US 4,738,078 AGranted

Method of, and apparatus for, wrapping objects, especially quadrangular block-like objects with a web-like wrapping material

AssigneeFerag AG

InventorsGottlieb Benz, Hans-Ulrich Stauber

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Abstract

The package to be wrapped is moved during a first step towards a foil section which is extended under tension transversely relative to the direction of movement of the package. During a further course of movement of the package the aforementioned foil section is applied to three sides around the package in a substantially U-shape. Subsequently, a loop is formed from the web-like foil by entraining means which act on the web-like foil. The two runs of the loop are releasably held at their ends by related holding means. These two loop runs of the foil are separated from each other using a cutting knife. The foil section thus produced, which runs along the rear side of the package, has a length which is greater than the height of the package. An end section of this foil section of greater length and which protrudes past the package is now displaced towards and against the underside of the package. A wrapping material preferably consisting of a polyvinylidene chloride foil having self-adhesive properties is used as the web-like foil.

Claims45

Dependent claims

A method of wrapping compressible quadrangular packages formed by stacked substantially flat products, for example, printed products, in a substantially web-like wrapping material, said method comprising the steps of:

withdrawing substantially web-like wrapping material from a single storage roll so as to form a free end region and so as to extend transversely relative to a predetermined conveying direction of the package to be wrapped;
holding said free end region and thereby holding under tension said withdrawn web-like wrapping material;
compressing said compressible package in a direction substantially perpendicular to said predetermined conveying direction;
during a first step of the wrapping operation conveying the compressed package to be wrapped in said predetermined conveying direction towards said web-like wrapping material extended under tension transversely relative to said predetermined conveying direction;
during a further movement of said compressed package during said first step of the wrapping operation releasing said held free end region of said web-like wrapping material in a manner such that the web-like wrapping material is placed around said compressed package in a substantially U-shape under tension and in contact with a top side of said object;
holding said compressed package in the compressed state during said further movement of said compressed package and placement of the web-like wrapping material around said compressed package in a substantially U-shape;
during a second step of the wrapping operation withdrawing further web-like wrapping material from said single storage roll and simultaneously guiding on a rear side of said compressed package a first section of the web-like wrapping material so as to form an end region and so as to extend transversely relative to said predetermined conveying direction and a second section of said web-like wrapping material which has a length greater than the dimension of said compressed package in the direction of extension of said second section of said web-like wrapping material, so that a protruding end section thereof is obtained;
holding said end region and thereby holding under tension said first section of said withdrawn web-like wrapping material;
holding said protruding end section and thereby holding under tension said second of said withdrawn further web-like wrapping material;
during a third step of the wrapping operation displacing relative to each other said compressed package and said second section of the withdrawn further web-like wrapping material and releasing the held protruding end section of said second section and thereby placing said second section under tension towards and against said rear side and a side contiguous with said rear side of said compressed package;
and
said third step of said wrapping operation entailing transiently and at least partially holding said compressed package under reduced compression.

9 more elements

A method of wrapping compressible quadrangular block-like objects, particularly packages formed by stacked substantially flat products, for example, printed products, in a substantially web-like wrapping material, said method comprising the steps of:

withdrawing substantially web-like wrapping material from a single storage roll so as to form a free end and releasably holding the withdrawn web-like wrapping material at the region of its free end so as to extend under tension transversely relative to a predetermined conveying direction of the object to be wrapped;
during a first step of the wrapping operation conveying the object to be wrapped in said predetermined conveying direction towards said web-like wrapping material extended under tension transversely relative to said conveying direction;
during a further movement of said object during said first step of the wrapping operation releasing said free end region of said web-like wrapping material in a manner such that the web-like wrapping material is placed around said object in a substantially U-shaped while being held under tension and contacts a top side of said object;
compressing said object during said further movement of said object and placement of the web-like wrapping material around said object in a substantially U-shape;
during a second step of the wrapping operation withdrawing further web-like wrapping material from said single storage roll and simutlaneously guiding on a rear side of said object a first section of the web-like wrapping material which extends under tension transversely relative to said predetermined conveying direction of the object while releasably holding a predetermined portion of said first section, and guiding a second section of said web-like wrapping material which has a length greater than the dimension of said object in the direction of said second section of said web-like wrapping material, so that a protruding end section thereof is obtained;
during a third step of the wrapping operation displacing said end section of said second section of the web-like wrapping material towards and against said object to be wrapped;
during said third step of the wrapping operation displacing said protruding end section of said second section of the web-like wrapping material which is guided along said rear side of said object, towards and against a side of said object which is contiguous with said rear side thereof;
placing said object with a bottom side thereof on a support;
during said third step of the wrapping operation forming a space between said object and said support;
subsequently displacing said protruding end section of said second section of the web-like wrapping material which extends along said rear side of said object, towards and against said bottom side of said object;
and
bringing said object to against bear on said support.

9 more elements

An apparatus for wrapping compressible, quadrangular packages formed by substantially flat products, for example, printed products, in a substantially web-like wrapping material, comprising:

conveying means for conveying a package which has a predetermined dimension and which is to be wrapped, in a predetermined conveying direction along a predetermined conveying path from a first position to a second position;
said package to be wrapped defining a rear side relative to said predetermined conveying direction;
a single storage roll holding a supply of said substantially web-like wrapping material and arranged on a first side of said predetermined conveying path;
a preselected length of said substantially web-like wrapping material extending, in the operative state of the apparatus and in said first position of said package to be wrapped on its front side relative to said predetermined conveying direction, from said first side of said predetermined conveying path and possessing a free end on a second side of said predetermined conveying path;
withdrawal means for withdrawing and guiding said substantially web-like wrapping material from said storage roll in order to extend transversely relative to said predetermined conveying path and to form a free end region on said second side of said predetermined conveying path;
said withdrawal means being displaceable between an upper end position on said first side of said predetermined conveying path and a lower end position on said second side of said predetermined conveying path;
first holding means arranged on said second side of said predetermined conveying path and holding said free end region and thereby holding under tension said withdrawn web-like wrapping material in said first position of said package to be wrapped;
compressing means operatively associated with said package in order to form a compressed package at least in said second position of said package;
said package to be wrapped, after being conveyed into said second position and compressed by said compressing means after release of said free end region of said substantially web-like wrapping material from said first holding means, being surrounded under tension substantially in a U-shape on three sides by at least said preselected length of said substantially web-like wrapping material;
said withdrawal means in said upper end position and in said second position of said compressed package to be wrapped being arranged above the substantially web-like wrapping material which extends from said single storage roll and surrounds said compressed package on said three sides thereof;
said withdrawal means, during its displacement from said upper end position to said lower end position, withdrawing from said single storage roll said substantially web-like wrapping material which thereby forms, in said second position on said rear side of said compressed package to be wrapped, a first section which substantially conforms to said preselected length of said substantially web-like wrapping material, and a second section which has a length greater than said predetermined dimension of said compressed package to be wrapped and contains an end section protruding past said object to be wrapped;
second holding means arranged on said second side of said predetermined conveying path and holding said protruding end section and thereby holding under tension said second section of said withdrawn substantially web-like wrapping material;
a support for supporting in said second position the compressed package to be wrapped;
said support being arranged, as seen in said predetermined conveying direction, forwardly of the web-like wrapping material held to extend under tension transversely relative to said predetermined conveying direction;
said compressing means being arranged above said support and defining together with said support a conveying channel for the compressed package to be wrapped;
displacing means for displacing relative to each other said compressed package and said protruding end section in order to thereby place under tension said second section inclusive of said protruding end section of said withdrawn substantially web-like wrapping material, after release from said second holding means, towards and against said rear side and a side contiguous with said rear side of said compressed package;
and
said compressing means transiently and at least partially holding said compressed package under reduced compression in order to permit said displacing means to complete said wrapping operation.

15 more elements

An apparatus for wrapping compressible, quadrangular block-like objects, particularly packages formed by substantially flat products, for example, printed products, in a substantially web-like wrapping material, comprising:

conveying means for conveying an object which has a predetermined dimension and which is to be wrapped, in a predetermined conveying direction along a predetermined conveying path from a first position to a second position;
said object to be wrapped defining a rear side relative to said predetermined conveying direction;
a single storage roll holding a supply of said substantially web-like wrapping material and arranged on a first side of said predetermined conveying path;
a preselected length of said substantially web-like wrapping material extending, in the operative state of the apparatus and in said first position of said object to be wrapped on its front side relative to said predetermined conveying direction, from said first side of said predetermined conveying path and possessing a free end on a second side of said predetermined conveying path;
withdrawal means for withdrawing and guiding said substantially web-like wrapping material from said storage roll in order to extend transversely relative to said predetermined conveying path and to form a free end on said second side of said predetermined conveying path;
said withdrawal means being displaceable between an upper end position on said first side of said predetermined conveying path and a lower end position on said second side of said predetermined conveying path;
first holding means arranged on said second side of said predetermined conveying path and releasably holding said free end of said web-like wrapping material in said first position of said object to be wrapped;
said object to be wrapped, after being conveyed into said second position and after release of said free end of said substantially web-like wrapping material from said first holding means, being surrounded substantially in a U-shape on three sides by at least said preselected length of said substantially web-like wrapping material;
said withdrawal means in said upper end position and in said second position of said object to be wrapped being arranged above the substantially web-like wrapping material which extends from said single storage roll and surrounds said object on said three sides thereof;
said withdrawal means, during its displacement from said upper end position to said lower end position, withdrawing from said single storage roll said substantially web-like wrapping material which thereby forms, in said second position on said rear side of said object to be wrapped, a first section which substantially conforms to said preselected length of said substantially web-like wrapping material, and a second section which has a length greater than said predetermined dimension of said object to be wrapped and contains an end section protruding past said object to be wrapped;
a support for the object to be wrapped conveyed into said second position;
said support being arranged, as seen in said predetermined conveying direction, forwardly of the web-like wrapping material held to extend under tension transversely relative to said predetermined conveying direction;
pressure means arranged above said support and defining together with said support a conveying channel for the object to be wrapped;
said pressure means acting upon the object passing through said conveying channel in order to compress said object and to bring said wrapping material into contact with the top surface of said object;
said protruding end section of said second section of the web-like wrapping material being placed towards and against said object to be wrapped during the movement of said object onto said support;
said object defining a further side which is contiguous to said rear side thereof;
means placing said protruding end section of said second section of the web-like wrapping material towards and against said further side of said object;
said object defining a bearing side constituting said further side which is contiguous to said rear side thereof;
said means placing said protruding end section of said second section of the web-like wrapping material towards and against said bearing side of said object to be wrapped;
said support comprising a conveyor means;
said conveyor means being arranged in said predetermined conveying direction forwardly of the web-like wrapping material held to extend under tension transversely relative to said predetermined conveying direction;
said support being displaceable between an upper and a lower position;
said conveyor means, in said upper position of said support, supporting said object to be wrapped in said second positions of said object to be wrapped;
retaining means for transiently retaining said object to be wrapped during the displacement of said support from said upper position to said lower position and vice versa;
said bearing side contiguous to said rear side of said object to be wrapped forming a bottom side thereof supported by said conveyor means in the upper position of said support;
and
said placing means comprising folding means for folding said protruding end section of said second section of the web-like wrapping material towards and against said bottom side of said object to be wrapped while the same is transiently retained in a position separated from said support and said support is transiently displaced from said upper position and separated from said object to be wrapped.

24 more elements

An apparatus for wrapping objects, especially quadrangular block-like objects, particularly packages formed by substantially flat products, for example, printed products, in a substantially web-like wrapping material, comprising:

conveying means for conveying an object which has a predetermined dimension and which is to be wrapped, in a predetermined conveying direction along a predetermined conveying path from a first position to a second position;
said object to be wrapped defining a rear side relative to said predetermined conveying direction;
a single storage roll holding a supply of said substantially web-like wrapping material and arranged on a first side of said predetermined conveying path;
a preselected length of said substantially web-like wrapping material extending, in the operative state of the apparatus and in said first position of said object to be wrapped on its front side relative to said predetermined conveying direction, from said first side of said predetermined conveying path and possessing a free end on a second side of said predetermined conveying path;
withdrawal means for withdrawing and guiding said substantially web-like wrapping material from said storage roll in order to extend transversely relative to said predetermined conveying path and to form a free end on said second side of said predetermined conveying path;
said withdrawal means being displaceable between an upper end position on said first side of said predetermined conveying path and a lower end position on said second side of said predetermined conveying path;
first holding means arranged on said second side of said predetermined conveying path and releasably holding said free end of said web-like wrapping material in said first position of said object to be wrapped;
said object to be wrapped, after being conveyed into said second position and after release of said free end of said substantially web-like wrapping material from said first holding means, being surrounded substantially in a U-shape on three sides by at least said preselected length of said substantially web-like wrapping material;
said withdrawal means in said upper end position and in said second position of said object to be wrapped being arranged above the substantially web-like wrapping material which extends from said single storage roll and surrounds said object on said three sides thereof;
said withdrawal means, during its displacement from said upper end position to said lower end position, withdrawing from said single storage roll said substantially web-like wrapping material which thereby forms, in said second position on said rear side of said object to be wrapped, a first section which substantially conforms to said preselected length of said substantially web-like wrapping material, and a second section which has a length greater than said predetermined dimension of said object to be wrapped and contains an end section protruding past said object to be wrapped;
displacing means for placing said protruding end section of said second section of the web-like wrapping material towards and against said object to be wrapped;
said object defining a further side which is contiguous to said rear side thereof;
said displacing means placing said protruding end section of said second section of the web-like wrapping material towards and against said further side of said object;
said object defining a bearing side constituting said further side which is contiguous to said rear side thereof;
said displacing means placing said protruding end section of said second section of the web-like wrapping material towards and against said bearing side of said object to be wrapped;
a support comprising a conveyor means;
said conveyor means being arranged in said predetermined conveying direction forwardly of the web-like wrapping material held to extend under tension transversely relative to said predetermined conveying direction;
said support being displaceable between an upper and a lower position;
said conveyor means, in said upper position of said support, supporting said object to be wrapped in said second position of said object to be wrapped;
retaining means for transiently retaining said object to be wrapped during the displacement of said support from said upper position to said lower position and vice versa;
said bearing side contiguous to said rear side of said object to be wrapped forming a bottom side thereof supported by said conveyor means in the upper position of said support;
said displacing means comprising folding means for folding said protruding end section of said second section of the web-like wrapping material towards and against said bottom side of said object to be wrapped while the same is transiently retained in a position separated from said support and said support is transiently displaced from said upper position and separated from said object to be wrapped.

19 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.