Water based adhesive packaging apparatus and method

A method and apparatus for rapidly bonding two surfaces which are associated with paper elements and corrugated paper elements. A heater plate is utilized to raise the temperature of one of the surfaces while a water based adhesive is applied to the other of said surfaces, which other surface remains at ambient temperature. The heated and ambient surfaces are subsequently contacted and pressure is applied between the surfaces until the bonding is complete.

INTRODUCTION 
This invention relates to a bonding method and apparatus and, more 
particularly, to a bonding method and apparatus for rapidly adhesively 
bonding two surfaces associated with paper and corrugated paper elements. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The use of adhesives to bond two elements, the adhesive being applied to 
one or both of the contacting surfaces of the elements is, of course, well 
known. Where time is relatively unimportant, the surfaces are simply 
pressed together for a suitable duration until the adhesive has cured at 
which point there will exist a generally satisfactory bond between the 
surfaces. 
Where the time required for bonding takes on significance, however, as in 
modern packaging and manufacturing operations, the time required for the 
known bonding process becomes of importance and various techniques have 
been utilized to decrease the time required for bonding. One such 
technique is known as the "hot melt" procedure. In this procedure, 
adhesive which is solid at ambient temperature is heated to a much higher 
temperature hich liquifies the adhesive. The adhesive is then applied to 
one or both of the surfaces and the surfaces are held in contact while the 
adhesive temperature decreases and it again solidifies. This procedure, 
however, is unsafe due to the high temperature required for the adhesive 
to liquify and is costly because of the necessity for high heat and an 
adhesive with the required characteristics. 
Another known technique is that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,851,709 
entitled METHOD OF HOT GLUING to Laucks et al. This technique requires one 
piece of lumber or board to be heated to a temperature relatively higher 
than the other piece of similar material and, thereafter, joining the 
heated element with the unheated element by applying pressure between the 
two pieces. This technique taught by Laucks et al, however, does not 
contemplate the high speeds required by modern packaging requirements and, 
in any event, it does not relate to corrugated paper elements which have 
distinctly different properties relating to pressure and temperature 
characteristics. 
Yet a further known method utilizes adhesive of the water based variety 
which can be utilized at ambient temperatures. In this technique, high 
mechanical pressure and small adhesive droplets dispersed over the area to 
be bonded are utilized. Where fragile contents are used in, for example, 
the boxes which are desired to be closed, high mechanical pressure cannot 
be used for fear of damage to the contents. The time required for suitable 
bonding using this method, however, remains relatively high which is 
unacceptable. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
According to one aspect of the invention, there is disclosed apparatus for 
rapidly bonding the outer surfaces of two corrugated paperboard assemblies 
comprising heat applying means to rapidly raise the temperature of the 
surface of one of said assemblies to a predetermined value while said 
surface is being conveyed, adhesive applying means to apply adhesive to 
the other of said surfaces, closing means to bring said surfaces of said 
assemblies into contact and pressure means to apply pressure between said 
contacting surfaces of said assemblies. 
According to a further aspect of the invention, there is disclosed a method 
for rapidly bonding the outer surfaces of two corrugated paper assemblies 
comprising the steps of applying heat directly to the surface of one of 
said elements, applying adhesive at ambient temperature to the other of 
said elements, bringing said surfaces of said elements into a contacting 
relationship and applying pressure between said surfaces of said elements. 
According to yet a further aspect of the invention, there is disclosed a 
method of bonding first paper tape or cardboard with the surface of a 
second paper, tape or cardboard element comprising the steps of applying 
adhesive to one of said first or second elements at ambient temperature, 
bringing said surface of said other of said first and second elements into 
contact with the surface of said first element at ambient temperature and 
applying heat at a predetermined temperature to one of said first or 
second elements.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS 
Referring now to FIG. 1, an automatic case sealer is partially shown 
generally at 100. It comprises a frame 101, a machine cover 102, a pair of 
side conveyors 103, the width of which is adjustable by rotation of handle 
104, a glue or adhesive applicator 110 and a compression platen 111 for 
applying pressure to the surfaces to be bonded. 
A pair of flap heaters 112 are mounted angularly facing outwardly and 
extending adjacent to and along the path of travel of the corrugated 
container 113 as best seen in FIG. 2. The flap heaters 112 are adapted to 
contact substantially the entire outer surfaces of the corrugated 
assemblies which make up the major flaps 114 of the corrugated container 
113 prior to the major flaps 114 being folded downwardly as will be 
explained. 
A heating element 120 extends within and along the extent of each of the 
flap heaters 112 and these elements 120 are each connected to a source of 
voltage 121 sufficient to provide the required temperature to the flap 
heaters 112. 
A kicker 122 is mounted within a kicker frame 123 and operates by pneumatic 
cylinder 124 to fold the minor flaps 115 of the corrugated container 113. 
A kicker guard 130 acts for safety purposes to prevent contact of the 
kicker 122 with operating personnel when in operating condition. 
A stop gate 129 is mounted on frame 101 and is reciprocated vertically 
under the control of a pneumatic stop gate cylinder 131. A sensor long box 
132 is mounted on frame 101 to provide correct synchronization of machine 
motion and container position, and a pair of side guides 133 locate the 
container 113 laterally when the container 113 passes to the compression 
section of the case sealer 100. A centre ski 134 holds the minor flaps 115 
in the down or closed position as the container 113 passes through the 
case sealer 100. 
A motor and gear box 135 are connected to frame 101 and provide power and 
necessary gear reduction to the various components. A control panel 140 
provides the necessary control functions to the motor and gear box 135 and 
to the other assembly functions included in the case sealer 100. 
Referring to FIG. 2, the flap heaters 112 are seen in an end configuration. 
The angle of the flap heaters 112 is adjustable but for typical operations 
using corrugated containers 113 having width dimensions of from six (6) 
inches to twenty (20) inches, it has been found that an angle of thirteen 
(13) degrees from the vertical is suitable. 
Each compression platen 111 is connected to a support bracket 141 and each 
support bracket 141 is attached to an extension 142 connected to piston 
rod 143 extending from and reciprocal within pneumatic cylinder 144. A 
casting assembly 150 is connected to the lower portion of pneumatic 
cylinder 144 and provides support for cam rollers 151 which provide 
control to the folding arm assemblies 152. Pneumatic cylinder 144 is 
supported by a movable support frame 153 under the control of a height 
adjustment control 154. An indexing device 160 provides height information 
by reference. Appropriate sensors 161 are provided in the sensor long box 
132 to give the apparatus positioning information for the corrugated 
container 113. 
OPERATION 
In operation, a corrugated container 113 will ordinarily proceed to the 
stop gate 129 on a conveyor (not shown). The box will contain goods which 
have been placed in the container 113 at a previous operating station and 
the major and minor flaps of the bottom of the box will ordinarily have 
been previously bonded. The top major flaps 114 and the top minor flaps 
115 will be open. The major flaps 114 are located outwardly of the flap 
heaters 112 as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. 
The stop gate 129 will normally be in a raised position so that the 
container 113 will abut the stop gate 130 and the container 113 will 
temporarily stop prior to proceeding. When the operations on the previous 
container have been completed, stop gate cylinder 131 will be activated 
and stop gate 129 will drop to its down position. The side conveyors 103 
will have been previously adjusted to the proper width of the container 
113 by handle 104 and, when the stop gate 129 drops, the container 113 is 
conveyed into case sealer 100 by side conveyors 103. 
As the major flaps 114 of corrugated container 113 move past the leading 
edge 162 of the flap heaters 112, they directly contact the heater 112 
because of the pre-tension forces attempting to direct the major flaps 114 
inwardly. The heaters 112 transmit heat by conduction directly to the 
major flaps 114 during the conveyancing action until the major flaps 114 
leave contact with the lagging edge 163 of the flap heaters 112. 
Simultaneously with the application of heat to the major flaps 114, the 
centre ski 134 has closed the forward minor flap (not shown) and the 
kicker 122 has contacted and closed the rearward minor flap 115. Adhesive 
from the adhesive applicator 110 is applied to the upwardly facing 
surfaces of the closed minor flaps 115, which adhesive flow is interrupted 
appropriately to avoid the centrally located gap between the minor flaps 
115 when they are in the closed position. 
After the container 113 has left the vicinity of the heaters 112, the major 
flaps 114 are free to be closed and pneumatic cylinder 144 is activated. 
Upon activation of pneumatic cylinder 144, the compression platen 111 
travels downwardly from the upper inoperative position to a position where 
the platen 111 contacts the major flaps 114. During the downwardly travel 
of the compression platen 111, the rollers 151 moving within the cam 
surfaces (not shown) on folding arm assemblies 152 close the folding arm 
assemblies 152 which, in turn, contact the outwardly extending heated 
major flaps 114 and close them. Following contact between the surfaces of 
the major flaps 114 and the closed minor flaps 115 carrying the adhesive 
applied from the adhesive applicator 110, the compression platen 111 
applies pressure for a predetermined duration until the surfaces are 
bonded. Thereafter, the closed container 113 is conveyed out of the case 
sealer 100 and the case sealer is ready to perform identical operations on 
the succeeding container. 
In tests which have been conducted to date, it has been found that a 
temperature for the flap heaters 112 of approximately 100.degree. C. is 
adequate for flap heating with a conveyor travel speed of 120 feet per 
minute. The compression platen 111 has been found to give an adequate bond 
with a contact time of approximately one (1) second. Of course, these 
figures are interdependent and are only of interest if the other 
perameters are known. For example, the adhesive used in the operations is 
a water based polyvinyl acetate emulsion known as NACAN 33-1557 (Trade 
Mark) which is applied at an ambient temperature of 20.degree. C. If, for 
example, the speed of the conveyors 103 is increased, the temperature of 
the flap heaters 112 could also be increased to compensate for the reduced 
contact time between the major flaps and the flap heaters 112. 
In addition to the specific embodiment of the invention relating to the 
bonding of corrugated elements, it may be desired to rapidly bond 
cardboard, paper or tape with a second like element. Because the 
cardboard, paper or tape may have a relatively higher coefficient of 
conductivity, the insulating properties due to the corrugated paper 
elements are not present and the element may be heated more rapidly. It is 
thus not necessary to apply heat prior to contact occurring between the 
surfaces. Instead, the application of heat to the paper, tape or cardboard 
after the joint has been assembled immediately heats the adhesive between 
the surfaces and bonding speed is similarly improved. 
While specific embodiments of the invention have been described, these 
embodiments should be considered as illustrative only and not as limiting 
the scope of the invention. Many modifications to the embodiments 
described may be contemplated by those skilled in the art which will fall 
within the scope and spirit of the invention, which invention should be 
construed by reference to the accompanying claims.