Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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WO 00/64777 PCTlGB00/01428
ROLL WRAPPING METHOD APPARATUS AND MATERIAL
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus chiefly used in
wrapping
products, usually serially grouped products {i.e. the products are arranged
linearly,
adjacent one another) and more particularly to a method and apparatus for roll
wrapping and materials therefor.
Background
Roll wrapping methods, apparatus and materials have been used for many years
in
many different forms. Roll wrapping methodology is normally applied to the
I0 wrapping of serially grouped confectionery and tablets but may equally be
applied
to single articles. Predominantly, the articles or rolls of articles are
cylindrical but
articles or rolls of articles having ovoid and square or rectangular cross-
sections
are also handled by roll wrapping apparatus.
The invention is directed particularly to roll wrapping {in its broadest
sense)
1.5 which results in a wrapped product having a sealed seam running along a
peripheral longitudinal axis of the product.
In the art it is well known to apply a single wrap or double wrap to articles
and
seal the wrap or the outer wrap of a double wrapped article using adhesive and
to
twist or fold the ends of the wrapped article. In most prior art embodiments,
heat
:?0 sealing, the application of cold and hot melt adhesives or some form of
application of a wet adhesive from a bath is used to produce the longitudinal
sealed seam which can be either of the "fin seal" or "lap seal" varieties.
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The disadvantages of t:he above embodiments are well established and it is the
disadvantages associated with on-machine glue application which result in the
most significant periods of down-time of a wrapping machine. Further problems
associated with on-machine glue application include, for example, glue
contamination and replacement, the added hygiene considerations of storing and
handling glues as products that may come into contact with foodstuffs and the
health and safety regultions governing the use of high temperature systems.
Operators of machines using hot and cold melt adhesives complain of the
problems associated with accumulated adhesive, fouling of adjacent machine
parts
1.0 and general dislike of operating with adhesives. Machine cleaning time,
general
maintenance time and the additional time taken to ensure adequate glue
replenishment alI add to the known disadvantages of on-machine glue
application.
Hot melt adhesives are known to be particularly problematic.
A known solution to tine use of hot and cold melt adhesives and the like is
the use
ll S of cold seal or pressure-sensitive adhesives" In existing arrangements,
adhesive is
applied to one side only of the wrapping material in strips along opposing
edges
of one side which when rolled about an article are joined in a fin seal.
Consideration has been given to applying cold seal adhesive to both sides of
the
wrapping material but "blocking" occurs when drawing material off from a reel
;?0 where the facing regions of adhesive meet and adhere to one another.
Exemplifying of the prior art in this regard is WO 92/19508 to United Biscuits
(UK) Limited which discloses a method of wrapping a food product utilising, in
reel form, a web of wrapping material having applied thereon patterns of a
cold
seal adhesive on both inside and outside surfaces with blank areas on the
inside
:ZS surface for receiving the food product to be wrapped. What is disclosed is
a web
of wrapping material wound together with a web of interleaving material to
prevent cold seal adhesive on one side of the web from adhering to adhesive on
the other side of the web. Without the interleaving web, the problem of
"blocking" becomes significant. It will be appreciated that the provision of
an
30 interleaving material web adds significantly to the cost, weight and volume
of the
wrapping material per unit length. Furthermore, waste material equal in area
to
the useful wrapping material is produced. This is acceptable neither
economically
nor environmentally.
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The material web of WO 92/19508 features convoluted patterns of adhesive
which must be produced. to a high tolerance and must match the printed matter
on
the outer surface of the material: It is the transverse portions of applied
adhesive
on the web that are used to form the longitudinal seals and thus indexing and
c. cutting accuracy dictates how efficient a seal is made. Cut timing
advancement or
retardation will adversely affect the resultant seal or increase the reject
rate.
Accordingly, indexing of the material when the adhesive is being applied and
when wrapping a product is critical. Additionally, the web of material must be
severed at predetermined intervals set by the adhesive pattern rather than the
printed matter which is more easily recognised electronically. The convoluted
patterns are presented to facilitate end sealing with the cold seal adhesive
but, as
conceded in the disclosure, there remains exposed adhesive on the ends after
sealing. This may present cetain disadvantages in storage and presentation as
wrapped packs may adher to one another on presentation stands or may adhere to
containing boxes or other packaging. Variations in indexing, cut length or
product size (diameter) will disadvantageously effect the alignment of the
adhesive.
Qt~j ects of the Invention
It is an object of the invention to provide a method of wrapping articles or
rolls of
2'0 individual articles which seeks to alleviate the disadvantages associated
with the
prior art.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a method of wrapping
articles which is easily adaptable to modification or change and can operate
at
lower tolerances than heretofore.
It is further an object of the invention to provide a wrapping material having
a
cold seal adhesive applied thereon which does not block when presented as a
reel
and which obviates the requirement of an interleaving material web.
It is yet further an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus
for
implementing the wrapping method and to advantageously utilise improved
3~0 wrapping materials.
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ummar~Qf the Invention
According to the present invention, there is provided a method of wrapping
articles or rolls of individual articles, such as confectionery or tablets,
the method
comprising:
dispensing a continuous sheet of wrapping material defining inner and
outer longitudinal edge regions to which cold seal (pressure sensitive}
adhesive has been selectively applied prior to dispensing;
presenting the wrapping material in a form capable of receiving an article
or article roll;
1'.0 placing the wrapping material in wrappable proximity to each article or
roll; and
sealing the wrapping material around the article or roll of articles by
utilisation of the applied adhesive,
wherein adhesive applied to opposite ones of the inner and outer
longitudinal edge regions of the wrapping material is brought together
directly, without folding or other manipulation of the material, to form a
seal along a longitudinal peripheral axis of each article or roll of articles.
This arrangement obviates the requirement for adhesives to be applied to the
wrapping material immediately prior to the wrapping material being placed in
:ZO wrappable proximity to the article.
Preferably, the method comprises the step of disposing the adhesive on the
wrapping material in 'two continuous strips, one along an edge region of a
first
surface and the other strip being positioned along the corresponding edge
region
of the opposite surface of the wrapping material so as to form the lap seal,
the
adhesive strips and wrapping material together having an orientation
consistent
with the longitudinal axis of the article or roll to be wrapped.
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The provision of adhesive along one edge of opposite sides of the material
prevents blocking of the material when presented in a roll form.
In one arrangement, the wrapping material is sealed around each article or
roll of
articles along an axis parallel to the direction in which the wrapping
material is
dispensed.
Alternatively, the wrapping material is sealed around each article or roll of
articles
along an axis perpendicular to the direction in which the wrapping material is
dispensed, the method including reorienting the dispensed material through
90° so
that the material is presented for receiving an article or article roll
perpendicular to
the direction of travel tlhereof.
Preferably, the wrapping material is sealed around the product about an axis
perpendicular to the axis about which the wrapping material is originally
rolled.
Preferably, the method includes folding the wrapping material to provide end
folds and sealing the end folds.
Advantageously, the end folds may be heat sealed.
Single and double wrap of an article is facilitated by the present method.
In another broad aspect, the invention provides apparatus for wrapping
articles or
rolls of individual articles, such as confectionery or tablets, the apparatus
comprising:
:ZO means for dispensing a continuous sheet of wrapping material, having cold
seal (pressure sensitive) adhesive applied thereon,
means for presenting wrapping material in a form for receiving an article
or article roll;
conveying means for placing the wrapping material in wrappable
proximity with an article or article roll;
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wrapping means for engaging material around each article or roll of
articles; and
means for sealing the wrapping material around the article or roll of
articles using said applied adhesive,
wherein the adhesive, applied to opposite sides of the wrapping material,
is brought together directly in sealing contact, without folding or otherwise
manipulating said material, to form a lap seal along a longitudinal
peripheral axis of each article or roll of articles.
The above arrangement obviates on-machine glue application and thus, in turn,
l~0 the necessity to maintain glue baths and heating means for such glues.
Conveniently, the means for engaging material around an article or roll to be
wrapped comprises means for carrying a first edge section of the material,
having
an outwardly disposed adhesive strip, into overlying contact with the article
or roll
and the sealing means comprises means for ensuring intimate contact of a
second
edge section of the material, having an inwardly disposed adhesive strip, with
the
first edge section, said sealing means applying pressure to the overlying
strips
which adhere to one another on pressured contact.
Advantageously, the means for dispensing a continuous sheet of wrapping
material is disposed so as to present said wrapping material perpendicularly
to the
direction of travel of the articles or article rolls.
Optionally, the wrapping material is dispensed in a direction parallel to the
direction of travel of the articles or article rolls, said apparatus including
means to
reorienting dispensed material through 9~° so that the material is
presented for
receiving an article of article roll perpendicular to the direction of travel
thereof.
The means for reorienting of dispensed material comprises at least one
deflecting
roller and a set of floating jockey rollers adapted to attenuate stresses at
or
adjacent the or each deflecting roller.
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The invention also includes within its scope an elongate sheet of wrapping
material for wrapping articles or rolls of articles, the material defining
first and
second longitudinal edge regions on inner and outer in use surfaces, one
region of
each surface having applied thereto a layer or strip of cold seal (pressure
sensitive)
adhesive, the layers or strips being so arranged that upon forming the
wrapping
material into a roll, one adhesive carrying section overlies the adhesive
carrying
section of the other surface to form a longitudinal lap seal.
A first advantange of This arrangement is that it facilitates the use of a
material
web having a pre-applied cold seal adhesive without an interleaving web.
Another advantage is that the adhesive can be applied in a continuous strip
along
the respective edges of the material without consideration to indexing or the
positioning of printing on the outwardly presented side of the material.
The adhesive is provided in the form of a continuous strip and is provided
along
one side of each outer edge of a dispensed wrapping material sheet.
The material when formed into a reel does not present adhesive to adhesive
contact thereby minimising blocking.
The material includes a printed surface over which there is applied a release
agent
layer to minimise adhesion of the cold seal adhesive to the printed surface.
The wrapping material comprises a laminated structure including a substrate, a
~!0 printed surface and a release agent layer.
The wrapping material. includes a heat sealable layer on the inner surface
thereof
to facilitate sealed folded ends.
The wrapping material includes a heat sealable release lacquer:
The material is provided in the form of an elongate sheet having fold lines
therein
:?5 so that discrete sections of wrapping material are foldable without one
strip of
adhesive interfering or adhering to another in storage.
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The invention has as its primary focus the wrapping of series of disc-shaped
articles such as confectionery and tablets. It will be appreciated by those
skilled
in the art that the invention may equally be applied to any rod or roll shaped
articles or collection of articles having a cylindrical cross-section.
Articles having
ovoid, rectangular and square cross-sections are also facilitated.
Brief Description of the Draw~g5
The invention will now be described more particularly with reference to the
accompanying drawings which show, by way of example only, embodiments of
roll wrapping apparatus and roll material according to the invention. In the
L 0 drawings:
Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of an apparatus operating a series
of
method steps;
Figure 2 is a section through wrapping material for use in the apparatus and
method; and
l.5 Figure 3 shows the wrapping material in plan.
Describtion of the Preferred Embodiments
With reference to the accompanying drawings and initially to Figure I, a reel
10
of wrapping material 12, is mounted about spindle 11. The wrapping material 12
is unwound from the reel IO - direction of the flow of wrapping material 12,
;?0 being shown in Figure 1 by the arrows - and then passes via a series of
tensioning
wheels 13, through a splicer 14. Splicer 14 acts to maintain a continuous
supply of
wrapping material 12 through the rest of the apparatus, when the wrapping
material 12 on reel 10 runs out. A device (not illustrated) in splicer 14
senses
when this situation has been reached, and switches its uptake of wrapping
material
25 12 to reel I OA, at the same splicing the end of wrapping material from
reel 10, to
the beginning of material 12 from reel 10A. Down-time of the apparatus is thus
reduced.
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Upon leaving the splicer I4, the material passes, via another series of
tensioning
wheels 15 to the coder 16, which coder 16 acts to ensure that data such as,
for
example, batch number, used by date are recorded on the wrapping material 12.
From the coder 16, the wrapping material 12, is passed via further tensioning
.'i guide wheels 17 from where it is taken by an indexing assembly 18 which
includes a set of pinch rollers 18a one of which is driven by an indexing or
stepper
motor drive (not shown). A cutter 19 cuts appropriately sized sections from
the
wrapping material 12. The cut length is dictated by an electronic eye (sensor)
which registers an indexing maxk applied to the printed outer surface of the
material. Should the cut timing advance or retard this will be sensed by the
eye
and the appropriate adjustment made to fhe indexing or stepper motor. The
sections are then passed via grippers (not illustrated) to the wrapping
section 20.
It should be noted that the grippers need not be applied before the material
is cut.
In the wrapping section the articles to be wrapped are brought in from a
direction
1.5 generally at right angles to the flow of the wrapping material to a
position
underneath, and in contact with, the centre of the section of wrapping
material I2.
The article or roll of articles is then carried with the material into a
wrapping head
where a wrapping head belt rolls the article and applies pressured contact
thereto.
Thus, the wrapping material 12 is wrapped around the article or article roll
21 -
here illustrated in the form of a linearly arranged group of disc shaped
confectionery - and sealed to itself by means of cold seal adhesive strips on
its
edges. It is to be noted that the axis about which the wrapping material 12 is
wrapped around the axticle or roll is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the
material that is directed along the length of the wrapping material 12. The
open
ends of the tube of wrapping material 12 thus formed are then folded and heat
sealed.
The wrapping material spindle 11 as shown in Figure I is parallel to the
direction
of travel of the articles or article rolls 21, thus dictating the direction in
which the
material 12 is dispensed. In an unillustrated embodiment, the dispensing
direction
~~0 is paxallel to the direction of travel of the articles or rolls, thereby
streamlining the
overall profile of the apparatus. To facilitate this arrangement, at least one
deflection roller is provided to re-orientate the material before being cut
and
presented for receiving an article or article roll. A set of jockey rollers
are
provided to absorb shock transmitted through the material on indexing and
cutting
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particularly to attenuate stresses across the or each deflection roller.
Although in this drawing, the apparatus is shown functioning with two reels of
wrapping material, this is not essential to the invention, and the apparatus
can be
satisfactorily used with one or more reels.
The distribution of the sealant is shown in Figures 2 and 3. Figure 2 shows a
cross
section of wrapping material; being viewed in a direction along the length of
the
elongate sheet of wrapping material, for use in the above process. Paper 30,
having a surface density of approximately 70 grams per square metre, and
having
an upper surface 31 and a lower surface 32, across its width on the lower
surface
1 iD 32, by a polyethylene web 33 of thickness approximately 15 microns. A
first strip
of cold seal adhesive 34A is present along the edge of the upper surface 31 of
the
paper. A second strip of cold seal adhesive 34B is present along the edge of
the
lower surface of the polyethylene web 33, diagonally opposite the first strip
34A.
Print 35 is applied to the upper surface of the paper 31, the print 35 then
being
15 sealed in position by a heat sealable coating 36 incorporating a release
agent or
having a surface to which cold seal adhesive is not known to stick. Polyamide
release lacquers or coatings are preferred and these may be water or solvent
based
according to application.
Figure 3 shows a section of wrapping material and further illustrates the cold
seal
20 adhesive strips 34A and B in relation to the wrapping material 12. The
strips run
along the flat surface of the wrapping material 12, along its length. 34A runs
on
the upper surface, whilst 34B runs along the lower surface. In use therefore,
a
product 21 will normally be situated between the two strips of adhesive 34A
and
B (at position 20 in Figure 1). Wrapping material 12 will then be wrapped
around
2;5 product 21, to bring strips 34A and B into contact, thus effecting a
longitudinal
seal and forming an open tube.
Incorporated in the invention is the sealing or securing of the end seals.
Twist
seals may be adequate in many instances however folded ends are preferred.
Certain materials are amenable to "dead-folding" but other packages require a
30 hygienic seal. By applying a heat sealable lacquer or coating to the
material end
sealing is achieved. A heat reactivated overlacquer with cold seal release
activity
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is preferred. Certain articles will not tolerate end heat sealing, for
example,
chocolate and dead-folding foil or like materials may be required.
There are numerous advantages in using a roll of wrapping material to which
the
sealant has already been applied. Conventional machines where sealant is
applied
:5 to the wrapping material once it has been partially unrolled, require
increased
maintenance to remove glue contamination of parts of the machine such as the
rolling head belts (not illustrated). The process using such conventional
machines
is also considerably greater due to this increased cleaning and maintenance
time.
They are also more dangerous due to the health and safety hazards involved
where
glue is applied, especially in the presence of hot equipment. As a further
advantage, the need for storage of the adhesive in a controlled environment is
eliminated.
The sealant need not be in the form of a continuous strip but could have gaps
at
defined intervals, of a defined size. For example, where a twist seal is
applied to
the end of the hollow tube of wrapping material formed upon wrapping the
product, in order to seal the ends of the tube, sealant would not necessarily
be
desirable on either or both sides of the wrapping material.
The cold seal as described above may also be used, if desired, in conjunctian
with
other sealing means. For example, a heat sealable coating may also be present
on
2;0 either or both of the surfaces of the wrapping material, to assist the
formation of a
longitudinal seal.
Conventional wrapping material can be used as wrapping material for the
present
invention. For example, the material can be made of foldable plastics,
including
thermoplastics. Alternatively, paper or foil may be used. In Figure 2,
wrapping
~!5 material formed from paper and plastic is illustrated. Polyethylene
material here
can be between 10 to 20 microns in thickness. Also a portion or all of the
polyethylene can be replaced with polypropylene. The more suitable papers used
will typically have a surface density of 50 to 85 grams per square metre.
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Alternatively, a heat seal coated paper, a plastic film such as orientated
polypropylene film, coextruded and coated polyethylene film, coextruded and
coated cast polypropylene film ar polyvinylchloride film may be used. As a
further alternative, heat seal coated regenerated cellulose film is
considered.
Although a single wrap is illustrated, double wrap products can also be formed
using the above materials, machinery and methodology as adapted.
The method is suitable for wrapping disc-shaped product and those with a
square,
rectangular, or oval profiles. It can.also be used for products in the form of
sticks
and the like.
:L 0 Although the apparatus and method is principally for use using a cold
seal, hot
melt or heat seals may additionally be used.
In this document for the avoidance of doubt, the term unrolling shall be taken
to
include extending a continuous sheet of wrapping material, from the compact
form in which it is supplied, for example in the concertina like configuration
often
used for computer paper. It will be appreciated, however, by those familiar
with
the art that primary advantages of a material having cold seal (pressure
sensitive)
adhesive is that rolls of material having pre-applied adhesive can be easily
handled and used.
The use of adhesive applicators is eliminated and this decreases wrapping
apparatus downtime for cleaning and maintenance as well as the other
disadvantages known in the art.
It will be seen that by utilising the method, apparatus and material of the
present
invention limitations encountered with existing roll wrapping methodologies
and
material are lessened or eliminated. An advantage of the present invention
relates
particularly to improved high speed wrapping without on-machine glue
application and the speed improvements facilitated by providing in-line feed
of
material with the cutting, gripping and positioning thereof. This compares
favourably and indeed exceeds the performance achieved using traditional
offset
feeding of material before gripping, cutting and subsequently positioning the
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material over an article or article roll to be wrapped.
The invention has been described with particular reference to roll wrapping,
however, with minor modifications, the invention may be applied to
methodologies, machines and materials normally associated with Form Fill Seal
(FFS) packaging.
While the invention has been described with reference particularly to
confectionery and pharmaceuticals it will be appreciated that the method,
apparatus and material can equally be applied to almost any wrapped product
having a substantially cylindrical shape or any bar or roll shaped article
including
1.0 those having square or rectangular cross-sections. Additionally, the focus
of the
description has been directed towards serially grouped products but the
invention
can be applied equally to single products. Indeed, the products considered
range
from solid cylindrical chocolate bars and machine parts, such as cotter pins,
to
shaving sticks, water biscuits and soup cans.
The preferred diameter range of products wrapped is presently between l Omm
and
100mm although larger and smaller diameter products are considered. While
higher machine tolerances and slower speeds may be required fox wrapping small
diameter products, high speed, lower tolerance wrapping of larger diameter
articles can be achieved using existing wrapping machine technology and by
:?0 altering the adhesive overlap area to compensate for more rugged handling
and
the like.
It will of course be understood that the invention is not limited to the
specific
details described herein, which are given by way of example only, and that
various modifications and alterations are possible within the scope of the
:25 appended claims.
