Temporary package and method

A temporary packaging method and a resultant package are provided for comprising temporarily bonding containers on a flat base member to stabilize the containers for further packaging, the method comprising the steps of providing a base member, providing containers, temporarily bonding the containers to the base member with a hot melt adhesive, advancing the base member with containers through the packaging or handling system so that further processing of the containers may optionally be effected, encapsulating the base member and bonded containers with a plastic shrink film to complete the package, followed by release of the containers from the bond to base member within minutes after shrink wrapping, with the adhesive remaining bonded to the base member.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
 1. Field of the Invention
 This invention relates to a method for package assembly, and more
 particularly to a method for briefly stabilizing containers on a flat base
 member by temporarily bonding the containers to the base member with a hot
 melt adhesive that releases the container from its bond to the base member
 soon after the handling and packaging process is complete, and a package
 which consists of a rigid base member, containers temporarily bonded with
 hot melt adhesive to the base member, and a plastic shrink film
 encapsulating the base member and containers.
 2. Description of the Related Art
 Prior art packaging methods and packages do not address the special need of
 stabilizing containers on a flat base member during the brief period of
 package assembly by forming a temporary adhesive bond between the
 containers and the base member.
 Placement of a group or pack pattern of containers on a flat base member
 poses a stability problem as the base member with containers is
 transported through a packaging or handling process. This is particularly
 a problem for intermittent motion packaging or handling systems, but is
 also a concern for continuous motion equipment. Even the machine vibration
 on a continuous motion machine can result in movement of containers on the
 flat base member, which can negatively effect the completed package, or
 the effectiveness of the packaging or handling system.
 To avoid this instability with containers on a flat base member, many
 packaging or handling systems use a corrugated box or tray with four side
 walls. The box or tray forms a containment boundary so that movement of
 the containers during the handling or packaging process minimizes the
 stability problem.
 A need exists for a temporary packaging method and package so that
 containers are restricted from movement when placed on a flat base member
 during the packaging or handling process, yet upon completion of the
 packaging or handling, the containers are free of this movement
 restriction.
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 Accordingly, the present invention provides a temporary packaging method
 and package which briefly bonds a group or pack pattern of containers to a
 flat base member to stabilize the containers during the handling or
 packaging process, and these containers release from this adhesive bond
 soon after the handling or packaging process is completed by plastic
 shrink film encapsulation of the base member and containers. The method
 comprises the steps of providing a base member, providing adhesive to the
 base member, placement of containers to base member resulting in a
 temporary bond, advancing the base member with bonded containers through
 the handling or packaging process, encapsulation of base member and
 containers with plastic shrink film, and release of containers from bond
 to base member within minutes after the encapsulation by shrink film, with
 adhesive remaining bonded to base member.
 The method of the present invention eliminates the instability of the
 containers on a flat base member during the handling or packaging process,
 thereby permitting a wide range of movement and handling to occur. The
 present invention permits the group of containers which are bonded to the
 flat base member to be aggressively handled by inclines, declines, side
 transfers, abrupt starting and stopping, equipment vibration, stacking,
 etc.
 The temporary bond effectively locks the containers in place during the
 handling or packaging process. This temporary bond is defined herein as a
 bond that releases by itself over time. It is required to hold the
 containers in place during the handling or packaging process, and within
 minutes after the base member and containers are encapsulated by film, the
 container releases from the base member with the adhesive residue
 remaining on the base member.
 This novel packaging method dramatically simplifies the packaging and
 handling process for packaging containers on a flat base member. By
 temporarily stabilizing the group or pack pattern on the base member
 during the packaging or handling process, this invention offers an
 effective alternative to the traditional corrugated box or tray with four
 side walls.
 This invention utilizes less packaging materials than boxes or trays, is
 more cost efficient, and because there is no need to form boxes or trays,
 which generate both corrugated dust and spores, it is more sanitary. This
 invention also offers greater efficiency than current methods of packaging
 containers on flat base members because of the increased stability of
 containers on the base member during package assembly.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
 While this invention may be embodied in many different forms, there are
 shown in the drawings and described in detail herein specific preferred
 embodiments of the invention. The present disclosure is an exemplification
 of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the
 invention to the particular embodiments illustrated.
 The present invention provides a temporary packaging method and package
 which briefly bonds a group or pack pattern of containers to a flat base
 member during the handling or packaging process and releases this bond
 once the handling or packaging process is completed. The method comprises
 the steps of providing a base member, providing adhesive to the base
 member, placement of containers on base member to form a temporary bond,
 optionally adding a top cover member or divider, advancing the base member
 with bonded containers through the handling or packaging process so that
 further processing of the containers may optionally be effected,
 encapsulation of the base member with bonded containers by a plastic
 shrink film, followed by release of containers from base member soon after
 encapsulation of the shrink film, with adhesive remaining bonded to base
 member.
 The method of the present invention provides a means for briefly bonding
 containers to a base member so containers can be effectively controlled
 during the handling or packaging process. The optional top cover member
 adds extra strength and protection for certain container types such as
 those having foil or paper lids or a bottle with a sport cap, the optional
 divider insert adds extra protection for certain container types such as
 glass bottles or jars to avoid glass on glass contact.
 Referring to FIG. 1, an assembly of containers of the present invention is
 shown generally at 10 and comprises a flat base member 12, onto which
 containers are adhered to temporary bonding adhesive strips 13.
 Base member 12 may be made of any suitable material such as chip board,
 paper board or corrugated board depending on the dimensions of the package
 and intermediate steps which accompany the packaging method. Chip board,
 however, possesses the minimum desired degree of stiffness according to
 the present invention.
 By means of appropriate adhesive dispensing equipment the nature of which
 will be readily apparent to those familiar with the art, strips of
 adhesive 20 are placed on the upper surface 21 of base member 12, as shown
 in FIG. 2, adhesive strips 20 being disposed parallel to ends 22 and 24 of
 base member 12. The adhesive is a hot melt adhesive which may be applied
 by applicators situated above a conveyor (not shown) along which base
 member 12 is traveling during the packaging process. Both the application
 temperature and depth of adhesive strip should be consistent with the
 strips of adhesive 20 on base member 12.
 The timing between application of adhesive strips and placement of
 containers should be substantially consistent, generally 2 to 3 seconds
 between placement of adhesive strips on base member and placement of
 containers on base member.
 In order to form a temporary bond, the hot melt adhesive should have an
 open time of approximately 30 to 45 seconds. The open time is defined as
 the period between application of adhesive on base member and
 solidification of adhesive. During the open time the elasticity of the
 semi-solid hot melt adhesive permits aggressive movement of the base
 member without movement of the containers from their position on the base
 member. As the adhesive begins to solidify the bond weakens and within
 minutes the container totally releases from the bond to base member, with
 all adhesive remaining on the base member.
 An adhesive with this characteristic is commercially available from H.B.
 Fuller as Product No. H.L. 7674. Depending upon the type of handling
 contemplated, however, the specific open time may vary. In general, an
 open time of between 20 seconds to 1 minute is particularly well suited
 for the present invention.
 The specific bonding strength between base member and container is
 controlled by varying the application temperature of the adhesive, and the
 depth of the adhesive strips (generally 1/16 to 1/8" depth). A higher
 application temperature and deeper adhesive strips will increase the
 bonding, and a lower temperature and thinner adhesive strips will decrease
 bonding. In general, the hot melt adhesive is preferably applied within a
 temperature range of 270 degrees F to 340 degrees F.
 Adhesive strips 20 hold containers 14 firmly in place on base member 12, as
 shown in FIG. 1. The adhesive is such that it will adhere to containers 14
 to the extent that containers 14 are secured to base member 12 firmly
 enough to resist movement relative thereto and provide stability during
 normal handling.
 FIG. 3 shows an alternative embodiment of the invention, in which adhesive
 strips 20a are intermittent, so that the adhesive strips extend only
 beneath the individual containers and not between them.
 Soon after the adhesive is applied to base member 12 (generally 2 to 3
 seconds), containers are placed in an adjacent side by side relationship
 on adhesive strips 20 on base member 12, as shown in FIG. 1. Containers 14
 may be positioned on base member 12 by equipment which feeds containers 14
 in a direction perpendicularly to the direction in which base member is
 traveling, and then positions a pre-arranged set of containers 14 on base
 member 12 within a consistently short period of time (generally 2 to 3
 seconds). Containers 14 preferably touch the adhesive strip at two contact
 points, or at four contact points, as shown in FIG. 2 at 26, 28, 30 and
 32, and in FIG. 3 at 26a, 28a, 30a and 32a in which strips of adhesive,
 after a container has been affixed thereto and removed, are shown for
 purposes of illustration.
 The advantage of automatic loading of containers into a pack pattern and
 bonding same to a base member is that a stable unitized assembly is placed
 on the adhesive strips at the same time. The time interval between
 application of adhesive and placement of containers should remain
 substantially constant to replicate the bonding characteristics of
 container to base member. For this reason, automatic loading equipment is
 the most preferred method.
 FIG. 4 is a diagram of the apparatus for assembling the package assembly
 and temporary packaging method of the present invention. Containers enter
 this apparatus on a single lane conveyor (A) and are channeled through
 lane dividers (B) which separate the containers into the appropriate
 number of lanes. A pack pattern of containers is released to collation
 area (C). Simultaneously a base member is picked from the base member
 magazine (D) and placed on the conveyor bed (F). As the base member
 indexes forward on the conveyor bed the adhesive unit (E) and adhesive
 applicator (G) place strips of the temporary bonding hot melt adhesive on
 the base member.
 The adhesive unit and applicator apply a consistent strip or strips of
 adhesive to the base member (generally 1/16" to 1/8" depth) at a
 consistent application temperature (generally 270 degrees F to 340 degrees
 F).
 Within a consistent time period after application of adhesive to base
 member (generally 2 to 3 seconds), the pack pattern of containers (C) are
 transferred by the apparatus for placement on the base member with
 temporary bonding adhesive.
 Once containers have been loaded onto the base member, the package assembly
 is moved by a conveyor through a series of optional applications such as
 placement of cover member or divider insert (J), conveying on inclines,
 declines or angled turns (K), abrupt stopping and starting (L), and
 transfer into the apparatus for encapsulating the base member and
 containers with plastic shrink film (M), and ending with the final package
 with shrink wrap encapsulation (N). Within minutes after shrink wrapping,
 the containers will release from the bond to base member with adhesive
 remaining bonded to base member.
 As shown in FIG. 5, a flat cover member 40 may optionally be applied over
 the containers. The cover member provides added strength to package and
 offers top layer protection for certain container types such as containers
 with paper or foil lids, or bottles with sport caps. Once cover member is
 in position, the package assembly is encapsulated with shrink film 11 such
 as commercially available from Armin Plastics as Product No. 2304B. The
 tight film encapsulation thus provided keeps the top pad tightly pressed
 to the tops of the containers which increases package strength and
 protects the top layer of containers.
 An alternative embodiment of a temporary package assembly according to the
 present invention is shown at FIG. 6. A divider 50 has been added to avoid
 container to container contact within package assembly. This has
 application for such containers as glass jars, bottles, vials, etc., in
 which container to container contact can result in damage during
 distribution. The divider (usually corrugated or chipboard) is placed
 between containers after containers are bonded to base member and prior to
 shrink film encapsulation.
 Referring to FIG. 7, a schematic drawing of the temporary package assembly
 according to the present invention is shown. Use of the flat base member
 and temporary adhesive bonding of containers to base member locks product
 containers in place and prevents individual movement of the containers
 until after the package assembly has been shrink wrapped. Within minutes
 the adhesive releases the containers from the bond to base member with the
 adhesive remaining on the base member. This temporary package assembly
 uses less packaging material than either a box or tray with four side
 walls, is more cost efficient, and because there is no need to form boxes
 or trays, which generate both corrugated dust and spores, it is more
 sanitary.
 The present invention provides a method for temporarily bonding containers
 to a flat base member to restrict movement of containers on the base
 member during the handling or packaging process. This method of bonding
 the containers permits a wide range of movement and handling to occur
 without concern for container stability on the flat base member.
 The present invention permits the group or pack pattern of containers to be
 aggressively handled by inclines 16 as shown in FIG. 7, declines, side
 transfers, abrupt starting and stopping, equipment vibrations, stacking,
 etc., without individual movement of container, and within minutes after
 the group or pack pattern of containers and base member has been
 encapsulated with plastic shrink film, the adhesive bond releases the
 containers from the base member with the adhesive residue remaining on the
 base member. The completed package assembly of the present invention is
 shown in FIG. 8.
 Additional embodiments of the invention are shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. FIG. 9
 shows an embodiment in which multiple layers of base members with bonded
 containers are stacked. FIG. 10 shows an embodiment in which a circular
 base member is used.
 Other advantages of the method of the present invention are as follows. The
 temporary bond effectively eliminates individual movement of the container
 on a flat base member during package assembly or handling, thereby greatly
 enhancing stability of the package assembly, which results in greater
 packaging efficiency. This improved stability increases the range of
 containers which are candidates for packaging by means of a flat base
 member, and it reduces the need for the packaging or handling equipment to
 maintain control of container movement after the container has been placed
 on the flat base member, thereby reducing equipment costs.
 Additionally, for containers that are placed into boxes or trays for
 conveying through a heat transfer process, the present invention offers
 greater heat transfer due to the flat base member. The present invention
 permits greater airflow than a box or tray, thereby improving heat
 transfer.
 This completes the description of the preferred and alternate embodiments
 of the invention. Those skilled in the art may recognize other equivalents
 to the specific embodiment described herein which equivalents are intended
 to be encompassed by the claims attached hereto.