WO2024147063A1

WO2024147063A1 - Flat laminar element for making pots, method for making said pots and system configured to implement said method

Info

Publication number: WO2024147063A1
Application number: PCT/IB2023/063277
Authority: WO
Inventors: Vittorio Rizzi
Original assignee: Comec Srl
Priority date: 2023-01-04
Filing date: 2023-12-27
Publication date: 2024-07-11

Abstract

A flexible, flat laminar element (1), configured to be shaped so as to define a pot and comprising: a central element (3) of circular shape corresponding to the bottom (Vf) of the pot (V) and at least two side appendages (5; 6) corresponding to the side surface (Ve) of the pot (V), each of which is delimited by a curved lower edge (5a; 6a), a curved upper edge (5e; 6e) and two side edges (5g; 6g) which are placed in contact with each other when the side appendages (5; 6) are raised with respect to the central element (3) and curved. The method for making the pot (V) involves the use of a press (14) and comprises the following operations: positioning the flexible, flat laminar element (1) between a punch (12) and a die (13), penetrating the punch (12) in the die (13) to shape the side surface (Ve) of the pot (V), compressing the bottom (12b) of the punch (12) against a shaping unit (15) to shape the bottom (Vf) of the pot (V), extracting the punch (12) from the die (13) and withdrawing the pot (V).

Description

FLAT LAMINAR ELEMENT FOR MAKING POTS, METHOD FOR MAKING SAID POTS AND SYSTEM CONFIGURED TO IMPLEMENT SAID METHOD. DESCRIPTION

The invention relates to a flexible, flat laminar element comprising a single one-piece body, configured to be shaped so as to define a pot.

The invention also relates to a method for making the aforesaid pot using the aforesaid laminar element.

Furthermore, the invention also relates to a system configured so as to implement the aforesaid method.

The flexible, flat, shaped and thin laminar element of the invention is preferably made of cardboard and corresponds to the planar extension of the surface of a pot.

Using such flexible, flat and shaped laminar elements and employing the method and the system both of which are the subject-matter of the invention, it is intended to make cardboard pots of various sizes, particularly but not exclusively adapted to be used in nurseries and greenhouses to contain plants of various kinds.

It is well known that in nurseries and greenhouses, many plants are cultivated and grow in “disposable pots” which are made of plastic.

The use of plastic material allows to make very thin, low-cost pots which allow to limit cultivation costs, especially for those plants which must be repeatedly re-potted during growth and which thus require the use of a multiplicity of pots of progressively increasing size.

However, the use of these disposable plastic pots has some recognised drawbacks, which we list below.

First of all, when a plant is re-potted, usually the pot in which it was contained is eliminated, most often because it is broken and no longer usable, or because its eventual recovery for another use could be more expensive with respect to the use of a new pot.

Moreover, when a plant is sold, the pot containing it is usually eliminated by the nurseryman or the buyer and replaced with a more aesthetically suitable pot for display.

Disposable pots which have thus completed their ‘useful life’ are accumulated for subsequent disposal, in the best case by sending them to separate waste collection, and in the worst case by sending them to landfill as undifferentiated waste.

If the disposable pots are disposed of by sending them to landfill as undifferentiated waste, they contribute to polluting the environment.

Moreover, this also entails an economic loss as the plastic material with which they are made and which is eliminated could have been recovered and reused. If the disposable pots are instead sent to separate waste collection for the recovery of the plastic material, the problem arises of the industrial costs to be incurred for recycling the material and for the purification and/or disposal of the resulting waste thereof.

Therefore, the present invention aims to radically solve the problems which have been listed.

In particular, it is the main object of the invention to create a disposable pot made of cardboard, as a substitute for the disposable plastic pots of the known art.

Another object of the invention is to make a flexible, flat laminar element, shaped according to the extension of the cardboard pot to be obtained.

A further object of the invention is also to make a method which, using the flexible, flat laminar element of the invention, allows to obtain the cardboard pot of the invention.

A last but not least object is to make a system which, using the flexible, flat laminar element of the invention and the method of the invention, allows to obtain the cardboard pot which is also the subject-matter of the invention.

The listed objects are achieved by the flexible, flat, shaped laminar element of the invention corresponding to the planar extension of the pot to be obtained and having the features according to claim 1 .

The objects of making the method and the system which allow to shape the flexible, flat laminar element to make the aforesaid pot and which are described in the dependent claims are also achieved.

Advantageously, with respect to disposable plastic pots, the cardboard disposable pots of the invention do not create environmental pollution problems, as cardboard is a perfectly biodegradable material.

Advantageously, the disposable cardboard pots of the invention can thus be disposed of by directly sending them to landfills without creating environmental pollution problems.

Alternatively, and even more advantageously, the disposable cardboard pots of the invention can be sent to separate waste collection to be recovered in the paper regeneration cycle.

The listed objects and advantages, and any others, will be better highlighted below during the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the flexible, flat laminar element, the method and the system subject-matter of the invention which is given below for illustrative and non-limiting purposes only with reference to the attached drawings in which:

- fig. 1 depicts the flexible, flat laminar element of the invention;

- fig. 2 depicts the pot obtained by shaping the flexible, flat laminar element of fig. 1 ;

- fig. 3 depicts the pot of fig. 2 in axonometric view;

- fig. 4 depicts the system of the invention which allows to obtain the pot of fig. 3 by shaping the flexible, flat laminar element of fig. 1 ;

- figures 5 and 5a, 6 and 6a, 7 and 7a, 8 and 8a, 9 and 9a and 10 depict different steps illustrating the method for making the pot depicted in fig. 3 using the system of fig. 4.

The flexible, flat, shaped and thin laminar element, which is the subject-matter of the invention, is depicted in figure 1 where it is overall indicated with 1.

Its extension in plan corresponds to the extension of a pot V depicted in longitudinal section in figure 2 and in axonometric view in figure 3.

According to the invention, the flexible, flat laminar element 1 is a single one- piece body and comprises a central element 3 of circular shape corresponding to the bottom Vf of the pot V, a through hole 4 made in the central element 3 and two side appendages 5; 6 which correspond to the side surface Ve of the pot V.

It should be noted that this which is described is only one particular, albeit preferred, embodiment of the flexible, flat laminar element 1 which, according to different, non-depicted embodiments, could comprise more than two side appendages.

Each side appendage 5; 6 is delimited by a curved lower edge 5a; 6a facing the central element 3, by an upper curved edge 5e; 6e arranged from the opposite end of the curved lower edge 5a; 6a and by two side edges 5g; 6g each of which connects one end of the curved upper edge 5e; 6e with the corresponding end of the curved lower edge 5a; 6a.

It should be noted in particular that the curved lower edge 5a; 6a comprises two curved sections 5c; 6c both having the concavity 5d; 6d facing the central element 3 and a junction area 5b; 6b of each of the side appendages 5; 6 to the central element 3, comprised between the two curved sections 5c; 6c.

It should also be noted that the curved upper edge 5e; 6e has the concavity 5f; ef facing the central element 3.

As for the side edges 5g; 6g of the side appendages 5; 6, they are shaped so that each side edge 5g; 6g of any one side appendage 5; 6 is arranged aligned with and facing the side edge 6g; 5g of the adjacent side appendage 6; 5 when, during the bending and moulding operation of the flexible, flat laminar element 1 to obtain the pot V, the side appendages 5; 6 are raised with respect to the plane defined by the central element 3 and each bent along the respective junction area 5b; 6b to the central element 3 itself.

At the end of the bending and moulding operation, when the side edges 5g; 6g are arranged in mutual contact as observed in figure 3, the curved sections 5c; 6c forming each curved lower edge 5a; 6a will be arranged in contact with the peripheral edge 3a of the central element 3.

The pot V will thus be configured in the final shape which can be seen in figure 3 and whose stability will be ensured by the presence of an adhesive film stretched along the side edges 5g; 6g in contact with each other which define the side junction area Vg and along the curved sections 5c; 6c in contact with the peripheral edge 3a of the central element 3 which define the base junction area Vb.

According to the preferred embodiment described herein, it is observed in figures 2 and 3 that the side edges 5g; 6g of the side appendages 5; 6 are shaped with mutually conjugatable profiles which, approximately, resemble a sinusoidal trend so as to be mutually joined by interlocking at the end of the bending operation of the flexible, flat laminar element 1.

The stability of the side edges 5g; 6g interlocked therebetween will in any case be ensured by the presence of an adhesive film which will be interposed therebetween before the bending and moulding operations of the flexible, flat laminar element 1.

The side edges 5g; 6g may also be configured with different profiles, e.g., sawtoothed, curved, straight or mixtilinear, as long as they can be joined together and such that they can be mutually fixed, at the end of the folding, by mutual interlocking, or by gluing, or by means of both. Again with reference to figure 1 , there are two side appendages 5; 6 in number, they are arranged on opposite sides of the central element 3 and are aligned with each other according to a first direction X to which the first diameter Dx of the central element 3 belongs.

Furthermore, the side appendages 5; 6 are symmetrically arranged with respect to a second direction Y to which the second diameter Dy of the central element 3 belongs and which orthogonally intersects the first direction X defining the centre O of the central element 3 and the through hole 4.

It should be noted that the length of the curved lower edge 5a; 6a of each of the side appendages 5; 6 is equal to the length of the semi-circumference delimiting the central element 3 and in the embodiment described herein the length of the curved lower edge 5a; 6a is less than the length of the curved upper edge 5e; 6e.

The difference in these lengths configures a conical shape for the pot V.

A different embodiment is also possible, however, in which the length of the curved lower edge 5a; 6a is equal to the length of the curved upper edge 5e; 6e and these equal lengths configure the pot V with a cylindrical shape.

The pot V is made with the method subject-matter of the invention, which is briefly described below and will be explained in more detail later.

The method comprises a preparatory step in which a plurality of said flexible, flat laminar elements 1 are prepared by means of manual or automatic diecutting of sheet cardboard and a template 11 is prepared which, as observed in figure 4, comprises a punch 12 and a die 13 with profiles conjugated to each other, which are configured to bend and shape the side appendages 5; 6 of each flexible, flat laminar element 1 and define the internal and external profiles, respectively, of the side surface Ve of the pot V.

A shaping unit 15 is also prepared, which is configured to shape the central element 3 of each flexible, flat laminar element 1 to define the profile of the bottom Vf of the pot V.

The preparatory step is followed by an operating step comprising the following operations:

- positioning a flexible, flat laminar element 1 between the punch 12 and the die 13, as observed in figures 5, 5a;

- penetrating the punch 12 into the die 13, as observed in figures 6, 6a, 7, 7a, to bend and shape the flexible, flat laminar element 1 so as to obtain the shape of the side surface Ve of the pot V between the punch 12 and the die 13 and of the protruding peripheral edge Vs which delimits it in its upper end;

- compressing the bottom 12b of the punch 12 against the shaping unit 15 to shape the bottom Vf of the pot V;

- extracting the punch 12 from the die 13 and separating the moulded pot V from the punch 12.

The operations forming the operating step are then be repeated for each pot V to be moulded.

The system 10 which carries out the bending method just described comprises a press 14 delimited by a rack 14a which supports a hammer mechanism 14b to which the punch 12 is connected, a work table 14c placed below the hammer mechanism 14b which supports the die 13 and the shaping unit 15 which is arranged below the work table 14c.

The punch 12, the die 13 and the shaping unit 15 are coaxial with each other and identify a vertical direction Y of alignment.

The press 14 also comprises first motorisation means 17 which are supported by the rack 14a and which are mechanically associated with the hammer mechanism 14b to achieve the movement of the punch 12 with respect to the die 13 in both senses opposite to each other along the vertical direction Y. Furthermore, the press 14 also comprises second motorisation means 18 which are mechanically associated with the shaping unit 15 and are configured to move the shaping unit 15 upwards and downwards through the die 13, in both senses opposite to each other along the vertical direction Y.

Since, as can be seen in figures 8, 8a, after moulding, the pot V remains adhered to the punch 12 due to the pressure generated by the push of the punch 12 against the die 13 during moulding, there is also an extractor unit 16 in the system 10, which can be seen in figures 8 to 10 and which serves to separate the pot V from the punch 12.

In particular, it should be noted that the shaping unit 15 comprises a rod 19 extending according to the vertical direction Y, which has one end associated with the second motorisation means 18 and the opposite end provided with a shaping plate 20 of a substantially circular shape.

The shaping plate 20 carries out the function of supporting the central element 3 of the flexible, flat laminar element 1 and keeping it adherent to the bottom 12b of the punch 12 during the movement of the same punch 12 inside the die 13 for moulding the pot V.

The shaping plate 20 is also provided with a centring peg 21 configured to be received in the through hole 4 made in the central element 3 of the flexible, flat laminar element 1.

Moreover it is observed, for example in figure 4, that the shaping plate 20 also has an annular peripheral profile 22, lowered with respect to its central plane 23, which is joined with a corresponding annular peripheral counter-profile 12a which protrudes according to the vertical direction Y from the bottom 12b of the punch 12.

Finally, as far as the extractor unit 16 is concerned, figures 8, 8a, 9, 9a and 10 depict one of the various possible embodiments which can be identified in the state of the art.

According to the embodiment described herein merely by way of example, the extractor unit 16 comprises a cylindrical extractor 25 slidingly inserted into a through hole 26 made in part in the hammer mechanism 14b and in part in the joining body 12c of the punch 12 to the hammer mechanism 14b.

The cylindrical extractor 25 is made elastic also by the presence of a cylindrical spring 27 arranged externally thereto and comprised between the hammer mechanism 14b and the head 28 of the cylindrical extractor 25.

In particular, the head 28 of the cylindrical extractor 25 makes contact with a contrasting element 29 when, after moulding, the hammer mechanism 14b is lifted to extract the punch 12 from the die 13.

The position of the contrasting element 29 can be adjusted to determine, as a function of the stroke of the hammer mechanism 14b, when the cylindrical extractor 25 must contrast with the protruding peripheral edge Vs of the pot V to separate it from the punch 12.

The method for making the pot V by means of bending by moulding the flexible, flat laminar element 1 of the invention, which has already been described above, is now clarified and explained in more detail with reference to the system 10 and to drawings 4 to 10 depicting it.

Operatively, the moulding of each pot V starts from the situation depicted in figures 5 and 5a in which it is observed that the shaping plate 20 of the shaping unit 15 is arranged passing through the die 13 and is spaced from the overlying punch 12. The central plane 23 of the shaping plate 20 is aligned with the upper plane 13a of the die 13 so as to restingly receive the flexible, flat laminar element 1, taking care that the centring peg 21 is received in the through hole 4 of its central element 3.

After positioning the flexible, flat laminar element 1 , the first motorisation means 17 lower the hammer mechanism 14b towards the die 13 in the vertical direction Y and when the bottom 12b of the punch 12 comes into contact with the flexible, flat laminar element 1 , the lowering of the hammer mechanism 14b and the punch 12 associated therewith continues together with the lowering of the shaping unit 15, as can be noted in figures 6 and 6a.

It should be noted that the recessed housing 12d made in the bottom 12b of the punch 12 receives the end of the centring peg 21 which protrudes from the flexible, flat laminar element 1 during the bending and moulding.

The lowering generates the penetration of the punch 12 in the die 13 and the controlled deformation of the flexible, flat laminar element 1 between punch 12 and die 13 until the final end-moulding configuration of the pot V, which can be noted in figures 7 and 7a.

In the configuration depicted in figures 7 and 7a, the following operations are concluded:

- the shaping of the side surface Ve of the pot V;

- the shaping of the protruding peripheral edge Vs delimiting the upper peripheral end of the side surface Ve of the pot V;

- the shaping of the bottom Vf of the pot V, which is defined between the annular peripheral profile 22 of the shaping plate 20 and the annular peripheral counter-profile 12a conjugated thereto which protrudes from the bottom 12b of the punch 12.

In the configuration depicted in figures 7 and 7a, the side edges 5g; 6g and the curved sections 5c; 6c of the side appendages 5; 6 are in contact with each other and with the central element 3, respectively, as can be noted in figure 3.

Furthermore, their contact is made stable by an adhesive film previously applied along them before the bending and moulding.

Having completed the shaping of the pot V, the punch 12 and the shaping unit 15 are lifted as depicted in figure 8 to extract the pot V thus obtained from the die 13.

The compression which the flexible, flat laminar element 1 undergoes during moulding causes the pot V to adhere to the punch 12, as can be noted in figure 8, and to separate it from the punch 12 requires the thrust produced by the cylindrical extractor 25 when the head 28 of the cylindrical extractor 25 comes into contact with the contrasting element 29, which pushes the cylindrical extractor 25 against the protruding peripheral edge Vs of the pot V, as can be noted in figure 9.

This detachment operation occurs when the punch 12 with the pot V adhering thereto is arranged in an unloading station, depicted in figure 10, in which the pot V detaching from the punch 12 falls by gravity into a collector 30 configured like a hopper.

On the basis of what has been described, it is understood that the flexible, flat laminar element for making pots, the method for making such pots and the system configured to implement such a method all achieve the preset objects.

Firstly, the invention achieved the object of making a disposable cardboard pot, a replacement for the disposable plastic pots of the known art.

The object is also achieved of making, preferably by means of die-cutting, a flexible, flat, shaped laminar element which corresponds to the extension of the cardboard pot to be obtained.

The further object is also achieved of making a method which, using the flexible, flat laminar element of the invention, allows to obtain the cardboard pot of the invention.

Lastly, the object of making a system which allows to obtain the cardboard pot of the invention is also achieved.

It has been seen that, advantageously, the realisation of the cardboard pots of the invention also allows to eliminate environmental pollution caused by the use of the well-known disposable plastic pots.

In fact, the disposable cardboard pots which are the subject-matter of the invention are non-polluting and, advantageously for the user, can be sent directly to a landfill for disposal without the danger of pollution.

Alternatively, the disposable cardboard pots which are the subject-matter of the invention can be sent to separate waste collection and the paper regeneration cycle.

In the execution step, modifications and/or variations can be made to the flexible, flat laminar element for making cardboard pots which are the subject- matter of the invention, to the method for making such cardboard pots and to the system implementing such a method, all the subject-matter of the invention, which have not been described herein, nor depicted in the accompanying drawings.

It is understood, however, that such possible modifications and variations, if they were to be included in the scope of the following claims, must all be considered protected by the present patent.

Claims

1 ) Flexible, flat laminar element (1 ), comprising a single one-piece body and configured to be shaped so as to define a pot, characterised in that it comprises:

- a central element (3) of circular shape corresponding to the bottom (Vf) of said pot (V);

- at least two side appendages (5; 6) corresponding to the side surface (Ve) of said pot (V), each of which is delimited by:

- a curved lower edge (5a; 6a) comprising two curved sections (5c; 6c) both having the concavity (5d; 6d) facing said central element (3) and a junction area (5b; 6b) of each of said side appendages (5; 6) to said central element (3) comprised between said two curved sections (5c; 6c);

- a curved upper edge (5e; 6e) arranged on the opposite side of said curved lower edge (5a; 6a) and having the concavity (5f; 6f) facing said central element (3);

- two side edges (5g; 6g) each connecting one end of said curved upper edge (5e; 6e) with the end corresponding thereto of said curved lower edge (5a; 6a).

2) Flexible, flat laminar element (1 ) according to claim 1 , characterised in that said side edges (5g; 6g) of said side appendages (5; 6) are shaped so that each side edge (5g) of any one of said side appendages (5) is arranged aligned and in contact with the side edge (6g) of the adjacent side appendage (6) when:

- said side appendages (5; 6) are raised with respect to the plane defined by said central element (3) and each bent along the respective junction area (5b; 6b);

- said curved sections (5c; 6c) are arranged in contact with the peripheral edge (3a) of said central element (3), to define said pot (V), said side edges (5g; 6g) of said side appendages (5; 6) being shaped with mutually conjugatable profiles approximating a sinusoidal trend so as to be mutually joined by interlocking at the end of the bending operation of said flexible, flat laminar element (1 ).

3) Flexible, flat laminar element (1 ) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that there are two said side appendages (5; 6) in number, they are arranged on opposite sides of said central element (3) and are aligned with each other according to a first direction (X) to which the first diameter (Dx) of said central element (3) belongs, said side appendages (5; 6) also being symmetrically arranged with respect to a second direction (Y) to which the second diameter (Dy) of said central element (3) belongs, which orthogonally intersects said first direction (X) defining the centre (0) of said central element (3) and of a through hole (4) made in said central element (3).

4) Flexible, flat laminar element (1 ) according to claim 3, characterised in that the length of said curved lower edge (5a; 6a) is equal to the length of said curved upper edge (5e; 6e) and said equal lengths therebetween configure said pot (V) with a cylindrical shape.

5) Flexible, flat laminar element (1 ) according to claim 3, characterised in that the length of said curved lower edge (5a; 6a) is less than the length of said curved upper edge (5e; 6e) and said different lengths therebetween configure said pot (V) with a conical shape.

6) Flexible, flat laminar element (1 ) according to any one of claims 3 to 5, characterised in that the length of said curved lower edge (5a; 6a) of each of said side appendages (5; 6) is equal to the length of the semi-circumference delimiting said central element (3).

7) Method for making a pot (V) employing a flexible, flat laminar element (1 ) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that it comprises: a preparatory step comprising the following operations:

- preparing a plurality of said flexible, flat laminar elements (1 );

- arranging a template (11 ) comprising a punch (12) and a die (13) configured to bend and shape said side appendages (5; 6) of each of said flexible, flat laminar elements (1 ) and define the internal and external profiles, respectively, of the side surface (Ve) of said pot (V);

- arranging a shaping unit (15) configured to shape said central element (3) of said flexible, flat laminar elements (1 ) to define the profile of said bottom (Vf) of said pot (V); followed by an operating step comprising the following operations:

- positioning one of said flexible, flat laminar elements (1 ) between said punch (12) and said die (13);

- penetrating said punch (12) in said die (13) to bend and deform said flexible, flat laminar element (1 ) so as to obtain, between said punch (12) and said die (13), the shape of the side surface (Ve) of said pot (V) and of the protruding peripheral edge (Vs) delimiting said side surface (Ve) in its upper end;

- compressing the bottom (12b) of said punch (12) against said shaping unit (15) to shape said bottom (Vf) of said pot (V);

- extracting said punch (12) from said die (13) and separating said moulded pot (V) from said punch (12);

- repeating all the operations of said operating step for each pot (V) to be moulded.

8) System (10) configured to implement the method according to claim 7, characterised in that it comprises:

- a press (14) comprising a rack (14a) supporting: a hammer mechanism (14b) to which said punch (12) is connected, a work surface (14c) placed below said hammer mechanism (14b) supporting said die (13) and said shaping unit (15) arranged below said work surface (14c), said die (13) and said punch (12) of said template (11 ) and said shaping unit (15) being coaxial to each other according to a vertical direction (Y);

- first motorisation means (17) supported by said rack (14a) and mechanically associated with said hammer mechanism (14b), configured to move said punch (12) with respect to said die (13) in both senses opposite to each other along said vertical direction (Y);

- second motorisation means (18) mechanically associated with said shaping unit (15), configured to move said shaping unit (15) upwards and downwards within said die (13) in both senses opposite to each other along said vertical direction (Y);

- an extractor unit (16) configured to separate said pot (V) from said punch (12) to which it is adhered when, after said pot (V) is moulded, said punch (12) is extracted from said die (13).

9) System (10) according to claim 8, characterised in that said shaping unit (15) comprises a rod (19) extending according to said vertical direction (Y) and which has one end associated with said second motorisation means (18) and the opposite end provided with a shaping plate (20) of circular shape and is configured to support said central element (3) of said flexible, flat laminar element (1 ) and keep it adhering to the bottom (12b) of said punch (12) during the movement of said punch (12) inside said die (13) for moulding said pot (V).

10) System (10) according to claim 9, characterised in that said shaping plate (20) is circular in shape, is provided with a centring peg (21 ) of said flexible, flat laminar element (1 ) and also has an annular peripheral profile (22), which is lowered with respect to the central plane (23) of the shaping plate (20) and is conjugatable with a corresponding annular peripheral counter-profile (12a) protruding according to said vertical direction (Y) from said bottom (12b) of said punch (12).

11 ) System (10) according to any one of claims 8 to 10, characterised in that said extractor unit (16) comprises:

- a cylindrical extractor (25) slidably inserted in a through hole (26) made in part in said hammer mechanism (14b) and in part in the joining body (12c) of said punch (12) to said hammer mechanism (14b);

- a cylindrical spring (27) arranged outside said cylindrical extractor (25) and comprised between said hammer mechanism (14b) and the head (28) of said cylindrical extractor (25);

- a contrasting element (29) acting on said head (28) to force said cylindrical extractor (25) against said pot (V) and separate it from said punch (12) when said hammer mechanism (14b), after moulding, extracts said punch (12) from said die (13).