CA1228009A - Apparatus for producing a packaging means - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT
Apparatus is described for producing a packaging means from a web of paper, cardboard or the like coated on one side with a thin layer of plastics material and formed with bend-ing lines. There is a strip of reinforcing material on the coated surface, in the region of the bending lines, the contact surface between the strip and the blank being spaced from the bending lines. The apparatus comprises a plastics film supply roll arranged on one side of the coated web, and two mutually oppositely operative sealing jaws movably arranged on opposite sides of the web. The face of the sealing jaw which is towards the coated surface of the web has grooves arranged in accordance with the pattern of the bending lines.

Description

3(~39 This is a dlvision of our co-pending Canadian Patent Application Number 413 101 filed October 8, 1982.
The present invention relates to apparatus for pro-ducing a packaging means for fluent materials comprising side and end walls which are joined by means of at least one sealing seam and which comprise coated paper, cardboard or the like in which bending lines are provided.
Packaging means or cartons for liquids, comprising paper coated with plastics material on both sides and which may also be referred to as board, paperboard or cardboard, are known. Such packaging means is used in particular for distri-buting milk. There is a very wide range of forms of milk pack-ing means or cartons, including also a parallelepipedic shape.
However, all milk packaging means or cartons have at least one sealing seam along which the web of paper, which is first drawn in a flat condition from a supply roll, is closed to form a tube.
It will be appreciated that, when using plastics-coated paper webs, the closure operation is performed by means of welding or sealing.
In most liquid packaging means, at least on one side thereof, a pattern of bending lines is formed in the web of paper in order to facilitate mechanical folding, shaping and sealing operations. It is also known that in the operation of bending or folding the paper, which is generally already previously coated with plastics material, stresses in tne paper, or contact with tools, cause damage to the web cf paper, at least in the plastics coating on the web of paper. Such damage causes the packaging means to become pervious to liquid, which is obviously undesirable. It is precisely the action of sealing jaws on plastics-coated paper webs, and flow of the plastics material caused by the effect of heat, that give rise to unde-sired leakage areas. In order to prevent this, the web of paper carrier material is coated with a layer of plastics material of suitable thickness, so that the above-mentioned disadvantages cannot arise.
In order to save material in the manufacture of liquid packaging means which are mass-produced, in particular plastics material, efforts have been made up to make the coat-ing of plastics material thinner, which is a development in the opposite direction to the efforts to increase the safety margin of the packaging means, as referred to just above. Therefore, consideration has already been given to securing cover or seal-ing strips of plastics material to parts of the packaging means which are in particular danger, by a sealing join. However, such processes have not achieved the desired result hitherto, since the fact that the cover strips are sealed on the web of paper, which is coated with a thin layer of plastics material, over the entire area thereof, still gives rise to damage in the bending or welding operations, which in turn can result in leak-age in the above-described manner. In addition, applying a cover s'_rip is a step which must be carried out by a separate operation in the packaging means production line, and according-ly increases costs.
The invention provides apparatus for producing a packaging means from a web of paper, cardboard or the like coated on one side with a thin layer of plastics material, said blank being formed with bending lines and having at least one strip of reinforcing material on the coated surface thereof, in the region of the bending lines, the contact surface between the strip and the blank being spaced from said bending lines, said apparatus comprisinc a plastics film supply roll arran~ed on one side of the coated web, and two mutually oppositely operative sealing jaws of which at least one is movably arranged on opposite sides of the web, the face of the sealing jaw which is towards the coated surface of the web comprising at least in part grooves arranged in accordance with the pattern of the bending lines.
The cross-sectional shape of the grooves may be quadrangular, in particular rectangular, or rounded, in partic-ular circular, oval or the like. The grooves preserve the region of the bend line from welding or sealing engagement of the sealing jaw with the thinly coated paper web. Even slight damage to the thin coating of plastics material in the region of the cover strip is sealed off again by applying the plastics cover strip with the above-indicated manufacturing apparatus.
In addition, there is no fear of fresh leakage locations, for the cover strip applied to the packaging means forms, in the region of the bending lines, loose regions which are movable relative to the paper web and which can carry considerable load-ings when stresses are applied, without tearing.
It is desirable for the a~is of rotation of the supply roll to be arranged transversely with respect to the direction of transportation of the paper web. In contrast to the arrange-ment which involves applying one or more cover strips to the paper web from the side transversely with respect to the direc-tion of movement or transportation thereof, the arrangement of the suppl~ roll in the above-defined manner permits a long period of use thereof for, because the cover strip is frequently compar-atively narrow, performance of the entire manufacturinq process may in this way involve only a few changes of roll.
A further preferred embodiment of the invention is characterised in that the sealing jaw which is arranged on the 1~2~3(~

side of the paper web, which is to be treated, is driven movably substantially normal to the plane of the paper web, and is provided with a severing welding means. Preferably, the pro-duction apparatus is of such a design that the paper web which is thinly coated with plastics material and which is initially flat is transported horizontally and, in the course of that conveying movement, the cover strip is laid from above onto the paper web. In other words, the surface of the paper web which is to be treated is upwards, while the co-operating jaw is arranged stationarily below it in such a way that the paper web is conveyed over the bottom jaw. It will be appreciated that the operation of sealing the cover strip in place occurs in a cyclic manner so that the paper web is only advanced when the preferably vertically movable upper sealing jaw is in the raised position. The severing welding means which is preferably arranged at the downstream edge of the sealing jaw, as viewed in the direction of movement of the paper web, means that there is no need for a separate cutting means, especially as the heat for the severing-welding operation is available in any case.
Use of the combined severing-welding operation, which is con-sidered as a particularly simple procedure by persons skilled in the art, advantageously makes it possible to eliminate over-hanging or upwardly projecting edges on the cover strip which is secured in place on the paper web by a sealing action, so that there is no danger of any fouling or soiling. The production apparatus defined hereinbefore seals the cover strip to the paper web, up to the severing location.
It is even desirable for the sealing jaw, at its trailing edge, to extend one or two millimetres for example beyond the cover strip or the region to which the cover strip is ~ ~

to be secured by a sealing action. That then ensures that the sealing join is produced without any doubt, as far as the edge of the cover strip, even when tolerances are involved, and there is no damage to the layer of plastics material on the paper web for the reason that at that location the blank terminates at the edge of the cover strip, particularly when employing the above-described packaging means which has a block bottom arrangement.
It is also advantageous in accordance with the inven-tion to provide at least one clamp means which is movable in a controlled fashion synchronously with respect to the movement of the sealing jaw, for advancing the plastics film by the width of the cover strip, between the sealing jaw and the paper web.
The clamp means may advantageously also co-operate with the severing welding means in such a way that, directly after the severing welding operation, a brief retraction or pull-back movement of the web of film is effected, from the cover strip which was last sealed in position, so as to produce a cleaner cut and prevent fraying.
It is desirable for the next cover strip to be pulled from the supply roll by way of a movably disposed and drivable pull-off roller, in such a way that, after the (!a~

temporary pull-back movement referred to above, the clamp means clamps the web of film or foil on a feed or delivery surface so that the movement of the pull-off roll pulls film or foil from the supply roll, by increasing the length of the path of movement of the web of film or foil.
Further advantages, features and possible uses of the present invention will be apparent from the following descrip-tion, with reference to the drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a particularly preferred packaging means in which the end wall at the cover end comprises plastics material without a carrier material, whereas in this embodiment the bottom end wall is of a square configuration, in the form of a block bottom, Figure 2 shows the tubular side walls of the packag-ing means shown in Figure 1 in an inverted position so that the bottom which is not yet fully finished is at the top, towards the person viewing the join, Figure 3 shows the bottom end of the tubular side walls of the packaging means shown in Figure 2, to show the configuration of the bending lines, Figure 4 is a diagrammatic side view of the apparatus for applying the cover strip to the paper web, Figure 5 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the apparatus for applying the cover stri.p, ~ith some machine components omitted, Figure 6 is a view of a part of the paper web with the pattern of bending lines on the individual blanks, Figure 6a shows a broken-away view on an enlarged scale of a portion of the grooves in the sealing jaw, corres-ponding to the pattern oE bending lines, 1~;~.~( !~9 Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the sealing jaw, with diagrammatic illustration of its engagement activity, Figure 8 shows a part of the fo.~Jar~ feed and control arrangement for the web of plastics material, for applying cover strips to the paper web, and Figure 9 shows the same machine as that shown in Figure 8, except that other machine components are shown, to illustrate the mode of feeding the respective cover strip.
The specific packaging means which is shown in a finished condition in perspective view in Figure 1 and of which only part is shown in Figures 2 and 3 comprises side walls 1 which are of a tubular configuration, a cover portion 2 of plastics material without carrier material, the cover portion 2 being joined to the side walls 1 by an injection process at the top end as shown in Figure 1, and a bottom portion 3 which is arranged at the opposite end to the cover portion 2. Taking the paper web 61 ~see Figures 4 to 9) which is initially in a flat condition in manufacture of the illustrated packaging means, the tubular side walls 1 are closed up to form the tubular configuration shown in Figures 1 and 2, by means of a longitudinal sealing seam 4. In this packaging means, after the tube portion has been produced, that is to say, after the longitudinal sealing seam 4 shown in Figure 1 has been formed, the cover portion is injected onto the top thereof. It com-prises a frustoconical cover wall portion 20, and a cylindrical or slightly frustoconical spout or mouth rim portion 10 which projects upwardly from the centre of the cover wall portion 20.
The rim portion 10 is closed by means of a closure member 13 which is connected by way of a tongue or bar portion 53 to the grippin~ ring 17. The hinge 52 is also provided for the closure ~.~2~ ;19 member 13, while the gripping ring is attached to the hinge by way of the attachment strip 51. To open the packaging means, the user thereoE tears off the strip 51, pulls up the gripping ring 17 and thus tears the closure member 13 off the rim portion 14. After the packaging means has been opened in that way, it can be re-closed by using the closure member 13 and the hinge 52 thereof.
At the end of the packaging means opposite the cover portion 2 as shown in Figure 1 is the bottom portion 3 which can be particularly clearly seen from Figures 2 and 3. It wil~ be seen that in this case the longitudinal sealing seam 4 goes over into the double cardboard strip 8 and the packaging means at this end finally terminates at the edge 5. The lines 7 shown in Figures 2 and 3 are formed by folding in the appropriate por-tions of the packaging means, in the manner sho~ in Figure 2.
As shown in Figure 2, the lines 7 define the packaging means and hereinafter, together with the other lines, represent the bending lines 7. If the bottom end of the packaging means, which is folded to form a quadrilateral as shown in Figure 3, is pulled apart in the manner indicated by the arrows 11, and fold-ed into the condition shown in Figure 2 along the bending lines 7, the result is then also the double-layer triangular flaps 10.
There is no need at this point to describe in greater detail the way in which the doubled cardboard strip 8 is sealingly closed after the packaging means has been filled, and -the triangular flaps are secured to the bottom portion after having been folded over thereonto.
As can be particularly clearly seen from Figure 3, the liquid packaging means produced in the above-indicated manner is provided at its bottom end with a cover strip in the lZZ~ 9 region of all bendlng lines 7. The cover strip extends completely over the bending lines and is secured by welding in a given manner to the inside of the paper web which is thinly coated with plastics material, in such a way that the welding and contact surface between the cover strip 15 on the one hand and the coated paper web on the other hand terminates from all sides at a spacing from the bending lines 7, as will be describ-ed in greater detail hereinafter.
First of all, Figures 4 and 5 show diagrammatic views of the basic principle of the manner in which the cover strip 15 is sealed to the paper web 61 which is thinly coated with plastics material 62. The axis of r~tation 17 of a supply roll 18 with the plastics film or foil which is drawn off in the form of the web 19 in the direction indicated by the arrow 20, ex-tends tranversely with respect to the direction of transporta-tion of the paper web 61, as indicated by the arrow 16. Figure 4 shows the way in which the web 19 of plastics film or foil is taken around the drive roller 20 and co-operating or backing roller 21, and over a guide plate member 22, under the upper sealing jaw 23. The lower sealing jaw is not shown in the drawings. The sealing jaw 23 is disposed at tAe side of the paper web 61 whose surface or plastics coating 62 is to be treated, that is to say, joined to the cover strip 15. The sealing jaw 23 is arranged to be movable vertically up and down, as indicated by the double-headed arrow 24.
The mode of operation of the apparatus is shown diagrammatically in Figures 4 and 5, illustrating that the drive roller 20 intermittently advances the web 19 below the sealing jaw 23, with a forward feed means which will be described in greater detail hereinafter with reference to Figures 8 and 9.

~2~

~ach intermittent movement of the web 19 under the sealing jaw is over a distance corresponding to the width of a cover strip 15. When the leading edge of the web 19, that is to say, the cover strip 15 which is the next one to be secured in position by a sealing action, is disposed below the sealing jaw 23 and over the correct position on the paper web 61, then the sealing jaw moves downwardly as indicated at 24, and seals the cover strip 15 in place. At the same time as that operation, the severing-welding operation is performed by means of the severing -welding device 25 which may be for example an extended or pro-jecting wedge member as shown in Figures 4, 5 and 7 or an edge 25' as shown in Figure 9. When the material reaches the soft-ening temperature or severing-welding temperature, the web 19 is torn away from the secured cover strip 15 by briefly revers-ing the direction of drive of the roller 20. The paper web 61 is then advanced intermittently again in the direction indicated by the arrow, and the forward feed movement of the film or foil web 19 is then re-commenced, to apply the next cover strip. The forward feed or pull-back movements referred to above are pro-duced in a somewhat different manner in the specific embodimentdiscribed with reference to Figures 8 and 9, namely, not with the drive roller 20 and the co-operating roller 21.
Reference will now be made to Figures 5 to 7 showing the face 26 of the sealing jaw 23, which is towards the thin top plastics coating or surface 62 to be treated, of the paper web 61. Figure 6a shows a direct plan view of the surface 26 of the sealing jaw 23, with a channel-like pattern which corresponds to the pattern of the bending lines 7 shown in Figure 6. The pattern shown in Figure 6 in the operative surface 26 of the sealing jaw 23 is formed by grooves 27, the cross-sectional configuration of which can best be seen from ~igure 7. The channel system shown in Figure 6a is therefore simply yrooves 27 formed in the surface of the jaw, in a configuration which corresponds to the pattern of the bending lines 7 in the paper web 61. It would also be sufficient for only the critical locations to be reinforced or strengthened.
The cross-sec-tional view shown in Figure 7 illus-trates, starting from the bottom of the drawing and goint3 up-wards therein, the paper web 61 which rnoves in the direction 10 indicated by the arrow 16, and the thin plastics layer 62.
The coated paper web 61 with the plastics layer 62 thereon has the bending lines 7 at two selected locations, such that the thin plastics layer 62 together with the paper web 61 is raised in a rib-like configuration at 7', on the top side of the lam-inate web. The cover strip 15 is shown as being laid thereover (all layers 61, 62 and 65 are broken away at the right-hand and left-hand sides in the drawing), and curves over the ribs 7' to a greater or lesser degree into the grooves 27 in the sealing jaw 23, with the curved portions and grooves being illustrated 20 in an exaggerated fashion. For that purpose for example hehting or cooling passages 28 are only inaicated in highly diagramrnatic form. Figure 7 shows welding and contact surfaces 29 as between the cover strip 15 and the thin plastics layer 61. It will be seen that the welding and contact surfaces 29 are provic'.ed only under the operative surface 26 of the sealing ~aw 23 at loca-tions where there are no grooves 27. In other words, each weld-ing and contact surface 29 between the co~!er strip 15 on the one hand and the thin plastics layer 62 on the paper we~ 1 on the other hand terminates in front of the ~ending line 7, and then continues thereafter, as far as the ne~;t ~endint7 line, and so forth. Therefore, there is a weld-free area in the region of the bending line.
The blank shown in Figure 6 is suitable for making up the side walls 1 of the packaging means shown in Fiyures 1 to 3, including the bottom portion 3. In this case, the blank shown in Figure 6 is moved from right to left in the direction indicated by the arrow 16 directly between two further blanks, forming the paper web 61. Therefore, the blank begins at the edge 30 and terminates at the edge 31 at which the next follow-ing blank begins. The drawing also shows the simple quadrila-teral shape of the blank on which the region of the bending line 7 occurs only at the right-hand edge, being the trailing edge as viewing in the direction of transportation movement indicated by the arrow 16. In this case, the cover strip 15 may be in the shape of an elongate rectanale and is sealed in position at the right-hand edge, beside the line 61, over the area indicated by hatching.
Another and particularly preferred embodiment of the feed means for advancing the film web 19 to form the cover film or foil strip 15 will now be described with reference to Figures 8 and 9.
The film or foil web 19, in this case polyethylene, is pulled off the supply roll 18, around direction-changing rolls 32, 33, 34, 35 and 36, by way of a drive means which is shown in Figure 9 in the form of a pull-off feed roller 37.
The feed roller 37 is carried by means of an arm 38 on a lever 40 which is rotatable about an upper pivot point 39. The lever 40 is only diagrammatica~ly indicated in Figure 8, in the form of radii 40'. In its lower region, a push rod 41 of a pneumatic cylinder 42 engages the upper pivot point 43 of a L-shaped lever (!a9 44 which is mounted rotatably about a pivot point 45 on the lever 40. ~hen the rod 41 pulls the lever 40 towards the right in the direction indicated by arrow 46, the roller 37 is moved from position ~ in Figure 9 into position ~. As a means for blocking return movement of tne film web l9, comprising a rubber bar member 47 providing a high degree of fri_tion, and a rotary member 48, retains the film web 19 in the region of the rubber bar member 47 as shown in Figure 9, a portion of web l9 is drawn off the supply roll 18 and stored in the region of the feed roller 37, when the feed roller 37 is moved upwardly into position B.
The movement of the rod ~l of the pneumatic cylinder 42 towards the right in the direction indicated by arrow ~16 and thus the pivotal movement of tne lever 40 about the upper pivot point 39 in a counter-clockwise position also causes t~le angle lever 44 to be moved into the pOSitiOIl ~ shown in broken lines in Figure 9. In that condition, the web l9 is disposed above a tapered or wedge-like sliàe plate 49, in such a way that the leading edge 50 is disposed at a small spacing of for example 5mm from the severing welding edge 25' of the sealing jaw 23.
If the direction of actuation of the pneumatic cylinder 42 is reversed so that the rod 41 now moves towards the left in the direction indicated by arrow 51, the above-mentioned means for blocking return movement of the film 19 is lifted by the rotary member 48 being lifted away from the rubber bar member 47. At the same time, the angle lever 44 can pivot about its pivot point 45 in a counter-clockwise direction so that a rubber punch member 52, with a surface providing a high degree of friction, moves downwardly substantially into the position indicated at 52C in Figure 9, and comes to bear against the film web l9.

So that the angle lever 44 can reliably rotate about the pivot point 45 in the counter-clockwise direction when the lever 40 is pivoted in the cloc~wise direction, the upper pivot point 39 of the lever 40 provides a certain resistance to move-ment, that is to say, it produces a certain retarding or bra~ing action in regard to rotary movement of the lever 40.
By virtue of the rubber punch member 52 bearing against the web 19 of film material from above, the web 19 can be advanced towards the left and downwardly in the direction indicated by the arrow 53 with a sliding movement on the plate member 49, with the angle lever, for the angle lever 44 is moved towards the left in the direction indicated by the arrow 51, together with the lever 40, with the rubber punch member 52 in its condition of bearing against the web 19, by virtue of the vement of the rod 41.
During that movement, a roller 54 secured to the outer left-hand arm of the anyle lever 44 moves at a spacing below an inclined surface 55 on an angular guide member 56 which is arranged approximately in a region to the left of and beside the point 4~ of attachment of the rod 41 to the angle lever 4~.
When the leading edge 50 of the web 19 has reached the severing-welding edge or trailing edge 25' of the sealiny jaw 23, the roller 54 has moved towards the left on a cam surface 57 by the above-mentioned distance of 5mm which is selected by way of example, from the inclined surface 55 of the guide member 56.
The cam surface 57 ensures that the rubber punch member 52 remains in secure pressing engagement with the film web 19.
The leading edge 50 of the film web 19 is on the one hand the leading edge of the next cover strip 15, but at the same time it is the leading edge of the cover strip 15 which is lZ2,~ 9 subsequently fed forward, in conjunction with the film web 19.
When therefore the above-mentioned condition is attained, in which the roller 54 is positioned under the cam surface 57, then as shown in Figure 9 the sealing jaw 23 is lifted upwardly in the direction indicated by the arrow 24 and the foremost cover strip 15 is so disposed below the sealing jaw 23 that the trailing edge thereof is under the severing-welding edge 25', beside which is disposed the leading edge of the next cover strip 15 and thus the leading edge 50 of the web 19, in the above-described manner.
~fter the piston 59 of the pneumatic cylinder 58 has rotated the drive lever 60 and thus the support arm 63 of the sealing jaw 23, in such a way that the sealing jaw is pressed firmly downwardly in the direction indicated by the arrow 24, and the sealing and severing-welding temperature has been attained, the film web 19 performs the return movement, which has been referred to above in a different context, over the above-mentioned distance of 5mm, so that the leading edge 50 of the film web 19 resumes the position shown in Figure 9.
This return movement of the film web is effected by the direction of actuation of the pneumatic cylinder 42 being reversed so that the rod 41 moves towards the right a~ain in the direction indicated by the arrow 46. This causes the lever 40 to be pivoted about its pivot point 39 in a counter-clockwise direction, by means of the angle lever 44, with the angle lever 44 being pulled towards the right in Figure 8. It cannot at first pivot about its pivot point 45 for the roller 54 is held down by the cam surface 57. That causes the rubber punch member 52 to remain pressing against the film web 19, whereby it is puiled back by the above-mentioned distance of Smm as required.
That produces a cleaner cut, and avoids fraying of the cover 12;~ 9 strip. After the above-mentioned pull back movement over a distance of 5mm has taken place, the join between the cam sur-face 57 and the inclined surface 55 of the angle guide member 56 is reached, and, by virtue of the upper pivot point 39 of the lever 40 providing resistance to movement, the angle lever 44 can now rotate about its pivot point 45 in a clockwise direc-tion, because the roller 54 can now move up along the inclined surface 55. Because of that however, the rubber punch member 52 is lifted off the film or foil 19 and can move back from the position shown in solid lines in Figure 9, into position 52C.
Controlled in synchronism therewith, ~he means for preventing return movement of the web now comes into action again by the rotary wedge member 48 being pressed against the rubber bar member 47. During the above-described pivotal move-ment of the lever 40 about its pivo-t point 39 in the counter-clockwise directionr the feed roller 37 is again moved from its position A into position B, in order to feed film web 19 forward.
The working cycle is now repeated in the above-described manner.

Claims (4)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. Apparatus for producing a packaging means from a web of paper, cardboard or the like coated on one side with a thin layer of plastics material, said blank being formed with bend-ing lines and having at least one strip of reinforcing material on the coated surface thereof, in the region of the bending lines, the contact surface between the strip and the blank being spaced from said bending lines, said apparatus comprising a plastics film supply roll arranged on one side of the coated web, and two mutually oppositely operative sealing jaws of which at least one is movably arranged on opposite sides of the web, the face of the sealing jaw which is towards the coated surface of the web comprising at least in part grooves arranged in accordance with the pattern of the bending lines.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said supply roll has an axis of rotation arranged so as to extend trans-versely with respect to the direction of transportation of said web.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said at least one sealing jaw is driven to be movable substantially normal to the plane of said web, and is provided with a severing welding means.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein there is provided at least one clamp means which is movable in a con-trolled fashion synchronously with respect to the movement of the sealing jaws, for advancing the plastics film stepwise by the width of the reinforcing strip, between the sealing jaw and the paper web.