Apparatus and method for producing embossed paper or laminated metallic foil sheets

• US 20100129681A1
• Filed: 04/03/2008
• Published: 05/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Imperial Tobacco Canada Ltd. (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Original Assignee: Imperial Tobacco Canada Ltd. (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Inventors: Coderre, Claude
• Granted Patent: US 8,347,684 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/603
• CPC Class Codes: B31F 1/07 Embossing , i.e. producing impressions formed by locally deep-drawing, e.g. using rolls provided with complementary profilesB31F1/128 takes precedence; corrugating B31F1/20; embossing in combination with printing B41F19/02, B41M1/24; typewriters for embossing B41J3/38; stamping in combination with deforming B41K3/36
• CPC Class Codes: B31F 2201/0733 Pattern
• CPC Class Codes: B31F 2201/0741 Roller cooperating with a non-even counter roller
• CPC Class Codes: B31F 2201/0782 Layout of the complete embossing machine, of the embossing line
• CPC Class Codes: B31F 2201/0794 Cutting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1241 Nonplanar uniform thickness or nonlinear uniform diameter [e.g., L-shape]

Abstract

An apparatus (1) and method for producing embossed paper or laminated metallic foil sheets (55) comprising means for feeding an elongate strip (20) of paper or laminated metallic foil, a pair of matched embossing rollers (5, 10) disposed to receive such a strip from the feeding means, and means for receiving such a strip from the embossing rollers after being embossed thereby, and for cutting such strip into sheets. The rollers have a plurality of embossing sectors (75) arranged on the surface thereof. At least one of the sectors imparts a first embossing, and at least another of the sectors imparts an alternate embossing different in appearance from the first embossing. The sectors are dimensioned similarly to the foil sheets. At least one group of the sheets carry the first embossing while at least another group of the sheets carry the alternate embossing.

Claims

1. An apparatus for producing embossed paper or laminated metallic foil sheets, comprising:

means for feeding an elongate strip of paper or laminated metallic foil;

first and second embossing rollers disposed to receive said strip from said feeding means, said first roller having a plurality of embossing sectors arranged on the surface thereof, at least one of said sectors imparting a first embossing, and at least another of said sectors imparting an alternate embossing different in appearance from said first embossing, said sectors being dimensioned similarly to said foil sheets; and

means for receiving such a strip from said embossing rollers after being embossed thereby, and for cutting said strip into sheets, at least a portion of said sheets carrying said first embossing, and at least another portion of said sheets carrying said alternate embossing.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 further comprising synchronization means to synchronize said receiving and cutting means with said embossing rollers.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 further comprising a sorting mechanism for sorting said at least one portion of said sheets carrying said first embossing from said at least another portion of said sheets carrying said alternate embossing.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said embossing sectors are arranged circumferentially around said first embossing roller.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said embossing sectors are arranged axially along said first embossing roller.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said embossing sectors are also arranged circumferentially around said first embossing roller.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said second embossing roller has a substantially smooth and deformable outer contacting surface.

8. The apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said first embossing roller is a drive roller.

9. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said second embossing roller has a plurality of embossing sectors arranged on the surface thereof, at least one of said sectors imparting a first embossing, and at least another of said sectors imparting an alternate embossing different in appearance from said first embossing, said sectors being dimensioned similarly to said foil sheets, said sectors being arranged to match similar sectors on said first embossing roller.

10. The apparatus as defined in claim 9 further comprising synchronization means to synchronize said receiving and cutting means with said embossing rollers.

11. The apparatus as defined in claim 10 further comprising a sorting mechanism for sorting said at least one portion of said sheets carrying said first embossing from said at least another portion of said sheets carrying said alternate embossing.

12. The apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said embossing sectors are arranged circumferentially around said embossing rollers.

13. The apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said embossing sectors are arranged axially along said embossing rollers.

14. The apparatus as defined in claim 13 wherein said embossing sectors are also arranged circumferentially around said embossing rollers.

15. The apparatus as defined in claim 13 wherein said sectors are contiguous on said embossing rollers.

16. The apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein said means for cutting comprises a longitudinal mechanism and a lateral cutting mechanism.

17. The apparatus as defined in claim 16 wherein said embossing rollers are made of steel.

18. A method of producing embossed paper or laminated metallic foil sheets comprising:

embossing a strip of paper or laminated metallic foil with embossing rollers, at least one of said rollers having a plurality of embossing sectors, at least one of said sectors imparting a first embossed image, and at least another of said sectors imparting an alternate embossed image different in appearance from said first embossed image; and

cutting said strip into sheets according to said sectors.

19. The method as defined in claim 18 further comprising sorting said sheets according to said appearance of said embossing.

20. A batch of a production run of laminated metallic foil sheets for packaging Cigarettes, produced via the method of claim 18, the batch comprising a plurality of embossed sheets having been cut from the same strip of laminated metallic foil, at least one group of said sheets carrying the first embossed image, and at least another group of said sheets carrying the alternate embossed image different in appearance from said first embossed image.