration. Such deterioration may for example be caused by mechanical actions on the packaging. Such mechanical stresses occur for example during the transport of the stacks, or are intentionally caused by the action of a pointed object on the package. In another embodiment, the means for counteracting the removal of panels further limits the freedom of movement of the panels in the stack, thus representing additional protection against removal of the individual panels out of the package, as compared to conventional packages. As a result, it will become advantageously difficult or impossible to pull individual panels out of the stack and remove them.

According to an even more advantageous embodiment, the means for counteracting the removal of panels will advantageously comprise a strap around the stack. Through the strap, the panels are secured to one another. It is no longer possible to remove it in the direction of development of the belt, except after cutting the belt. In addition, several belts may be provided. In a given embodiment, the straps wrap the stack in the longitudinal and transverse direction, to ensure that the individual panels will not be pulled out of the stack in any direction. By way of example, the webbing will be made of paper, polyethylene, polypropylene, or polyethylene terephthalate. In a given embodiment the strap may be printed so as to additionally function as an advertising medium. The relatively rigid attachment in the stacking ensures that the information provided on the strap is not lost, nor will the effective advertising effect be lost.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the strap extends transversely to the longitudinal direction of the panels. It has been found that, in these circumstances, a movement of the panels perpendicularly to the development of the belt, i.e. in the longitudinal direction -5- ΡΕ1807325 of the panel, is greatly prevented, and further belts may advantageously be dispensed in the longitudinal direction. By way of example, the belt will be elastic, consisting in particular of stretchable film, and is designed so as to hold the individual panels tight. In another embodiment, the belt will seat so close to the stack that it will tilt relative to the longitudinal direction of the stack when a panel is drawn out, in particular the outer panel, preventing the fastening from continuing. pull the panel out. By mounting the strap perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the stack, the condition of stacking multiple stacks on top of one another will not be adversely affected further. For example, an individual belt extending in the longitudinal direction, relative to narrow stacks, has the disadvantage that, because of the thickness of the belt, the pile does not lie flatly on another, and therefore several stacks will seat on the others in an unstable way, that is, it does not remain level, which ultimately negatively affects the maximum stacking height. This situation is particularly disadvantageous, especially in warehouses for building materials, on the one hand because the public should not be put at risk and, on the other hand, because storage space is precious. It is further advantageous that by this relatively short ribbon assembly and in view of the aforesaid packaging regulations and their generic determinations, the quantitative packaging means is reduced.

In another advantageous embodiment, the strap is mounted remotely from one of the faces of the panel. This prevents the belt from slipping out of the stack, particularly when the panels move against each other during transportation. It has been found that a distance greater than 5 cm between the belt and the face of the panel, i.e. the stack which is subject to conventional mechanical stresses for example during transporting the stack, is sufficient to ensure an acceptable sliding amount of the belt for out of the stack. By performing tests it has been found that it is thus guaranteed that by pulling out a panel, the tightening action of the tape may be triggered. When a panel is for example drawn outwardly along the stack towards the other top face of the stack, the remaining panel length - located behind the strap when viewed in the opposite direction - is sufficient to ensure a slope, and therefore a tightening, of the tape.

A further advantageous embodiment for stacking according to the invention provides for the belt to be made from polyvinyl chloride. This allows the belt to be manufactured at relatively low costs. -7- ΡΕ1807325

In another embodiment, the web will advantageously consist of a retractable film. This is a cold drawn thermoplastic material which, by heat treatment, recovers back to its original state. Thanks to this shrinkage, the strap can be firmly seated on the stack after cooling to keep the panels tight.

According to another embodiment, the belt will have a width of at least 2 cm. Testing has shown that, provided a tight fastening of the straps is ensured, the quantity of packaging means will not be unnecessarily increased counterpart, in accordance with the packaging regulations.

A further embodiment provides that the web is essentially transparent. For example, the tape will have transparent sections, or it will be completely transparent. In these circumstances, for example, the surface of the panel may be examined in spite of the presence of the belt, or the product descriptions or assembly instructions placed between the panels and the belt can be read.

According to another embodiment, the means for counteracting the removal of the panels comprises at least one retaining element mounted on one side of the stack. Thanks to the retaining element, a movement of the panels against each other is prevented. The retaining element may for example be fixed to the package, in particular being welded to a packaging film. The retaining member may be provided alone, or in combination with the belts described above.

In one embodiment, the retaining member is mounted to the corresponding narrower side of the stack, and two straps surrounding the stack extend parallel to the narrower side. Thanks to such a design for the means intended to counteract the removal, advantageously can be reduced the amount of material that is necessary to safeguard the panels.

According to another embodiment, the retaining element will be made of carton, in particular corrugated board. By way of example, the retaining member will be constructed, from carton, in a cover that surrounds the top face of the stack. To this end, the thickness of the carton, at least on the side of the retaining element which abuts against the top face of the stack, will be chosen so that any breakage is largely prevented - on the one hand, due to the sharp edges of the panels which are in the stacking and, on the other hand, a rupture from the outside, either by the handling of the packaging or by impacts. Corrugated cardboard is used in order to obtain a sufficient consistency of the retention element for a comparatively low weight. The retaining member is fixed in the stack, for example by welding the stacking film together with the retaining element.

In another advantageous embodiment, the retaining element is shaped like a pouch. Particularly good adhesion of the panels is achieved, in particular by secure storage of the panels when other packages or the belts mentioned above are removed.

According to a further embodiment, the retaining element has a reinforcing element. This will for example be provided at particularly requested locations of the retaining element. It is for example provided in a retention element made in carton in which there are plastic strips. The stability of the retaining element may, through it, be particularly increased. On the one hand, stability serves to increase the opposing capacity of the retaining member relative to the mechanical engagement caused by the adjacent panels. On the other hand, the resistance of the retaining element against the attempt to break it, or to remove it from the stack, is thereby increased. It will become unnecessary to replace them with retention elements - or, respectively, packaging - with greater stability but at the same time comparatively more expensive. - 10 - ΡΕ1807325

In an advantageous embodiment, the reinforcement element develops at least along one of the narrower sides of the stack. It has been found that the engagement is particularly raised exactly on the narrower side, and that there is a certain tendency to break the package of panels exactly on the narrower side.

In another advantageous embodiment, the reinforcing member is mounted in the vicinity of at least one corner of the stack. The corners of the stack - that is, of the panels - have sharp edges. There will consequently be raised the mechanical engagement on the retaining element, in particular in the region of the corners. Thanks to the reinforcement, their stability will be advantageously increased.

In a given embodiment, the reinforcing member will advantageously assume the ribbon form, or the strip form. As a consequence, the volume of material expended in association with the reinforcement will be advantageously reduced, thus the quantity of packaging means is advantageously reduced.

In another advantageous embodiment, the reinforcing member will preferably be mounted at least partially between the package and the stack. In such circumstances, the packaging situated on the outside may be protected, at least in the region subject to deterioration, in order to, inter alia, reduce the risk of injury due to deteriorated parts of the packaging located outside.

In another advantageous embodiment, the reinforcing member will preferably be bonded with at least some portions of the retaining member. This will ensure that the reinforcing member separates from the stack during transportation, or when subjected to any other mechanical stresses. In a given embodiment, the tape is glued onto a corrugated cardboard part, which makes the manufacture of the retaining element according to the invention advantageously simplified.

A further embodiment provides for the tape and / or the retaining member to be formed as an integral part of the packaging means. By way of example, the carton holding member surrounding the top face will be configured as a single piece with a carton wrapping the carton and correspondingly folded. For example, the tape is constructed as a thicker sector in a film surrounding the stack.

In a given embodiment for the retaining element according to the invention, the reinforcing elements consist of glue tapes having the product reference Sesame® Tape CR-2348, or RPT® CR-2704B from Adalis, Vancouver, WA . Sesame® Tape CR-2348 shows synthetic fibers as a base material, a tear strength of 68 kg and an elongation value between 13 and 23%. RPT® CR-2704B has a film of synthetic material as the base material. The glue will, for example, be heat activatable.

Referring to the Figures: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of the stack according to the invention, for one embodiment; Figure 2 shows a plan view of the retaining element according to Figure 1, in the unfolded state. Figure 3 is a perspective view of the retaining member according to Figure 1, in a state of partial folded partial. Figure 1 shows a stack of panels 1. In this case, these are in particular laminated panels which are cumbersome to pack due to their high number of sharp edges and protrusions caused by the generally existing male and female joints therein. The panels 1 are surrounded by a bag-shaped retaining element 2. In Figure 1, only one end of the panels 1 is shown which is framed by the retaining element 2. The end situated at the front of the drawing is however shown in open form, for illustrative purposes only, but The retaining element 2 will also generally enclose, in the form of a pouch, this end. A belt 3 is routed in the stack onto the panels 1, so that the panels 1 are further secured. In these circumstances, it may advantageously be prevented from pulling the panels 1 out of the stack. The retaining member 2 constitutes a portion of the protective packaging against the removal of panels 1 out of the stack. In addition, the stack can be welded to the films, which is not shown. Figure 2 shows details of the corrugated retaining element 2 according to the invention as used in Figure 1. The thus predetermined shape of the retaining element 2 was obtained by punching out a piece of corrugated paperboard, and is shown in Figure 2 in the situation after punching, i.e. in the unfolded state. The retaining member 2 has strips 2a and 2b which extend from the longitudinal side, which have extensions 2c and 2d at the ends which are shown in prominence above the bottom surface and which can be folded. The strips are folded upwardly along the notches shown to form the side walls 2a and 2b of the retaining element 2. Between the side walls, extends a sector 2e which gives continuity to the bottom surface, which, folded over the extensions 2c and 2d, will form a limiting side wall of the retaining element 2 in the transverse direction ΡΕ1807325. On the extension 2c is attached a strip-shaped reinforcing element 3. Although not shown, there is also generally provided the existence of a reinforcing member about the extension 2d shown. This is not represented in Figure 2 only because of perceptibility issues. In another embodiment, the reinforcing member 3 may be developed in the form of a tape along the side faces of the pouch-like retaining member 2. Figure 2 shows details of the retaining element 2 according to the invention, as is used in Figure 1. It is in the unfolded state. In this state, the retaining member 2 has vertical side walls 2a and 2b on the longitudinal side, which have extensions 2c and 2d at the ends which are shown in prominence above the bottom surface and which can be folded. The extensions 2c and 2d may be folded to the level of the narrower side of the bottom surface. On the folded extensions 2c and 2d, a sector 2e of the retaining element which continues the surface of the bottom may be folded, so as to secure the extensions 2c and 2d and to form another side wall. On the inside of the corrugated sections of the extensions 2c and 2d and of the sector 2e, reinforcing elements 4a and 4b are bonded in the form of strips. Since these are not generally visible from the outside, they are represented in Figure 2 by dashed lines, for perceptibility reasons. The reinforcing elements 4a and 4b extend along the folded edges of the retaining element in order to compensate not only the weakening caused by the folding of corrugated board but also to reinforce them so that they they can hardly be disrupted during folding, in particular in the folded state of the retaining element 2. Figure 3 shows the details of the retaining element 2 according to the invention as used in Figure 1, in a partially folded state. In this state, the pouch-like retaining member 2 has vertical side walls 2a and 2b on the longitudinal side, which have extensions 2c and 2d at the ends which are shown in prominence above the bottom surface and which can be folded. The extensions 2c and 2d may be folded to the level of the narrower side of the bottom surface. On the folded extensions 2c and 2d, a sector 2e of the retaining element which continues the surface of the bottom may be folded, so as to secure the extensions 2c and 2d and to form another side wall. Thanks to these side walls thus formed, a surface corresponding approximately to the panel is provided, as was the case with the bottom surface. On the inside of the corrugated sections of the extensions 2c and 2d and of the sector 2e, reinforcing elements 4a and 4b are bonded in the form of strips. Since these are not generally visible from the outside, they are represented in Figure 2 by dashed lines, for perceptibility reasons. The reinforcing elements 4a and 4b-16-E1807325 develop in particular along the folded edges of the retaining element in order to compensate not only the weakening caused by the folding of corrugated board but also to reinforce them in order to that they can hardly be disrupted during the folding, in particular in the folded state of the retaining element 2.

Lisbon, August 8, 2013

Claims (13)

Stacking of multiple laminated panels (1), in particular laminated panels, with a stacking package having means which counteract the removal of panels from the package, wherein said means which counteract the removal of panels have at least one retaining element (2) made of corrugated paperboard, which is mounted on one side of the stack, namely the narrower side, the stack is characterized in that the means which counteract the removal of the panels comprise a reinforcement element ( 4) in the form of tape or strip, wherein said reinforcing element (4) is at least partially mounted between the package and the stack, and along at least one of the folded edges of the retaining element (2). ) so as to counteract the weakening caused by folding and reinforcing the folded edge. Stacking according to the preceding claim, wherein the means which oppose the removal of panels further comprises at least one strap (3) for wrapping the stack. Stacking according to the preceding claim 2, wherein the belt (3) is developed perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the panels. One of the (3) faces of the Stacking according to preceding claims 2 and 3, wherein the strap is mounted remotely from one of the panels. Stacking according to one of the preceding claims 2 to 4, wherein the belt (3) is made of polyvinyl chloride. Stacking according to one of the preceding claims 2 to 5, wherein the strap (3) consists of a retractable film. Stacking according to one of the preceding claims 2 to 6, wherein the belt (3) has a width of at least 2 cm. Stacking according to one of the preceding claims 2 to 4, wherein the belt (3) is substantially transparent. Stacking according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the retaining element is configured in the form of a pouch. Stacking according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the reinforcing member is developed at least along one of the narrower sides of the stack. -3- ΡΕ1807325 Stacking according to one of the preceding two claims, wherein the reinforcing element covers the corners of the stack. Stacking according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the reinforcing element is adhered to at least some parts of the retaining element. Stacking according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the strap (3) and / or the retaining element are constructed as an integral part of the package. Lisbon, August 8, 2013