EP2233405B1 - Shrink-wrap package and method for its manufacture - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a method for producing a shrinkage package. In particular, the invention relates to a method in which film blanks are divided off from a shrinkable film transversely to a longitudinal direction of the film. The foil blanks are each wound around at least two articles. The foil blanks are shrunk onto the wrapped articles to thereby obtain the shrinkage package.

The prior art discloses methods and devices for packaging articles (packaged goods) which use a shrink film as the packaging wrapper for the articles. This shrink film is usually provided as a continuous material on rolls. The width of the shrink film is chosen so that it is wider by a specific amount than the base of the packaged and enveloped article.

In a known device, two or more packages can be made in parallel by providing the film with a width corresponding to twice or more than one width of a single package. The film is then divided in the device by a cutting unit into two or more film webs. The divided film webs are brought to a distance from one another by means of a film spreading unit, which is determined from the distance of the package deformations to be packaged in the device.

The shrink film is separated within the packaging device according to the container dimensions. The foil blanks are then wrapped around the articles by means of a wrapping system within the device. Subsequently, the containers are transported through a shrink tunnel, whereby the shrink film conforms to the article and the finished shrink wrap arise.

A disadvantage of a shrinkage package is that it has no structural features, e.g. suitable for a carrying handle. However, the prior art discloses methods and devices that provide such a carrying handle.

The patent application FR 2602748 A1 discloses a shrink wrap around containers. A carrying handle is formed from an annular strip which is wound in an intermediate plane separating the rows of containers. The annular strip is positioned on the outside of the packaging film in a dimple formed between the rows of containers. Reinforcing strips may also be provided to prevent the film from being undesirably stretched or even ruptured in the areas where the strip is near the film at container corners.

The patent application US 4,700,528 A discloses a method for producing a shrinkable package for articles to be packaged, wherein a separate handle in the form of a strip is applied to the packaging film. On either side of the central area of the strip, one foil area is weakened, so that openings are formed in the foil during the subsequent shrinking process, which serve as interventions for a user.

A disadvantage of the prior art is that for applying the strip, a further machine and additional complex steps are necessary. In addition, the already pre-fabricated wrapping material can only be used for a single container type. For other types of containers, it is always necessary to retrofit the machine.

The patent application US 3,866,386 A discloses an apparatus and method for producing a shrink wrap for articles according to the preamble of claim 1. To reinforce a film area in which retaining holes are inserted, at least one additional reinforcing element is placed near this area of the film before the articles are wrapped with a film blank. The reinforcing element may be, for example, a coating, a reinforcing rib or a drape of the film. The foil blank is integral for a single container.

The object of the invention is to provide a method with which without additional design effort, quickly, with a few steps and low material usage, and thus cost, a method for producing a shrinkage package is specified with a carrying handle.

The above object is achieved by a method comprising the features of claim 1.

In the method according to the invention, the film is divided into at least two film webs along the longitudinal direction of the film either before it is divided into film blanks, but at least before the heat-shrinking process. Then at least two adjacent film webs are brought together at their adjacent edges in the longitudinal direction such that they form an overlap on the adjacent edges of two superimposed edge portions of the film with a width. The overlap causes the film to double in these areas, even after the shrinking process. The overlap is shrunk in such a way and perforations are introduced laterally of the overlap in the film or foil blanks, which forms a handle for the shrink package. Thus, after the shrinking process in this area of the film, a reinforced foil strip is obtained, which serves as a stable carrying handle for the respective shrinkage package and which as a whole also circulates around the container. It is advantageous that no additional material strip is needed for a carrying handle.

For easy optical recognition, where the overlap is to be formed on the film or where a user should tear the perforations to use the overlap as a carrying handle, the overlap or perforations may be characterized by optically recognizable features on the film, for example color.

In the following, embodiments of the invention and their advantages with reference to the accompanying figures will be explained in more detail. The proportions of the individual elements to one another in the figures do not always correspond to the actual size ratios, since some shapes are simplified and other shapes are enlarged in relation to other elements for better illustration.

FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a film which is divided into two film webs.

FIG. 2 shows a plan view of a film blank, the two film web blanks have formed an overlap.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a shrinkage package with a carrying handle, which is formed by an overlap of two film web blanks of a film blank.

FIG. 4 shows a plan view of a film which is divided into four film webs.

For identical or equivalent elements of the invention, identical reference numerals are used. Furthermore, for the sake of clarity, only reference symbols are shown in the individual figures, which are required for the description of the respective figure. The illustrated embodiments merely provide examples of how the device according to the invention can be designed and provide no final limitation.

FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a film 3, which is divided into two film webs 4, 5. The film 3 is supplied, for example, from a roll (not shown). In the embodiment shown here, the film 3 is divided with a cut by means of a cutting unit (not shown) along the section line 8 into two film webs 4, 5 of equal width.

The film web 4 has a lower edge 14, the film web 5 an upper edge 15, wherein the edges 14, 15 coincide before the film pitch. A film guiding unit 12 brings the divided film webs 4, 5 together at their adjacent edges 14, 15 in the longitudinal direction 30, that is to say in their middle towards one another. This results in an overlap 9 of the two webs 4, 5 with a width 31.

A cutting unit 13 successively separates, with respect to the longitudinal direction 30, one foil blank 10 after the other from the foil 3, wherein FIG. 1 only a single foil blank 10 is shown. Each foil blank 10 is essentially in two parts, consisting of a cut-away blank of the foil web 4 and a cut-away blank of the foil web 5. The foil blank 10 also has the overlap 9. As a result of the shrinking process, the two overlapping film areas of the overlap 9 also remain one above the other, so that the overlap is then stored as a stable carrying handle 20 of the shrinkage package 1 (see FIG FIG. 3 ) suitable is.

The overlap 9 is shown visually recognizable on the film 3 by hatching in the embodiment shown here.

FIG. 2 shows again a plan view of the film blank 10 according to FIG. 1 , wherein the side of the overlap 9 perforations 24, 25 are introduced into the film blank 10, by means of which a user easier in the formed by the overlap 9 carrying handle 20 (see FIG. 1 ) can grab. The perforations 24, 25 have in the embodiment shown here a distance from the overlap 9, which corresponds to at least half of the width 31.

It is obvious to a person skilled in the art that the perforations 24, 25 can also be introduced after the shrinking process and the perforations 24, 25 by short longitudinal sections, by a substantially linear arrangement punctiform punctures, such. B. by needles, or by laser treatment can be formed. FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a shrinkage package 1 with a handle 20, which is formed by the overlap 9 of the two film web blanks 4, 5 of the film blank 10. At least two articles 2 are with the film blank 10 after FIG. 1 or 2 so wrapped that they form the shrinkage container 1 and the overlap 9 after FIG. 1 or 2 of the two film web blanks 4, 5 forms the carrying handle 20 for the shrinkage package 1.

FIG. 4 shows a plan view of a film 3, which is divided with three sections along the cutting lines 8, 18, 28 in four film webs 4, 5, 6, 7 of equal width. The upper two adjacent film webs 4, 5 have an overlap 9 and the lower two adjacent film webs 6, 7 also have an overlap 9. The pair 4, 5 forms the film wrapping material for each shrinkage package 1 and the pair 6, 7 forms the film wrapping material for another shrinkage package 1. The pairs 4, 5 and 6, 7 can be wound and shrunk around the respective articles 2 in parallel with the respective film wrapping material. The two film wrapping materials are the two film blanks 10, 11. The film web 4 has a lower edge 14, the film web 5 an upper edge 15, wherein the edges 14, 15 coincide before the film pitch. The film web 6 has a lower edge 16, the film web 7 an upper edge 17, wherein the edges 16, 17 coincide before the film pitch.

The blanks 10, 11, the overlaps 9, the production of the container 1 are otherwise as in Figure 1-3 already described.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

shrink packaging

2

items

3

foil

4, 5, 6, 7

sheet

14, 15, 16, 17

edge

8, 18, 28

intersection

9

overlap

10, 11

film blank

12

Sheet guide unit

13

cutting unit

20

handle

24, 25

perforation

30

longitudinal direction

31

width

32

top

Claims (4)

1. A method for manufacturing a shrink package (1) with a carrying handle (20), where pre-cut films (10, 11) are cut off from a shrinkable film (3) transversely relative to a longitudinal direction (30) of the film (3), the pre-cut films (10, 11) are each wrapped around at least two articles (2), the pre-cut films (10, 11) are shrunk onto the wrapped articles (2) to form one shrink package (1) respectively,
   characterized in that prior to a shrinking process the film (3) is divided along the longitudinal direction (30) into at least two film webs (4, 5, 6, 7) of the same width, after dividing the film (3) into at least two film webs (4, 5, 6, 7) and prior to the shrinking process at least two adjacent film webs (4, 5, 6, 7) are brought together at their adjacent sides (14, 15, 16, 17) in the longitudinal direction (30) in such a way that they form an overlap (9) out of two edges laying on top of each other with a width (31), and the overlap (9) is shrunk in such a way and perforations (24, 25) are introduced into the film (3) next to the overlap (9) or into the pre-cut films (10, 11) that they form a carrying handle (20) for the shrink package (1).
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the film (3) is already divided into the at least two film webs (4, 5, 6, 7) along the longitudinal direction (30) before being cut into pre-cut films (10, 11) and then the at least two adjacent film webs (4, 5, 6, 7) are brought together at their adjacent sides (14, 15, 16, 17) in the longitudinal direction (30) in such a way that they form the overlap (9) with the width (31) at the adjacent sides (14, 15, 16, 17).
3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein by three cuts the film (3) is divided into four film webs (4, 5, 6, 7) of the same width and every two adjacent film webs (4, 5, 6, 7) have an overlap (9), respectively, and thus provide the film wrapping material for one shrink package (1), respectively.
4. The method according to claim 3, wherein two shrink packages (1) are produced simultaneously by wrapping at least two articles (2) each with one of the two film wrapping materials, respectively.

Images