EP0432028A1 - Method for making a package, package thus obtained and apparatus for carrying out the method - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention concerns a method for making a package from flexible sheet for a product made from cellulose fabrics, characterised in that it consists: - in pre-cutting a tab (100) in a sheet or strip (1) of flexible material at regular intervals substantially corresponding to the perimeter of the shape to be wrapped and at a predetermined position; - in dividing the sheet into two along a direction perpendicular to the axis of symmetry of the tab and at the level of a line (8) passing through the lower section (103) of the tab; - in placing a strip (7) of heat seal at regular intervals on the back of the pre-cut end (100) of the tab; - in overlapping the separating edges (15, 16) of the sheet; - in welding the separating edges (15, 16) together in a superimposed manner at the places not provided with heat seal (7); - in interrupting the welding (6) at regular intervals at the places of the pre-cut constituting the tab (100); - in constituting the package by rolling around the product and folding the protruding sections of sheets. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a flexible sheet packaging for cellulosic tissue products, the packaging thus obtained and the machine for carrying out the method.

Flexible sheet packaging is known for wrapping tissues packets, comprising a flexible sheet packaging provided on one of its faces with a trapezoidal pre-cut, the narrowest lower base of which supports a mounted adhesive tab. straddling this base, so that an adhesive part adheres to the trapezoidal part and another part to the rest of the face of the package.

Such packaging is taught by European patent 0030601. This type of packaging, although it is interesting, since it allows the user to easily open the package to pick up an object and then temporarily close it until reused for picking of another object, has the disadvantage of requiring during its manufacture a step of placing an adhesive tab. This increases the price of the packaging on the one hand of the cost of the adhesive tab, on the other hand of the cost necessary for the operation of positioning it at a precise position on the packaging during the manufacture of the latter. Finally, this tab, during the use of the packaging can finally be torn off, which will have the consequence of removing from the packaging the ability to be closed to keep the rest of the products for use later.

A first object of the invention is therefore to propose a method for manufacturing a packaging in flexible sheets for cellulosic tissue products which no longer has the disadvantage of this step of positioning the adhesive tab.

• - à pré-découper une languette dans une feuille ou une bande de matériau souple à intervalles réguliers correspondant au périmètre de la forme à envelopper et à une position déterminée;
• - à séparer la feuille en deux selon une direction perpendiculaire à l'axe de symétrie de la languette et au niveau d'une ligne passant par la partie inférieure de la languette;
• - à déposer une bande de thermocolle à intervalles réguliers au verso de l'extrémité pré-découpée de la languette;
• - à faire chevaucher les bords de séparation de la feuille;
• - à souder ensemble les bords de séparation superposés aux endroits non pourvus de thermo-colle;
• - à interrompre la soudure à intervalles réguliers aux endroits de la pré-découpe constituant la languette;
• - à constituer l'emballage des produits par enroulement autour des produits et pliage des parties de feuilles dépassant.

This object is achieved by the fact that the manufacturing process consists of:

• - Pre-cutting a tongue from a sheet or strip of flexible material at regular intervals corresponding to the perimeter of the shape to be wrapped and to a determined position;
• - Separating the sheet in two in a direction perpendicular to the axis of symmetry of the tongue and at a line passing through the lower part of the tongue;
• - place a strip of thermo-adhesive at regular intervals on the back of the pre-cut end of the tongue;
• - overlapping the separation edges of the sheet;
• - to weld together the overlapping separation edges in places not provided with thermo-adhesive;
• - to interrupt the welding at regular intervals at the places of the pre-cut constituting the tongue;
• - to constitute the packaging of the products by winding around the products and folding the protruding sheet parts.

Another object of the invention is to propose a manufacturing process which in addition to its simplification makes it possible to ensure easy gripping of the tongue for easy opening of the package.

This object is achieved by the fact that during the manufacturing process, in the step of pre-cutting the tongue, the angles of the tongue are cut and in the step of depositing the thermo-adhesive, it is deposited at a determined distance from the edge of the tongue so that this edge constitutes an easily liftable portion.

Another object of the invention is to provide a packaging in which the risk of tearing off the adhesive part of an opening and closing tongue of the packaging is eliminated.

This object is achieved by the fact that the packaging comprises a continuous or discontinuous welding between two parts of the packaging going around the product to be packaged, this welding being interrupted at least once by a tab precut in this packaging and one of which zone in the vicinity of the narrowest part of this tab is completely cut out and has an adhesive zone which is adhered to the lower part of the packaging.

According to a feature of the invention, the pre-cut has a convex shape.

According to another feature of the invention, the precut has a trapezoidal shape.

According to another feature of the invention, the packaging has an upper face, a lower face, front and rear lateral sides.

According to another feature of the invention, the packaging is of revolution and has an upper and lower face.

According to another feature of the invention, the pre-cut is located on the upper or lower face.

According to another feature of the invention, the pre-cut is located on the sides.

Another object of the invention is to propose a machine for implementing the method.

• - un poinçon de découpe et de pré-découpe;
• - un couteau de partage;
• - un dispositif d'application à intervalles réguliers sur la portion de bande pré-découpée et dans la partie extrême de la pré-découpe d'une colle;
• - un dispositif de superposition des bords des deux bornes obtenues par partage de la bande initiale;
• - un dispositif de soudure associé à un dispositif de détection de la pré-découpe et d'interruption au niveau de celle-ci de la soudure.

This object is achieved by the fact that the machine comprises:

• - a punch for cutting and pre-cutting;
• - a sharing knife;
• - An application device at regular intervals on the portion of pre-cut strip and in the extreme part of the pre-cut of an adhesive;
• - a device for superimposing the edges of the two terminals obtained by sharing the initial strip;
• a welding device associated with a device for detecting the pre-cutting and for interrupting it at the welding level.

• - la figure 1 représente une vue de dessus de la bande de feuille souple constituant l'emballage au cours des étapes du procédé;
• - la figure 2 représente une vue en perpective d'un emballage de forme parallèlépipédique obtenu après mise en oeuvre du procédé de l'invention;
• - la figure 3 représente une vue en perspective d'un emballage obtenu selon le procédé de l'invention pour un objet ayant une forme de révolution.

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will appear more clearly on reading the description below made with reference to the appended drawings in which:

• - Figure 1 shows a top view of the flexible sheet strip constituting the packaging during the process steps;
• - Figure 2 shows a perspective view of a packaging of parallelepiped shape obtained after implementation of the method of the invention;
• - Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a package obtained according to the method of the invention for an object having a shape of revolution.

The method and the packaging according to the invention will now be described with the aid of FIGS. 1 and 2.

A flexible sheet of packaging material, such as for example polyethylene, preferably in the form of a strip (1), comprises a central part (10) and lateral parts (11, 12) delimited by longitudinal fold lines ( 13, 14) which constitute the upper and lower edges which form the periphery of the parallelepipedic packaging shown in FIG. 2.

The central part is subdivided into two parts, not necessarily of equal size, by a dotted line (8) which extends the cutting line represented by a cutting tool (2). This line runs flush with the end of a pre-cut formed in one of the two parts (10A, 10B) delimited by the line (8). This pre-cut (100) has edges (101, 102) partially pre-cut and in an advantageous variant of the invention, a portion (103), entirely cut, constituting the narrowest end of the tongue.

In a variant of the invention, the pre-cuts (101, 102) may extend slightly beyond the zone (10) in the strip of material which constitutes the adjacent part, in this case, depending on the mode shown in Figure (1), the strip (11). In a reverse arrangement, it would be the strip (12). The strip (1) of material is split in two at the cutting tool (2) and forms two strips (10A, 10B) whose newly cut edges are referenced (15) for the part (10A), (16 ) for part (10B).

After cutting this strip, and at regular intervals corresponding to the locations of the tongue (100), and in particular near the end (103) of this tongue, the packaging manufacturing machine installs a portion of thermocolle (7). After this step of positioning the portion of thermo-adhesive (7), the manufacturing machine brings the edges (15, 16) corresponding to the parts (10A) and (10B) cut so that these edges overlap as represented on the portion of the figure delimited by the mixed lines (4, 5).

In a subsequent step, the superimposed parts of the central portions (10A, 10B) are welded together by a welding line (6) of a welding device of the manufacturing machine. Of course, the pre-cuts constituting the tongues are arranged at regular intervals represented by the distance (d) corresponding approximately to the perimeter of the objects to be packaged plus a part allowing a slight superposition of the transverse cutting edges of the strip before welding and folding for constitute the packaging around the product. The transverse cutting edges of the strip are represented by the mixed lines (3, 4, 5).

After cutting a portion of strip thus obtained, for example between the dotted lines (4, 5) corresponding to the perimeter of the product to be packaged, or possibly to a slightly larger dimension, the part of the cut strip is folded so as to constitute the edges (40, 41, 42) represented by the fine lines in FIG. 1.

The packaging thus obtained, in the case of a parallelepiped product to be packaged, comprises a front face (1) on which the tongue is located, opposite a rear face, two opposite lateral sides, an upper side and a side inferior.

It is obvious that the tongue (100) can be arranged on one of the upper or lower faces or on one of the lateral, upper or lower sides.

FIG. 3 represents a variant of packaging in which the tongue is precut in a convex shape, which allows, for example, the packaging of products having a shape of revolution, as shown in this figure.

Obviously, this type of packaging is by no means limited to tissue paper packaging, but can also be applied to any type of product, such as towels, periodical linings, diapers, etc.

The portion of thermo-adhesive (7) applied to the part of the tongue (100) which is superimposed on a part (10B) of the lower strip makes it possible to keep the packaging closed before use. Easy opening by the user is obtained by pulling on the completely cut out part (103). The user extracts part of the products contained in the packaging and the thermo-adhesive having the property of retaining an adhesive quality, even after separation, then allows the user to close the packaging, so as to preserve the rest of the products which has not been used.

It is easy to understand that in the manufacturing process, the operation of putting in place an adhesive tab has been eliminated, which requires both precise positioning to superimpose it with the end. of the pre-cut tongue, but also positioning in the direction to prevent this tongue from being skewed on the packaging.

Furthermore, the machine for manufacturing the packaging does not require a transfer device for bringing this additional piece formed by the adhesive tongue is therefore simpler in its constitution.

It is obvious that an embodiment of the invention has been described, but that any modification within the reach of those skilled in the art is also part of the spirit of the invention.

Claims (10)

Method for manufacturing a flexible sheet packaging for a product made of cellulosic fabrics, characterized in that it consists of: - Pre-cutting a tongue (100) from a sheet or strip (1) of flexible material at regular intervals corresponding substantially to the perimeter of the shape to be wrapped and to a determined position; - Sharing the sheet in two in a direction perpendicular to the axis of symmetry of the tongue and at a line (8) passing through the lower part (103) of the tongue; - depositing a strip (7) of thermocolle at regular intervals on the back of the pre-cut end (100) of the tongue; - overlapping the edges (15, 16) of separation of the sheet; - welding together the separation edges (15, 16) superimposed at the places not provided with thermo-adhesive (7); - To interrupt at regular intervals at the places of the pre-cut constituting the tongue (100) the weld (6); - to constitute the packaging by winding around the products and folding the protruding sheet parts. Manufacturing method according to claim 1, characterized in that in the pre-cutting step the end (103) and the corners of the end of the tongue are cut completely and in the step of removing the thermo-adhesive (7) the strip of thermo-adhesive (7) is deposited at a determined distance from the edge (103) of the tongue sufficient to constitute a liftable portion while remaining vis-à-vis the superimposed part (10B). Flexible sheet packaging, characterized in that it comprises a continuous or discontinuous weld (6) between two parts of the packaging going around the product to be packaged, this welding being interrupted at least once by a tab, an area in the vicinity of the narrowest part of the tab is completely cut out and includes an adhesive area intended to be glued to the part of the packaging located this tongue end. Packaging according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the pre-cut has a convex shape; Packaging according to claim 3, characterized in that the pre-cut has a trapezoidal shape; Packaging according to one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that the packaging comprises a front face, a rear face, sides, lateral, upper and lower. Packaging according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is of revolution and has upper and lower sides. Packaging according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the tongue (100) formed by the pre-cut is located on the upper or lower face. Packaging according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the tongue formed by the pre-cut is located on the sides. Machine for implementing the process, characterized in that it comprises: - a punch for cutting and pre-cutting; - a knife (2) for sharing; - an application device at regular intervals corresponding to the cutting of an adhesive zone; - a device for superimposing the cut edges; - a device for detecting the cut and interrupting it at the weld level.

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