Method and apparatus for producing a padding product, and padding product

Abstract

Method for producing a padding product, comprising the following steps: providing a flat, elongate paper strip, which has a central region extending in the longitudinal direction and two-layered or multi-layered adjacent edge regions, which are not joined to one another, opening up adjacent edge regions, and crumpling the paper strip along the central region, characterized in that before the crumpling along the central region the edge regions are turned over towards the center region, and a device for producing a padding product, and a padding product.

Claims

1. A method for producing a padding product, comprising the following steps: providing an elongate paper strip having at least two layers one on top of the other, the paper strip having a central region extending in a longitudinal direction along a central longitudinal axis at which the layers of the paper strip are joined to one another, each layer of the paper strip having two side edge regions extending in the longitudinal direction, the side edge regions of one layer not joined to adjacent ones of the side edge regions of the other layer, opening up the side edge regions of the one layer and the adjacent ones of the side edge regions of the other layer by spreading apart the side edge regions of the one layer from the adjacent ones of the side edge regions of the other layer, and crumpling the paper strip along the central region, wherein before the crumpling along the central region, the side edge regions of each layer are turned over towards the central region by bending each layer of the paper strip along a turnover region positioned between the central region and each side edge region such that the side edge regions do not project radially outwardly, the turnover regions positioned at a radial distance from the central longitudinal axis that is greater than a radial distance from the central longitudinal axis of the edge regions.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the paper strip is crumpled along the central region such that the turned-over side edge regions are also crumpled at the same time.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the opened-up paper strip is guided through a turnover module for the purpose of turning over and/or in that the turned-over paper strip is guided through a crumpling module for the purpose of crumpling.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the crumpling by means of a first set of drive rollers and a second set of drive rollers is carried out such that the second set of drive rollers rotates at an angular speed that is lower than the angular speed of the first set of drive rollers, the angular speed of at least one of the sets of drive rollers being adjustable in order to set a crumpling density.

5. A device for producing a padding product from an elongate paper strip having at least two layers one on top of the other, the paper strip having a central region extending in a longitudinal direction along a central longitudinal axis at which the layers of the paper strip are joined to one another, each layer of the paper strip having two side edge regions extending in the longitudinal direction, the side edge regions of one layer not joined to adjacent ones of the side edge regions of the other layer, the device comprising: at least one opening-up mechanism for opening up the side edge regions of the one layer and the adjacent ones of the side regions of the other layer by spreading apart the side edge regions of the one layer from the adjacent ones of the side edge regions of the other layer, and a crumpling mechanism for crumpling the paper strip along the central region, wherein a turnover mechanism is provided for turning over the opened-up side edge regions of each layer towards the central region by bending each layer of the paper strip along a turnover region positioned between the central region and each side edge region such that the side edge regions do not project radially outwardly, the turnover regions positioned at a radial distance from the central longitudinal axis that is greater than a radial distance from the central longitudinal axis of the edge regions, and in that the crumpling mechanism is preferably designed such that the turned-over side edge regions are also crumpled at the same time.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein a turnover module is provided in which the turnover mechanism is arranged, and in that a crumpling module is provided in which the crumpling mechanism is arranged, the turnover module can be replaced with another turnover module when paper strips of different widths are used.

7. The device according to claim 5 wherein the crumpling mechanism of a second set of drive rollers interacting with the first set of drive rollers is formed such that the second set of drive rollers can rotate at an angular speed that is lower than the angular speed at which the first set of drive rollers can rotate, a control unit being provided for adjusting the angular speed of at least one of the sets of drive rollers such that a crumpling density can be adjusted by means of the control unit.

8. The device according to claim 5 wherein the device is designed, intended and/or suitable for carrying out the method.

9. A padding product comprising an elongate paper strip having at least two layers one on top of the other, the paper strip having a central region extending in a longitudinal direction along a central longitudinal axis at which the layers of the paper strip are joined to one another, each layer of the paper strip having two side edge regions extending in the longitudinal direction, the side edge regions of one layer not joined to adjacent ones of the side edge regions of the other layer, wherein the side edge regions of the one layer and the adjacent ones of the side edge regions of the other layer are opened up by spreading apart the side edge regions of the one layer from the adjacent ones of the side edge regions of the other layer, and wherein the side edge regions of each layer are turned over towards the central region by bending each layer of the paper strip along a turnover region positioned between the central region and each side edge region such that the side edge regions do not project radially outwardly, the turnover regions positioned at a radial distance from the central longitudinal axis that is greater than a radial distance from the central longitudinal axis of the edge regions, and wherein the paper strip is crumpled along the central region.

10. The padding product according to claim 9, wherein the paper strip is also crumpled along the turned-over edge regions.

Description

(1) In the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a flat paper strip for producing a padding product according to the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 is a plan view of the paper strip according to FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 is a view corresponding to FIG. 1 of another paper strip;

(5) FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a device according to the invention for producing a padding product;

(6) FIG. 5 shows the paper strip according to FIG. 1 after the opening-up process;

(7) FIG. 6 shows the paper strip according to FIG. 5 after the turnover process;

(8) FIG. 7 is an oblique view of a padding product according to the invention;

(9) FIG. 8 is a cross section of the padding product according to FIG. 7;

(10) FIG. 9 is an oblique view of another padding product according to the invention; and

(11) FIG. 10 is an oblique view of yet another padding product according to the invention.

(12) The paper strip 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises two layers 12 and 14. The two layers 12, 14 are on top of one another and have identical outer contours. They have an elongate shape, with the central longitudinal axis thereof being denoted by reference sign 16. The paper strip 10 may be a “continuous” paper strip, which for example can be unrolled from a roll or removed from stack.

(13) The two layers 12, 14 are joined together in the central region 18 thereof, which extends along the central longitudinal axis 16 in the paper strip shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Preferably, the two layers 12, 14 are joined together along the central longitudinal axis 16 in a materially bonded manner, in particular by bonding, or in an interlocking manner, in particular by punching.

(14) The two layers 12, 14 also comprise edge regions 20, 21 and 22, 23, which are not joined to one another. The layer 12 therefore comprises the two edge regions 20, 21. The layer 14 comprises the two edge regions 22, 23. In this case, the edge region 20 of the layer 12 is adjacent to the edge region 22 of the layer 14. Likewise, the edge region 21 of the layer 12 is adjacent to the edge region 23 of the layer 14. In the flat state of the paper strip 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the edge regions 20 and 22, as well as the edge regions 21 and 23, may contact one another. These edge regions 20, 21, 22, 23 are then opened up, as described below.

(15) As is clear in particular from FIG. 2, the paper strip 10 comprises predetermined breaking points 24 that extend transversely to the longitudinal axis 16 and are designed as perforations provided in the layers 20 and 22. As a result, the paper strip 10 can be separated into two regions, along a predetermined breaking point 24, by being torn in the longitudinal direction.

(16) FIG. 3 shows another paper strip 10, which is suitable for use in a method according to the invention or for producing a padding product according to the invention. This paper strip 10 consists of two webs 100, 102, which are each folded along a fold line 104. The fold lines 104 face one another in this case. The two webs 100, 102 are joined together in the region of the fold lines 104, for example by bonding or stamping, such that the central region 18 is formed here.

(17) FIG. 4 schematically shows a device 110 according to the invention for producing a padding product 126, 128, 130. The device 110 substantially comprises 3 modules in this case. First, an opening-up module 114 is arranged downstream of an input 112. In the opening-up module 114, the flat paper strip 10 is first opened up, for example by means of opening-up cores 58 as disclosed in DE 10 2012 222 805 B3. After the opening-up process, or after the paper strip 10 leaves the opening-up module 114, said paper strip has been opened up in the manner of a star to form a paper strip 10′. A paper strip 10′ of this type is shown in cross section in FIG. 5. In FIG. 5, the angles α between the adjacent edge regions 20, 22 and 21, 23 are approx. 90°. It is of course conceivable for the angles α to be considerably smaller and to be in the range of from 45° to 70° or even less.

(18) The opened-up paper strip 10′ is fed to a turnover module 116, in which the edge regions 20, 22 and 21, 23 are turned over to turnover regions 118 shown in FIG. 5. The opened-up paper strip 10′ is therefore deformed into the opened-up and turned-over paper strip 10″ shown in cross section in FIG. 6 in the turnover module 116. Although FIG. 6 shows a turnover process in which the turnover regions 118 are at an acute angle, in practice the turnover process usually takes place over rounded edges, and therefore the regions 118 in no way have to taper to a point, but instead may also be rounded. The turnover regions 118 are thus positioned at a radial distance from the central longitudinal axis 16 that is greater than a radial distance from the central longitudinal axis 16 of the edge regions 20, 21, 22, 23.

(19) The paper strip 10″ is then fed to a crumpling module 120, as shown in FIG. 4. In the crumpling module 120, the paper strip 10″ is crumpled in the central region 18, with the turned-over edge regions 21, 23 and 20, 22 also being crumpled at the same time.

(20) In this case, the crumpling module 120 comprises a first set of drive rollers 74, 76 and a set of drive rollers 82, 84 arranged downstream of said drive rollers 74, 76. The first set of drive rollers is preferably driven by a first electric motor in this case. In this case, the roller 74 may for example be pressed against the roller 76 with low preloading, such that said roller is driven by the roller 76, which is driven by the electric motor. As mentioned, the central region 18 of the paper strip 10 is positioned between the rollers 74 and 76. Corresponding to the first set of drive rollers 74, 76, in the second set of drive rollers 82, 84 the lower roller 84 can likewise be driven by an electric motor. The upper roller 82 is pressed against the lower roller 84 with preloading, such that it rotates when the roller 84 rotates. Here, the rollers 74, 76 and 82, 84 have a width b.

(21) In this case, the angular speed of the rollers 82, 84 of the second drive set is selected such that it is slightly lower than the angular speed of the drive rollers 74, 76 in the first set. As a result, the paper strip 10″ is caused to be crumpled in the central region 18 in a crumpling zone, the crumpling zone being between the two sets of rollers 74, 76 and 82, 84. The paper strip 10″ therefore leaves the device 110 at the machine output 124 as a padding product 126, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, which is opened up in the manner of a star, turned over and crumpled in the central region. The width b of the central region that has been crumpled by the rollers and is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 can be reduced to very small dimensions or to a line.

(22) In FIG. 4, a control unit 122 is provided for actuating the electric motors and therefore the rollers 74, 76 and 82, 84. Using the control unit 122, the angular speed of the first set of drive rollers 74, 76 and the angular speed of the second set of drive rollers 82, 84 can preferably be set separately from one another. The greater the difference in angular speeds, the greater the degree of crumpling. Therefore, the crumpling density of the padding product 126 to be produced can be set by the control unit 122.

(23) For details relating to the type and function of the drive rollers, reference is made to DE 10 2012 222 805 B3, which does not however comprise a turnover mechanism or turnover module.

(24) In order to separate the continuous paper strip 10 into different regions, it is advantageous for the first set of drive rollers 74, 76 to be braked whilst the second set of drive rollers 82, 84 continues to be driven, such that said paper strip is torn along a predetermined breaking point 24 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. A padding product 126 separated in this way then leaves the device 110 through an output 124.

(25) According to the invention, the opening-up module 114 and the turnover module 116 may also be implemented in the same module. In this case, the opening-up and turnover processes may take place one immediately after the other or, alternatively, largely simultaneously.

(26) In this case, the turnover module 116 is preferably arranged in the device 110 so as to be replaceable. This is advantageous in that different turnover modules can be used for different paper strips, in particular if paper strips 10 of different widths are to be processed. The turnover process is then carried out such that the turned-over paper strip 10″ always has the same outer dimensions, and therefore can always be processed by the same crumpling module 120.

(27) The rollers 74, 76 and 82, 84 can be used to move and convey the paper strip 10 in the device 50, but it is also conceivable for a separate feed mechanism to be provided for conveying the paper strip 10 through the device 110, for example in the form of additional conveying rollers.

(28) As described, a padding product 126 of this type can be produced in a simple manner, it also having advantageous padding properties.

(29) FIGS. 8 and 9 show a crumpled paper strip 10′″ produced using the device 110, i.e. the finished padding product 126. Said figures clearly show the crumpled central region 18 having the crumpling width b and the simultaneously crumpled edge regions 21, 23 and 20, 22, which do not protrude in the manner of a star, but are turned over towards the central region 18.

(30) Although the drawings show a paper strip 10 that only comprises two layers, it is also conceivable for a paper strip to be used that comprises three or more layers. The three or more layers are then joined together in the central region 18, or preferably in the region of the central longitudinal axis 16. Instead of two mutually facing opening-up cores 58, advantageously a total of four or more opening-up cores are used which engage in the spaces between the respectively adjacent edge regions of the respective layers. The edge regions are then turned over according to the relevant number of edge regions.

(31) FIGS. 9 and 10 show two additional padding products 128, 130. In the padding product 128 according to FIG. 9, the edge region 23 was turned over in a downward direction and the edge region 22 was wrapped around the edge region 23 in an upward direction. Accordingly, the edge region 21 was turned over in a downward direction and the edge region 20 was wrapped around the edge region 21 in an upward direction. The crumpling was carried out in the central region 18.

(32) In the padding product 130 according to FIG. 10, the edge regions 21 and 22 were first turned over and then the edge regions 20 and 23 were wrapped around the edge regions 21, 22 before the crumpling was carried out in the central region 18.