Package of insulating products and process for manufacturing such a package

Abstract

A pack includes compressible insulation products that each have a longitudinal axis, a peripheral surface, and first and second ends. The pack includes a stack of at least two modules, where each module includes a row of insulation products positioned next to one another along a first direction. The modules of the stack are superimposed along a second direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the insulation products and to the first direction. The pack also includes a cover that wraps the stack by covering five faces of the stack including the two end faces of the stack formed by the ends of the insulation products and at least the periphery of the sixth face of the stack.

Claims

1. A pack of compressible insulation products, each of the insulation products having a longitudinal axis, a peripheral surface, and first and second ends, the pack comprising: a stack of at least two superimposed modules, where each of the modules comprises: a row of the insulation products positioned next to one another, successively along a first direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the insulation products, the insulation products of the row having their longitudinal axes parallel to one another, a first film which wraps each of the insulation products of the row in a compressed state of the insulation product by covering the peripheral surface of the insulation product, a second film which wraps the row of the insulation products, by covering some of the peripheral surface of the insulation products of the row, the at least two superposed modules of the stack being superimposed along a second direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the insulation products and to the first direction of each module, the stack comprising two end faces formed by the ends of the insulation products and main faces and transverse faces that are perpendicular to the end faces; and a cover which wraps the stack of superimposed modules by covering five faces of the stack including the two end faces and at least a periphery of a sixth face of the stack.

2. The pack as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stack of modules is completely covered by the combination of the second film and the cover.

3. The pack as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second film forms, around the row of the insulation products, a sleeve having an axis parallel to the longitudinal axes of the insulation products.

4. The pack as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cover has a main axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the insulation products.

5. The pack as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cover comprises an opening on the sixth face of the stack is perpendicular to the second direction.

6. The pack as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cover covers the sixth face of the stack.

7. The pack as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cover is a stretchable cover formed from a sheath of stretchable plastic film.

8. The pack as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second film is a plastic film having a tensile strength higher than that of a constituent plastic film of the cover.

9. The pack as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second film wraps the row of the insulation products in a compressed state of the insulation products against one another along the first direction.

10. A palletized assembly comprising: a pallet, at least two of the packs as claimed in claim 1, which are superimposed on one another and on the pallet with the longitudinal axes of the insulation products perpendicular to the pallet, and means for holding the packs on the pallet.

11. The palletized assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein the holding means comprise an outer cover formed by stretching a sheath of stretchable plastic film at a periphery of the packs.

12. The palletized assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein the holding means comprise a film stretch-wrapped at a periphery of the packs.

13. A process for manufacturing a pack comprising compressible insulation products, each of the insulation products having a longitudinal axis, a peripheral surface, and first and second ends, the process comprising steps wherein: wrapping each of the insulation products using a first film that covers the peripheral surface of the insulation product and which maintains the insulation product in a compressed state; forming a row of the insulation products by positioning several insulation products provided with the first film next to one another, successively along a first direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the insulation products, the insulation products of the row having their longitudinal axes parallel to one another; forming a module by wrapping the row of the insulation products using a second film, which covers some of the peripheral surface of the insulation products of the row and which holds the insulation products of the row next to one another along the first direction; forming a stack of the modules by superimposing at least two of the modules along a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the insulation products and to the first direction of each of the modules; and forming the pack by wrapping the stack of the modules using a cover which covers at least five faces of the stack including the two end faces of the stack formed by the ends of the insulation products.

14. A process for manufacturing a palletized assembly comprising compressible insulation products, each of the insulation products having a longitudinal axis, a peripheral surface, and first and second ends, the process comprising steps wherein: wrapping each of the insulation products using a first film that covers the peripheral surface of the insulation product and which maintains the insulation product in a compressed state; forming a row of the insulation products by positioning several of the insulation products provided with the first film next to one another, successively along a first direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the insulation products, the insulation products of the row having their longitudinal axes parallel to one another; forming a module by wrapping the row of the insulation products using a second film, which covers some of the peripheral surface of the insulation products of the row and which holds the insulation products of the row next to one another along the first direction; forming a stack of the modules by superimposing at least two of the modules along a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the insulation products and to the first direction of each of the modules; forming a pack by wrapping the stack of the modules using a cover which covers at least five faces of the stack including the two end faces of the stack formed by the ends of the insulation products; superimposing at least two packs on one another and on a pallet with the longitudinal axes of the insulation products perpendicular to the pallet; and assembling the packs and the pallet using means for holding the packs on the pallet.

15. The process as claimed in claim 14, wherein the means for holding the packs include an outer cover or a stretch-wrapped film.

16. The process as claimed in claim 15, wherein the assembling the packs and the pallet includes stretching the outer cover in a plane parallel to the longitudinal axes of the insulation products and then displacing the outer cover in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axes of the insulation.

17. The process as claimed in claim 14, wherein the cover includes an opening on a sixth face of the stack.

18. The process as claimed in claim 13, wherein the cover includes an opening on a sixth face of the stack.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The features and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the following description of embodiments of a pack of insulation products and of a palletized assembly in accordance with the invention, given solely by way of example and with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

(2) FIGS. 1 to 5 are schematic perspective views showing successive steps of a process for manufacturing a pack of rolls in accordance with the invention;

(3) FIG. 6 is a schematic exploded perspective view of a first embodiment of a palletized assembly comprising two packs according to the invention;

(4) FIG. 7 is a schematic cross section along the plane VII from FIG. 6;

(5) FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 6 for a second embodiment of a palletized assembly comprising two packs according to the invention; and

(6) FIG. 9 is a schematic cross section along the plane IX from FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(7) Schematically illustrated in FIG. 1 is a roll 1, formed by rolling up a strip of insulation made of compressible fibrous material, such as glass wool or rock wool. This roll has a longitudinal axis X.sub.1, a peripheral surface 15 and two ends 12 and 14. Conventionally, during the rolling up of the roll 1, the fibrous material undergoes a compression, with a compression ratio suitable for ensuring both that the bulkiness of the strip of insulation is minimized in the rolled-up state and that the strip of insulation regains its thickness and its insulating characteristics in the rolled out state. The roll 1 has also been wrapped with a first film 2 that maintains the roll in a compressed state, by covering the peripheral surface 15 of the roll. By way of example, the roll 1 has a diameter at its ends 12, 14 of the order of 300 to 600 mm, and each roll has a length parallel to the axis X.sub.1 of the order of 800 to 1250 mm.

(8) As shown in FIG. 2, a row 3 of rolls is formed by positioning several rolls 1 next to one another, successively along a first direction D.sub.1 perpendicular to the longitudinal axes X.sub.1 of the rolls, with their axes X.sub.1 parallel to one another. By way of example, the row 3 has a length along the first direction D.sub.1 of the order of 900 to 3000 mm, which corresponds to a row of three to six rolls depending on the diameter of the rolls. In the example represented, each row 3 comprises four juxtaposed rolls 1 and has a length along the first direction D.sub.1 of the order of 1600 mm.

(9) In order to form a module 5, which has a single row 3 of rolls 1, the row 3 is wrapped with a second film 4, with application of a compression of the rolls 1 of the row against one another along the direction of the arrows C.sub.1 in FIG. 3, which corresponds to the first direction D.sub.1, the compression being maintained by the wrapping with the second film 4. The wrapping with the second film 4 may be carried out in an encircling device, for example in which the film 4 is deployed around the row 3 along the first direction D.sub.1, by relative displacement of a band of film 4 and of the row 3 while applying the compression C.sub.1 along the first direction D.sub.1. Advantageously, the second film 4 extends from one end to the other of the rolls 1, covering the main faces 31, 33 and transverse faces 36, 38 of the row 3 and leaving the ends 12 and 14 of each roll free. The compression applied along the direction of the arrows C.sub.1 is for example of the order of 1.5 tonnes. As seen in FIG. 3, following such a compression, the rolls 1 have a cross section of oval shape, the largest axis of which is along the second direction D.sub.2 perpendicular to the longitudinal axes X.sub.1 of the rolls and to the first direction D.sub.1. By way of example, the module 5 has a length along the first direction D.sub.1 of the order of 1100 to 1250 mm.

(10) Preferably, the first film 2 and the second film 4 are each formed of a strip of plastic which is not very extensible, for example a strip of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), so that each film 2 and 4 maintains the rolls 1 of the row in their compressed state.

(11) As shown in FIG. 4, several modules 5 are superimposed, along the second direction D.sub.2 perpendicular to the longitudinal axes X.sub.1 of the rolls and to the first direction D.sub.1 of each module, so as to form a stack 6. The stack 6 comprises two end faces 62, 64, which are formed by the ends 12, 14 of the rolls 1, and main faces 61, 63 and transverse faces 66, 68, which are perpendicular to the end faces 62, 64. In the example represented, the stack 6 comprises three modules 5 superimposed along the second direction D.sub.2.

(12) A pack 8 of rolls in accordance with the invention is obtained by wrapping the stack 6 of modules with a cover 7, so that the cover 7 covers five faces of the stack 6 including the two end faces 62, 64 and the cover 7 is folded over the periphery of the sixth face of the stack 6, which in the example from FIG. 5 is the lower main face 61 of the stack. Thus, one edge 72 of the cover 7 is positioned opposite the lower main face 61 of the stack 6 and covers the periphery of this face 61, while delimiting an opening 71 on this lower main face 61. The opening 71 is centered on an axis Y.sub.7 perpendicular to the longitudinal axes X.sub.1 of the rolls 1 of the stack 6.

(13) Preferably, the cover 7 is a stretchable cover, formed from a sheath of stretchable plastic film, for example made of low-density polyethylene (LDPE). The wrapping of the stack 6 with the cover 7 is then carried out, in a known manner, in a stretchable cover packaging device. In FIG. 5, the vertical direction of the packaging device corresponds to the direction of the axis Y.sub.7 of the cover 7. In this example, the cover 7 is deployed along the second direction D.sub.2 around the stack 6.

(14) Conventionally, in the packaging device, the sheath of stretchable plastic film is stored around a spool, by being pleated in a bellows or accordion tube shape. The packaging device comprises a welding station configured in order to weld the sheath forming a welded joint. After welding, the sheath is cut transversely in a cutting station in order to produce a cover 7 independent of the spool and sealed in its upper portion.

(15) The pleated cover 7 is then stretched in a horizontal plane parallel to the welding zone of the upper portion of the cover 7, which is the plane perpendicular to the second direction D.sub.2, while being positioned above the upper main face 63 of the stack 6. The cover 7 is then opened out, and deposited on and around the main face 63 and faces 62, 64, 66, 68 of the stack 6 following a vertical displacement from top to bottom along the second direction D.sub.2.

(16) At the end of the covering operation, the lower end of the cover 7 is folded under the lower main face 61 of the stack 6, for example with the aid of stretching clamps. The tightening of the cover 7 is then carried out by elasticity, which firmly holds the cover 7 around the stack 6 of modules. The edge 72 of the cover 7 positioned opposite the lower main face 61 then covers the periphery of this face 61, while delimiting the opening 71.

(17) A pack 8 is then obtained that comprises twelve rolls, which is watertight since the package, formed by the combination of the cover 7 and the second film 4 of the end module closest to the opening 71, covers the whole of the six faces of the stack 6 of modules. The continuous overlap between the cover 7 and the second film 4 at the periphery of the main face 61 of the stack 6, where the second film 4 of the end module creates a flat and closed surface area, guarantees that there is no entry of water inside the pack 8. By way of example, the pack 8 has a length parallel to the axes X.sub.1 of the rolls of the order of 800 to 1250 mm, a length along the first direction D.sub.1 of the order of 1100 to 1250 mm, and a length along the second direction D.sub.2 of the order of 1200 mm. Thus, it is possible to fit two pallets with dimensions of 1200 to 1250 mm by 1200 to 1250 mm, supporting superimposed packs 8, side-by-side in a truck having a width of the order of 2400 to 2500 mm. Of course, the dimensions of the rolls 1, the number of rolls 1 and the degree of compression C.sub.1 may be adapted so that the dimensions of the packs 8 correspond to any conventional dimensions of pallets and of means of transport.

(18) Using packs 8 of rolls in accordance with the invention as described above, it is possible to produce palletized assemblies in a simple manner. Two examples of palletized assemblies are illustrated in the first and second embodiments represented in FIGS. 6 to 9.

(19) In the first embodiment represented in FIGS. 6 and 7, the palletized assembly 16 comprises a pallet 13 and two packs 8 of rolls. The pallet 13 is preferably formed of two wooden plates or duckboards spaced apart by spacers that define a sufficient space for the introduction of the forks of a handling appliance. Advantageously, the lower plate of the pallet 13 enables an easy displacement on a track and a stacking of loads. The two packs 8 are superimposed on one another and on the pallet 13 in a configuration where the rolls 1 are “upright” on the pallet 13, that is to say with their longitudinal axes X.sub.1 perpendicular to the pallet. As clearly seen in FIG. 6, this corresponds to a configuration of each pack 8 pivoted by 90° relative to the configuration from FIG. 5. The opening 71 of the cover 7 of each pack 8 is then positioned laterally relative to the palletized assembly 16, each cover 7 possibly then being considered to be a “horizontal” cover in the palletized assembly 16.

(20) For holding the packs 8 on the pallet 13, the palletized assembly 16 comprises an outer cover 9, which may be considered to be a “vertical” cover in the palletized assembly 16. Preferably, the outer cover 9 is a stretchable cover, formed by stretching a sheath of plastic film at the periphery of the packs 8. The installation of the outer cover 9 around the packs 8 and the pallet 13 is carried out, in a known manner, in a stretchable cover packaging device. In FIGS. 6 and 7, the vertical direction of the packaging device corresponds to the direction of the main axis X.sub.9 of the outer cover 9. In this example, the outer cover 9 is deployed around the packs 8 and the pallet 13 along a direction parallel to the longitudinal axes X.sub.1 of the rolls.

(21) Advantageously, the device used for the installation of the “vertical” outer cover 9 around the packs 8 and the pallet 13 may be the same device as that used for the installation of the “horizontal” covers 7 on the stacks 6. In this case, the facility for manufacturing palletized assemblies may comprise means for 90° rotation of the packs 8 after the installation of their cover 7 and before the superposition thereof on the pallet 13.

(22) The installation of the outer cover 9 around the packs 8 and the pallet 13 is carried out in a manner similar to that of the cover 7 around the stack 6. Thus, the depleted outer cover 9 is stretched in a horizontal plane parallel to the welding zone of the upper portion of the outer cover, which is the plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axes X.sub.1 of the rolls. The outer cover 9 is then opened out, and deposited on and around the packs 8 and pallet 13 following a vertical displacement top to bottom along a direction parallel to the longitudinal axes X.sub.1 of the rolls. At the end of the covering operation, the lower end of the outer cover 9 is folded under the pallet 13. The tightening of the outer cover 9 takes place by elasticity, which firmly holds the outer cover 9 around the load. The outer cover 9 protects the palletized assembly 16 from adverse weather conditions.

(23) In the second embodiment of a palletized assembly represented in FIGS. 8 and 9, the elements similar to those of the first embodiment bear identical references. The palletized assembly 17 in accordance with the second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the packs 8 are not held on the pallet 13 using an outer cover 9, but by stretch wrapping using a film 10 which is deployed around the packs 8 and the pallet 13 with a displacement along a direction parallel to the longitudinal axes X.sub.1 of the rolls.

(24) The installation of the stretch-wrapping film 10 around the packs 8 and the pallet 13 is carried out, in a known manner, in a stretch-wrapping device. In FIGS. 8 and 9, the vertical direction of the stretch-wrapping device corresponds to the direction of the central axis X.sub.10 of the stretch wrapping. The stretch-wrapping device may be, for example, a rotating ring machine, comprising a system of unwinding and stretching the stretch-wrapping film 10 and a system of installing a top sheet 11 on the top of the load. By way of example, the stretch-wrapping film 10 may be a polyethylene film with a thickness of 20 to 30 microns having a stretchability of 250%, and the top sheet 11 may be based on a relatively thick polyethylene film, having a thickness of at least 75 microns.

(25) The stretch-wrapping operations take place in a manner suitable to protect the palletized assembly 17 from adverse weather conditions. For this purpose, the outermost layer of the stretch-wrapping film 10 is deployed from bottom to top, so that the layer positioned highest is always overlapping from the top, seen from the outside, with an arrangement similar to roof tiles, as represented schematically in FIG. 9. Such an arrangement prevents water from entering inside the palletized assembly 17. As is known, the number of turns and the percentages of overlap during the stretch wrapping are adjusted on a case-by-case basis.

(26) For example, a stretch wrapping cycle is carried out in the following manner: when the assembly comprising the packs 8 positioned on the pallet 13 is in place in the stretch-wrapping device, a stabilizer plate is lowered to lock the load formed by the packs 8, and the stretch wrapping starts from the bottom, with a few turns that trap the pallet 13. Starting from the bottom, the ring is gradually moved up, a stop being made at the junction between the two packs 8 of the load. On approaching the top of the load, the stabilizer plate is withdrawn, which is possible since the load is self-stabilized by the film 10 already in place. A length of top sheet film 11 is then unwound, to the desired length on top of the load, the plate is lowered and the top sheet is cut. The stretch wrapping is then restarted downward over several turns, so that the top sheet 11 is encircled by several turns of the stretch-wrapping film 10, which is finally welded to itself and cut. In order to ensure protection against adverse weather conditions, any overlap between the turns of the film 10 that are stretch-wrapped downward around the top sheet 11 is avoided as much as possible.

(27) The invention is not limited to the examples described and represented. In particular, the values given in the examples above for the dimensions of the rolls and packs are purely illustrative, it being understood that the dimensions of the packs according to the invention may be adapted, in particular in order to be compatible with any dimensions of pallets and of means of transport. Furthermore, the invention was described on the basis of examples using rolls as insulation products. As a variant, as mentioned previously, the invention is also applicable to other insulation products of elongated shape, such as batches of boards that are preassembled, having a substantially parallelepipedal shape. Furthermore, the invention may be implemented with film and cover materials that are different from those described above.