GB2522638A

GB2522638A - Fan folded paper

Info

Publication number: GB2522638A
Application number: GB1401607.5A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Trevor Davey; John Townsend
Original assignee: Easypack Ltd
Current assignee: Easypack Ltd
Priority date: 2014-01-30
Filing date: 2014-01-30
Publication date: 2015-08-05
Anticipated expiration: 2034-01-30
Also published as: GB2522638B; GB201401607D0

Abstract

A fan folded paper supply, which may be for a dunnage forming apparatus, carries a machine readable code, such as a QR code 76, UV ink 78, or openings 80. In this manner, different paper supplies for different dunnage apparatus may be clearly identified, so that the wrong paper supply is not put in one of the dunnage apparatus.

Description

FAN FOLDED PAPER

The present invention relates to fan folded paper, apparatus including fan folded paper, a method of forming fan folded paper and a method of operating apparatus including fan folded paper.

Figures 1 and 2 are a plane view and a side view respectively of a known dunnage forming machine. Such a machine is described in more detail in EP 0 759 849A.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, paper lOis fed from a single or multiply roll 12 of paper or, alternatively and not shown, from two or three separate paper rolls. The paper 10 passes between an upper flat tapering wall 14 and a lower flat inwardly tapering former 16. The sides of the former 16 are each defined by an arcuate wall 18 that extends through approximately 1800.

The paper is pulled off the roll 12 by two pairs of spaced rear rubber nip rollers 20A and a forward pair of rubber nip rollers 20B. The lower nip rollers are driven and the upper idler nip rollers are urged, by the weight of the wall 14 or by springs (not shown) towards the lower rollers to trap the paper 10 between the pairs of rollers. The wall 14 and the former 16 have openings 22 to allow the upper nip rollers to contact the paper. The wall 14 starts near the rollers 20A to allow the free end of paper, on start up, to be fed directly into the rollers 20A. if desired, the rollers 20B can be omitted.

At the ends of the former 16 the paper passes through a pair of meshing gear wheels 24. The gears are spring biased towards each other. The lower wheel is driven. The action of the gear wheels 24 deforms the surfaces of the paper that pass between them to hold the dunnage together loosely. The paper may be held in the position as the gear wheels displace the cellulose fibres in adjacent layers to cause the fibres to interact. Alternatively or additionally the folds made in the paper by the gear wheels may be sufficient to connect the layers together.

The paper rolls that supply the paper are heavy and they take time to accelerate to the required speed of dispensing paper and conversely they take time to decelerate when paper is no longer being drawn from the roll. Consequently whilst the supply of paper on rolls is excellent in many applications it is not ideal in situations where high speed dunnage production is required where the paper feed is being repeatedly stopped and started.

One proposal for effecting a faster supply of paper without the inertia problem is the provision of paper to the machine from a fan fold of paper. Such fan folded paper is shown in Figure 3 which is a perspective schematic view. Each sheet 26 is connected to adjacent sheets by a fold 28 which fold is perforated at spaced locations to assist in effecting the fold.

The lead sheet 26A is pulled off the stack and fed to the machine thus causing the trailing sheets to follow.

Such fan folded stacks are effective in speeding up the rate or production of the dunnage. They can also be stopped and started quickly as there is no inertia in the supply of the sheets.

A problem with such fan folded sheets though is that different machines require different grades of paper. Furthermore different applications for the dunnage require different grades of paper. If the wrong paper is put through the machine then the dunnage may not afford effective protection from impact of a product in a container or the machine may cause the paper to jam in the machine.

Furthermore such fan folded paper has to be taken off the top of the stack thereby limiting the sites where such stacks can be used.

A still further problem is that some machines can operate with more than one grade of paper depending on the purpose of the dunnage being supplied by the machine. With the prior machine it is easy for an operative to load the wrong fan folded paper into the machine.

In addition, an operator is not able, other than visually, to determine when paper stock that is fan folded is about to run out.

It is an object of the present invention to attempt to overcome at least one of the above or other disadvantages.

According to another aspect of the present invention fan folded paper for use in dunnage comprises connected sheets of paper that are folded alternately back over each other such that each sheet lies against an adjacent sheet thereby forming a stack of paper with at least one of the sheets including machine readable means.

The machine readable means may be concealed from view when the stack is mounted in a dunnage producing apparatus.

The machine readable means may comprise paper stack identification means.

The stack identification means may be printed onto at least one sheet of paper.

The machine readable means may comprise a QR code.

The machine readable means may comprise ultra violet ink.

The machine readable means may be provided on an outermost sheet of the stack. The machine readable means may be located on the outward facing surface of the outermost sheet of the stack. The machine readable means may be provided on the outermost sheet comprise the last sheet that, in use, is used from the stack.

The machine readable means may comprise, or further comprise at least one opening in at least one sheet. There may be more openings in one sheet than in an adjacent sheet.

Each sheet may include at least one opening.

At least one machine reader may be arranged, in use, to read the machine readable means.

According to another aspect of the present invention a method of operating apparatus including fan folded paper to be made into dunnage, the fan folded paper comprises connected sheets of paper that are folded alternately back over each other such that each sheet lies against an adjacent sheet thereby forming a stack of paper, the method comprising machine reading of machine readable means on at least one sheet of paper.

The method may comprise stopping the apparatus from operating if the read means do not correspond with reference information stored by the apparatus.

The method may comprise each stack having unique readable means whereby if unique readable means is repeated during operation of a series of stacks the apparatus is stopped from operating.

The method may comprise stopping the apparatus from operating if the read means on successive stacks do not correspond to a successive sequence of reference information stored by the machine.

The method may comprise the read means giving information as to when the paper is about to run out when the paper has run out and giving an alert as a result of reading said readable means.

The method may also include using fan folded paper as herein referred to.

According to a further aspect of the present invention fan folded paper for dunnage comprises connected sheets of paper that are folded alternately back over each other such that each sheet lies against an adjacent sheet thereby forming a stack of paper with at least one cut out extending at least partially through the stack.

The cut out may be open at the periphery of the stack. The cut out may be open along a side of the stack. The cut out may be open at a corner of the stack.

The cut out may be enclosed.

The or each cut out may extend completely through the stack.

A plurality of cut outs may be provided in a plurality of sheets.

At least one projection may be arranged to extend at least partially through each cut out in the stack.

Dunnage apparatus may include at least one projection the projection may extend at least partially through at least one cut out in the stack. The or each projection may be arranged to be movable relative to the stack of paper as sheets are drawn off the stack. The stack of sheets may extend upwardly. Alternatively the stack may extend with adjacent folds being sequentially at a higher and a lower extent.

According to another aspect of the present invention a method of forming fan folded for use in dunnage apparatus comprises folding alternative connected sheets back over each other so that each sheet lies against an adjacent sheet thereby forming a stack of paper with at least one cut out being caused to extend at least partially through the stack.

The method may comprise making the cut outs before fan folding paper.

The method may comprise forming the cut outs as herein referred to.

The present invention is also defined in the claims and elsewhere in the specification.

The present invention can be carried into practice in various ways and several embodiments will now be described, by way of example, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 4 is a plan view of fan folded paper 30 located in an open topped container 32; Figure 5 is a longitudinal cross sectional view of Figure 4 according to one embodiment with certain parts omitted for reason of clarity; Figure 6 is a view corresponding to that of Figure 5 according to a further embodiment; Figure 7 is a side sectional view through a stack of fan folded paper, Figure 8 is a plan view of fan folded paper in an unfolded configuration; and Figure 9 is a side sectional view of readers of the paper shown in Figure 9.

As shown in Figure 4 the container includes various projections 34, 36, 38 and 40 from the sides 42 or base of the container. There may only be one projection or there may only be at least one projection 38 or 40 from the base or, alternatively or additionally there may only be at least one projection from the sides 42.

The fan folded paper is formed with at least one cut out 44, 46,48 and 50 corresponding to the projections. The or each cut out may be made before fan folding or after fan folding of the sheets.

The or each cut out 44 comprises cut across a corner of the fan folded paper. The or each projection 34 comprises a projection from the inner surface of the sides of the container or from the base of the container which may have a shape corresponding to the cut out.

The or each cut out 46 extends inwardly from the side of the paper which may be a curved or arcuate shape. The or each projection extends from the side or base of the container into the cut out 46 and may have a shape corresponding to the cut out.

The or each cut out 48 may comprise an opening which may extend through the paper.

The or each projection 38 extends at least partially through the cut out 48 and may correspond to the shape of the cut out 48.

The cut out 50 is tubular and the projection 38 extends from the base through the cut out which projection may correspond to the shape of the cut out.

Figure 7 shows fan folded paper 52 that is mounted so that each sheet extends upwardly such as substantially vertical. A cut out 54 extends through the fan folded paper which may correspond to any of the cut outs show in Figure 4. At least one projection 56 extends along or through the cut out 54. The projection 56 may assist in providing support for the fan folded page.

The or each of the described projections may extend through a full stack of fan folded sheet or to top or end region of a full stack of fan folded sheet or only partially through a full stack of fan folded sheet.

The shape of the opening or openings 48 may have a greater extent in the direction transverse to the longer dimension of the fan folded sheet when viewed from the end face of the sheet (as viewed in Figure 4) than in direction of the longer dimension. This may assist in guiding the sheets off the stack.

Figures 5 and 6 show projections 58 that may extend through or partially through a full stack of fan folded paper. These projections 58 may comprise any of the projections shown herein such as these shown in Figures 4 or7.

In Figure 5 the projection 58 may remain in position and, as folds of paper are drawn off the stack, the base 60 rises upwardly to raise the stack.

In Figure 6 the projection 58 is lowered as paper is drawn off the stack.

In both Figures 5 and 6 the relative position of the top of the projection to the current top of the stack may be constant. Furthermore whilst raising and lowering have been referred to the relative movement may also be applicable to stacks that are at an angle to the vertical and even stacks that are at 900 to the vertical as shown in Figure 7.

Figure 8 is a plan view of part of fan foldable paper in an unfolded configuration. The folds to be made are about the parallel dotted lines 68, 70 and 72. Fold 68 is a valley fold, fold is a mountain fold, fold 72 in a valley fold and so on. In use, the sheet 74 will be from the end face of the stack.

The sheet 74 may have readable means an identification means such as a QR code 76, an ultra violet code 78, or an opening or a series of openings 80, or any combination thereof.

The QR code and/or the UV code may be printed onto the paper.

A machine into which the fan folded paper is located may include a reader such as an automatic reader and/or such as a machine reader for the readable means or identification means such as a QR reader, a UV reader or a hole monitor. In this manner when the folded paper is located in a holder the reader can read the identification means. The reader may identify the quality of the paper in the stack, the grade of the paper or the unique identification of each stack.

If a wrong grade or quality is detected for a particular run then the machine may not operate or may operate for only a limited period.

If a reader identifies a subsequent stack that has the same unique identification to a unique identification previously run then the machine may cease to operate or may only operate for a limited period.

Furthermore it may be possible for subsequential folded paper only to be operated. For instance if UV1 or QR1 is first run through the machine then the machine may not operate or may operate for a limited period if UV2 or 0R2 is not loaded after UV1 or QR1.

In any of the above manner it may be possible to determine the number of stacks of paper that have been processed which may allow the machine servicing intervals to be determined.

Alternatively or in addition the paper may have readable means on more than one sheet. For instance at least one sheet 82 or 84 other than the end sheet 74 (which end sheet 74 may or may not have any of the previously described features) may have the UV code or a QR code or an opening or a series of openings as previously described which are readable.

These may be provided on the lead sheet or a sheet within the stack or any combination thereof. Again the machine may not operate if these features are not read when the sheet is with the readable means comes to be read or may only operate for a limited period.

When the opening or the series of openings are provided in at least one sheet these may be read by a light 86 being able to be directed at the sheet from one side with a light reader 88 being present on the other side whereby the pattern of openings is able to be read as shown in Figure 9. If the pattern is not in accordance to that required by the machine then the machine may not operate or may only operate for a limited period.

The machine readers 90 and 92 are shown for the QR and UV codes respectively.

The opening 80 may alternatively or additionally be able to be used to identify when the stack is about to or has run out to enable an operative to load a new stack with minimum down time. For instance the end sheet 74 or a sheet spaced from the end sheet, such as sheet 82, may have a different number of openings, such as two openings, or even no openings whereby the difference is detected by the machine to enable run out to be determined.

The openings may be in different locations on different sheets in order to provide the information as referred to above. Alternatively or additionally there may be one or more

B

openings in one sheet, and an adjacent sheet, there may be no openings in order to provide the information as referred to above.

In any of the read means referred to these may be compared to reference information stored by the machine.

Any of the readable means may be obscured from the view of any operator when the stack is located in dunnage forming apparatus. For instance the QR and/or the UV and or the openings may either be concealed in the stack or may rest against a surface that conceals the readable means or any combination thereof.

Claims

Claims 1. Fan folded paper for use in dunnage comprising connected sheets of paper that are folded alternately back over each other such that each sheet lies against an adjacent sheet thereby forming a stack of paper, characterised in that at least one of the sheets includes machine readable means.
2. Fan folded paper as claimed in claim I in which the machine readable means are concealed from view when the stack is mounted in a dunnage producing apparatus.
3. Fan folded paper as claimed in claim 1 or 2 in which the machine readable means comprises paper stack identification means.
4. Fan folded paper as claimed in claim 3 in which the stack identification means are printed onto at least one sheet of paper.
5. Fan folded paper as claimed in claim 1 or 3 in which the machine readable means comprises a QR code.
6. Fan folded paper as claimed in any of claims 3 to 5 in which the machine readable means comprises ultra violet ink.
7. Fan folded paper as claimed in any preceding claim in which the machine readable means is provided on an outermost sheet of the stack.
8. Fan folded paper as claimed in claim 7 in which the machine readable means is located on the outward facing surface of the outermost sheet of the stack.
9. Fan folded paper as claimed in claim 7 or 8 in which the machine readable means provided on the outermost sheet comprise the last sheet that, in use, is used from the stack.
10. Fan folded paper as claimed in any preceding claim in which the machine readable means comprises, or further comprises at least one opening at least one sheet.
11. Fan folded paper as claimed in claim 10 in which there are more openings in one sheet than in an adjacent sheet.
12. Fan folded paper as claimed in claim 10 or in which each sheet includes at least one opening.
13. Fan folded paper as claimed in any preceding claim including at least one machine reader arranged, in use, to read the machine readable means.
14. A method of operating apparatus including fan folded paper to be made into dunnage, the fan folded paper comprising connected sheets of paper that are folded alternately back over each other such that each sheet lies against an adjacent sheet thereby forming a stack of paper, the method comprising machine reading machine readable means on at least one of the sheets of paper.
15. A method as claimed in claim 14 comprising stopping the apparatus from operating if the read means do not correspond with reference information stored by the apparatus.
16. A method as claimed in claim 14 or 15 comprising each stack having unique readable means whereby if unique readable means is prevented during operation of a series of stacks the apparatus is stopped from operating.
17. A method as claimed in any of claims 14 to 16 comprising stopping the apparatus from operating if the read means on successive stacks does not correspond to a successive sequence of reference information stored by the machine.
18. A method as claimed in any of claims 14 to 17 comprising the read means giving information as to when the paper is about to run out or when the paper has run out and giving an alert as a result of reading said readable means.
19. A method as claimed in any of claims 14 to 18 when using fan folded paper as claimed in any of claims ito 13.AMENDMENTS TO THE CLAIMS HAVE BEEN FILED AS FOLLOWS; Claims 1. Dunnage forming apparatus including fan folded paper for use in dunnage comprising connected sheets of paper that are folded alternately back over each other such that each sheet lies against an adjacent sheet thereby forming a stack of paper, characterised in that at least one of the sheets includes machine readable means and at least one machine reader is provided arranged, in use, to read the machine readable means.2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the machine readable means are concealed from view when the stack is mounted in a dunnage producing apparatus.3. Apparatus as claimed in claim I or 2 in which the machine readable means comprises paper stack identification means.4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 in which the stack identification means are printed onto at least one sheet of paper.(3 5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 3 in which the machine readable means comprises a 0 20 QR code.o 6. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 3 to 5 in which the machine readable means comprises ultra violet ink.7. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which the machine readable means is provided on an outermost sheet of the stack.8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 in which the machine readable means is located on the outward facing surface of the outermost sheet of the stack.9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 or Bin which the machine readable means provided on the outermost sheet comprise the last sheet that, in use, is used from the stack.10. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which the machine readable means comprises, or further comprises at least one opening at least one sheet.11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 in which there are more openings in one sheet than in an adjacent sheet.12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 or in which each sheet includes at least one opening.13. A method of operating dunnage forming apparatus including fan folded paper to be made into dunnage, the fan folded paper comprising connected sheets of paper that are folded alternately back over each other such that each sheet lies against an adjacent sheet thereby forming a stack of paper, the method comprising machine reading machine readable means on at least one of the sheets of paper.14. A method as claimed in claim 13 comprising stopping the apparatus from operating if the read means do not correspond with reference information stored by the apparatus.15. A method as claimed in claim 13 or 14 comprising each stack having unique readable means whereby if unique readable means is prevented during operation of a series of stacks the apparatus is stopped from operating.16. A method as claimed in any of claims 13 to 15 comprising stopping the apparatus from operating if the read means on successive stacks does not correspond to a successive (3 sequence of reference information stored by the machine. o 2017. A method as claimed in any of claims 13 to 16 comprising the read means giving o information as to when the paper is about to run out or when the paper has run out and giving an alert as a result of reading said readable means.18. A method as claimed in any of claims 13 to 17 when using fan folded paper including the machine readable means as claimed in any of claims 2 to 12.