Static COF differential poly film ream wrap

Details Static COF differential poly film ream wrap Static COF differential poly film ream wrap

2003-05-05

2004-11-16

Tarazano, D. Lawrence (Department: 1773)

Chemistry: electrical current producing apparatus, product, and

Current producing cell, elements, subcombinations and...

Include electrolyte chemically specified and method

C428S516000, C428S212000, C428S480000, C428S483000, C427S359000, C427S369000, C156S308200

Reexamination Certificate

active

06818346

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a solid plastic film wrapper with a Static Coefficient of Friction (Static COF) differential used for packaging paper products, and a method for producing the same.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Reams (i.e., 500 sheets) of cut paper (8½×11, etc.) for copy machines, computers, printers, and other applications are most commonly packaged for shipping, storage, and retail sale in ream wrappers made of various wrap materials. These wrap materials traditionally have been paper (poly coated or two papers laminated with poly), plastic film, or a paper/solid plastic film combination. In addition to encasing reams of paper, the wrap materials protect the wrapped paper product from physical damage and moisture pickup during shipping and storage. The wrap materials also protect the wrapped product from physical damage during repeated handling and stocking on retail shelves.
As small offices and home offices have proliferated, the distribution of reams of paper has changed from boxes for large users to wrapped reams for retail stores and the small office and home office segments. Retail and in-store distribution of reams of paper has placed increasing demands on the wrapper due to rougher handling and more frequent re-stocking of the individual reams. Increased handling of the reams has resulted in more reams breaking open, damaging the wrapped paper product by allowing it to pick up moisture, tear, or get minor curl—physical damage that ultimately results in jams in the end-user's printer or copy machine. As a result, the market has demanded a stronger ream wrap.
At the same time, the market has demanded that manufacturers develop wrap materials with improved printing surfaces to enhance graphics and provide an eye-appealing wrapped product for the home office and small office consumer. One such material is a solid plastic film ream wrap that provides a smooth, high gloss surface for printing. Film ream wraps may also be transparent so that the paper product encased in the wrapper is visible from the outside of the package.
Traditionally, film ream wraps have consisted of one heavy weight film layer or two separate layers of solid, lighter weight plastic films laminated together with an adhesive. A primary disadvantage of current film ream wraps is the difficulty of handling slippery film materials on the manufacturers' packaging lines. Film wrappers tend to be slippery, causing the paper product to slip off-center while being wrapped on the packaging line. Manufacturers often must make costly modifications to traditional packaging lines in order to accommodate film ream wraps. Furthermore, film wrappers, which lack the structural strength and support of heavier weight paper laminates, coated papers, and paper/film wrappers, are more vulnerable to physical damage during shipping, handling, and storage. Another disadvantage of current film ream wraps is that, once the consumer opens the side seal of the wrapped package to remove sheets of paper, the wrapper can readily tear, exposing any paper remaining in the wrapper to physical damage, tearing, and moisture.
Thus, the market is demanding a stronger film ream wrap that provides an enhanced printing surface, greater structural support for the wrapper product, and less vulnerability to tearing and physical damage. The market also is demanding a film ream wrap that is easier to handle on traditional packaging lines, that facilitates the wrapping process by minimizing or preventing slippage of the paper product, and that obviates the need for costly modifications to traditional packaging operations. The present invention provides these added benefits.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,673,309 and 6,370,240 relate to a method of dispensing telephone cards from automatic teller machines and card constructions used therewith. Telephone time is appointed to a number of sheetlets printed with random numbers which serve as a personal identification number. They are packaged in bricks and activated when installed in an ATM or when dispensed.
Sheetlets, which are dispensed from the ATM machine, are currency sized and provide coefficient of friction on each surface thereof, and the coefficient friction differential enables dispensing of individual sheetlets of the group by caliper or opacity. Sheetlets have a lay flat quality. To assure proper single sheet dispensing, a telephone card sheetlet, must have the quality of being able to lay flat and having frictional characteristics to enable one sheetlet to be slid over another. The surfaces of the sheetlet should have a static coefficient of friction, namely the ratio of the force required to start moving a 193.3 gram sled across a surface divided by the weight of the sled, of about 0.55, preferably from about 0.45 to about 0.7. The coefficient of friction differential between one surface of the sheetlet to the other should be at least 25%, and within the range specified above. The coefficient of friction differential can be realized by coating the front and back surface of the sheetlet with a material which will, by its nature, inherently provide the coefficient of friction differential necessary to enable the sheetlets to be individually dispensed. Alternatively, the sheetlets can be supplied as a laminate of two different materials of different coefficients of friction to enable the sheetlets to be individually dispensed. One surface, may, for instance, be paper, and the other a polymer coating or self supporting polymer film such as polyester. This may be achieved by applying a polymeric coat from a solvent, emulsion, or as a hot melt to the surface of the paper.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,503,436 relates to an ATM dispensible self adhesive postage stamp construction. The postage stamp construction is formed of a plurality of postage stamps adhered to a currency sized release liner by an ooze resistant pressure sensitive adhesive which construction is coated with a polymeric coating on the face of the stamp and the under surface of the release liner and dispensible from an automatic teller machine.
The stamps comprise paper facestock and other paper weight of about 56 grams per meter squared having upper and lower surface. The upper surface is surfaced with stamped graphics and coated having a surface coefficient of friction greater than 0.45. The relevant frictional characteristics between slip over surfaces undercoating further prevent the dispensing of multiple stamp sheetlets.
Requirement for the overcoat and the undersurface whether coated or not is that the surface have a static coefficient of friction, namely, the ratio of the force required to start moving a 193.3 gram sled divided by the weight of the sled across about 0.45, preferably between 0.45 to about 0.7. This corresponds to 135 grams to a static face to imitate sled movement of about 87 grams to about 135 grams. It has been found that provided the friction requirements are met there should be at least a 25% difference between the coefficient of friction for the upper surface and the undersurface. This may be achieved by selection of paper or coatings as well as providing an irregular surface as by embossing or including in a coating filler or the like. The difference of the coefficient of friction will greatly aid in ensuring single sheetlet dispersing.
Friction is determined by securing a sheetlet to a flat surface placing a 193.3 gram sled measuring 6″×20.25″ on the sheetlet and pulling the sled with a force gauge to initiate movement of the sled over the sheetlet. The force measured is the force required to initiate movement of the sled over the sheetlet at a rate of 0.5 inch per minute.
For proper dispensing as measured by the static coefficient of friction of 0.45 to about 0.7, the coefficient of friction difference ensures preventing multiple dispensing of sheetlets from an automatic teller machine with coefficient of friction differential between the preferred upper and lower surfaces by about 25% or more.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,389,450 relates to a multiple layer p

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