EP2039612A1 - Dust and insect-proof folding box with all-round safety lock - Google Patents

Abstract

The folding box (12) comprises a folding tab (13), which is formed at the sealing flap (2) over a length between the folded corners (1) at the sealing flap and the edge. The length remains up to the edge of the sealing flap. The folding tab is inserted into the folded corners at another sealing flap (3) when locking the folding box independently by the folded corners at the sealing flap. An independent claim is included for a method for locking a folding box.

Description

Technical application

The invention relates to a carton for dust and insect-proof packaging according to the preamble of claim 1, which can also be designed as a water vapor-tight packaging. The invention also relates to a method for tightly closing such a folding box.

Folding cartons are used on a large scale for automated, fully automatic packaging of all kinds of products. These have some outstanding advantages over competing plastic packaging, especially pouches. Folding cartons are made from a cost-effective, versatile and environmentally friendly material. The boxes can be provided in the most diverse designs and very well machined, for example by coating, painting or printing. The possibility of palletizing, the mechanical protection against external influences as well as the problem-free recycling and recycling in the applicable recycling system are advantages of folding cartons.

State of the art

Due to the existing wide variety of folding carton designs, an international code for packaging has been developed, the so-called ECMA or FEFCO code to replace cumbersome definitions of corrugated box and packaging designs with simple, internationally valid symbols.

The previously known, standardized carton designs can be used for a wide variety of products, both in the food sector and outside the food industry. However, a still unsatisfactorily solved problem is the packaging of dusty or free-flowing products in cartons. So far commercially available solutions achieve in many cases still no sufficient tightness in dusty and free-flowing products, especially for longer transport or storage times. Furthermore, the cartons should also have a high density against insect attack, especially in the food industry.

A known possibility of the insect and dustproof packaging with folding boxes is the provision of an additional inner bag for the product to be packaged, which is introduced into the carton. However, the packaging process is expensive due to this additional inner bag.

Under the FEFCO code 0226 a folding box is known from a one-piece, foldable blank, from which a cuboid box can be produced by folding, which has internal folding corners at all box corners. The box is hinged on two sides in each case by two on opposite side parts of the box hinged flaps closable. The two flaps are identically dimensioned so that they close each half of the page. The inner folding corners allow a high density to be achieved at the box corners. However, the two flaps form a joint line and thus a gap that can be reasonably sealed only with an adhesive strip.

The use of an adhesive tape reveals the DE 20307490 U1 in which the folding corners are formed to form hinged chutes and laid to the outside.

From the publication of the company Nordson AG, "Faltschachteln - Seldom Thanks to Sift Proof Bonding", in PACK Aktuell, September 15, 2002, pages 28 to 30 is an adhesive technology for the flow-proof gluing of standard cartons known. In this process, the bottom and Deckelbeleimung done with individually shaped and controllable nozzle strips, which apply a plurality of small beads of adhesive parallel to the flaps. The appropriate choice and monitoring of the adhesive image is to provide in this method for the slosh closure of the carton without the need for additional inner bag.

The DE 9320249 U1 describes a carton for dust and insect-proof packaging according to the preamble of claim 1. In this document, the folding corners extend to the first flap to a distance from the side panels to which they are hinged, the larger a length difference between the first and second shutters.

The EP 0 014 560 A1 describes a method and apparatus for folding and closing a carton. In the folding box used in this case, a folding flap is formed on a closure flap over a remaining to the edge of the flap length between the folding corners and the edge in each case a folding tab. The folding tabs can not be moved independently of the folding corners. Another flap has no folding corners or folding flaps.

From the DE 10 2004 047 063 A1 is a generic carton known that allows a dust and insect-proof packaging.

The object of the present invention is to optically further improve this generic carton with its insect and dustproof properties, with an automated packaging process to be made possible on a conventional level of performance.

Presentation of the invention

The object is achieved with the carton according to claim 1. Claim 8 indicates the associated method for insect, dust and water vapor-tight sealing of this carton. Advantageous embodiments of the carton and the method are the subject of the dependent claims or can be found in the following description and the exemplary embodiments.

The present carton consists in a known manner of a one-piece, foldable blank from which a cuboid box can be produced by folding, which has internal Faltecken at all box corners. The box is closed on two sides by two hinged on opposite side panels flaps. An example of the basic structure of such a box is a folding box according to FEFCO Code 0226. In the present carton, a first closing flap completely covers the side of each of the two closing flaps and the second closing flap only partially covers the side. The folding corners and the second flaps provide along the side parts to which they are articulated, each having a continuous adhesive surface for applying adhesive, which allows a closed bonding of the two flaps when closing the box. The folding corners on the first closing flaps, also referred to below as first folding corners, extend only up to a distance from the side part to which they are articulated, which is smaller than the length of the first closing flaps measured by the side part. The folding box is characterized in that on the first closure flaps over a remaining to an edge of the first flap length between the first folding corners and the edge in each case a folding tab is formed, which is independent of the first folding corners when closing the carton can be pushed into the folding corners on the second flap. This creates a final entanglement with the second fold corner of the short closure flap.

With the proposed carton can be achieved by providing and inserting a separate, freely movable folding flap a good dust, Rieselund insect impermeability in a required by packers, at the same time visually appealing continuous folding edge. The folding box can also be realized with a high water vapor tightness. For this purpose, only the Faltschachtelkarton to be used by appropriate coating, painting or painting must be water vapor tight. Contrary to the previously prevailing idea, the inequality in the material stratification resulting from the additional folding flap does not reduce the intended tightness of the folding carton when the carton layup at the second folding corner (= folding corner at the second closing flap) produced by the folding tab is replaced by a corresponding application of adhesive Closing is compensated.

Preferably, grooves or creasing edges for easier folding in are formed between the first folding corners and the first closing flaps and between the folding flaps and the first closing flaps. For reasons of machine-processability of the cartons, the creasing edges and the Rillwulste the separate folding tabs are preferably designed, in particular clearly outwardly shaped, so that a trouble-free insertion of the folding tabs can be executed in the second folding corners.

The folding tabs in the upper part of the hinged first folding corners are to be separated from the first folding corners by material cuts to close to the creasing edge for reasons of folding technology. This ensures that the folding tabs are not folded at the same time when folding the folding corners, but only in a second part of the synchronous folding process in the second folding corners of the shorter flaps can be inserted.

The first folding corners extend in the proposed carton only up to a distance from the side part to which they are hinged, which is smaller or equal to a difference in length between the first and second flaps (each calculated from the side to which they are hinged) and on the other hand is greater than or equal to a length of the second flaps. A deviation from this length range could possibly lead to a reduction of the tightness of the carton during the bonding. By this dimensioning automatically results in a corresponding limitation of the length of the folding tabs (calculated in the direction of the side part away), as they extend over the full remaining length of the flap.

The small width of the second closure flaps, which is preferably less than half the width of the first closure flaps, allows the two to be closed synchronously lying flaps, which is required due to the rigid connection of the flaps on the folding corners. The optimum width of the narrow closure flap is essentially determined by the speed of the belt or packaging, ie by the performance requirement (cartons per minute) with which the cartoning plant operates.

The closing of the carton is advantageously made possible by a simplified adhesive application, which requires no complex, specially controllable nozzle strips in comparison to the Sift Proof process. Thus, for example, a spray, caterpillar or punctiform application is possible. It is only essential in the case of this adhesive application that the hotmelt adhesive covers the entire edge of the fully covering closure flap when closing. In this way, an all-round closure of the entire gap between the fully covering flap and the side panels is achieved. An additional inner bag is no longer necessary. The simple application of adhesive with only a few, preferably a maximum of three adhesive nozzles also significantly lower adhesive consumption is achieved than in the Sift Proof technique described above.

The present carton is preferably designed as a standard carton (in contrast to special or special forms of cartons) and corresponds to a basic type of carton. Standard cartons are all box shapes described in the ECMA (ECM: European Carton Makers Association) Code.

In a very advantageous development of the present folding box, the folding corners are provided with scratching edges, which do not extend to the side part or the creasing edge in one embodiment, but have a minimum distance of, for example, 4 mm from the inner corner, in order to avoid cardboard breakthroughs during folding. The minimum distance is chosen depending on the format of the carton. Although in an alternative embodiment the scoring edges may extend directly to the inner corners, in which case, however, a first section which extends to a minimum distance from the inner corner has a greater scoring depth than the remaining section, which extends as far as the inner corner extends. Due to the smaller depth of the scribe edge in the remaining portion, a cardboard breakthrough at the corners can also be avoided.

Brief description of the drawings

Fig. 1

ein Beispiel für den einteiligen Zuschnitt einer gattungsgemäßen Faltschachtel gemäß Stand der Technik;

Fig. 2

ein Beispiel für den einteiligen Zuschnitt einer Ausführungsform der vorgeschlagenen Faltschachtel;

Fig. 3

die Ausgestaltung der Faltecken und Faltlasche der Figur 2 nochmals im Detail;

Fig. 4

zwei weitere Beispiele für die Ausgestaltung der Faltlasche und Faltecken im Detail;

Fig. 5

ein Beispiel für die Ausführung der Ritzkanten der Faltecken der vorliegenden Faltschachtel;

Fig. 6

schematisch die Klebeschritte für den Verschluss der Faltschachtel (horizontale Minimal-Verklebung); und

Fig. 7

eine perspektivische Darstellung der aufgerichteten Faltschachtel während des Verschließens der Verschlussklappen.

The present carton and the associated method for closing the carton will be briefly explained again with reference to an embodiment in conjunction with the drawings. Hereby show:

Fig. 1

an example of the one-piece blank of a generic carton according to the prior art;

Fig. 2

an example of the one-piece blank of an embodiment of the proposed carton;

Fig. 3

the design of folding corners and folding the FIG. 2 again in detail;

Fig. 4

two further examples of the design of the folding flap and folding corners in detail;

Fig. 5

an example of the execution of the Ritzkanten the folding corners of the present carton;

Fig. 6

schematically the adhesive steps for the closure of the carton (horizontal minimal bonding); and

Fig. 7

a perspective view of the erected carton during the closing of the flaps.

Ways to carry out the invention

FIG. 1 shows an example of a punching die for producing a generic carton, as shown in the DE 10 2004 047 063 A1 is known. The one-piece blank shown in the figure is composed of the interconnected side parts 10, where the eight folding corners 1 and the closing flaps 2, 3 are articulated via creasing edges 8. A side part of the carton is formed by the two side flaps 4, 4 '. These are pre-glued by the manufacturer to form the factory edge and delivered in a folded form to the bottler. The folding corners 1 on the side flaps 4 'are extended beyond the factory edge by a section 5 in order to achieve, in the production of the factory edge, a cardboard covering with the region 9 of the folding corner 1 on the side flap 4, which can likewise be glued.

In the figure, the respective unequal closure flaps 2, 3 can be seen very well. The large flaps 2 are dimensioned to just completely cover the side of the carton they are closing. The narrow closure flaps 3, which are opposite this in the erected folding box, are dimensioned such that the mechanical closing operation after gluing can proceed synchronously and smoothly. By covering the two flaps 2, 3, a joint line is avoided when closing the carton. The full coverage of one of the flaps allows a simplified application of adhesive when closing the carton, which can be done for all adhesive zones of a page at the same height or in the same plane. The adhesive surfaces 6 are formed both on the narrow closure flaps 3 and on the folding corners 1 continuously along the side parts 10, on which the closure flaps 3 and the folding corners 1 are articulated. The joints of the folding corners lie in a minimum distance a above the creasing edges 8 of the side parts 10. This distance corresponds to the width of the adhesive surfaces 6 provided.

FIG. 2 shows a further education in FIG. 1 illustrated folding box, which is characterized mainly by the formation of folding corners 1 and the additional folding tabs 13 on the fully covering flap 2. The other features of this carton can in the same way as in the carton of FIG. 1 be educated.

Like from the FIG. 2 it can be seen, go the folding corners 1 on the long flap 2 in folding tabs 13, which extend to the end of the flap 2. In this case, an incision 14 is formed between the folding tabs 13 and the folding corners 1, which extends as far as close to the closing flap 2 (only schematically indicated in the figure). The folding tabs 13 are inserted after folding the folding corners 1 immediately before the pressing of the flaps 2 and 3 in the space between the flap 2 and the fold corner located underneath. By means of these additional folding tabs, a continuous folding edge on the long closing flap 2 is achieved, thus ensuring uniform closure bonding. Channel formations on the closure are thereby prevented.

The indicated by the reference numeral 15 creasing or creasing edge of the folding tab 13 for improved folding is compared to the groove 16 at the adjacent folding corners of the flap 2 shifted to the outside. This allows an improved, ie trouble-free mechanical folding of the folding tabs 13 immediately prior to pressing or gluing the closure flaps 2, 3. This area of Faltecken and folding tabs is in the FIG. 3 again indicated in enlarged scale. In this illustration, the mutually offset creasing edges 15 and 16 of the folding tab 13 or Faltecke 1 can be seen. Furthermore, it can also be seen in this figure that the incision 14 extends between the folding tab 13 and the folding corner 1 close to the closure flap 2.

wobei L2 der Länge der kurzen Verschlussklappe 3 und B der Breite des Seitenteils 10 entspricht, das zwischen den beiden Verschlussklappen ausgebildet ist (vgl. Figur 1 oder 2). Diese Breite B entspricht in der Regel der Länge L1 der ersten Verschlussklappe 2. Durch diese Längendefinition der Faltlasche ist eine fast optimale, d.h. ebene Ausformung der Faltkante über L2 sichergestellt. Faltlaschen außerhalb dieser Definition verursachen die Gefahr von Kanalbildungen im Verschluss bzw. von nicht präziser Lascheneinschiebung (x < L2).The length x of the folding tab 13 should preferably be selected such that the following relationship applies: $$\mathrm{B}\mathrm{-}\mathrm{L}\mathrm{2}\mathrm{\ge }\mathrm{x}\mathrm{\ge }\mathrm{L}\mathrm{2}\mathrm{.}$$

wherein L2 corresponds to the length of the short closing flap 3 and B corresponds to the width of the side part 10 formed between the two closing flaps (cf. FIG. 1 or 2 ). As a rule, this width B corresponds to the length L1 of the first closure flap 2. This length definition of the folding flap ensures a nearly optimal, ie flat, shaping of the folding edge via L2. Folding tabs outside of this definition cause the risk of channeling in the shutter or inaccurate tab insertion (x <L2).

In addition to this embodiment of the folding tabs 13 in FIG. 3 Of course, other geometric shapes are possible as long as the folding tab 13 can be pushed directly before the pressing of the flaps 2, 3 between the flap 2 and the depressed folded corner located underneath. FIG. 4 shows two examples, in the upper part of a rounded folding tab 13 and in the lower part of a more pronounced folding tab 13 can be seen.

Furthermore, the folding corners 1 are provided with Ritzkanten 7, which in the present example as shown in the FIG. 5 are formed. The scribe edge is divided into two sections. In a first section 7a spaced from the inner corner, this scoring edge has a normal scratching depth. In the remaining section 7b only a minimal scratch depth is used to avoid cardboard breakthroughs during folding. The second section 7b can no longer have any scribe edge. Preferably, the distance of the first portion 7a from the inner corner is at least 4 mm.

After erecting the carton 12 in a cartoning the tight closure of the bottom and top of the carton is done by the in FIG. 6 with the arrows shown adhesive technique. The figure shows the carton 12 after the erection and before folding the corners and flaps from above. For gluing on the in the FIG. 1 illustrated adhesive zones 6 with the three nozzles 11 applied a hot melt adhesive, which are arranged for this purpose at the same height. In the present example, a two-stroke bonding is shown in which the individual cycles each correspond to a direction of application of the adhesive. The distance of the hotmelt adhesive to the creasing edge is defined by the compression of the hot melt adhesive, in particular its viscosity, the contact pressure and the suction behavior of the carton when pressing the flaps. The sealing adhesive of the upper side (head part) and the lower side of the folding box 12 (bottom part) can here intermittently or clocked to "gap" done. As nozzles contact nozzles or spray nozzles can be used.

After applying the hot-melt adhesive, the closing flaps are pressed in synchronously with the hinged folding corners and separate folding straps. This closing process takes place at extremely low setting times of the hot melt adhesive. This process ensures complete entanglement of the folding tabs with the folding corners of the narrow closing flaps. The design of the present carton allows with appropriate positioning of the glue application nozzles both a vertical and a horizontal filling of the cartons.

FIG. 7 again shows a perspective view of the erected folding box 12 during insertion of the flaps 2, 3 and folding corners 1. The fully covering flap 2 opposite the narrow flap 3 and their connection via the folding corners 1 with the Ritzkanten 7 and the folding corners 1 subsequent folding tabs 13 are very easy to recognize in this illustration.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

folding corners

2

Closure flap, fully covering

3

Closure flap, narrow

4

Adhesive flap with adhesive layer

4 '

Adhesive flap after formation of the factory edge (blank gluing)

5

Carton cover during production of the factory edge

6

adhesive surfaces

7

Ritz edge

7a

First section of the scribe edge

7b

Second section of the scribe edge

8th

Rillkanten

9

Bonding of the cardboard cover 5

10

side panels

11

jet

12

folding

13

gussets

14

incision

15

Grooving on folding tab

16

Grooving on folding corner

a

Distance of joint from creasing edge

L1

Length of the fully covering flap

L2

Length of the narrow flap

Claims (8)

Folding box for dust and insect-proof packaging of a one-piece, foldable blank from which a cuboid box (12) can be produced by folding, which has internal folding corners (1) at all box corners and on two sides in each case by two opposite side parts ( 10) of the box (12) hinged flaps (2, 3) is closable,
wherein, of the two closing flaps (2, 3), a first closing flap (2) completely covers the side and the second closing flap (3) only partially covers the side,
the folding corners (1) and the second closing flaps (3), along the side parts (10) to which they are articulated, each providing a continuous adhesive surface (6) for applying adhesive, which forms a closed gluing of the first closing flaps (2) when closing the box (12) allows, and
wherein the folding corners (1) on the first closure flaps (2) each extend only to a distance from the side part (10) to which they are articulated, which is smaller than a length of the first closure flaps (16) measured from the side part (10). 2),
characterized,
that at the first flap (2) via a up to an edge of the first closure flaps (2) remaining length between the folding corners (1) on the first flap (2) and the edge of each folding flap (13) is formed, wherein the folding flap (13) when closing the box independently of the Faltecken (1) on the first flap (2) in folding corners (1) on the second flap (3) can be inserted. Folding box according to claim 1,
characterized,
in that an incision (14) is formed between the folding corners (1) on the first closing flaps (2) and the folding flaps (13), by means of which the folding flaps (13) are freely movable and separately manageable. Folding box according to claim 1 or 2,
characterized,
in that the folding corners (1) at the first closing flaps (2) each extend only to a distance from the side part (10) on which they are articulated, which is less than or equal to a length difference L1-L2 between the first (2) and second Closing flaps (3) and greater than or equal to a length L2 of the second flap (3). Folding box according to one of claims 1 to 3,
characterized,
that the second flaps (3) the page around cover a maximum of half. Folding box according to one of claims 1 to 4,
characterized,
that joints of adjacent folding corners (1) have a minimum distance from the side part (10) on which they are articulated. Folding box according to one of claims 1 to 5,
characterized,
in that the folding corners (1) are provided with scoring edges (7, 7a) for folding, which extend only to a minimum distance from the side part (10) on which the folding corners (1) are articulated. Folding box according to one of claims 1 to 5,
characterized,
in that the folding corners (1) are provided with scoring edges (7, 7a, 7b) for folding in a first section (7a) to a first depth and in the minimum distance to the side part (10) on which the folding corners are articulated remaining portion (7b) to the side part (10) have a reduced second depth. A method for closing a folding box, which is designed according to one of claims 1 to 7, in which after an erection of the folding box (12) in a cartoning plant on the adhesive surfaces (6) applied an adhesive and the closure flaps (2, 3) with the folding corners (1) are then inserted and pressed synchronously, wherein immediately before the pressing of the flaps (2, 3) the freely movable folding tabs (13) are inserted and hooked with the folding corners (1) on the second flap (3).

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