Packaging apparatus and method for wrapping absorbent paper product

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11254455-B2
Application number	US-201916355929-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 18, 2019
Priority date	Mar 18, 2019
Publication date	Feb 22, 2022
Grant date	Feb 22, 2022

Abstract

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to packaging apparatuses and methods adapted to wrap absorbent paper product in a continuous sheet of film formed into tube shape with an asymmetric opening. A former may include a plurality of forming members, wherein each forming member includes an outer surface connected with an inner surface along an edge. In operation, a continuous sheet of film advances around the edges of the forming members and forms an opening. In addition, opposing longitudinal edges of the continuous sheet are guided into an overlapping arrangement that forms the plastic film into a tube shape that extends downstream from the opening in the machine direction. The opening is symmetrical about a first axis and is asymmetrical about a second axis. Absorbent paper product to be packaged advances in the machine direction through the opening and into the tube.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for wrapping absorbent paper product, the method comprising:
providing a first forming member comprising a first edge, a second forming member comprising a second edge, a third forming member comprising a third edge, and a fourth forming member comprising a fourth edge;
forming an opening by advancing a continuous sheet of film over the first, second, third, and fourth edges, wherein the opening comprises a first side and an opposing second side, and a third side and an opposing fourth side, wherein the opening is symmetrical about a first axis that bisects the first side and the second side, and wherein the opening is asymmetrical about a second axis that bisects the third side and the fourth side;
providing a sealing member extending in a machine direction downstream from the opening;
advancing absorbent paper product in the machine direction through the opening, wherein the continuous sheet of film is positioned between absorbent paper product and the third and fourth forming members, and wherein the sealing member is positioned between absorbent paper product and the continuous sheet of film;
overlapping first and second edge regions of the continuous sheet of film on the sealing member;
bonding the first and second edge regions of the continuous sheet of continuous sheet of film together;
wherein the opening further comprises: a first arcuate corner connecting the first side with the third side; and a second arcuate corner connecting the first side with the fourth side;
wherein the opening further comprises: a third arcuate corner connecting the second side with the third side; and a fourth arcuate corner connecting the second side with the fourth side;
wherein the first arcuate corner and the second arcuate corner comprise a first radius of curvature; wherein the third arcuate corner and the fourth arcuate corner comprise a second radius of curvature; and wherein the first radius of curvature is not equal to the second radius of curvature; and
wherein a ratio of the second radius of curvature to the first radius of curvature is greater than or equal to about 0.3 and less than 1.0.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second side is connected directly with and perpendicular to the third side and the fourth side.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein a ratio of the second radius of curvature to the first radius of curvature is greater than 1.0 and less than or equal to about 1.5.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the absorbent paper product comprises rolled paper product comprising a core extending along a longitudinal axis.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising advancing the rolled paper product through the opening with the longitudinal axis parallel with the machine direction.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising advancing the rolled paper product through the opening with the longitudinal axis perpendicular to the machine direction.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising changing a size of the opening by moving the first, second, third, and fourth forming members relative to each other.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first forming member comprises an outer surface connected with an inner surface along the first edge; the second forming member comprises an outer surface connected with an inner surface along the second edge; the third forming member comprises an outer surface connected with an inner surface along the third edge; and the fourth forming member comprising an outer surface connected with an inner surface along the fourth edge.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising advancing the continuous sheet of film in a second direction opposite the machine direction on the outer surfaces of the first, second, third, and fourth forming members to the first, second, third, and fourth edges.

10. The method of claim 9 , advancing the continuous sheet of film in the machine direction from the first, second, third, and fourth edges along the inner surfaces of the first, second, third, and fourth forming members.

11. A packaging apparatus for forming a continuous sheet of film into a tube shape extending in a machine direction, the packaging apparatus comprising:
a first forming member comprising an outer surface connected with an inner surface along a first edge;
a second forming member comprising an outer surface connected with an inner surface along a second edge;
a third forming member comprising an outer surface connected with an inner surface along a third edge;
a fourth forming member comprising an outer surface connected with an inner surface along a fourth edge;
wherein the first, second, third, and fourth forming members are arranged so as to define an opening when film is folded over the first, second, third, and fourth edges;
wherein the opening comprises a first side and an opposing second side, and a third side and an opposing fourth side;
wherein the opening is symmetrical about a first axis that bisects the first side and the second side, and wherein the opening is asymmetrical about a second axis that bisects third side and the fourth side;
wherein the opening further comprises: a first arcuate corner connecting the first side with the third side; and a second arcuate corner connecting the first side with the fourth side;
wherein the first arcuate corner and the second arcuate corner comprise a first radius of curvature; wherein the third arcuate corner and the fourth arcuate corner comprise a second radius of curvature; and wherein the first radius of curvature is not equal to the second radius of curvature; and
wherein a ratio of the second radius of curvature to the first radius of curvature is greater than or equal to about 0.3 and less than 1.0.

12. The packaging apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the second side is connected directly with and perpendicular to the third side and the fourth side.

13. The packaging apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the opening further comprises: a third arcuate corner connecting the second side with the third side; and a fourth arcuate corner connecting the second side with the fourth side.

14. The packaging apparatus of claim 11 , wherein a ratio of the second radius of curvature to the first radius of curvature is greater than 1.0 and less than or equal to about 1.5.

15. The packaging apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the first, second, third, and fourth forming members are movable relative to each other.

16. The packaging apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising a sealing member extending in the machine direction downstream from the opening, the sealing member comprises a first surface and an opposing second surface; and wherein the first surface of the sealing member is in a facing relationship with the inner surfaces of the first forming member and the second forming member, and wherein the second surface of the sealing member is in a facing relationship with the inner surfaces of the third forming member and the fourth forming member.

17. A packaging apparatus for forming a continuous sheet of film into a tube shape extending in a machine direction, the packaging apparatus comprising:
a first forming member comprising a first edge;
a second forming member comprising a second edge;
a third forming member comprising a third edge;
a fourth forming member comprising a fourth edge;
wherein the first, second, third, and fourth edges are arranged to define an opening when film is folded over the first, second, third, and fourth edges;
wherein the first edge and the second edge are symmetrical with respect to each other about a first axis e

Assignees

• Procter & Gamble

Inventors

• Siczek Pawel M
• Schwamberger Brian C
• Mellin Gustav André

Classifications

• B65B2009/063

  Forming shoulders · CPC title

• B65B9/067

  the web advancing continuously (B65B9/08 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65B5/06

  Packaging groups of articles, the groups being treated as single articles · CPC title

• B65B11/02

  Wrapping articles or quantities of material, without changing their position during the wrapping operation, e.g. in moulds with hinged folders (by doubling a wrapper and securing its opposed free margins to enclose contents B65B11/48; by disposing contents between two sheets and securing their opposed free margins B65B11/50) · CPC title

• B65B11/105 Primary

  the axis of the tube being parallel to the conveying direction · CPC title