Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02386084 2002-03-28
Advasccd Alriafd Technologies inc. ?t.3.2002
METHOD h'OR PACKAGI11TC3 A HLOCK CONSISTING O1?' A COMPRE63IHLE
MATERIAL, A DEVICE FOR CARRYINQ OUT BAtD METHOD AND A CORRE
BPONDINGLY PACIi;AGED HLOCIf.
This invention relates to a method for packaging a block consisting of a com-
pressible material accordinb to the preamble of clairn 1, a corresponding
device
for packaging the block according to the prearr~hle of claim 6 awl the block
that
is packaged by meaixs of this method and device.
These types of methods and devices are used m particular' for blocks of
material
which consist of an airlaid matrrtal and are intended for further prace:c~ing
to
manufacture hygiene articlPS.
A block of material of this type is disclosed in e.g. DE 299 10 039 U1. This
block
of material consists of a plaited web of material which is divtded into
several ad-
~acent strips and is perforated. The ends of the indtvtdual strips a~~e sewn
toge-
ther in a special way to form a continuouA strip.
After fabrication, the block of nyatcr'ial i9 compressed to a certain
dc~grc:c. and
inserted ini;o a pla.9tic bag in this compressed stale.
After the plastic bag has been glued shul manually, the pressure ors the block
of
material is released, whereupon ii expa>ads so that it presses against every
part
of the inside wait of the plastic brig. 1w this state, the block of material
has 3 re
lativcly law transport volume and high stability.
The disadvantage is that the Insertion of the cof»pressed bloclc of material
into
the plastic bag, the scalin fi of the plastic bag and the handling of both the
c~npty
and filled plastic bags are all done manually. t his makc4 the production
process
slow and fihe block of the matcrts~l is therefore expcnstve.
DI: 196 40 953 A1 discloses a rnethod for packaging compressible hygiexyc~ aa'-
ticles in which several identical hygiene a~rliclcs are ortcnted parallel Lo
each
other and pushed as a block through a tapering inlet pipe into a continuous
pla-
3~ stic hose.
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CA 02386084 2002-03-28
Advanced Alrlaid ?cehaologlea inc. 21.3.2002
2 _
F111ed in this way, the plastic hose is then cut between every two adjacent
bloclcs
and wcld~d. One disadvantage amongst others of this method is that the movc-
mcnt to insert tyre hygiene article into the plastic hose has to be transverse
to
the previous transport movement of the hygiene articles, which considerably en-
larges the amount of space required for such a packaging machine, thereby nrra-
king the machine more expensive. A further disadvantage is that only a limited
length of plastic hose can be employed, which is therefore all used up within
a
short time. This means frequent intcrluptions to the otherwise continuous
packaging process. laurthermore, a plastic sleeve of this type is relatively
cxpcn-
live. There is also a signitlc<mt technical disadvantage to this method 1n
that it
requires a push-in force which subdivides at the tapering inlet pipe and
pushes
the hygiene article into the hose with the ,greater force component whilst at
the
same time ensuring the compression of the hygiene article with the: smaller
force
component. Larger blocks of material cannot be sufficiently compressed. Simply
increasin6 LhC overall push-in force, however, would damage the hygiene
article.
The invention is therefore based on the leak of developing a generic method of
packaging a block consisting of a corr~pressible material which allows the use
of
large compressing forces and a continuous work. cycle..
~1 further t<~sk of the invention is to develop a corccsnondtng device for
carrying
out the method, which is robust yet simple and cost-saving.
Anotluer task of this invention is to create an accordtngiy packaged block.
26
The method-related t<~sk is solved by the features of c:lairn 1. Va,rlailons
of the
method are described in sub-claims 2 to '7.
The device-related task is solved by the features of claim 8, with
advantageous
variations thereof in the following sub-claims 9 to l4.
The features of the block are described in claim 25.
The invention overcomes the quoted disadvantages of the state of the art.
36
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CA 02386084 2002-03-28
Advanced Atrleid 9'cchnologied Inc. Z l .3.2002
- 3
The special advantage of the invention residca in the exceptionally rational
con-
struction of the device, which fits very well into the upstream production pro-
cess. 'This is due primarily to the fact that the direction in which the block
c~f
material is packaged coincides with the previous direction of transport of the
block of rrraterial. Furthermore, no expensive, difficult-to-handle film bags
or
film sleeves arc used as generally disclased elsewhere, but rather a siznrle
and
inexpensive film web. This film web can easily be erected crosswise to the
direc-
tion of ta-ansport of the block of maccriai. 'this means It is very simple to
realise
two types of embodiments in line with the type of existing pre-manufacturing
plant, in flat either the stretched film web is rnoved towards the stationary
block of material. or the block of material is moved towards the stationary
film
web. It is also possible, of aourbe. to move the block of material and the
trans-
verse ftlm web towards each other at the same rate.
It is very advantageous to use a filrn web wound on a roll of film. Thlet
ensures a
long and uninterruptxd production process. In practice, a section of film web
of
the required wrapping length is cut out of the: continuous stretched film web
and
the two ends of tic stretched film web and the iwu ends of the cut-out portion
of
film w4b arc wcld~d together simultaneously.
25
As already mentioned briefly, the invention compi-tses lwo c:rnbodiments. In
the
first embodirncnt, the film web is pulled over the block of material and in
the: se-
coixd e:mbodtment, the block of material is pushed through a curtain formed by
the tllm web.
'fhe device for packaging a compressiule block of matEn-lal can be adapted in
a
modified forrrr to the most varied of production equipment. 7 his broadens the
scope of use of this device.
'fhe inventian will now be described in rnorh detail i~clow with referra~ce to
one
embodiment by way of example and the enclosed drawings in which:
Fig. 1 shows a side view of the device according to the mv~ntion. in the
position in which the block of material is cornpresscxl;
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ZOGZ.~I'.dT~I'ZZ
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Advanced Airlatd Technoiogies Inc. 21.3.2002
- 4 -
Fig. 2 shows a hide view of the devise, in the position in which the block
of material is transferred to a mobile packaging apparatus:
Fig. 9 shows a side view of the device, in the position in which the block
of rnatei-ial is enveloped by a film web;
Fig. 4 shows the compression unit in a first position:
Fig. 5 chows the corr~pression unit in a second position;
P'lg. 6 shows the compression unit in a third position;
Fig. 7 shows the eornpressioo unit in a fourth position:
Fig. 8 shows a diagrammatic side view of a device according to the inven-
tion:
P'ig. s Rhows a top plan view of Fig, 8.
According to lr'ig. 1, the device essentially comprises a compression
apparatus 1
and a packaging apparatus 2 for a block of material 3 consiAting of an airlatd
material.
Compression apparatus 1 is positioned at the end of a transport chain which is
not shown here, being indicated z»crcly by a directton arrow. Compression appa-
ratus 1 consists of a frame ~ with a frame base 5, several framr pillars 6 and
a
top frzme plate 7.
Fixed to tap frame plate 7 there icy ti hydc'aulic cylinder unit 8 with a
cylindrr ~J
and a piston rod I0.
sJ
Between the pivot arils of piston rod 10 and bae~e 5, ifiere is a compression
unit
11 which is shown in more dett~il in Figures 4 to 7 in various positions, and
which is designed to receive the block of material 3.
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CA 02386084 2002-03-28
Advanced Atrtald ?echnologioa I»c. 21.3.2t10a
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For this purpose compression unit 11 consists of a bottom, flxcd compression
plate 12 and a top corx~pression plate 13 which can be vertically displaced to
a 1t-
rnlted degree by means of piaton rod 10. Disposed between the bottom compres-
sion plate 12 and top compression plate 13 in the direction of transport of
the
5 block of material 3, there arc two bottom angled compression rails x4 and
two
top angled compression rails 15 whose two sets of arms arc adapted to the posi-
tion and si~.r of the four body edges of the block of material 3 showing in
the di-
rection of transport.
'fhe two bottom angled comprcssior~ mails 14 and the two top angled
compression
rails 15 are contrived such that they are vertically displaceable in a certain
man-
ner in relation to each other and in relation to the bottom compreRSiori plate
12
and the top compression plate 13. Thus the two bottom angled compression rails
1 ~~ can be moved in relation to the bottom fixed compression plate 12 by a
height
16 which. when bottorrt angled compression rails 14 reach their top position,
forn~s
a bottom fret area 16, as shown in Figures 6 and 7. I ikewiae, the two top
angled
compression rails 15 can be moved in relation to top compression plate 13 by a
height which forms a maximum uppcx free area 17. Compression unit 11 is also
equipped with a clamping device (not shown) which floes tree two buttorr~
quaked
compression rails 1~ in relation to the two top angled cornpresston rails 18
so
1:1~mt the compressed black of material 3 can be lifted without any less of
pressu-
re.'ChiR cis~mping device is preferably hydraulic.
The packs;girig apparatus 2 includes a film stretchinb unit 18, a film welding
unit 19 and a movable unit 20 which arc: disposed in this scquenc;e downstream
of compression apparatus 1. The ihm stretching unit. 18 consist.R of a bottom
pi-
vot bearing for a roll of film 21 ant! a top tensioning roller 22 for a film
web 23
whose width coincides with tine width of the block of material 3.
The tcrasioning roller 22 is pre-tcn5ioned to such a de6rce that film web 23
can
be pushed out from its vertical starling position under a horizontal load and,
if
such a load is removed, will revert to its vertical starting position. Between
the
roll of film 21 and tensioning roller 22, a bottom pair of rollers 2~ is
disposed be-
low thQ block of material 3 and a top pair of rollers 25 is disposed above the
85 block of material 3, both designed to guide and deflect film web 23 on both
s1-
des.
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CA 02386084 2002-03-28
Advanced Atde~id Technologtos Inc. 21.3.200?
6
These two pairs of rollers 24,25, the roll of film 21 and tensioning roller 22
are
preferably mounted on frame 4 of compression apparatus 1.
Movable unit 20 essenttally consists of a frame 26 and a movable slide 27. On
b the side facing compression apparatus 1, this movable slide 27 haq a bottom
re-
mover grippcr 28 and a top remover gripper 29 which are vertically dtsW raced
from each other to coincide with the height of the block of material 3. The
top re-
mover grirper 29 is aiso contrived to be vertically displaceable and is
conrmcted
to a drive device (not shown). '11~e length of the two remover gi-ippers 28,29
and
the position and length of the displacement path of movable slide 27 are
contri-
ved so that, in one end position of the movable unit 20, the two remover
grlppers
28.29 engage in compression unit 11 of compression apparatus 1 and grip hold
of the block of rnatcr~al 3 over itA entire depth, and in the other end
position are
completely removed from compression unit 11.
As shown in 1~'y. 7. the two remover grlPpra-s 28,29 are made from a flat
material
and have cross-section dimensions which allow them to be inserted between the
two adjacent angled compression rails 14.15.
Both the bottom remover grlpper 28 and the top remover gl-tpper 29 arc: fitted
on
their frcx ends closest to film wch 23 with a crosswise fllrn hush rod 3U
wl~tch
comes into contact with ihc full width of film web 23. These two film push
rods
are fixed a certain disttince. below the bottom remover gy~ipper 28 and above
top remover gripper 29 to compensate for the material thickness of angled com-
25 pression rails 14.15.
Between filin web 23 and the film push rods 30 in their starting position
there is
sufficient space in which to dtspose film welding unit 19. 'This film welding
unit
19 is fitted with two vertically dishlaccable weldin6 beams 31 which grip the
en-
30 tire width of film web 23 and w7~ieh, in theft starting position, rest
outsklc the
scope of action of movable unit 20 and conrc~ into contact with each other in
their workix~g position. One of welding beams 31 is fitlcd with an additional
se-
parattng wire which extends across the entire length of welding beam 31, run-
ntng along the middle of welding beam 31.
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CA 02386084 2002-03-28
Advanced Airlald Technologfea inc. _-~ 21.3.21702
I
l
This separating wire is disposed in such a plane to tt~e heating surface of
wel-
ding beam 31 so that film web 23 is welded ilrst and hen separated within the
welded surface. Other welding technologies can also be'used.
S In the starting position according to Figure 1, the bloGlc of material 3 is
moved
into the position shown, where it is deposited on they two 'bottom angled com-
pression rails 14. By operating the Yrydraulic cylindci< unit 8, the
compression
unit x It is then activated, as a result of which the two top angled
C0111preSSlOn
rails 15 move downwards and exert pressure on the blpck of material 3 until
the
block of material 3 is sufficiently c;omprES.~ed. This pdsiti.on is shown in
Fig. 4.
The clamping device (not shown) is than activated, which fixes the two bottom
angled compression rails 14 and the two top angled compression rails 15 in
rela-
lion to each other. The pressuir. is haw tzkcn off campresslon unit 11, which
is
moved apart in the upwards direction. 'rop compression plate 13 first lifts up
from tht two top angled compression rails 15 and forms the top free space 17
as
shown in hlgure 5. A.s this movernE.~t proceeds: the top angled compression
rails
15, the block of :xiatemal 3 and the bottom an6lcd c:ompre5sion rails 14 lift
up as
a whole from the bottom compression platE 12 and form thc°. bottom fray
space
16 (1~ lyre C).
As shown in Figure 2, the muvalalc; slide 27 of movable unit 20 theca moves
into
the opetxccl compression unit 11. As this happens, the bottom rnmovcr grlpper
2fi with its film hush rod 30 rnovcs into the bottom free space 16 and the lop
re-
mover gripper 29 wlih ite film push rod 30 shoves into the top free space 17
as
shown in Figure 7.
During this displacement, the two film push rods 30 come into contact with
film
web 23 and pull it with the help of the two pairs of rollers 24,25, into the
two
free spaces lfi and 17. The top rcxnovcr grtpper 28 than moves downwards and
holds the block of material 3 in place between both remover grtppers 28.29.
The
pressure 1e then taken off the clar7l>ing device for the bottom and top angled
compression rails 14.15, thereby releasing the block of material 3 au tY~at
the
movable slide 27 on the movable unit 20 moves back into its darting position
with the partially enveloped block of material 3 as shown in P~gurG 3.
3s
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CA 02386084 2002-03-28
Advanced AWald'rcehr~olo$le~ Ins. 21.3.2002
_ g
During this movement of the movable slide 27, the film web 23 is const<~ntly
held taut by the pre-tensioning of tensioning roller 22. After reaching the
end
position of the movable slide 27, both welding beams 31 move together and pull
the flIm web 23 with it until both welding beams 31 lie on top of each other
and
hold the double film web 28 in place. The two superposed film webs 23 are then
welded together by means of heat and pressure and subaequent)y separated by
the separating wire down the centre of the weld scam. 'Ihe block of material 3
ie
now completely enveloped by a piece of fiim web cut out of film web 23 and wel-
ded inside it and fihc cut illm web 23 is welded to re-forrn a continuous film
web
23.
A second embodiment of the invention wfll now be described with reference to
Fi-
gures $ and 9.
figures 8 and 9 show from left to right a compression apparatus 110, a subse-
quent packaging apparatus 112 and another ad,~oining station on the ri6~ht-
hand
sfdc of Figures 8 and 9. which could be designated as a second packaging appa-
ratus but will be called a wrapping urvit 114 for ihc sake of differentiation.
Z~ie compression apparatus 114 has a slim, relatively tall frame with n
rectangu-
lar base plate 116 and a total of four upwardly pro,~cctlng pillars 11E3 a.t
the four
comers. A frame-fixed, pressure-resistant conveyor belt 120 is disposed
between
pincers 118 in the; lower portion. This conveyor belt can he c.g. n slat
conveyor
made from hinglngly connected alurrdniwm slats. The conveyor device runs from
left to right in Figurc~.s 8 and 9, i.c. from compression apparatus 110 to
packa-
ging apparatus 112.
The compresbiun appsxratus 110 also has a top conveyor belt 122 which essan-
cislly matches bottom conveyor bell 120, but can be moved vertic2~lly along
the
frame or, more precisely. along pillars a 18 of the frame. 1'or this purpose,
gutdeb
124,126 are provided on pillars 118, and on both sides of the frame, i.e. in
front
of and behind the plane of the drawings in Figures 8 and ~, there are
verlicirlly
disposed rotatable threaded spindlr:x 128 which are accommodated by spindle
nuts 130, which are fixed to the top conveyor belt 122.
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Threaded spindlEs 128 ate mounted in top and bottom connecting struts
192,134, which each connect the top and bottom portions of side pillars 118 po-
sitioned behind each other in the direction of transport of conveyor belts
120, x22. Mounted on the top connecting strut 132 them is a conncreting shaft
136 which rune transverse to the direction of transport, which can be driven
by
an electric motor 138 and also engages drivingly with the two threaded
spindles
128 via angular gears which arc not shown in detail. The rotation of the
electric
motor 138 therefore prompts a rotation of thrP.aded spindles 128, which are
syn-
ehronised v1a connecting shaft 136, therefore causing the top pressure:-
resistant
conveyor belt 122 to lift up and down.
in the direction of transport, i.e. towards the night in Figures 8 and 9, the
packs
grog apparatus 112 follows on from compression apparatus 110. The packaging
apparatus also has a base plate 140 plus four pillars 142,144,146.148 in the
four corners of the rectangular base elate 140.
On the input side of packaging apparatus 112, i.e. to the left of p'Igures 8
and 9.
there arc feeder dEVices which permit the formatton of a vertical film web
curtain
in front of the input bide with the help of film webs f~:d irx from the lop
and bot-
taro. en detail, these feeder deviceR consist of top and bottom dcfle:caing
rollers
150.152,154,1 i56. The two film webs are puued off from rollq of material 1
fi0, l 62
not shown in Figure 8, which, as can be seen in Figure 9, are located to the
side
of packaging unit 112 a»d are deflected via the oblique deflecting rollers
130,152.
26
Fixed to the frame of packaginf; apparatus 112, which is embodied here by the
four pillar9 142.144, there is a bottom frame-fixed conveyor belt 164 which
lies
in the plane of the above-described belt c:onvcyor 120 of the compression appa-
ratus and can be driven in the saran direction from left to right. Conveyor
belt
164 may also be a slat coxweyor made from e.g. aluminium slats. Whatev~.~r the
case. it is designed to be pr ensure-resistant. Conveyor bclk 164 works
together
with a top conveyor 'belt 166, which cart be raised and lowered In relation to
the
bottom conveyor belt 164. For this purpose the top conveyor belt 166 is suspen
ded with the help of threaded spindles 168.170 from lateral tap longitudinal
S5 spars 172.174 of the frame of packaging apparatus 112.
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- 10
The rotation of threaded spindles 161;,170 allows top conveyor belt 166 to be
rai-
sed or lowered. Abp conveyor belt 166 is adjusted so that the compactiara and
compression obtained in the compression apparatus 110 is maintained in
packaging unit 112.
The compression app;~ratuA 110 and the packaging apparatus 112 work as fol-
lows.
'1'o start with, a stack of articles for packaging. e.g. non-woven materials
far ma-
nufacturing nappies, feminine sanitary pads etc. is placed from the left ire
Figu-
res 8 and 9 onto the bottom conveyar belt 120 of compression apparatus 110.
Threaded spindlre l2FS are then rotated by electric motor 188 to lower the top
conveyor belt 122 and the sCaclc is compressed so that the air is removed from
the stack and the packaging volume is decreased. 'fhe two conveyor belts
1.20.122 are then ~aet in motion ,o that the compressed stack is pushed frorr~
left
to right to the input side of pack:i,ging apparatus 112. It comes into contact
here
with the vertical curtain fonmcd by the tap and bottom film webs which, in a
pre-
vious step. have been welded approximately arid-height between the two con-
veyor 'belts to the left and right of the curtain.
The compressed stack transporl.cd towards the right in Figures 8 and 9 takes
the cwrtain consisting of the two film webs with it towards the right into the
opa-
ce between the two conveyor belts 164,166 of the packaging apparatus 112 and,
in the process, is also pulled oft from the 'two feeder rollers. Once the
stack is
26 completely in position between the two coraveyor bolts 164,166, the film
webs fed
into from the top fund bottom engage with top and bottom deflecting rollers
176,x78, which arc vcriically displaceable on guide.R 180. Guides 180 are
lacated
directly an the input side of the packaging apparatus on lateral vertical
supports
182. Once the two film wvcbs from the top and bottom rolls have: ueen brought
together at mid-height, tt~Ey arc: walded together by a welding and euttlr~g
unit
which is not shown in, detail, and then sc:paratrd so that, on the ane hand,
they
are connected at the baclc of the exiting stack of material and. on the other
band, remain in contact as the said curtain. 't'rac next stack can now be
pushed
against the curtain.
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A,ecording to this invEntion, the film web described so far consists of a
relatively
good quality material of e.g. 100 m tMckness. its function is ko absorb the
enti-
re elastic recovery force of the stack dvc to compression. This filrn web need
not
necessarily stretch across the entire width of the stack. The function of the
illu-
6 strafed film web is not to cover the stack completely against dust, humidity
and
other contamination, but simply to absorb the elastic recovery force. The
packa
ging of the material that is required for hygienic reasons takes place
according to
the ixvention at another station which, in this context, is located downstream
of
the packaging apparatus and will be designated as the wrapping apparatus 114.
The wrapping apparatus 114 i8 merely indicated dia,~h'ammatically. its
function
1e to wrap an Inexpensive thinner filrr~ material around the stank ~xosswise
to
the direction of transport. perpendicular to the: film web used in the
packaging
apparatus. '!"his can be done; in that the stack is rotated around an axis
running
parallel to the direction of transport, or in that a film web is wrapped
around the
stack in the manner of a sate111te.
Wrapping devices of this type are disclosed in rnany embodiments a.nd are not
the subject of this invention. However, the invi:ntiun does include the idea
that a
hygienically packaged, compressed, essentially squarE-shaped stack of rv:boun-
ding material can be, packaged iY~ that to start with, a illm web of
expcynaivc,
strong material is wound around the stack and then a cheaper. thinriur, lceg
strong fl)m material is wrapped around the stack in a direction offset by
90° so
that a largely irnpcr~ett able hygienic closure is obtaW ea.
26
Downstream of wrapping apparatus 114 there is as output table .184, from
which the wrapped stacks c;an be removed by hand or using a fork-lift track.
or
transferred to a conveyor which is not shown,
35
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