The present invention relates to packages made from flexible tubes and commonly known as flow-packs, for packaging rigid or semi-rigid products.

More specifically, it relates to a flow-pack package, a method for making it and a packaging machine for the application of this method.

A tubular package of the flow-pack type for packaging rigid or semi-rigid products comprises a flat wrapping formed from a sheet of flexible material, generally plastic or paper, possibly printed, which is wrapped completely around a product about its principal packaging axis, and closed by a pair of transverse junctions and a longitudinal junction on one face of the package. The junctions are formed by joining the opposing edges of the wrapping sheet wrapped around the product or products to be packaged, generally by stitching, sealing or adhesive bonding.

This sort of package is suitable for containing one or more rigid or semi-rigid products, such as playing cards or collectors' cards.

The object of the present invention is to add a new function to the conventional flow-pack package in relation to its method of opening, and in relation to the support and display of the product contained within it.

According to the present invention, this object is achieved by means of a package having the characteristics claimed in Claim 1.

The invention also proposes a method for making a package, having the features claimed in Claim 9, and a packaging machine having the features claimed in Claim 12.

Specific embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims which are to be considered as an integral or integrating part of the present description.

Briefly, the present invention is based on the principle of providing, within the wrapping of the package, an extraction web including a foldable sheet adapted to retain the packaged product, and having a tab projecting from the package through one of the junctions, which can be grasped by a user for the purpose of opening the wrapping, by tearing the junction, and extracting the content.

Conveniently, the graspable tab projects from the package through a transverse junction, but in a variant embodiment it can project through the longitudinal junction in an equally effective way.

At the time of its extraction, the product contained in the wrapping (or a plurality of products combined into a unit) is urged by the extraction web so as to wedge between the joined edges of the wrapping sheet. Preferably, the wrapping is torn by the product itself, if the product is sufficiently rigid not to be deformed by the pressure exerted against the junction. Alternatively, in the case of semi-rigid products, the junction can be torn by a cutting insert (such as a metallic wire) conveniently provided for the purpose on the extraction web, at the root of the graspable tab.

Advantageously, in its extracted condition the foldable sheet is adapted to support the products contained in the package, and has a free surface area which can be used as a text or advertising space for the display of information, such as information which relates to the packaged products or is of interest to the consumer of the packaged products.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be revealed more fully in the following detailed description which is given by way of non-limiting example with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

Figures IA- ID are plan views of four different embodiments of a flexible tube package according to the invention;

Figures 2A-2D are side views of the four embodiments of the package shown in Figures IA- ID;

Figures 3A-3D are views of the components of the package according to the invention in an unfolded condition, in the four embodiments of Figures 1 A-ID;

Figures 4A-4D are plan views, in the unfolded condition and in the folded condition respectively, of a web for extracting a product from a package;

Figures 5 A-5D are views in lateral section of a package according to the invention, in the stages of the opening and extraction of the product;

Figure 6 is an overall schematic representation of a packaging machine for forming a package according to the invention;

Figures Ih-IC are schematic representations of alternative embodiments of a sheet feeder device of the packaging machine of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a schematic representation of a timing grid of the packaging machine of Figure 6;

Figures 9A-9B are schematic representations of a first embodiment of a folding unit of the packaging machine of Figure 6;

Figure 9C is a schematic representation of a second embodiment of a folding unit of the packaging machine of Figure 6;

Figures 10A- 1OD are schematic representations of a packing, cutting and bonding unit of the packaging machine of Figure 6, for the production of a package in the four embodiments shown in Figures 1 A-ID respectively;

Figure 11 is a schematic representation of a bonding unit of the packaging machine of Figure 6; and

Figures 12A-12C are detailed schematic representations of a cutting and bonding unit of Figures 1 OA- 1 OD.

The flexible tube or flow-pack, package proposed by the invention is shown, with features common to all the alternative embodiments considered herein, in Figures IA- ID, and comprises, in a known way, a flat wrapping (or envelope) 10 wrapped around one or more products and closed by corresponding transverse junctions (seals or bonds) 12A, 12B at the leading and trailing ends, and by a longitudinal junction (seal or bond) 14 (commonly known as an "overlap joint") located on one of the two faces of the wrapping (shown here in broken lines because it is concealed from view), in other words lying in a direction parallel to a median longitudinal axis A of the packaged product. In the prior art, the transverse junctions are made in the plane of the product, while the longitudinal junction is generally made in a plane orthogonal to the plane of the product, and the flaps of the wrapping which are overlapped and sealed or bonded are subsequently folded on to the face of the package.

In the space between the transverse leading and trailing junctions 12A and 12B, the wrapping has a volume 16 for housing the contents, which in the present example comprise one or more rigid or semi-rigid products such as a pack of playing cards or collector's cards, generally made from paper or rigid plastics material, in other words a material which can bend but is resistant to curling.

A graspable tab 18 projects from a junction (specifically, in this example, the transverse leading junction 12A) to facilitate the extraction of the products contained in the wrapping, as will be made clear by the following description.

In the opposite junction region (the trailing junction 12B), there maybe a notch 20 having a depth less than the depth of the junction region and having a shape matching the shape of the graspable tab 18, the significance of which will be made clear by the following description of the method for forming the package proposed by the invention.

The lateral view of the package in Figures 2 A-2D will facilitate the comprehension of the different possible embodiments of the graspable tab 18 and of the junction region from which it projects, particularly in respect of the positioning of flaps 22 of the wrapping sheet which cover said tab.

Figures 3A-3D show the development of a continuous wrapping sheet, unwound from a conventional feed reel of a packaging machine (a packing or wrapping machine), comprising a plurality of regions each of which is adapted to define a corresponding packaging wrapping, connected to each other in succession and separable by the operation of blades of the packaging machine, according to the prior art. The figures show three adjacent wrapping sheets F ₁ , F _2, F _3, in sequence. The contents to be packaged, including a rigid or semi-rigid product C composed of a single element or comprising a plurality of elements packed together or combined in any other way to form a unit, and an extraction web W wrapped around them, for their extraction from the closed package and their support in the extracted condition, are shown on the intermediate sheet F ₂ which forms the wrapping of a single package in the unfolded condition.

The reference numerals 20' and 20" indicate peripheral punched regions which may be composed of a cut made by removal of the corresponding area of the sheet (20% or of an area of the sheet punched on three sides (so-called "tab" punching) but having one side attached (20"), according to the embodiment shown.

More specifically, Figures IA- ID, 2A-2D and 3A-3D show four different alternative embodiments of a flow-pack package which have, respectively, a wrapping with a trailing junction having punched and removed portions, a wrapping with a trailing junction having punched portions which are not removed, a wrapping with a covered extraction tab, and a wrapping with a straight-edged trailing junction.

Figures IA, 2A and 3 A show a flow-pack package having a wrapping with a trailing junction 12B having punched and removed portions.

In the unfolded condition shown in Figure 3A, the wrapping sheet F ₂ has three areas 20' which are punched and removed at regular intervals in the transverse direction, and which are positioned in such a way that they can overlap on the median longitudinal axis of the package, coinciding with the axis A of the product C, when the package is formed by folding the sheet.

At the leading edge of the package, the graspable tab 18 of the extraction web W is located in the cut-out area 20' of the next sheet F ₃ , while the cut-out area 20' belonging to the sheet F ₂ can accommodate the graspable tab 18 of the extraction web of the preceding package (not shown). In this way a compact arrangement of the package elements is provided, making it possible to separate the adjacent sheets by means of a single cutting line, giving maximum efficiency in the use of the wrapping sheet.

If the wrapping sheet has a single punched and cut-out area 20' on the median axis of the package, the finished package has flaps of the wrapping sheet superimposed on one face of the graspable tab, as shown in broken lines (22) in Figure 2A.

Figures IB, 2B and 3B show a flow-pack package having a wrapping with a trailing junction 12B having punched portions which are not removed.

In the unfolded condition shown in Figure 3B ₁ , the wrapping sheet F ₂ has three areas 20" which are punched, but not removed, positioned at regular intervals in the transverse direction in such a way that they can overlap on the median longitudinal axis of the package, coinciding with the axis A of the product C, when the package is formed by folding the sheet.

At the leading edge of the package, the graspable tab 18 of the extraction web W is located in the punched area 20" of the next sheet F ₃ , while the punched area 20" belonging to the sheet F ₂ can accommodate the graspable tab 18 of the extraction web of the preceding package (not shown). In this way a compact arrangement of the package elements is provided, making it possible to separate the adjacent sheets by means of a single cutting line, giving maximum efficiency in the use of the wrapping sheet.

If the wrapping sheet has a single punched and removed area 20" on the median axis of the package, the finished package has flaps of the wrapping sheet superimposed on one face of the graspable tab, as shown in broken lines (22) in Figure 2B.

Figures 1C, 2C and 3 C show a flow-pack package with a wrapping covering the extraction tab. The wrapping sheet F2 in the unfolded condition of Figure 3 C has no punched or cut-out areas.

At the leading end of the package, the graspable tab 18 of the extraction web W is located in an area of the next sheet F ₃ which is not cut out. The adjacent sheets are separated by a single cutting line shaped around the graspable tab, the profile of which is therefore transferred to the wrapping sheet, as a result of which the finished package has flaps of the wrapping sheet superimposed on both faces of the graspable tab, as shown (22) in Figure 2C.

Figures ID, 2D and 3D show a flow-pack package having a wrapping with a straight-edged trailing junction 12B .

In the unfolded condition shown in Figure 3D, the wrapping sheet F ₂ has three areas 20' which are punched and removed at regular intervals in the transverse direction, and which are positioned in such a way that they can overlap on the median longitudinal axis of the package, coinciding with the axis A of the product C, when the package is formed by folding the sheet.

At the leading edge of the package, the graspable tab 18 of the extraction web W is located in the cut-out area 20' of the next sheet F ₃ , while the cut-out area 20' belonging to the sheet F ₂ can accommodate the graspable tab 18 of the extraction web of the preceding package (not shown). A double cutting line, including a second cutting line in front of a first cutting line which follows the profile of the sheet provided with the cut-out 20', is used to obtain the straight edge of the trailing junction, although this detracts from the efficiency of the use of the wrapping sheet, part of which is removed from the line. Additionally, the depth of the junction area of the flaps of the wrapping sheet is less than that of the junction areas of the preceding embodiments.

If the wrapping sheet has a single punched and removed area 20' on the median axis of the package, the finished package has flaps of the wrapping sheet superimposed on one face of the graspable tab, as shown in broken lines (22) in Figure 2D.

Figures 4A-4D show in detail a web W for extracting the packaged products, in the form, of a sheet of flexible paper or plastics material which is foldable, adapted to retain the packaged product, and which has a tab projecting from the package through one of the transverse junctions, this tab being graspable by a user for the purpose of opening the wrapping, by tearing the junction, and extracting the contents from it.

The extraction web W can have a width equal to or less than the width of the packaged product, and comprises a portion for wrapping the product 40, divided into two regions by a folding line 42, namely a first region 44 for supporting the packaged product and a second region 46 for displaying information when the product has been extracted.

The information display region 46 is extended, in the front section of the web, with the graspable tab 18 for pulling the web and extracting the product from the package, this tab generally having a narrower cross section than the cross section of the wrapping portion 40.

A positioning notch 48 is formed at the opposite end to the extraction tab, in the rear section of the web at the end of the region 44 for supporting the product, the purpose of the notch being to guide the placing of the web W in the correct position in a packaging machine, as will be made clear in the following description of a packaging machine for making the package according to the invention.

A bonding area 50 is provided at the sides of the positioning notch 48, and receives an adhesive material for joining the extraction web to the wrapping sheet of the package, thus preventing its detachment and total extraction (in other words, preventing it from being drawn out without pulling out the product contained in the package).

Figures 4B and 4C show the appearance of the extraction web in the folded condition, from the upper and lower side respectively. By way of example, Figure 4D shows the extraction web wrapped around a product, in which the areas to be used for joining the packaging wrapping are indicated by the reference numeral 52. The positioning and number of these areas is shown purely for information and can obviously vary according to the transverse dimension of the extraction web and its configuration.

Advantageously, the extraction web has two bonding areas 50, on both faces, where two different adhesive materials are conveniently applied, these materials being a first adhesive of a stronger type for keeping the web adhering to the wrapping sheet even during its handling for the extraction of the contents of the package, and a second adhesive having lower adhesion, which can easily yield during the opening operation.

Preferably, the adhesive material used is a screen printing adhesive which bonds the web to the wrapping envelope when it comes into contact with the heat of the bonding equipment of the packaging machine. Possible alternatives include the use of poly-coated paper webs, or webs of plastics material with adhesives or varnishes spread directly on the wrapping envelope, or the use of hot melt adhesive applicators.

Finally, Figures 5 A-5D show an opening sequence of a flow-pack package proposed by the invention.

hi the sealed or bonded condition (Figure 5A), the graspable tab 18 projects from a junction of the package so that it can be grasped by the purchaser's hand. When a pulling force is applied in the direction away from the package, the web W wrapping the product urges the product C against the leading junction 12A of the package, hi the case of a rigid product, its front edge acts as a cutter to open the junction (Figure 5B). When the extraction is complete (Figure 5D), the web wrapping the product is entirely extracted except for its trailing portion which is still fixed inside the package by its strong bonding points. The portion 44 of the web supports the product extracted from the package, thus preventing it from accidentally falling, while the portion 46 is used to display information to the purchaser of the product. A packaging machine P for producing a package according to the invention is described in the following part of the description, with reference to Figures 6, 7A-7C, 8, 9A-9B, 10A- 10D, ll and l2A-12C.

As shown in the general view in Figure 6, the packaging machine P comprises a plurality of stations in line, some of which are well known to those skilled in the art since they are commonly used in machines for forming flexible tube or flow-pack packages.

A first part of the machine is used for the preparation of the products to be packaged, and specifically for wrapping the extraction web according to the invention around the products, and a second part, downstream of the first, is used for the actual packing of the products, in other words the feeding of the wrapping sheet and the formation of the finished package.

A guide conveyor 60 for the products to be packed receives the products C and conveys them through the packaging stations. A plurality of conveyor devices 62 in the form of pushing blades, projecting at regular intervals upwards from the support plane of the guide, for pushing the products along the guide, determines the rate of output, in other words the regions of the guide intended to receive a set of products in sequence.

In the first part of the machine, a first station for feeding the extraction web W includes a sheet feeder device 70 for positioning the product extraction web in advance on the guide conveyor 60. This operation is carried out upstream of the positioning of the products to be packaged, in such a way that the web remains under the products which are placed on top of it.

Each web W is loaded in an unfolded condition into the feeder device, with the flap 50 spread with adhesive and facing downwards, and is dropped by gravity on to the guide conveyor 60.

At the end of the feeder device, in the dropping area, suitable steel guides allow to position the web on the median axis of the guide conveyor 60 located beneath. The web is discharged from the feeder device 70 at a predetermined rate, in one of various possible modes including feeding by discharge against the direction of movement (Figure 7A), feeding by discharge in line (Figure 7B), and feeding by perpendicular discharge (Figure 7C).

As a general rule, the web W in its unfolded condition is positioned in such a way that its rear section, including the positioning notch 48, is placed to abut against a corresponding pushing blade 62 projecting from the support plane of the guide 60, while its front section rests on the top of the preceding blade 62.

A timing grid 80 ensures that the extraction web bears correctly on the guide conveyor 60, by using controlled-atmosphere air jets 82 to press the web W on to the guide 60.

Downstream of the feeder device 70 and its timing grid 80, there is a stage for feeding the products to be packaged, which are discharged on to the region 44 of the extraction web.

A subsequent folding unit 90 performs the folding of the extraction web, thus wrapping it around the products deposited on it. A currently preferred embodiment of the folding unit is shown in Figures 9A and 9B, in a side and front view respectively. This has the function of folding the web on to itself so as to wrap the products deposited on it and create a pack with the products retained in this way. A compressed air nozzle 92 supplies a jet of air in an upward direction to raise the portion 46 of the web which is clear of the products, while an opposing wheel or pressure roller 94 positioned upstream of the nozzle 92 keeps the products in contact with the portion 44 of the web on the guide conveyor.

A plurality of idle rollers 96 downstream of the nozzle 92 are arranged to fold the front flap of the web raised by the air jet beyond a predetermined threshold angle, and to maintain this folding angle for a predetermined time of advance of the product being packaged, thus imparting to the web a fold beyond a predetermined angle in order to reduce its elastic return due to the shape memory of the flexible material (paper or plastic) from which it is made.

The opposing wheel 94 is adapted to move alternately away upwards and towards the product guide conveyor, in order not to impede the advance of the set of pushing blades 62, according to the speed of advance of the set of next products to be packaged.

The air jet for raising the front portion of the web is preferably regulated by a solenoid valve controlled by an electronic unit U for controlling and timing the stages of operation. This unit is arranged to control the starting of the air jet and its continuation for a predetermined period which is required to raise the web sufficiently for it to be "captured" by the folding rollers 96.

When the folding has been carried out, springs or similar pressing devices can conveniently be used to keep the web pressed in the folded condition until the next station of the packaging line is reached.

An example of a system for raising the web for its subsequent folding, which may be used as an alternative to the compressed air jet, is a system using a rocker member 97 which is recessed into the guide conveyor 60 and comprises a fork-shaped lever 98 driven by a pneumatic cylinder 99 by means of a crank, as shown in side view and from above in Figure 9C. This enables the front part of the web to be raised mechanically until it is ready to be gripped by the folding rollers 96, as in the embodiment in which it is raised by an air jet.

Clearly, the guide conveyor 60 is shaped with a base portion pierced at regular intervals in order not to obstruct the flow of air for raising the web at the folding unit 90, if this unit is of the compressed-air type. An alignment system may be required to keep the web centred with respect to the guide conveyor and the corresponding pushing blade during its advance, if the air jet folding method is used.

Advantageously, a guide conveyor 60 of double thickness may be used, comprising a pair of longitudinal peripheral projections 100, which can be produced, for example, by applying a pair of adhesive strips to the base of the guide with tapered areas at the entry and exit of the folding unit to avoid trapping and throwing off the products placed on the web, whereby the extraction web is made to lie on the base of the guide while the products, of greater width, rest on the projections.

Downstream of the folding unit 90, the semi-packaged product (in other words, the product wrapped in its extraction web) is accompanied by the corresponding conveyor device 62 and delivered to a packing station which includes a reel for unwinding a wrapping sheet. The conveyor device is arranged to release the semi-packaged product by rotating in the backward direction until it disappears under the base plane of the guide conveyor 60 in order not to impede the advance of the product.

Figures 1 OA-I OD show the packing operation, in the four different package embodiments illustrated and described previously with reference to Figures 1A-1D. It includes the unwinding of a wrapping sheet from a feed reel 110 on to a set of products to be packaged, its folding and the binding of a product unit, in a direction of wrapping around the median axis of the product, with the formation of the longitudinal junction of the longitudinal flaps. The intermediate transverse regions intended to form the leading and trailing sections of each individual package are then joined, and adjacent packages are separated from each other. The packing procedure is carried out by methods which are known to those skilled in the art because they are commonly used with ordinary machines for forming flow-pack packages, and it will not be described further here except as regards the stages relating to innovative aspects of the package.

The joining operation is carried out by a bonding and cutting unit 120, using opposing bonding blocks 120' and 120" as shown in Figure 11, each having a transverse bonding bar provided with a central seat for housing either the cutting blades 130 or the anvils of the cutting blades.

The bonding blocks have a high working temperature, sufficient to melt the screen printing adhesive or similar adhesive previously applied to the wrapping sheet, thus causing the bondable flaps of the wrapping to adhere securely to each other. The shaped (punched) area of the terminal section of the extraction web, particularly the notch 48, makes it possible to bond the areas of the package wrapping not occupied by the web, in such a way that the package is correctly and completely sealed to prevent the contents from falling out. The strength of the bonding must be such that the package can be opened simply by pulling the extraction web, this operation possibly being aided by the cutting edge of the packaged products which the extraction web pushes against the bonded section during its movement in the action of opening.

In particular, the basis weight of the extraction web must be chosen in such a way that the web does not tear when in use, but can be folded easily for wrapping the product as described above.

The bar of the bonding block can be made from ordinary materials used in packaging lines for flow-pack packages, in order to press and melt the adhesive material provided on the extraction web too, in such a way that this material adheres firmly to the wrapping sheet of the package without adversely affecting the wrapping in the bonding area.

The bonding blocks 120' and 120" and the cutting blades 130 are made in the configurations of Figures 12A-12C, according to the type of package as shown in Figures 1A-1D.

In detail, Figure 12A shows the bonding blocks 120' and 120" for bonding and cutting the packages in the embodiment of Figures IA and IB (see also Figures 1OA and 1OB which show the whole terminal stage of the packaging machine). Each bonding block has a cutout area S to avoid interference with the positioning of the graspable tab of the product extraction web.

Since the wrapping has punched and cut-out areas 20' or areas 20" which are simply punched to form tabs, there are two aligned cutting blades 130, positioned in such a way that they interfere with the punched areas 20' and 20".

Figure 12B shows the bonding blocks 120' and 120" for bonding and cutting the packages in the embodiment of Figure 1C (10C). The cutting edge is shaped so that it runs around the profile of the graspable tab.

Finally, Figure 12C shows the bonding blocks 120' and 120" for bonding and cutting the packages in the embodiment of Figure ID (10D). The bonding and cutting unit in this embodiment is adapted to execute a double cut, in order to shape the leading section of the package in a different way from the trailing section. A cutting edge 130' shaped to run around the profile of the graspable tab defines the cut of the leading section of the package, while a transverse blade 130" running across the whole width of the package is adapted to create a straight cutting profile on the trailing section.

Clearly, provided that the principles of the invention are retained, the forms of realization and the details of construction can be varied widely from what has been described and illustrated purely by way of example and without restrictive intent, without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention as defined by the attached claims.