Method for wrapping a plurality of articles

Abstract

A method for wrapping articles involves forming a closed-loop structure by attaching on a first face of a length of flexible material a face of a flat and rigid element and by attaching an opposite face of the flat and rigid element to a second face of an end portion of the length of flexible material, so as the closed-loop structure is a closed-loop cover carrying the flat and rigid element, or by attaching both ends of a length of flexible material to respective parts of a support, so as the closed-loop structure is formed by a sequential assembly of the length of flexible material and the support. The method further involves enclosing the articles, folding the closed-loop structure along the flat and rigid element, if present, or along parts of the support, and attaching a folded portion of the closed-loop structure to an adjacent external surface of the closed-loop structure.

1 . A method for wrapping a plurality of articles, comprising steps of:
 forming a closed-loop structure, either by attaching on a first face of a length of flexible material a face of at least one flat and rigid element and by attaching an opposite face of said flat and rigid element, to a second face of an end portion of the length of flexible material, so as said closed-loop structure is a closed-loop cover carrying the flat and rigid element,   or by attaching both ends of a length of flexible material to respective parts of a support, so as said closed-loop structure is formed by a sequential assembly of said length of flexible material and said support, wherein at least one flat and rigid element is optionally attached on a first face of said length of flexible material,   enclosing said plurality of articles within the closed-loop structure,   folding the closed-loop structure either along the at least one flat and rigid element attached on the first face of the length of flexible material, if the at least one flat and rigid element is present, or along at least one of the parts of the support to which said ends of the length of flexible material are attached, and   attaching a folded portion of the closed-loop structure to an adjacent surface of the closed-loop structure, so as said closed-loop structure tightly wraps said plurality of articles.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising steps of:
 attaching on the first face of the length of flexible material the face of the at least one flat and rigid element,   forming the closed-loop structure, either by attaching the opposite face of said flat and rigid element to the second face of the end portion of the length of flexible material, so as said closed-loop structure is a closed-loop cover carrying the flat and rigid element,   or by attaching both ends of said length of flexible material to the respective parts of the support, so as said closed-loop structure is formed by a sequential assembly of said length of flexible material carrying the flat and rigid element, and said support,   enclosing said plurality of articles within the closed-loop structure,   folding the closed-loop structure along the flat and rigid element attached on the first face of the length of flexible material, and   attaching the folded portion of the closed-loop structure carrying the flat and rigid element to the adjacent external surface of the closed-loop structure, so as said closed-loop structure tightly wraps said plurality of articles.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , comprising steps of:
 attaching, close to an end portion of the first face of the length of flexible material, the face of the at least one flat and rigid element,   attaching the opposite face of said flat and rigid element to a second face of an opposite end portion of the length of flexible material, so that the closed-loop cover having a thickened cross-section in correspondence of the flat and rigid element sandwiched between said end portions of the length of flexible material is formed,   enclosing said plurality of articles by the closed-loop cover,   folding the closed-loop cover along the flat and rigid element attached to said end portions of the length of flexible material, and   attaching said folded opposite end portion to an adjacent external surface of the closed-loop cover at least in terminal zones of said opposite end portion, so as said closed-loop cover tightly wraps said plurality of articles.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said flexible material is paper and/or said flat and rigid element is corrugated board. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , comprising steps of:
 applying a first adhesive strip along the end portion of the first face of the length of flexible material,   adhering on said first adhesive strip the face of the flat and rigid element which is a corrugated board strip having a second adhesive strip on the opposite face,   adhering the second face of the opposite end portion of the length of flexible material to said second adhesive strip, so that the closed-loop cover having a thickened cross-section in correspondence of the adhered corrugated board strip sandwiched between said end portions of the length of flexible material is formed,   applying a third adhesive strip on the external surface of the closed-loop cover in correspondence of said adhered corrugated board strip,   enclosing said plurality of articles by the closed-loop cover, and   folding the closed-loop cover along the adhered corrugated board strip, so as said third adhesive strip adheres to an adjacent portion of the external surface of the closed-loop cover which tightly wraps said plurality of articles.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said closed-loop cover is a hood which is lowered from above around said plurality of articles which are laterally enclosed. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said articles are supported by a support, and wherein the support is a pallet. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said closed-loop cover is moved along a horizontal direction to enclose the plurality of articles. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said articles are cans. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said articles are supported by a support, and wherein the support is a cardboard tray having a bottom wall and a side wall. 
     
     
         11 . The method of the  claim 5 , wherein said first, second and third adhesive strips are constituted by respective double-sided adhesive tapes. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said first, second and third adhesive strips are constituted by respective glue strips. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said steps are performed in a sequence as listed. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising steps of:
 providing a blank of cardboard or corrugated board, wherein said blank includes a bottom panel delimited by first and second folding lines parallel to each other, and third and fourth folding lines parallel to each other and orthogonal to said first and second folding lines, wherein an end panel is attached to said bottom panel along each of said first and second folding lines, respectively, and a side panel is attached to said bottom panel along each of said third and fourth folding lines, respectively, and wherein a flap is attached to each side panel along fifth and sixth folding lines, respectively, which are parallel to said third and fourth folding lines,   attaching opposite end portions of said length of flexible material to said flaps, respectively, so that said closed-loop structure is formed,   enclosing said plurality of articles within the closed-loop structure,   folding of 90° said side panels about the third and fourth folding lines, respectively, and said end panels about the first and second folding lines, respectively, and attaching said folded end panels to said side panels, so that a lateral wall substantially orthogonal to said bottom panel is formed by the end panels and side panels, and said lateral wall and bottom panel form said support,   folding of 180° said flaps and the attached end portions of said length of flexible material about the fifth and sixth folding lines, respectively, forming respective folded portions, so that said folded portions face a surface of the respective side panel, and   attaching said folded portions to said surface of the respective side panel, so that said closed-loop structure tightly wraps said plurality of articles.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein a lateral wing is attached to each end of each side panel along respective marker lines which are parallel to said first and second folding lines, so that an attachment of the side panels to the end panels takes place through said lateral wings. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein each lateral wing is divided in two portions by a respective further marker line which is parallel to said first and second folding lines. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said blank is monolithic and/or symmetrical in respect of two intersecting orthogonal axes. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the surface of the respective side panel, to which said folded portions are attached, is external. 
     
     
         19 . A closed-loop cover, optionally the closed-loop cover being a hood, for use in the method of  claim 1 , wherein the closed-loop cover is obtainable by adhering opposite ends of a length of flexible material to respective faces of a flat and rigid element extending transversally to said length of flexible material, and wherein an adhesive strip is applied on an external surface of the closed-loop cover in correspondence of said flat and rigid element. 
     
     
         20 . The closed-loop cover of  claim 19 , wherein said adhesive strip is a Velcro strip and a further adhesive Velcro strip of complementary nature is applied to an adjacent portion of the external surface of the closed-loop cover. 
     
     
         21 . The closed-loop cover of  claim 19 , wherein said flat and rigid element is a corrugated board strip and/or said flexible material is paper material. 
     
     
         22 . The closed-loop of  claim 21 , wherein said corrugated board strip has a length substantially corresponding to a width of said length of flexible material. 
     
     
         23 . A closed-loop structure for use in the method of  claim 1 , which wherein the closed-loop structure is obtainable by attaching opposite ends of a length of flexible material, optionally the flexible material being paper, to respective faces of a support, which is a tray, of cardboard or corrugated board, and has at least a foldable portion, whose folding shorten a length of the loop.