METHODS AND PLASTICS FILMS FOR HANDLING ITEMS

Abstract

Items (30) are unitised into a package (31) by applying an apertured member (1) to an array of items (30) using a roller. The apertured member (1) has a series of apertures (2) each accommodating an item (30) within edge portions (10), with inter web portions (6) between the apertures (2). A release member (3) is attached at one edge (4) of the apertured member (1) for interacting with the inter web portions (6) to sequentially release items (30) from the package (31) without disturbing the array of items (30). The package can be used as a carrier for depositing items (30) directly to stock shelving or vending machines quickly by a single linear pull action upon the release member (3) first releasing the array of items to the shelving or vending machine and finally removing the apertured plastics carrier.

Claims

1. A plastics film unitising member comprising a plastics film having a series of apertures for respectively interacting with an item in a unitising operation, each aperture being defined within flexible plastics film edge portions, and spaced apart by inter web portions, wherein each aperture is of dimensions to pass over an upper part of the item and bring the flexible plastics film edge portions into contact with an outer surface of the item, wherein a release member is provided, said release member being attached at one edge of the plastics film unitising member and extending across at least a portion of a surface of the plastics film unitising member.

2. A plastics film unitising member comprising a series of apertures for respectively interacting with an item in a unitising operation, each aperture being defined within flexible plastics film edge portions, and spaced apart by inter web portions, wherein each aperture is of dimensions to pass over an upper part of the item and bring the flexible plastics film edge portions into contact with an outer surface of the item, wherein the plastics film unitising member has a separable side web portion adjacent to the apertures, and wherein the plastics film unitising member is provided with a release member extending across at least a portion of one surface of the plastics film unitising member and being attached at one edge of the plastics film unitising member.

3. A plastics film unitising member according to claim 1, wherein the release member is positionable between the plastics film unitising member and items to be unitised.

4. A plastics film unitising member according to claim 1, wherein the release member is formed from an elongate plastics film strip.

5. A plastics film unitising member according to claim 1, wherein the release member is bonded to inter web portions of the plastics film unitising member.

6. A plastics film unitising member according to claim 1, wherein the release member has a length allowing it to protrude beyond an edge of the plastics film unitising member opposite said one edge of the plastics film unitising member where the release member is attached, the protruding length part providing a user draw tab.

7. (canceled)

8. (canceled)

9. A plastics film item unitising member according to claim 1 wherein the plastics film item unitising member is made from recycled plastics.

10. A plastics film item unitising member according to claim 1, wherein the flexible plastics film edge portions are configured to provide item unitising retention surfaces when the plastics film item unitising member is reformed around an item during a unitising operation using a roller device to apply the plastics film item unitising member to the item.

11. A method of unitising items comprising, presenting a plurality of items in alignment for unitisation, providing a plastics film unitising member, the plastics film unitising member having a series of apertures for respectively interacting with an item in a unitising operation, each aperture being defined within flexible plastics film edge portions, and spaced apart by inter web portions, wherein each aperture is of dimensions to pass over an upper part of an item and bring the flexible plastics film edge portions into contact with an outer surface of the item, presenting the plastics film unitising member to an upper part of a first item and rolling the plastics film member over the top of the first item whereby at least an upper part of the first item is within an aperture and an outer surface of the item is contacted by plastics film edge portions, continuing the rolling action to apply successively each aperture to respective items to thereby unitise the items, wherein the plastics film unitising member is provided with a release member extending across at least a portion of one surface of the plastics film member and being attached at one edge of the plastics film unitising member.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein a release member is provided with the plastics film unitising member, said release member being attached at one edge of the plastics film unitising member and extending across at least a portion of a surface of the plastics film unitising member.

13. A method according to claim 11, wherein the plastics film unitising member has a separable side web portion adjacent to the apertures, and wherein the plastics film unitising member is provided with a release member extending across at least a portion of one surface of the plastics film unitising member and being attached at one edge of the plastics film unitising member.

14. (canceled)

15. (canceled)

16. A method according to claim 11, wherein the release member is positionable between the plastics film unitising member and items to be unitised.

17. A method according to claim 11, wherein the release member is formed from an elongate plastics film strip.

18. A method according to claim 11, wherein the release member is freely separable from the plastics film unitising member apart from being attached at one edge of the plastics film unitising member.

19. A method according to claim 11, wherein the release member is bonded to inter web portions of the plastics film unitising member.

20. A method according to claim 11, wherein the release member extends across an upper or lower surface of the plastics film unitising member, and the longest dimension of the release member extends to less than the full length of the plastics film unitising member.

21. A method according to claim 11, wherein the release member has a length allowing it to protrude beyond an edge of the plastics film unitising member opposite said one edge of the plastics film unitising member where the release member is attached, the protruding length part providing a user draw tab.

22. A method according to claim 11, further comprising the additional steps of depositing the unitised items upon a surface of the display unit and withdrawing the release member linearly to remove the plastics film unitising member from each of the items, leaving the items deposited on the surface of the display unit.

23. A plastics film unitising member according to claim 2, wherein the release member is formed from an elongate plastics film strip.

24. A plastics film unitising member according to claim 2, wherein the release member is bonded to inter web portions of the plastics film unitising member.

25. A plastics film unitising member according to claim 2, wherein the release member has a length allowing it to protrude beyond an edge of the plastics film unitising member opposite said one edge of the plastics film unitising member where the release member is attached, the protruding length part providing a user draw tab.

26. A plastics film item unitising member according to claim 2 wherein the plastics film item unitising member is made from recycled plastics.

27. A plastics film item unitising member according to claim 2, wherein the flexible plastics film edge portions are configured to provide item unitising retention surfaces when the plastics film item unitising member is reformed around an item during a unitising operation using a roller device to apply the plastics film item unitising member to the item.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0055] FIG. 1 illustrates a plastics film unitising member for items, viewed from one side;

[0056] FIG. 2 shows a view from above the plastics film unitising member of FIG. 1, in which an attached release member extends beyond the length of the plastics unitising member;

[0057] FIG. 3 illustrates a plastics film unitising member reconfigured around items to unitise same as a package for handling, and viewed from above the unitised item package;

[0058] FIG. 3a shows in enlarged view the sectional side view A-A of the portion circled in FIG. 3;

[0059] FIG. 4 shows a side view of the unitised items shown in FIGS. 3 and 3a;

[0060] FIGS. 5 to 10 illustrate sequentially removal of the plastics film unitising member by pulling of a release member;

[0061] FIG. 11 shows a view from above a plastics film unitising member with a separable side web portion;

[0062] FIG. 12 shows a package of items unitised by a plastics film unitising member as shown in FIG. 11;

[0063] FIG. 13 shows a limited access display unit in which item packaged products are displayed, with two packages of unitized items which have been deposited on a display surface, one of which shows an initial step in removal of the plastics film unitising member by pulling of the release member linearly in the axial direction shown by the arrow;

[0064] FIG. 14 shows a view from above a plastics film unitising member with two parallel series of apertures and a dual release member; and

[0065] FIG. 15 illustrates schematically a unitising operation wherein a plurality of items are unitised by rolling application of a plastics film unitising member, and a release member is attached to the plastics film unitising member just prior to the unitising operation.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0066] Referring to FIG. 1, a plastics film unitising member 1 has a release member 3 attached at one edge 4 of the plastics film unitising member 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the attachment may be by means of a weld or adhesive 5.

[0067] The plastics film unitising member 1 has a series of apertures 2 each dimensioned to accommodate an item, such as a container for the purpose of a unitising operation. The plastics film unitising member 1 has inter web portions 6 between the apertures 2. Each aperture 2 is bounded by edge portions 10 of the plastics film unitising member 1.

[0068] The plastics film unitising member 1 has a width and a length. The release member 3 has a width narrower than that of the plastics film unitising member 1. The release member 3 has a length which exceeds the length of the plastics film unitising member 1. The excess length of the release member 3 presents a draw tab 7 for a user to grasp. The plastics film unitising member 1 overlies the release member 3 which is centrally positioned and aligned with the length of the plastics film unitising member 1. The inter web portions 6 of the plastics film unitising member 1 may overlie and contact the release member 3. The inter web portions 6 may be temporarily or permanently bonded to the release member 3.

[0069] A plurality of items 30 such as containers of a product, for example tins can be oriented and arranged in a line, and unitised using the plastics film unitising member 1.

[0070] The plastics film unitising member 1 may be made from a carrier plastics film made from polyolefinic plastics such as polyethylene and polyethylene derivatives such as copolymers and addition polymers or polymer blends, but other plastics materials with similar mechanical properties may be used including recycled plastics. The carrier plastics film can be for example of up to about 350 m thickness. The carrier plastics film may have pre-formed unitising apertures 2 dimensioned to fit about any item 30 to be unitised. The shape of the aperture 2 can be designed to suit the shape and width of the intended items 30 to be unitised at the predetermined point of contact between the plastics film unitising member 1 with the respective items 30.

[0071] Using a procedure similar to that disclosed in WO 2012 069834, a plastics film unitising member 1 may be introduced to an edge of a first item 30 and rolled over the top of the item such that a portion of the item 30 penetrates the aperture 2. An applicator drum may be used for this purpose. The applicator drum may have projections to form pushers to facilitate application of the plastics film unitising member to oriented and arranged items to form a unitised package of items. During rolling application to each item 30, edge portions 10 around the aperture 2 contact the item 30 such that it is held in the oriented and arranged position.

[0072] By continuing to roll the plastics film unitising member 1 over successive items 30 in the oriented and arranged line of items 30, a unitised package 31 of items 30 is formed.

[0073] As illustrated in FIGS. 3a and 4, the inter web portions 6 of the plastics film unitising member 1 and the release member 3 both may be depressed below an upper part of the items.

[0074] The unitised package of items 30 can be handled for transport, and presented to a point of sale such as a shelf of a retail display unit. It can be easily inserted into limited access display units or a slot ramp of a vending machine. The plastics film unitising member can be easily removed to leave the items 30 standing freely on a shelf or within a slot ramp of a vending machine by the method illustrated in FIGS. 5 to 10. A user would grasp the release member 3 by the draw tab 7, and withdraw it towards the user in a simple linear motion. In the initial pulling stages of the release procedure the inter web portions are lifted, moving transverse flexible plastics film edge portions 10 with respect to the item whilst leaving longitudinal side plastics film edge portions 10 in contact with and retaining the item in position. Thus partial release of an item nearest to the user is effected leaving flexible plastics film edge portions 10 on either side of the item in contact with the item. A continuance of the pull on the draw tab causes the release member to lift the next inter web portion, and likewise partially release the next item held in the series of apertures. This partial release process is continued until the last item held in the series of apertures is also partially released. Continued pulling upon the draw tab 7 permits the user to finally withdraw the plastics film unitising member by virtue of the attachment of the release member 3 to the edge 4 of the plastics film unitising member. In this way, the problem of minimising labour associated with removal of secondary packaging is solved, and the problem of labour associated with arranging stock in a display unit or vending machine is also alleviated.

[0075] An alternative embodiment of a plastics film unitising member (numbered 11) is shown in FIG. 11. Features of this embodiment which are equivalent to the plastics film member of FIGS. 1 and 2, share the same reference number incremented by 10. In this embodiment there is provided a separable side web portion 19, with weakened portions 18 to facilitate separation whenever the release member 13 is pulled. These weakened portions 18 may be perforated for example, or otherwise made susceptible to tearing.

[0076] The plastics film unitising member 11 has a series of apertures 12 of dimensions to accommodate an item, such as a container for the purpose of a unitising operation. The plastics film unitising member 11 has inter web portions 16. Each aperture 12 is bounded by edge portions 20 of the plastics film unitising member 11.

[0077] The plastics film unitising member 11 has a width and a length. The release member 13 has a width narrower than that of the plastics film unitising member. The release member 13 has a length which exceeds the length of the plastics film unitising member 11. The excess length of the release member 13 presents a draw tab 17 for a user to grasp. In this embodiment the plastics film unitising member 11 underlies the release member 13 which is centrally positioned and aligned with the length of the plastics film unitising member 11. The inter web portions 16 of the plastics film unitising member 11 may underlie and contact the release member 13. The end 14 of the release member 13 which is remote from the draw tab 17 is attached to the plastics film unitising member 11 by use of a weld or adhesive 15.

[0078] In use of this embodiment, items such as cans, jars etc. can be unitised in the same manner as for the previously described embodiment by rolling application. FIG. 12 shows unitised cans using this embodiment of the plastics film unitising member. The unitised package can be handled, transported and deposited in a retail unit shelf or slot ramp of a vending machine. In order to release the items, the user withdraws the draw tab 17 linearly towards the user.

[0079] In this embodiment the release member 13, by virtue of the attached end 14 acts initially to separate the weakened portion 18 nearest to the attached end 14. Successively thereafter the other weakened portions 18 are also separated and the separable side web portion 19 falls away from the unitised items in turn. The whole plastics film unitising member is removable by continued withdrawing of the release member towards the user, leaving the previously unitised items free standing on retail unit shelf or slot ramp of a vending machine.

[0080] A still further embodiment is shown is FIG. 14, where like parts to those of the first embodiment are numbered equivalently but incremented by 100. This embodiment has a dual release member 103, underlying the parallel series of apertures 102 of the plastics film unitising member 101. This is used in a similar way to the first and second embodiments but reduces the number of pull steps and releases two lanes of items from a unitised package at the same time.

[0081] Referring to FIG. 15, a unitising packaging line is schematically represented. Multiple identical and oriented items such as cans of product are arranged for unitising by an overhead unitising roller drum. The items are progressed relative to the unitising roller drum by a conveyor. A plastics film unitising carrier web is fed to the unitising roller drum. At the same time a strip of film is also introduced from an overhead supply to the plastics film unitising carrier web. A welding or gluing unit is juxtaposed with the unitising roller drum to fasten a portion of the strip of film to a section of the plastics film unitising carrier web to thereby form a plastics film unitising member with a release member fastened at one end thereof.

[0082] The unitising operation is generally similar to that disclosed in WO 2012 069834, and simply requires the presentation of the plastics film unitising member to the items such that a first aperture of the plastics film unitising member is positioned to pass over a first item, and during continued rolling of the plastics film unitising member over the item, edge portions around the aperture contact and hold the item. This process continues during the rolling process as the items are progressed relative to the unitising roller drum and in this way multiple items are formed into a unitised package. Multiple parallel lanes of items can be handled to unitise the items.