APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF A THREE-DIMENSIONAL PACKAGING MATERIAL LIKE A CUSHION PRODUCT FROM A SINGLE- OR MULTI-LAYER PAPER STRIP

Abstract

An apparatus for the production of a three-dimensional packaging product, such as a cushion product, from a single- or multi-layer paper strip may include a preforming station deforming the paper strip to a three-dimensional packaging product with at least one crumple hollow space extending in the strip direction, and a rotation cutter following the preforming station in the feed direction of the paper strip, which is cutting a preformed paper strip to the desired length of the packaging product from a preformed paper strip. A cutting shaft on which a blade of the rotation cutter is mounted and a counter shaft on which the cutting pad is mounted may be included. A set-on element is mounted to the cutting shaft and/or the counter shaft for enlarging the flushing radial extension of the shaft and forming a flush profile channel wall section, the flushing profile course of the set-on element extending in the axial direction of the shaft to at least half of the width of the preformed paper strip section.

Claims

1. An apparatus for the production of a three-dimensional packaging product including a cushion product from a single- or multi-layer paper strip, the apparatus comprising: a preforming station that is deforming the paper strip to the three-dimensional packaging product with at least one crumple hollow space extending in strip direction; a rotation cutter following the preforming station in the feed direction of the paper strip, that is cutting off a preformed paper strip to a desired length of the packaging product from a preformed paper strip; a cutting shaft, on which a blade of the rotation cutter is mounted; a counter shaft, on which a cutting pad is mounted, in which the blade is engaging during the cutting process; and a set-on element mounted to the cutting shaft or the counter shaft for enlarging the flushing radial extension of the shaft and forming a flush profile channel wall section, whose flush profile course is extending in the axial direction of the shaft at least half of the width of the preformed paper strip section.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the set-on element has a longitudinal slot, via which the shaft is introduced into the set-on element in the radial direction, wherein particularly the longitudinal slot merges into a feature base being formed in sections form-complementary to the cylindric shaft or on which multiple recesses are formed for receiving a compound material, like a glue, or the set-on element comprising two gripping arms extending in the axial direction particularly for forming the longitudinal slots, the gripping arm gripping both, the shaft and the holder tightly for the blade or for the cutting pad in forming a form-fit, wherein the respective holder can protrude beyond the radial extension of the gripping arms.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the set-on element comprises a flush, particularly continuously curved in cross-section in the axial direction and in the circumferential direction cushion product outer profile being arranged upstream particularly in revolution circumferential direction of the shaft on the opposite side of the holder for the blade or the cutting pad of the rotation cutter or having at least one profile recess at the axial position of the at least one crumple hollow space of the packaging product so that the profile recess is form-fitted to a cushion curvature formed by the crumple hollow space.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the at least one profile recess is delimited by radial elevations in the axial direction, so that the radial elevations are holding the cushion curvature against an axial evasion along the perimeter of the cushion product outer profile, wherein a radial distance of the profile course of the cushion product outer profile is continuously decreasing along an axial direction of the at least one profile recess or the radial elevation, of the entire cushion product outer profile, starting from a holder for the blade or the cutting pad of the rotation cutter in the circumferential direction, in the revolution direction of the shaft, being mounted to the shaft, according to a first circumferential section and continuously increasing according to a second circumferential section following the first circumferential direction in the revolution direction or merging into a radial top point whose radial extension is largest with respect to the set-on element or being arranged in a circumferential distance of 160 to 225 of the blade or the cutting pad.

5. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a radial distance of the gripping arms is smaller compared to a radial top point in the area of the radial elevations being arranged diametrically opposed to the radial distance of the gripping arms.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the gripping arms are in a circumferential distance of about 125 to 225 or being larger in the area of the at least one profile recess at their lowest position.

7. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the at least one profile recess is formed circle section-shaped particularly mainly along an axial cross-section particularly with a radius of more than 20 mm, wherein at least one radial elevation, a central radial elevation is formed circumferentiating with a concave recess whose curvature being particularly smaller than the at least one profile recess or being formed circular-shaped with a radius of smaller than 20 mm and larger than 5 mm.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the set-on element comprises a flush, plane outer wall particularly in cross-section in the axial direction and in the circumferential direction, which is being positioned downstream on the opposite side of a holder for a blade or cutting pad particularly in the revolution circumferential direction of the shaft, wherein the plane channel outer wall extending flat from a holder of the blade or the cutting pad being mounted to a shaft towards a radial top point, whose radial extension is largest with respect to the set-on element or being arranged in a circumferential distance of 125 to 190 from the blade or the cutting pad.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the plane channel outer wall transitions continuously into the cushion product outer profile, at the circumferential position of the radial top point of the cushion product outer profile.

10. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the flush body of the set-on element has an axial extension between 50 mm and 1000 mm.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the set-on element is made, particularly molded or made by additive manufacturing, particularly a 3D printer technology, of a flush body piece, particularly a plastic piece for example of polylactide (PLA) or the flush set-on body being rotationally unsymmetric to the longitudinal axis of the respective shaft and axially symmetric to an axis parallel to the feed direction.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the set-on element being at least in axial direction and circumferential direction a flush hollow body, whose outer side being in sections profiled and plane or that same having a honeycomb structure at the inner side preferably with quadratic combs of particularly identical shape.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] The system and method may be better understood with reference to the following drawings and description. Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments are described with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. In the drawings, like referenced numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views.

[0033] FIG. 1 is a perspective view from outside to an apparatus according to the invention for the production of a three-dimensional packaging product form a single- or multi-layer paper strip, namely a cushion product, wherein the apparatus is denoted with reference numeral 1 and the cushion product with the reference numeral 3.

[0034] FIG. 2a-h is a lateral cross-sectional view to the production apparatus for the unambiguous representation of the deformation station 21 and the rotation cutter 27 wherein different operation situations of the rotation cutter 27 and the course of the revolution motion of the rotation cutter before the actual cut (FIG. 2a) until the point in time just before the cut (FIG. 2h) (about 25 before the cut) are shown;

[0035] FIG. 3a-h is a perspective view of the production apparatus without the housing protection parts or bearings for the respective shafts of the rotation cutter shown in FIG. 1, wherein the different corner positions starting from the cutting process (FIG. 3a) until the point in time just before the cut (FIG. 3h (25 before the cut));

[0036] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the set-on element according to the invention for setting on one of the shafts, namely cutting knife shaft or counter shaft;

[0037] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of set-on element, wherein the cross-sectional line is drawn through the center with a radial elevation;

[0038] FIG. 6 is a frontal view of the set-on element.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] The cushion product is shown in the Figures schematically. It may have no idealized shape but depends on the shapability of the respective paper, a mere principle design of the cushion product being dumbbell-shaped in cross section shown in the Figures. The cushion product 3 according to one embodiment has a central deformation strip 5 being accompanied by two lateral crumple hollow spaces, wherein the cushion properties are mainly formed by the crumple hollow spaces 7 and 11. By the employment of the crumple hollow spaces, the cushion product has a dumbbell shape with the two cushion curvatures 13, 15 on the outside being essential with regard to the specific profiling of the flush set-on element according to the invention later on. Depending on the embodiment of the cushion product 3, one side of the profile of the set-on element can be formed correspondingly.

[0040] The apparatus according to the invention has a preforming station being formed by a folding and/or rolling unit (at 17) not further shown here as well as by a deformation unit 21 shown in FIGS. 2, 3. The deformation unit is attributed with the reference numeral 21. The deformation unit 221 has two opposing embossing wheels 23, 25 on which a feed path F is defined from its outlet to the rotation cutter 27. The rotation cutter 27 is arranged following up in the feed direction F having a cutting knife 31 cutting the feed path F in the cutting position (12 o'clock position (see FIG. 2)). The set up of the cutting knife 31, preferably the attachment to the cutting knife shaft 33 and the synchronization with the cutting pad 35 being mounted to a counter shaft 37 opposing the cutting knife shaft. The counter shaft 37 and the cutting knife shaft 33 are at the same height with regard to the feed direction F. In the cutting position, the cutting pad 35 is in a 6 o'clock position as shown in FIG. 2a. Further details to the rotation cutter 37 are given in the German patent application DE 10 2012 018 867 A1 being a reference with regard to the disclosure of the rotation cutter 37 as well as the respective imprint station. The same applies to the perforation tool used in an embodiment being formed by the perforation noses 43 and the perforation seat 41. This perforation tool is described in detail in DE 10 2013 015 875 A1 and shall be added here to the disclosing content by reference.

[0041] As apparent from FIG. 2, the respective shafts 33, 37 are driven by a pair of teeth wheels 45, 47 in order to assure the synchronization of the cutting pad 35 and the cutting knife 31.

[0042] Following the rotation cutter 27 the cutoff preformed paper strip section is arriving at the outlet of the production apparatus via the initially slightly rectangular-shaped feed channel 51, being lockable by a plate 53 in order to inhibit access at the outlet.

[0043] As shown from FIGS. 2 and 3, a set-on element 61 is set on the counter shaft 37. The set-on element 61 is glued to the counter shaft 37 and to a holder 63 holding the cutting pad 35.

[0044] The set-on element has a honeycomb body fabricated by a 3D printer mold and comprising a base 65 from which two gripping arms, a narrow gripping arm 67 and a stronger gripping arm 71 are extending at the counter shaft 37 and the holder 63. The gripping arms 67, 71 form a longitudinal slot 73, through which the counter shaft 73 is introduced into the set-on element 61 including the holder 63. The free width of the gripping arms 67, 71 of the longitudinal slot 73 is adapted to the holder 63 or the counter shaft 37, respectively, in such a way that a form-fit is formed there. The longitudinal slot formed by the gripping arms 67, 71 has a feature base 75, being formed partly cylinder section-shaped according to a cylinder shape of the counter shaft 37 in order to ensure a safe fit of the set-on element 61 at the counter shaft 37.

[0045] As apparent particularly in FIG. 3, the set-on element comprises a cushion product outer profile 77 being formed particularly in the area of the stronger gripping arm 71. Furthermore, the set-on element has a channel outer wall 81 opposing the cushion product outer profile 77 corresponding to the narrow gripping arm 67. The embodiment of the set-on element is shown in detail in the FIGS. 4, 5 and 6.

[0046] The plane channel outer wall 81 is essentially flat and has only a slight tendency to inclination approximately at the height of the feature base 75 of the longitudinal slot 73.

[0047] The cushion product outer profile 77 is adapted to the in cross-section dumbbell-shaped cushion product 3 and has two profile recesses 85, 87 being delimited in the axial direction X by three radial elevations 91, 93, 95 running in the circumferential direction.

[0048] With respect to the longitudinal axis X, the radial distance r of the cushion product outer profile decreases in circumferential course regarding both the radial elevations 91-95 and the profile recesses 85, 87 in a first section, wherein the radial distance r is increasing again after about 90-120 after the first cut, whose profile becomes apparent particularly in FIG. 2.

[0049] The radial distance r.sub.k is initially decreasing at the plane channel outer wall 81 and increasing afterwards again.

[0050] The cushion product outer profile 77 starts abutted to the holder 63 of the cutting pad 35 and merges in a radial top point or top point line 101 having a maximal radial distance r.sub.max, wherein the radial distance r.sub.max is highest at the radial elevations 91-93 becoming particularly apparent in the FIGS. 4, 5 and 6. The area of the radial top point line 101 serves as a feed driver regarding the cut off paper strip section when the cutting pad 35 is brought in a 12 o'clock position, compare FIG. 2e. The set-on element with an area of the radial top point line 101 and the flat channel outer wall 81 feeds the cut off paper strip section towards the outlet of the production apparatus 1 in the fashion of a shovel.

[0051] The radial top point line 101 is not located on the axis of the cutting knife or the center of the cutting pad, respectively, but rather displaced by about 10-30 compared to a 180 position.

[0052] The essential radial elevation 93 comprises a cable recess 103 having for example a radius of 14 mm3 mm. The circle section-shaped profile recess 85, 87 in cross-section (see FIG. 6) is likewise circle section-shaped and has a radius of 40 to 50 mm. The width in the axial direction X for the set-on element 61 is 50 to 1000 mm, particularly about 100 to 200 mm, preferably between 140 and 160 mm.

[0053] As shown in FIGS. 2f, 3f, 2g, 3g, 2h, 3h, the set-on element 61 according to an embodiment being in flush contact with the preformed cushion product 3 on the side of the cushion product outer profile is adapted to the same. By means of the wide cushion product outer profile 77, the cutoff cushion product is guided outwardly from the area of the rotation cutter without squashing the delicate crumple hollow space 7, 11 of the cushion product 3.

[0054] Contrary to the working disc 111 being mounted to the cutting knife shaft 33, the flush set-on element can impose no jam barrier for the preformed paper strip section, since the latter can slide along the continuous curvature of the profiling of the set-on element. By that, it can be advantageous to arrange a set-on element 61 also in the area of the cutting knife in order to avoid locking or ripping of the paper strip section by the working discs 111. It was nevertheless shown that by the usage of at least one set-on element 61, a significant improvement of paper jam avoidance can be realized.

[0055] The flush set-on element is for example facilitated by being manufactured from a plastic piece, BAL being preferred. It was found out that a precise fabrication by a 3d printer is advantageous.

[0056] The attributes disclosed in the previous description, the Figures and the claims can used for the realization of different embodiments both separately and in arbitrary combination.

[0057] The illustrations of the embodiments described herein are intended to provide a general understanding of the structure of the various embodiments. The illustrations are not intended to serve as a complete description of all of the elements and features of apparatus and systems that utilize the structures or methods described herein. Many other embodiments may be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the disclosure. Other embodiments may be utilized and derived from the disclosure, such that structural and logical substitutions and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Additionally, the illustrations are merely representational and may not be drawn to scale. Certain proportions within the illustrations may be exaggerated, while other proportions may be minimized. Accordingly, the disclosure and the figures are to be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive.

[0058] One or more embodiments of the disclosure may be referred to herein, individually and/or collectively, by the term invention merely for convenience and without intending to voluntarily limit the scope of this application to any particular invention or inventive concept. Moreover, although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it should be appreciated that any subsequent arrangement designed to achieve the same or similar purpose may be substituted for the specific embodiments shown. This disclosure is intended to cover any and all subsequent adaptations or variations of various embodiments. Combinations of the above embodiments, and other embodiments not specifically described herein, will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the description.

[0059] The above disclosed subject matter is to be considered illustrative, and not restrictive, and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications, enhancements, and other embodiments, which fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus, to the maximum extent allowed by law, the scope of the present invention is to be determined by the broadest permissible interpretation of the following claims and their equivalents, and shall not be restricted or limited by the foregoing detailed description. While various embodiments of the invention have been described, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many more embodiments and implementations are possible within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be restricted except in light of the attached claims and their equivalents.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0060] 1 production apparatus [0061] 3 cushion product [0062] 5 deformation strip [0063] 7, 11 crumple hollow space [0064] 13, 15 cushion curvature [0065] 21 deformation station/deformation unit [0066] 23, 25 embossing wheel [0067] 27 rotation cutter [0068] 31 cutting knife [0069] 33 cutting knife shaft [0070] 35 cutting pad [0071] 37 counter shaft [0072] 41 perforation seat [0073] 43 perforation noses [0074] 45, 47 teeth wheel/gear [0075] 51 feed channel [0076] 53 plate [0077] 61 set-on element [0078] 63 holder [0079] 65 base [0080] 67, 71 gripping arm [0081] 73 longitudinal slot [0082] 75 feature base [0083] 77 cushion product outer profile [0084] 81 channel outer wall [0085] 85, 87 profile recesses [0086] 91, 93, 95 radial elevations [0087] 101 radial top point line [0088] 103 cable recesses [0089] 111 working discs [0090] R radial distance [0091] F feed path/feed direction [0092] X axial direction