Apparatus and method for creating on demand customized corrugated cardboard for forming individually designed packaging boxes

Abstract

Apparatus to create on demand customized cardboard for forming individually designed packaging boxes, said cardboard having at least one corrugated layer sandwiched between two flat layers, the apparatus comprising a joining station that attaches a second flat layer to a corrugated layer attached to a first layer, supply system to supply said corrugated layer with the first flat layer attached thereto to said joining station, supply system to supply said second flat layer to said joining station, a control system operable to obtain information on the dimensions of a packaging box to be formed and on a design selected for that box and further operable to match the selected design to the dimensions of the box and a printing unit to print the matched design on the first and/or on the second flat layer.

Claims

1. A method for creating on demand customized cardboard for forming individually designed packaging boxes, said cardboard having at least one corrugated layer between two flat layers, the method comprising providing a corrugated layer attached to a first flat layer, attaching a second flat layer to the corrugated layer such that the corrugated layer is sandwiched between the first and the second flat layers, obtaining information on the dimensions of a packaging box to be formed, selecting a box layout among different box layouts suitable for holding items to be packaged in the box to be formed, selecting a design to be printed on the box, the design including a plurality of discrete elements, including at least one element of the selected design which will extend across at least two different sides of the box and at least one fold line between the at least two different sides, the plurality of discrete elements including at least one of: a pattern, a photograph, a logo, a field for writing address information, a field for attaching postage, printed address information of a recipient, printed address information of a sender, printed postage, or one or more spaces showing where sealing tape is to be attached, remapping the selected design to the dimensions of the box including respective dimensions and an arrangement of two or more panels of the box to cause at least one of the plurality of discrete elements to appear at a location that crosses two or more panels of the box and at least one fold line between the two or more panels when the remapped design is printed on a blank for the box and the blank is subsequently folded into the box that is different from a location at which the at least one of the plurality of discrete elements would otherwise appear without the selected design being remapped, and printing the remapped design on the first and/or on the second flat layer of the blank for the box, wherein obtaining information on the dimensions of a packaging box to be formed includes retrieving information on items to be packaged in the box to be formed, calculating at least one optimized possible arrangement of the items, and providing a tolerance for enlarging said dimensions, wherein remapping the selected design to the dimensions of the box includes remapping the selected design to the obtained dimensions of the box with said enlarging.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein selecting a design includes receiving a digital image for being used in the design of the box.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein selecting a design includes creating a customized graphic design in line with the obtained dimensions.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein selecting a box layout comprises selecting one of a box having fixed dimensions, a box having one or two adjustable dimensions, and a box having fully customized dimensions.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising producing packaging instructions for arranging the items to be packaged in the box to be formed.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein remapping the design to the dimensions of the box includes calculating positions of address and postage information and/or of sealing tape used for sealing the box formed and/or of fold lines present on the box.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising producing a virtual digital image of a box having the selected design prior to printing the design.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein remapping the selected design to the dimensions of the box including respective dimensions and an arrangement of two or more panels of the box causes at least one of: the pattern, the photograph, the logo, the field for writing address information, the field for attaching postage, the printed address information of the recipient, the printed address information of the sender, the printed postage, or one or more spaces showing where sealing tape is to be attached of the remapped design to appear on or across different ones of the two or more panels of the box when the remapped design is printed on a blank for the box and the blank is subsequently folded into the box than the two or more panels of the box on which the at least one of: the pattern, the photograph, the logo, the field for writing address information, the field for attaching postage, the printed address information of the recipient, the printed address information of the sender, the printed postage, or the one or more spaces showing where sealing tape is to be attached of the selected design would otherwise appear without the selected design being remapped.

9. The method according to claim 1 wherein the remapped design is printed on the first and/or on the second flat layer of the blank for the box after the corrugated layer attached is attached to the first flat layer and the second flat layer.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows very schematically a first embodiment of the invention.

(2) FIG. 2 shows very schematically a second embodiment of the invention.

(3) FIG. 3 shows very schematically a third embodiment of the invention.

(4) FIG. 4 shows very schematically a fourth embodiment of the invention.

(5) FIG. 5 shows virtual images of two different box layouts for being selected by an operator or a customer.

(6) FIG. 6 shows a virtual image of a box having a selected design.

(7) FIG. 7 shows a first blank for forming a box having the selected design.

(8) FIG. 8 shows a (not yet fully closed) box formed from the blank shown in FIG. 7.

(9) FIG. 9 shows a second blank for forming a box having the selected design.

(10) FIG. 10 shows a (not yet fully closed) box formed from the blank shown in FIG. 9.

(11) FIG. 11 shows a third blank for forming a box having the selected design.

(12) FIG. 12 shows a (not yet fully closed) box formed from the blank shown in FIG. 11.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(13) In FIGS. 1 to 4, different embodiments of an apparatus according to the various embodiments of the invention for creating customized corrugated cardboard on demand are shown, the shown apparatus being adapted for working on-site of a system for automatically forming packaging boxes, said corrugated cardboard having at least one corrugated layer sandwiched between two flat layers, are shown very schematically.

(14) Each apparatus comprises means for supplying single-faced corrugated cardboard, i.e., a corrugated layer 10 attached to a first flat layer 12, from a roll 14, which is shown only partially, to a joining station 16, where a second flat layer 18 is attached to the corrugated layer 10 to form standard corrugated cardboard 20 having a corrugated layer sandwiched between two flat layers. This cardboard can then be fed into a machine for automatically forming packaging boxes. Arrow 22 indicates the direction, in which the cardboard moves through the apparatus. For sake of clarity and in order to avoid overloading the drawings, the respective components are not in all drawings provided with respective reference numbers.

(15) As will be described later, joining station 16 may comprise one or more pressing and transporting rollers 34, 36 and one or more transporting rollers 24 and other units for attaching the second flat layer 18 to the corrugated layer 10. The second flat layer 18 is supplied from a roll 26 to the joining station 16 with the aid of corresponding supply structure (e.g., driven and un-driven rollers).

(16) The embodiment according to FIG. 1 comprises a so-called activation unit 38, which in this embodiment is used to make the side of the second flat layer 18 facing the corrugated layer 10 sticky. This can be done in multiple ways, for example by spraying liquid glue onto the respective side of the second flat layer, applying hot-melt glue to it or by activating (e.g., wetting) an adhesive substance that has already been applied to the respective side of the second flat layer prior to winding it up on the roll 26. While in the shown embodiment the side of the second flat layer facing the corrugated layer is made sticky, it is obvious for an expert in the art that likewise the side of the corrugated layer facing the second flat layer may be made sticky by activating an adhesive substance already provided on the corrugated layer or by applying an adhesive to it. Also, it is possible that both, the corrugated layer and the second flat layer, carry on the sides facing each other one component of a two-component adhesive, such that the layers stick to each other when brought into contact.

(17) In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the adhesive substance is provided on the corrugated layer 10 and is of the so-called self-adhesive type used for example for self-adhesive stickers. Obviously, it is sufficient to provide the adhesive substance only on the areas of the crests of the corrugated layer 10, as only those areas will come into contact with the second flat layer 18. In order to facilitate that the single-faced cardboard can be coiled up on roll 14 while preventing that upon coiling-up the side of the corrugated layer 10 provided with the adhesive substance sticks to the first flat layer, a protective layer (e.g., release liner) 28 covering the adhesive substance is provided on the corrugated layer and is removed prior to attaching the second flat layer 18 to the corrugated layer 10. The protective layer 28 is wound up on a roll 30 and may then be re-used.

(18) FIG. 3 shows an apparatus, in which the joining station 16 comprises a pair of pressing rollers 34 and 36. This apparatus is used when a specific type of adhesive substance (e.g. so-called “cold seal”) that only sticks to itself has been applied to both, the corrugated layer 10 and the second flat layer 18. Both, the single-face corrugated board, i.e. the corrugated layer 10 with the first flat layer 12 attached to it, and the second flat layer 18 can be stored on a respective roll 14 resp. 26. Only when the layers 10 and 18 are pressed together they will stick together and compose standard corrugated cardboard. No activation or peeling off is needed, but after merging the layers some pressure must be applied to ensure that the layers stick together properly.

(19) FIG. 4 shows an apparatus, in which the joining station 16 also comprises an activation unit 38, which, depending on the type of adhesive substance used, may be provided before or after the corrugated layer 10 comes into contact with the second flat layer 18. Again, the joining station may or may not comprise a pair of pressing rollers. For certain applications, it may be advantageous to use a type of adhesive substance provided on the corrugated layer and/or the second flat layer that has to be activated, in particular by heat via a heater for instance a radiant element, light via a light source for instance one or more light emitting diodes (e.g., ultraviolet (UV) LED), a liquid (like e.g., water) via a nozzle or dispenser, pressure via a nozzle, vacuum, plate, platen or rollers, or the like, to show adhesive properties. Accordingly, the activation unit may comprise any structure that generates one or more of heat, light, pressure and/or for spraying said liquid.

(20) While FIG. 4 shows an apparatus to activate an adhesive substance provided on the corrugated layer, it is obvious that such substance may additionally or alternatively be also provided on the second flat layer 18, in case of which a corresponding activation unit has to be arranged accordingly.

(21) Various embodiments are provided with a printing unit (i.e., printer, print head with or without a print platen) 40, which in the shown examples is adapted for printing on the side of the second flat layer 18 that is opposite to the side that will be brought into contact with the corrugated layer 10. It is obvious for an expert in the art that likewise a printing unit for printing on the side of the first flat layer 12, which is not in contact with the corrugated layer 10, can be provided. FIG. 1 shows an example of such printing unit 42. For certain applications, as will be described later, it is even advantageous to provide two printing units allowing to print on both, the first and the second flat layer.

(22) The apparatus according to the various embodiments of the invention further comprises a control system (not shown) adapted for controlling the apparatus, as will be described later. The control system can comprise one or more controllers, for example one or more micro-controllers, microprocessors, application specific integrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays, and, or programmable logic controllers. The control system can comprise one or more nontransitory storage mediums, for example one or more volatile memories for instance random access memory (RAM) or registers, and, or one or more non-volatile memories for instance read only memory (ROM), FLASH memory, magnetic hard disk drives, or optical disk drives. The nontransitory storage mediums can store processor-executable instructions and, or information, executable by a processor, and which when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform various methods described herein. The one or more controllers can be communicatively coupled to the one or more nontransitory storage mediums via one or more communications channels, for example one or more buses.

(23) One particularly advantageous use of the apparatus is allowing the customer of a web shop to create his own packaging box design. In one embodiment, this can be put in practice as follows: When the customer finishes the order, he is asked if he wants to create an individually designed box. When the customer affirms this, in a first act the control system obtains information on the dimensions of a packing box necessary for packaging the item(s) ordered. It should be noted that the term “control system” as used herein has a broad meaning and is not limited to a single unit; rather, a control system in the sense of the embodiments of the invention will typically be comprised of different units such as processors and data bases at different locations that, may be communicatively coupled to one another, to perform different tasks in creating the customized box.

(24) Obtaining information on the dimensions of a packaging box for the respective order can be done in multiple ways, for example by obtaining the dimensions of each item in the order from a data base. If the order contains multiple items, the control system may calculate different arrangements of the items which are optimized under different criteria as known in the art of creating customized boxes. For example, the items may be arranged to allow a box having minimal volume, minimal surface (hence reducing the amount of cardboard needed for creating the box), maximum protection and others. The machine used for forming the packaging box may only allow creating a certain number of different sized boxes, such as a small, a medium and a large box, may allow creating boxes that are adjustable in one or two dimensions such as height or width, or may allow creating boxes that are fully customized in all three dimensions, only limited by the width of the cardboard used and of course certain stability restrictions.

(25) In the example described herein, it is assumed that the items ordered by the customer could be packaged either in rather flat arrangement or a more compact arrangement. As schematically depicted in FIG. 5, a virtual digital image 44 of two different box layouts 46 and 48 is produced and provided to the customer, so that he may choose one of the layouts 46 and 48. If the items ordered are for example wine bottles and the order is a present, the customer may prefer layout 46, in which the bottles will be packaged lying next to each other, so that the recipient of the present will see all bottles nicely arrangement opening the box. If the order is not a present, the customer may prefer box layout 48, in which the bottles would be standing next to each other and which package may be more compact, hence reducing shipment costs and/or costs of producing the box. Information on shipping costs, production costs etc. for different box layouts may of course be provided to the customer, preferably directly in the digital image 44.

(26) The customer may then select a design for the chosen box layout, and the control system then matches the chosen design to the box layout and produces, as schematically depicted in FIG. 6, a virtual digital image 50 showing the customer how the box 52 with the chosen design matched to it would look. If the system upon matching the design to the box layout determines that a different box layout may be better suited for the selected design, a respective message may be displayed to the customer and he may for example be asked to confirm changing the layout or keeping the chosen layout. It should be noted that as used herein the term “box layout” refers to the general cut and type of the box and includes information like dimensions of the finished box, if it is a box with an attached lid or with a separate lid, whether the intended opening of the box is done on the top or on a lateral side of the box, and how stable the box is (stability can in particular be influenced by the amount of overlap of the respective panels forming the box). The layout also defines, which panels will have fold lines and which panels will receive adhesive tape for closing the box, if such tape is used. The term “design” as used herein refers to the printing on the outer and/or inner side of the box and includes in particular a certain pattern, photographs, logos, fields for writing address information and/or attaching postage, printed address information on recipient and/or sender, printed postage, spaces for showing where sealing tape should best be attached (in particular if the boxes are to be closed by hand) etc. The term “matching” as used herein refers to adapting a selected design in particular to the dimensions of the box and other particularities of the chosen box layout, i.e. whether or not the box has a separate lid and on which side the box is closed etc. As is obvious for an expert, matching is far more than simply scaling, as photos and logos may simply be enlarged or reduced whereas certain patterns may not be adapted in size but may be applied over the respective surface and spaces for writing address information and/or for adding postage may for example always have the same size but may be placed at different locations on different packages, taking into account respective requirements of organizations handling the transport of the box to a recipient. The user of the invention may allow the customer to place certain pictures and/or fields like address information fields freely on the box, or it may be foreseen that for example address information is always placed on a certain area of a box like the lower left corner of the top etc. Obviously, in case the customer does not like the virtual digital image 50 of the box 52 with the chosen design matched to it, he could choose another design and/or another box layout, for example a more flat box like box 46 shown in FIG. 5. Moreover, via a graphical editor the customer can individually create, adapt or change a graphic design of the packaging box in line with the respective dimensions of the box.

(27) Selecting a design can be done in multiple ways. For example, the control system may suggest certain box designs based on prior orders of the customers and/or on the dimensions and the layout of the box and the user may simply select one of the suggested designs. In a preferred embodiment, the process of selecting a design includes an act in which the customer can create his own individual design, for example by choosing certain design elements like pictures, patterns etc. from a database made available to him and/or by uploading his own design elements like in particular pictures, which will then be matched to the box layout and a virtual digital image showing how the box with the design would look could be presented to the customer, who may then select the design or start creating a different design. It is of course possible to allow selecting different designs for different parts of the box and to provide that for example large pictures extend over different sides of the box.

(28) Whereas in the descripted embodiment a customer of a web shop selects the design, it is of course also possible that the control system automatically selects a certain design based on order information. For example, if the apparatus according to the invention is used in the process of drop shipment, the control system may automatically choose a specific design.

(29) If the process of selecting a design and matching it to the box is finished, i.e. if the customer has accepted a certain design, the matched design is printed on the first or the second flat layer or on both. As schematically indicated in FIG. 1, an apparatus according to at least one embodiment of the invention may comprise a second printing unit 42, in the shown example arranged after the joining station 16 for attaching a second flat layer 18 to the corrugated layer 10. The printing unit could also be arranged upstream of the joining station, so that printing could be done prior to attaching the second flat layer to the corrugated layer. Likewise as indicated by the dashed box 40′ in FIG. 2, the printing unit 40 could also be arranged downstream of the joining station 16. Where the printing units 40, 40′ and 42 are located also depends on whether the printed design shall be on the outside of a folded box, on the inside of the box or on both, the inside and the outside. While in most cases printing on the outside may be preferred, in particular when the box holds a gift printing on the inside could be very interesting and could give the gift a very personal touch while the outside of the box is kept neutral.

(30) As a blank, sometimes also called piano, for folding the selected box from the cardboard produced will be cut, it is also possible to arrange the printing unit downstream of such cutting stations. The inventive concept remains unchanged. In FIGS. 7-12 different blank layouts and boxes folded therefrom are shown, all leading to a box having the same general appearance like the box 52 presented in the virtual image 50 (FIG. 6), while having totally different properties.

(31) For explanatory reasons, the three sides of the boxes shown in FIGS. 6, 8, 10 and 12 that are not fully visible in these figures are not provided with any printing, although they obviously could also be provided with such printing. Hence, the respective panels of the blanks shown in FIGS. 7, 9 and 11 are shown without any printing. Furthermore, for explanatory reasons only a certain pattern is shown as the design, while in practice fields for adding address and/or postage information etc. and/or printed information on the sender and/or the contents may also be foreseen.

(32) The blank 54 shown in FIG. 7 comprises six corner panels 56, four side panels 58, 60, 62 and 64, a bottom panel 66, a top panel 68, a front end panel 70, a back end panel 72 and a top end panel 74, of which the top panel 68, the back end panel 72 and the side panels 58 and 60 are provides with a printing forming the chosen design when the panel is folded to form a box 76 as shown in FIG. 8.

(33) FIG. 9 shows a different type of blank 82, which comprises four corner panels 84, two bottom panel 86, two top panels 88, four side panels 90, 92, 94, 96 and a gluing flap 98 used for attaching side panel 90 to side panel 96 upon folding a box 100 as shown in FIG. 10 from blank 82.

(34) FIG. 11 shows two blanks, namely a lid blank 102 and a box blank 104. Lid blank 102 comprises a top panel 106 and four side panels 108, 110, 112 and 114. Box blank 104 comprises a bottom panel 116, four corner panels 118 and four side panels 120, 122, 124 and 126. Lid blank 102 and box blank 104 are folded to form a lid 128 respectively a box 130 as shown in FIG. 12.

(35) In a further embodiment of a machine for creating customized boxes, obtaining information about the dimensions of a packaging box for the respective order may also comprise allowing a customer some freedom to enlarge the packaging box if that better suites the customer created packaging design. For example, a certain dimensional tolerance (length and/or width and/or height) could be provided which can be chosen by the customer to enlarge the dimensions of the packaging box to be created in that it better matches with the design which the customer wants to create. Such dimensional tolerances could be foreseen providing that (i) the proposed boxes still can be created by said machine for creating customized boxes, (ii) the dimensions of the proposed boxes are still within the range of boxes that can be created from the cardboard used for creating packaging boxes and (iii) the dimensions of the proposed boxes do not compromise the stability restrictions of the box. A consequence of allowing an increased size of said packaging box is that there will be more empty space in the box, which may require adding fill material to the box when it is created.

(36) The invention advantageously allows both, the operator of a respective apparatus for creating cardboard as well as the customer of such operator, to design the cardboard on demand so that a box folded from the respective cardboard will have a certain appearance. When the customer is enabled to send his own patterns, pictures, etc. to be used in the design of the box, it could be foreseen that a copyright and/or morality check is automatically performed prior to accepting a design for printing. When the operator or the customer has chosen a certain layout for a box for a specific assembly of items, it may be foreseen that packaging instructions are produced and provided together with the cardboard to a packer arranging the items to be packaged in the box. Such instructions may for example be automatically displayed on a monitor at a station where the items are packaged in the box. Likewise, in case a box with a separate lid is used, instructions on how to arrange the lid on the box may be automatically produced and provided to a person closing the box, or an indication mark on the inside of the lid and/or the box showing how the lid has to be placed on the box may be printed on the cardboard.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

(37) 10 corrugated layer 12 first flat layer 14 roll of first layer material 16 joining station 18 second flat layer 20 corrugated cardboard 22 direction of movement of cardboard 24 pressing and transporting roller 26 roll of second layer material 28 protective layer 30 roll for used protective layer 32 means for supplying removed protective layer 34 pressing roller 36 pressing roller 38 activation unit 40, 40′ printing unit 42 printing unit 44 digital image 46 box 48 box 50 digital image 52 box 54 blank 56 corner panel 58 side panel 60 side panel 62 side panel 64 side panel 66 bottom panel 68 top panel 70 front end panel 72 back end panel 74 top end panel 76 box 82 blank 84 corner panel 86 bottom panel 88 top panel 90 side panel 92 side panel 94 side panel 96 side panel 98 gluing flap 100 box 102 lid blank 104 box blank 106 top panel 108 side panel 110 side panel 112 side panel 114 side panel 116 bottom panel 118 corner panel 120 side panel 122 side panel 124 side panel 126 side panel 128 lid 130 box