Method and system for forming packages

• US 10,562,675 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2016
• Issued: 02/18/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Graphic Packaging International Incorporated
• Inventors: Walsh, Joseph C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chukwurah, Nathaniel C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Palmer, Lucas E. A.
• Application Number:
  US15/142,103
• Publication Number:
  US 20160318274A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,390 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/02 by heating, with or without pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1122 Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/4312 for making flat seams in tubular or hollow articles, e.g. transversal seams
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/71 characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined welding bar compositions B29C65/125
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/81423 being concave
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/83511 jaws mounted on rollers, cylinders or drums
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/841 Machines or tools adaptable for making articles of different dimensions or shapes or for making joints of different dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/8511 Bag making machines
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/06 PE, i.e. polyethylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7129 open
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 2155/00 Flexible containers made from webs
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 2155/001 by folding webs longitudinally
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 2155/0012 having their openings facing in the direction of movement
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 2155/003 starting from tubular webs
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 2160/10 rectangular and flat, i.e. without structural provision for thickness of contents
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 2160/20 with structural provision for thickness of contents
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 2170/20 having multi-layered walls, e.g. laminated or lined
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 70/008 Stiffening or reinforcing B31B70/876 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 70/16 Cutting webs
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 70/262 involving longitudinally folding, i.e. along a line parallel to the direction of movement
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 70/266 : involving gusset-forming
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 70/56 : by rotary members co-operating with blades
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 70/628 : Applying glue on moving webs to form tubular webs
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 70/644 : Making seals parallel to the direction of movement, i.e. longitudinal sealing
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 70/645 : Making seals transversally to the direction of movement
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 70/649 : using tools mounted on a drum
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 70/81 : Forming or attaching accessories, e.g. opening devices, closures or tear strings
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 70/8122 : Applying patches
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 70/98 : in stacks or bundles
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 33/02 : Local reinforcements or stiffening inserts, e.g. wires, strings, strips or frames B65D33/007 takes precedence

Abstract

A method of forming reinforced packages. The method can comprise forming an attached web by adhering a blank to a web of material and moving the attached web in a downstream direction through at least a tube forming assembly and a carton forming assembly. The method also can comprise at least partially forming a tube by folding at least a portion of the web of material as the attached web moves through the tube forming assembly, forming a reinforcement sleeve by folding at least a portion of the blank so that the reinforcement sleeve extends at least partially around the tube as the attached web moves through the carton forming assembly, and forming a reinforced package comprising the reinforcement sleeve and a tube portion by separating the tube portion from a remainder of the tube, the reinforcement sleeve being adhered to the tube portion.

Claims

1. A method of forming reinforced packages, the method comprising:

forming an attached web by adhering a paperboard blank to a web of material;

moving the attached web in a downstream direction through at least a tube forming assembly and a carton forming assembly, the carton forming assembly being downstream from the tube forming assembly, the moving the attached web comprising moving the paperboard blank with the web of material;

at least partially forming a tube by folding at least a portion of the web of material as the attached web moves through the tube forming assembly;

forming a reinforcement sleeve by folding at least a portion of the paperboard blank so that the reinforcement sleeve extends at least partially around the tube as the attached web moves through the carton forming assembly, the forming the reinforcement sleeve being after the at least partially forming the tube, the reinforcement sleeve comprising the paperboard blank; and

forming a reinforced package comprising the reinforcement sleeve and a tube portion by separating the tube portion from a remainder of the tube, the reinforcement sleeve being adhered to the tube portion, the forming the reinforced package being after the forming the reinforcement sleeve.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming a bag by at least partially forming a transverse seal in the tube portion.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the method comprises forming the transverse seal in the tube before the separating the tube portion from the remainder of the tube.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the forming the transverse seal comprises moving at least a portion of the tube of the attached web between a heat seal roller and a heat seal arm.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the heat seal roller comprises at least one edge, the heat seal arm comprises a curved surface disposed proximate the heat seal roller, the forming the transverse seal in the tube comprises rotating the heat seal roller relative to the heat seal arm with a section of the tube extending along the edge, pressing at least a portion of the curved surface against at least a portion of the edge with the section of the tube disposed between the edge and the curved surface as the heat seal roller rotates, and applying heat to the section of the tube by heating at least one of the heat seal arm and the heat seal roller.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the method comprises forming the transverse seal in the tube after the separating the tube portion from the remainder of the tube.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising depositing the paperboard blank onto a conveyor before the forming the attached web, the conveyor comprising a plurality of lugs, at least one lug engaging the paperboard blank after the depositing the paperboard blank on the conveyor, the at least one lug moving the paperboard blank in the downstream direction.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the conveyor comprises two spaced apart lug belts, each comprising lugs of the plurality of lugs.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the adhering the paperboard blank to the web of material comprises moving the paperboard blank on the conveyor to an adhesive applicator, applying adhesive to at least a portion of the paperboard blank by operating the adhesive applicator, and moving the paperboard blank on the conveyor to an attachment assembly.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the adhering the paperboard blank to the web of material further comprises bringing the web of material into contact with the paperboard blank so that the adhesive applied to the paperboard blank secures the paperboard blank to the web of material to form the attached web.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising moving the attached web away from the conveyor over at least one roller to the tube forming assembly.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least partially forming the tube comprises folding a first marginal portion of the web of material and a second marginal portion of the web of material to extend at least partially over a central portion of the web of material.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least partially forming the tube further comprises forming a longitudinal seam by at least partially overlapping and adhering the first marginal portion and the second marginal portion of the web of material.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the tube forming assembly comprises two guide rollers and an inner forming plate at least partially extending over the central portion of the web of material, and the at least partially overlapping and adhering the first marginal portion and the second marginal portion of the web of material comprises engaging the first marginal portion and the second marginal portion between the inner forming plate and the respective guide rollers of the two guide rollers so that the first marginal portion and the second marginal portion are moved from being generally planar with the central portion upstream from the two guide rollers to being at least partially overlapped and extending over the central portion downstream from the two guide rollers.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least partially overlapping and adhering the first marginal portion and the second marginal portion of the web of material comprising applying a seam adhesive to at least one of the first marginal portion and the second marginal portion.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the inner forming plate is spaced apart from the central portion of the web of material at an upstream end of the tube forming assembly so that the tube comprises a gusset portion extending from the central portion to each of the first marginal portion and the second marginal portion, and the at least partially forming the tube comprises moving the first marginal portion and the second marginal portion downwardly toward the central portion as the tube is moved in the downstream direction while pushing at least a portion of each of the gusset portions inwardly to form a gusset on respective sides of the tube.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the tube forming assembly further comprises a forming wheel disposed upstream from the two guide rollers and the inner forming plate, the forming wheel at least partially engaging the central portion of the web of material during at least a portion of the folding the first marginal portion and the second marginal portion of the web of material.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the paperboard blank comprises a front panel, a first back panel, and a second back panel, and the forming the reinforcement sleeve comprises folding the first back panel and the second back panel relative to the front panel to at least partially overlap the tube.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the forming the reinforcement sleeve further comprises applying a carton adhesive to at least one of the first back panel and the second back panel by operating a carton adhesive applicator prior to the folding the first back panel and the second back panel so that at least one of the first back panel and the second back panel is adhered to the tube after the folding the first back panel and the second back panel.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the folding the first back panel and the second back panel comprises at least partially overlapping and adhering the first back panel and the second back panel with one another.