WO2009043677A1

WO2009043677A1 - Method for manufacturing a cardboard container

Info

Publication number: WO2009043677A1
Application number: PCT/EP2008/061702
Authority: WO
Inventors: Aldo Pozzoli
Original assignee: Pozzoli S.P.A.
Priority date: 2007-10-04
Filing date: 2008-09-04
Publication date: 2009-04-09
Also published as: ITMI20071906A1

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a cardboard container, comprises the steps of: printing a coated face of a sheet-like cardboard element (1); die-cutting the sheet-like element in order to provide at least one monolithic element which has, on the free sides of a front wing (11) and of a rear wing (12), folding flaps (15, 16, 18, 19, 21, 22, 25, 26, 28, 29, 31, 32) which are separated by scoring lines (17, 20, 23, 30, 33) and have connecting tabs (40); applying a layer (50) of adhesive material to the inner face of the flaps that lies opposite the coated face; and forming the container by folding the flaps, superimposing them on the connecting tabs.

Description

METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A CARDBOARD CONTAINER

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a cardboard container. Background Art

As is known, containers or boxes are already commercially available which are manufactured by means of a sheet-like cardboard element, on the outer surface of which, after forming the box or container, a covering is applied by means of a sheet which has a printable surface with several aesthetic qualities, including an elegant appearance.

Substantially, therefore, once the cardboard box has been formed, it is necessary to perform a subsequent processing step to apply by pasting the paper sheet that will provide the aesthetic features, and which, in order to be modeled on the box, has to be plasticized so as to define an outer surface capable of avoiding breakages.

As is intuitive, this way of proceeding has a considerable effect on costs and moreover one has a product which is difficult to recycle due to the presence of the plasticization layer and it is further not possible to provide surface shaping treatments either in relief or in bas-relief. Disclosure of the invention

The aim of the invention is to solve the problem described above by providing a method for manufacturing a cardboard container that allows to simplify considerably the treatment steps, achieving formation of the finished container with a single operating step which can be performed on automatic machines.

Within this aim, an object of the present invention is to provide a method in which it is possible to perform surface treatments in relief or in bas-relief, thus contributing to a further improvement of the aesthetic appearance. Another object of the present invention is to provide a method which, thanks to its particular constructive characteristics, is capable of giving the greatest assurances of reliability and safety in use.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a method that can be obtained easily starting from commonly commercially available elements and materials and is also competitive from a merely economical standpoint.

This aim and these and other objects, which will become better apparent hereinafter, are achieved by a method for manufacturing a cardboard container according to the invention, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: printing a coated face of a sheet-like cardboard element; die-cutting said sheet-like element in order to provide at least one monolithic element which has, on the free sides of the front wing and of the rear wing, folding flaps which are separated by scoring lines and have connecting tabs; applying an adhesive material to the inner face of said flaps that lies opposite said coated face; and forming the container by folding said flaps, superimposing them on said connecting tabs. Brief description of the drawings

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become better apparent from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of a method for manufacturing a cardboard container, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a schematic view of the sheet-like element made of single- coated cardboard, after performing the printing step; Figure 2 is a view of the monolithic element;

Figure 3 is a view of the monolithic element taken from its inner face; Figure 4 is a schematic view of the initial step of the folding of the flaps;

Figure 5 is a view of the folded flaps; Figure 6 is a schematic perspective view of the resulting container in the open position;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the container obtained in the closed position;

Figure 8 is a view of the application of reinforcement inserts inside the container.

Ways of carrying out the invention

With reference to the figures, the method for manufacturing a cardboard container consists in printing, on a coated face of a sheet-like element 1 made of cardboard, which can be single- or double-coated, representations or in any case images that are deemed necessary.

Once the printing step has been performed, the step of die-cutting at least one individual element 10 monolithically is performed, together with the provision of the scoring lines that will facilitate formation.

The element 10 defines in practice a front wing 11 and a rear wing 12, which are separated by means of a spine 13, which is delimited by spine scoring lines, designated by the reference numeral 14.

At the free sides of the wings 1 1 and 12 there are respectively a first upper front flap 15 and a second upper front flap 16, which are separated by an upper scoring line 17, and a first lower front flap 18 and a second lower front flap 19, which are separated by a lower scoring line 20.

The flaps 15, 16 and 18, 19 are arranged on mutually opposite edges, while a first lateral flap 21 and a second lateral flap 22 of the front wing are formed which are separated by a front scoring line 23.

Correspondingly, on the rear wing there are a first upper rear flap 25 and a second upper rear flap 26, which are separated by an upper rear scoring line 27, and there are a first lower rear flap 28 and a second lower rear flap 29, which are separated by a lower rear scoring line 30.

A first rear lateral flap 31 and a second rear lateral flap 32 are provided on the lateral edge and are separated by a lateral rear scoring line 33. At the ends directed toward the lateral part of the first flaps 15, 18 and 25, 28, there are connecting tabs, all designated by the reference numeral 40, which allow to assemble the box as will become better apparent hereinafter. Once the die-cutting and scoring step has been performed, a layer of adhesive material 50 is applied at the face of the flaps that lies opposite the coated outer face.

There is also a hole 70 between the flaps 21 and 22 in order to provide a grip notch when the container is finished. Once the monolithic element has been prepared, the step of folding the flaps is performed by folding the first flaps onto the second flaps both at the front wing and at the rear wing, below and above.

The tabs 40 are then folded and remain inserted and retained between the first and second lateral flaps, which are folded back. In this manner it is possible to provide, with a single operating step, the container, which is completely finished and is structured so that it can be opened in a clamshell fashion in order to facilitate access to its interior.

It should be added to the above that if deemed appropriate, in the case of single-coated cardboard, it is possible to apply inserts 60 to the inner faces of the front wing and of the rear wing, thus providing both a stiffening of the container and a further finishing, so that the inner faces of the wings also have a coated surface which is optionally printed.

From what has been described above, it can thus be seen that the invention achieves the proposed aim and objects, and in particular the fact is stressed that a method is provided which, in a completely automatic manner, allows to provide a container which can be opened in a clamshell fashion and has an outer surface which is perfectly finished at the end of a single operating step for formation.

Moreover, the resulting product can be processed with portions shaped in relief or bas-relief and the product can be recycled easily, since it has no plasticization on its surface.

The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims. All the details may further be replaced with other technically equivalent elements.

In practice, the materials used, so long as they are compatible with the specific use, as well as the contingent shapes and dimensions, may be any according to requirements. The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. MI2007A001906 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.

Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a cardboard container, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: printing a coated face of a sheet-like cardboard element (1); die-cutting said sheet-like element (1) in order to provide at least one monolithic element which has, on free sides of a front wing (11) and of a rear wing (12), folding flaps (15, 16, 18, 19, 21, 22, 25, 26, 28, 29, 31, 32) which are separated by scoring lines (17, 20, 23, 27, 30, 33) and have connecting tabs (40); applying a layer (50) of adhesive material to the inner face of said flaps that lies opposite said coated face; and forming the container by folding said flaps, superimposing them on said connecting tabs (40).

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that said flaps (15, 16, 18, 19, 25, 26, 28, 29) have, for each side, a first flap and a second flap, which can be superimposed on each other by folding.

3. The method according to the preceding claims, characterized in that the lateral flaps of said front (11) and rear (12) wings are folded onto said tabs (40).

4. The method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises, on the lateral flaps (21 , 22) of said front wing (11), a hole (70) in order to provide a grip notch for opening said container.

5. The method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises inserts (60) which can be associated on the inner faces of said front wing (11) and of said rear wing ( 12) and have a coated face exposed.

6. The method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it provides for the relief or bas-relief shaping of said monolithic element.