FR2639035A1 - PACKAGING PACKAGE, PACKAGING USING SUCH HOLDER, AND PACKAGING METHOD - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a conditioning wedge. It also relates to packaging using such a wedge and to a packaging process which exploits all the possibilities of such material. It can be used in any field of packaging in boxes or in packaging in heat-shrinkable plastic film. According to the invention, the packaging wedge is intended to come between a package and a product to be packaged, characterized in that it is produced by cutting an elongated strip 8 of a thick sheet material with characteristics of 'damping given, which is then shaped so as to surround at least partially in a section plane the product 2 to be packaged, constituting first remote portions of the product which come into contact with the inside of the packaging and second portions 9-11 which connect the first portions 4-7 together.

Description

Cylinder packing, packaging using such a rope

and method of conditioning.

  The present invention relates to a packaging wedge.

  It also relates to a packaging using such a rope and a packaging process that exploits all the possibilities of such equipment. It finds application to any area of packing in box or in packaging

  shrink-wrapped plastic film.

  In the prior art, it is known to condition objects or products by interposing between a box and the product a shim whose main function is to separate the product from the walls of its packaging and therefore to some extent

  to avoid him aggressive contacts.

  Another conventional function of such wedges is to damp in a certain range of energy values of shocks that

  the package may be subject to the risk of the packaged product.

  However, these wedges of the prior art have two major disadvantages. They do not make it easy to automate packaging processes. Nor do they allow a rational adaptation to the specific problems of conditioning. By this is meant that the cages of the prior art must serve both for fragile products and subject to risks of shock as

  products without particular fragility.

  The invention provides a remedy for these disadvantages of the prior art. Indeed, the present invention relates to a packaging block, intended to be interposed between a package and a product to be packaged, characterized in that it is made by cutting an elongated strip of a thick sheet material characteristics of damping data, which is then shaped so as to surround at least partially in a cutting plane the product to be packaged, constituting first remote portions of the product which come into contact with the inside of the package and second portions who

connect the first ones.

  The present invention also relates to a packaging using

such a hug.

  The present invention also relates to a method of packaging at least one product in a container such as a packaging on a packaging station, characterized in that it consists in: - extracting a desired length of wedge according to one of the

  preceding claims of a reservation.

  - To form hinges intended to perfectly fit the hoop around the product to be packaged, - to arrange the hinge relative to the product and the packaging, - then to deposit the hinge assembly and produced through an opening of the package,

- close the packaging.

  Other features and benefits of this

  invention will be better understood from the description and

  Figures which are: - Figure I: a sectional view of a packaged package using a wedge according to the invention, - Figure 2: a top view and a sectional view aa of a portion of shaped strip according to FIG. 3: two views -A- and -B- representing an angle of a package packaged according to a variant of the invention; FIG. 4: a view of a portion of a wedge according to the invention according to another variant, - Figure 5: a sectional view of a package in a variant of the invention, - Figure 6: a sectional view of a portion of a shim reserve according to l FIG. 7 is a sectional view of an assembly produced to be packaged / wrapped / packaged in a step of the process of

conditioning according to the invention.

  In Figure 1, there is shown a sectional view of a packaged package using a wedge according to the invention. The product to be packaged 2 is seen in section. It is here of parallelepipedic shape, but can have more complex forms.

  The product 2 is removed from the package 1 by the shim 3.

  This completely surrounds the product in the plane of the cut. It consists of a sheet of thick plastic material which has a rigidity in the plane of the

  sheet and compressibility in the direction of the thickness.

  Preferably, a polyurethane is chosen. Generally speaking, a plastics material having

  elastic flexibility characteristics.

  Such a material can be shaped so as to form folding hinges and recesses by stamping the heating press. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, these various treatments are made at the packaging site, at the request of an automaton which is dependent on the characteristics of the product that arrives on the site.

packing station.

  In Figure i, the four corners of the product are housed in recesses 4, 5, 6, 7 connected to each other by flat portions 8, 9, 10, 11. The recesses constitute in the wedge first portions which allow to separate the product from its packaging and the flat faces, second portions of connection. They are box-shaped each consisting of a bottom and two flanks, each

  sidewall to connect the bottom to the rest of the wedge.

  It will be noted that the second connection portions play a predominant role in the distribution of the forces transmitted from one corner of the package to one of the recesses 4 to 7. In FIG. 2, two views are shown of one of the housings the wedge intended to remove the product from its packaging. The material intended to constitute the core is in the form of an elongated strip from which a determined length can be extracted. Here, the only area that allows

to make a recess like 4.

  Visible in the top view, a hollow zone made of a first parallelepipedal portion 12 has been made by hot pressing, to which two other

  parallelepipedic hollow of smaller surface 13, 14.

  The recess 12 is intended to separate the product from its packaging on the visible faces in the plane of FIG. 15 and the two recesses 13 and 14 make it possible to move the product away from the other two sides of the package which are parallel to the

  plane of Figure 1 and therefore not shown in this figure.

  In a preferred embodiment, to improve the contact between the edge of the wedge and the two lateral faces of the package, the two recesses 13, 14 are extended.

  by shapes of triangular section 15, 16.

  These recess forms allow by edges 17, 18 parallel to the faces of the package to send efforts on the rest of the coast. In section along aa, there is the projection of the recess 14 ,. the outer faces of the central recess 12 and the inner faces of the recess

triangular 16.

  To allow folding of the shim around the product, it stamps grooves 19, 20 on each side of the first portion 12-18 which allow the second portions 21, 22 to go up 45 above the plane of Figure 2 to come

  press on the walls of the product as in figure 1.

  In Figure 1, there is shown a cardboard box, but this solution has the disadvantage of making a support of the wedge on the cardboard by sharp corners. Such a solution has the advantage of carrying the efforts on the corners of the packaged product, which corresponds to the most frequent case of drop shocks. It also has the advantage of simplicity. But the aforementioned disadvantage dispsrait when using instead of a cardboard box a flexible plastic film packaging. Such a film is applied hot and shrinks with cooling, so that the hug is strongly applied to the product on the one hand and the plastic film is pressed on the flat portions of the corners 4, 5. 6, 7 without risk of rips. In the packaging process according to the invention, the cake is initially stored in a continuous form, for example on sheets wound on reels. The reel is located near the packing station. When a product to be conditioned is brought by an automaton on the station, a quantity of wedge corresponding to the need for wedging is extracted from the reel. Then, the hoop is formed by stamping the desired number of hinges and boxes and possibly lateral shapes. Their relative positions are also configurable according to the

  product and its packaging or container.

  Then, the wedge is interposed between the product to be packaged and the opening of the container or packaging. The product is then directed by gravity or by a transfer automaton in the container, the wedge being driven naturally to the inside of the container coming to be interposed and suitably placed between the inner walls of the container and the outer walls of the product. However, this provision is not specific to the invention. In other applications, it is possible to use an automaton and an introduction of the set / product in its container $ in another plane, the opening of the container being disposed

in a suitable way.

  In Figure 3, there are two views -A- and -B- of a solution to the problem of drilling the cardboard box by the sharp corners of the wedge. Each corner is constituted by two boxes 23 and 24 connected to one another by a bottom which has two grooves 26 and 27 which allow its folding. These two grooves are sufficient to allow to surround the product by the cale which for the rest is identical to that

  of Figure 1. In this configuration, visible to view -

  A-, the product 28 is installed in its cardboard box 29 without any roughness of the wedge comes to risk a piercing

of the packaging.

  In another embodiment not shown in the drawing, a single groove is practiced on the connection bottom between the two boxes. It is enough to bend the island to

  the place of the sharp angle of the product.

  It is noted that the holds of the invention can be stored before conditioning in a reserve where they hold a minimum volume. Indeed, the standard separation distance of a fragile product from its packaging is on average 5 centimeters. As the wedge is, before its forming, in the form of a sheet typically 5 millimeters thick, we see the volume gain that

the invention generates.

  In Figure 4, there is shown another variant of cAle according to the invention which has the dual advantage of distributing the clamping forces on the entire container on the one hand, and to be adaptable to a large extent to all

dimensions of products to be packaged.

  For this purpose, the wedge 30 is constituted by a succession of? Caissons 31. 32, 33 comne that shown in Figure 2, optionally separated from each other by grooves or not. A box consists of a bottom 34 which presses on the container and a portion 35 which comes into

  support on a part of product to be conditioned.

  In an embodiment shown in Figure 6, the boxes are trapezoidal section so as to allow their stacking. A reserve of shims according to the invention can comprise in a reduced volume a large length of shim. FIG. 6 shows two strips 40 and 41 during stacking. Each band is constituted as we have seen by a succession of boxes connected to each other by flat sections. It should be noted that this deposition of the caissons in trapezoidal section has the advantage of stacking several strips of cages. In a reel, in which is constituted a reserve of cages according to the invention, it is known to extract a band in the waiting position, and take by extraction out of the reel a

useful length of cole.

  It is an important advantage of the invention to provide a reduced storage of cages. Indeed, the storage volume

  before use is an unproductive volume for the company.

  We can thus completely surround a product. In Figure 5. there is shown a product 37 installed in a container consisting of a cardboard box 38. The wedge 39 is constituted by a succession of boxes of identical sizes. Here, the width to length ratio of the product is 4/5. The corners of the product receive the place of the wedge where one has a hinge. Here the hinges are three in number: 40, 41 and 42. They are made as before by stamping grooves on all the width of the shim in the dimension perpendicular to the plane of the section of FIG. 5. They can be executed at

  the demand on the packing station.

  Note that in this arrangement, the conditioning operation is reduced. It is enough to extract a sufficient length of wedge of a reserve. Then depending on the product to be conditioned, three hinges are placed. The product is brought over the opening of the box, the wedge being interposed between the two. Then, the cuddle and product set is arranged by gravity or any other means of

transfer in the cash register.

  It is clear that the wedge must be positioned relative to the body and the product so as to surround the product with

the desired way.

  This method finds application in packaging chains on which only products whose length-to-width ratio is an integer multiple of the pitch P of the shell design. We notice that a certain adaptation is possible by moving a quantity x the position of the

  hinge from the standard position shown in the drawing.

  In FIG. 7, there is shown a product assembly 50 / bag 51 and packaging 52 in a step of the method of

conditioning according to the invention.

  In an earlier step, a suitable length of wedge was extracted from the resist not shown in the drawing. Then, on a forming station, according to the parameters defining the geometry and the fragility of the product 50, stamped caissons 53 at positions compatible with these

  Parameters as well as three hinges 54.

  Then in another step we brought successively. the product 50, the hoop 51 and a plastic film 52 above the opening 66 of a shaper 55. Note that the walls 65 and 68 of the compomer 55 are arranged to allow proper insertion of the product assembly

O0 / cap 51 / package 52.

  The set is. then descended according to the vertical sheets of the drawing. The plastic film is applied to the lower faces of the boxes 53. Then, during the downward movement in the shaper 55, the parts 56 and 63 of the shim 51 come into contact with the frustoconical parts of the shaper, which has the effect of to bring them closer to the corresponding faces 57 and 62 of the product 50. Similarly, the

  plastic film is applied on the hilt.

  When the descent movement continues, the portions 56 and 63 are applied to the product 50 whose face 60 rests on the central portion 59 of the hoop. At the end of the race, the assembly produces 50 / cradle 51 / packing 52 rests

  on the bottom 67 of the chamber 69 of the shaper 55.

  In another step of the method, the free straight portion of the plastic film 52 is folded over the edge of the chamber 66, which also has the effect of folding the right-most part 63 of the blade 51 on the upper face 64 of the product. 50. Finally, to complete the conditioning operation, the free ends 58a and 58b of the cell 51S are interconnected by means known to those skilled in the art. In particular, it is possible to cut on the free edges cutouts that fit together and allow permanent removable attachment of the wedge 51 around the product. The plastic film 52 is welded and retracted by heating the assembly. Then the packaged product is

extracted from the shaper.

  It is clear that all or only part of the

  packaging process can be automated.

1a0a 2639035

Claims (13)

claims   1. Cage conditioning, intended to come between between a package and a product to be packaged, characterized in that it is made by cutting an elongate strip (8) of a thick sheet material characteristics of damping data, which is then shaped so as to surround at least partially in a cutting plane the product (2) to be conditioned, constituting first remote portions of the product that come into contact with the inside of the package and seconds portions (9-11) that connect the first portions (4-7) between them.   2. Cake according to claim 1, characterized in that it is made in the form of a sheet of   elastic plastic material such as polyurethane.   3. Capping according to one of the preceding claims,   characterized in that the cylinder is carried out on demand by extraction from a reel placed on the station of conditioning.   4. Cake according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the first portions is formed in the form of a box (12-14, 31-33) composed of a bottom and two flanks.   5. Cage according to claim 4, characterized in that the box is completed in the width direction of the strip constituting the hoop, by two forms (13, 14) intended to bear on the side walls of the package . 6. A cord according to claim 5, characterized in that each lateral shape completing a box is constituted by a bottom connected by at least two sidewalls (15, 16) to the rest of the wedge is closed on the outer lateral side of the shim by a edge (17, 18) intended to support   a lateral internal face of the package.   7. Cushion according to claims 4 or 5, characterized in   what the box is made by stamping using of a counterform.   b. Capping according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the first portions is separated from one of the second portions which serve as connection section by a hinge (54) intended to allow   a better adaptation of the wedge on the product.   9. A cord according to claim 8, characterized in that the hinge is made by hot stamping the hinge. 10. Cage according to claim 6, characterized in that the boxes being arranged at the sharp corners of the product, they are doubled in the direction of the length of the tape rib, two boxes (23, 24) framing the sharp angle and a connecting base (25) being formed between the two boxes making up the first portion of wedge, so as to   come framing the sharp angle of the product.   11. Cushion according to claim 1, characterized in that the hinge is manufactured in the form of a succession of boxes (31-33) separated by flat sections, and in that hinges are made on demand at the station of conditioning at the right angles of the product to be packaged.   12. A cord according to claim 7, characterized in that each box followed by a flat section is of constant pitch p chosen so as to adapt to a whole range standard dimensions of products.   13. Cushion according to claim 12, characterized in that the section of the boxes is trapezoidal so as to   allow the stacking of several wedge bands.   14. Packaging characterized in that it comprises a shim   according to one of the preceding claims.   15. A method of packaging at least one product in a container such as a package on a packaging station, characterized in that it consists in: - extracting a desired length of shim (52) according to one   previous claims of a reservation,   - To form hinges (54) intended to perfectly fit the hoop around the product to be packaged, - to arrange the hinge relative to the product and the packaging, - then to deposit the hinge assembly (52) and produced through a opening the packaging, - to close the packaging.   16. The method of claim 15, characterized in that it consists in forming on demand crates (53) on the wedge at the time of forming the hinges by stamping. 17. A method according to claim 16, characterized in that it consists in forming on demand crates or first areas for removing the product from its packaging during the reel or in reserve of   straps according to claims 1 to 13.   18. The method of claim 17, characterized in that it consists in arranging the boxes between seconds N 13 2639035   connection areas with a periodicity of pitch P in   the direction of the length of the wedge band.