GROUP PACKAGE FOR SHEET MATERIAL AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE GROUP PACKAGE
This invention relates to a group package (1) for sheet material such as printing and photocopy paper, and a method for manufacturing the protective wrap of the group package and the group package itself. In the group package (1), a number of paper bundles (1a) wrapped in their own ream wraps (2a) consisting of at least a base paper layer (19a), are placed within a shared protective wrap (2). The material of the protective wrap (2) and of the wrap (2a) of the paper bundles (1a) is formed by adding plastic, a polymer mixture or another suitable material to one or both of the materials, in suitable quantities to make the combined water vapour transmission rate (WVTR) of the protective wrap (2) and the wrap (2a) less than approx. 50 g/m2/d, as calculated according to the ISO 2528:1995 standard.
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This invention relates to a group package for sheet material such as printing and photocopy paper, as described in the preamble to claim 1, and a method for manufacturing the group package and the wrapping materials used in connection with the group package, as described in the preamble to claim 11.
In known technology, office paper provided in sheet form, such as A4-sized photocopy and printing paper, is usually packaged in corrugated board boxes, each box containing five paper bundles wrapped in individual paper wrappings. Each paper bundle, known as a ream wrap, contains 500 A4-sized sheets of paper. A corrugated board box provides office paper with good protection during transport, but is problematic due to its cost and to the space taken up by the empty box before it is disposed of or recycled. In addition the box has a lid, tied down with a thin plastic band that in practice also acts as a carry handle. A problem with using a plastic band is how to dispose of it, and the fact that a thin plastic band is very uncomfortable for carrying the box, due to the weight of the five ream wraps contained in the box.
To address these drawbacks, alternative group package solutions have been developed for office paper. Packages have been created for example out of different wrapping papers that are wrapped around the ream wraps. The challenge with these kinds of wrappings is how to make the packages durable enough to withstand possible impacts during transport and storage. In addition, the package should protect the papers inside the ream wraps from moisture. Some of the critical strength properties of the wrapping are pulling resistance, tensile strain and bursting strength. There are known paper types that fulfil these strength criteria well enough to be used as wrappings for example in grouped ream wrap packages. The problem is that these paper types do not provide sufficient protection against moisture. Therefore in prior art the wrapping is coated with a plastic layer that provides moisture protection. Additionally, the plastic layer further enhances the wrapping's strength properties. The plastic layer can consist for example of a PE, PET or similar film, added onto the paper in a separate extruder.
A problem with plastic-coated wrappings is that due to their plastic content they are not as environmentally friendly as those without plastic. Further, the recycling costs of plastic-coated papers according to known technology are in most countries significantly higher than those of paper without plastic. Another problem is that the plastic coating requires a separate extruder and work phase, which increases costs and takes time.
The object of this invention is to remove the problems described above and achieve insofar as possible, an inexpensive group package for office paper, where little or no plastic is used, but which still protects the paper sheets well. In addition the object is to create a group package that is easy to carry and in which the weight is distributed evenly, for example onto both hands. Furthermore, the purpose of the invention is to achieve an affordable, quick and reliable method for producing the wrap materials for the grouped office paper bundle, as well as the group package itself. The group package described in the invention is characterised by what is disclosed in the characterisation part of claim 1. Similarly, the method described in the invention is characterised by what is disclosed in the characterisation part of claim 11. Other embodiments of the invention are characterised by what is disclosed in the other claims.
The benefit of the solution according to the invention is that the group package according to the invention is very cheap and quick to produce. Another benefit is that the packaging material has high bursting and tear resistance, so the group package protects well the paper bundles placed inside it and wrapped inside separate wrap papers. A further benefit is the fact that the group package and the ream wrap papers inside it can be produced of the same paper. Another benefit is that the invention facilitates the lifting of the group package using two hands, which distributes the load evenly between both hands. Thanks to suitably shaped carry handles or similar devices, the weight does not strain the hands in the way that previously used thin plastic strips do. A further benefit is that the packaging material is available in reels, which minimises the amount of wastage. Another benefit is that the wrapping uses very little or no plastic, which makes it environmentally friendly and cheap to recycle. Another benefit is that the wrapping is very resistant to moisture, even though there is no separate plastic layer. Similarly, when using wraps coated with a suitable layer, seams are easy to fuse using heat sealing or ultrasound. Another benefit is that the wrap is provided with at least one opening strip, which makes the wrap easier to open. A further benefit of a group package equipped with an opening strip is the fact that once open, the empty package can be used as a neat bag for other folded packages or other materials to be taken for recycling. Another benefit is that because the opening strip is placed at a suitable distance from the end of the group package, the ends of the separate bundles inside the group package are easy to see once the group package is open, so they are easy to remove from it.
Below, the invention is described in detail using application examples, by referring to the appended figures, in which
In the group package in
When the reel-based protective wrap is cut into the correct length and wrapped around the paper bundles 1a, the end folds are formed by pressing the upper inner fold 5 downwards against the end of the group package 1. Similarly, the lower inner fold 6 is pressed upwards against the end of the group package 1. When the inner folds 5 and 6 are pressed against the end of the group package, the outer folds 3 and 4 are formed at the same time by folding the parts of the protective wrap 2 that exceed the length of the paper bundles at the vertical ends until they are doubled on top of each other, essentially forming two triangular folds. In order to ensure that the outer folds 3 and 4 overlap in their final position, the length by which the protective wrap exceeds the length of the paper bundles, on both sides of the group package, must be more than half of the width of the paper bundles. Length here refers to the long edge of for example A4 sheets, and width to their short edge. After making the folds, the outer folds 3 and 4 are glued at each end of the group package 1 at least to one of the inner folds 5 and 6, and, if necessary, also to each other.
In packages with no carry handle, at each end of the group package 1, the outer folds 3 and 4 are glued to form a lifting gap 7 that allows the carrying and lifting of the group package 1, where the lower edge of the lifting gap 7 acts as the support for lifting and carrying.
In the solution shown in
According to one of the embodiments of the invention, the wrapping that forms the protective package 2 and/or the wrap 2a of the paper bundles 1a is smooth, so that it can be coated in plastic more easily. In this case the wraps are coated at least on one side with a plastic film using a separate extruder, as is done in some known solutions. Thanks to the smoothness of the paper, less plastic has to be used than before. Suitable plastic films for this purpose include polyethylene (PE) films, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) films and polypropylene (PP) films.
A further embodiment of the invention consists of the combination of the two embodiments described above. In this solution, the wrapping of the protective wrap 2 and the wrap 2a of the paper bundles 1a consist of paper to which a polymer mixture or similar material has been added during production in the paper machine's coating section, after which a plastic film is added to the paper in a separate extruder.
The end result in each of the three embodiments of the invention described above is a protective wrap 2 of the group package 1 and a wrap 2a of the paper bundles 1a, in which the total quantity of plastic is essentially less than 10% of the total weight of the wraps. Favourably, the total quantity of plastic is a maximum of approx. 5% of the protective wrap's 2 and the paper bundle wrap's 2a total own weight. This makes the protective wrap and the ream wrap environmentally friendly and more recyclable, with reduced recycling costs.
In all of the layer structures in the abovementioned embodiments, and all other layer structures according to the invention not shown in the appended figures, the materials and thicknesses of the layers of the wrap are selected so that the total quantity of plastic in the different layers is a maximum of 10% of the individual total weight of the protective wrap 2 and the wrap 2a of the paper bundles 1a, and favourably a maximum of approx. 5%.
The layering and, particularly, the thickness of the protective wrap 2 and the wrap 2a of the paper bundles 1a can be used to regulate how resistant the paper bundles inside the group package 1 are to blows and impacts from the outside. At least the thickness of the protective wrap 2 should be such that the weight of the wrap is in the range 60-250 g/m2. Depending on the wrap material, a suitable thickness range, expressed in weight, is 80-160 g/m2. The thickness can suitably also be such that the weight is 120-150 g/m2.
In order for the protective wrap 2 to withstand the handling of group packages, the material of the wrap must have a suitable bursting strength and a tear resistance of at least 1200 mN, preferably even higher. Similarly, the adhesiveness of the glue should be at least 15 Dennisons or greater.
Similarly,
The carry handles 14, 15 described in
Those skilled in the art will see that the invention is not limited to the example given above, but can be varied within the scope of the patent claims given below. Thus the protective wrap does not have to come off a reel for the production of the group package, but can be in ready-cut sheets.
Further, those skilled in the art will see that the wrapping of the protective wrap around the group package can be done in many different ways, as can the gluing of the folds at the ends of the package.
Those skilled in the art will also see that various different carry handles from those presented above can be attached to the group package according to the invention. The whole group package can for example be surrounded by a separate reinforced paper band that is used similarly to the plastic strips that are commonly applied. The width of the paper band makes the group package more pleasant to handle, however. In this solution, the protective wrap can be thinner and weaker than in the abovementioned solutions, because the wrap itself does not bear any load when the group package is lifted or carried. The carry handle can be paper and/or plastic.
Further, those skilled in the art will see that instead of a wrap, other kinds of protective structures than those mentioned above can be used. For example wraps consisting of nonwoven fabric or other similar thin protective materials can be used in the solution according to the invention.
Further, those skilled in the art will see that the group package according to the invention is suitable for many other package types than a group package for five separate paper bundles. There can be for instance 2-5 paper bundles that are wrapped together into one group package.
Those skilled in the art will also see that the thicknesses and weights of the papers used for the protective wrap can differ from those listed above.
Further, it is evident to those skilled in the art that instead of a paper-based protective wrap, the group package can consist of a protective wrap made out of corrugated board or a similar material. In this case the water vapour transmission rate must also be chosen so that the protective wrap and the paper bundles' wraps added together form a suitable barrier.
Those skilled in the art will also see that the wrapping materials do not have to contain any plastic, if substances that make the material sufficiently hydrophobic are added for example to the base paper layer at the time of the paper's production.
Those skilled in the art will also see that the paper sheets can be wrapped in more protective layers than the abovementioned two layers formed by the paper bundles' wraps and the group package's protective wrap or box. There can be for example three, four or more protective layers. A single protective layer is enough if its strength and water repellence are good enough.
Claims
1. A group package (1) for sheet material such as printing and photocopy paper, in which group package (1) a number of paper bundles (1a) wrapped in their own wrap (2a) consisting at least of a base paper layer (19a), are placed inside a shared protective wrap (2), and in which plastic, a polymer mixture or another suitable material that slows down the penetration of moisture is added at least to the base paper layer (19a) of the wrap (2a), characterised in that the material of the protective wrap (2) and the material of the wrap (2a) used for the paper bundles (1a) is formed by adding plastic, polymer mixture or another suitable material to both wrap materials such quantities that the water vapour transmission rate (WVTR) of the protective wrap (2) and the wrap (2a) in common is less than approximately 50 g/m2/d, as calculated according to the ISO 2528:1995 standard.
2. A group package (1) for sheet material such as printing and photocopy paper, in which group package (1) a number of paper bundles (1a) wrapped in their own wrap (2a) consisting at least of a base paper layer (19a), are placed inside a shared protective wrap (2), consisting at least of a base paper layer (19), in which package plastic, a polymer mixture or another suitable material that slows down the penetration of moisture is added at least to the base paper layer (19a) of the wrap (2a), characterised in that the material of the protective wrap (2) and the material of the wrap (2a) used for the paper bundles (1a) are formed by adding plastic, polymer mixture or another suitable material to both wrap materials' base paper layers (19, 19a) such quantities that the water vapour transmission rate (WVTR) of the protective wrap (2) and the wrap (2a) in common is less than approximately 50 g/m2/d, as calculated according to the ISO 2528:1995 standard.
3. A group package (1) according to claims 1 or 2, characterised in that the total water vapour transmission rate of the protective wrap (2) and the wrap (2a), as calculated according to the ISO 2528:1995 standard, is a maximum of approx. 30 g/m2/d and favourably a maximum of approximately 10 g/m2/d.
4. A group package (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the protective wrap (2) and the wrap (2a) contain a maximum of approximately five percent of their own total weight in plastic.
5. A group package (1) according to claim 2, characterised in that the protective wrap (2) consists of an essentially similar, paper-like and pliable wrapping to that of the wraps (2a) of the paper bundles (1a).
6. A group package (1) according to claim 2, characterised in that plastic, a polymer mixture or another similar material that slows down the penetration of moisture is added at least to the wrap (2a) of the paper bundles (1a) using the online method during the production of the wrap (2a) in a paper machine.
7. A group package (1) according to claim 2, characterised in that the wrapping that forms the group package's (1) protective wrap (2) is taken directly from a reel and wrapped at least once around the long sides of the group package (1), and that on the inner surface of the protective wrap, at least close to one end of the group package (1), there is an opening strip (23), essentially the same length as the protective wrap and placed lengthwise along the protective wrap.
8. A group package (1) according to claim 2, characterised in that at the ends of the group package (1), the edges of the protective wrap of the package are folded creating folds (3-6) so that at least one outer fold (3, 4) is attached to one inner fold (5, 6).
9. A group package (1) according to claim 2, characterised in that a lifting gap (7) is formed between the outer folds (3, 4) and the inner folds (5, 6), and in that the lower edges of the outer folds (3, 4) are designed to work as lifting supports.
10. A group package (1) according to claim 2, characterised in that at least one separate carry handle (13, 14, 15, 16) is attached to the protective wrap (2) of the group package (1).
11. A method for producing the protective wrap (2) for a group package (1) of sheet material such as printing and photocopy paper, and/or the wraps (2a) for the paper bundles (1a) to be packed in the group package (1), characterised in that in producing the material of the protective wrap (2) and/or the material of the wrap (2a), plastic, a polymer mixture or another suitable material is added to the base paper layer (19, 19a) of the material using online technology in a paper machine, in suitable quantities to make the combined water vapour transmission rate (WVTR) of the protective wrap (2) and the wrap (2a) of the finished group package (1) less than approx. 50 g/m2/d, as calculated according to the ISO 2528:1995 standard.
12. A method according to claim 11, characterised in that in producing the material of the protective wrap (2) and/or the material of the wrap (2a), plastic, a polymer mixture or another suitable material is added to the base paper layer (19, 19a) of the material using online technology in a paper machine, in suitable quantities to make the combined water vapour transmission rate (WVTR) of the protective wrap (2) and the wrap (2a) of the finished group package (1) a maximum of approx. 30 g/m2/d, favourably a maximum of approx. 10 g/m2/d.
13. A method according to claims 11 or 12, characterised in that in producing the material of the protective wrap (2) and/or the material of the wrap (2a), plastic, a polymer mixture or another suitable material is added to the base paper layer (19, 19a) of the material using online technology in a paper machine, in suitable quantities that the materials (2, 2a) contain a maximum of approx. five percent of their own total weight in plastic.
14. A method according to claim 11, characterised in that the group package is formed out of essentially strong and durable reel-based wrapping material, which is cut into the correct length at the beginning of the packaging process and which forms the protective wrap (2), which is placed centrally along its width on top of the paper bundles to be packed, and in that an initial wrapping is done by wrapping the protective wrap around the office paper bundles (1a), after which the wrap's end folds are formed by pressing the inner folds (5, 6) against the end of the group package (1), formed by the end surfaces of the paper bundles, and the outer folds (3, 4) are formed by folding the parts of the protective wrap that exceed the length of the paper bundles at the vertical ends to form essentially two triangular folds, and that after the folds are made, the outer folds (3, 4) are attached at the ends of the group package (1) at least to one of the inner folds (5, 6) and, if necessary, also to each other.
15. A method according to claim 14, characterised in that the group package (1) is produced out of reel-based, essentially strong and durable wrapping material that forms a protective wrap (2), which wrapping material is wrapped directly off the reel around the office paper, and in that the folds (3, 4) at the ends of the group package form supports that act as carry handles.
16. A group package (1) according to claim 2, characterised in that the protective wrap (2) and the wrap (2a) contain a maximum of approximately five percent of their own total weight in plastic.
17. A group package (1) according to claim 3, characterised in that the protective wrap (2) and the wrap (2a) contain a maximum of approximately five percent of their own total weight in plastic.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 8, 2007
Publication Date: Jan 7, 2010
Applicant: UPM-KYMMENE OYJ (Helsinki)
Inventors: Matti Sipilä (Kuusankoski), Jarmo Järvinen (Papenburg)
Application Number: 12/514,273
International Classification: B65D 75/00 (20060101); B65B 11/00 (20060101);