Stock material or miscellaneous articles – Structurally defined web or sheet – Fold at edge
Patent
1997-10-14
1999-06-22
Epstein, Henry F.
Stock material or miscellaneous articles
Structurally defined web or sheet
Fold at edge
428182, 428358, B32B 304
Patent
active
059141719
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an edge protector and fitted article, and relates in particular to an edge protector for use on generally flat faced edges, such as provided on panel-like products such as doors, worktops, tabletops and the like (herein referred to as articles, and to such articles fitted with an edge protector.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
During or following manufacture it is customary for several articles as defined above to be laid horizontally, to await removal to the next manufacturing stage, to be taken to store, or to be made ready for delivery to a customer.
If the articles are stacked horizontally one above another, particularly if held in long-term storage, and are shaped so that they engage only at an edge they may sag or warp, and it is therefore desirable that the articles be stacked closely so that the degree of sagging of an article can perhaps be limited by the article below. Furthermore, if stack height is critical, then if articles are more closely stacked extra articles can be stored or be transported "as a stack".
The peripheral edges of articles are at risk from damage both during storage and transportation, and it is customary for the manufacturer, and often also the customer, to require article edge protection of an adequate thickness designed to reduce the likelihood, and/or severity, of any such damage.
It will be understood that although a desired edge protector shape may readily nowadays be formed in a plastic material, users are increasingly conscious of the environmental implications and the public reaction to the plastics disposal problem, particularly for "one trip" packaging materials. Many currently available edge protectors are manufactured from moulded polystyrene or polyethylene, but users have for some years been actively seeking environmentally acceptable alternatives; specifically, in a technical area in which recycled or recyclable materials may easily be employed, many manufacturers and users are increasingly resisting the use of materials which are not and/or may not be recycled, and instead would prefer to use recycled materials if of the same or similar cost and performance.
A known recyclable material is corrugated paper, and a convenient form of this is single-faced corrugated paper in which one corrugated sheet is adhered at corrugation peaks to a sheet of substantially planar paper.
DISCLOSURE OF THE PRIOR ART
Many currently available edge protectors are formed with fold-lines as "U-section" lengths, designed so that the sides of the "U" lie between adjacent stacked articles, whilst the base of the "U" fits alongside, and so provides protection for, the peripheral edge.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,335,932 discloses a "U-section" edge protector of recycled or recyclable material. The edge protector is of multi-layered paper, with therefore the sides of the "U" being of similar thickness to that of the base. This edge protector can thus satisfy the first requirement of many users, that the edge protector be recycled and/or recyclable.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,068,771 discloses an edge protector of "L-section", which is manufactured as a "U-section" and then cut in two. The edge protector is manufactured from multi-layer corrugated board (i.e. a sheet of corrugated paper lies between two sheets of substantially planar paper). In a modified arrangement, with the "U-section" formed from a single piece of folded (semi-rigid) cardboard, adjacent to the base and extending between the opposed sides are added (three) further layers of semi-rigid cardboard, whereby to thicken the base as compared to the side walls.
The edge protector of U.S. Pat. No. 2,068,771 can thus satisfy the second requirement of many users in that the sides are relatively thin so as to permit the close stacking of articles. However, the sides of the U-section are substantially fixed, so that their use is intended for articles with edges of uniform thickness or which vary from uniform thickness only within a small range. Alternatively stated, a given article thickness will requir
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Aston Packaging, Ltd.
Barrett William A.
Epstein Henry F.
Hultquist Steven J.
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