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Title:
APPARATUS FOR FORMING VOTD-FILL PACKAGING
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2006/129052
Kind Code:
A1
Abstract:
Apparatus (10) for forming void-fill packaging, comprises a longitudinal guide path (12) along which tubular plastics material (11) can pass, drive means (15) for moving the plastics material along the guide path (12), transverse sealing means (16, 28) for forming one or more seals transversely across the plastics material, and air injecting means (30, 32) for injecting air into the tubular plastics material. The air injecting means (30, 32) includes an on-board air supply device (18) dimensioned so that the void-fill packaging apparatus (10) is portable as an operational unit.

Inventors:
YEO KARL (GB)
LINFORD NEIL (GB)
Application Number:
PCT/GB2006/001736
Publication Date:
December 07, 2006
Filing Date:
May 11, 2006
Export Citation:
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Assignee:
GREEN LIGHT PACKAGING LTD (GB)
YEO KARL (GB)
LINFORD NEIL (GB)
International Classes:
B31D5/00
Domestic Patent References:
WO2003086742A12003-10-23
WO2002083399A12002-10-24
WO2001074686A22001-10-11
WO2001021391A12001-03-29
Foreign References:
EP1245491A12002-10-02
US20040206050A12004-10-21
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
MARKS & CLERK (Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL50 1RQ, GB)
Download PDF:
Claims:
CLAIMS
1. Apparatus for forming voidfill packaging, the apparatus (10) comprising a longitudinal guide path (12) along which tubular plastics material can pass, drive means (15) for moving the plastics material along the guide path (12), transverse sealing means (16, 28) for forming one or more seals transversely across the plastics material, and air injecting means (30, 32) for injecting air into the tubular plastics material, the air injecting means (30, 32) including an onboard air supply device (18) dimensioned so that the voidfill packaging apparatus (10) is portable as an operational unit.
2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the air supply device (18) is an electrically energisable pump (36).
3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the pump (36) is a linear dynamic pump.
4. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the air supply device (18) is positioned beneath the longitudinal guide path (12).
5. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the air supply device (18) supplies air in a pressure range of 50 to 500 millibar.
6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the air supply device (18) supplies air at a pressure of or substantially of 200 millibar.
7. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the air injecting means (30, 32) includes one or more injectors (30) for piercing the tubular plastics material to enable air from the air supply device (18) to be injected into the tubular plastics material.
8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the or each injector (30) of the air injecting means (30, 32) is movable relative to the longitudinal guide path (12).
9. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a separating member (40) for location in the tubular plastics material to separate opposing sides of the tubular plastics material, the separating member (40) being removably positionable on or adjacent to the longitudinal guide path (12).
10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the separating member (40) includes a body (42), tail (44) and wings (46).
11. Apparatus as claimed in any claim 9 or claim 10, when claim 9 is dependent on claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the or each injector (30) of the air injecting means (30, 32) is cooperable with the separating member (40) to enable air to enter the tubular plastics material.
12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein, in use, air is discharged via the tail (44) of the separating member (40) to enter the plastics material.
13. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the transverse sealing means (16, 28) includes means for transversely perforating the tubular plastics material.
14. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the drive means (15), transverse sealing means (16, 28) and air injecting means (30, 32) are controllable so that different sizes of voidfill packaging can be produced.
15. Apparatus for forming voidfill packaging as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in combination with tubular plastics material (11).
16. Apparatus for forming voidfill packaging, the apparatus (10) comprising a longitudinal guide path (12) along which tubular plastics material can pass, drive means (15) for moving the plastics material along the guide path (12), transverse sealing means (16, 28) for forming one or more seals transversely across the plastics material, and air injecting means (30, 32) for injecting air into the tubular plastics material, the air injecting means (30, 32) including an air supply device (18) other than a peripheral compressor.
17. Apparatus for forming voidfill packaging, the apparatus (10) comprising a longitudinal guide path (12) along which tubular plastics material can pass, drive means (15) for moving the plastics material along the guide path (12), transverse sealing means (16, 28) for forming one or more seals transversely across the plastics material, and air injecting means (30, 32) for injecting air into the tubular plastics material, the air injecting means (30, 32) including an electrically energisable air supply device (18) so that the apparatus (10) is solely electrically energisable to produce voidfill packaging.
18. A compressorless voidfill packaging production device comprising a longitudinal guide path (12) along which tubular plastics material can pass, drive means (15) for moving the plastics material along the guide path (12), transverse sealing means (16, 28) for forming one or more seals transversely across the plastics material, and air injecting means (30, 32) for injecting air into the tubular plastics material, the air injecting means (30, 32) including an onboard air pump (36).
Description:
APPARATUS FOR FORMING VOTD-FILL PACKAGING

This invention relates to apparatus for forming void-fill packaging.

Void- JBU packages, such as air-cushion packages, are well-known. They are used in parcels to help protect the contents from shock and damage, and are inserted into spaces or voids which exist between the contents and the sides of the parcel.

EP1214189A provides apparatus for the manufacture of such void-fill packages from a roll of tubular plastics material. This apparatus includes an extendable and retractable injector needle which cooperates with a separator member disposed within the tubular plastics material to inject air into the tube interior.

However, the apparatus remains relatively bulky and requires connection to a peripheral high pressure, typically 6 bar or more, compressor. Consequently, the apparatus is not portable, and can only be used at locations having access to a suitable air supply.

Pneumatic systems are typically utilised to drive the apparatus. However, these systems are slow and cumbersome, resulting in low productivity.

The present invention seeks to provide a solution to these problems.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided apparatus for

forming void-fill packaging, the apparatus comprising a longitudinal guide path along which tubular plastics material can pass, drive means for moving the plastics material along the guide path, transverse sealing means for forming one or more seals transversely across the plastics material, and air injecting means for injecting air into the tubular plastics material, the air injecting means including an on-board air supply device dimensioned so that the void-fill packaging apparatus is portable as a self-contained operational unit.

The term Operational unit' is intended to mean that, once the apparatus is electrically energised, the apparatus is fully functional without requiring further connection to a peripheral air source.

Preferable and/or optional features of the first aspect of the invention are set forth in claims 2 to 15, inclusive.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided apparatus for forming void-fill packaging, the apparatus comprising a longitudinal guide path along which tubular plastics material can pass, drive means for moving the plastics material along the guide path, transverse sealing means for forming one or more seals transversely across the plastics material, and air injecting means for injecting air into the tubular plastics material, the air injecting means including an air supply device other than a peripheral compressor.

According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided Apparatus for forming void-fill packaging, the apparatus comprising a longitudinal guide path along which tubular plastics material can pass, drive means for moving the plastics material along the guide path, transverse sealing means for forming one or more seals transversely across the plastics material, and air injecting means for injecting air into the tubular plastics material, the air injecting means including an electrically energisable air supply device so that the apparatus is solely electrically energisable to produce void-fill packaging.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a compressorless void-fill packaging production device comprising a longitudinal guide path along which tubular plastics material can pass, drive means for moving the plastics material along the guide path, transverse sealing means for forming one or more seals transversely across the plastics material, and air injecting means for injecting air into the tubular plastics material, the air injecting means including an on-board air pump.

The invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :

Figure 1 is a schematic side view of one embodiment of apparatus for forming void-fill packaging, in accordance with the invention and with a separator member removed;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is an enlarged side view of an injector device shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a view of the injector device shown from one end of the apparatus;

Figure 5 is a plan view of the injector device;

Figure 6 is a plan view of a separator member in isolation which forms parts of the apparatus; and

Figure 7 is an end view of the separator member, from line A-A.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown apparatus 10 for forming void fill packaging from plastics material 11. The plastics material 11 is biodegradable or other compostable, recyclable or photodegradable film.

The apparatus 10 comprises a longitudinal guide path 12 along which the plastics material 11 can be moved in a direction shown by arrow X, a pair of rotatable support members 14 for supporting the plastics material 11, drive means which includes motorised drive wheels 15 downstream of the support members 14, sealing means downstream of the drive wheels 15 and extending transversely to the guide path 12, and air injecting means including an on-board air supply device 18.

The sealing means is similar to that disclosed in EP1214189A, and generally

comprises a press 16 having two upstanding guide elements 20 which are positioned on opposite sides of the guide path 12, a lower beam 22, and an upper beam 24 both mounted on the guide elements 20 to slide relative to each other. The lower and upper beams 22 and 24 are spring biased apart, and extend transversely to the guide path 12 so that the guide path 12 passes therebetween.

A solenoid actuator 26, in use, acts on the lower beam 22 to drive the lower beam 22 towards the upper beam 24.

An energisable heating platen 28 is mounted upwardly-facing on the upper surface of the lower beam 22 which, when energised, forms a transverse heat seal fully across the plastics material 11 as the lower and upper beams 22 and 24 are brought together.

The air injecting means comprises a pair of hollow needle-like air injectors 30 mounted in spaced relationship on arms of a T-shaped support element 32. The leg of the T-shaped support element 32 is connected to an energisable solenoid actuator 34 which, in use, moves the support element 32 vertically or substantially vertically into and away from the longitudinal guide path 12.

Air conduits (not shown) are connectable between lower ends of the hollow air injectors 30 and the air supply device 18. In this case, the air supply device 18 comprises a pair of electrically energisable pumps 36, which are preferably low pressure

linear dynamic pumps such as provided by Rietschle Thomas UK Ltd of Alton, Hants, United Kingdom.

The pumps 36 supply air in a pressure range of 50 to 500 millibar, and preferably supply air at a pressure of or substantially of 200 millibar.

An independent on-board pump 36 is provided for supplying air to each air injector 30. However, a single on-board pump could be provided for providing air to both injectors 30.

The pumps 36, along with a step-down transformer 38, are housed on the apparatus 10 adjacent to and below the longitudinal guide path 12. As such, the apparatus 10 is extremely compact and self-contained, and is conveniently connectable to any suitable electrical power supply, such as a mains power supply, in order to operate.

To separate the tubular plastics material 11, the apparatus 10 is also provided with a removable separating member 40, as shown in Figures 6 and 7. The separating member 40 includes a body 42, tail 44 and wings 46. The separating member 40 is locatable on the longitudinal guide path 12, with the head of the body 42 facing upstream towards the plastics material support members 14.

Similarly as described in EP1214189A, the tubular plastics material 11 is fed over the separating member 40, so that the separating member 40 is located inside the

plastics material 11 during use. The body 42 and wings 46 separate the upper and lower layers of the tubular plastics material.

The tail 44 of the separating member 40 is adapted to cooperate with the needle- like air injectors 30. The tail 44 has complementary shaped openings 48 in a lower surface to receive the ends of the air injectors 30 as they move into the longitudinal guide path 12. The tail 44 includes conduits 50 which extend from the openings 48 in the lower surface through the tail 44 and open out on downstream-facing edges 52. Air thus passing through the air injectors 30 from the pumps 36 is directed into the tail 44 of the separating member 40 and discharges into the tubular plastics material 11 via openings 54 in the downstream-facing edge 52 of the tail 44.

The separating member 40 generally has sufficient mass that the cooperation between the needle-like air injectors 30 and the tail 44 of the separating member 40 causes the plastics material 11 interposed therebetween to be pierced.

However, an openable, typically hinged, housing 56 is provided above the longitudinal guide path 12 in which the separating member 40 can be removably mounted and loosely retained.

Once the injectors 30 are withdrawn from the separating member 40 and the plastics material 11, the plastics material 11 is drawn along the longitudinal guide path 12 to enable a seal to be formed upstream of the pierced portion by the sealing means.

The sealing means can include a perforator for forming perforations transversely across the plastics material.

More than one seal can be simultaneously or substantially simultaneously transversely formed across the plastics material. To achieve this, a secondary heating platen is required on the press or a further press.

Means for controlling the apparatus is also provided. Typically, the control means takes the form of control circuitry that enables void-fill packages or pillows of various sizes to be formed.

The above described apparatus is extremely advantageous since no external or peripheral pump, compressor or other air source is required. The apparatus is thus compressorless. The apparatus solely requires electrical energisation to enable void-fill packages to be produced, instead of pneumatic systems as are commonly used in the art. By using electrical energisation, the apparatus operates far more quickly, and is fully portable allowing use at any location with access to an electrical power supply, either being a mains power supply or a generator provided power supply.

The embodiment described above is given by way of example only, and modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.