Method and system for forming packages

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11059255-B2
Application number	US-201615209013-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 13, 2016
Priority date	Jul 14, 2015
Publication date	Jul 13, 2021
Grant date	Jul 13, 2021

Abstract

A system and method of at least partially forming reinforced packages. The method comprises moving a web of material in a downstream direction through a web forming section, at least partially forming at least a bag portion in the web of material during the moving the web of material through the web forming section, forming an attached web by adhering a construct to the bag portion of the web of material, and moving the attached web through a separating station. The moving the attached web can comprise moving the construct with the web of material. The method further can comprise separating the bag portion from a remainder of the web of material to form a bag during the moving the attached web through the separating station, the bag being attached to the construct.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of at least partially forming a reinforced package, the method comprising:
moving a web of material in a downstream direction through a web forming section;
at least partially forming at least a series of bag portions in the web of material during the moving the web of material through the web forming section;
feeding a plurality of constructs sequentially onto a conveyor, the conveyor moving the constructs of the plurality of constructs toward a nip roller, wherein the feeding the plurality of constructs sequentially onto the conveyor comprises forming a plurality of partially overlapped constructs on the conveyor and moving the plurality of partially overlapped constructs toward the nip roller with the conveyor;
forming an attached web by engaging and adhering the partially overlapped constructs of the plurality of partially overlapped constructs with respective bag portions of the series of bag portions of the web of material with the nip roller;
moving the attached web through a separating station, the moving the attached web comprising moving the partially overlapped constructs of the plurality of partially overlapped constructs with the web of material;
separating a bag portion of the series of bag portions from a remainder of the web of material to form a bag during the moving the attached web through the separating station, the bag being attached to a construct of the plurality of constructs.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the separating the bag portion from the remainder of the web of material comprises accelerating the bag portion with respect to the remainder of the web of material.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the separating station comprises an upstream roller and a downstream roller, the accelerating the bag portion with respect to the remainder of the web of material comprising engaging at least one of the construct and the bag portion with the downstream roller while an adjacent portion of the remainder of the web of material engages the upstream roller and rotating the downstream roller faster than the upstream roller.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the bag portion is a downstream bag portion that is separable from an upstream bag portion of the series of bag portions in the web of material along a line of weakening.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the separating station comprises an upstream roller and a downstream roller, the separating the bag portion of the series of bag portions from the remainder of the web of material comprising engaging at least one of the constructs and the downstream bag portion with the downstream roller while the upstream roller engages the upstream bag portion and rotating the downstream roller faster than the upstream roller to pull the downstream bag portion away from the upstream bag portion.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the at least partially forming at least the series of bag portions further comprises folding a first web portion to at least partially overlap a second web portion, forming a heat sealed area in the upstream bag portion and the downstream bag portion by heat sealing at least a portion of the first web portion and the second web portion to one another, and forming the line of weakening between the upstream bag portion and the downstream bag portion along at least a portion of the heat sealed area.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the at least partially forming at least the series of bag portions further comprises folding a gusset portion inwardly between the first web portion and the second web portion during the folding the first web portion to at least partially overlap the second web portion.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the heat sealing at least a portion of the first web portion and the second web portion to one another comprises moving a heating element into engagement with at least one of the first web portion and the second web portion during the moving the web of material through the web forming section.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the moving the heating element comprises rotating the heating element on an axle.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein the forming the line of weakening comprises engaging the web of material with a rotating perforator to form a tear line in the web of material.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least partially forming at least the series of bag portions comprises folding a first web portion to at least partially overlap a second web portion and forming a plurality of heat sealed areas in the web of material, each heat sealed area of the plurality of heat sealed areas at least partially extending along a marginal portion of each of two respectively adjacent bag portions of the series of bag portions.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the forming the plurality of heat sealed areas comprises periodically engaging a heating element with the web of material during the moving the web of material through the web forming section.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein a heat seal assembly comprises the heating element and an axle, the heating element is mounted on the axle, and the periodically engaging the heating element with the web of material comprises rotating the heating element on the axle as the web of material is moved through the web forming section.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the heat seal assembly comprises a heat seal roller mounted to the axle, the heating element extending through at least a portion of the heat seal roller to an exterior of the heat seal assembly, an outer surface of the heat seal roller engaging at least a portion of an unsealed area of at least one of the first web portion and the second web portion as the web of material is moved through the web forming section.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the moving the web of material through the web forming section comprises moving the web of material downwardly along at least one of the heating element and the outer surface of the heat seal roller on an upstream side of the heat seal assembly and upwardly along the at least one of the heating element and the outer surface of the heat seal roller on a downstream side of the heat seal assembly.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the heat seal roller comprises a gap extending at least partially around the heating element so that the heat seal roller is free from contact with the heating element.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the at least partially forming at least the series of bag portions further comprises forming a plurality of lines of weakening in the web of material, each line of weakening of the plurality of lines of weakening extending along a respective heat sealed area of the plurality of heat sealed areas so that each bag portion of the series of bag portions is separable from an adjacent bag portion along a respective one of the lines of weakening.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the forming an attached web by engaging and adhering the partially overlapped constructs of the plurality of partially overlapped constructs with respective bag portions of the series of bag portions comprises applying glue to each construct of the plurality of constructs prior to engaging the partially overlapped constructs of the plurality of partially overlapped constructs with the respective bag portions.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the forming the plurality of partially overlapped constructs on the conveyor comprises placing a first construct on the conveyor and placing a second construct on the conveyor, the first construct com

Assignees

• Graphic Packaging Int Inc
• Graphic Packaging Int Llc

Inventors

• Walsh Joseph C

Classifications

• B31B2120/408

  by folding a sheet or blank around an inner tubular liner · CPC title

• B31B70/16

  Cutting webs · CPC title

• B31B50/81 Primary

  Forming or attaching accessories, e.g. opening devices, closures or tear strings · CPC title

• B31B2120/25

  formed by partitions or like inserts not integral with walls · CPC title

• B31D5/0004 Primary

  for making inserts, e.g. partitions, for boxes · CPC title