WO2020219526A1 - Procédés à base de piston alternatif pour former des articles thermoplastiques ayant des bords lisses - Google Patents

Procédés à base de piston alternatif pour former des articles thermoplastiques ayant des bords lisses Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2020219526A1
WO2020219526A1 PCT/US2020/029285 US2020029285W WO2020219526A1 WO 2020219526 A1 WO2020219526 A1 WO 2020219526A1 US 2020029285 W US2020029285 W US 2020029285W WO 2020219526 A1 WO2020219526 A1 WO 2020219526A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
ram
article
sheet
spacer
peripheral
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2020/029285
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Millard Wallace
Original Assignee
Converter Manufacturing, Llc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Converter Manufacturing, Llc filed Critical Converter Manufacturing, Llc
Publication of WO2020219526A1 publication Critical patent/WO2020219526A1/fr
Priority to US17/508,547 priority Critical patent/US20220105670A1/en

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C53/00—Shaping by bending, folding, twisting, straightening or flattening; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C53/34—Rim rolling
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B26—HAND CUTTING TOOLS; CUTTING; SEVERING
    • B26F—PERFORATING; PUNCHING; CUTTING-OUT; STAMPING-OUT; SEVERING BY MEANS OTHER THAN CUTTING
    • B26F2210/00—Perforating, punching, cutting-out, stamping-out, severing by means other than cutting of specific products
    • B26F2210/06—Trimming plastic mouldings
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C51/00—Shaping by thermoforming, i.e. shaping sheets or sheet like preforms after heating, e.g. shaping sheets in matched moulds or by deep-drawing; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C51/26—Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations
    • B29C51/266—Auxiliary operations after the thermoforming operation
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C57/00—Shaping of tube ends, e.g. flanging, belling or closing; Apparatus therefor, e.g. collapsible mandrels
    • B29C57/12—Rim rolling
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29L—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES
    • B29L2031/00—Other particular articles
    • B29L2031/712—Containers; Packaging elements or accessories, Packages
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29L—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES
    • B29L2031/00—Other particular articles
    • B29L2031/712—Containers; Packaging elements or accessories, Packages
    • B29L2031/7132—Bowls, Cups, Glasses

Definitions

  • plastic films are also employed for shipping the containers, such as the“mother bags” (i.e., typically thin plastic bags) used for containing multiple product-in-container-packages during shipping and the plastic grocery bags used by consumers to transport purchased goods from a retailer.
  • the“mother bags” i.e., typically thin plastic bags
  • the plastic grocery bags used by consumers to transport purchased goods from a retailer. This can be achieved by reducing or eliminating sharp or rough container edges, at least positions on the container at which such edges might reasonably contact the film during packaging, storage, shipment, or display.
  • a ram can be urged into the interior, closely opposed against the interior, behind the deflectable flange to an extent that a face of the ram impinges upon and further deflects the deflectable flange, for example, at the bend region.
  • the face can be substantially planar, for example.
  • the face can also be substantially perpendicular to the portion of the interior that impinges upon the peripheral flange.
  • the face can define an obtuse angle with the portion of the interior that impinges upon the peripheral flange.
  • the face can have a concave profile, relative to the interior.
  • Figures 8E, 8F, and 8G sequentially depict the effect of urging the shaped article 100 farther against the ram 300 in the direction indicated by the open arrow in each figure.
  • the deflectable flange 160 includes a peripheral flange 120 at the peripheral end of the spacer 140.
  • the peripheral flange 120 deflects during bending of the deflectable flange 160 to the extent that it becomes indistinguishable from the spacer 140.
  • Figure 10 consists of Figure 10A, 10B, and IOC.
  • Figure 10A is an image of a ram 300 having a shaped article 100 in the form of a rimmed, rounded rectangular tray borne thereby.
  • the upper surface 302 in which a second article could be disposed, but which does not currently bear an article.
  • the extension 50 connects the spacer 140 and peripheral flange 120 portions of the deflectable flange to the body 10 of the article 100.
  • Figure IOC is a diagrammatic cross-section of the ram 300 shown in Figure 10B, including landmark letters A-E.
  • Figure 11 consists of Figures 1 lA-1 IE and illustrates a method of forming a smooth peripheral edge on an article 100 by advancing a ram 300 against the peripheral flange 160 of the article in an incremental fashion.
  • Figure 11 A the article and the ram have been moved toward one another (open arrow) sufficiently that the end of the peripheral flange has contacted the curved portion of the upper surface of the ram.
  • Figure 1 IB shows the article and ram in the same relative positions, denoting that the first portion of the deflectable flange within the ram has remained there for a period of time, permitting that first portion to soften.
  • the ram is impinged against the edge, impinged to a lesser degree against or disengaged from the sheet (i.e., moved in the reciprocal direction), and thereafter again impinged against the sheet; this reciprocal cycle of motions can performed multiple times upon a given sheet.
  • the shaped articles will be ones for which handling of the articles or contact between peripheral edges of the article and one or more fragile materials is anticipated.
  • the edge-smoothing process described herein can remove one or more sharp edges from thermoplastic articles which normally have such sharp edges, regardless of the method(s) by which the articles are produced.
  • the portion of the spacer 140 which bears the peripheral edge 110 points at the underside of the deflectable flange 160 because the plane extending from the peripheral-most portion of the spacer 140 intersects the extension 50 of the deflectable flange 160 (note, however, that this peripheral-most portion of the spacer 140 does not point at the body because it is the plane extending in the direction opposite from the peripheral-most portion of the spacer 140 that intersects the body - even when a bent-back portion of the peripheral spacer 120 is present, as in Figure 8Ki).
  • ram 300 that will deflect the peripheral flange 120 and peripheral edge 110 anti-peripherally when the ram 300 is inserted behind the article 100 in the upper body 200 can be used, such as blunt or rounded (convex or concave at its upper face 302), or a combination of any of these, can be used, for example as shown in Figure 5.
  • an operator can induce softening of portions of the deflectable flange, particularly including at its peripheral edge and at portions of the spacer near that peripheral edge. Softening of these portions facilitates bending of the deflectable flange at the softened portions, such as by urging the article further against the ram, such that a curved portion of the upper surface will induce bending as the more-peripheral portions of the deflectable flange are driven against the curved portion of the upper surface by the less-peripheral portions (which transmit force applied to the article), as shown in Figure 8F.
  • OA has been increased to about 105 degrees from its initial value of 90 degrees, thereby inducing displacement of peripheral edge 110 away from the periphery by a linear distance of approximately D - d. It can be seen that further increasing OA without curling the spacer 140 at peripheral edge 110 will decrease d, at least for values of OA from 90 to 180 degrees or until increasing OA causes the peripheral edge 110 to impinge upon the shaped body 10 (at which point d is zero and may increase if the peripheral edge is deflected away from the shaped body 10 upon further increase in OA).
  • the distance d between the portion of the spacer 140 adjacent the peripheral flange 120 (in this embodiment, this portion is the elbow 130) and the shaped body 10 will decrease, at least until that portion contacts the shaped body 10 or OA exceeds 180 degrees (at which point d will increase upon further deflection, at least until OA exceeds 360 degrees).
  • the fraction d/D can be selected to be, for example, zero, 1/10, 1/4, 1/3, 1/2, 2/3, 3/4, or 9/10 (i.e., any value up to one and not less than zero).
  • the containers have an interior portion, usually concave in shape, intended for containing or supporting articles to be carried in the container, and this interior portion typically includes the bottom/base (the articles to be carried resting upon the upper face of the bottom/base when the lower face of the bottom/base rests on a horizontal surface).
  • Such containers normally have a“rim” (e.g., corresponding to the extension 50 of the deflectable flange described herein) that surrounds the interior portion.
  • the rim often extends parallel to the bottom/base, the extension being planar, so that a flexible plastic film that is tautly urged against the rim can be maintained in a taut state, substantially without wrinkles, dimples, or other deformations.
  • OA represents the angle through which the peripheral end of the spacer 140 has been turned, relative to the plane of the rim (represented in this embodiment by the plane of the extension 50). If the peripheral end of the spacer 140 nearest the peripheral edge 110 retains a planar conformation, that plane should be used to assess OA; if the peripheral end of the spacer 140 is curved, then a plane tangent to the curve at its peripheral end should be used to assess OA. In each of Figures 8B and 8J, OA is about 230 degrees.
  • inward force exerted upon deflectable flanges in embodiments shown in Figures 7 and 8 can also be transmitted to the shaped body of the article.
  • an additional advantage of the rolled-over edge formed by this process is that the rolled edge can be used instead of conventional stacking lugs (i.e., thermoform- shaped portions of articles contoured to limit how closely an article can nest within another otherwise-identically shaped article).
  • stacking lugs i.e., thermoform- shaped portions of articles contoured to limit how closely an article can nest within another otherwise-identically shaped article.
  • Such known stacking lugs in order to perform their desired anti-nesting function, must furthermore be narrower at their upper end than their lower end (referring to Figure 9D as an example) in order to prevent nesting of the stacking lugs of adjacent trays.
  • Figure 9F illustrates an optional embodiment of the rolled edge described herein that also affects the stacking characteristics of shaped articles having the rolled edge.
  • On the right side of Figure 9F are shown three stacked trays having the rolled edge described herein, the rolled edge being substantially identical (including in height) about the entire periphery of the tray.
  • On the left side of Figure 9F are shown three other stacked trays, these trays also bearing a rolled over edge as described herein about their entire periphery.
  • the rolled edge of those on the left are not uniform about their entire periphery.
  • the enhanced edge strength of the shaped articles described herein permits them to be sealed with snap-on/snap-off type lids or other conventional sealing technologies.
  • the edge strength and rigidity conferred to the shaped article also prevents deflection induced by tension in a film used to overwrap or seal the article (e.g., so-called“bow-tying” as the phenomenon of a concave article closing upon its concavity when wrapped or sealed) and to withstand stresses imposed by (or necessary to the operation of) container-handling equipment, such as de-nesting equipment used for segregating individual containers from a stack of nested containers.
  • Figure 11 is a sectional view depicting a method of curling a peripheral flange 160 under the rim of an article 100 using a ram 300. It can be seen (Figs. 11 A and 1 IB) that less than all of the deflectable flange can be inserted within the curved upper surface of the ram while the deflectable flange remains in its initial flat, straight conformation. For that reason, it is not possible to soften the entirety of the deflectable flange at once.
  • the peripheral edge and spacer adjacent portion of the deflectable flange (to simplify illustration, the deflectable flange is shown having no peripheral flange or elbow) are inserted into the ram in the general direction indicated by the open arrow.
  • thermoplastic sheet held in contact with that ram surface can be expected to experience different heat fluxes at the positions labeled G-Q in Fig. 13B, resulting in different thermoplastic sheet temperatures at those positions.
  • the sheet temperature is at or greater than the GTT of the sheet material, the sheet will be deformable.
  • a deflectable flange is applied against the surface of the ram shown in Figure 13 A.
  • deflection of the spacer (and/or other portions) of the deflectable flange induces bending within the bend region, within the spacer, or both.
  • the angular shape of the bend region both controls the location of that bending and the smoothness of the resulting edge.
  • the deflectable flange 160 includes at least three portions, including the bend region 150, a peripheral flange 120, and an elbow 130 positioned therebetween.
  • the bend region 150 is connected to the remainder of the article 100, optionally by way of an extension 50.
  • the peripheral flange 120 is connected to the bend region 150 by way of the elbow 130, optionally with a spacer 140 interposed between the bend region 150 and the elbow 130.
  • a prototypical deflectable flange 160 having each of these portions is illustrated (attached to the body 10 of an article 100) in Figure 1A.
  • the spacer 140 can be discretely discernible from the bend region 150 (e.g., a flat region distinct from a curved bend region 150) or substantially indistinguishable (e.g., a slightly curved region not readily distinguished from the curvature of the bend region 150).
  • the dimensions of the extension region are not critical; it can range from non-existent (i.e., the bend region 150 commences at the elbow 130), to a fraction of a millimeter, to a few millimeters or longer.
  • the working temperature should be selected both to be suitable for deflection of the deflectable flange as described herein and for working the substrate and peelable layers of the shaped article without causing delamination of the peelable layers.
  • the materials from which the upper body is constructed are not critical, other than that they should be suitable to withstand the manufacturing conditions described herein. That is, they should not melt or degrade at the temperatures used in the processing.
  • a wide variety of metal, ceramic, stone, and polymeric materials can be used.
  • the primary function of the ram 300 is to induce deflection in the deflectable flange.
  • the ram can be used with or without a corresponding upper body 200, but such an upper body can serve to contain and control the article as it is contacted with the ram.
  • the method and mechanism(s) used to impart relative motion between the article and the ram are not critical.
  • the ram is used to impinge upon and apply compressive force to the peripheral flange 120 of the deflectable flange 160 when the article is disposed in the upper body 200.
  • a flexible film that is sealed about the flat periphery of a tray may tear or split when one portion of the film is pulled away from the tray, potentially requiring a user to remove the film in multiple passes or many strips or pieces.
  • Such difficulties may be particularly acute in situations in which the sealing surface is broad, such as in a VSP-sealed package in which a sealing film may be adhered to or fused with a relatively large area of a tray on which an item has been sealed between the film and the tray.
  • the technology described herein can be used to reduce or overcome this difficulty as follows.
  • thermoformed packages of known design that are employed to facilitate handling, to inhibit theft, or to achieve other ends can be adapted (e.g., by including a deflectable flange in their design and rolling it over) to take advantage of the edge- smoothing technology described herein.

Abstract

La présente invention concerne la formation d'articles thermoplastiques façonnés ayant des bords lisses. De nombreux articles thermoplastiques présentent des bords tranchants formés lors du moulage ou de la découpe de l'article à partir d'une feuille de matière première. De tels bords tranchants peuvent endommager des films plastiques minces ou la chair avec lesquels ils entrent en contact et un lissage des bords est souhaitable. L'invention concerne des méthodes de formation d'un bord lisse pour de tels articles à bords tranchants par laminage sur le bord tranchant. L'opération de lissage est réalisée par la formation d'une bride pouvant être déviée comprenant une partie courbée séparée du bord périphérique potentiellement tranchant par un élément d'espacement, la déviation d'une partie de la bride pouvant être déviée et le ramollissement d'au moins une partie courbée de la bride pouvant être déviée pour produire une périphérie lisse lors du refroidissement. La déviation peut comprendre le roulage de l'élément d'espacement au niveau ou à proximité du bord périphérique. Les procédés peuvent être effectués de manière incrémentielle et/ou de manière alternative.
PCT/US2020/029285 2015-08-31 2020-04-22 Procédés à base de piston alternatif pour former des articles thermoplastiques ayant des bords lisses WO2020219526A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US17/508,547 US20220105670A1 (en) 2015-08-31 2021-10-22 Reciprocating Ram-Based Methods for Forming Thermoplastic Articles Having Smooth Edges

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US201963836917P 2019-04-22 2019-04-22
US63836917 2019-04-22

Related Parent Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US16/536,843 Continuation-In-Part US20190358890A1 (en) 2015-08-31 2019-08-09 Ram-Based Methods for Forming Thermoplastic Article Having Smooth Edges

Related Child Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US17/508,547 Continuation US20220105670A1 (en) 2015-08-31 2021-10-22 Reciprocating Ram-Based Methods for Forming Thermoplastic Articles Having Smooth Edges

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WO2020219526A1 true WO2020219526A1 (fr) 2020-10-29

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Citations (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3357053A (en) * 1964-08-27 1967-12-12 Illinois Tool Works Apparatus for curling rims of articles
US3703255A (en) * 1970-02-12 1972-11-21 Scott Paper Co Plastic container having expanded side wall
US4281979A (en) * 1979-10-26 1981-08-04 Owens-Illinois, Inc. Apparatus to form a flat-topped rim on a thin-walled foam plastic container
US4358492A (en) * 1980-10-22 1982-11-09 The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company Novel process for deep stretch forming of polyesters
US5026514A (en) * 1989-05-05 1991-06-25 Hauwiller Paul B Incremental forming of thermoplastic composites
US5066351A (en) * 1987-05-20 1991-11-19 The Boeing Company Hot/cold press forming methods for shaping thermoformable materials
US5118277A (en) * 1989-12-18 1992-06-02 O.M.V. Spa Apparatus for forming the edge of containers of synthetic thermoplastic material
US5217556A (en) * 1990-05-31 1993-06-08 Hexcel Corporation Continuous process for the preparation of unitary thermoplastic honeycomb containing areas with different physical properties
US20130064998A1 (en) * 2011-09-09 2013-03-14 Patrick H. Wnek Tool For Forming A Three Dimensional Article Or Container
US20150001127A1 (en) * 2012-01-05 2015-01-01 Progressive Packaging Inc. Sustainable packaging tray and packaging system and method of making same
US20180345571A1 (en) * 2015-08-31 2018-12-06 Converter Manufacturing, Llc Ram-based Methods for Forming Thermoplastic Article Having Smooth Edges

Patent Citations (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3357053A (en) * 1964-08-27 1967-12-12 Illinois Tool Works Apparatus for curling rims of articles
US3703255A (en) * 1970-02-12 1972-11-21 Scott Paper Co Plastic container having expanded side wall
US4281979A (en) * 1979-10-26 1981-08-04 Owens-Illinois, Inc. Apparatus to form a flat-topped rim on a thin-walled foam plastic container
US4358492A (en) * 1980-10-22 1982-11-09 The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company Novel process for deep stretch forming of polyesters
US5066351A (en) * 1987-05-20 1991-11-19 The Boeing Company Hot/cold press forming methods for shaping thermoformable materials
US5026514A (en) * 1989-05-05 1991-06-25 Hauwiller Paul B Incremental forming of thermoplastic composites
US5118277A (en) * 1989-12-18 1992-06-02 O.M.V. Spa Apparatus for forming the edge of containers of synthetic thermoplastic material
US5217556A (en) * 1990-05-31 1993-06-08 Hexcel Corporation Continuous process for the preparation of unitary thermoplastic honeycomb containing areas with different physical properties
US20130064998A1 (en) * 2011-09-09 2013-03-14 Patrick H. Wnek Tool For Forming A Three Dimensional Article Or Container
US20150001127A1 (en) * 2012-01-05 2015-01-01 Progressive Packaging Inc. Sustainable packaging tray and packaging system and method of making same
US20180345571A1 (en) * 2015-08-31 2018-12-06 Converter Manufacturing, Llc Ram-based Methods for Forming Thermoplastic Article Having Smooth Edges

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