Method and System for Forming Packages

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020009818-A1
Application number	US-201916504730-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 8, 2019
Priority date	Jul 9, 2018
Publication date	Jan 9, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of forming reinforced packages. The method can comprise moving a blank in a machine direction on a blank conveyor, and forming a tubular web while moving a first web of material and a second web of material in the machine direction. The forming the tubular web can comprise at least partially sealing at least a portion of the first web and the second web together to form a sealed margin of the tubular web. The method further can comprise forming a liner by cutting the tubular web, forming an attached blank by attaching the liner to the blank, and moving the attached blank in the machine direction on the blank conveyor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of forming attached blanks, the method comprising:
moving a blank in a machine direction on a blank conveyor; forming a tubular web while moving a first web of material and a second web of material in the machine direction, the forming the tubular web comprising at least partially sealing at least a portion of the first web and the second web together to form a sealed margin of the tubular web; forming a liner by cutting the tubular web; forming an attached blank by attaching the liner to the blank; and moving the attached blank in the machine direction on the blank conveyor.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming a hem by folding the sealed margin into face-to-face contact with a surface of the tubular web.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the forming the hem comprises gluing the sealed margin to the surface of the tubular web.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the sealed margin is a first sealed margin, and the forming the tubular web further comprises at least partially sealing at least a portion of the first web and the second web together to form a second sealed margin.

5 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising forming a first hem by folding the first sealed margin to overlap a first surface of the tubular web and forming a second hem by folding the second sealed margin to overlap a second surface of the tubular web.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the first surface and the second surface face away from one another.

7 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the forming the first hem comprises attaching the first sealed margin to the first surface and the forming the second hem comprises attaching the second sealed margin to the second surface.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the liner comprises moving the tubular web through a knife assembly, the cutting the tubular web comprises actuating the knife assembly, and the knife assembly is mounted on an adjustable rack.

9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising positioning the knife assembly on the adjustable rack in a direction that is parallel to the tubular web to set a height of the liner.

10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the adjustable rack comprises a grooved top, the knife assembly comprises a pinion that engages the grooved top, and an interaction between the pinion and the grooved top facilitates adjustment of the position of the knife assembly in the machine direction.

11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the adjustable rack is a first adjustable rack, the knife is mounted on the first adjustable rack via a first pinion and on a second adjustable rack via a second pinion, the first pinion engages a first grooved top of the first adjustable rack and the second pinion engages a second grooved top of the second adjustable rack.

12 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the knife assembly comprises a guillotine-style sheeter.

13 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the knife assembly comprises an first knife blade and a second knife blade, the cutting the tubular web comprising moving the tubular web between the first knife blade and the second knife blade and moving a first edge of the first knife blade past a second edge of the second knife blade to cut the tubular web between the first knife blade and the second knife blade.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the first knife blade is an upper knife blade positioned above the tubular web, and the second knife blade is a base knife blade positioned below the tubular web.

15 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the attaching the liner to the blank comprises engaging the liner and the blank between a pair of nip rollers as the blank and the liner move in the machine direction, the pair of nip rollers is spaced from the knife assembly by a distance that is less than or equal to a height of the liner.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the knife assembly is movable on the adjustable rack toward and away from the pair of nip rollers to adjust the height of the liner.

17 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising moving the tubular web on a liner guide that is disposed downstream from the knife assembly, the liner guide supporting the liner after the cutting the tubular web.

18 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the attaching the liner to the blank comprises engaging the liner and the blank between a pair of nip rollers as the blank and the liner move in the machine direction after the cutting the tubular web.

19 . A system for forming attached blanks, the system comprising:
a blank conveyor moving a blank in a machine direction to an attachment station; a liner-forming assembly moving a first web and a second web in the machine direction, the liner-forming assembly comprising:
a sealing station forming the first web and the second web into a tubular web, the sealing station comprising a sealer that at least partially engages the first web and the second web to at least partially seal at least a portion of the first web and the second web together to form a sealed margin of the tubular web;
a cutting station that receives the tubular web and comprises cutting features cutting the tubular web to form a liner; and
an attachment station receiving the liner and the blank and attaching the liner to the blank to form an attached blank, the blank conveyor moving the attached blank in the machine direction.

20 . The system of claim 19 , further comprising a folding station forming a hem in the tubular web by folding the sealed margin into face-to-face contact with a surface of the tubular web.

21 . The system of claim 20 , wherein the folding station comprises a glue applicator that glues the sealed margin to the surface of the tubular web.

22 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the sealed margin is a first sealed margin, the sealer is a first sealer, and the sealing station further comprises a second sealer that at least partially engages the first web and the second web to at least partially seal at least a portion of the first web and the second web together to form a second sealed margin.

23 . The system of claim 22 , further comprising a folding station comprising a first folder forming a first hem by folding the first sealed margin to overlap a first surface of the tubular web and a second folder forming a second hem by folding the second sealed margin to overlap a second surface of the tubular web.

24 . The system of claim 23 , wherein the first surface and the second surface face away from one another.

25 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the cutting features of the cutting station comprise a knife assembly receiving the tubular web, wherein the knife assembly is mounted on an adjustable rack, and the knife assembly is operable to cut the tubular web to form the liner.

26 . The system of claim 25 , wherein the knife assembly is positionable on the adjustable rack in a direction that is parallel to the tubular web for setting a height of the liner.

27 . The system of claim 25 , wherein the adjustable rack comprises a grooved top, the knife assembly comprises a pinion that engages the grooved top, and an interaction between the pinion and the grooved top facilitates adjustment of the position of the knife assembly in the machine direction.

28 . The system of claim 25 , wherein the adjustable rack is a first adjustable rack, the kn

Assignees

• Graphic Packaging Int Llc

Inventors

• Walsh Joseph C

Classifications

• B31B2110/35

  rectangular, e.g. square · CPC title

• B31B2120/408

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

• B31B2120/102

  with a hinged cover · CPC title

• B31B50/624

  Applying glue on blanks · CPC title

• B31B2120/302

  collapsible into a flat condition · CPC title