METHOD OF RIGIDIFYING FANFOLD CARDBOARD MATERIAL

Description

[0001] This invention relates to a method of rigidifying fanfold cardboard material prior to forming packaging boxes and cartons therefrom, preferably in an automated packaging forming machine.

[0002] Fanfold cardboard (simply known as "Fanfold") is a continuous sheet of corrugated board that has been scored and folded in zigzag manner like a fan. Each score is referred to as a fanfold crease line. It is an ideal stock material for customers who have many different sized products and are using a large number of different packaging specifications.

[0003] Fanfold provides cost saving by facilitating the reduction of material used to form packaging and lowering inventory costs (because fewer different sizes of stock material need to be held in stock). It offers maximum flexibility as it can be used for packing different products in varying sizes and quantities.

[0004] For manual packaging processes, the board can easily be scored along its length, making it easy to fold to your required size.

[0005] Special fanfold processing machines are also available allowing the user to create made to measure boxes and other packaging from stock fanfold cardboard, bespoke to their needs and on their own premises.

[0006] Made from corrugated cardboard, fanfold is available in a number of different flutings and various widths. It can be supplied in two colour flexographic print or preprinted.

[0007] However, the transversely extending fanfold crease lines formed to allow the material to be folded in zigzag fashion can have a negative impact on the processability/ runnability of the fanfold cardboard and also a detrimental effect on the performance of a packaging made therefrom. The fanfold crease lines may cause the sheet material to jam in a machine used to convert the Fanfold sheet material into a box blank and can cause problems assembling the thus formed box blank into packaging, particularly where a fanfold crease line is close to an intended fold line of the box blank or extends through a tab or flap used to secure the box in an assembled configuration, and/or cause weakness in the assembled box or package.

[0008] There have been a number of prior art attempts to address the problem of fanfold crease lines when making packaging boxes and cartons from continuous fanfold corrugated board.

[0009] In WO 2018/136658, a system is used which detects the location of fanfold crease lines and, where it is determined that the crease lines will be in a problematic position in the resulting packaging, the sheet material is either cut to remove the problematic crease line from the resulting packaging or the sheet is manipulated to adjust the position of the crease line in the resulting packaging to a less problematic position. This clearly increases waste.

[0010] In EP3521006, rather than cutting out parts of the stock material in which the fanfold crease lines are located, the locations of the fanfold crease lines are determined and the locations of the folds, incisions and cut outs required to create the packaging are adjusted and optimised to avoid the fanfold crease lines being located in problematic locations in the finished packaging. While this can reduce waste, it can be a costly, time consuming and difficult process to achieve.

[0011] In WO 2014/188010, the material in the region of the fanfold crease lines is strengthened by forming indentations in the material extending across the crease lines. However, these indentations can themselves increase the abovementioned processability/ runnability problems of the fanfold cardboard and can be detrimental to the performance of packaging made therefrom, as well as being visually undesirable in the finished packaging.

[0012] According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of rigidifying fanfold cardboard material prior to forming packaging boxes and cartons therefrom, said cardboard material having a plurality of transversely extending crease lines allowing the material to be folded in fanfold arrangement, comprising applying tape to at least one side of the material such that the tape overlies each transverse crease line to thereby rigidify the material in the region of each crease line. The term "tape" is intended to encompass any strip of material, such as paper, fabric or foil.

[0013] Preferably the method comprises applying tape to both sides of the fanfold cardboard material in the region of each crease line thereof.

[0014] A suitable adhesive may be applied to the tape and/or the fanfold cardboard material to secure the tape over the respective crease line or the tape may comprise self-adhesive tape.

[0015] The tape may be made from a paper based material, although it is envisaged that the tape may comprise or contain metallic and/or polymeric materials.

[0016] According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus for rigidifying fanfold cardboard prior to forming packaging therefrom comprising a tape applicator adapted to apply tape to at least one side of the material to overly each crease line formed therein to thereby rigidify the material in the region of each crease line. Preferably the tape applicator is adapted to apply tape both sides of the fanfold cardboard material in the region of each crease line thereof.

[0017] The apparatus may include an adhesive applicator adapted to apply adhesive to the tape and/or the fanfold cardboard material to secure the tape to the fanfold cardboard material or the tape may comprise self-adhesive tape.

[0018] In a preferred embodiment said tape is made from a paper based material, preferably having an appearance/colouration adapted to blend in with the material of the fanfold cardboard material.

[0019] According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for automatically forming packaging boxes from fanfold cardboard comprising the step of rigidifying the fanfold cardboard material by applying tape on at least one side thereof to overlie each crease line formed therein and thereby rigidify the material in the region of each crease line. The method preferably comprises applying tape to both sides of the fanfold cardboard material in the region of each crease line thereof. Preferably tape is applied to at least one side of each crease line of the fanfold cardboard material when the respective crease line is unfolded and exposed during unfolding of the fanfold material as it is fed into a package forming machine. Preferably strips of said tape are applied to both sides of the fanfold material over a respective crease line when the respective crease line is unfolded and exposed during unfolding of the fanfold material as it is fed into a package forming machine.

[0020] As mentioned above, fanfold cardboard material (simply known as "Fanfold") is a continuous sheet of corrugated board that has been scored and folded in zigzag manner like a fan. Each score line is referred to as a fanfold crease line. It is an ideal stock material for customers who have many different sized products and are using a large number of different packaging specifications. However, the fanfold crease lines have a negative impact on the processability/ runnability of the fanfold cardboard material and also a detrimental effect on the performance of a packaging made therefrom.

[0021] By applying strips of tape to the transverse crease lines of the fanfold cardboard, on at least one side of the material, as it is unfolded, these problems are alleviated in a simple and cost effective manner without any wastage of material.

[0022] The strips of tape are preferably made of paper based material and are adhesively secured, preferably to both sides of the fanfold over each transverse crease line thereof, by means of a cold or hot melt adhesive or by using a self-adhesive tape.

[0023] The strength properties of the tape are typically equal or stronger than the liners of the corrugated fanfold material.

[0024] The strips are preferably applied on both sides of the fanfold to resist subsequent folding of the material in the region of said transverse crease lines. However, it is envisaged that the tape may only be applied to one side of the fanfold.

[0025] The width of the tape should be at least one and a half times the width of the damaged area of the fanfold crease line.

[0026] The tape may be applied to the crease lines of the fanfold on a packaging machine, more specific after the unfolding of the fanfold and before or after application of cut creases in the fanfold.

[0027] The tape may be supplied on a reel and cut into strips of the required length and/or width before application to the fanfold.

[0028] The tape may be glued to the fanfold using either self-adhesive, hot melt glue or cold glue (PVA).

[0029] The invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein but can be amended or modified without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method of rigidifying fanfold cardboard material prior to forming packaging boxes and cartons therefrom, said cardboard material having a plurality of transversely extending crease lines allowing the material to be folded in fanfold arrangement, comprising applying tape to at least one side of the material such that the tape overlies each transverse crease line to thereby rigidity the material in the region of each crease line.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, comprising applying tape to both sides of the fanfold cardboard material in the region of each crease line thereof.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein an adhesive is applied to the tape and/or the fanfold cardboard material to secure the tape over the respective crease line.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said tape comprises self-adhesive tape.

5. A method as claimed in any of claims 1 o 4, wherein said tape is made from a paper based material.

6. An apparatus for rigidifying fanfold cardboard prior to forming packaging therefrom comprising a tape applicator adapted to apply tape to at least one side of the material to overly each crease line formed therein to thereby rigidity the material in the region of each crease line. Preferably the tape applicator is adapted to apply tape both sides of the fanfold cardboard material in the region of each crease line thereof.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, further comprising an adhesive applicator adapted to apply adhesive to the tape and/or the fanfold cardboard material to secure the tape to the fanfold cardboard material.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the tape comprises self-adhesive tape.

9. An apparatus as claimed in any of claims 6 to 8, wherein said tape is made from a paper based material.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said tape has an appearance/colouration adapted to blend in with the material of the fanfold cardboard material.

11. A method for automatically forming packaging boxes from fanfold cardboard comprising the step of rigidifying the fanfold cardboard material by applying tape on at least one side thereof to overlie each crease line formed therein and thereby rigidity the material in the region of each crease line.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11, comprising applying tape to both sides of the fanfold cardboard material in the region of each crease line thereof.

13. A method as claimed in claim 11 or claim 12, wherein said tape is applied to at least one side of each crease line of the fanfold cardboard material when the respective crease line is unfolded and exposed during unfolding of the fanfold material as it is fed into a package forming machine.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein strips of said tape are applied to both sides of the fanfold material over a respective crease line when the respective crease line is unfolded and exposed during unfolding of the fanfold material as it is fed into a package forming machine.