RU2443610C2 - Method of fabricating multilayer container and articles thus produced - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: transport, package.

SUBSTANCE: method of producing multilayer container from single workpiece that defines lengthwise direction from on edge to opposite one. Proposed method comprises defining inner panel that, as-assembled, makes lateral walls. Note here that inner panel comprises some part of inner panel wherein every part of inner panel adjoins adjacent part of inner panel and every part of inner panel comprises one inner lateral wall in assembled state. At least, two opposite central flaps are defined. Note here that the sum of central flaps equals or is smaller than panel crosswise length from intersection with first opposite medium flap to second opposite medium flap. Very central flap comprises some flap parts wherein every part of flap adjoins flap adjacent part and every pair of opposite flaps makes one central lateral wall of the assembled container. Outer panel is defined to form container outer lateral walls. Note here that outer panel comprises some part of inner panel wherein every part of outer panel adjoins adjacent part of outer panel and every part of outer panel comprises one inner lateral wall in assembled state. At least one pair of opposite medium flaps are bent to close their edges and secured to inner panel to form intermediate sidewalls in assembly.

EFFECT: ease of fabrication, decreased amount of wastes.

20 cl, 17 dwg

Description

State of the art

Oversized containers, commonly referred to as “crates,” are used to hold various materials, usually during transportation, but also for deliveries to stores. Due to the fact that more than 95% of all products in the United States are shipped in corrugated boxes, and because of the cost benefits of using this type of packaging, most boxes are made of corrugated cardboard. But since approximately 90% of the entire corrugated cardboard is three-layer, the relatively large dimensions of the boxes in connection with the types of goods placed in them require additional strength provided by multi-layer structures.

Numerous methods are known from the prior art for creating the desired level of tensile strength of the side walls and bottoms and the vertical allowable load for the drawers.

In some solutions, a five-layer or seven-layer corrugated cardboard is used as the starting material, while in others, layered walls or boxes inserted into one another are used. Each of these approaches has its advantages and disadvantages. Typical disadvantages are the high cost of manufacture due to the requirements for handling material in production, significant amounts of glue and production equipment used, difficulties in handling before and after production (before manufacturing boxes due to the large storage area of blanks and after manufacturing when trying to prepare manufactured shipping boxes) and waste volumes. All these disadvantages are well known to the average specialist.

In light of these shortcomings in an improved box and an appropriate production method, it would be advisable to use a three-layer corrugated board that is easy to create and obtain, a minimum amount of glue for manufacturing, minimal labor before and after the manufacturing process with a minimum amount of waste, taking into account, among others, the minimum labor costs . Although such a need exists, it has not yet been met.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The methods according to the invention are aimed at creating multilayer containers from corrugated material with a minimum of losses, the container being formed from a single sheet or preferably from a continuous web of corrugated material, such as a three-layer corrugated cardboard or five-layer cardboard (with single or double bending). The methods according to the invention involve the adhesion of a sheet or web of corrugated material with a wrapping mandrel, which creates the physical shape of the container when folding and securing (for example, using glue). The methods of the invention also profile valve precursors to create a container wall, thereby renouncing the generally accepted way of gluing the “inner box” to the container.

Products obtained in embodiments of the methods of the invention are characterized by the presence of at least one container wall, consisting of a pair of opposing valve precursors that are attached or otherwise permanently connected to the traditional side wall of the container. In addition, products obtained in embodiments of the methods of the invention include, individually or in combination, unstressed vertical folds at the edges of corners, predecessors of mutually blocking / interconnecting valves, elements for relieving tension from the corners, and other elements that will become clear from of the present description.

Since the methods according to the invention create a multilayer container from a single sheet or web of material (as opposed to using inserts or a box-in-box construction), it is possible and desirable to create a container in one operation that is suitable for a continuous process. Moreover, a continuous process usually eliminates the need for handling container blanks. In addition, multilayer containers are usually large, for example, from about 40 inches or 1 meter in width / side. In this order of magnitude, traditional large blanks for multilayer containers will be very large, approximately 15 feet or 4.5 meters long, but according to the invention, blanks for various embodiments may have a length of approximately 30 feet or 9 meters. If the container according to the embodiments of the invention were formed using traditional methods, for example, one apparatus makes blanks, then the blanks are moved to storage, then moved to the box making machine, storage, transportation and handling of such large-sized blanks would be a significant problem (transportation lots of 30-foot billets is not an easy job). By using a continuous process in which a web or constant source material is fed into a crate making machine, all requirements for handling batches of material that would be applicable to traditional procedures for making crates from blanks can be eliminated.

Although the above description of embodiments of the methods of the present invention emphasizes the benefits of using the continuous process for manufacturing containers of the invention, the invention is not limited to such approaches. Moreover, even in a continuous process, preforms will be formed before the material is converted into containers. Thus, the term "blank" used in the description includes both traditional container blanks that do not follow from the continuous process, and those that follow from it. In the event that a distinction is to be made, or otherwise is not clear from the context, the term “traditional blanks” or a similar phrase will be used for blanks not related to the continuous process.

In the methods for manufacturing containers according to the invention, the predecessors of the valves are folded inward and outward to create walls, in particular between the outer wall and the inner wall of the manufactured container. In certain preferred embodiments of the manufacture of the articles of the invention, the valve precursors on the preform used to create the container are individually or collectively sized to create a side wall. Thus, in one series of container implementations, opposing valve precursors are folded towards each other and secured, for example, with glue to the panel from which they extend. After folding and gluing, these valve precursors together form an additional side wall of the container. By applying this method to the manufacture of the total equivalent of a seven-layer container in which the valve precursors are medium valves, it is possible to develop such a container with virtually no planned waste. Intermediate panels can be adjacent, separate in the longitudinal direction of the workpiece, or both.

The methods according to the invention in yet another respect include the creation of a multilayer container that has a generally unstrained vertical fold at all corners of the corners. By forming a container on a mandrel having a desired container shape (at least its side walls), the resulting unstressed state of the container corresponds to the shape when used. As a result of this, each vertical angle of the four-sided packaging is less susceptible to rupture and damage during use, which is usually the case in the prior art. The same applies to shapes with 6 and 8 angles. Thus, the volumes of transportation and storage of the resulting containers increase, since the vertical angles in the four-sided configuration, for example, cannot be bent more than 90 ° from the geometry “used” to the geometry “folded”. Moreover, when such an angular edge is in tension, it is usually not subjected to dynamic loads; It is in a folded position for storage. On the contrary, when the container is most likely to undergo dynamic loads, for example when used for transporting goods, these corner edges have their normal, usually unstressed geometry. This configuration also facilitates the restoration of the shape of the container from the "folded" geometry, which for large containers may well be a significant advantage compared to the prior art.

In other methods according to the invention, a sign of relieving angular stress is created at the intersection of the joint of the valve and the joint of the panel, preferably at the extrememost panels and valves, by selectively removing material. Due to the fact that such an intersection is otherwise subjected to bi-directional manipulation (folding the panel and folding the valve), the selective removal of material from such an intersection allows a greater degree of freedom of connection and delocalizes stresses that would otherwise occur in a particular place. In one series of embodiments, an approximately circular portion of the material is removed from and / or adjacent to the intersections of the folds. The resulting preform and / or container precursor then includes this feature as their structural element.

Some methods of the invention also establish that the slot for separating two valves or parts of the valves should be offset from the fold line to facilitate folding of two adjacent panels. This displacement, which preferably occurs with respect to the outer panels and valves, is preferably approximately equal to the thickness of the material (web or workpiece) used to make the container, for example when a seven-layer container is made. In the manufacture of each valve will have a width that will differ (will be longer or shorter) from the width of the panel from which it departs. At the final assembly of the container, the wider outer valves will go to the outer edge of the container, and the inner valves will completely pass over the intermediate and inner layers, thereby providing additional strength and making full use of the outer panel (or panels) of the container, being in contact with it. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that this configuration is easier to obtain when used in conjunction with the stress relief feature described above.

In the context of the invention, articles obtained in the practice of various embodiments of the methods comprise a single blank for forming a multilayer container, a container precursor and the resulting container. The billet defines a longitudinal direction from the first end to the second end and contains an inner panel forming the inner side walls of the container during assembly, the inner panel having a number of parts, and each part of the inner panel bordering a neighboring part of the inner panel and constitutes one inner side wall of the container assembled condition.

The preform also contains at least one pair of valve precursors, which may contain opposing middle valves extending from the inner panel to the far edge, where the sum of the average transverse lengths of this pair of valve precursors from their intersection with the panel to the far edge is equal to or less than the transverse length of the panel from the intersection of the first opposite valve predecessor to the intersection of the second opposite valve predecessor. In addition, each valve precursor or middle valve preferably has a number of valve parts, wherein each valve part borders or is located separately, but adjacent to an adjacent valve part, and each opposite pair of valve parts makes up one side wall of the container in an assembled state.

In addition, the blank comprises, in embodiments with a three-layer side wall, an outer panel extending longitudinally from the inner panel forming the outer side walls of the container in an assembled state, the outer panel preferably having a number of parts of the outer panel, each part of the outer panel bordering an adjacent part of the outer panel and each part of the outer panel constitutes the outer side wall of the container in the assembled state. If additional intermediate side walls are needed, the outer panel will preferably extend away from the last intermediate panel. In the described embodiment with a three-layer side wall, such an intermediate panel (or panels) is positioned longitudinally between the inner panel and the outer panel.

As stated above, packaging embodiments of the methods of the invention include packaging in which the combined average transverse width of the valve precursors is equal to or less than the transverse width of the panel from which they extend. This ratio allows bending at least one pair of opposing valves in the manufacture of containers, thereby bringing their distant corners together with each other and with the panel from which they depart. In a three-layer embodiment, the flap precursors may constitute either the inner or intermediate panel, and the panel from which they extend may constitute the other panel. The resulting bent structure can then function as side walls when the container precursor is installed in the container. One skilled in the art will understand that the geometry of the far angles may vary, and side lengths may also vary. Thus, although the combined lengths are indicated as “average”, the scope of the invention includes any geometry that does not lead to overlapping when bending and closing the opposite valves.

In some embodiments, a pair of mutually interlocking or interconnecting opposing edges of the valve precursors is formed, for example, by cutting by cutting. In these embodiments, stresses that would otherwise be localized in the butt joint after bending and forming the container are dissipated along the longer edge and larger area of the adjacent side wall of the container when used. This is especially important to maximize tensile strength and vertical compression.

The industrial implementation of the invention (systemic) includes a number of posts at which a blank or a continuous web of material is subjected to various types of processing to create containers. For the present disclosure, methods for forming containers according to the invention will begin with a “blank” of the appropriate size, the concept of which is given above. The choice of signs for inclusion in the container will determine the presence and order of the methods, as well as the devices necessary for the formation of a given type of container. For illustrative purposes only, the basic design of a seven-layer four-sided packaging will be described below. After converting the preform, the valve precursors are glued to the respective panels, as described above, and the container precursor is bent. When the precursor is bent, containers of panels forming adjacent layers are brought into contact by compression and glued together to form containers, which are then removed and optionally disassembled.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the invention in an assembled state;

Figure 2 is a detailed perspective view of a portion of a corrugated material with two flat layers used in the first embodiment;

Figure 3 is a plan view of a first embodiment with upper flaps shown conditionally for a better illustration of the layers of corrugated material;

Figure 3a is a detailed plan view of the angle of the embodiment shown in Figure 3;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a preform used to form a first embodiment of the invention; FIG.

FIG. 5 is a detailed plan view of a stress relieving feature and a feature of the vertical compression resistance geometry for the first embodiment of the invention; FIG.

6 is a perspective view of the first stage of forming a multilayer packaging using the blank shown in Figure 4, where the middle valves are folded in close proximity to form the middle side wall of corrugated material;

Fig.7 is a perspective view of the second stage of the formation of multilayer containers using the workpiece shown in Fig.4;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a third step of forming a multilayer container using the blank shown in Fig. 4, in which the combined inner panel and middle valves are bent;

Fig.9 is a perspective view of the fourth stage of forming a multilayer packaging using the blank shown in Fig.4, in which the internal adhesive protrusion is attached to the inner panel, thereby forming the basic shape of the container;

Figure 10 is a perspective view of the fifth stage of forming a multilayer packaging using the blank shown in Figure 4, in which the outer panels are wrapped around the base packaging shown in Fig.9;

11 is a perspective view of a sixth step of forming a multilayer container using the blank shown in FIG. 4, in which the outer adhesive protrusion is attached to the outer panel, completing the formation of the first embodiment;

FIG. 12 is a detailed perspective view of the stress relieving feature shown in FIG. 5 when the preform shown in FIG. 4 is converted to the container shown in FIG. 11 and the upper and lower valves are folded inward;

13 is a plan view of a system for receiving converted blanks and creating assembled containers from them;

Fig. 14 is an isometric view of a folding and gluing station, which is part of the system shown in Fig. 13;

Fig - perspective view of the machine for winding up, which is part of the system shown in Fig; and

Fig.16 is a schematic vertical projection of the rotator of the winding machine shown in Fig.15, which shows the relative movement of the four rods - mandrels.

Description of Embodiments

The following description is presented in order to enable one skilled in the art to make and use the invention. Various modifications to the embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles set forth herein can be applied to other embodiments and applications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.

Thus, the present invention should not be limited to the given embodiments, but should have the widest scope in accordance with the principles and features disclosed herein.

With reference to several figures of the drawings, where the same numbers indicate the same details, and more specifically with reference to Figs. 1-4, an embodiment of the invention will now be described in which many functions and elements of the invention are used. The container 20 comprises a blank 22, which is preferably made of a three-layer corrugated material with two flat layers, such as a corrugated cardboard with 5/16 '' L corrugations, shown in FIG. 2. In this embodiment, the container 20 is approximately 42 inches × 48 inches × 40 inches (H × W × D), and the workpiece 22 has a maximum size of approximately 355 inches × 83 inches (W × D). In the shown embodiment, the container 20 has seven-layer side walls and single, one on top of the other lower and upper valves.

To form containers 20, it is necessary to create a container blank 22 either before assembly or during assembly. As shown in FIG. 4, the container blank 22 is a single piece of corrugated material, of the type shown in FIG. 2, with a transverse direction of the corrugations. Selected folding lines, cutouts and perforations, for example, with a rotary die-cutting press or other means known to a person skilled in the art, are made from one sheet. Each container blank will then comprise an inner panel 40, opposed middle valves 50, an outer panel 60, and a number of end valves 70. Preferably, the container blank 22 further comprises an inner protrusion 30 and optionally an external adhesive protrusion 80. For conversion purposes, the sides shown all panels and valves correspond to those shown, with the back side having the same numbering, but in a sequence starting with 100. Thus, the back side of the inner panel 40, for example, is indicated by As an internal panel 140.

The inner panel 40 comprises portions 42, 44, 46, and 48 separated by fold lines 34a, 34b, and 34c. The inner protrusion 30 extends longitudinally from the inner panel part 42 and is separated from it by the fold line 32. The corresponding middle valves 50, defined in this embodiment as the middle valve parts 52a / b, 54a / b, 56a / b and 58a / b, extend laterally outward from the inner panel parts 42, 44, 46, and 48 and are partially defined by the slots 43a / b, 45a / b, 47a / b, 49a / b and the crease lines 34a, 34b and 34c (as well as the edges 51a / b and the slots 73a and 73b). Although it will be understood by those skilled in the art that other forms of bend (e.g., point-plane), as well as slots or even slit holes, can be used instead of those parts of the bend lines 34a, 34b and 34c that partially define each pair 52a / b, 54a / b, 56a / b and 58a / b of the middle valve parts, the advantages of additional strength and ease of operation can be realized by maintaining a rigid physical connection between adjacent parts of the middle valves, as will be described below.

Moreover, each valve 50 may comprise physically discrete portions of the valve (such as end valves 70, described below), visually discrete portions of the valve, as shown here, or may be completely integral (without cutouts). Since it is only necessary to form a wall or layer in the container 20, there is no particular need to form discrete parts of the valve, since those parts of the workpiece 22 that are folded to connect with the opposite parts of the workpiece 22 can ensure the creation of such a wall or layer.

The distal ends of each part of the middle valve are distinguished by chevron edges 53a / b, 55a / b, 57a / b and 59a / b, as shown in FIG. The inclusion of these chevron edges or any non-linear edge will successfully delocalize the tensile and vertical compressive stresses that may occur when packaging 20 is used after assembly, as will be described in more detail below. Thus, curved edges or straight edges, such as repeating geometries of squares or saw teeth, are considered desirable. However, in order to operate or form embodiments of the invention, it is not necessary to include such non-linear edges, and a linear edge will provide the advantages described herein.

Although the inner panel 40 and the middle valves 50 form the side walls of the container, only the outer panel 60 forms the side walls; end valves 70 constitute the single lower and upper sides of the container 20, as shown in Fig.11. The outer panel 60 comprises portions 62, 64, 66 and 68 separated by fold lines 38a, 38b and 38c; the outer panel portion 62 is separated from the inner panel portion 48 by a fold line 36. The outer adhesive protrusion 80 extends longitudinally from the inner panel portion 42 and is separated from it by the fold line 82. End valves 72a / b, 74a / b, 76a / b and 78a / b extend laterally outward from the outer panel portions 62, 64, 66 and 68 and are partially defined by point-to-point bend lines 63a / b, 65a / b, 67a / b and 69a / b and slots 73a / b, 75a / b, 77a / b and 79a / b (as well as edges 71a / b) as shown. Those skilled in the art will understand that instead of slots 73a / b, 75a / b, 77a / b and 79a / b, slotted holes can be used, although, as described in more detail below, advantages can be obtained by using the slots with respect to the stress relieving feature 90.

It must be said that the transverse width (or preassembled height) of the outer panel 60 is greater than the transverse width of the inner panel 40. This increase in size is aimed at solving the consequences of increased outer dimensions during the formation of containers 20 (described and shown below). Also, the longitudinal length (or assembled width and depth) of the outer panel 60 is greater than the longitudinal length of the inner panel 40. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that these increases are related to the number of walls used to form the container, as well as the thickness of the wall material.

FIG. 5 shows two features of an embodiment, namely a stress relieving feature 90, which is configured as an opening of approximately 0.375 inches in diameter, and valve offsets. It is well known in the art that valves on containers are often torn at the open edge connection between the valve and the side panel. This is partly due to the influence of an angle of three edges on the bottom of the valve: an angle of three edges destroys the valve at the edge, thereby impairing the structural integrity of the valve and the corresponding design. This consequence, together with the inevitable weakness of the material in this position, often contributes to mechanical failure during reuse or operation of the valve. By creating a hole, and preferably, but not necessarily, a round hole, an angle of three edges will not directly affect the underside of the valve. Depending on the number of walls in any particular packaging, additional stress relieving signs may be applied to the inner or middle walls, as the case may be.

Figure 5 also shows the offset relative to the slots separating adjacent valves 70 and the point-to-point fold lines separating the adjacent outer panel 60. Unlike the continuous fold lines 34a, 34b and 34c of the inner panel 40 (which create the parts 42, 44 and 46 of the inner panel) and middle valves 50 (which partially define each pair of middle valve parts 52a / b, 54a / b, 56a / b and 58a / b), which lead to the same wall sizes, valves 70 have different sizes in comparison with their respective panels. Since the valves 70 form the end walls as opposed to the side walls, there is no need for such symmetry. Moreover, as shown in FIG. 3, since the valves 70 will be at right angles to the side walls containing the inner panel 40, the middle valves 50 and the outer panel 60, the larger valves will extend along all open edges of the outer panels 60 when container 20 will be collected. The consequence of this configuration is that all open edges of the vertical side walls can be closed by end valves, and that vertical compressive loads can be evenly distributed across the end valves, see also FIG. 11.

Turning now to FIGS. 6-12, the container assembly 20 is shown in detail. The finished blank 22, described with reference to FIG. 4, is supplied from the converting machine to the folding and gluing section. Using the folding rods or vanes, the connecting parts 52a, 54a, 56a and 58a, 52b, 54b, 56b and 58b of the middle valves are folded at an angle of 180 °, along the slots are the bend lines 43a, 45a, 47a and 49a, 43b, 45b, 47b and 49b for connection in the area of contact of the surface with the surface with the corresponding parts 42, 44, 46 and 48 of the inner panel, as shown in Fig.6. Before starting or completing the folding process at 180 °, the adhesive is applied to the surface of the contact areas, preferably using a spray application system. After 180 ° folding and gluing is completed, the chevron edges 53a / b, 55a / b, 57a / b and 59a / b are joined approximately in the middle of the inner panel portions 42, 44, 46 and 48. The serrated and interconnected configuration of the chevron edges 53a / b, 55a / b, 57a / b and 59a / b distributes the connected line into the area more than a simple straight cut and appears on the underside of the flat drawer blank.

Using the gripping mechanism, the inner protrusion 30 is folded upward at an angle of 90 ° along the bend line 32, part 42 of the inner panel (with a pair of middle valves 52a / b) is folded upward at a 90 ° angle along the bend line 34a, part 44 of the inner panel (with a pair of middle valves 54a / b) are folded upward at an angle of 90 ° along the bend line 34b, part 46 of the inner panel (with a pair of middle valves 56a / b) are folded upward at an angle of 90 ° along the bend line 34c and part 48 of the inner panel (with a pair of middle valves 58a / b) fold at an angle of 90 ° along the fold line 36, as shown in FIG. All folds are directed upward at an angle of 90 ° and therefore from the surface joint of the chevron edges 53a / b, 55a / b, 57a / b and 59a / b. The resulting design is shown in Fig.9.

Adhesive is applied to the mating surfaces of the outer panel parts 62, 64, 66 and 68, and the folding process continues by folding the outer panel part 62 at an angle of 90 ° along the bend line 38a, the outer panel part 64 at a 90 ° angle along the bend line 38b, part 66 the outer panel at an angle of 90 ° along the bend line 38c and part 68 of the outer panel at an angle of 90 ° along the bend line 82, and the folding and gluing process is completed on the outer adhesive protrusion 80. This process is shown in FIG. 10. Those skilled in the art will understand that the folding process up can be carried out using a mandrel or other device.

The combined effect of multiple folding at an angle of 90 ° and gluing results in the formation of an initially flat, rigid corrugated board blank containing an inner protrusion 30, an inner panel 40, middle valves 50 that form an intermediate panel, and an outer panel 60, as well as, if desired , the outer protrusion 80, which are shown in Figure 4, a multi-layer, four-sided, finished container / box with single valves at the top and bottom, which does not have "production joints and is shown in Figure 11. Since the unstressed state (production resting position) is the state of the container when used, there is a natural tendency for the container to return to its resting position after compression. In containers with three-layer walls, this advantage does not have large consequences. However, in a multilayer container, the force necessary to form the desired shape of the container from the disassembled configuration may be significant if the description of the invention is not followed.Therefore, there is a significant benefit in labor costs in the manufacture of multilayer packaging, which has the position peace, the same as the position of use. In addition, by introducing the folding lines of the panels at each edge, the dismantling of the container is facilitated (the folding lines further localize any resulting failure, thereby preserving the structural integrity of the packaging in places near the edges).

By introducing one, some or all of the above features, significant benefits can be realized related to strength and material costs (production efficiency will be mentioned below). The following table shows the corresponding advantages of one series of embodiments of containers according to the invention. Here, the new packaging contains all the features of the above-described embodiment, while the packaging known from the prior art (HP) is made of two layers of panels of a five-layer corrugated material or three layers of panels of a five-layer corrugated material, and the layers of panels are embedded but not connected to each other.

Box (1/4 cube, half size) Squeezing, pounds Weight, pounds НР1 - two layers of panels 9265 10.90 НР2 - two layers of panels 8815 10.90 New 1 - Highly Glued 13290 10.75 New 2 12420 10,20 New 3 11965 10,20 НРТ1 - three layers of panels 13650 13.95 НРТ2 - three layers of panels 13200 14.00

As can be understood from the above table, a container made according to the invention has excellent compressive strength (one of the main factors when evaluating packaging) compared to prior art constructions with comparable mass or a significantly lower amount of material used with comparable compressive strengths. As can be seen below, the manufacturing methods of containers according to the invention increase cost savings by simplifying the production process and transportation.

Prior to this, the manufacture of multilayer containers according to various embodiments of the invention has focused on the general handling of the workpiece to form the container precursors, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6-11. The following disclosure is directed to a systematic approach to mass production of containers according to the invention and to the implementation of appropriate methods. As with the previous disclosure regarding packaging with seven-layer side walls, the following disclosure describes a method and its options for mass production of such packaging. The specialist will be clear that the disclosed modes and approaches are not exclusive for creating containers according to the invention, but represent general and specific embodiments intended to determine the preferred means to achieve these goals.

Given the high level of automation of packaging production processes, for example, the availability of computerized production devices and servo-driven devices, many of the following actions are autonomously carried out by machines with the corresponding programmed commands. The specialist will understand that before operating such programmable machines, it is necessary to determine the program parameters and enter them into the machine interface. Therefore, the following disclosure is intended to create a test series of phenomena that occur in the production of the desired packaging based on commands previously entered into various machines.

The base material for the manufacture of containers 20 is obtained from a corrugated press (not shown), which produces a continuous web or double-sided three-layer corrugated material. The canvas can be consumed immediately or can be stored in the form of blanks until needed. In the example shown, blanks 22 having a total length of approximately 30 feet (9 meters) can be obtained from the web by, for example, cutting. After the corresponding cutting of the workpieces 22, they undergo the operation of applying slots, folding lines and cutting to form the required containers 20 described above.

In a preferred system, the processes of applying slits, folding lines and cutting are carried out by a pair of opposing machines, which feed the blanks using traditional means of transportation. These machines, preferably Rapidex RAPIDBOX machines (a division of the Bobst Group, Switzerland) from Angers, France, create the desired workpieces by appropriate programming, the parameters of which are determined based on the size and geometry of the required packaging. The RAPIDBOX machine can work with workpieces up to 110 inches × 400 inches or 2.8 m × 10 m in size, which makes it suitable, in particular, for the production of large containers described in this document. In other conditions, these processes can be carried out by more complex machines, such as numerous slotting machines, machines for applying folding lines, slots and rotary die cutting presses, which are installed in series in the production line. Regardless of the method of processing the blanks, the obtained blanks are fed to the bending and gluing posts, which will be described below.

After exiting the converting machines, the billets 22 are fed to the receiving platform 210, as shown in FIG. 13, after which they are transported by vacuum overhead conveyors 220 to the folding and gluing station 230. This method of transportation is more desirable than the rest for two reasons. First, it maintains full openness of the lower surface of the inner panel 40 (surface 140) and the middle valves 50 (surface 150), which is important during the up-winding process described below. Second, it precisely supports the specific position of the blanks 22 relative to other machines, which is important for the precise application of glue. However, one skilled in the art will understand that turning the workpiece 22 so that the surface 140 of the inner panel 140 and the surface 150 of the middle valves are open on the upper side and that the workpiece can be moved by a conventional conveyor will allow proper transportation and use of the middle valves 50 when wound up and winding down (see below).

Depending on the design aspects, which include cost and productivity criteria, the adhesive applied to the workpiece 22 by means of an adhesive application means can be applied selectively or completely to the surface 140 of the inner panel and / or the surface 150 of the middle valves open to the first application means glue. Selective application of glue requires a deliberate arrangement of glue lines or areas within the boundaries of these panels and / or valves. Although in the described embodiment, PVA glue or hot melt glue is applied by spray nozzles 262 and 264, any glue applicator is suitable that can apply the required amount of a certain type of glue to the workpiece 22. The glue and glue composition shown were chosen in an attempt to optimize production speed in the manner shown. At a speed of approximately 200 feet per minute, the applied adhesive has enough time to “shrink” before folding and aligning the middle valves 50, as described below.

After applying glue to the inner panel surface 140 and / or the middle valve surface 150, the folding manipulators bend the middle valves 50 and the middle valve surface 150 contacts the inner panel surface 140, as shown in FIG. To compress the middle valves 50 and the inner panel 40, a combination of pinch rollers can be used in combination with the overhead conveyor 160, otherwise the winding process described below will create a compressive contact between the two surfaces.

At this point, the transformed preform 22 is transformed into the precursor 122. To prepare the precursor 122 for the manufacture of containers 20, it is also necessary to apply glue to the open surface of the outer panel 60 (and / or the open surface of the middle valves 50, which are now on the underside of the predecessor 122). In the shown embodiments, a second adhesive applicator 262 is provided that selectively applies adhesive to the exposed surface of the outer panel 60.

With reference to FIG. 16, when the protrusion 30 approaches the winder 270, the clamping member 271 opens (if it is not already open) to receive the protrusion 30. Depending on the type of implementation, the rotator 276 may already rotate or may begin to rotate after being gripped by the clamping element 271 of the protrusion 30. Although mechanical gripping means are shown, alternative means may be provided, for example vacuum gripping means, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. In addition to the clamping member 271 or its equivalent, the rotator 276 preferably comprises a number of folding rods corresponding to the number of vertical tare angles, in this case four (4). Folding rods generally localize bending stresses during container formation and make container formation convenient and cheap with low weight. Folding rods 272a-d can hydraulically or mechanically move on rotator 276, the only requirement being that this device can receive the predecessor 122, facilitate the formation of the container 20 and release the container 20 to receive the next predecessor 122.

When the precursor 122 is wound around the rotator 276, sufficient tension must be applied so that the outer panel 60 is securely connected to the middle valves 50 (or any other part of the precursor 122, as the case may be), and that the outer protrusion 80 (if any) correctly approached the vertical angle at position 82 (see Figure 1). Proper tension can be achieved by lowering the ejection speed of predecessor 122 in front of rotator 276 while maintaining a constant speed; by increasing the rotational speed while maintaining a constant ejection speed and / or by increasing the relative effective displacement of the folding rods 172a-d. However, a preferred means for maintaining the required parameters is to vertically adjust the rotator 276 so that the predecessors 122 are always in plane contact with the rotator 276. As indicated in FIG. 15 and FIG. 16, the winding device 270 is designed to move in the vertical direction (Fig. 15 shows that the hydraulic lift 277 is connected to the pulley system 278). Alternatively, an external compression member may be used when winding the precursor onto the mandrel to compress the layers of the side wall of the container. The above methods for ensuring proper winding of the precursor are not exclusive, and those skilled in the art may use other means to achieve the same or similar results.

In order for the corrugated material wound around the winding device 270 to not accidentally be "wound", the outer panels 62-68 must be held close to the intermediate panels 52-58 during the shrinkage of the adhesive, which usually does not happen when the container 20 is on the rotator 276. In a preferred embodiment, the winding device 270 comprises a lower support table 275, which has an upper surface approximately at the level of the workpiece 22. By maintaining non-compressive contact between the panel wound last and the protrusion from the support table 275, the container 20 will not prematurely “leave” the winding device 270. In this position, there is sufficient tension and the precursor 122 will have a connection between the surfaces of the panels 140 and 150, as well as between the surfaces of the panels 50 and 60. However, the shrinkage time of the adhesive is usually longer winding time of the predecessor 122. Therefore, a post “curing” is necessary. In the described embodiment, the carousel structure is used, which is shown in FIG. 13, in which the further transportation of the formed container 20 is postponed for a time allowing the adhesive to harden, thereby ensuring that the container 20 will not “unwind”.

To remove the formed packaging 20 from the winder 270, one, several or all of the folding rods 172a-d can be retracted so as to reduce friction between them and the packaging 20, although this action is not necessary to remove the packaging 20. In some embodiments, the implementation be used a sliding element, capturing the outer surface, or other means for removing the containers 20 from the mandrel 170. However, it is preferable to introduce into the container 20 a manipulator having a number of extendable elements (mechanical, and / or non-pneumatic, and / or electrical, and / or hydraulic), these elements in the extended state compressively in contact with the inner walls of the container 20 (or engage with them by vacuum), and then the manipulator is removed to remove the container 20 from the folding rods 172a -d. The support table 285 is used for the same purposes as the support table 275.

After the assembly 280 is rotated, the additional formed packaging 20 is removed from the winding device 270. When the formed packaging reaches a certain location (shown in FIG. 13 as opposed to the winding device 270), the engagement process is reversed, and the formed packaging leaves the retractable arm. After removal, the container may be folded for storage and / or transportation.

Due to the relative difference in thickness of the side panels and valves, some embodiments of the method of the present invention provide for the folding of the external valves 70 onto the side panels as shown in FIG. 15. If such an end configuration is desired, these embodiments of the invention fold the end valves to the side panels while folding the intermediate valves. Thus, when the precursor 122 is wound upward, the outer flaps 70 are not in the extended position, but are placed in compressive contact with the panels 60. In addition to eliminating the step of separately folding these end panels after forming the container 20, shorter mandrels and strippers can be used containers when the overall length of the container is reduced by the depth of the end valves. In such embodiments, it may also be considered desirable to remove the protrusion 80 so that the contact surface is flat enough to prevent coiling and / or collapse.

In the processes described in the previous paragraph, it is desirable to retain a small portion of the valves 72-78 for connection with the material to prevent premature folding (which may occur due to incomplete cutting between the panels at the far end of the valves). Thus, when the folded container is delivered to the customer, the valves 72-78 are separated and folded into place.

Claims (20)

1. The method of creating the precursor of a multilayer packaging from a single material blank, which determines the longitudinal direction from the first end to the second end, the method comprising:
the definition of the inner panel, which forms the inner side walls of the container in the assembled state, and the inner panel contains a number of internal parts of the panel, where each part of the inner panel is adjacent to the adjacent part of the inner panel and each part of the inner panel contains one inner side wall of the container in the assembled state;
determining at least one pair of opposing middle valves that extends from the inner panel to the far edge, the sum of the transverse lengths of the pair of middle valves from their intersection with the inner panel to the far edge is equal to or less than the transverse length of the inner panel from the intersection with the first opposite middle the valve until it intersects with the second opposite middle valve, and each middle valve contains a number of valve parts, where each part of the valve is adjacent to an adjacent Stu valve, and each pair of opposing portions of the valve is one average lateral wall of container in an assembled condition;
the definition of the outer panel, which extends from the inner panel and forms the outer side walls of the container in the assembled state, and the outer panel contains a number of parts of the outer panel, where each part of the outer panel is adjacent to a neighboring part of the outer panel and each part of the outer panel constitutes the outer side wall of the container in assembled condition; and
bending at least one pair of opposing middle valves to bring their distal edges close to each other and attaching them to the inner panel to form intermediate side walls when the preform is assembled to produce containers. 2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising creating an adhesive protrusion at the first end of the preform and an adhesive protrusion at the second end of the preform, where the first adhesive protrusion is attached to the inner panel when assembling the container, and the second adhesive protrusion is attached to the outer panel when assembling the container . 3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the formation of non-linear far edges of the middle valves. 4. The method according to claim 3, where the far edges of the middle valves have one of a repeating rectilinear structure, curvilinear structure, or a combination of rectilinear and curvilinear structures. 5. The method according to claim 1, where the distal edges of the middle valves are padded, so that when folding, the far edge of one middle valve will essentially adjoin the far edge of the opposite middle valve. 6. The method according to claim 1, in addition, containing the creation of a fold line between the parts of the middle valves. 7. The method according to claim 1, in addition, containing the creation of one of the slots, slit holes or the gap between the parts of the middle valves. 8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising creating a fold line between parts of the inner panel. 9. The method according to claim 1, where the material is a corrugated material with two flat layers. 10. The method according to claim 1, comprising forming a transverse dimension of any part of the inner panel so that it is smaller than the transverse dimension of any part of the outer panel. 11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising forming at least one pair of opposite end valves extending from at least some parts of the outer panel, each end valve being separated from the adjacent end valve by a slot hole, a slot, or a gap. 12. The method according to claim 11, where the pairs of opposite end valves extend laterally from each part of the outer panel. 13. The method according to claim 11, further comprising creating a sign of stress relieving at the junction between the end valve and part of the outer panel. 14. The method according to item 12, in addition, containing the creation of a sign of stress relief at the junction between each end valve and each part of the outer panel. 15. The method according to claim 11, where the longitudinal length of each end valve is greater or less than the longitudinal length of the corresponding part of the outer panel from which it departs. 16. The workpiece according to claim 1, where the resting position of the container formed from the workpiece is the same as the position of use of the container formed from the workpiece. 17. The method according to claim 1, where the preform is obtained from a sheet of corrugated material with two flat layers. 18. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 13, where the preform is obtained in a continuous process starting with corrugated press. 19. The method according to item 13, where the sign of stress relieving contains a hole defined at least partially by two adjacent end valves and an outer panel. 20. The method according to claim 1, where one part of the inner panel has a longitudinal length greater than that of any other part of the inner panel.

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