Sheet packaging apparatus
A first aspect of the invention concerns a corner packaging device (14) which can be used in the packaging of a polygonal pack (10) of stacked glass sheets. The device includes two identical packaging members (12) each having a facing element (16) to lie against an outer surface of the pack at a corner and a pair of transverse flanges (22) meeting one another at a corner (24) of the facing element so as in use to lie against adjacent edges of the pack. There is a projection (28) lying generally in the plane of each flange and extending beyond the inner edge (26) of the flange and a recess (30) extending into the flange from that inner edge. With this arrangement, the packaging members can be arranged with their facing elements lying against opposite surfaces of the pack, with their flanges extending towards one another and with the projection of one flange extending over an edge of the pack to be received slidably within the recess of the other flange over a range of different pack thicknesses. Each flange also carries a projecting sling attachment formation (44) beneath which a lifting sling (46) can be engaged for the purposes of lifting the pack at an upright attitude when the devices embrace the corners of the pack and are anchored in position by straps (40, 42) encircling the devices and the pack to hold the pack together. Other aspects of the invention relate to a packaging system incorporating such devices (14) and the individual packaging members (12).
THIS invention relates to sheet packaging apparatus.
In one application, the apparatus of the invention is specifically designed for use in the packaging of glass sheets arranged in a stack. For many years, packs of stacked glass sheets were packaged in timber frames, but in more recent times this type of packaging has been rejected in view of environmental considerations.
One packaging system which could be used in place of conventional timber packaging systems is described in ZA 2000/0364. This system makes use of moulded plastic corner packaging elements arranged to embrace the corners of the stack. However, while this proposal can be used to good effect in the packaging of a pack of glass sheets of known and constant thickness, it lacks the versatility to be used with packs of different thickness.
Another proposal is the so-called U-pack system described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,478,354. This proposal makes use of corner members which embrace opposite sides of the corners of the pack and has the versatility to deal with packs of varying thickness by virtue of connecting members which interconnect the corner members. Although versatile, this proposal has the disadvantage that the packaging of each corner of the pack requires three separate components. Furthermore, it is necessary to cut the connecting members to exactly the right length if the resulting assembly is to embrace the corner of the pack in a suitably snug manner. In practice, it has been found that it is difficult to cut the connecting members sufficiently accurately.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAccording to the invention there is provided a corner packaging device for embracing a corner of a polygonal pack of stacked glass sheets, the device comprising:
-
- two identical packaging members each having a facing element to lie against an outer surface of the pack at a corner thereof and a pair of flanges meeting one another at a corner of the facing element and extending transverse to the facing element so as in use to lie against adjacent edges of the pack, each flange being generally planar and having an edge remote from the facing element,
- a projection lying generally in the plane of each flange and extending beyond the inner edge of the flange and a corresponding recess extending into the flange from the inner edge, whereby the packaging members can be arranged with their facing elements lying against opposite surfaces of the pack and with their flanges extending towards one another and with the projection of one flange extending over an edge of the pack to be received slidably within the recess of the other flange over a range of different pack thicknesses, and
- a sling attachment formation, projecting transversely from the plane of each flange, beneath which a lifting sling can be engaged for the purposes of lifting the pack at an upright attitude when corner packaging devices embrace the corners of the pack and are anchored in position by straps encircling the devices and the pack to hold the pack together.
In the preferred embodiment the device also includes foot formations, on which the pack can stand edgewise, projecting transversely from the plane of each flange.
Further according to the invention there is provided a packaging system for a polygonal pack of glass sheets arranged in a stack, the system comprising, for each corner of the pack, a device as summarized above, and straps passing around the devices and encircling the pack to hold the glass sheets together.
Still further according to the invention there is provided an individual packaging member for use in the packaging device and system.
Other features of the invention are described below and set forth in the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThe invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
As described hereunder the invention is concerned with the packaging of a stack of glass sheets arranged in a polygonal, in this case rectangular, pack 10.
Reference is made firstly to
As shown in
It will be understood that the shape of packaging member 12 is such that it can be positioned with the inner surface 18 of the facing element 16 against the surface of the pack 10 at a corner of the pack and with the flanges 22 extending along the side edges of the pack in the corner region.
With the packaging devices 14 embracing the corners of the pack 10, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, straps 40 and 42 are arranged to pass over and around the devices, encircling the pack, and are appropriately tensioned to hold the stack of glass sheets together in the pack. Any suitable form of strap, such as conventional steel packaging straps, may be used for this purpose.
Prior to placement and tensioning of the straps, the packaging members 12 of each packaging device 14 are capable of moving towards or apart from one another as required to accommodate the thickness of the pack 10.
It will be understood that over a range of pack thicknesses, the projections 28 will always be at least partially received in opposed recesses 30. Thus it will be understood that within this range of thicknesses the flanges, together with the projections 28, will always form a bridge between the opposing packaging members 12, and will accordingly extend over even those glass sheets located centrally in the pack 10. This is considered to be an important advantage of the illustrated embodiment, in that even the central glass sheets are prevented, in the assembled package, from slipping laterally out of the stack.
Projecting transversely from the plane of each flange 22 is a sling attachment formation 44 shaped as illustrated. During transportation and handling, the pack 10 will generally be at an upright attitude as seen in
In addition to the sling attachment formations 44, foot formations 48 also project from the general plane of each flange 22. As will be apparent from
Because the packaging members 12, and hence the packaging devices 14, are identical to one another, sling attachment formations and foot formations are present at all four corners and along each edge of the pack. It is accordingly possible for the pack 10 to stand on an end edge as opposed to a side edge as illustrated in
It will be noted that the sling and foot formations 44, 48 are spaced apart from one another on each flange of the packaging member to provide a secure landing zone for the straps 42. It will be understood that with the straps 42 are unable to slip laterally out of the landing zone once they are properly tensioned.
It will also be noted from
In the packaging system illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4, the glass sheets are held together at their comers only. During transportation and handling at an upright orientation, this could conceivably give rise to a tendency for the outer sheets in the pack to bow outwardly, leading to the possibility of cracking of those sheets. To avoid this, the invention proposes a slightly modified packaging system as illustrated in
Although shown as a U-shaped moulding in
The ribbed internal surfaces of the facing elements 16 will in certain circumstances promote a good grip on the corner surfaces of the pack 10. However it is recognised that the plastic material of which the packaging members 12 are made will generally be relatively hard and rigid. This gives rise to the possibility of cracking of the glass sheets if the packaging members are pressed too hard against the glass. For this reason it is considered desirable at least in some cases to provide each packaging device 14 with relatively resilient padding between the packaging members and the glass itself.
The corner pad 60 seen in
Claims
1-16. (canceled)
17. A corner packaging device for embracing a corner of a polygonal pack of stacked glass sheets, the device comprising:
- two identical packaging members each molded in one piece of a relatively rigid plastics material and each having a facing element which can lie parallel to an outer surface of the pack at a corner thereof and a pair of flanges meeting one another at a corner of the facing element and extending transverse to the facing element so as in use to extend parallel to adjacent edges of the pack, each flange being generally planar and having an edge remote from the facing element,
- a projection lying generally in the plane of each flange and projecting beyond an inner edge of the flange and a recess extending into the flange from the inner edge, the width and depth of the recess being greater than the width of the projection and the distance by which the projection projects beyond the inner edge of the flange, whereby the packaging members can be arranged with their facing elements lying parallel to opposite surfaces of the pack and with their flanges extending towards one another and with the projection of one flange extending over an edge of the pack to be received within the recess of the other flange over a range of different pack thicknesses, and
- a sling attachment formation, projecting transversely from each flange, beneath which a lifting sling can be engaged for the purposes of lifting the pack at an upright attitude when the corner packaging device is anchored in a position embracing the corner of the pack.
18. A packaging device according to claim 17 and comprising a foot formation, on which the pack can stand edgewise, projecting transversely from each flange.
19. A packaging device according to claim 18 wherein the sling attachment formation and the foot formation on each flange are spaced apart from one another to provide a landing zone to receive a strap used to encircle the pack and a pair of packaging devices embracing adjacent corners of the pack.
20. A packaging device according to claim 19 wherein the sling attachment formation and the foot formation project the same distance from the flange on which they are provided.
21. A packaging device according to claim 20 wherein the sling and foot formations are hollow and are reinforced internally.
22. A packaging device according to claim 17 comprising a pad for location between the packaging members and the corner of the pack.
23. A packaging device according to claim 22 wherein the pad is shaped to embrace a corner of the pack with side and edge panels arranged to extend, at the corner of the pack, over the sides and edges respectively of the pack.
24. A packaging device according to claim 23 wherein internal surfaces of the facing panels of the packaging members are ribbed.
25. A packaging device according to claim 17 wherein the projection and recess have tapered shapes.
26. A packaging system for a polygonal pack of glass sheets arranged in a stack, the system comprising, for each corner of the pack, a corner packaging device for embracing a corner of the pack, the device comprising:
- two identical packaging members each molded in one piece of a relatively rigid plastics material and each having a facing element to lie against which can lie parallel to an outer surface of the pack at a corner thereof and a pair of flanges meeting one another at a corner of the facing element and extending transverse to the facing element so as in use to extend parallel to adjacent edges of the pack, each flange being generally planar and having an edge remote from the facing element,
- a projection lying generally in the plane of each flange and projecting beyond an inner edge of the flange and a recess extending into the flange from the inner edge, the width and depth of the recess being greater than the width of the projection and the distance by which the projection projects beyond the inner edge of the flange, whereby the packaging members can be arranged with their facing elements lying parallel to opposite surfaces of the pack and with their flanges extending towards one another and with the projection of one flange extending over an edge of the pack to be received within the recess of the other flange over a range of different pack thicknesses, and
- a sling attachment formation, projecting transversely from each flange, beneath which a lifting sling can be engaged for the purposes of lifting the pack at an upright attitude when the corner packaging device is anchored in a position embracing the corner of the pack;
- and straps which can be arranged to pass around the devices and encircle the pack to hold the glass sheets together.
27. A packaging system according to claim 26 which includes edge protectors for embracing edges of the pack between the corners thereof, and further straps passing around the edge protectors and encircling the pack.
28. A packaging system according to claim 27 wherein each edge protector has the cross-section of a shallow channel.
29. A packaging member for use in a corner packaging device for embracing a corner of a polygonal pack of stacked glass sheets, the packaging member being molded in one piece of a rigid plastics material and comprising:
- a facing element which can lie parallel to an outer surface of the pack at a corner thereof and a pair of flanges meeting one another at a corner of the facing element and extending transverse to the facing element so as in use to extend parallel to adjacent edges of the pack, each flange being generally planar and having an edge remote from the facing element,
- a projection lying generally in the plane of each flange and projecting beyond an inner edge of the flange and a recess extending into the flange from the inner edge, the width and depth of the recess being greater than the width of the projection and the distance by which the projection projects beyond the inner edge of the flange, whereby opposing, identical packaging members can be arranged with their facing elements lying parallel to opposite surfaces of the pack and with their flanges extending towards one another and with the projection of one flange extending over an edge of the pack to be received within the recess of the other flange over a range of different pack thicknesses, and
- a sling attachment formation, projecting transversely from each flange, beneath which a lifting sling can be engaged for the purposes of lifting the pack at an upright attitude when the packaging member is anchored in a position embracing a corner of the pack.
30. A packaging member according to claim 29 comprising a foot formation, on which the pack can stand edgewise, projecting transversely from each flange.
31. A packaging member according to claim 27 wherein the sling attachment formation and the foot formation on each flange are spaced apart from one another to provide a landing zone to receive a strap used to encircle the pack and a pair of packaging devices embracing adjacent corners of the pack.
32. A packaging member according to claim 31 wherein the sling attachment formation and the foot formation project the same distance from the flange on which they are provided.
33. A packaging member according to claim 32 wherein the sling and foot formations are hollow and are reinforced internally.
34. A packaging member according to claim 29 wherein the projection and recess have tapered shapes.
35. A package of rectangular glass sheets, the glass sheets being stacked alongside one another in a rectangular pack, the package including:
- a corner packaging device at each corner of the pack, the corner packaging device comprising: two opposing, identical packaging members each molded in one piece of a relatively rigid plastics material and each having a facing element lying parallel to an outer surface of the pack at the corner and a pair of flanges meeting one another at a corner of the facing element and extending transverse to the facing element so as extend parallel to adjacent edges of the pack, each flange being generally planar and having an edge remote from the facing element, a projection lying generally in the plane of each flange and projecting beyond an inner edge of the flange and a recess extending into the flange from the inner edge, the width and depth of the recess being greater than the width of the projection and the distance by which the projection projects beyond the inner edge of the flange, whereby the packaging members are arranged with their facing elements lying parallel to opposite surfaces of the pack and with their flanges extending towards one another and with the projection of one flange extending over an edge of the pack and into the recess of the other flange, and a sling attachment formation, projecting transversely from each flange, beneath which a lifting sling can be engaged for the purposes of lifting the pack at an upright attitude, and straps encircling the pack and the packaging devices to hold the pack together.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 26, 2004
Publication Date: Feb 22, 2007
Inventor: Shaun Burchell (Springs)
Application Number: 10/569,693
International Classification: B65D 85/48 (20060101); B65D 85/30 (20060101);