Manufacturing container or tube from paper; or other manufacturi – Tube making – Polygonal cross section tube
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-20
2003-02-04
Kim, Eugene (Department: 3721)
Manufacturing container or tube from paper; or other manufacturi
Tube making
Polygonal cross section tube
C493S296000, C493S304000, C493S370000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06514185
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for producing tubular hollow items, in particular for containers, from card material or the like.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Within the scope of the invention, card material is also understood to mean a flat card which is laminated at least on one side, but preferably on both sides, with a plastic film. In particular, this is PE-coated card. However, the invention also includes all other flat or film-like materials, in particular single or multiple layer plastic films or foldable composite materials with aluminium coating. The plastic lamination is hot bonded or welded after the connection regions of the blank have been placed one on top of the other so that they overlap. When a pure card material is used, a weldable plastic intermediate layer is used in the form of a strip or a bond, for example by means of a hot adhesive or the like.
Methods and apparatuses of the above type are known especially in the production of packages for liquids. In this case, tubular hollow items are produced from a card material, are subsequently closed at one end, filled and, in a final step, also closed at the second end.
In DE-A 22 335 111, for example, a method and an apparatus for winding a multicomponent web to form a cylindrical hollow item from card material is disclosed, according to which the web, unwound from a roll, is partially inserted into a slotted sleeve in which a tube is rotatably arranged as a mandrel and, together with the sleeve, forms a receiving space. By means of a rotational movement, a section of the web is wound around the mandrel in the receiving space and is subsequently conveyed out of the bending station. To increase the efficiency of the apparatus, four slotted sleeves are in use, offset in cycles on a large wheel, as a result of which, however, the apparatus is mechanically complex and the constructional size increases considerably. Moreover, one sleeve remains unused, seen over one revolution of the wheel, by virtue of the principle, which impairs the degree of utilization of the system. Adaptation to cross-sectional areas of the hollow items other than round is also not possible. Furthermore, the apparatus described is used only for producing diaphragms. It does not provide for any connection of the cylindrical hollow item in the overlap region at longitudinal edges of the blank running parallel to one another. Moreover, when using modern packaging materials or coated card materials, on account of sliding friction this apparatus harbours the risk of damaging the coating and further mechanical problems due to the constructional size of the apparatus based on the principle.
A method for the continuous production of tubular packaging items from flat card-material blanks is described in DE 28 50 882 A1. According to this methods, when it runs through a bending apparatus a blank is bent continuously to form a cylindrical hollow item whilst forming a overlap region of the edges of the blank in the direction of transport. The overlap region is provided with an adhesive and, when the hollow item is transported away out of the bending apparatus, it is squeezed together and thus connected. A process of this type based on gradual deformation requires great outlay for transporting apparatuses and a considerable constructional length of the bending apparatus and thus also of the entire device.
GB-A 2 124 140 discloses a method of producing hollow items where blanks are processed by means of movable bending apparatuses while being transported in a bending station. A forming mandrel defines the form of the cross section of the hollow items to be produced. According to the disclosure the hollow items have a rectangular cross section. This method always uses the transfer of the carton blank from a work II to another work station llll to fold a sealing tab preparing the final step of connecting two longitudinal edges. After reaching the final position the bending operation is finished with closing the hollow item around a mandrel. A ultrasonic sealing horn serves as a connection means seaming and sealing the area of connection. This kind, of sealing doesn't protect the cutting edge of the laminated carton blank lying inwardly for a very long time against any kind of moisture occurring from an inner filling of the container during the time of use.
There is a very large requirement for packages which are based on tubular hollow items with a wide variety of cross-sectional areas as a preproduct. The costs for the package now make up a significant portion of the cost of the packaged product. Here, it is precisely those production steps carried out away from the filling operation that make the package considerably more expensive. The object of the present invention therefore consists in providing a method and a compact apparatus with a mode of operation which is as simple and reliable as possible to improve the efficiency and thus to reduce the costs in the production of known packages which are used predominantly for liquids and/or long-life foodstuffs.
According to the invention, a method of producing tubular hollow items having the following steps is proposed:
transporting a blank, bounded by longitudinal edges, or a web of card material or the like, from which the blank is separated, into a bending station,
the blank or the web being bent by guide elements acting as a bending apparatus and
then being held stationary in the bending station and being bent by means of movable bending apparatuses into the finished shape of the hollow item and
an overlap region being formed, in which the two longitudinal edges of the blank, which are parallel to the longitudinal axis of the hollow item, are placed one on top of the other and
are connected to one another and the hollow item being conveyed out of the bending station.
The subject-matter of the invention is also an apparatus according to Claim 28 to be preferably applied to carry out the method according to the invention.
The method according to the invention achieves the object set above in that it advantageously combines a continuous bending process with a stationary bending process. In a first step of the method, the blank or a web of card material is bent continuously by means of rigid guide elements when it is introduced into a bending station. When the web has been fixed, a defined section is produced, if the card material is not used in the form of blanks. In both cases, the blank or section is already present and is held stationary in the bending station for further treatment. Movable bending apparatuses then take over the final part of the shaping operation up to the finished shape of the intended hollow item. In this case, an overlap region is formed, in which the two longitudinal edges of the blank, running parallel to the longitudinal axis of the hollow item, are placed one on top of the other and are connected to one another in a final step. The hollow item finally shaped and closed by means of these production steps can then be conveyed out of the bending station
Since, in a method according to the invention or in an apparatus constructed for its utilization, the introduction of a blank or a web is also used at the same time for prebending the card material, the operating path of the movable bending apparatuses is small compared to pressers, folding arms and the like, such as are known, for example, from DE-A 25 12 852. Any reduction in movement also reduces the wear on bearings or guides, reduces the consumption of operating auxiliaries, such as for example oils and greases, and also reduces the energy requirement of such a plant.
Furthermore, an apparatus operating according to the method according to the invention is distinguished by a small constructional size, since, in particular due to the superimposition of continuous and stationary shaping, the distances or the radius of movement and the sizes of the parts to be moved are minimized compared to the prior art. The individual steps of the method mesh with one another in an
Heil Michael
Knuppertz Heinz-Werner
Kim Eugene
SIG Combibloc Systems GmbH
Snell & Wilmer LLP
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