Patent Application
20240246738
The present invention relates to the field of packaging batches of containers. It has for object a compact batch of grouped containers, a retaining strip intended to form said batch and a method using that batch.
In the sense of the present invention the container is a bottle or a flask or a carton or a can.
In known manner, on an industrial packaging line the containers may receive a plurality of successive different treatments, such as fabrication of the container, followed by filling and then closing by a cap and labeling. Following these treatments the containers are termed “finished”.
For handling them such finished containers undergo packaging in batches.
Each batch therefore comprises a plurality of containers, assembled for example in a matrix arrangement, generally of globally parallelepipedal shape, often square or rectangular shape, in columns and rows. Once the groups of containers have been formed, each group can be wrapped, in particular covered with a film, in order to hold the containers together and to facilitate the handling of a batch of this kind obtained in this way.
Such wrapping may preferably be effected via a step of film wrapping.
In particular, film wrapping a group of containers consists in wrapping it by means of a sheet of heatshrink material plastic film. A wrapped group then undergoes a heating step so that the sheet comes to espouse the overall exterior shape of the containers. The grouping of the containers, wrapping and heating are carried out by means of a dedicated installation of film wrapping type through a plurality of successive stations.
A wrapping operation of this kind represents a high energy cost, harmful to the environment. Indeed, wrapping is effected using a plastic material film essentially obtained from petrochemicals. Now, almost half of the plastic waste found in the oceans consists of single-use plastic objects.
Furthermore the composition of the film, if it is only partially recyclable, is going to complicate the process and the resulting waste will not be valorizable in the great majority of cases.
Thus there exists an increasing need to find an alternative to the use of this material generating enormous quantities of waste and costly in terms of energy, both by simplifying the packaging and also by reducing the total quantity of material used.
It is also necessary to preserve the integrity of the container and to guarantee the solidity of the batch formed in this way.
In this field a known alternative to using a heatshrink plastic film for the formation of a batch consists in holding the group products together by means of a cardboard support, which holds the containers by the neck or by the bottom in various configurations. This alternative is for example described in the patent EP2277780. A strip is optionally used in addition to improve the cohesion of the batch. This solution has the disadvantage of using a great deal of raw material, the cardboard support being particularly rigid and relatively heavy. Furthermore, the process of packaging the batch includes a plurality of steps and therefore cannot be applied with a very high throughput.
For its part DE102011107265 proposes to connect the containers together by means of spots of glue and to finalize the retention thereof by means of a self-adhesive tape that comes to encircle the batch. The self-adhesive tape is preferably transparent and placed at the level of the label of the products to enable the consumer to view the information present on the label. This adhesive tape may be made of a composite material, that is to say consist of a plurality of different materials. It therefore has the disadvantage of being only slightly if at all recyclable given the difficulty of separating the so-called recyclable materials from the others.
Finally, WO2020229103 proposes to optimize the system for closing an encircling strip in order to facilitate making up the group of products: the strip must be easily openable by the consumer and this ease of dislocation must also make it possible to preserve the integrity of the products. This solution has a major disadvantage: the joining of the strip, which is intended to simplify opening, constitutes a weak point in the solidity of the batch: the batch may break up at any time by a container sliding out or by rubbing of the tape on the surface of the container during transportation or handling.
In the field of the invention it is therefore necessary to develop a device for packaging containers in batches that is respectful of the environment and guarantees optimum retention of the batch and the integrity of the containers and their contents.
The invention therefore aims to provide a retaining device that is reliable, strong and ecological, both in terms of its composition and in terms of the quantity of waste it generates.
The environmental impact of the invention is therefore greatly reduced compared to packaging using plastic material or a large amount of material.
To this end the invention proposes a solution consisting in forming a batch of at least two containers by means of a strip of semi-extensible paper. The strip of paper of the invention has properties of elasticity and of resistance to breaking that are sufficient and appropriate to guarantee both the cohesion of the batch and the solidity of the strip itself. Moreover, this strip of paper is not a cardboard or corrugated support: its thickness is moderate, which enables it to be sufficiently flexible to surround the batch while conforming to the shape of the various containers that may constitute the batch.
The invention therefore has for object a batch that comprises at least two containers and at least one strip that holds them grouped together, said containers each having a body and a bottom aligned in a main direction, the at least one strip wrapping said batch at the level of the peripheral wall of the body of said container.
The batch is characterized in that the at least one strip is a strip of semi-extensible paper.
The invention also has for object a semi-extensible paper retaining strip for a batch as defined hereinabove and thus the use of a strip of semi-extensible paper of this kind to retain all of the containers in a batch of this kind.
The invention also has for object a method of packaging at least two containers in a batch as referred to hereinabove.
The invention will be better understood thanks to the following description based on possible embodiments explained in a non-limiting illustrative manner with reference to the appended figures, in which:
Thus the invention has firstly for object a batch 100 that comprises at least two containers 1 and at least one strip 2 which holds them grouped together, said containers 1 each having a body 3 and a bottom 4, aligned in a main direction 7, the at least one strip 2 wrapping said batch 100 at the level of the peripheral wall 5 of the body 3 of said container 1. The strip 2 therefore wraps the batch 100 perpendicularly to the main direction 7, that is to say forms a loop in a plane perpendicular to the main direction 7.
In the context of the invention the container 1 is a bottle, a flask, a can or a carton for food. It may be made of any material, in particular of plastic material or glass. The container is preferably made of PET (polyethylene terephthalate).
The container 1 can therefore be rigid or semi-rigid. It contains a fluid, a liquid, powders or granules, in particular of agrofoodstuffs or cosmetic type.
The container 1 may have any kind of shape, symmetrical or not. It may have a rounded section, of globally circular or oval shape, or a polygonal section, in particular a globally rectangular or square section. Said containers preferably have a rounded, in particular globally circular, section.
In known manner, on an industrial line the containers 1 may undergo a plurality of successive different treatments, such as fabrication of the container, for example during a plastic injection molding or blowing-stretching operation in the case of a plastic material bottle, followed by filling and then capping by a cap and labelling. Following these treatments the containers are referred to as “finished”. The container 1 may bear a label 8. Said label 8 may be applied to the body 3 of the container 1 or attached at the level of the neck of said container 1 in the form of a ticket. The label 8 may equally take the form of a shrinkable sleeve that will espouse the shape of said container 1. The function of the label 8 when present is to deliver information on the content of the container 1 or an advertising message, a logo, a bar code.
With a view to handling them, finished containers of this kind are packaged in batches 100.
Each batch 100 comprises a plurality of containers, assembled for example in matrix arrangement, generally of globally parallelepipedal shape, often square or rectangular shape, in columns and rows. During packaging thereof the containers may equally be arranged in a quincunx. The quincunx batch may have various advantages. The quincunx arrangement in particular offers more points of contact between the grouped products. Furthermore, the additional friction exerted between the containers will increase the strength of the batch.
The quincunx arrangement also makes it possible to optimize the space between the containers and therefore represents a gain in terms of storage capacity. It is then possible to stack more batches on a palette.
As mentioned above, the containers 1 have a body 3 and a bottom 4. In a normal orientation the container 1 rests on its bottom 4 and the main direction 7 is vertical. The bottom 4 may be flat or petal-shaped. The body 3 includes a peripheral wall 5.
Furthermore, the term “compact” corresponds to a batch 100 with containers 1 that are close together and positioned side-by-side, in contact with one another when grouped in accordance with one of the configurations described. The containers 1 are held together by a closed loop strip 2, i.e. said strip 2 surrounds all of the containers, being applied against a portion of the peripheral wall 5, perpendicularly to the main direction 7, to form a batch 100. Once the containers 1 have been grouped and wrapped, they are then secured together, together forming a compact batch 100. The containers 1 in a batch 100 of this kind cannot then be separated unless said batch 100 is intentionally taken apart to extract therefrom one or more containers 1.
In accordance with the invention the batch 100 is characterized in that said at least one strip 2 is made of semi-extensible paper.
The at least one strip 2 is made of semi-extensible paper, that is to say is essentially made of cellulose fibers, and has properties of elongation at rupture and resistance to traction higher than standard paper.
In this regard the term “paper” relates to the specific field of packaging containers 1 and is limited to packaging papers. The term “paper” excludes cardboard, corrugated cardboard and flat cardboard. Furthermore, semi-extensible paper of this kind is based on cellulose fibers. For example, the paper used in the invention may be a kraft paper or derivative of kraft paper. The strength and elasticity of the paper are characteristics that can be enhanced by the fabrication process, for example by the addition of a weft yarn or specific fibers. The fibers may also be oriented in the longitudinal or transverse direction to improve the resistance to elongation before rupture in the direction of the orientation. The elasticity properties of the semi-extensible paper strip 2 are measured perpendicularly and/or parallel to the main direction 7.
The strip 2 preferably consists mainly of biodegradable and recyclable components. The semi-extensible paper used in the invention is a high-strength paper because in particular of its elasticity properties. It also has high mechanical strength characteristics while being very light in weight. Thanks to this choice of paper the restraining strip 2 is sufficiently flexible to be able to surround all of the containers 1 forming the batch 100, coming to be applied against the peripheral wall 5 of said containers 1, perpendicularly to the main direction 7, namely orthogonally relative to the height H of the containers 1. Furthermore, its increased strength contributes to the solidity of the batch.
In accordance with another additional feature the semi-extensible paper strip 2 has an energy at rupture index of at least 180 joules per square meter (J/m2), preferably 240 J/m2 under temperate conditions. The index of energy at rupture, or the index of the energy absorbed at rupture (TEA), is the main index for measuring the strength of a material, and in particular paper. It is measured in accordance with the standard ISO 1924-3:2005 which concerns the determination of traction properties for paper and cardboard. It may be measured at any time, whether after production or after it is placed around a set of grouped containers forming a batch. It may equally be measured after dismantling a batch. In other words, whatever the measurement conditions (temperature and relative humidity percentage) and whatever the time at which the measurement is effected on a sample of the strip 2, said strip 2 has an index of energy at rupture of at least 180 J/m2. This index corresponds to the ratio between the quantity of energy absorbed by a sample of the paper when it is subjected to a traction force and the weight per unit area of the paper sample concerned.
Furthermore, the strip 2 has such properties perpendicular and/or parallel to the main direction 7. The advantage of a strip 2 made of semi-extensible paper having this kind of rupture index is obtaining a solid and compact batch 100 by means of a retaining strip 2 that is sufficiently flexible to be able to surround a set of containers of any shape, and in particular having a cylindrical section.
In some embodiments the semi-extensible paper strip 2 has properties of elongation at rupture greater than 5% (percent) and a resistance to traction greater than or equal to 5 kN/m (kilonewton per meter). These properties are retained whatever the environmental conditions at the time of the measurement. In other words, whatever the environmental conditions the retaining strip 2 has an elongation at rupture of at least 5% and a resistance to traction of at least 5 kN/m. Furthermore, the strip 2 has such properties perpendicularly to and/or parallel to the main direction 7. The properties of elongation at rupture and resistance to traction are properties measured in accordance with the standard ISO 1924. These properties are particularly advantageous because they contribute to the solidity of the batch 100 during transportation and handling thereof by imparting to the strip 2 a resistance and an elasticity sufficient to prevent it tearing.
The elongation at rupture corresponds to the capacity of a material to stretch before breaking when it is loaded in traction. The resistance to traction, also known as the resistance to rupture, corresponds to the traction load or force required to cause the material concerned to rupture. The resistance to traction is the maximum force that a paper can withstand without breaking. In the standard ISO 1924-3 a strip 15 mm (millimeters) wide and 100 mm long is used with a constant rate of elongation. When the resistance to traction is exceeded the material is weakened: the absorption of forces decreases until the material tears. In other words, the semi-extensible paper strip 2 will not rupture despite rubbing, movement and impacts to which it might be subjected. It is particularly able to absorb both shocks linked to transportation and the intrinsic deformation of the container 1 because of its content. In fact it is known in the field of packaging containers 1 that the latter suffer deformations at the level of their body 3: once the container is filled, and then capped, it is referred to as “finished”. Now, during its transportation or storage said container will be subjected to slight variations of volume, which will impact its diameter.
These variations are generally between 0.1 and 4% inclusive, increasing or decreasing. The volume of the containers 1 can therefore increase or decrease depending on the content, for example depending on whether the content is a sparkling or non-sparkling drink. These variations can also be linked to the storage conditions, for example to an increase in temperature. The volume of a container 1 and therefore its diameter can therefore evolve between wrapping a batch 100 comprising a plurality of grouped containers 1 and its final destination, that is to say its consumption or its use.
The variation of the volume of the container 1 will therefore be influenced by various factors. In particular, the loss of water or the degassing of the content of a container 1 during storage will cause a variation in the volume of said container and therefore its diameter.
Furthermore, because of its cellulose fiber composition, the standard or non-standard paper is a material the mechanical properties of which are directly impacted by moisture and temperature. Thus the storage conditions will have both an impact on the diameter of the containers 1 and an impact on the retaining strip 2.
The strip 2 must have appropriate properties suited to its use for the formation of a batch 100 and this is achieved by the use of a semi-extensible paper strip.
The wrapping of the grouped containers 1 must be solid and reliable: it must make it possible to guarantee transportation and handling of the batches 100 whatever the intrinsic properties of the container 1, the exterior conditions and the content of said containers 1.
The strip 2 must therefore be able to absorb these variations in the volume of the body 3 of the containers 1 while keeping the batch 100 compact. Furthermore, the strip 2 must not tear because of the effect of the variation or to the contrary loosen too much, which would lead to dispersion of the batch 100.
In some embodiments the at least one semi-extensible paper strip 2 has a weight per unit area between 50 and 120 g/m2 inclusive and preferably between 70 and 90 g/m2 inclusive. The weight per unit area defined by the standard ISO 536 corresponds to the mass per unit surface area of the sheet of paper or cardboard. In other words, the weight per unit area of the paper corresponds to its mass per unit surface area. The unit is typically the gram per square meter. The weight per unit area is preferably measured in accordance with the standard ISO 536:2012.
Furthermore, the typical thickness of the paper used in the invention is greater than 80 micrometers, preferably between 100 and 180 micrometers. The thickness is preferably measured in accordance with the standard ISO 534:2011.
In accordance with another possible additional feature the at least one semi-extensible paper strip 2 consists of a single layer of said paper: it does not comprise a plurality of stacked layers. It may nevertheless include additional layers of another material having a thickness less than the layer of semi-extensible paper.
Furthermore a standard or non-standard paper is more flexible the lower its weight per unit area. It is accepted that a paper is more robust if its weight per unit area is high. Now, it is advantageous, for wrapping a batch 100 of at least two containers 1 to use a retaining strip 2 sufficiently flexible to be able to be applied against the peripheral wall 5 of said containers 1. This will be all the more critical in an embodiment in which the containers 1 are semi-rigid and of cylindrical section. In fact, it is clear that to be able to encircle all of the grouped containers the strip 2 must fit as close as possible to the exterior contour of said batch 100. This problem does not arise for example in the case of using a plastic film that will naturally espouse the shape of the batch 100 during the heating operation. In accordance with another additional feature the semi-extensible paper strip 2 has tearing properties better than 10 mN·m2/g (millinewton-meters squared per gram). The strip 2 has such properties perpendicularly to and/or parallel to the main direction 7.
The resistance to tearing of the paper designates the resistance of a sheet of paper to the tearing force to which it is subjected. This is another important basic physical property of paper and cardboard. This property is measured in accordance with the standard ISO 1974:2012. It is measured in the machine direction (MD) and the transverse direction (CD). The machine direction is the direction of the strip of paper that travels over the machine during the manufacture of the paper. Indeed the paper has a grain direction defined by the greatest orientation of the fibers in the working direction of the paper machine. This direction of the grain is known as the machine direction, which corresponds to the direction of the flow of pulp over the paper machine. Consequently, the fibers tend to be oriented mainly in the direction of the machine: the machine direction corresponds to the direction of the fiber, to the orientation of the grains on the paper. The transverse direction is the direction of the paper at right angles to the machine direction.
Here the machine direction preferably corresponds to the direction perpendicular to the main direction 7, that is to say orthogonal to the height of the containers 1. The transverse direction then corresponds to the direction parallel to the main direction 7.
In accordance with another additional feature the at least one strip 2 has a wet tensile strength between 10 and 15%. This property is measured in accordance with the standard ISO 3781.
In some embodiments the batch 100 comprises only a single strip 2 of semi-extensible paper.
In some embodiments, in the main direction 7 the at least one strip 2 of semi-extensible paper has a minimum height of one-eighth of the height H of the containers 1. The strip 2 preferably has a minimum height of one-quarter of the height of the containers 1.
The height H of a container 1 is the height measured between the top of the cap 18 and the surface with which the bottom 4 of said container 1 is in contact. The advantage resulting from this kind of minimum height is that the tension exerted by the strip 2 on the containers 1 is distributed in a homogeneous manner over the peripheral wall 5 at the level of a contact zone 6. The contact zone 6 corresponds to the contact surface between retaining strip 2 at the level of the peripheral wall 5 of the containers 1. This homogeneous distribution also has the advantage of avoiding excessive deformation of the bottom 3 of the containers 1.
It is clear that depending on the type of containers 1, on their height or on the total weight of the batch 100 it may be necessary to use one or more strips 2 of semi-extensible paper to guarantee optimum retention of the containers 1 grouped together.
It may also be necessary to adapt the height of the at least one strip 2 of semi-extensible paper depending on the various configurations or arrangements of the containers 1.
In other embodiments the batch 100 comprises:
A configuration of this kind is particularly advantageous, the solidity of the batch 100 being strengthened.
Indeed, if more than four containers 1 are grouped together the total contact zone 6 is smaller for some of the containers 1. In particular, the containers 1 situated at the center of the batch 100 will tend to slide against the walls of the containers 1 situated at the corners of said batch. This phenomenon is all the stronger when the containers have a rounded, globally circular or oval section, more so in the case of plastic material containers. In that case the batch 100 is subjected to deformations liable to lead to it coming apart during handling.
Furthermore, it is clear that the strip 2 of semi-extensible paper covers a smaller portion of the peripheral wall 5 of the containers 1 situated at the center of the batch 100 compared to the containers 1 situated in the corners of said batch. In a configuration of this kind it is therefore preferable to double the wrapping and therefore to divide the batch 100 into one or more sub-batches 101.
In accordance with additional features each sub-batch 101 combines at most four containers 1. Each sub-batch 101 is surrounded by a strip 13 of paper, said strip 13 surrounding said sub-batch 101 at the level of the peripheral wall 5 of the body 3 of said container 1. Each sub-batch 101 can extend transversely, that is to say along the columns of the batch 100, or longitudinally, that is to say along the rows of said batch. The sub-batch or sub-batches 101 will advantageously be oriented depending on the number of containers 1 forming the batch 100 in order to optimize its solidity.
In other words, according to a preferred embodiment, a sub-batch 101 consists of at least one container 1 having a large contact zone 6, for example one or more containers 1 situated at a corner of the batch 100, and at least one container 1 having an area 6 of contact with the strip otherwise thinned, for example one or more containers 1 situated at the center of said batch 100. It is understood that the maximum possible contact zones 6 depends on the location of the container 1 in the batch 100.
Each sub-batch 101 will hold together the containers 1 constituting it. In the context of handling or transporting the batch 100 formed in this way the sub-batch or sub-batches 101 will minimize the relative rubbing and movement of the containers 1, in particular of the containers situated at the center of said batch 100. Indeed, each container 1 will then be held firmly, either directly, by means the at least one strip 2 of semi-extensible paper, or by means of a double wrapping, that is to say directly by means of the at least one strip 13 of paper, and indirectly by means of the at least one strip 2.
It is understood that depending on the number of containers 1 it is not always necessary to surround all the containers 1 in the form of a sub-batch 101 before wrapping a batch 100. In other words, in some embodiments the containers 1 are not surrounded by a strip 13 to form a sub-batch 101 before being wrapped to form a batch 100.
In some embodiments the at least one strip 2 is closed by overlapping its opposite ends 16 and 17. The adhesion between the two opposite ends 16 and 17 may be achieved by means of welding activated by ultrasound. It may equally be achieved by gluing, by thermal activation (heat-sealing), by stapling, by welding or by any other means.
Where the closure of the strip 2 of semi-extensible paper is concerned these embodiments apply equally to the at least one strip 13 of paper when the batch 100 comprises at least one sub-batch 101. Furthermore, in accordance with another possible additional feature the join of the at least one strip 2 and/or of the at least one strip 13 of paper is situated at the level of a contact zone 6. In other words, in this embodiment the join bears on the peripheral wall 5 of a container 1 and is not situated between two containers 1 constituting the batch 100.
In some embodiments the strip 13 is made of the same semi-extensible paper as the retaining strip 2. In accordance with another additional feature the at least one strip 2 of semi-extensible paper has at least one coating 9. The coating 9 may cover both faces of the at least one strip 2 or only one of its faces. In one embodiment the strip 2 has a coating 9 on its interior face, that is to say the face that is in contact with the peripheral wall 5 of the containers 1.
This coating 9 can therefore cover the whole of one of the two faces or be discontinuous or partly cover the length of the strip, for example only at one of the ends 16 or 17. This coating 9 may be a purely aesthetic coating, of varnish or lacquer type for example, to improve the visual appearance of the product, or a technical coating, for example to facilitate the printing of information, messages, graphics, signs, etc.
In particular, in accordance with one embodiment this coating 9 is a technical coating, in particular a heat-seal coating in order to favor the adhesion of the two opposite ends 16 and 17 of the at least one retaining strip 2.
A heat-seal coating 9 of this kind is activated by ultrasound or by heat. This embodiment advantageously enables activation of the sealing properties in a localized manner. In other words, before activation the coating 9 is inactive, that is to say unable to fulfil an adhesive role, and after activation it has adhesive properties. In accordance with another variant the heat-seal coating 9 covers all of the interior face of the strip 2 and is activated locally, for example by ultrasound, to form one or more adhesive zones. In this embodiment said heat-seal coating 9 may be activated in a targeted manner at the level of the contact zone 6 between the at least one strip 2 of semi-extensible paper and the peripheral wall 5 of one or more containers 1.
In accordance with other additional features the coating 9 may be intended to improve the coefficient of friction or to improve the moisture resistance of the retaining strip 2. This coating 9 is for example a coating of wax or products derived from wax, fluorinated compounds, silicones or other polymers (extruded or aqueous dispersion layers) having water or water vapor barrier properties.
In accordance with one additional feature the coating 9 of the strip 2 has a weight per unit area between 4 and 30 g/m2 (grams per square meter). Furthermore, the coating 9 may be deposited on only one face or on both faces of the strip 2 of semi-extensible paper during manufacture thereof or later, for example before wrapping a batch 100.
In embodiments in which the batch 100 comprises at least one sub-batch 101, the at least one strip 13 of paper may also have a coating 9. Thus the strip or strips 2 and the strip or strips 13 may have the same coating 9. The strip or strips 2 and the strip or strips 13 may have different coatings 9 or no coating 9. The coating 9 may be lacquer, paint or a technical surface treatment, such as a heat-seal treatment, activated by water, or an esthetic surface treatment.
In accordance with another possible additional feature the batch 100 includes an additional adhesion means 10 at the level of the contact zone 6 formed by applying the retaining strip 2 onto the peripheral wall 5 of the containers 1. The additional means 10 may be placed initially, before wrapping the batch 100, either on the peripheral wall 5 or on the interior face of the corresponding strip 2, or both. This additional adhesion means 10 enables improvement of the retention in position of the at least one strip 2.
This additional adhesion means 10 may for example be one or more spots of glue or double-sided adhesive tape. In embodiments in which the container 1 has a label 8 glued to its body 3 the additional adhesion means 10 is not situated on the label 8 but at its periphery. Indeed, it is essential to preserve the integrity of said label.
Furthermore, in a configuration in which the batch 100 is divided into one or more sub-batches 101 before wrapping this additional adhesion means 10 may be present on the interior face of the strip or strips 13 of paper surrounding the containers 1 forming the sub-batch or sub-batches 101. Said additional adhesion means 10 may alternatively also be present on the exterior face of the strip or strips 13 of paper in order to improve the connection between the at least one retaining strip 2 and the strip or strips 13 of paper. This embodiment has the advantage of improving the cohesion of the batch 100.
Finally, in accordance with a possible additional feature, the batch 100 includes a carrying handle 11 in the form of at least one strap 12. The strap 12 enables the batch 100 to be grasped and lifted from above said batch, in a normal orientation. This strap 12 may be fixed so as partially to overlap at least one retaining strip 2.
In accordance with another variant said strap 12 may be fixed so as totally to overlap at least one retaining strip 2. In accordance with another variant each end of the strap 12 may be sandwiched between a strip 13 of paper of a sub-batch 101 and a retaining strip 2 of the batch 100.
In accordance with another possible feature the strap 12 is fixed both so as totally to overlap at least one retaining strip 2 and on a portion of the peripheral wall of two containers 1. In this kind of configuration the strap 12 is extended beyond the at least one strip 2 and is fixed to the portion of the peripheral wall 5 of the container 1 below said strip 2 in the main direction 7. The strap 12 may optionally also be fixed to the portion of the peripheral wall 5 situated above said strip 2 in the main direction 7. This embodiment is particularly advantageous because it enables collaboration between the strap 12 forming the handle 11 and the strip 2 of semi-extensible paper assuring the integrity of the batch 100. On lifting said batch 100 the strap 12 will contribute to maintaining the strip 2 in position. Because of this, this collaboration between the strip 2 and the strap 12 makes it possible to avoid the containers 1 spreading outward at the bottom. In this embodiment the strap 12 is fixed by means of double-sided adhesive tape or by spots of glue to a part of the peripheral wall 5 in addition to being fixed to the at least one strip 2 of semi-extensible paper. This embodiment is particularly advantageous when the batch 100 does not comprise sub-batches 101. Furthermore, this variant enables a batch 100 comprising more than four containers to be produced without first forming sub-batches 101 and thus optimum retention to be obtained while using little raw material, which is ecologically advantageous.
In accordance with another possible feature the strap 12 is made of a different material to the retaining strip 2. In particular, in one variant the strap 12 has a plurality of adhesive areas on its interior face. In one embodiment the strap 12 has a heat-seal coating 9 of its interior face. The strap 12 is then fixed by activation by heat or by ultrasound.
In accordance with another variant the strap 12 is made of the same semi-extensible paper as the retaining strip 2.
In some embodiments each of the containers 1 includes a label 8 surrounding the perimeter of its peripheral wall 5 over a part of the height of said containers 1. The strip 2 of paper then preferably covers at least partially or even totally the height of said label 8 when said strip wraps said containers 1 to form the batch 100.
The invention also concerns a semi-extensible paper retaining strip 2 for a batch 100 as defined above and therefore the use of semi-extensible paper of this kind in the form of the strip 2 to hold together containers 1 to form a batch 100.
In accordance with one possible additional feature the retaining strip 2 contains a limited quantity of polymers, namely a quantity less than 30%, preferably 10% of the total weight.
The composition of the retaining strip 2 enables it to satisfy the criteria of the standard EN13430 in terms of recyclability.
This semi-extensible paper strip 2 is in some embodiments made of a paper having a weight per unit area between 50 and 150 g/m2 (grams per square meter) inclusive, preferably between 90 and 120 g/m2 inclusive. Furthermore, as previously explained, the strip 2 has an increased strength, namely Tensile Energy Absorption (TEA) at rupture of at least 180 joules per square meter (J/m2), which limits the risk of dismantling of the batch 100 or of separation of the containers 1.
In embodiments in which the batch 100 comprises one or more sub-batches 101 the strip 13 of paper has properties similar to the strip 2 in terms of the material. In other words, the strip 13 is made of semi-extensible paper mostly and mainly based on cellulose fibers. Its weight per unit area may be identical to that of the strip 2 of paper or not. In particular, the strip 13 of paper may be thinner than the strip 2 of paper.
In accordance with another additional feature the strip 2 of semi-extensible paper is such that once the batch 100 has been formed it exerts on the containers a force between 0.2 and 5 kN/m (kilonewton per meter) inclusive, preferably 0.2 to 1 kN/m at the level of the peripheral wall 5. For example, for a strip 2 of paper 50 mm high the force applied at the level of the peripheral wall 5 is between 10 and 50 N inclusive. This applied force contributes to holding together the containers 1 in the form of a compact batch 100. This embodiment is particularly advantageous when the containers 1 are semi-rigid.
The invention also has for object a method for packaging the aforementioned batch 100 in which:
In accordance with the invention, this method is characterized in that:
In accordance with a possible additional feature, in this kind of packaging method the containers 1 may be assembled into one or more sub-batches 101.
In one such embodiment:
In accordance with a possible additional feature at least one container 1 does not form part of a sub-batch 101. In other words, some containers 1 may be grouped into sub-batches 101, and then surrounded by at least one strip 13 of paper, while other containers 1 remain free before being wrapped with the sub-batch or sub-batches 101 by means of at least one strip 2 of semi-extensible paper, to form a batch 100.
In some embodiments, before wrapping the batch 100, the sub-batch or sub-batches 101 may be made up with a transverse and/or longitudinal orientation relative to the greatest dimension of the matrix that the batch 100 forms in order to optimize the solidity of said batch 100. In other words it is possible to group into one or more sub-batches 101 containers 1 forming all or part of a row or forming all or part of a column in the batch 100. A sub-batch 101 is made up of at most four containers 1, preferably two containers 1. Having multiple configurations may also be envisaged, with an arrangement of sub-batches 101 distributed transversely and longitudinally relative to the batch 100. A configuration of a batch 100 comprising one or more sub-batches 101 disposed diagonally relative to the batch 100 is equally possible.
Before wrapping a sub-batch 101:
Finally, in some embodiments the packaging method includes a step of fixing on a handle 11 in the form of at least one strap 12. Said strap 12 is preferably fixed by its opposite ends to the interior face of the retaining strip 2 by partial overlap before wrapping. It may equally be fixed to the exterior face of the strip 2 after wrapping the batch 100.
In other embodiments the step of fixing a handle 11 in the form of at least one strap 12 is carried out by fixing both by overlapping of the at least one retaining strip 2 on its exterior face and also by fixing said strap 12 to a portion of the peripheral wall 5 of the containers 1. Said strap 12 is preferably fixed by spots of glue under the at least one strip 2 in the main direction 7. The strap 12 therefore covers the at least one strip 2 on respective opposite sides of the batch 100 and each of its ends comes to be fixed to a portion of the peripheral wall 5 of a container 1 situated below said at least one strip 2 in the radial direction 7. In an embodiment in which the batch 100 is formed by means of two strips 2 the strap 12 may cover each of said strips 2 or only one of said strips 2.
In accordance with another possible additional feature, in the situation where the batch 100 comprises one or more sub-batches 101, after wrapping, a handle 11 in the form of at least one strap 12 partially overlapping at least one strip 13 of one of the sub-batches 101 may be fixed on. Then, at the moment of wrapping said sub-batch 101, said strap 12 may be covered at the level of the gluing portion with the at least one strip 13 with the strip 2 forming the batch 100. This fixing by sandwiching the strap 12 between a strip 13 and a strip 2 improves the strength and the retention at this level of the handle 11. The batch 100 of containers packaged in this way then has increased strength and limited risk of dismantling of the batch 100 or of the containers 1 separating. Indeed, the containers 1 retained in sub-batches 101 have on the one hand a larger area of contact with the strip 13 of paper that connects the containers 1 together in the same sub-batch 101 and on the other hand a larger back-to-back area between the sub-batches 101 of the same batch 100 with a strip 2 of semi-extensible paper around them.
Furthermore, duplicating the wrapping strengthens the batch 100 formed given this material having some weakness that usually rules out its use for grouping into a self-supporting batch of containers 1, especially of rounded section and/or plastic material. Furthermore, in embodiments in which the batch 100 comprises more than four containers 1, this makes it possible to hold the containers 1 together regardless of their position in said batch 100.
Possible embodiments will now be described.
In a first embodiment, as depicted in
To this end the strip 2 of semi-extensible paper surrounds the containers 1, which are grouped in matrix form. Said strip 2 is placed around the containers grouped together at the level of their peripheral wall 5 in a direction perpendicular to the main direction 7, i.e. forming a loop in a plane orthogonal to the height of the containers 1. The strip 2 therefore surrounds the batch 100 at its exterior perimeter, being applied to a portion of the peripheral wall 5 of each of the containers 1 forming the batch 100.
In this embodiment of the invention the container 1 has a height of 500 mm (millimeters) and is made of polyethylene terephthalate PET. The strip 2 of paper wraps the containers 1, coming to be placed on their peripheral wall 5 to form the batch 100.
The properties of resistance to rupture of a retaining strip 2 of this kind must be particularly adapted to guarantee the solidity of a batch 100. In particular, the strip 2 is made of a semi-extensible material. In the context of the invention this kind of material must thus have a sufficiently high capacity in terms of the energy absorbed at rupture.
In
Furthermore, in a first set of curves seen in
The point of inflexion of the curve corresponds to the rupture point of the paper: the sample was torn. The paper selected for making the retaining strip 2 is a semi-extensible paper having elongation properties greater than or equal to 5%, whatever the storage conditions, and at any time, that is to say the formation of a batch 100 or after dismantling of a batch of this kind. The strip 2 also has properties of resistance to traction greater than or equal to 5 KN/m. Indeed, the strip 2 of semi-extensible paper must be able to absorb variations of temperature and/or relative humidity in such a manner as to resist impacts when handling the batch 100. The strip 2 must also remain in place, that is to say must not slide along the peripheral wall 5 of the containers 1. To this end it is essential that the strip 2 of semi-extensible paper can be applied in a sufficient manner to the wall of the containers. Furthermore, to prevent one or more containers 1 slipping during lifting or moving of a product the strip 2 must not move away from the peripheral wall 5. Its rigidity must therefore be limited.
It can be seen in
As already mentioned, the retaining strip 2 must be made mainly of vegetable fibers in order to enable a high level of recyclability. The strip 2 of paper is preferably made up of at least 70% by total weight of cellulose fibers. Furthermore, the strip 2 must enable reliable retention and guarantee the integrity of the batch.
To this end the table shown in
Different batches of six containers of carbonated drink containing 0.5 liter (L)º were made up. The containers were grouped into three sub-batches each of two containers, before being wrapped by a strip of paper to form each batch: three batches were made up with different characteristics to be compared:
The sub-batches 101 are surrounded by a strip 13 made of the same material as the strip of the corresponding batch.
The various batches were stored under different conditions:
It can be seen that only the semi-extensible paper, which has appropriate properties of energy at rupture index, has satisfactory characteristics.
Furthermore, it can also be seen that a strip made of thicker standard paper but with a lower energy at rupture index is not able to preserve the integrity of the batch: the strip tears even before the batch 100 is manipulated. Furthermore, a strip made of standard paper is not able to provide retention under storage conditions in which the temperature and relative humidity are subject to constant variations. Indeed, strips of standard paper probably tear during storage because of stresses linked to the variation of the diameter of the containers 1 because of the effect of the expansion thereof.
The diameter of the containers was measured at the level of the label area. It is seen that depending on the storage conditions the diameter of the containers is not fixed but varies over time. This phenomenon is observed in particular in the case of containers filled with a carbonated drink: the diameter varies on average by 2% over time. Furthermore, the bottle does not return immediately to its initial state.
Consequently, it is necessary to provide a retaining strip 2 made of a material that is sufficiently elastic to absorb these diameter variations, which is made possible by a strip 2 of semi-extensible paper. In other embodiments, in addition to the use of a strip 2 of semi-extensible paper, it may be advantageous to use two strips 14 and 15. This kind of embodiment is depicted in
Another embodiment is depicted in
In accordance with another variant of the invention the batch 100 includes a handle 11 produced in the form of a strap 12. In
This embodiment is represented again in
The invention also concerns a strip 2 for forming a batch 100 as described above and the use of such paper in the form of the strip 2 in order to hold together the containers 1 in the form of a batch 100. The strip 2 of semi-extensible paper has a height corresponding at the minimum to one-eighth of the height H of the containers 1 forming the batch 100. The height of the strip 2 preferably corresponds to one-quarter of the height H of said containers 1.
In some embodiments the weight per unit area of the paper constituting the strip is advantageously between 50 and 150 g/m2 inclusive, preferably between 90 and 120 g/m2 inclusive, and even more preferably approximately 90 g/m2.
Furthermore, the strip 2 of semi-extensible paper has increased strength properties compared to a strip made of standard paper for a similar thickness and in particular properties of elongation at rupture greater than 5% and a resistance to traction greater than or equal to 5 kN/m. Indeed, for the strip 2 to be able to preserve a compact batch 100 it is first necessary to be able to conform it and to apply it against the peripheral wall 5 of the containers 1. If said strip 2 were too thick, for example to improve its solidity, it would become difficult or even impossible to guarantee an adequate area of contact 6 between said strip of paper 2 and the peripheral wall 5 of the containers 1.
In particular, on the contours of the batch 100 a strip that is too thick would not be sufficiently flexible to be able to be applied to the peripheral wall 5 of the containers 1, which could cause it to slide along the body 3 of said containers 1 without being able to hold them together. However, the strip 2 must also be sufficiently strong not to tear the first time the batch 100 is handled or during storage of said batch 100, for example by the effect of the variation of volume, and therefore of the diameter, of said containers 1 forming the batch, or even the mechanical tension necessary to hold all of the containers 1 together in the batch 100.
The strip 2 must therefore be sufficiently flexible and strong while avoiding the use of plastic in its composition. This is achieved in particular thanks to properties of elongation at rupture between 5 and 15% inclusive for a thickness of the strip 2 of semi-extensible paper between 50 and 150 g/m2 inclusive. The invention finally concerns a method of packaging a batch 100 of containers 1 as described above. This kind of packaging method is executed on a packaging line 19 an example of the architecture of which is represented in
In this kind of packaging method at least two containers 1 are first grouped together, as previously mentioned. The grouping step consists in distributing a defined number of containers 1, namely at least two containers 1, for example from a single file stream as can be seen in
Said grouping may be effected by a grouping station 20 that intervenes to separate the initial quantity of containers 1 and to assemble the number of containers 1 needed to form the batch 100.
The method then includes a step of wrapping at least two containers 1 by means of the strip 2 of semi-extensible paper. Wrapping therefore enables the batch 100 of containers 1 to be formed and held together. During this step the batch 100 no longer circulates: the conveyor belt or the shuttle on which it rests is stopped.
In some embodiments the batch 100 is wrapped while it is circulating at reduced speed. Furthermore, the batch 100 remains immobile while the feeding of the strip effects the wrapping by turning around said batch 100. In some embodiments the batch 100 rotates in the clockwise and/or anticlockwise direction relative to the feed of the strip 2 of semi-extensible paper.
In one embodiment in which more than four containers 1 are grouped together, during grouping the containers 1 are advantageously assembled into at least one sub-batch 101, each sub-batch 101 grouping together at least two containers 1. The grouping step then enables assembly of the corresponding number of containers 1 of each sub-batch 101, namely at least two containers 1, as can be seen in
Then each sub-batch 101 is wrapped by unrolling the at least one strip 13 of semi-extensible paper that is applied to the peripheral wall 5 of the containers. In one embodiment a strip 13 is unrolled at least until its ends overlap. In another embodiment a plurality of strips 13 of semi-extensible paper may be unrolled on either side of the containers 1 of each sub-batch 101 until they are connected together.
Such rolling is effected by a rolling station 21 of the packaging line 19.
During this step the sub-batch or sub-batches 101 are stopped or circulate at low speed. Furthermore, the sub-batch or sub-batches 101 may be immobile or rotate in the clockwise and/or anticlockwise direction relative to the feeding of the strip 13.
After this the at least one sub-batch 101, and where applicable the remaining containers 1, is/are wrapped by unrolling said at least one strip 2 until its ends overlap. The at least one strip 2 of semi-extensible paper is then applied against the peripheral wall 5 of the container 1. The wrapping step enables the containers 1 of a batch 100 to be retained, possibly once some of those containers 1 have been wrapped beforehand to form one or more sub-batches 101.
Such wrapping is effected by a wrapping station 22 of the packaging line 19.
In other embodiments each sub-batch 101 is wrapped by a separate wrapping station 21: there are therefore several wrapping stations 21 on the same packaging line 19. In the case where two strips 14 and 15 wrap the batch 100, the packaging line 19 includes two wrapping stations 22.
In another embodiment, not shown here, the same wrapping station 21 carries out the wrapping of at least one sub-batch 101 then the wrapping of the batch 100. This embodiment is particularly advantageous because it allows increased throughput of the packaging line 19. This also has an ecological impact because it reduces the energy consumption of said line.
In some embodiments, not depicted here, a single wrapping station 21 can wrap one or more sub-batches 101 then wrap a batch 100.
As depicted in
To do this, according to one embodiment, after wrapping a sub-batch 101, a handle 11 in the form of at least one strap 12 is attached partially overlapping at least one strip 13 of paper of one of the sub-batches 101. Then, at the time of wrapping, said strap 12 is covered with the strip 2 of semi-extensible paper.
Such attachment of the handle 11 is carried out by an attachment station 23 of the packaging line 19. Such an attachment station 23 can be operative between the wrapping station 21 and the wrapping station 22, directly along the flow of sub-batches 101, or by taking a sub-batch 101 from said flow then reinserting it before wrapping in the flow of sub-batches 101, at a particular position, for example at the center of the batch 100 to be formed, as can be seen in the
The method may include an additional step: before wrapping a batch 100, an additional adhesion means 10 is applied to the interior face of each strip 2 of semi-extensible paper, located at the level of the contact zone 6 of each container 1 of the batch 100.
According to different variants, an additional adhesion means 10 is applied to the exterior face of a strip 13 of a sub-batch 101, at the level of adjoining zones between two sub-batches 101, or between a sub-batch 101 and one or more other containers 1.
Thus, through the batch 100 as described above and its packaging method the invention makes it possible to obtain excellent strength and secure retention of at least two containers 1 grouped together by means of a strip 2 of semi-extensible paper, which guarantees environmentally friendly packaging. The strip 2 of semi-extensible paper is an ecological and retaining member.
The use of a strip of semi-extensible paper advantageously enables use of few raw materials. Indeed, in accordance with one preferred embodiment the strip 2 of paper comprises only a single layer of paper. By a layer of paper is meant a sheet of paper. Indeed, a plurality of sheets of paper may be used, glued together to increase the thickness of the strip 2. In other words, in a preferred embodiment the strip 2 of paper comprises only one sheet of paper. Despite the small quantity of material used, semi-extensible paper enables a group of containers 1 to be held together in the form of a batch 100.
Furthermore, in the embodiment in which the strip 2 of paper comprises only one layer of said paper its thickness is limited and it therefore espouses in an optimum manner the exterior content of the batch. This is all the more important given that, as described above, the diameter of the containers forming the batch is not constant over time. The use of semi-extensible paper then makes it possible to guarantee high reliability of the strip 2. Thus the strip 2 will not tear and will adapt to external conditions linked to the packaging of containers in batches. Indeed, in this field many rupture phenomena may occur. The batch 100 must rest compact during its transport, storage, palletization despite the varying conditions.
The use of a strip 2 of semi-extensible paper enables great recyclability of said strip 2. Indeed, it makes it possible to avoid having recourse to elements that are of low recyclability if any, such as glue for example. It also makes it possible to avoid the conjoint use of a plurality of packaging devices that have to be used together to enable a reliable and compact batch 100 to be obtained.
The invention further concerns an installation for packaging containers 1 in batches 100 utilizing the method of the invention, said installation therefore producing batches 100 as described here in various possible variants.
The batch packaging installation is characterized in that it uses a strip 2 of semi-extensible paper, in particular as described hereinabove.
The packaging installation includes in particular a station 20 for grouping at least two containers 1 and at least one station 22 for wrapping at least one strip 2 of semi-extensible paper around the assembly that they form. The installation advantageously includes a wrapping station 21 for the creation of sub-assemblies 101.
In accordance with one possible feature the wrapping station 21 and/or the wrapping station 22 includes a sealing module for sealed closing of said strip 2 around the batch 100 by connecting its opposite ends 16, 17 to close it on itself. This sealing module may be a water-activated adhesive module or a heat-activated adhesive module. In accordance with an additional feature the sealing module is an ultrasound welding module.
In accordance with one possible feature the module for sealing the strip is a module separate from the wrapping station 21 and the wrapping station 22.
In accordance with one possible variant the installation includes at least one station 23 for fixing a strap 12 in the form of a handle 11 around the batch 100.
The fixing station 23 is advantageously situated downstream of the module for applying the strip 2 of semi-extensible paper.
In some embodiments the wrapping station 21 and the wrapping station 22 using at least one strip 2 of semi-extensible paper form one and the same station.
In accordance with a possible variant the wrapping station 22 of at least one strip 2 of semi-extensible paper and the fixing station 23 form one and the same station. In other words, the wrapping station 22 is able to place a strap 12 in the form of a handle 11 around the batch 100.
Although the description hereinabove is based on particular embodiments, it is in no way limiting on the scope of the invention, and modifications made be made, in particular by substitution of technical equivalents or by different combinations of some or all of the features described hereinabove.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| FR2107406 | Jul 2021 | FR | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2022/069061 | 7/8/2022 | WO |
