Abstract:
The invention relates to a compression packaging for a compressible item to be packaged ( 30 ), the packaging being formed from a film ( 10 ) which is stretched at least monoaxially. The film ( 10 ) has an enveloping portion ( 11 ), with which the item to be packaged ( 30 ) can be enclosed, and an edge reinforcement ( 15 ) which adjoins the enveloping portion ( 11 ) and can at least partially cover the item to be packaged ( 30 ) on the end thee ( 31 ) thereof. The edge reinforcement ( 15 ) has a film thickness which is greater than the film thickness of the enveloping portion ( 11 ), whereby an improved protection of the item to be packaged ( 30 ) in the region of the end face ( 31 ) can be achieved.

Description:
DESCRIPTION 
       [0001]    The invention relates to a compression packaging for a compressible item to be packaged and a packaging unit with a compressible item to be packaged, which is at least partially enveloped by a compression packaging. Further, the invention relates to a method for the production of the previously mentioned packaging unit. 
         [0002]    From document WO 2009/040475 A1 a packaging unit is disclosed, which is configured from a compressible item to be packaged, which is enveloped by a compression packaging from a film. Disadvantageously, it has been shown that such packaging units can be easily damaged during transport and storage. 
         [0003]    The objection of the present invention is to provide a compression packaging, a packaging unit and a method for producing a packaging unit, whereby the previously described disadvantages are avoided, particularly a packaging unit is provided, which cannot be destroyed easily. 
         [0004]    The object of the present invention is solved by a compression packaging according to all features of claim  1 . In the dependent claims preferred embodiments are described. 
         [0005]    According to the invention a compression packaging for a compressible item to be packaged is intended, wherein the compression packaging is configured from an at least mono-axially drawn film. The film comprises an enveloping portion, with which the item to be packaged is embraceable in its extent and comprises an edge reinforcement adjacent to the enveloping portion, with which the item to be packaged can at least be covered partially at its end face. An essential aspect of the invention is that the edge reinforcement comprises a film thickness, which is greater than the film thickness of the enveloping portion, whereby an enhanced protection of the item to be packaged is achievable within the area of the end face. Moreover, the mono-axially drawn film effects that the film achieves a higher tensile strength and/or a higher stiffness, so that the tendency of a possible damage of the film or the item to be packaged is reduced by this action. Moreover, the invention comprises another advantage that by drawing of the film a reduction in thickness is achieved, wherein saving potentials are established by an improved utilization of for example expensive barrier coatings. Particularly the structural conditions of the film, particularly which are configured from plastic, are positively influenced via mono-axially drawn films in a way, that a possibly high orientation of the structural conditions are achieved in order to reinforce the mechanical conditions of the film. By these technical actions the film can be significantly increased at least in the area of the enveloping portion according to its mechanical properties, so that a damage of the film or the item to be packaged is kept low within this section. A further protective effect is achieved by the edge reinforcement of the film, which is keeping the damage tendency low within the area of the end face of the item to be packaged. Since normally the item to be packaged with the film is stacked and stored, whereby the item to be packaged is standing on its end face, the thickened edge reinforcement protects the item to be packaged. 
         [0006]    The edge reinforcement can for example be generated in a film extrusion process, which is consciously developed and/or configured in a way that the film thickness of the edge reinforcement is greater than the film thickness of the enveloping portion. Alternatively and/or additionally the edge reinforcement can be injected and/or formed during or after the production process of the film. It is for example possible that a MDO—(machine direction orientation) method is consciously configured in a way in order to achieve a film according to the invention with the described edge reinforcement. 
         [0007]    In another possibility of the invention the film thickness of the edge reinforcement can at least be twice as large as the film thickness of the enveloping portion. The film can for example be drawn at least in a ratio 1:2 particularly at least in a ratio 1:3. According to the application also drawing ratio of 1:5 to 1:8 and even more are possible in order to naturally adjust the mechanical properties depending on the used raw material for the film, particularly the tensile strength, elongation, stiffness, shininess or transparency. Moreover, the invention includes that the film comprises two edge portions, which are at least partially overlapped and particularly are agglutinated or welded to one another. This means that the item to be packaged is completely surrounded by the enveloping portion of the film at its shell surface, wherein the edge portions of the film fit to and are positively bonded to the shell surface. In this connecting section advantageously an edge portion lies on top of another edge portion. Alternative methods of attachment independent from a positive bond attachment are likewise applicable, which however is among others dependent from the item to be packaged. 
         [0008]    Moreover according to the invention the compression packaging can be configured with a film, which comprises a significantly higher tensile strength in circumferential direction of the item to be packaged than in direction of the edge reinforcement. This means that the item to be packaged remains more or less in its compressed packaging condition since the mono-axially drawn film counteracts against a decompression of the item to be packaged. 
         [0009]    Advantageously the film can comprise multiple layers. This means that for example a multilayer film can comprise three, five or a plurality of layers, wherein for example an adhesion promoter layer can be intended between the layers. The assembly of the film with a plurality of layers can for example alter the mechanical properties independent to the mono-axial drawing. In dependence of the used layers for example the tear-resistance, the printability, the stiffness or the sealabilitty of the film can be influenced or enhanced. 
         [0010]    In another possibility of the invention the film can also be bi-axially drawn, this means that the film can be drawn in transverse and in longitudinal direction of the film stretching unit. The bi-axial drawing can be used in order to distribute the strength properties of the film even more evenly in both directions, in which the crystalline domain (crystallite) are more planar than fibrillar. This bi-axially oriented films tend to be even stiffer and firmer and comprise an even better resistance according to bending or folding forces, wherein an increased usability with packaging applications results. Since these films are bi-axially oriented in two directions their use is most likely more expensive than only a mono-axial film drawing. 
         [0011]    Further, the film thickness of the enveloping portion is in the area of 20 μm≦x≦70 μm particularly in the area of 30 μm≦x≦50 μm. Despite of this small film thickness the film comprises satisfying mechanical properties in order to reliably protect the item to be packaged, wherein at the same time the compressed item to be packaged is held by the film. The film is advantageously a polymeric film, which has been drawn respectively by a film stretching unit. 
         [0012]    Moreover, the previously described object is solved by a packaging unit with a compressible item to be packaged, which is at least partially surrounded by a compression packaging, which is configured from an at least mono-axial drawn film, wherein the film comprises an enveloping portion, with which the item to be packaged is enclosed in its extent and an edge reinforcement adjacent to the enveloping portion, with which the item to be packaged is at least partially covered at its end face. According to the invention the edge reinforcement comprises a film thickness, which is greater than the film thickness of the enveloping portion, wherein an increased protection of the item to be packaged can be achieved in the area of the end face. Like already with the compression packaging the details described for the compression packaging are also used with the packaging unit. 
         [0013]    The packaging unit can be configured in a way that the edge reinforcement covers at least 2% of the end face of the item to be packaged, particularly covers at least 5%-50% of the end face of the item to be packaged. For example, in accordance to the sensibility of the item to be packaged it can be decided to which extent the end face of the item to be packaged is covered. A particular advantage of the edge reinforcement is however that a satisfying stand space is established at the end face of the item to be packaged, which represents a greater protection for the item to be packaged due to the increased film thickness in the edge reinforcement. Moreover, it further appears to be an advantage that the stability of the packaging unit is increased at the end face and the tendency for tilting of the packaging unit is reduced. 
         [0014]    Advantageously the edge reinforcement of the film can fit to the end face of the item to be packaged, wherein particularly the edge reinforcement covers at least partially the extent of the item to be packaged. With this embodiment of the packaging unit the edge reinforcement is not exclusively at the end face of the item to be packaged, but also fits at least partially to the shell surface of the item to be packaged, which is surrounded by the thinned enveloping portion of the film in its remaining area. Normally, the end face of the item to be packaged can comprise a circumferential edge, which is reliably protected by the previously described edge reinforcement. 
         [0015]    According to the invention the item to be packaged can comprise one of the following geometric forms: cylinder, cuboid, sphere, cube. Moreover, the item to be packaged can for example be one of the following goods: mineral wool, textiles, foodstuffs, toys, carpet, foam mat, paper, suitcase. 
         [0016]    Moreover the previously described object can be solved by a method according to the independent method claim  17 . In the dependent method claims possible embodiments of the method are possible. 
         [0017]    According to the invention a method is proposed for the production of a packaging unit with a compressible item to be packaged, which is at least partially surrounded by a compression packaging, which is configured from at least one mono-axially drawn film. The film comprises an enveloping portion, with which the item to be packaged is covered in its extent and an enveloping portion with an adjacent edge reinforcement, with which the item to be packaged is at least partially covered at its end face. The edge reinforcement moreover comprises a film thickness, which is greater than a film thickness of the enveloping portion, wherein an increased protection of the item to be packaged can be achieved in the area of the end face, wherein the following production steps are intended:
       a) extrusion of the film   b) mono-axial drawing of the film   c) provision and compression of the item to be packaged   d) covering of the compressed item to be packaged with the film, wherein the film is wider than the item to be packaged, so that at least at the end face of the item to be packaged a protrusion of the film results, which is not directly contacting the item to be packaged   e) decompression of the item to be packaged, wherein at the same time the protrusion is put against the end face of the item to be packaged.       
 
         [0023]    By the use of a protrusion, which is configured with the edge reinforcement, an additional protection is provided at the end face of the item to be packaged. It is a particular advantage that with the decompressing of the item to be packaged this protrusion automatically abuts at the end face of the item to be packaged due to the forces affecting the film. During the production process, particularly after the covering of the compressed item to be packaged, advantageously a positive bond connection occurs of the at least partially overlapping edges of the enveloping portion, wherein an adhesive bond or a welded bond can be particularly advantageous. 
         [0024]    The length of the film can advantageously be already pre-assembled before the actual covering with the film of the item to be packaged starts. 
         [0025]    According to another aspect of the invention a conveyor facility can be intended for the production of the packaging unit for feeding the item to be packaged to a wrapping station. The wrapping station can be configured for wrapping the item to be packaged to a roller or another geometry, wherein a feeding equipment for feeding the film to the item to be packaged is integrated into the method. 
         [0026]    According to an advantageous improvement of the method according to the invention, the compressing of the item to be packaged can also occur at the same time during the covering with the film of the item to be packaged. 
         [0027]    It is another advantage that in step b) the film is heated to a suitable temperature and is drawn with a stretching ratio of at least 1:2, wherein a film results, which comprises a tensile strength Z in direction of the extent of the item to be packaged, which is in the area between approximately 100 N/mm 2  Z 300 N/mm 2  and/or comprises an elasticity D in the direction of the extent of the item to be packaged, which is approximately in the area of 5%≦D≦40%. Thereby the mechanical properties of the film particularly at the enveloping portion can be positively influenced in a way that a damage of the film and particularly also of the item to be packaged can be minimized. 
     
    
     
         [0028]    Further advantages features and details of the invention result from the following description, in which multiple embodiments of the invention are described in detail with reference to the drawings. Thereby, the features described in the claims and the description can be essential for the invention each single for themselves or in any combination. It is shown: 
           [0029]      FIG. 1  a schematic view of a compression packaging, which is configured as a mono-axially drawn film, 
           [0030]      FIG. 2  a sectional view A-A according to  FIG. 1 , 
           [0031]      FIG. 3  a further view of a packaging unit, which is equipped with a compression packaging, 
           [0032]      FIG. 4  a top view according to B-B from  FIG. 3 , 
           [0033]      FIG. 5  a sectional view C-C according to  FIG. 2 , 
           [0034]      FIG. 6  a possible embodiment of a packaging unit with a compression packaging, 
           [0035]      FIG. 7  a further embodiment of a packaging unit with a compression packaging, 
           [0036]      FIG. 8  a further embodiment of a packaging unit with a compression packaging in top view, 
           [0037]      FIG. 9  a schematic representation for visualising the method steps for the production of a packaging unit 
           [0038]      FIG. 10  a further embodiment of a packaging unit in a schematic representation, and 
           [0039]      FIG. 11  a further embodiment of a packaging unit in a schematic representation. 
       
    
    
       [0040]      FIG. 1  shows a compression packaging which is configured as a film  10 . The film  10  comprises an enveloping portion  11  and an edge reinforcement  15 , which comprises a film thickness, which is greater than the film thickness of the enveloping portion  11 , which is shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0041]    The film  10  serves for covering a compressible item to be packaged  30  according to  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 4 ,  FIG. 6  to  FIG. 8 , which is hereafter described in detail. The film  10  is a very thin plastic film, which can be established as multi-layered, which is exemplarily shown in  FIG. 5  in a simplified representation. 
         [0042]    Like shown in  FIG. 3 , the enveloping portion  11  covers the item to be packaged  30  to its full extent at its extent, wherein at the same time the edge reinforcement  15  abuts at the end face  31 . Further, a free space  16  remains, which is not covering the item to be packaged  30  at its end face  31 . The free space  16  can vary in size, form, which is for example shown in  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 8 . 
         [0043]    Moreover according to all embodiments the film  10  is mono-axially drawn, which is configured by a film stretching unit, which is not explicitly shown. The film  10  is according to the embodiments drawn in circumferential direction U of the item to be packaged  30 , wherein a significantly higher tensile strength is achieved in circumferential direction U of the item to be packaged  30  than in direction R of the edge reinforcement  15 . 
         [0044]    The film thickness of the edge reinforcement  15  is according to all embodiments at least twice as big as the film thickness of the enveloping portion  11 , which is for example shown in  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7 . 
         [0045]    The film  10  can comprise two edge portions  12 ,  13  according to  FIG. 11 , which at least partially overlap and are connected to one another in a positive bond. Advantageously, the edge portions  12 ,  13  are glued or welded to one another. 
         [0046]    In order to accordingly adjust the mechanical properties of the film  10  the ratio of the drawing can vary, for example it is possible, that the ratio of the drawing can be configured as 1:3 to 1:10. The film can for example comprise a film thickness of 140 μm before the drawing. After the drawing the enveloping portion comprises only a film thickness of 40 μm. In the special example the ratio of the drawing is 1:3. The drawing can for example be configured with the help of the MDO—(machine direction orientation) method, wherein a mono-axial drawing can selectively alter the film properties and can optimally adjust to the respective purpose of the film. After drawing this “refined” film can comprise a higher tensile strength, stiffness and also more shininess or transparency. Another advantage of the mono-axially drawn film is that it comprises higher barrier values than an undrawn film. 
         [0047]    The edge reinforcement  15  of the film  10  is attached to the enveloping portion  11 , wherein the transition is fluid. The width of the edge reinforcement  15  can be configured in different sizes, which is for example shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 . The width herein implies the distance from the free edge  17  of the edge reinforcement  15  in the direction of the enveloping portion  11 . According to  FIG. 6  the edge reinforcement  15  of the film  10  abuts to the end face  31  of the item to be packaged  30 , wherein the edge reinforcement  15  further extents in the direction of the enveloping portion  11  as according to  FIG. 7 . This means that the edge reinforcement  15  according to  FIG. 6  partially comprises the extent or the shell surface  32  of the item to be packaged  30 . With this embodiment the circumferential edge  33  of the item to be packaged  30  is protected by the previously described edge reinforcement  15 . The embodiments from  FIGS. 6 and 7  illustrate that at the one hand the mono-axially drawn film  10  reliably protects the shell surface  32  of the item to be packaged  30 . On the other hand, the partly open end face  31  is protected by the edge reinforcement  15 , wherein at the same time the edge reinforcement  15  serves as a stand space for the packaging unit  20 . 
         [0048]    The item to be packaged  30  or the packaging unit  20  can comprise different geometrical forms, which are for example shown in  FIG. 4  and in  FIG. 8 . The item to be packaged  30  can for example be configured cylindrical, which is shown in  FIG. 4 . Likewise it is possible according to  FIG. 8 , that the item to be packaged  30  is configured cuboid. In accordance to the form of the item to be packaged  30 , the shape of the edge reinforcement  15  alters, which abuts on the end face  31  of the item to be packaged  30 . The item to be packaged  30  is configured compressible according to the shown embodiments, so that the item to be packaged is compressed during covering with the film  10 , which is further described in detail: 
         [0049]    In order to produce the packaging unit  20  initially the production of the film  10  occurs in step  40  according to  FIG. 9 , which is extruded by a device, for example by a blown film or cast film installation. In the subsequent step  50  the refinement of the film  10  occurs, which means the mono-axial drawing. In parallel the item to be packaged is provided in step  60 . In step  70  the covering of the item to be packaged occurs with the film, wherein during the covering at the same time a compression of the item to be packaged can occur. Alternatively, already in step  60  a compression of the item to be packaged can occur, before in step  70  only the covering with the film of the item to be packaged occurs. Both of the previously described alternatives can also be combined, which means that not only in step  60  but although in step  70  a compression of the item to be packaged occurs. 
         [0050]    After the item to be packaged  30  is covered with the film  10  a protrusion  18  remains, which is not directly contacting the item to be packaged  30 , which is schematically shown in  FIG. 10 . The protrusion  18  results since the film  10  is configured broader than the width or length or the item to be packaged  30 . 
         [0051]    Returning to  FIG. 9  a decompression of the item to be packaged  30  occurs in the method step  80 , wherein at the same time the protrusion  18  abuts at the end face  31  of the item to be packaged  30 , which is shown in  FIG. 10 . Since the item to be packaged  30  performs forces in the direction of the film  10  after decompression, hereby automatically the protrusion  18  turns down into the direction of the end face  31  of the item to be packaged  30 . 
         [0052]    Advantageously the film is heated to a suitable temperature in step  50  and is subsequently drawn in a predefined stretching ratio, wherein a film results, which comprises an increased tensile strength and/or an increased elasticity. 
         [0053]    The protrusion  18  shown in  FIG. 10  comprises an edge reinforcement  15 , which directly abuts to the end face  31  of the item to be packaged  30  after the step  80  according to  FIG. 9 . 
       REFERENCE LIST 
       [0054]      10  Film 
         [0055]      11  Enveloping portion 
         [0056]      12  Edge portion 
         [0057]      13  Edge portion 
         [0058]      15  Edge reinforcement 
         [0059]      16  Free space 
         [0060]      17  Free edge of  15   
         [0061]      18  Protrusion of  10   
         [0062]      20  Packaging unit 
         [0063]      30  Item to be packaged 
         [0064]      31  End face 
         [0065]      32  Shell surface 
         [0066]      33  Edge 
         [0067]      40  Procedural step: extrusion of the film 
         [0068]      50  Procedural step: mono-axial drawing of the film 
         [0069]      60  Procedural step: provision and compression of the item to be packaged 
         [0070]      70  Procedural step: covering of the compressed item to be packaged with the film 
         [0071]      80  Procedural step: decompression of the item to be packaged