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EP2643221B1 - Machine et système pour l'application de porte-conteneurs aux conteneurs - Google Patents

Machine et système pour l'application de porte-conteneurs aux conteneurs Download PDF

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Publication number
EP2643221B1
EP2643221B1 EP11791038.0A EP11791038A EP2643221B1 EP 2643221 B1 EP2643221 B1 EP 2643221B1 EP 11791038 A EP11791038 A EP 11791038A EP 2643221 B1 EP2643221 B1 EP 2643221B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
containers
film
container
aperture
apertures
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Not-in-force
Application number
EP11791038.0A
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German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP2643221A1 (fr
Inventor
Stephen Paul Bates
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British Polythene Ltd
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British Polythene Ltd
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Filing date
Publication date
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Priority to PL11791038T priority Critical patent/PL2643221T3/pl
Publication of EP2643221A1 publication Critical patent/EP2643221A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP2643221B1 publication Critical patent/EP2643221B1/fr
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B17/00—Other machines, apparatus, or methods for packaging articles or materials
    • B65B17/02—Joining articles, e.g. cans, directly to each other for convenience of storage, transport, or handling
    • B65B17/025—Joining articles, e.g. cans, directly to each other for convenience of storage, transport, or handling the articles being joined by a top carrier element
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D71/00—Bundles of articles held together by packaging elements for convenience of storage or transport, e.g. portable segregating carrier for plural receptacles such as beer cans or pop bottles; Bales of material
    • B65D71/50—Bundles of articles held together by packaging elements for convenience of storage or transport, e.g. portable segregating carrier for plural receptacles such as beer cans or pop bottles; Bales of material comprising a plurality of articles held together only partially by packaging elements formed otherwise than by folding a blank
    • B65D71/504—Bundles of articles held together by packaging elements for convenience of storage or transport, e.g. portable segregating carrier for plural receptacles such as beer cans or pop bottles; Bales of material comprising a plurality of articles held together only partially by packaging elements formed otherwise than by folding a blank the element being formed from a flexible sheet provided with slits or apertures intended to be stretched over the articles and adapt to the shape of the article

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a method and machine for applying container carriers to containers.
  • This disclosure also pertains to a flexible carrier stock for machine application to substantially identical containers such as beverage cans having annular chimes, cylindrical side walls, and frusto-conical walls between the chimes and the side walls, and bottles with a neck ridge or seal beading.
  • the present disclosure relates to the machine application of a plastics film having apertures to securely retain drinks cans, food cans, bottles and similar containers, a unique method of applying the film to the containers, the resultant combination providing a multi-package or unitised pack.
  • Figure 1 shows an example from US 2 874 835 (ITW) which provides a carrier 30 comprising a flat sheet of plastics material which is provided with a plurality of apertures 32.
  • the apertures are distinctly smaller (>20%) than a diameter of a can retained by the carrier.
  • Figure 1 a shows how cans, in use are retained, with the circumferential inner edge of the plastics apertures engaging with a lower edge of rim 46. It can be seen that the plastics carrier material is substantially deformed by stretching - after considerable forces have been applied - such that the edge of the aperture is perpendicular to the plane of the plastics carrier period to placement of the cans, especially with reference to feature 40 in Figure 1 b.
  • US 2 874 835 indicates that extraordinary force is required for the cans to come loose from the retainer device accidentally.
  • the disclosure of US 2 874 835 indicates that polyethylene is a preferred plastics material, which is stamped in a press to form the apertures. This example taught of additional holes through which the ends of an elongate handle can subsequently be inserted.
  • These plastics films - commonly referred to as carrier stock - are stretched beyond their elastic limit. That is to say the size of aperture will in turn stretch into shapes which are complimentary to the shapes of the container (per US 4 250 682 (ITW)). After a container is removed from the carrier, the carrier cannot be re-used due to the permanent stretching deformation during the application for packaging purposes.
  • the carrier stock is typically polyethylene and early examples were of a thickness of 500 ⁇ m or more, although it is typically 400 ⁇ m or more for rim applied carriers.
  • US 2 936 070 teaches of a still further patent, the teaching of which was to address that a plastics carrier that provides a gripping section not susceptible to loss of a can through twisting and bending movements.
  • resilient, flexible fingers 28 were forced upwardly (as the plastics film is placed upon a number of cans during packing), the fingers being determined by roots 30 defined partway into an inside edge portion of an aperture.
  • Figures 3b and 3c show the teaching from this prior retainer in side views, where the rounded crenulations 28 are clearly visible.
  • US2 936 070 states, in particular, that the root diameter is less than the diameter of the cans and a considerable stretching force is, nonetheless, applied to the plastics material in the vicinity of the roots in stretching the material into the frusto-conical, almost cylindrical conformation shown in Figure 3c .
  • the description further discloses that "the carrier can be assembled with cans with considerable facility, simply by stamping the carrier down over the proper number of cans. The cans simply cam into the apertures, deflecting the fingers....whereby the cans are gripped aggressively with the fingers abutting beneath the can beads". Indeed, the stamping forces would have been considerable.
  • one proposal for an article carrier was formed from a tube which was alternately slit from side-to-side in a manner leaving un-slit connecting portions at subsequent alternate opposite sides whereby successive sections of the tube may be folded relative to each other generally into a common plane for receiving the articles to be carried.
  • immediately adjacent articles in a package are spaced from each other at the area of contact with the carrier only by a double thickness of the relatively thin material.
  • US 3 968 621 taught of manufacturing a carrier by the formation of an extruded net, which net was subsequently flattened by the use of a roller to produce an apertured film of carrier stock, as shown in Figure 5 .
  • US 3 317 234 teaches of a packaging system using an upper laminate and a lower laminate.
  • the upper laminate comprising a first, continuous plastics layer and a second laminate comprising an apertured card layer is placed over and arrangement of bottles.
  • the apertures of the card layer are arranged to fit over respective metal cap of a drinks bottle, the peripheral edges of the apertures being arranged to engage with the underside of the metal cap, whereby to retain the upper part of the bottle.
  • the lower laminate being arranged to act in a similar fashion with a bottle having a characteristic waist, about which a card member of the second laminate could engage, in conjunction with a plastics layer, which enveloped a lower portion of the bottle.
  • cans were retained by substantially similar first and second laminates, the card element of which engaging with a body-directed edge of the respective upper and lower rims of a double rimmed can.
  • the apertures defined in such stock are generally of a triangular/D shape, primarily to assist in the mechanical placement of the stock around the rim of a can, which mechanical application necessitated the use of mechanical fingers which generally prevented the simultaneous use of such devices in any configuration other than in the provision of two-rank longitudinal rows. That is to say the cans are attached with two cans being in a side-by-side arrangement: the systems are limited in use and generally could not reliably operate to provide cans packed, for example in 3x3 or 3x4 or 4x4 etc arrangements.
  • the band segments also included inner segments partly bounding the can-receiving apertures, along with transversely extending segments joining the inner segments, for finger-hold grip elements.
  • Can manufacturers have in the past introduced cans having smaller chime diameters, as compared to the diameters of the side walls. Cans of this type are known as "necked-in" cans. The newest versions of these necked-in cans further and drastically reduce the ratio of the chime diameter and the side wall diameter.
  • the band segments defining the can receiving apertures grip the frusto-conical walls of the cans tightly and engage the lower edges of the chimes.
  • the frusto-conical wall between the chime and the side wall defines a conical angle greater than approximately 28° and in some instances as great as approximately 37°.
  • the frusto-conical wall defines such a large angle relative to the can axis, it is difficult to apply carrier stock since the band segments defining the can receiving apertures have an undesirable tendency to slide up the cans and to rest on the cans above the lower edges of the chimes. This tendency is enhanced due to the jaw application system mentioned above.
  • EP 0 461 748 (ITW) and EP 0 621 203 (ITW) propose the provision of tear-open tabs, which extend upwardly across the chimes of straight-walled and conical cans, respectively, whereby to simplify release.
  • the tabs in the later patent have concave lateral portions adjacent a stem of the tab "for stress relief”.
  • both these documents involve the use of relatively thick (greater than 400 ⁇ m) carrier stocks which in placement around cans are stretched beyond their elastic limit. These types of carrier stock have not, however, been widely adopted.
  • the present invention seeks to overcome at least one problem associated with the prior art.
  • the present invention to be particularly described hereinafter seeks to provide a machine and method for grouping and packaging containers such as cans and bottles with a plastics carrier stock sheet comprising film plastics whereby great stretching forces are not required to enable attachment of several containers in a six-pack or similar smaller or larger pack (so-called "unitising" of the containers).
  • an application roller configured to urge an appropriate apertured carrier stock sheet film progressively over the rims of successive containers accumulated together for unitizing.
  • the application roller cooperates with the container upper edge (beading, chime or rim) to locate and present an inner edge portion of an aperture of the carrier stock sheet comprising plastics film to the upper edge and progressively move that edge portion below the container upper edge until the whole inner aperture edge becomes located below that container upper edge.
  • Suitable apertured carrier stock sheet film in various embodiments is subject of our co-pending patent applications GB 2 475 622 A and WO 2011 061 518 .
  • carrier carrier stock, carrier sheet and retaining sheet may be used interchangeably herein for ease in describing different aspects of the invention, and refer to a flexible carrier comprising a plastics film suitable for packaging by a method to be more particularly described hereinbelow, notably without requiring use of separating or stretching devices that would in normal use for packaging containers, apply stretching forces that would exceed the elastic deformation limit for the plastics sheet material.
  • the application roller which is adapted for urging the carrier stock upon the accumulated containers according to this invention requires no widening jaws, parting fingers or the like manipulators required in the prior art for stretch-fitting of the carrier to the containers.
  • the roller and accumulated containers are juxtaposed such that as the roller turns relative to the rim of a container, an inner edge portion of an aperture of the apertured carrier sheet engages under the rim at a first point of contact. Thereafter the roller urges the remaining portions of the edge of the aperture to ease over the rim so that progressively the edge portion above the carrier sheet is urged under the rim until the complete aperture edge is below the rim of the container.
  • the configuration of the carrier stock, especially aperture configuration is such that in conjunction with the rolling application method in cooperation with an upper edge of the container e.g. can, the initially flat carrier stock is re-configured to a three dimensional configuration about the can.
  • the carrier stock forming the container carrier to be applied by the machine comprises a plastics film sheet material having a number of apertures for holding a number of containers together, the apertures arranged in series and extending in at least a first direction, typically the machine direction, for application as a continuous strip from a supply system such as a reel of the aforesaid apertured plastics film.
  • the apertures have a centre and edges wherein the edges defining the apertures have a geometry which comprises a plurality of tabs facing the centre, the tabs being separated by troughs, the troughs comprising a root at a maximum point from the centre; wherein the innermost edges of the tabs and the roots lie, respectively, on first and second circumferences relative to the centre, the second circumference being equal to or greater than a beading circumference of a container; the configuration of the apertures being such that, upon placement about a container, the edges of the tabs engage with said beading of such a container as the plastics film about the container is urged downwardly and the plastics film elastically forms a three dimensional wave form structure about the container.
  • the carrier film is preferably made from the group consisting of polyolefinic plastics such as polyethylene and polyethylene derivatives such as copolymers and addition polymers or polymer blends, but other plastics materials with similar mechanical properties may be used including recycled plastics.
  • the carrier film can be advantageously made from much thinner plastics films, for example of up to about 350 ⁇ m thickness plastics film.
  • a plastics film of at least about 50 to 75 ⁇ m may be used for some containers, and generally a plastics film of up to about 100 ⁇ m would be suitable for many types of containers.
  • the carrier stock may be made entirely of plastics film for best performance of the invention, but a laminate comprising said film with another material which does not inhibit the flexibility to allow the roller application of the carrier stock over containers as described herein is not excluded. Likewise any coating, labelling, marking, colour layer or applied foil which does not interfere with the rolling application may be used.
  • the carrier plastics film apertures can be dimensioned to fit around cylindrical walled cans.
  • the carrier plastics film apertures can be dimensioned to fit about reduced chime or necked cans.
  • the carrier plastics film apertures can be dimensioned to fit about beading around the neck of a bottle.
  • the carrier films are apertured to form a container engaging portion for each container to be unitised or multi-packaged.
  • the machine can accept stock comprising a length of a single-rank or multi-rank apertured film.
  • the machine also comprises a conveyor system for the transport of containers, which may be of a generally known type; the conveyor being operable to feed the containers to an accumulation position; and taking accumulated containers towards an application station for the application of an apertured carrier or retaining sheet e.g. of the aforesaid carrier stock.
  • the machine uses a roller for urging the apertured carrier or retaining sheet on to the accumulated containers at the application station. The roller receives apertured carrier or retaining sheet from a supply system.
  • the roller for urging the apertured plastics film onto the accumulated containers may have a modified surface configuration for applying a certain amount of pressure upon the apertured plastics film during or after urging of the apertured plastics film upon the accumulated containers. This may have benefit in ensuring that as the roller moves with respect to successive accumulated containers each aperture is appropriately positioned with respect to a rim of a container such that the edge of the aperture is always urged below the rim of the respective container.
  • the roller may have projections such as mutually spaced pegs or ribs positioned to engage web between apertures of the apertured carrier or retaining sheet of plastics film.
  • the conveyor and roller are arranged to cooperate together, with the supply system, such that as the conveyor moves the containers, the rims of the containers are presented to the carrier stock of apertured plastics sheet, whereby an inside tab edge of an aperture can abut against an underside edge of a bead of a container.
  • the carrier stock of apertured plastics film sheet is urged over the rims of the conveyed accumulated containers.
  • the action of the urging roller in applying the apertured plastics film is such that the side edges of the aperture diverge elastically to surround the sides of the container beading defining a rim of the container until the inside edge of the aperture opposite the first engaged side of the aperture is adjacent the rim.
  • the urging action of the roller causes an inside edge of the said opposite inside tab edge of the aperture to engage with an underside of the rim, whereby to secure the apertured film with the can.
  • the conveyor moves the containers to an accumulation position prior to being presented to the application station.
  • the conveyor moves the containers with applied plastics film to a cutting apparatus, said cutting apparatus being operable to enable appropriate pack sizes to be produced, whereby separation of unitised container packs is achievable.
  • a plurality of co-operating sheeting supply mandrels whereby to provide a continuous supply of sheeting to the roller, to enable a seamless connection of separate sheets to provide effective continuous operation of the system.
  • the carrier stock suitable for use in the machine and method of the invention is provided with a number of apertures for holding a number of containers together, the carrier stock comprising a plastics film material having a number of apertures arranged for example as a series in at least a first direction, wherein the apertures comprise a plurality of finger or tab elements, separated by troughs, the apertures having a centre; wherein the innermost edge or tip of the finger elements lie on a first circumference relative to the centre and the bottom of the troughs lie on a second circumference relative to the centre, the second circumference being equal to or greater than the circumference of the container; wherein the edges of the fingers are operably engageable with a beading of a container as the troughs are urged downwardly and outwardly; the troughs being operable to allow the film to elastically deform upon placement and enable the film to adopt a three dimensional structure.
  • a four fingered (tabbed) aperture benefits in terms of packaging of product by reason of the forces from the chime, through the finger, allow upward movement of the film adjacent the troughs, whereby to create a wave effect or undulating surface between adjacent containers.
  • the three dimensional structure adopted by the film is analogous in effect to a vehicular monocoque structure; in that the strength of the undulating shaped stock in contact with the containers is greater than that of the otherwise flexible material before it is urged into contact with the containers.
  • the apertured material can be dimensioned to fit around traditional cylindrical walled cans such as traditional baked-bean can (say 307 x 512 US CMI).
  • the apertured film can be dimensioned to fit about the necked-in cans as are typically presently produced in the beverage industry (2011) which in Europe is one of the following types (all sizes approximate) 330 ml, 66mm ⁇ /115mm height; 440 ml, 66mm ⁇ /150mm height; 500 ml ( ⁇ 16 fluid ounces US) 65mm ⁇ / 170mm height.
  • Another 250ml can size which has been introduced for specialist beverages such as the so-called energy drinks is also slightly necked and is about 52mm ⁇ / 135mm height.
  • the machine of the invention may be equipped with adjustment means for changing the relative positioning of the application roller with respect to the conveyed and accumulated containers between packaging runs of differing containers.
  • the apertured film can also be dimensioned to fit about the ridge-necked bottles, wherein beading around the neck of a bottle can act in a similar fashion to the chime or beading of a can.
  • the apertures can resemble a generally square-like (quadra-arcuate) aperture, with the tabs comprising slightly outwardly extending arcs.
  • Other poly-arcuate apertures are possible, the number of tabs, however being less than ten, for containers as are commonly employed for beverages.
  • the carrier stock comprising plastics film used for the present invention can comprise integrally joined band segments defining can-receiving apertures in longitudinal rows and transverse ranks. There may be a single longitudinal row.
  • the band segments include generally longitudinal outer segments with each outer segment partly bounding the can receiving apertures in an outer row.
  • the carrier stock or film can be provided as a roll for use in a roll on method of applying the product, conveniently in a multi-lane format of typically but not exclusively 6 lanes wide.
  • the sheet material is supplied on a roll and feeds into the application machine in a near continuous action, whereupon it is subdivided within the machine into the required pack sizes, e.g. 4 packs, 6 packs etc.
  • the method of rolling film on to the top of the container uses the downward pressure of the roller as the containers pass beneath it to gently elastically form the material through the interaction of film and container in order to achieve the aforementioned gripping action and three dimensional transformation of the sheet material.
  • the roller in urging the film onto the accumulated containers to be unitised also has a role in promoting the performance of the film by urging a particular configuration to be adopted.
  • the plastics film after application to a number of containers defines a three dimensional shape as a direct result of the various forces acting upon the material, whereby to increase the inherent strength of the resultant product.
  • a reduction in the grade and thickness of the film material can be realised: costs can be reduced because less raw material is required.
  • the machinery not being required to exert tremendous forces to enable the material to engage with containers, the specification of the packaging plant can be reduced, again reducing costs. Overall significant energy savings can be realised by virtue of the invention.
  • a still further advantage is that because the machinery is less massive and can be applied without large mechanical jaws /hands (as are presently used in the industry - which impede the function of adjacently located mechanical jaws /hands), several packing streams can be simply placed in side-by-side configuration - even enabling 12-aperture rows to be manufactured.
  • the present invention takes advantage of physical properties of the apertured plastics film material whereby, surprisingly, containers such as beverage cans can be retained by a sheet of a thickness much reduced to the sheet widely employed hitherto which has been placed over the rim of the container, whereby a plurality of inner edges defined along an inner circumference of the aperture abut an underside of the rim, in the free state the inside circumference being less than the circumference of the can, below the rim, the sheet material, by virtue of a discontinuous circumferential contact about said rim, whereby to conform in a three-dimensional form which offers stability and strength to a container and film combination.
  • the three-dimensional form provides a strength far greater than that which would have been achievable with a standard film.
  • the material of choice can be selected for price and availability rather than quality per se.
  • Figures 8a and 8b show first and second perspective views of an arrangement of five beer cans retained by plastics film stock having six container apertures.
  • Each aperture 80a is of a general square shape, operably arranged to accept a circularly cylindrical part of a container therethrough, with four fingers or tabs 81, 82, 83 & 84 extending from indentations or troughs having a web element connecting adjacent fingers or tabs.
  • the troughs lie on a radius slightly greater than the radius of the container about which the film is designed to retain.
  • the tips of the fingers or tabs i.e. the portions that will abut the rim or chime of the can, are conveniently slightly curved inwardly.
  • the arc corresponds to an arc of a circle of a radius corresponding to a radius of the container that lies immediately adjacent the rim or chime of the container, the shape taking into account the fact that the film will adopt an undulating shape in view of the resilience of the plastics film being utilised. It is important to note that whilst the elastic properties of the film are utilised, the elastic limit of the material is not approached.
  • carrier stock provided with a number of apertures for holding a number of containers together, the stock comprising a thin plastics film material having a number of apertures arranged in at least a first direction.
  • the apertures comprise a plurality of tab or finger elements, separated by troughs, the apertures having a centre.
  • the tip of the finger elements lie on a first circumference relative to the centre whilst the bottom of the troughs (that part of the troughs most distant from the centre) lie on a second circumference relative to the centre, the second circumference being equal to or greater than the circumference of the container.
  • the tips of the fingers engage with a beading of a container whilst the troughs, as a direct result - since they are part of the same film - are urged downwardly and outwardly. In so doing the troughs urge the film to elastically form upon placement and enable the film to adopt a three dimensional structure.
  • the number of tabs or fingers can vary from three upwards, it has been found that a four fingered aperture (or multiple finger equivalents operable to achieve the same effect) benefits in terms of packaging of product by reason of the forces from the chime, through the finger, allow upward movement of film adjacent the troughs, whereby to create a wave effect.
  • the three dimensional structure adopted by the film is in many ways analogous to the types of structures in vehicular manufacturing i.e. the structure is a monocoque structure where the overall strength of the finished film is greater than that of the inherently flexible material.
  • film 80 is provided with apertures 81, the apertures being defined by fingers 82 - 85.
  • One aperture 81 will now be discussed; the distance between the centres of oppositely facing fingers is approximately 90% of the diameter of the portion of the container about which the aperture will close upon, whilst the distance between opposite troughs corresponds to 110% of said diameter.
  • the fingers 82 - 85 abut the lower part of the chime or rim of the can and the film closely follows the necked-in portion of the container.
  • the film as disclosed herein when applied by rolling as described herein adopts a three dimensional geometrical form that enables the shape of the film to thereby provide a relatively rigid arrangement.
  • the present invention can utilise recycled plastics film of a thickness of about 350 ⁇ m or even much less e.g. about 100 ⁇ m or less depending upon the containers to be unitised, with the aim to use as little weight as possible by use of thinner materials.
  • prior systems for linking containers more closely approach the elastic deformation limit of the plastics material.
  • a machine which engages a carrier strip and assembles the carrier strip with a plurality of articles moving in close relation thereto.
  • the apparatus in US-4,250,682 has a rotary drum with carrier stretching members for engaging, stretching and positioning the carrier strip over the tops of the articles moving thereunder such that the carrier material is retained under the chime of the article.
  • EP0456357 it is stated that a carrier strip engaging assembly is used to elastically deform the engaged carrier strip for assembly with articles.
  • the raw material for the present invention can indeed comprise recycled material or at least have a significant recycled material content.
  • the procedure of application of the apertured film in accordance with the present invention can be conveniently formed by a number of methods.
  • a presently preferred method will be described with reference to Figure 8c , which, for convenience shall be assumed to be receiving a can, not shown, from the right; the inside edge of finger 84 of the aperture is urged toward the under-chime (upper rim) of a can; the adjacent side fingers 81, 83 of the aperture are then eased over the corresponding rim parts of the can until the inside edge of the aperture opposite the first engaged side of the aperture is adjacent the rim, whereupon continuing pressure enables the inside edge of the last aperture finger 82 to engage with an underside of the rim, thereby enabling the apertured film to be simply, safely and securely engaged therewith.
  • a generally three fingered aperture may be provided, comprising a generally equilateral triangular configuration, and would provide a minimally fingered design with a security of retention.
  • many polygonal forms can be configured which operate in accordance with the disclosed method, although, a regular four-sided aperture is likely to be more readily generally accepted.
  • Containers of other cylindrical shapes can be retained; it may be appropriate to have five, six or more fingers or tabs per aperture. Ten has been found to be a convenient number for large domestic containers.
  • FIG. 9 a portion of film 90, with six apertures abreast, is shown, the apertures 91 being of a second regular quadrilateral shape. Further apertures or slits 92, together with circular apertures 93 are sized and positioned to assist in the maintenance of the monocoque film shape, once containers have been retained by the film.
  • the circular opening 93 may be formed of difference shapes or may be replaced by a number of smaller aperture, conveniently closely spaced together.
  • the shape and position of the apertures are such that the troughs between the fingers correspond with the corners of the curved sides, the distance between opposite troughs being approximately 110% the diameter of the container at the rim.
  • Figure 10 shows a further portion of film 100, which has generally square apertures 101, which have fingers 102 - 105 separated by small troughs 106 - 109.
  • the troughs are move pronounced with respect to the troughs of Figures 9 and 11 , but may be of other shapes with regard to a requirement not to induce tears in the film. Again the distance between opposite troughs is approximately 110% the diameter of the container at the rim.
  • Figure 11 shows a still further embodiment, wherein each side of a generally square aperture comprises distinct arc sections 111 - 114; the troughs can be considered to exist at the centre of adjacent arcs 115 - 118.
  • Figure 11 a shows a variant of the arcuate quadrilateral design wherein a substantially square aperture acts with tab elements having an inwardly facing arcuate tab.
  • Figures 11 b - 11 d show the variant of Figure 11 a in use.
  • a significant advantage of the present invention is that the mechanical properties of the material are only required to be strong enough to hold the cans, and not stand up to the rigours and high stretch of the standard application processes encountered in the prior art. Not only does this have significant advantages in the manufacturing processes (reduced operating forces incur less wear for application machines and thus further reduce operating costs), and also enables the use of cheaper plastics to be employed. Indeed, recycled plastics such as low grade Post Consumer Waste (e.g. low density polyethylene - LDPE) can be employed which also satisfies the perennial demands of market requirements in that the basic consumable materials are cheaper. As discussed above, in view of the materials not needing to be stretched to particular limits, the thickness of the basic product can also be reduced i.e.
  • Post Consumer Waste e.g. low density polyethylene - LDPE
  • the thickness can be 300 ⁇ m (or less): the issue of the presence of inclusions or not is of no consequence.
  • a preferred thickness for such stock for prior systems in an unstressed condition has been in a range from approximately 16 mils (400 ⁇ m) to approximately 17.5 mils (445 ⁇ m).
  • the present invention allows the use of raw material that can be purchased at far more favourable rates than specified high quality material.
  • a preferred method of application utilises a simple roll on application method as shall be disclosed in detail hereinafter; a simple machine can be utilised in manufacturing industry; since great stretching forces are not applied, lever arm and /or hydraulic operations can be minimised and the strength of the machine need not be great, as a direct result compared to systems which stretch plastics towards and beyond their elastic limits.
  • the use of simpler and cheaper machines will also enable the systems to be operated by smaller manufacturing concerns and thereby increase markets.
  • Figures 12a - 12f show a superposition of the edges of an un-stretched aperture upon a beading 126 of a container 122.
  • Figure 12a shows a first application step associated with retaining a number of containers with a stock of apertured plastics sheeting. An inside tab edge 121 of the aperture abuts against an underside edge of a bead 126 of the container.
  • Figure 12b shows how, in relation to the apertured plastics sheet stock 100 an application roller will rotate with respect to a container passing underneath in a direction perpendicular to the roller axis. The roller is not shown, although the stock is shown having an arcuate profile and will be discussed in greater detail with respect to machinery below.
  • Packaging plant including unitising machine
  • FIGS. 13a & 13b there are shown plan and side views of an otherwise standard conveyor system 130 for the transport of containers in the form of soft-drinks cans 139 or similar.
  • the cans 139 are fed along a conveyor to an accumulation position 134 (proceeding in a direction indicated by arrow 138).
  • the containers are brought towards each other in close proximity in preparation for the application of the apertured retaining sheet, performed by roller 132 which receives sheet 110 from sheeting supply system 133.
  • Cutting apparatus controlled between the units labelled 136 enable appropriate pack sizes to be produced.
  • sheeting supply mandrel 135 can co-operate with another mandrel (not shown) to provide a continuous supply of sheeting to the roller 132.
  • seamless connection of separate sheets can be performed to provide effective continuous operation, or at least almost continuous operation of the system.
  • Figure 14 shows, respectively side and detail view of the application drum and production line conveyor arrangement.
  • Figures 16 - 20 show cans unitised with a further example of a carrier stock in accordance with the invention.
  • the application drum which urges the carrier stock upon the containers to be unitised may have a plurality of peg projections configured to interact with a carrier stock sheet to facilitate appropriate downward pressure upon the carrier stock and assist in elastically forming a three dimensional structure of the carrier stock about the upper part of the containers.
  • the carrier stock is formed, for example by die-cutting, from a single sheet of resilient polymeric material, such as low density polyethylene.
  • Known carrier stock has been formed of high quality plastics sheet, such as low density polyethylene.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Packages (AREA)
  • Blow-Moulding Or Thermoforming Of Plastics Or The Like (AREA)
  • Details Of Rigid Or Semi-Rigid Containers (AREA)
  • Basic Packing Technique (AREA)

Claims (13)

  1. Une machine pour appliquer un film unitisant un conteneur sur des conteneurs par l'utilisation d'un rouleau (132), le film unitisant un conteneur comprenant un matériau de feuille en matière plastique (80) ayant un certain nombre d'ouvertures (80a) pour tenir un certain nombre de conteneurs ensemble, les ouvertures s'étendant dans au moins une première direction, dans laquelle les ouvertures ont un centre et dans laquelle les bords définissant les ouvertures ont une géométrie qui comprend une pluralité de languettes (81-84) faisant face au centre, les languettes étant définies par des bords les plus à l'intérieur séparés par des rigoles (85-88), les rigoles définissant une racine à un point maximum depuis le centre ; dans laquelle les bords les plus à l'intérieur et les racines reposent, respectivement, sur des première et deuxième circonférences relativement au centre, la deuxième circonférence étant supérieure ou égale à une circonférence de bourrelet d'un conteneur ; la configuration des ouvertures étant telle que, lors d'un placement autour d'un conteneur, les bords les plus à l'intérieur des languettes se mettent en prise avec ledit bourrelet d'un tel conteneur à mesure que les rigoles sont poussées vers le bas et vers l'extérieur et le matériau de feuille à ouvertures (80) forme de façon élastique une structure en trois dimensions, la machine comprenant un système formant tapis roulant (130) pour le transport des conteneurs ; le système formant tapis roulant pouvant fonctionner pour amener les conteneurs à une position d'accumulation (134) et pouvant fonctionner pour acheminer les conteneurs vers une station d'application comprenant ledit rouleau (132) pour l'application de la feuille à ouvertures sur les conteneurs, le rouleau recevant, lors de l'utilisation, un matériau de feuille à ouvertures d'un système d'approvisionnement (133) et poussant le matériau de feuille à ouvertures sur les conteneurs de telle sorte que chaque conteneur soit reçu dans une ouverture non étirée, ce qui permet que le matériau de feuille forme la structure en trois dimensions.
  2. Une machine selon la revendication 1 dans laquelle le tapis roulant et le rouleau sont positionnés et peuvent fonctionner de telle sorte que, à mesure que le tapis roulant déplace les conteneurs, les bordures des conteneurs sont présentées vers le stock de matière plastique à ouvertures (Fig. 12a, b), et un bord de languette intérieur (121) de l'ouverture est en aboutement contre un bord de dessous d'un bourrelet (126) du conteneur, et à mesure que le rouleau continue à se déplacer (Fig. 12c, d), les bords de côté (123, 125) de l'ouverture dévient de façon élastique pour entourer les côtés du bourrelet de conteneur (126) jusqu'à ce que le bord intérieur de l'ouverture opposé au premier côté mis en prise de l'ouverture soit adjacent à la bordure et amène un bord intérieur du bord de languette intérieur de l'ouverture à se mettre en prise avec un dessous de la bordure (Fig. 12e, f), ce qui permet d'assujettir le film à ouvertures sur la canette.
  3. Une machine selon la revendication 1 ou la revendication 2, dans laquelle le tapis roulant déplace les conteneurs jusqu'à une position d'accumulation (134) préalablement au fait d'être présentés à la station d'application.
  4. Une machine selon n'importe laquelle des revendications 1 à 3, dans laquelle il y a un appareil de coupe, ledit appareil de coupe pouvant fonctionner pour permettre la production des tailles de pack appropriées.
  5. Une machine selon n'importe laquelle des revendications 1 à 4, dans laquelle il est fourni une pluralité de mandrins d'approvisionnement de mise en feuilles co-fonctionnant (135), ce qui permet de fournir un approvisionnement continu de feuille au rouleau (132), afin de permettre un raccordement sans soudure de feuilles séparées pour fournir un fonctionnement continu efficace du système.
  6. Une machine selon n'importe laquelle des revendications 1 à 5, dans laquelle le film porteur est réalisé à partir du groupe comprenant du polyéthylène, des dérivés de polyéthylène et des matières plastiques présentant des propriétés mécaniques similaires.
  7. Une machine selon n'importe laquelle des revendications 1 à 6, dans laquelle le film porteur est un film en matière plastique d'une épaisseur inférieure à environ 350 µm.
  8. Une machine selon n'importe laquelle des revendications 1 à 7, dans laquelle les ouvertures de film porteur sont dimensionnées pour s'adapter autour de canettes à paroi cylindrique.
  9. Une machine selon n'importe laquelle des revendications 1 à 7, dans laquelle les ouvertures de film porteur sont dimensionnées pour s'adapter autour de canettes à col ou à rebord réduit.
  10. Une machine selon n'importe laquelle des revendications 1 à 7, dans laquelle les ouvertures de film porteur sont dimensionnées pour s'adapter sur un bourrelet autour du col d'une bouteille.
  11. Une machine selon n'importe laquelle des revendications 1 à 10, dans laquelle le stock comprend une longueur de film à ouvertures sur un seul rang.
  12. Une machine selon n'importe laquelle des revendications 1 à 10, dans laquelle le stock comprend une longueur de film à ouvertures sur de multiples rangs.
  13. Une méthode pour unitiser des conteneurs, par exemple des canettes, en utilisant la machine de n'importe laquelle des revendications 1 à 12, comprenant les étapes suivantes :
    recevoir une canette ;
    pousser un bord intérieur d'une languette (84) d'une ouverture vers un bord de sous-rebord de la canette ;
    faciliter des languettes de côté adjacentes (81, 83) de l'ouverture par-dessus les parties de bordure correspondantes de la canette jusqu'à ce que le bord intérieur de l'ouverture opposé au premier côté mis en prise de l'ouverture soit adjacent à la bordure ; et,
    amener un bord intérieur de la dernière languette (82) à se mettre en prise avec un dessous de la bordure, ce qui permet d'assujettir le film à ouvertures avec la canette, dans laquelle le fait de pousser un bord intérieur d'une languette et de faciliter des languettes de côté adjacentes est effectué grâce à l'utilisation d'un rouleau d'application (132) de la machine, lequel rouleau coopère avec le bord supérieur de conteneur (bourrelet, rebord ou bordure) afin de placer et présenter une portion de bord interne d'une ouverture du film de feuille de stock porteur au bord supérieur et déplacer progressivement cette portion de bord en dessous du bord supérieur de conteneur jusqu'à ce que l'intégralité de bord d'ouverture interne soit située en dessous de ce bord supérieur de conteneur.
EP11791038.0A 2010-11-23 2011-11-23 Machine et système pour l'application de porte-conteneurs aux conteneurs Not-in-force EP2643221B1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PL11791038T PL2643221T3 (pl) 2010-11-23 2011-11-23 Urządzenie i sposób nakładania nośników pojemników na pojemniki

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GBGB1019848.9A GB201019848D0 (en) 2010-11-23 2010-11-23 A machine and system for applying container carriers to containers
PCT/GB2011/052306 WO2012069834A1 (fr) 2010-11-23 2011-11-23 Machine et système pour appliquer sur des contenants des dispositifs pour transporter des contenants

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP2643221A1 EP2643221A1 (fr) 2013-10-02
EP2643221B1 true EP2643221B1 (fr) 2016-10-19

Family

ID=43467169

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP11791038.0A Not-in-force EP2643221B1 (fr) 2010-11-23 2011-11-23 Machine et système pour l'application de porte-conteneurs aux conteneurs

Country Status (11)

Country Link
US (1) US20130263557A1 (fr)
EP (1) EP2643221B1 (fr)
CN (1) CN103221309B (fr)
BR (1) BR112013012591B8 (fr)
CA (1) CA2815744A1 (fr)
DK (1) DK2643221T3 (fr)
ES (1) ES2610361T3 (fr)
GB (2) GB201019848D0 (fr)
PL (1) PL2643221T3 (fr)
PT (1) PT2643221T (fr)
WO (1) WO2012069834A1 (fr)

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US10358239B2 (en) * 2017-09-22 2019-07-23 American Canning Machines, LLC Apparatus for attaching plastic can carriers to cans
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USD915481S1 (en) * 2019-10-21 2021-04-06 David J. Benes Lid applicator pawl and guide
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Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB2485895A (en) 2012-05-30
GB201019848D0 (en) 2011-01-05
PL2643221T3 (pl) 2017-08-31
US20130263557A1 (en) 2013-10-10
BR112013012591B8 (pt) 2021-06-01
PT2643221T (pt) 2017-01-27
BR112013012591B1 (pt) 2019-11-19
GB201120245D0 (en) 2012-01-04
ES2610361T3 (es) 2017-04-27
CA2815744A1 (fr) 2012-05-31
CN103221309B (zh) 2015-04-08
CN103221309A (zh) 2013-07-24
BR112013012591A2 (pt) 2016-09-06
GB2485895B (en) 2013-03-13
EP2643221A1 (fr) 2013-10-02
WO2012069834A1 (fr) 2012-05-31
DK2643221T3 (da) 2017-01-30

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