FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a blank for forming a wrap-around pack for foodstuffs, a wraparound pack formed from the blank, a reel comprising a plurality of the blanks and a method of forming a series of the blanks. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Fresh and convenience foodstuffs such as baguettes, wraps and hard fruits (e.g. apples) are often packed in a wraparound pack which is hermetically sealed to maintain its freshness for an extended shelf life, or utilises a modified atmosphere within the pack for the same reason. The packs are formed from a web of film on a flow- wrapper type machine by forming a tube around the foodstuff to envelope it and heat sealing the longitudinal margins of the web to maintain the tubular shape. Further transverse heat seal seams are formed at each end of the foodstuff and the transverse seam is severed in the middle to separate an individual pack from the tube.

A blank comprising a section of plastics film substrate and one or more sections of paperboard is described in WO2015/150804. The paperboard is used as a reinforcing material to improve the rigidity of the finished pack, and provide something relatively stiff and of a substantially fixed dimension to assist in the flow-wrapping process. Usually the paperboard provides a surface which may have information printed on it to provide information regarding the foodstuff and to make it attractive to prospective purchasers at a retailer.

Typically, unwanted pieces of paperboard are cut out from a web of paperboard prior to the paperboard being adhesively attached to the film substrate, leaving the desired paperboard structure in place. Tearing of the paperboard can take place as the excess is removed. Additionally, removing relatively large pieces of paperboard can lead to blocking of the removal machine. Tabs are left in place when the excess paperboard is removed in order to join sections of the paperboard together, so that a continuous strip of paperboard remaining prior to attachment of the paperboard to the substrate. This aids handling of the paperboard, e.g. by assisting automated transfer of the paperboard between stations during the manufacturing process. However, the paperboard tabs can hinder heat-sealing of the substrate, so must be removed after the paperboard has been attached to the substrate.

The present invention seeks to overcome, or at least mitigate, the problems of the prior art. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a blank for forming a wrap-around pack for foodstuffs, comprising a section of plastics film substrate, the film substrate section being generally rectangular with a front edge, a rear edge, and first and second sides; and a section of reinforcing material, attached to an outer surface of the film substrate, the reinforcing material having a first end towards the substrate front edge and a second end towards the substrate rear edge. At least a portion of the reinforcing material first end extends to the front edge of the substrate, and at least a portion of the second end extends to the rear edge of the substrate. The first end and second end portions are aligned with one another with respect to a longitudinal axis of the blank extending between the front and rear edges, i.e. along the direction the blank is fed during assembly of the wrap-around pack, such that during production of multiple, like, blanks, the second end portion is joined to the first end portion of an adjacent, like, blank. The first and second portions extend only partway along the respective front and rear edges of the substrate.

The reinforcing material sections of multiple blanks being joined to one another allows a web of reinforcing material to be manipulated prior to attachment to the film substrate without the need for a further step of removing reinforcing material after attachment to the substrate. That is, as the joined portions of the reinforcing material are part of the final structure of the blank, they do not need to be removed as the tabs of the prior art are.

The first and/or second end portion may comprise an elongate strip. The first and/or second end portion may comprise two elongate strips extending substantially parallel to one another and to the longitudinal axis of the blank. The elongate strips form the base of the formed pack (as described in further detail below), providing support and stability. The strip form advantageously reduces the amount of reinforcing material at the end of the pack, where heat sealing takes place, and allows effective heat sealing to take place.

The or each elongate strip may be tapered, such that the or each strip narrows towards the respective front or rear edge of the substrate. The or each strip may be tapered on its outer side only, i.e. the side proximal the respective substrate side. Alternatively, the or each strip may be tapered on both sides. The or each strip may be tapered on its inner side only, i.e. the side distal the closest substrate side.

The tapered strips advantageously further reduce the amount of reinforcing material at the ends of the pack where heat sealing takes place, whilst allowing the remainder of the strip to be thick enough to provide support to the pack. In addition, the taper increases tolerance when reducing the likelihood of interference when heat sealing the ends and longitudinal seam of the pack.

The reinforcing material section may comprise two outer wings linked by a connecting part, and at least one wing may be joined to the connecting part at a radiused join. When waste reinforcing material is removed, the join having a radius decreases the likelihood of tearing in that region.

The connecting part may have arced edges. Again, this reduces the likelihood of tearing upon removal of waste reinforcing material.

Each wing may comprise one of the first and second portions. The first and second portions in this embodiment thus lie either side of the central connecting part.

At least one section of the reinforcing material may have at least one predefined fold area extending substantially parallel to the sides of the film substrate. The fold area may be defined by a cut-out area. The cut-out area may be substantially lozenge-shaped. By "lozenge- shaped", a round-ended rectangle shape is indicated. The cut-out area increases ease of folding at that point, thus ensuring folding takes place at the desired location. The lozenge or round-ended rectangular shape decreases the likelihood of tearing when waste reinforcing material is removed. The reinforcing material may be paperboard. Paperboard provides a material of suitable rigidity which assists in the flow-wrapping process.

There is also provided a wrap-around pack for foodstuffs formed from a blank as described above. The reinforcing material first and second end portions may have first and second outer sides. The first and second outer sides may be substantially parallel to the substrate sides. The reinforcing material outer sides may be spaced apart from one another at the respective front or rear edge of the substrate by between 12mm and 18mm. The reinforcing material outer sides may be spaced apart from one another at the respective front or rear edge of the substrate by between 14mm and 16mm. The outer sides may be spaced apart from one another at the respective front or rear edge of the substrate by approximately 15mm.

The spacing between the outer sides of the reinforcing material allows an effective heat- sealed seam to be created in the substrate, whilst providing support/rigidity to the pack. The substrate side edges may be joined to form a seam, and the seam may extend between the reinforcing material outer sides.

There is also provided a reel comprising a plurality of blanks as described above. There is further provided a method of forming a series of blanks for forming a wrap-around pack for foodstuffs, comprising the steps of:

a) feeding a web of reinforcing material in a first feed direction through a die station where an outline is cut in the web, the outline defining a waste portion and a residual section of the web;

b) providing a continuous substrate of plastics film and feeding the continuous substrate in the first feed direction, substantially parallel to the web of reinforcing material; and

c) bonding the residual portion of the web and a first portion of the film substrate to one another at an attachment station; wherein the web of reinforcing material extends only partway across the breadth of the substrate. The web of reinforcing material extends only partway across the breadth of the substrate throughout the whole method, i.e. during steps a), b) and c). Advantageously, there are no reinforcing material tabs at the edges of the blanks that must later be removed.

The method may further comprise the step of:

d) removing the waste portion downstream of the die station and upstream of the attachment station;

wherein no further removal of waste reinforcing material takes place.

Advantageously, as only a single waste removal step is required, the method is more efficient than that of the prior art. Fewer machines are needed and the process is quicker.

In step a), the outline may define one or more circles in the waste portion.

In step c) the residual portion of the web is adhesively bonded to the film substrate. The method may further comprise the step of:

e) making continuous fold lines in the web of reinforcing material.

The method may further comprise the step of:

f) making a continuous series of equidistant creases in the web of reinforcing material.

The reinforcing material may be paperboard. As above, paperboard provides a material of suitable rigidity which assists in the flow-wrapping process.

Register or datum marks are not required as the fold lines and/or creases are continuous, so there is no need to know when creases must be produced.

Other aspects and features of the invention will be apparent from the claims and the following description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a blank according to an aspect of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of a repeating array of the blank of Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a pack formed from the blank of Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the blank of Figures 1 and 2, showing cut-outs of excess reinforcing material; and

Figure 5 is a schematic view of an apparatus for forming the blank of Figures 1 to 4 according to a method of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT(S) With reference to Figure 1, a blank for forming a wrap-around pack for foodstuffs is indicated generally at 10. The blank has a section of plastics film substrate 12 and a section of reinforcing material 22. The reinforcing material 22 serves to improve the rigidity of the finished pack and provides assistance in the flow-wrapping process. In this embodiment, the reinforcing material is paperboard 22. In alternative embodiments, other suitable reinforcing material is used, e.g. plastics material.

The paperboard 22 is attached to an outer surface of the substrate 12, as described in further detail below. In this embodiment, the paperboard 22 is adhesively attached to the substrate 12, though in alternative embodiments other suitable forms of attachment may be used.

The plastics film substrate 12 is shown in Figure 1 in the finely-hatched areas. The film substrate 12 is in this embodiment generally rectangular, having a front edge 14, a rear edge 16 and first 18 and second 20 sides extending between the front and rear edges 14, 16. The sides 18, 20 are substantially parallel to a direction x in which the blank 10 is fed during assembly of the wrap-around pack. The front and rear edges 14, 16 are shorter than the sides 18, 20. In this embodiment, the front and rear edges 14, 16 are 242mm while the sides 18, 20 are 292mm in length. In alternative embodiments, the edges 14, 16 and sides 18, 20 are of other lengths. The front and rear edges 14, 16 may be longer than the sides 18, 20, or all four edges 14, 16 and sides 18, 20 may be substantially the same length, so that the substrate 12 is substantially square.

The paperboard 22 is shown in Figure 1. The paperboard 22 has a first end 24 towards the substrate front edge 14. The paperboard 22 has a second end 26 towards the substrate rear edge 16. The paperboard first end 24 has two portions 24a, 24b that extend to the front edge 14. The second end 26 has two portions 26a, 26b that extend to the rear edge 16. As shown in Figure 1, the first and second portions 24a, 24b, 26a, 26b extend only partway along the respective front and rear edges of the substrate. There are sections of the front 14 and rear 16 edges of the substrate that do not have paperboard attached thereto.

The first 24a, 24b and second 26a, 26b end portions are aligned with one another with respect to the direction x. This alignment of the first 24a, 24b and second 26a, 26b end portions is such that during production of multiple, like, blanks, the second end portion is joined to the first end portion of an adjacent, like, blank, to form a continuous web as shown in Figure 2. The web is separated into individual blanks during the manufacturing process.

In this embodiment, the end portions 24a, 24b, 26a, 26b are fully aligned. In alternative embodiments, the end portions are not in full alignment, yet are aligned to the extent that they join the respective end portions of an adjacent, like, blank to form a continuous web. In alternative embodiments, there is a single aligned end portion at each end, or there are more than two end portions at each end.

In this embodiment, the paperboard 22 is adhesively attached to the substrate with a UV cured adhesive.

The first and second end portions 24a, 24b, 26a, 26b are elongate strips, as shown in Figure 1. In this embodiment, substantially parallel elongate strips 30 extend the full length of the blank 10, with a longitudinal axis y substantially parallel to direction x. In an alternative embodiment, the elongate strips extend only part of the length of the blank 10, e.g. extending from a central body to the edges 14, 16.

The elongate strips 30 are tapered at each end portion 24a, 24b, 26a, 26b, such that the strips narrow towards the respective front or rear edge 14, 16 of the substrate. In this embodiment, the strips 30 are tapered on both sides. In an alternative embodiment, the strips 30 are tapered on the outer sides only, i.e. on the side proximal the respective substrate side 18, 20. In this embodiment, the elongate strips 30 are 22.5mm wide at their main body. The strips 30 narrow to a width of 17.5 at the edges 14, 16. In this embodiment the taper is symmetrical, i.e. a taper of 2.5mm on each side. In alternative embodiments the strips are of other suitable dimensions.

It has been found that an effective heat seal can be made at each end of the blank 10 with end portion 24a, 24b, 26a, 26b of this width extending over the substrate 12. The tapered end portions 24a, 24b, 26a, 26b are substantially 41mm in length, though in alternative embodiments they are of some other suitable length.

The paperboard 22 has two outer wings 32 linked by a connecting part 34. The wings 32 include the elongate strips 30. The wings 32 are joined to the connecting part 34 at a radiused join 36. The radius decreases the likelihood of tearing at the join 36 as waste paperboard is removed. The connecting part 34 of this embodiment is substantially circular, again reducing the likelihood of tearing as waste paperboard is removed. In this embodiment, the connecting part 34 is central, and the wings 32 extend equally on either side such that the blank 10 is symmetrical. However, in alternative embodiments the blank is asymmetric.

A fold area is defined by cut out areas 42 between the connecting part 34 and each wing 32. In addition, as shown in Figure 1, the paperboard 22 defines fold lines 38, 40. The fold lines 38 extend substantially parallel to the direction x and each extends through one of the cut-out areas 42. In this embodiment, the cut-out area 42 is substantially lozenge shaped. That is, the cut- out area 42 is a round-ended rectangle shape. The cut-out 42 encourages folding to occur along the line 38, as the paperboard 22 is weakened by the removal of material from the cut-out 42. The lozenge shape of the cut-out 42 reduces the likelihood of tearing as the waste paperboard is removed. Further fold lines 40 again extend substantially parallel to direction x. The fold lines 40 are provided by perforations in the paperboard 22 formed during the manufacturing process (as discussed in further detail below), and are located where the elongated strips 30 join the remainder of each respective wing 32. The elongate strips 30 have a series of chevron creases 48 stamped along their length. The creases 46 extend at an angle, in this embodiment, of substantially 45 degrees across almost the full width of each strip 30. The creases 48 of each strip 30 have reflectional symmetry to one another, i.e. the creases 48 of the strip 30 towards the first side 18 are angled in the opposite direction to those of the strip 30 proximal of the second side 20. In this embodiment, the creases 48 are spaced approximately 8 mm from one another.

The creases 48 aid subsequent forming of the blank 10 into a pack, as shown in Figure 3, on a flow wrapper or form, fill and seal machine.

The blank 10 is formed into a wrap-around pack 45 (as shown in Figure 3) for foodstuffs such as baguettes, wraps, sausage rolls and the like. The strips 30 form the base of the pack 45, and provide stability and support to the pack 45. When formed, the outer sides 28 are spaced apart from one another at the pack ends 14, 16 by a distance z, in this embodiment 15mm. The 15mm distance between the first and second end portions 24a, 24b, and 26a, 26b allows room for a seam 44 to be formed in the substrate 12 by heat sealing (as shown in figure 3). In alternative embodiments, the distance z may be between 12mm and 18mm, or between 14mm and 16mm, or between 10mm and 20mm.

Figure 4 shows the paperboard 22 with a series of cut-outs 46. In this embodiment, the cut-outs 46 are circular. The circles 46 are stamped into the waste part of the paperboard 22 to improve waste removal. Breaking up the waste paperboard into smaller pieces makes extraction of the waste easier, and reduces the likelihood of blockages. Stamping out circles rather than e.g. a square or rectangular shapes again improves extraction, as there are no corners where tearing is more likely to occur.

Figure 5 is a schematic representation of the automated apparatus 50 that can be used to form a reel 52 of blanks 10. One example of a suitable apparatus is a UV flexographic press as manufactured by Gallus Ferd. Riiesch AG of St Gallen, Switzerland with suitable adaptions as set up below.

A web of reinforcing material, in this embodiment paperboard, 54 is continuously fed from a reel 56 in a first feed direction a. The web 54 passes through at least one print station 58 to add ink to a top surface of the web 54, the ink defining the images and/or text. Typically the apparatus includes several, for example 7 or 8, print stations 58 so as to produce full colour images, as well as varnishes and other coatings as may be required. The inks and other coatings are typically low migration, since despite the fact they are on the exterior of a pack, when on a reel they will sit in contact with an interior face of the film.

The web 54 is then fed through the a die station 60 where a rotary dye cuts an outline in the web 54 through the entire depth of the paperboard to form an outline defining a waste portion 47 and a residual section 49 of the web 54 as shown in figure 4. The waste portion 47, including the circles 46 as previously described, is then extracted from the web 54 at the first die station 60.

Due to the joined end portions 24a, 24b, 26a, 26b described above, the web 54 remains continuous at this stage, and can be fed to the next station in the process despite not yet being attached to film.

The web 54 then passes through an adhesive station 62, where adhesive is applied to a reverse (i.e. unprinted) surface of the web 54. In order to achieve this, the web 54 may be turned or diverted back on itself (i.e. run for a certain distance opposite the direction of feed a through the apparatus) in order to invert the web 54 prior to the first die station 60 or between the first die station 60 and the adhesive station 62.

A reel 64 of plastic film substrate 66 is provided and fed in the feed direction a substantially parallel to the web of paperboard 54. In this embodiment, the substrate 66 is of 30μιη oriented polypropylene. In alternative embodiments other suitable film may be used, such as polyethylene, polymerised lactic acid, ethylene vinyl alcohol, or co-extrusions/laminates of multiple materials to provide certain desired properties such as anti-mist, gloss, etc. In some embodiments a barrier film is used to limit the passage of air through the film, and in other embodiment the film is perforated to provide for a passive modified atmosphere. If the pack formed from the blank 10 is intended to be ovenable (i.e. left in place whilst a foodstuff in the pack is heated in a conventional or microwave oven), a suitable heat-sealable polyethylene terephthalate film and heat resistant paperboard (e.g. Trayforma board produced by Stora Enso Oyj of Helsinki, Finland, or Jazz board produced by Plastiroll Oy Ltd of Ylojarvi, Finland) may be used. In an alternative embodiment, the adhesive is applied directly to a surface of the film substrate 66 corresponding to the paperboard 22. However, this is not preferred, as data or register marks would be required on the film substrate 66 to enable the adhesive pattern to be accurately aligned with the correct areas of the paperboard 22.

At an attachment station 68, the web 54 and the film substrate 66 are brought together, by passing of the web 54 and the substrate 66 through nip rollers 70, to form a combined web 55. The nip rollers 70 have a small clearance between them corresponding to the thickness of the web 54 and the substrate 66. The combined web 55 then passes to a curing station 72, where the adhesive is cured, for example by UV curing. The combined web 55 is then passed through a second die station 74, where the fold lines and perforations 38, 40 and the creases 48 are formed in the paperboard web 54. In an alternative embodiment, the fold lines and creases, and the waste material lines are made at the same station, e.g. using a multi-height die cutter.

The paperboard web 54 extends only partway across the breadth of the substrate 66. The breadth of the substrate is taken to be the direction transverse to the longitudinal axis, or the direction of feed of the substrate 66. The paperboard web 54 does not need to extend the full breadth of the substrate 66, as no paperboard tabs are required at the outer edges of the paperboard 54 to join the paperboard into a continuous web 54.

The combined web 55 is wound up into the reel 52 containing a series of blanks 10 as shown in figure 2. As can be seen, there is no requirement for further extraction of waste paperboard from the combined web 55, as all waste material is removed before attachment of the paperboard 54 to the film substrate 66.

The reel 52 is supplied to a packer for feeding into a flow wrapper or form, fill and seal machine to produce the pack as shown in Figure 3. At this stage, the combined web 55 is cut into individual blanks 10. The ends of each blank 10 can be heat sealed as separation into individual blanks 10 takes place.

It will be appreciated that packs according to the present invention may be used for packaging a wide variety of food stuffs, including baguettes, sandwiches, pizza, pork pies, sausage rolls, garlic bread, minced beef, sausages, burgers and other protein products, fruit and vegetables etc.

The paperboard is of a thickness that will support the foodstuffs held by the pack and will hold under tension, and is substantially 180gsm in this embodiment where a horizontal apparatus (as shown in figure 5 and described above) is used. This thickness of paperboard holds under tension and provides suitable support, but is less expensive than using thicker paperboard. In an alternative embodiment, the blank is suitable for a vertical form and seal apparatus, and is of a suitable weight e.g. 90gsm, to allow necessary bending of the combined web 55. Other suitable paperboard thicknesses may be used.

The blank 10 can be produced with a reduced number of steps in the manufacturing process, and with a reduced amount of waste material, as described above. Removal of waste material is improved, with a reduced risk of tearing during removal and lower chance of blocking of removal machines.