Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
W 096/05108 2 1 9 S n 5 8 P~l/u~
Methods of sealing boxes with shortened flaps using
a partially adhesive tape and the packages made by
the methods.
Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to methods of sealing boxes with
shortened flaps using adhesive tape and the package; U~,L;ull~ formed by such
methods. More specifically, the present invention relates to box sealing using
adhesive tape having lateral adhesive zones and a non-adhesive area LL~
that is applied to the plural flaps of a box side.
Bacl~ ' of the Invention
. r~. .n " ~l, and suppliers of products often package their products in
shipping containers before sending products to their customers. Each shipping
container may I either a single product or multiple products, depending
on the a, . ' Moreover, the container allows for ease in handling, shipping,
and storing the products, along with providing protection from damage, theft, and
. -
Although many types of sbipping containers and container materials are
readily available on the market, one of the most cornmon shipping containers is a
corrugated cardboard container or box. Boxes are typically both economical and
sufflciently strong for most sbipping uses and come in many shapes and sizes.
However, included in the known type of boxes to which the present invention is
applied is the regular slotted carton with shortened flaps.
A regulu slotted carton is generally rectangular and comprises four
contiguous vertical side surfaces and two pair of flaps, commonly known as the
major and minor pairs of flaps, on both the top and bottom of the box. Each of the
~ 'daps is connected to one of the vertical side surfaces, such that when the pairs of
major and minor flaps are folded toward each other and toward the center of the box,
the edges of at least the major flaps meet near the center of the top or bottom of the
box, effectively creating the top and bottom horizontal surfaces of the box and
closing the box. The flaps on the regular slotted carton are typically sealed in place
W096/OS108 ~s~n~8
--2-
~,
by glue or by pressure-sensitive adhe'sive tape. The tape is often applied in either a
"C-clip" or an "L-clip" ..ollfi~ Lioll, both of which are commonly known in the art
and are described below.
The C-clip is so named because a cross-section of the tape is in the shape of
the letter "C". More specifically, a C-clip of tape is a continuous length of adhesive
tape that is applied to a portion of one vertical side of a box, across the center of one
of the horizontal surfaces of the box to seal the abutting major flaps together, and
finally to a portion of the opposite vertical side of the box. Moreover, the tape for a
C-clip is typicaDy wide enough to be applied along the abutting flaps such that both
flaps ofthe outermost, or major, pairs of flaps on the top and bottom ofthe box are
sealed by a single piece of tape. When the regular slotted carton is closed and sealed
with a C-clip of adhesive tape, there are no substantial gaps to allow to
reach the product or products enclosed in the box.
The L-clip is so named because a cross-section of the tape is in the shape of
the capital letter "L". More specifically, an L-clip of adhesive tape comprises a length
of adhesive tape that is applied to a portion of one vertical side of the box and to an
adjacent portion of one of the horizontal surfaces of the box, effectively securing one
or both of the abutting flaps of the horizontal surface to the vertical side of the box.
The number of L-clips applied to a single box can vary based on the r ~ ~;p~
or supplier's l ~yuh ~ for the integrity of the box in its sealed condition.
One problem associated with a regular slotted carton sealed with C-clips or
L-clips is that the person opening the box typically needs a sharp rnstrument topenetrate the tape and access the objects inside the box. In addition, in many
~h ~ , the regular slotted carton may provide more protection than the
r ' t~l or supplier requires for their products. Moreover, because the price of
a box is directly related to the quantity of raw materials (e.g., corrugated cardboard)
used in r ' ' ~, the box, the cost of using regular slotted cartons may be
~~ high for those box users who do not need as complete a protection for
their products.
~ WO 96/05108 ~ 1 ~ 6 0 5 8 I~,-/u,, _.
.i-
To address these concerns, container r ~ produce a second type of
box also considered pertinent to the present ~ ., ' , a regular slotted carton with
shortened or "shied" pairs of major and minor flaps that do not meet each other when
the box is in a closed condition, as shown in Figure 1. Instead, when the box is5 closed, there is a gap between both the major and minor pairs of flaps. Boxes of this
type use ' "~ less raw materiais, which c~ r ' ~1~ reduces both the
costs to produce the boxes and ultimately reduces the amount of waste generated
when disposing of the boxes. The reduced box production costs may then be passedon to the r ' ~1 or supplier who is purchasing the boxes, ultimately, these cost10 savings may then be passed on to the consumer of the products that are shipped in
these boxes.
Boxes with shied flaps are commoniy sealed with hot glue that is applied at
each of the, f '' ' 1;~ of the major and minor flaps as the box is being closed.Aithough hot giue can be adequate to seai the box, hot glue dispensing equipment15 requires greater care in use and the glue nozzles are often subject to high
costs. In addition, when a box is seaied in this manner, the contents of
the box are subject to, through the open gap between the major and
minor flaps.
Another alternative method of sealing boxes with shied flaps is to apply two
20 C-ciips of box seaiing tape to the major pair of flaps, with one C-clip applied on each
fiap of the pair. For example, it is known to apply two C-clips of tape on opposite
sides of a gap between the major flaps from two separate tape sources (i.e., roiis),
each mounted on a separate taping head provided on a box seaiing machine. Again,because the two C-clips of tape are not applied to cover the gap between the shied
25 flaps, the products enclosed in the box are not protected firom,
A specific example of the use of adhesive tape for seaiing a box over a gap
provided between the folded flaps is described m U.S. Patent No. 5,039,005. The
gap is provided for the purpose of forming a window into the box, and a transparent
adhesive tape is utilized to cover the window yet perrnit viewing of the box contents.
WO 961051~8 2 ~ ~ 6 ~ 5 8
The general application of lengths ojf box sealing tape to boxes with or
without shied flaps in either a C-clip,: I~'clip, or other: 5~, ~L;uu by variousdLUv_~ such as hand-held devices and automatic and semi-automatic box sealing
machines is well known. However, there is a continuing need in the packaging
5 industry for improved methods of sealing boxes.
mmarv of the Present Invention
The present invention is generally directed to methods of sealing boxes of the
type having shortened major flaps which form a gap between the flap edges by
10 adhesive tape and which effectively seals the contents of the box. The present
invention is likewise directed to the resultant package ~U~ t~ u~liull~. Such methods
and package cu...L- u~,l;u,.., are ad~"L..c.,ou~ in that the box is sealed to protect its
contents, yet a savings is realized in the reduction of box material.
A tape of a width sufficient to cover the gap formed between the flaps is
15 utilized in the method and package Cu-li~LI u~,liùas of the present invention, and the
tape is preferably provided with plural adhesive strips with an ' non-
adhesive I ~ ' ' portion. More preferably, the width of the non-adhesive
portion is equal to or greater than the width of the gap so that adhesive is notexposed to the product within the box. Various tape ~U~ lUIliU~I~ are ~
20 to be used in accordance with the methods and package co..vL. u.,liull., of the present
invention including tapes coated to leave a non-adhesive portion, tapes including a
means for deadening the adhesive to provide the non-adhesive portion, or tapes
~,ml~l- u~ltd of plural ~ r
According to one aspect of the present invention, a method of box sealing
25 includes the use of an adhesive tape having plural adhesive strips and an "
non-adhesive portion and applying the tape to at least a part of the box surfacedefined by the box flaps so that an adhesive strip is adhered to each flap and the non-
adhesive portion covers at least some of the gap formed between the flap edges.
Preferably, the tape is also provided to a portion of one of the vertical surfaces of the
30 box adjacent to the flap surface.
WO96/0~108 2 1 9 6 0 S 8 ~-~u~ l
-5-
.~.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a package ~U~all UUIiU~
includes a box of the type having a pair of shortened flaps with a length of tape
having plurai adhesive strips and an ~ ' non-adhesive portion adhered to the
flaps and covering the gap.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the iength of tape
applied to a box surface is provided with a tab aiong its length formed by spaced siits
within the non-adhesive portion of the tape length. The method includes the step of
siitting the tape to make the tab. Preferably, the siitting occurs between the
unwinding of the tape from its source and the applying of the tape to the box surface.
The resultant package uullaLI u~liull exhibits such a tab formed between spaced siits
provided within the non-adhesive portion of the tape CU..Jtl U~liU... Plurai tabs are
also ~ . ' ', and it is preferred to provide such a tab a both the leading edge
and traiiing edge of the tape length as applied to the box.
15 Br~ef Descrintion of the DrawinQs
Figure I is a perspective view of a prior art regular slotted carton with shied
flaps showing the flaps in their closed position.
Figure 2 is a partiai perspective view of a I ~,. .,.,x...l~ e box seaiing machine
in accordance with the present invention further showing the application of a tape in
2û accordance with the present invention to a box with shied 'daps.
Fgure 3 is a perspective view of a tape in accordance with the present
invention provided in the form of a tape rûll, the tape having adhesive zones and a
non-adhesive area between the adhesive zones.
Figure 4 is a cross-sectionai view of a tape ~ u~lioll, the tape comprising
25 two adhesive strips and an i.~t~.l ' non-adhesive area.
Figure 5 is a cross-sectionai view of an aitemate tape ~,ullall U~liUII, the tape
comprising two adhesive areas on the outer edges of the tape and an '
area made non-adhesive by a deadening layer.
WO96/05108 21~6058 r~.".~ l ~
~ r6-
Figure 6is a cross-sectional view of an alternate tape CU.~.~.I u~l;u.., the tape
comprising two strips of adhesive tape laminated to opposite sides of a non-adhesive
central portion.
Figure 7 is an illustration of a method of laminating a non-adhesive web
5 material to an adhesive tape to provide a non-adhesive area before applying the tape
material to a box.
Figure 8 is a perspective view of box sealing tape applied to a box with shied
'daps in accordance with the present invention.
Figure 9 is a schematic illustration of a method of providing tabs on a length
I û of tape before applying the tape to a box.
Detailed DescriDtion of the Preferred r
Referring now to the Figures, wherein the .,u , are labeled with like
numerals throughout the several Figures, and initially to Figure 2, a box sealing
15 machine 10 for applying tape lengths to boxes is illustrated which basic,
comprise a tape source 12 for supplying tape to be dispensed and a taping head 14
for applying tape lengths to boxes and which is suppûrted relative to a base 16. The
taping head 14, as shown, supports the tape source 12. Taping head 14 is preferably
of the type available firom Mimnesota Mining and M r ' ;llg Company of
20 St. Paul, Mimnesota, under the trade designation "Accuglide". One specific example
is described in U.S. Patent 5,228,943 entitled Low Impact Tape Applying Device,
commonly owned by the assignee of the present invention, the complete disclosure of
which is ~JUI akid herein by reference. As used throughout this application, theterm tape is preferably meant to include pressure-sensitive adhesive box sealing tapes
25 such as box sealing tapes under the trade designation "Scotch", product numbers 372
and 373, ~ available from Minnesota Mining and 1' ~ ~ ~
Company or other similar adhesive tapes used in box sealing,, ' However,
other web materials that are applied in the manner of a box sealing machine 10 are
also , '
~ WO 96/05~08 2 1 9 6 0 5 8
-7-
The box seaiing machine 10 comprises the base 16 and an upper support 17
positioned relative to the base 16 by way of a strut mechanism 18. The upper
support 17 is preferably verticaily adjustably connected with the base 16 by the strut
mechanism 18 which is ~,u.... "~, verticaily adjustable (not shown) to
- ' different height boxes. The upper support 17 supports the taping head
14 to which is preferably connected a tape support member 20 The tape support
member 20 further supports the tape source 12, which is rotatably mounted by wayof a hub 22, as ~iUII . . ' '1~ icnown
In wcordance with the iilustrated .,..li,, ' t, a box guide path is defmed
aiong the base 16 by conveyors 24 and 26 which are adapted to move an object over
the rollers 28 comprising bed 30 amd past the taping head 14 and, more specif caily,
to contwt an appiication roOer 31 and a buffing roller 32 of the taping head 14 The
operation of such conveying ' are well understood in the art and it is
. ' ' that other conveying means, whether automatic or manuai, could be
utiiized as presently icnown or developed
Aiso provided are means for defining a tape path, which inciudes guide rolls
33 mounted within tne taping head 14, for guiding the tape from the tape source 12
through the taping head 14 and to the application roller 31 The manner of
conneGtion and operation of the application roiier 31 and buffing roller 32 for
applying tape is well icnown and fully described in the clfUI ~ " ' U.S. PatGnt
No. 5,228,943. The taping head 14 preferably includes the guide roiiers 33 which,
with the application roii 31, defne the tape path and which aiso assist in tension
control of the tape. In the iiiustrated ~ ' ~ " t, the taping head 14 is positioned
directiy above the box guide path for seaiing the top of a box, however, anothertaping head 14 is typicaily provided in the bed 30, as Gu,.v. "~, mounted, to
provide tape to the bottom of a box as well In addition, other various .. 1~,, ,u;
and locations of taping heads and roiiers are, . ' ' by the present invention,
~ such as multiple taping heads located above the box guide path, below the box guide
path, or both above and below the box guide path.
wo 96/WI08 219 6 0 5 8 r~.,u~
-8-
The box sealing machine 10 is typically used for rectangular boxes or cartons
of the type comprising a front vertical surface, a rear vertical surface, two vertical
side surfaces, and two pair of opposed flaps on both the top and bottom of the box.
In order to close the top of the box, for example, a first pair of flaps, hereinafter the
5 minor pair of flaps, are typically folded toward each other. Next, a second pair of
flaps, hereinafter the major pair of flaps, are folded toward each other. In thepreferred bc ' t, the major pair of flaps effectively comprise the top and
bottom horizontal surfaces of the box. Although the typical box is described above,
other box: 5~ Liulla are ~ , ' ' to be used in connection with the present
10 invention, such as boxes with more or less than four sides and boxes with only one
pair of flaps on the top and bottom of the box and the like.
The present invention is specif cally directed to the method of sealing of
boxes with shortened or "shied" flaps. This type of box is designed and
'' ' td such that when the pairs of flaps are folded toward each other, there is15 a substantial gap i '~, provided between the nearest edges of each of the
major and minor pairs of opposed flaps. Alternatively, it may be said that the pairs of
flaps are "shy" of contacting cach other when the box is in a closed position The
flaps are therefore considered "~h~ ,ncd" or "shied" as compared to the flaps of the
regular slotted carton. The present invention is particularly adapted for use with
20 regular slotted cartons with shortened flaps along with boxes that use a c.
of pairs of flaps that are shortened with pairs of flaps that are not shortened.Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6 illustrate preferred CIU~ '' ' ofthe tape source 12
where, in accordance with one aspect of the present mvention, the tape source 12comprises a tape length 34 I..;l~UI~ wound onto the outside surface 38 of a
25 cylindrical core 40. Furthcr, the tape length 34 is provided with laterally spaced
adhesive strips 35a and 35b, where each of the adhesive strips 35a and 35b are
preferably on opposite edges of the tape length 34, and the area between and adjacent
to the adhesive strips 35a and 35b is a non-adhesive area 36. The width of each of
the adhesive strips 35a and 35b is preferably the same, although there may be a
30 differencebetweenthewidthoftheadhesivestrip35aandthewidthoftheadhesive
~ wo 96f~5l08 219 6 0 S 8 r.~v~
strip 35b. In addition, when the tape length 34 is applied to a closed box with shied
flaps, the non-adhesive area 36 is preferably at least as wide as the gap between the
major pair of flaps so the product inside the box is not exposed to adhesive andtherefore calmot adhere to the tape.
It is fiurther, . ' ' that the tape length 34 may comprise more than
two adhesive strips andlor more than one non-adhesive area lateraily spaced across
the width of the tape length 34. For example, the tape length 34 may comprise a
non-adhesive portion in the centrai area of a tape length, one l-ngj~ ' ' adhesive
strip on each side of the non-adhesive portion, and two additional l ~ ' ' non-
adhesive strips, each located on one of the edges of the tape length and adjacent to
one of the l ~ ' ' adhesive strips. Other ~ of adjacent alternating
adhesive and non-adhesive strips are aiso ~ , ' ' by the present invention.
The box seaiing tape of the present invention is of the type that preferably
comprises a bacicing layer film with a layer of adhesive coated to one side of the
15 backing layer. A nu_A.,IU~ . list of uu.,~ iiu~al polyrneric backing layer f,ims
foiiows with the I ' ,L~.Ji..g that any could be suitable for use as a tape backing
layer: pol~lhjh,l.." pol~J.u~,yh,.._, polyester (such as pol~.lhyl~".e Lt.u~Jti.diaic.
(PET)), biaxiaily oriented polyt,.u ylu,.ci (BOPP), polyvinyl chioride (PVC),
copolymers of propylene and ethylene, and copolymers of ethylene and olefins having
20 four or more carbon atoms.
Further, suitable adhesives for use in the box sealing tape of the present
invention are generaily based on generai c.r~ of pulya~,lyh.~" polyvinyl
ether; diene-containmg rubber such as naturai rubber, pol~;.,v~..c....,, and
polyl,uL~i.~"e; styrene-butadiene rubber; pc~ly~,lliulu~ butyl rubber; butadiene-
25 a~lylulflLl il~. polymer; I l " " ,~ ;f elastomer block copolymers such as styrene-
isoprene (Sl) and styrene-isoprene-styrene (SIS) block copolymers, styrene-butadiene
(SB) and styrene-l,uL~di~ ,-iityrene polyrners (SBS), and ethyl~"~'plu~"h",~, and
ethylene-butylene-diene polymers such as styrene-clhylu~ J-u~Jyh~styrene (SEPS)
and styrene-f Lhylu..~uLyl~...c-styrene (SEBS); poly-aipha-olef,n; amorphous
30 polyolefn; silicone; ethylene-containing copolymer such as ethylene vinyl acetate,
WO 96/05108 219 fi ~ S 8 1 r~
-10- .
. s -.;
ethyl ethyl acrylate, and ethyl ~ .,Lc~ yL~Le, pulyuu ' polyamide; epoxy;
polyvh-yl~,~.l, ' ' and ~ !yr.l~ ' ' m,upoly~ a~ polyesters; and mjxtures of
the above. The use of many of these ~ .p. ~ . . to give specific uL~ ule~ ;a~;~.a to
the adhesives may require cross-linking or curing by methods well known in the art.
5 Additionally, the adhesives can contain additives such as tackifiers, plasticizers,
,.,.I;..~,.l~..l~, stabilizers, curatives, and solvents.
In addition, a low adhesion backsize is preferably provided on the other side
of the backing layer so that the tape separates more easily when unwound from a tape
roll. Such coatings and/or treatments are well known, and any can be used in
10 accordance with the present invention if they are otherwise suitable for use in the
desired tape cullaLlu.,fiol .
Figure 4, which is a cross-sectional view from the section line 4-4 of Figure 3,illustrates one cu....b u~.i;u.. for the tape of the present invention. The tape of Figure
4 preferably comprises a non-adhesive backing layer 44, with two strips of adhesive
15 45 coated along the opposite side portions ofthe non-adhesive backing layer 44. The
non-adhesive backing layer 44 may be paper, film, or other known web materials
suitable for use as a backing layer. Further, the strips of adhesive 45 are preferably
equal widths and may be in the form of an adhesive transfer tape, a hot melt adhesive,
or the like. Strip coating techniques are well-known and suitable for making this
20 cùlli,il UULiU... The result is a tape Cu...~tl u~.fiu~ wherein the non-adhesive i...." u.~ ,.e
area is made by simply not coating adhesive over that area of the tape. It is also
. ' ,d that the strips of adhesive 45 can be applied inward from the edges of
the non-adhesive backing layer 44 and/or have unequal widths.
Figure 5 illustrates an alternative f '~ '' ' of the tape of the present
25 invention m a view similar to that of Figure 3 . In this l,..lbC " t, the tape
preferably comprises a non-adhesive backmg layer 44 coated across its width with a
layer of adhesive 45. The central area of the tape is further coated with a deadening
layer 46, which I ~ly decreases or "deadens" the adhesive strength of the
central area of the tape. Suitable materials for this deadening layer include web or
~ WO 96/05108 2 1 J 6 0 5 8 p~ ""~ .
~,
sheet materiais such as fiims, papers, foils and/or treatments applied to the adhesive
that render it non-adhesive.
Figure 6 iilustrates another aiternative ~u' - ' of the tape of the present
invention again in a view similar to that of Figure 3. In this . ~ - ' t, the tape
S preferably comprises a non-adhesive web materiai 47 and two lengths of adhesive
tape strips 48 laminated to opposite edges of the non-adhesive web materiai 47. The
adhesive tape strips 48 themselves include a uo..~,.,tiu.,..l bacicing iayer and an
adhesive layer coated onto this bacicing layer.
It is aiso ~ that the tape of the present invention, illustrated in
10 Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6, comprise a transparent tape materiai that allows viewing of the
products enclosed in a box. However, in some instances it may be undesirable to
aiiow light into the box or to aiiow viewing of the products in the box; in these cases,
it is, . ' ' that an opa~iue tape materiai may be used. In order for the
transparent tape materiai to be rendered transparent, both the backing layer and the
15 coatings appiied to the backing layer must be transparent. However, in order for the
opaque tape materiai to be opa~iue, oniy one of the bacicing layer or coatings appiied
to the bacicing tape need be opaque.
Moreover, the tape ~...i o~ illustrated in Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6 may be
u~uLI~Ll..cd remote from any box seaiing machines and provided to the box seaiing
20 machine as a prc '' cd roii. However, a schematic of an aiternative
procedure is iiiustrated in Figure 7, where the tape l,O..".l u~,liu~. of Figure 5 is made
aiong with the box seaiing machine itself 1 1~, before the tape is applied to a
box. More specificaily, a roii of non-adhesive web materiai 212 such as any suitable
deadening materiai discussed above and at least one roll of adhesive tape 214 such as
25 ~,u~. I box seaiing tape discussed above are preferably rotatably supported
from the frame of a bQx seaiing machine (not shown) and guided by ~,u"~. I
guiding means toward a pair of laminating rollers 216, where the adhesive tape and
~ non-adhesive web materiai are laminated together to form one composite tape
materiai 218. After iaminatio4 the one composite tape materiai 218 is directed
through guide rollers 220 of a taping head 222 toward an application roller 224,
WO 96/05108 2 19 6 ~ ' ' P~ LV . ~
which applies said one composite tape matenal 218 to a box, as cu~
applied.
The tape cul~tl uvLioll of Figure 4 could a'sso be made at the box sealing
machine just prior to application by combining a non-adhesive backing layer 44 with
5 the plural adhesive strips 45, such as provided in the form of a transfer tape.
Similarly, the cul~sll u~lio~l of Figure 6 would require combining two adhesive tape
strips 48 with a non-adhesive web materia. 47.
The application of tape to boxes by the box sealing machine 10 in accordance
with the present invention will now be described with reference to Figure 2. InitiaDy,
10 the tape source 12, comprising the tape length 34, is rotatably mounted to the hub of
the tape support member 20, as shown in Figure 2. The tape length 34 is threadedthrough the taping head 14 along the tape path to the application roller 31, in a
manner to present the tape to apply to a box. Preferably, the application rollerassembly 31 comprises a single application roller that is at least as wide as the tape
15 length 34, and the tape path is def ned such that the entire width of the tape length 34
will be in contact with the single application roller. If the application roller assembly
31 comprises two application rollers provided side-by-side, each of the application
rollers is spaced axially from one another to correspond with the location of the
adhesive strips 35a and 35b of the tape length 34.
In the illustrated ~".1.. ,.1'--.. -~ of Figure 2, a box 50, which is a regular slotted
carton with shortened flaps, is supplied to the box sealing machine 10 in the direction
of arrow A, in a closed condition. The taping head 14 guides the tape length 34 from
the tape source 12 to the application roDer 31, which then presents the adhesive side
of tape length 34 toward the front vertical surface of the box 50. As tbe conveyors
24 and 26 move the box 50 over the bed 30 a'ong the box guide path, the front
vertical surface of the box 50 contacts the tape length 34. The application roller 31
~ then presses the leading edge of the tape length 34 against the box 50 wjth the force
necessary to adhere both adhesive strips 35a and 35b ofthe tape length 34 to the box
50. While the box 50 continues to move a ong the box guide path, the tape continues
to be pulled by the taping head 14 from the tape source 12 and the application roller
~ WO 96/05108 2 1 9 6 ~ S 8 P ~ cl
-13-
31 is driven upward by the box S0 along its support guide path within the hping head
14 and vertically along the front verticai surface of the box 50 toward the top
horizontal surface of the box. Further, afLer the application roller 31 applies the tape
length 34, the buffing roller 32, which is preferably pivotally connected to the taping
5 head 14 and , ' by a link mechanism (not shown) to the appiication roilersupport as .,u..~. ".y known, rolls over the newly applied tape length 34 to
smooth the adhesive strips 35a and 35b onto jthe surface of the box 50. The tapelength 34 is typicaily applied to oniy a portion of the firont vertical surface of the box
50.
A~er the tape length 34 is applied to a portion of the front vertical surface ofthe box 50 and the application roller 31 has moved to the corner of the front verticai
surface and the top horizontal surface of the box 50, the tape length 34 is thenapplied to the top horizontai surface of the box 50 by way of the application roller
31. A~er the tape length 34 has been applied to at least a portion of the top
horizontal surface of the box 50, a . . ~ ;ull~d cutting means (not shown) may sever
the tape. If the tape length 34 is severed before the tape is applied to the entire
length of the top horizontal surface of the box 50, it is commonly said that an "L-
ciip" of tape has been applied to the box, since the cross-sectional shape of the tape
section resembles the capitai letter "L".
Alternatively, the tape length 34 may not be severed during application to the
top horizontal surface of the box 50. Rather, the application roller 31 may apply a
continuous tape length 34 to a portion of the front verticai surface, across the entire
top horizontai surface and to a portion of the rear verticai surface of the box 50
before the tape is severed by the cutting means. When lengths of tape are applied m
this manner, it is commoniy said that a "C-clip" of tape has been applied to the box,
since the cross-sectionai shape of the tape section resembles the letter "C".
Although the above description refers specificaily to , '1~ applying
tape to the front vertical surface, the top horizontai surface, and the rear vertical
surface of the box 50, it is understood that this description can aiso be useful for
operations where tape is appiied to other vertical surfaces of the box 50, to the
WO96105108 2196~8 I'~_I/U~_ ~
-14-
bottom horizontal surface of the box S0, a~nd/o~ whe}e the tape is applied in a
different sequence than that descri~bed 'above. In addition, it is ~ . .. s, r~ ed that the
box sealing machine 10 may apply either L-clips, C-clips, a, ' ~ of L-clips
and C-clips, or straight sections of tape to only one surface of the box S0 that is made
S up of a single section or is made up of folded flaps. It is further ~ d that
multiple taping operations may be occurring ~ ---~ y on the same box S0.
Referring now to Figure 8, a perspective view of the box S0 sealed with a C-
cbp of tape in accordance with the method of the present invention is illustrated in
one ~ ll .o.l;, . -:, with a closed box S0 comprising a pair of major flaps 52 and 54
that are shortened, a gap derdned as the distance between the nearest edges of the pair
of major flaps 52 and 54, and a tape length 34. In this ~ br ' t, the tape length
34, as applied to the closed box S0, comprises the non-adhesive area 36 that is
preferably ' "), equal in width to the width of the gap between the pair of
major flaps 52 and 54. In other words, the distance between the nearest edges of the
IS adhesive strips 35a and 35b on the tape length 34 j5 - L -' ~ / equal to the distance
between the nearest edges of the pair of major flaps 52 and 54. Further, when the
tape length 34 is adhered to the box S0, the l~ lg ' ' centerline ofthe tape length
34 preferably .,u- l 1DrL~ dD with the centerline of the gap between the pair of major
flaps 52 and 54. Therefore, when the tape length 34 is applied to the box S0, the
adhesive strips 35a and 35b are adhered to the pair of major flaps 52 and 54 in a
position where the nearest edges of the adhesive strips 35a and 3 Sb correspond with,
or nearly correspond with, the nearest edges of the pair of major flaps 52 and 54.
However, it is also , ' ' that the tape length 34 could be provided offset so
that the centerline of the gap between the pair of major flaps 52 and 54 does not
correspond with the I ~, " ' centerline of the tape length 34.
Altematively, the tape length 34 may be applied to the box S0 with shortened
flaps where the distance between the adhesive strips 35a and 35b is either larger or
smaller than the gap between the nearest edges of the pair of major flaps 52 and 54.
If the gap between the nearest edges ofthe adhesive strips 35a and 35b is smaller
than the gap between the nearest edges of the pair of major flaps 52 and 54, a portion
~ WO 96/05108 2 1 9 6 ~ 5 8
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of the adhesive strips 35a and 35b may be adhered both to the pair of major flaps 52
and 54 and to the exposed portion of a pair of minor flaps (not shown) of the box 50.
However, if the gap between the nearest edges of the adhesive strips 35a and 35b is
iarger than the gap behveen the nearest edges of the pair of major flaps 52 and 54,
5 there will be a space between the nearest edge of each of the flaps and the nearest
edge of the adhesive strip 35a or 35b adhered to each of the flaps. These variations
on placement of the tape length 34 are again based on the condition that the
centerline of the tape length 34 correspond with the centerline of the gap between the
nearest edges of the pair of major flaps 52 and 54. However, it is aiso , '
10 that the tape length 34 as applied to the box 50 can be offset so that the adhesive
strip 35a is a different distance from the centerline of the gap than is the adhesive
strip 35b.
An additional feature that may be added to the package ~O~oil u~Liull iS to
provide one or more tabs 330 along the tape length 34 as applied to a box to provide
15 an easy opening feature. This feature can be provided by using a slitting means, see
schematic Figure 9, that is operatively provided between the tape supply and thetapmg head. Speci'dcally, a tape roll 312, which is a tape provided with a non-
adhesive area between two adhesive strips, as described above, is preferably rotatably
supported from the frame of a box sealing machine (not shown) and guided by
co.. v. ' guiding means through guide rollers 314 of a hping head 316 toward an
application roiier 318. In addition, a .~,.,;~,.~ ".y moveably mounted slitting
mechanism 320 is provided aiong the tape path after the tape roll 312 and before the
taping head 316.
In one L L - ' t, a pair of spaced blades 321 are supported on the slittmg
25 mechanism 320 and are oriented so that each blade can cut the tape material for a
short distance in the I ag " ' direction of the tape. The slits are preferably
relatively short and should at least be shorter than the length of the box surface
~ defined by the major 'daps to which the tape is to be applied. Further, the two blades
321 are spaced laterally from each other and positioned to slit the tape within the
30 non-adhesive area of the tape material. An anvii 322 may aiso be provided against
WO 96/05108 2 1 9 ~ 0 5 8 -16-
which the tape is slit. Other cutting ." ~ -,; - a~s well Icnown are also
C.l ~ ' rr~ '
As also shown in Figure 8, the slits are preferably provided within the non- e
adhesive area so as to be applied to a box with the slits positioned at the end of the
5 length of tape. More specifically, Figure 8 shows a box sealed by a C-clip of tape
with two slits 330 that form the tab 332. As illustrated, the slits 330 are provided in
the non-adhesive area 36, which provides for an area ofthe tape that is not adhered
to the box 50 and is therefore easy to grasp. To utilize the easy open feature of the
tab 332, a person would grasp the tab 332 and begin pulling the tape in the
10 1~ I direction of the tape so as to tear the tape. The person may tear the tape
a desired amount by continuing to pull the tab 332 the desired distance across the
box.
It is also ( . ' ' ' that the slits may be located at a position other than
the ends of the lengths of tape. For example, the slits may be positioned on the tape
15 so that when the tape is applied to the box, the slits are located on a corner of the
box, thereby providing the start of the tab at the corner of the box rather than at the
end of the tape length. In addition, it is c " .~ rd that a tab may be provided on
one end of the length of tape or on both ends of the length of tape, and that a length
of tape with a tab may be provided on the top, bottom, or both top and bottom
20 surfaces of the box.
I~ order to have the tabs positioned on the box as described, it is important
that the slitting operation be ~UUI '- ' ' with the application of the tape. That is, the
tape should be slit by the slitting mechanism 320 so that when the tape is applied to
the box, the tabs are positioned on the box in their desired location. For example,
25 when the tabs are desired to be at the end of the length of tape, the slits are cut into
the tape so that when the desired length of tape is applied to the box, the tape is cut
laterally at the location of the slits, thereby providing a tab. It is ~ that
the lateral cut in the tape may generally bisect the ~ slits, thereby providing
a tab on both the trailing edge of one length of tape and the leading edge of the next
30 length of tape. To apply specific lengths of tape, it is necessary to coordinate the
wo 96/05108
2196Q5 8
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application of tape and the slitting mechanism so that the tape is cut at
points, with the distance between the points equal to the length of tape to be applied
to a box. Preferably, the slitting operation is conducted during the rest periods of the
demand of tape by the box sealing machine.
In additior~, it is ~ l that a length of tape with a tab may be used to
facilitate easy opening of a regular slotted carton that does not have shortened flaps.
The tape would be applied in the manner described above and the method of opening
would also be the same as that described above. In either case, the tabbed tape
length might be applied to only one of the box surfaces, such as the box surfacedefined by the folded flaps.
