GB2409432A - Apparatus imparting a Z-fold to connection portion of box blank - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus imparts a Z-fold 10 to a connection portion of a box blank, the connection portion 10 being a portion of the blank, which connects other, generally major, portions of the blank. The apparatus may include a number of different processing stations, of which the Z-folding station is one.

Description

APPARATUS FOR FORMING A CARTON

The invention relates to apparatus for forming a carton, particularly a carton formed into a flat, folded, assembled state, which can subsequently be erected for storage and transport of product loaded into the carton, and converted into display mode at the point of use, for example in a supermarket.

Such cartons are often formed from a blank, initially flat, of creasable. material such as a blank of corrugated board material. Such material usually has facing sheets so that the material is a fluted material.

Such blanks are often creased and/or perforated to form fold and tear lines so that a top and bottom part are connected by integral connection elements. These elements are created during the process of forming the carton into a flat folded, assembled state, and permit the flat, folded carton to be erected into a carton into which product can be loaded for storage and transport, whilst also allowing the top part to be removed from the lower part to expose product for display.

It will be understood that at certain overlapped areas securing means such as glue or other adhesive is applied to secure different parts of the blank together.

The connection means are usually of somewhat complex construction, which requires a dedicated operation separate from other aspects of normal carton production, to create the connection means.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to seek to mitigate this disadvantage.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided an apparatus for forming in a single in-line forming operation a carton into a flat, folded state from a blank of creasable material, comprising a plurality of stations for forming / the flat carton including a station at which connection means, suitably in the form of a fold of substantially -configuration, can be applied to the blank.

Using the invention it is possible to form a flat, folded carton with the - configuration fold externally or internally of the carton when erected.

The plurality of stations may be sequentially arranged. This provides for an automated process, particularly when each station may be spaced from a preceding one and adapted to perform a particular operation on a blank.

The plurality of stations may preferably be arranged sequentially in a substantially straight line. However, alternatives are possible. Thus the line may be "broken" in the sense that part is at an angle, suitably a right angle, to another part. This may be appropriate when space is limited.

Also, the stations, though sequential, may be arranged in substantially a circular configuration.

The -fold station may be between a die cutting station and a folding station adapted to provide a final folding operation of the blank.

There may be a feed station from which blanks are fed into the apparatus, a printing station, a slot forming station, a die cutting station, the Zfold station with a gluing unit, a folding station with gluing unit to complete the forming of the flat, folded blank, and a folded blank stacking station. It will be understood that provision of the printing and slot forming stations is optional.

Suitably, the Z-fold station may be retrofitted into a carton forming apparatus.

According to a further aspect of the invention there may be provided a carton, in a flat, folded form whenever made in apparatus as hereinbefore defined.

The substantially Z-fold may comprise the connection means which may be connection elements whereby the flat folded carton can perform its functions when erected.

The connection elements may be externally or internally arranged with respect to the erected carton.

One part of the carton may be removable from another to provide for display of contents packed into the carton.

Apparatus embodying the invention and a carton in a stage of production are hereinafter described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a schematic side elevation of apparatus according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a carton during a stage in the production thereof from a blank in the apparatus of Fig. 1; Figs. 2A - 2D show schematically steps in the folding and gluing of the blank of Fig. 2, which can then be fully erected to form a pack according to the invention; and Figs 2E - 2K show sequentially further steps in the erection of the blank according to the invention to form a display pack for product.

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Referring to the drawings there is shown apparatus 1 for forming a carton in a collapsed state 2 from a blank 3 of creasable material, comprising a plurality of stations 4 to 9 for forming the flat, folded, assembled carton including a station 7 at which connection means, in the embodiment in the form of a fold 10 of substantially Z-configuration, can be applied to the blank 3.

The blank 3 is essentially a blank of creasable, foldable material such as corrugated board. It is converted in the apparatus l to provide two overlying parts 11, 12 connected in the embodiment by two laterally spaced connection means in the form of elements each in the form of a Z- fold 10. The blank 3 has slots 13 and creases 14 formed in it by the apparatus 1 which in Fig. 1 is a straight line apparatus in the sense that succeeding stations 4 to 9 are in-line i.e. one downstream of another for providing a single or unitary forming process.

There may also be a cut-out 13' formed in the blank. Blanks 3 are fed into the apparatus 1 at a feeding station 4 and then pass one at a time sequentially through a slotting station 5, die cut station 6, the Z-fold station 7 (which may include a glueing unit), a station for folding and glueing 8, and an output station 9 for receiving finished flat, folded cartons 2. It will be understood that there are between the respective stations conveying means (not shown) such as belts andlor rollers for conveying a blank 3 from station to station through the apparatus 1.

The Z-fold station 7 may be inserted retrospectively into a carton making apparatus.

There may also be a printing station incorporated into the apparatus 1 downstream of the feeding station.

Referring now to Figs 2A - 2K (Fig. 2A essentially repeating Fig. 2) of the drawings, there is shown how a blank 30 can be formed into a flat, folded, assembled state, in the embodiment secured in that state by securing means such as glue, and which can subsequently be erected to provide a pack for products and which is adapted for transit and display of products. The blank comprises a first section 32 and a second section 33, which sections 32 and 33 are connected to one another by connection elements 34 integral therewith, so that said elements 34 are externally arranged with respect to a pack erected from the blank 30. The blank 30 is an integral flat blank made from fluted packaging material such as board or corrugated fibreboard of generally rectangular form initially, so that the blank formed therefrom is generally elongate, its longitudinal extent being substantially transverse or orthogonal to the direction D of the flutes.

There are two connection elements 34 spaced apart longitudinally of the blank 30 and connected as by being hinged to the first section and the second section by respective substantially parallel fold or hinge lines 35', 35", 36', 36" arranged so that when the blank 30 is erected to form a pack, the connection elements 34, form a substantially Z-shaped configuration as shown in Fig.2B for example.

There is on the first section 32 a point or position, identified as 'A' in Fig.2A, adjacent each connection element 34 where adhesive material such as glue is applied so that during the assembly process, parts to which the glue is applied at A' are secured by the glue to the opposite facing face of the respective connection element 34.

The fold or hinge lines 35', 36' are also perforated, to provide areas of weakness.

The fold or hinge lines 35", 36" are not perforated.

The first section 32 has at a lateral extremity opposite the respective connection elements 34 flaps hinged to section 32, flaps 36 being separated from a central flap 37 by a cut-out or slot 38, the two flaps 36 providing top flaps of the pack to be erected from the blank 30. The central flap 37 is hinged to a wall part 32' of the first section 32 by a hinge or fold line 45.

The second section 33 of the blank also has lateral flaps 36a, 36a, 37a, essentially mirroring the flaps 36,36,37 of the first section 32 and are identified by similar reference numerals with the addition of"a". The second section 33 also has a leftwardly (as viewed) projecting flap 38' which when the blank is folded and glued as in Fig. 2D is secured to the internal face of an opposite panel 39 which is connected by a fold line 40 to the right hand (as viewed) end of the second section 33 and on erection forms the rear surface (in use) of a pack erected from the blank 30. The second section 33 has a part 41 in a wall part 42 in the form of an aperture which on use of the erected pack forms a viewing/display aperture through which a consumer can view, and select, products in the erected pack.

The panel 39 supports top and bottom (as viewed in Fig.24) flaps 39a', 39a which top flap 39a' is connected to the panel 39 by a linear perforation 39b, while the bottom flap 39a is connected to the panel 39 by a fold or crease line 39c.

The second section 33 thus forms a base or tray of the erected pack, the first section 32 forming in the erected pack before use as a display pack, a top, hood or cover of the pack during transit.

When the blank is folded and glued as shown in Figs.2A - 2D, the second section part 33 is hinged up about the connection elements 34 so that it overlies the first section 32 being generally parallel thereto and secured thereto at glue points 'A', the connection elements 34 having a Zconfiguration as, as mentioned previously, shown in Fig. 2B.

On completion of this part of the erection operation, the blank 1 with the overlying first 32 and second 33 sections is as shown in Fig. 2C.

The front and back panels 39, 39d are then folded up about fold or hinge lines 40, out of the plane of the paper, towards each other, as shown in Fig.2D, and the flap 38' secured as by glueing to the internal face of the opposite flap 39. At this stage, the blank is in a flat, folded and glued assembled state.

The folded, glued blank is delivered to a packer or original product supplier, is fully erected to form a pack and filled with products (to be transited and displayed) and closed. Fig 2E shows the folded glued blank opened out and the bottom flaps (36a, 36a, 37a,39a) being folded at 90 to the walls of the pack.

Fig.2F shows the completion of this process with the bottom flaps secured to each other, typically by glue or tape, thus forming the base of the pack. It will be understood that alternatives (not shown) may be used in which the bottom flaps lock together mechanically, without use of securing means such as glue or tape.

Figure 2G shows the top flaps (36,36,37,39a') being folded at 90 to the walls of the pack. As with the bottom flaps, they will be secured, typically by glue or tape. Once the top flaps are secured, the transit pack, containing the product, is closed and ready for shipment.

It will be seen in Fig.2G that the first section 32 extends parallel to and over the wall part 42 of the second section 33 to form a hood or cover. The hood, which as will be appreciated is removable, extends downwardly to protect any printing on the lower part of the front of the base or tray formed by 33, which base or tray 33 will remain on the shelf with goods inside it once the hood formed by the first section 32 has been removed. The hood thus provides protection for any printing on the tray during packing, storage and transit and indeed during operation to remove the hood or tray from the transit mode to the display mode. A hood which reaches down to the level of the bottom of the erected pack will provide particularly good compression performance compared with other one piece packs with detachable hoods when packs are stacked on pallets during storage or transport.

The first section 32 also overlies the aperture 41 in the wall part 42, keeping the products in place during transit.

The wall part 42 of the tray 33 is the largest print area visible to a consumer when the tray is on the shelf and therefore its protection contributes to the general superiority of the brand, display and consumer appeal.

Figures 2H to 2K show various stages in the opening of the pack once it has arrived at the point of use, for example at a supermarket shelf. The erected filled pack is gripped or held from the rear by a shelf stacker usually an operative of the supermarket. Pressure is applied inwardly on both sides of the erected pack in the areas where the base of the Z-fold 34 meets the sides of the bottom section 33 forrnirig the tray. Lower parts of the Z-folds are then used as hand grips to lift the Z-fold or connection elements 34 up and away from the tray 33 sides. The glue spots 'A' which attach the Z-fold or connection elements 34 to the external walls of the cavity are broken as is the perforated line of weakness 35', 36' between the hood and tray.

Once this part of conversion of the tray in the transit mode to the display mode is complete the main part of the first section 32 forming the hood is detachable from the tray 33 but still attached to a top flap 39a' at the back of the assembled pack by tape (not shown) or glue used to seal the top flaps together. If the hood is attached to the top flap 39a' using tape, the hood 32 is generally folded on to the flap 39a' using the elongate tape along the top ofthe hinge and then, to complete removal of the hood the top flap which is still attached to the tray is detached along a perforation 39b provided for that purpose where the flap 39a' joins the rear wall of the tray provided by the section 33. If the hood is attached to the top flap 39a' using glue, the hood 32 is removed along with top flap 39a' by tearing along the perforation 39b.

It will be understood that a pack erected from a blank described with reference to the drawings which has any print on the second or lower section 33 is such that the print is protected during packing, storing and transport so that at a point of sale when the hood is removed, the protected print is exposed for reading by a customer. lo

Claims (16)

1. Apparatus for forming in a single in-line forming operation a carton into a flat, folded, assembled state from a blank of creasable material, comprising a plurality of stations for forming the carton into a flat folded assembled state including a station at which connection means can be applied to the blank.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, the said station being adapted to provide connection means in the form of a fold of substantially Z configuration.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 2, the plurality of stations being sequentially arranged.

4. Apparatus according to Claim 3, each station being spaced from a preceding one and adapted to perform a particular forming operation on a blank.

5. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, the plurality of stations being arranged sequentially in a substantially straight line.

6. Apparatus according to any preceding Claim, the said station being between a die cutting station, and a folding station adapted to provide a final folding operation on the blank.

7. Apparatus according to Claim 6, comprising a feed station, a die cut station, the said station providing a Z-fold station, the folding station, and a folded blank stacking station.

8. Apparatus according to Claim 7, further comprising a slot forming station.

9. Apparatus according to Claim 7 or Claim 8, the Z-foldng station also comprising a glueing station.

10. Apparatus according to any of Claims 7 to 9, the Z-fold station being retrofitted into a carton forming apparatus.

11. Apparatus for forming in a single in-line forming operation a carton into a flat, folded, assembled state from a blank of creasable material, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

12. A carton, in a flat, folded, assembled form, whenever made in apparatus according to any preceding Claim.

13. A carton according to Claim 12, the connection means comprising elements of a substantially Z-configuration.

14. A carton according to Claim 13, the connection elements being externally or internally arranged with respect to the erected carton.

15. A carton according to Claim 14, in which one part is removable from another to provide for display of contents packed into the carton.

16. A carton according to Claim 12, substantially as hereinbefore described.