This disclosure relates generally to methods and systems for wrapping a ream of paper, and, more particularly, to methods and systems for wrapping a folio ream of paper to form a rear edge seam.
Standard ream wrapping of cutsize reams of paper, e.g., reams of paper having the dimensions in the range of about 8.5″×11″ up to 14″×20″, is typically accomplished with a girth seal on a bottom of the ream. This process is done to maximize the speed at which the wrapping process can be performed. In this method, and as illustrated in
The above-described process for wrapping cutsize reams of paper, however, is not as feasible in folio ream applications, as the folio reams of paper are much larger than the cutsize reams of paper, with the folio reams of paper having the dimensions of about 36″×about 52″, for example. As such, the amount of unsupported paper from the folio ream is too great for the cutsize paper wrapping process. To avoid this problem, traditional folio wrappers place the girth seal on a top portion of the ream, which may be accomplished in a variety of different ways, as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. However, having the girth seal on the top of the folio ream poses other problems. Specifically, the glue used to seal the girth seam becomes a pressure point on the top and bottom surfaces of the reams as the reams are stacked. This issue is especially prevalent when lightweight paper is the product being wrapped. Under the weight of multiple reams of stacked folio paper, the girth seams can undesirably crease or otherwise damage several sheets at the top of many of the reams. Additionally, the girth seals on the top of several stacked folio reams collectively create a crowning effect, limiting the number of reams that can be stacked on a pallet.
The present disclosure is directed to a method and apparatus for wrapping a folio ream of paper. More specifically, in one example of the present disclosure, a method of wrapping a folio ream comprises pre-creasing a wrap sheet such that the wrap sheet creases or dents before a front edge of the folio ream reaches the wrap sheet, positioning the wrap sheet such than an upper flap and a lower flap of the wrap sheet are ready to be folded along a rear edge of the folio ream, and driving the folio ream into the wrap sheet toward a fold position. The method further comprises forming a bubble of wrap in the wrap sheet while the folio ream advances toward the fold position, cutting the wrap sheet while the folio ream is advancing toward the fold position, such that the lower flap extends beyond a lower rear edge of the folio ream after the ream stops at the fold position, and holding the lower flap to a top portion of the folio ream. In addition, the method comprises forming an upper flap fold on the rear edge of the folio ream, applying glue to an inner surface of the lower flap of the wrap sheet while holding an outer surface of the lower flap of the wrap sheet flat via a vacuum, folding the lower flap of the wrap sheet in an upward direction while simultaneously applying a force to the bottom surface of the lower flap via the vacuum to keep the lower flap flat during folding. The inner surface of the lower flap of the wrap sheet is affixed to an outer surface of the upper flap of the wrap sheet and the folio ream is then reversed to compress the glue from the lower flap to the upper flap to form a rear edge seam on the folio ream.
In some examples, a lower flap may extend a short distance beyond a rear edge of the ream after the ream stops at the fold position.
In other examples, forming the upper flap fold may comprise folding the upper flap via a servo actuated upper folding unit, and folding the upper flap via a servo actuated upper folding unit further comprises extending the upper folding unit in a downward direction while the ream is nipped by an upper intermediate conveyor and a lower intermediate conveyor.
The method may further comprise ironing any loose wrap in the upper flap by the upper folding unit.
In addition, folding the lower flap of the wrap sheet in an upward direction may further comprise holding the glue away from the upper folding unit via the vacuum.
Further, folding the lower flap of the wrap sheet in an upward direction may comprise folding the lower flap via a servo actuated lower folding unit.
Still further, pre-creasing the wrap sheet comprises forming creases at two points on the wrap sheet, the two points at a location on the wrap sheet adjacent and parallel to a location of two front edges of the front end of the folio ream, such that when the folio ream advances and contacts the wrap sheet, the two front edges of the folio ream contact the two creases of the wrap sheet, allowing the wrap sheet to easily fold over the folio ream.
In another example of the present disclosure, an apparatus for wrapping a folio ream of paper to form a rear edge seam comprises a first station having a lower infeed conveyor, an upper infeed conveyor, and a folio ream disposed on the lower infeed conveyor and nipped by the upper infeed conveyor. The apparatus further comprises a second station having a pre-creased wrap sheet and a pair of vacuum belts that hold the wrap sheet before the folio ream is driven through the wrap sheet. A cutting mechanism for cutting the wrap sheet after a bubble of wrap is formed in the wrap sheet is also included. The apparatus also comprises a third station having an upper intermediate conveyor, a lower intermediate conveyor, a fold position, an upper folding unit, and a lower folding unit, the lower folding unit having a vacuum that provides a force on a bottom surface of the lower flap to maintain a flat position of the lower flap. The lower and upper intermediate conveyors are arranged to actuate the folio in a downstream direction and an upstream direction.
In yet another example method of the present disclosure, a method of wrapping folio ream comprises actuating a folio ream to be wrapped in a downstream direction, pre-creasing a wrap sheet such that the wrap sheet creases before a front edge of the folio ream reaches the wrap sheet, and forming a bubble of wrap in the wrap sheet and cutting the wrap sheet while the folio ream is advancing toward a fold position, such that a lower flap and an upper flap of the wrap sheet extend beyond a rear edge of the folio ream after the ream stops at the fold position. The method further comprises forming an upper flap fold on the rear edge of the folio ream with the upper flap when the ream is at the fold position, applying glue to a top surface of the lower flap of the wrap sheet while holding a bottom surface of the lower flap of the wrap sheet flat via a vacuum, and folding the lower flap of the wrap sheet in an upward direction while simultaneously applying a force to the bottom surface of the lower flap via the vacuum until the glue contacts an outside surface of the upper flap fold, such that opposing forces act on opposing surfaces of the lower flap to keep the lower flap flat during folding.
Lastly, yet another method of wrapping a folio ream comprises actuating a folio ream to be wrapped in a downstream direction, pre-creasing a wrap sheet such that the wrap sheet creases before a front edge of the folio ream reaches the wrap sheet, and forming a bubble of wrap in the wrap sheet after the front edge of the folio ream contacts the wrap sheet and before the folio ream reaches a fold position. The method further comprises extending a first flap of the wrap sheet and a second flap of the wrap sheet beyond a rear edge of the folio ream when the folio ream reaches the fold position, holding one of the first flap or the second flap to a portion of the folio ream, and folding one of the first flap or the second flap to form a first fold on the rear edge of the folio ream. The method further comprises applying glue to one of a top surface or a bottom surface of the other of the first flap or the second flap while holding the surface opposite one of the top surface or the bottom surface of the other of the first flap or the second flap flat via a vacuum and folding the other one of the first flap or the second flap to form a second fold on the rear edge of the folio ream and simultaneously applying a force to the surface opposite one of the top surface or the bottom surface of the other of the first flap or the second flap via the vacuum to keep one of the first flap or the second flap flat during folding. Lastly, the method also comprises reversing the folio ream, effectively utilizing the folio ream as a platen-like tool to compress the glue from one of the first flap or the second flap to form a rear edge seam on the folio ream.
Generally, an apparatus and method for wrapping a folio ream of paper to form a rear girth seam is disclosed. GRM is a folio size ream paper that can wrap paper as well as other specialty products in an outer wrap typically made of SBS and SUS paper. A rear girth (RG) GRM (RG-GRM) wrap cycle of the present disclosure includes a process for automatically wrapping the folio ream of paper that puts a main girth glue seam on a vertical trailing or rear edge of the ream of paper. In this way, when the reams are stacked on a pallet, there is no pressure applied to the glue seam, which saves sheets of paper of the ream (which might otherwise be marred by markings resulting from pressure imparted to the top few sheets of a given ream due to glue seams on the plane of the bottom of the reams stacked above that given ream) and prevents crowning (which tends to limit the stability and number of reams that can be stacked). The ream is also more stable on the pallet. The following disclosure and claims set forth an automated process by which the rear girth seam is formed.
More specifically, and referring now to
The apparatus 10 further includes a second station 20 having a pre-creased wrap sheet 21 with a pair of pre-creased points 21a and 21b. More specifically, in one example, the creases are formed at two points in the wrap sheet 21 that are adjacent and parallel to a location of two front edges 19a, 19b of a front end 19 of the folio ream 21. As such, when the folio ream 12 advances and contacts the wrap sheet 21, the two front edges 19a, 19b of the ream 12 contact the two creases 21a, 21b of the wrap sheet 21, allowing the wrap sheet 21 to easily fold over the folio ream 12. A pair of vacuum belts 15 hold the wrap sheet 21 taut before the folio ream 12 is driven through the wrap sheet 21. By pre-creasing the wrap sheet 21 at such points, the wrap sheet 21 creases or dents before a front edge 19 of the folio ream 12 reaches the wrap sheet 21.
As further illustrated in
Referring now to
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The lower folding unit 38 further includes a vacuum 40 that provides a force on a bottom or outer surface of the lower flap 28 to maintain a flat position of the lower flap 28 during folding. More specifically, and in one example, the vacuum 40 provides the force on the bottom or outer surface of the lower flap 28 until glue contacts an outside surface of an upper flap fold, as explained in more detail below. Said another way, suction or opposing forces act on surfaces of the lower flap 28 to keep the lower flap 28 flat during folding. Once the rear edge 25 of the ream 12 arrives at the fold position 23, as depicted in
Referring now to
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As further depicted in
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While the preceding text sets forth a detailed description of numerous different examples of the invention, it should be understood that the legal scope of the invention is defined by the words of the claims set forth at the end of this disclosure. The detailed description is to be construed as exemplary only and does not describe every possible embodiment or example of the invention, as describing every possible embodiment would be impractical, if not impossible. Numerous alternative embodiments or examples could be implemented, using either current technology or technology developed after the filing date of this patent, which would still fall within the scope of the claims of the patent. More generally, although certain example systems and methods have been described herein, the scope of coverage of this patent is not limited thereto. On the contrary, this patent covers all methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture fairly falling within the scope of the appended claims either literally or under the doctrine of equivalents.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61611826 | Mar 2012 | US |