Method for manufacturing envelope type package

Abstract

To provide a method for manufacturing an envelope type package by using a material sheet having an uneven pattern on one side, capable of surely guiding a front end of the material sheet to a folding guide part when folding the material sheet while conveying the uneven pattern of the material sheet downward, securing a conveying force, preventing the generation of wrinkles during folding without lowering the strength and cushioning properties of the material sheet.SOLUTION: A method for producing an envelope type package is characterized by having: a guiding step of guiding a surface portion 2 downward while conveying a material sheet 1X by conveying means 10 when folded; a supporting step of supporting a rear surface portion 3 from below so as to move straight horizontally; and a folding step of lifting the surface portion 2 bent downward to a predetermined angle backward and folding the surface portion toward the rear surface portion 3 moving straight horizontally.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing an envelope-type package using a material sheet having a concavo-convex pattern on one side, such as single-sided cardboard, to manufacture the envelope-type package.

Background Art

[0002] Recently, with the spread of mail-order sales such as online shopping, the transportation of goods using postal services and courier services has been frequently used. Among them, the demand for envelope-type packaging packages that can be mailed has been increasing.

[0003] Conventionally, various envelope-type packages having cushioning properties for packaging items that dislike impacts, such as electrical components, jewelry, cosmetics, and CDs, have been proposed. For example, a cushion envelope with a plastic bubble sheet cushioning material installed inside the envelope is well known.

[0004] However, such a cushion envelope with a plastic bubble sheet cushioning material installed inside the envelope has a problem that when it is discarded, the envelope (paper) and the plastic bubble sheet cushioning material must be separated, which is troublesome when discarding. Also, in terms of manufacturing, it requires the labor and time to install a separate plastic bubble sheet cushioning material inside the envelope, and there is a problem that the cost becomes high due to the large amount of materials and labor required.

[0005] In order to solve these problems, in recent years, an envelope-type package using a material sheet such as a corrugated single-sided cardboard having cushioning properties has been proposed. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, a manufacturing method of such an envelope-type package is such that a material sheet 1Y of single-sided cardboard has a rectangular back surface portion 3 continuously provided via a first fold line a1 on the right end side in the left-right direction (in FIG. 9, the left-right direction) of a rectangular front surface portion 2, and connecting flaps 4 are continuously provided via a second fold line a2 on both side edges in the up-down direction (in FIG. 9, the up-down direction) of the front surface portion 2, and the material sheet is cut into a developed shape of an envelope. At the time of this cutting process, when formed into an envelope shape, in order to avoid the generation of folding wrinkles when folding the front surface portion 2, the wavy unevenness on the entire surface of the material sheet 1Y is slightly crushed. At the same time, in order to strengthen the adhesion between the connecting flap 4 and the back surface portion 3, the wavy unevenness of the connecting flap 4 is completely crushed. Note that an upper end flap portion 5 is continuously provided via a third fold line a3 on the left end side in the left-right direction (in FIG. 9, the left-right direction) of the front surface portion 2.

[0006] Conventionally, as a manufacturing apparatus for an envelope-type package, a jacket folding device in a box-making machine or the like for manufacturing a flat box such as a record jacket from a paper-made material sheet has been proposed (Patent Document 1).

[0007] The jacket folding device in the box-making machine or the like disclosed in Patent Document 1 first bends the margins on both sides inward while horizontally conveying the material sheet forward by a conveyor belt serving as a conveying device. Next, an adhesive is applied to the margins. Then, while conveying the material sheet, the front flap is bent upward and rearward and adhered to the margin. The guide device for bending the front flap is provided above the conveyor belt. Also, an air outlet provided upward between the lower parts of the conveying devices, that is, between two conveyor belts, blows air upward, and this air pushes the front end of the front flap upward and is configured to make it enter the guide device.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0008]

Patent Document 1

[0009] However, in recent years, with the spread of mail-order sales, there are cases where information including different barcodes is printed for each packaging package of products using postal services or delivery services. In this case, it is convenient for an inkjet printer to print while being conveyed from above a conveyor belt. In particular, in the case of a material sheet having an uneven pattern on one side such as a single-sided corrugated board, since information including a barcode must be printed on the smooth surface (the surface of the liner paper) of the material sheet, when conveying a material sheet having an uneven pattern on one side such as a single-sided corrugated board, it is necessary to convey the uneven pattern downward. Therefore, there is a problem that the method of folding the front flap such as the jacket folding device in the box-making machine disclosed in Patent Document 1 described above cannot cope with it.

[0010] Further, when manufacturing an envelope-type package using a single-sided corrugated board by the method shown in FIG. 9 described above, when cutting the single-sided corrugated board into the developed shape of the envelope, the wavy unevenness on the entire surface of the material sheet 1Y is slightly crushed, so there is a problem that the strength and cushioning properties of the material sheet 1Y are reduced.

[0011] Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and when manufacturing an envelope-type package using a material sheet having an uneven pattern on one side such as a single-sided corrugated board, when folding while conveying the uneven pattern of the material sheet downward, the front end of the material sheet is surely guided to the folding guide portion, and a conveying force can be secured, and the strength and cushioning properties of the material sheet are not reduced, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a method for manufacturing an envelope-type package capable of preventing the occurrence of wrinkles during folding. MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEMS

[0012] The manufacturing method of the envelope-type package of the present invention is a manufacturing method of an envelope-type package that manufactures an envelope-type package using a material sheet having an uneven pattern on one side, wherein a rectangular back surface portion is continuously provided via a fold line at the lower edge of a rectangular front surface portion, and the material sheet cut into the developed shape of an envelope in which connecting flaps are continuously provided via fold lines at both side edges of the front surface portion is conveyed to a downstream process in a horizontal state with the uneven pattern facing downward, and includes a folding step of folding the front surface portion toward the back surface portion so that the uneven pattern of the material sheet faces inward. In the folding step, there are a guiding step of guiding the front surface portion downward while conveying the material sheet by the conveying step, a supporting step of supporting the back surface portion from below so as to move straight horizontally, and a folding step of lifting the front surface portion folded downward upward to a predetermined angle backward and folding it toward the back surface portion (hereinafter referred to as "the manufacturing method of the envelope-type package of the first aspect of the present invention").

[0013] The manufacturing method of the envelope-type package of the first aspect of the present invention is to previously cut a material sheet having an uneven pattern on one side into the developed shape of an envelope in which a rectangular back surface portion is continuously provided via a fold line at the lower edge of a rectangular front surface portion and connecting flaps are continuously provided via fold lines at both side edges of the front surface portion, and fold the front surface portion toward the back surface portion so that the uneven pattern of the material sheet in the developed shape of the envelope faces inward. When folding, while conveying the material sheet by the conveying step, the front surface portion is guided downward, the back surface portion is supported from below so as to move straight horizontally, the front surface portion folded downward is lifted upward to a predetermined angle backward, and folded toward the back surface portion conveyed horizontally. By doing so, when folding, the front end of the material sheet can be reliably guided to the folding guide portion, it is possible to avoid the rear end of the material sheet floating away from the lower conveying belt having driving force due to folding, ensure the conveying force, eliminate the need to previously perform a crushing process on the entire material sheet as in the prior art, prevent the occurrence of defects such as folding wrinkles, reduce damage to the material sheet, and further, since the front surface portion is folded toward the back surface portion so that the uneven pattern of the material sheet faces inward, cushioning properties can be imparted to the inner surface of the envelope-type package.

[0014] Also, in the method for manufacturing the envelope-type package of the first aspect of the present invention, it becomes possible to print information including a barcode on the upper surface while conveying the uneven pattern of the material sheet having the uneven pattern on one side downward. That is, printing using an inkjet printer becomes easy. It becomes possible to print information including different barcodes for each packaging package.

[0015] Therefore, according to the method for manufacturing the envelope-type package of the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to surely guide the front end of the material sheet to the folding guide portion during folding, secure the conveying force, and prevent the occurrence of defects such as folding wrinkles. Also, it becomes possible to print information including a barcode on the upper surface while conveying the uneven pattern of the material sheet having the uneven pattern on one side downward. Furthermore, by using a material sheet having an uneven pattern on one side, it is possible to obtain an envelope-type package that has cushioning properties and is environmentally friendly, being recyclable at low cost.

[0016] In the method for manufacturing the envelope-type package of the first aspect of the present invention, in the guiding step, while conveying the material sheet by the conveying step, the surface portion is pushed from above by pressing means and lowered obliquely downward in the traveling direction to be guided to the folding guide portion. In the supporting step, the back surface portion is supported from below by lifting means so as to lift the pressing means so that the back surface portion travels straight horizontally. In the folding step, after the front end of the surface portion abuts against the stopper of the folding guide portion, it is preferable to lift the surface portion rearward to a predetermined angle by folding assisting means and fold it toward the back surface portion traveling straight horizontally (hereinafter, referred to as "the method for manufacturing the envelope-type package of the second aspect of the present invention").

[0017] In the method for manufacturing the envelope-type package of the second aspect of the present invention, in the folding step of the first aspect of the present invention, while conveying the material sheet, the pressing means presses the front surface portion from above and descends obliquely downward in the advancing direction to guide it to the folding guide portion, and the lifting means supports the back surface portion from below so as to lift the pressing means so that the back surface portion advances horizontally. After the front end of the front surface portion abuts against the stopper of the folding guide portion, the folding assisting means lifts the front surface portion rearward to a predetermined angle and folds it toward the back surface portion advancing horizontally, so that the front end of the front surface portion is surely dropped downward, enters the folding guide portion, and the conveying force can be ensured. At the same time, by lifting the front surface portion rearward to a predetermined angle by the folding assisting means, the occurrence of wrinkles during folding can be prevented.

[0018] Therefore, in the method for manufacturing the envelope-type package of the second aspect of the present invention, in the folding step, the front surface portion of the material sheet is lowered downward using the pressing means to guide it to the folding guide portion, and the back surface portion is supported from below using the lifting means so that the back surface portion advances horizontally. Therefore, the front end of the front surface portion can be surely dropped downward, enter the folding guide portion, and the conveying force can be ensured, and the occurrence of wrinkles during folding in the front surface portion can be prevented. Therefore, it can be folded while being smoothly conveyed.

[0019] In the method for manufacturing the envelope-type package of the second aspect of the present invention, the pressing means is configured to press the front surface portion from above while the front surface portion passes through, and the lifting means is configured to support the back surface portion from below so as to rise from below and lift the pressing means after the front surface portion has passed through. The folding assisting means preferably includes a lifting plate provided at the upper end of the folding guide portion and rotatable via a rotation shaft. After the front end of the front surface portion abuts against the stopper of the folding guide portion, the lifting plate lifts the front surface portion rearward to a predetermined angle and folds it toward the back surface portion advancing horizontally (hereinafter, referred to as "the method for manufacturing the envelope-type package of the third aspect of the present invention").

[0020] In the manufacturing method of the envelope-type package according to the third aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect of the present invention, the pressing means is configured to press the surface portion from above while the surface portion passes through, and the lifting means is configured to support the back surface portion from below so as to lift the pressing means after the surface portion has passed through. The folding assisting means includes a lifting plate provided at the upper end of the bending guide portion and rotatable via a rotation shaft. After the front end of the surface portion abuts against the stopper of the bending guide portion, the lifting plate lifts the surface portion rearward by a predetermined angle and folds it toward the horizontally advancing back surface portion. That is, after the surface portion has passed through, the lifting means supports the back surface portion from below, releases the pressing by the pressing means, and after the front end of the surface portion abuts against the stopper of the bending guide portion, the lifting plate rotates to lift the surface portion rearward by a predetermined angle and fold it toward the back surface portion. Therefore, the front end of the surface portion can be surely dropped downward and made to enter the bending guide portion, and at the same time as releasing the pressing, the conveying force can be ensured, the continuously provided back surface portion can be made to advance horizontally, and the generation of wrinkles during folding of the surface portion can be prevented.

[0021] Therefore, according to the manufacturing method of the envelope-type package according to the third aspect of the present invention, the front end of the surface portion can be surely dropped downward and made to enter the bending guide portion, and at the same time as releasing the pressing, the conveying force can be ensured, the continuously provided back surface portion can be made to advance horizontally, and the generation of wrinkles during folding of the surface portion can be prevented.

[0022] In the manufacturing method of the envelope-type package according to the first to third aspects of the present invention, it is preferable to further include a printing step of printing information including a barcode on the upper surface of the back surface portion by printing means installed upstream of the folding step, a crushing step of crushing the concavo-convex pattern of the connecting flaps on both sides of the surface portion folded in the folding step, a glue application step of applying glue to a predetermined position on the upper surface of the connecting flap where the concavo-convex pattern has been crushed in the crushing step, and an adhesion step of folding the connecting flap onto the upper surface of the back surface portion and adhering it to the back surface portion (hereinafter, referred to as "the manufacturing method of the envelope-type package according to the fourth aspect of the present invention").

[0023] In the manufacturing methods of the envelope-type packages of the first to third aspects of the present invention, by having a printing step of printing information including a barcode on the upper surface of the back portion by printing means installed upstream of the folding step, it is possible to print information including a barcode on the upper surface while conveying the uneven pattern of the material sheet having the uneven pattern on one side downward. Further, by having a crushing step of crushing the uneven patterns of the connecting flaps on both sides of the surface portion folded in the folding step, a paste application step of applying paste to a predetermined position on the upper surface of the connecting flaps whose uneven patterns have been crushed in the crushing step, and an adhesion step of folding the connecting flaps onto the upper surface of the back portion and adhering them to the back portion, since the uneven patterns of the connecting flaps are crushed immediately before applying the paste, it is possible to suppress the crushed uneven patterns from returning to their original shape and ensure the adhesion strength of the adhesion portion.

[0024] Therefore, in the envelope-type package of the fourth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to print information including a different barcode for each envelope-type package, and printing with an inkjet printer becomes easy. Further, since the uneven patterns of the connecting flaps are crushed immediately before applying the paste, it is possible to suppress the crushed uneven patterns from returning to their original shape and ensure the adhesion strength of the adhesion portion. Also, the manufacturing process of the envelope-type package can be performed continuously, and the production efficiency can be improved.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0025]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5A

Figure 5B

Figure 5C

Figure 5D

Figure 5E

Figure 5F

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0026] Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8, a method for manufacturing an envelope-type package according to an embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter simply referred to as "this embodiment") and an envelope-type package 1 manufactured using this method for manufacturing an envelope-type package will be described.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 1, the method for manufacturing an envelope-type package according to this embodiment includes a cutting step S1 of cutting a material sheet 1X (for example, a single-sided corrugated board) having a concavo-convex pattern (a stepped portion) on one side into a developed shape of an envelope in which a rectangular back surface portion 3 is continuously provided at the lower end edge of a rectangular front surface portion 2 via a fold line, and connecting flaps 4 are continuously provided at both side edges of the front surface portion 2 via a fold line; a conveying step S2 of horizontally conveying the material sheet 1X having the developed shape of the envelope obtained in this cutting step to the downstream process with the concavo-convex pattern facing downward; a printing step S3 of printing information including a barcode 7 on the upper surface while conveying the concavo-convex pattern of the material sheet 1X downward; a folding step S4 of folding the front surface portion 2 toward the back surface portion 3 so that the concavo-convex pattern of the material sheet 1X faces inward; a crushing step S5 of crushing the concavo-convex pattern of the connecting flaps 4 on both sides of the front surface portion 2 folded in the folding step S4; a glue application step S6 of applying glue to a predetermined position on the upper surface of the connecting flaps 4 whose concavo-convex pattern has been crushed in the crushing step S5; and an adhesion step S7 of folding the connecting flaps 4 on both sides of the front surface portion 2 onto the upper surface of the back surface portion 3 and adhering them to the back surface portion 3.

[0028] The envelope-type package 1 manufactured using the manufacturing method of the envelope-type package of the present embodiment is composed of a single sheet of single-sided corrugated cardboard and is an envelope-type package having cushioning properties on the inner surface. That is, the envelope-type package 1 includes a rectangular front surface portion 2 (corresponding to the front surface of the envelope), a back surface portion 3 (corresponding to the back surface of the envelope) continuously provided at the lower end edge of the front surface portion 2, a pair of connecting flaps 4 (corresponding to the adhesive margin of the envelope) continuously provided at both side edges of the front surface portion 2, and an upper end flap portion 5 (corresponding to the sealing piece of the envelope) continuously provided at the upper end edge of the front surface portion 2. Further, an opening zipper 6 is formed on the upper end flap portion 5. The opening zipper 6 is composed of two parallel broken lines. At both ends of this opening zipper 6, pinch portions that can be pinched with fingers are formed. Furthermore, a barcode 7 is printed on the back surface portion 3.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 3, the envelope-type package 1 is made of a material sheet 1X cut from a cardboard of a single-sided corrugated cardboard having a substantially rectangular shape. In FIG. 3, the surface having the uneven pattern (step portion) of the single-sided corrugated cardboard is shown. The left side of the material sheet 1X in FIG. 3 becomes the front surface portion 2 of the envelope-type package 1 when assembled as the envelope-type package 1 as shown in FIG. 2, and the right end side in the left-right direction (in the left-right direction in FIG. 3) of the front surface portion 2 becomes the back surface portion 3 of the envelope-type package 1 when assembled as the envelope-type package 1 as shown in FIG. 2. Both sides in the up-down direction (in the up-down direction in FIG. 3) of the front surface portion 2 become the pair of connecting flaps 4 of the envelope-type package 1 when assembled as the envelope-type package 1 as shown in FIG. 2, and the left end side in the left-right direction (in the left-right direction in FIG. 3) of the front surface portion 2 becomes the upper end flap portion 5 of the envelope-type package 1 when assembled as the envelope-type package 1 as shown in FIG. 2. Also, the steps of the single-sided corrugated cardboard are arranged in the length direction (in the left-right direction in FIG. 3).

[0030] As shown in Fig. 3, a first fold line a1 that partitions the front surface portion 2 and the back surface portion 3 is formed on the material sheet 1X. The front surface portion 2 and the back surface portion 3 are connected via this first fold line a1. Further, a second fold line a2 that partitions the front surface portion 2 and the pair of connecting flaps 4 is formed on the material sheet 1X. The front surface portion 2 and the pair of upper end flap portions 4 are connected via this second fold line a2. Furthermore, a third fold line a3 that partitions the front surface portion 2 and the upper end flap portion 5 is formed on the material sheet 1X. The front surface portion 2 and the connecting flap 5 are connected via this third fold line a3. Also, a strip-shaped unsealing zipper 6 composed of two parallel broken lines with both ends connected is formed on the upper end flap portion 5.

[0031] Hereinafter, the process of assembling the envelope-type package 1 using the manufacturing method of the envelope-type package of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 8.

[0032] As shown in Fig. 1, in the process of assembling the envelope-type package 1 from the material sheet 1X, first, in the cutting process S1, the cardboard of the single-sided corrugated board is cut into the unfolded shape of the envelope as shown in Fig. 3.

[0033] Next, in the conveying step S2, using a conveying device 10 composed of a conveyor belt, the material sheet 1X in the developed shape of the envelope obtained in the cutting step S1 is conveyed one by one by the conveyor belt to each downstream step (printing step S3, folding step S4, crushing step S5, glue application step S6, bonding step S7) in a horizontal state with the uneven pattern facing downward. In this case, the material sheet 1X is placed on the conveyor belt such that the surface portion 2 to which the upper end flap portion 5 is continuously provided is in the front and the back surface portion 3 is in the rear. The conveying device 10 has an upper conveying belt 11 and lower conveying belts 12a and 12b. The lower conveying belts 12a and 12b are installed with a predetermined interval at the bending portion 30. Each of these upper conveying belt 11, lower conveying belts 12a, and 12b is composed of two belts running side by side with a predetermined interval. The material sheet 1X is placed and conveyed across these two belts. Further, the lower conveying belts 12a and 12b each have a driving force by a motor. On the other hand, since the upper conveying belt 11 does not have a driving force, it is pressed against the lower conveying belts 12a and 12b by a plurality of pressing rollers 13 installed on the upper surface and is moved in the conveying direction.

[0034] Next, in the printing step S3, an inkjet printer 20 installed above the conveyor belt prints information including a barcode on the upper surface of the material sheet 1X while conveying the uneven pattern of the material sheet 1X downward by the conveying device 10. In this case, for example, information including different barcodes may be printed for each envelope-type package. Then, the material sheet 1X printed with the information including the barcode is conveyed to the folding step S4.

[0035] Next, in the folding step S4, the surface portion 2 is folded toward the back portion 3 so that the concavo-convex pattern of the material sheet 1X faces inward. This folding step S4 is performed at the bending portion 30 (the divided portion of the lower conveyor belt) of the conveying device 10. The bending portion 30 includes a bending guide portion 31 at the lower part between the lower conveyor belts 12a and 12b of the conveying device 10 (on the outlet side of the bending portion 30), a pressing means 32 that presses the surface portion 2 of the material sheet 1X from above and descends obliquely downward in the traveling direction to guide it to the bending guide portion 31 on the inlet side of the bending portion 30, a lifting means 33 that supports the back portion 3 of the material sheet 1X from below so that the back portion 3 travels straight horizontally and lifts the pressing means 32, a timing sensor 34 for detecting the conveyed material sheet 1X, and a folding assisting means 35 that lifts the surface portion 2 backward by a predetermined angle α.

[0036] The bending guide portion 31 is used to bend the surface portion 2 of the material sheet 1X downward and backward. As shown in FIG. 4, the bending guide portion 31 mainly includes a guide plate 31a, a guide member 31b, and a stopper 31c that is attached to be vertically adjustable along the surface of the guide plate 31. The lower end of the guide plate 31a is arranged to be slightly inclined forward. The guide member 31b is composed of a plate having four bending portions attached to the stopper 31c. The stopper 31c can adjust its position along three parallel slits 31d provided in the vertical direction of the guide plate 31a. Further, in this embodiment, a folding assisting means 35 for lifting the surface portion 2 backward by a predetermined angle is provided at the upper end of the bending guide portion 31. The folding assisting means 35 includes a drive motor 35a and a plurality (for example, five) of lifting plates 35c that are rotatably mounted via a rotating shaft 35b. The plurality of lifting plates 35c are respectively arranged in a plurality of cutout portions of the guide plate 31. After the front end of the surface portion 2 of the material sheet 1X abuts against the stopper 31c of the bending guide portion 31, the folding assisting means 35 lifts the surface portion 2 backward by a predetermined angle α by the lifting plates 35c and folds it toward the back portion 3 that travels straight horizontally.

[0037] Further, the pressing means 32 is composed of a pair of pressing rollers 32a that can press the two belts running parallel to the upper conveying belt 11 downward. This pair of pressing rollers 32a is biased downward by a spring or the like and is adapted to press the surface portion 2 passing through via the conveying belt 11 downward.

[0038] Also, the lifting means 33 is composed of a pair of lifting rollers 33a, a rotating arm 33b, and an air cylinder 33c. Based on the detection signal of the timing sensor 34, the operation of the air cylinder 33c is controlled. For example, when the tip of the material sheet 1X is detected, the timing sensor 34 turns on (NO). After the material sheet 1X moves a predetermined distance (after the surface portion 2 has passed), the air cylinder 33c retracts, raising the pair of lifting rollers 33a to support the back surface portion 3 from below. At the same time, the pair of pressing rollers 32a is lifted via the back surface portion 3 and the upper conveying belt 11, and after the material sheet 1X moves a further predetermined distance (after the back surface portion 3 has passed) so as to return the upper conveying belt 11 to the horizontal position, the air cylinder 33c extends, lowering the pair of lifting rollers 33a. Thus, the pair of pressing rollers 32a is configured to press the front end of the surface portion 2 downward via the conveying belt 11 by the biasing spring.

[0039] Also, an air outlet 36 for blowing air downward is provided above the folding portion 30. It is controlled to blow air from the air outlet 36 while the surface portion 2 of the material sheet 1X enters the folding portion 30. The air blown out from this air outlet 36 functions as auxiliary means to press the front end of the surface portion 2 downward together with the pressing means 32 and cause it to enter the folding guide portion 31.

[0040] In this folding step S4, first, as shown in FIG. 5A, the material sheet 1X in the unfolded shape of the envelope is conveyed by the conveying device 10, and by detecting the tip of the material sheet 1X being conveyed by the timing sensor 34, the timing sensor 34 turns on (ON).

[0041] Next, as shown in FIG. 5B, while conveying the material sheet 1X, the front end of the front surface portion 2 with the upper end flap portion 5 continuously provided is lowered obliquely downward and guided to the bending guide portion 31. Here, with the pair of lifting rollers 33a lowered by the air cylinder 33c, the pair of pressing rollers 32a push the front end of the front surface portion 2 downward via the conveyor belt 11 by the biasing force of the biasing spring (for example, the pressing-down width d in FIG. 5B). Also, air is blown downward from the air outlet 36 provided above the bending guide portion 31, and the front end of the front surface portion 2 is pushed downward by this air. Thereby, the front end of the front surface portion 2 is made to enter the bending guide portion 31.

[0042] Next, as shown in FIG. 5C, when the entire front surface portion 2 enters the bending portion 30, the front surface portion 2 is bent along the first fold line a1, and when the back surface portion 3 continuously provided on the front surface portion 2 enters the bending portion 30 (that is, at the timing when the first fold line a1 exceeds the lifting roller 33a), based on the output signal of the timing sensor 34, the air cylinder 33c operates to lift the lifting roller 33a, lift the pair of pressing rollers 32a via the back surface portion 3 and the upper conveyor belt 11, return the upper conveyor belt 11 to the horizontal position, and sandwich the back surface portion 3 between the upper conveyor belt 11 and the lifting roller 33a to support the back surface portion 3 from below so as to move straight horizontally. Thereby, the conveying force can be ensured, and the stabilization of conveying in the folding process can be realized.

[0043] Next, as shown in FIG. 5D, the front end of the front surface portion 2 enters the bending guide portion 31 and abuts against the stopper. In this case, the front surface portion 2 is in a state parallel to the guide plate 31a, and the first fold line a1 reaches the position of the upper end of the guide plate 31a.

[0044] Next, as shown in FIG. 5E, after the front end of the surface portion 2 that has entered the bending guide portion 31 abuts against the stopper 31c, the folding assisting means 35 operates, and the surface portion 2 is lifted rearward by a predetermined angle by the lifting plate 35c. Here, based on the output signal of the timing sensor 34, the drive motor 35a operates to rotate the lifting plate 35c to the set position via the rotation shaft 35b, thereby lifting the surface portion 2 rearward by a predetermined angle α (for example, α ≥ 60 degrees). As a result, the surface portion 2 can smoothly move from a state parallel to the guide plate 31a toward the back surface portion 3.

[0045] Then, as shown in FIG. 5F, the surface portion 2 is folded toward the back surface portion 3 that travels straight on the conveyor belt. Here, based on the output signal of the timing sensor 34, the folding assisting means 35 operates to rotate the drive motor 35a to rotate the lifting plate 35c back to its original position (home position) via the rotation shaft 35b. For example, the lifting plate 35c returns to its original position (home position) at the timing when approximately half of the folded surface portion 2 is conveyed to the lower conveyor belt 12b side. In this case, with the uneven pattern of the back surface portion 3 facing downward and the uneven pattern of the surface portion 2 facing upward, the connecting flaps 4 on both sides of the surface portion 2 are exposed from both side ends of the back surface portion 3. Then, it is conveyed to the crushing step S5 in this folded state.

[0046] Next, in the crushing step S5, the uneven patterns of the connecting flaps 4 on both sides of the folded surface portion 2 are crushed. This crushing step S5 is performed by crushing means 40 installed downstream of the bending portion 30. As shown in FIG. 6, the crushing means 40 includes three crushing rollers 41a, 41b, and 41c with different clearances, three support rollers 42a, 42b, and 42c provided below the three crushing rollers 41a, 41b, and 41c, and three adjusting screws 43a, 43b, and 43c for adjusting the clearances of the three crushing rollers 41a, 41b, and 41c. In the crushing step S5, as shown in FIGS. 6(A) and 6(B), the connecting flaps 4 on both sides of the surface portion 2 pass under the three crushing rollers 41a, 41b, and 41c with different clearances in sequence, and the uneven patterns of the connecting flaps 4 are gradually crushed by these three crushing rollers 41a, 41b, and 41c. Here, as shown in FIG. 6(C), the clearance of the first roller 41a from the upstream side of conveyance is set as h1, the clearance of the second roller 41b is set as h2, and the clearance of the third roller 41c is set as h3, such that h1 > h2 > h3. Also, the clearances of the three crushing rollers 41a, 41b, and 41c can be adjusted respectively with the adjusting screws 43a, 43b, and 43c. Thereby, the uneven patterns of the connecting flaps 4 are surely crushed and become relatively flat. The crushed portion is used as an adhesive surface (see FIG. 7). Also, the clearances of the three crushing rollers 41a, 41b, and 41c can be adjusted according to the thickness of the material sheet 1X used.

[0047] In this crushing step S5, by gradually crushing the uneven patterns of the connecting flaps 4 on both sides of the folded surface portion 2 with three crushing rollers 41a, 41b, and 41c having different clearances, the uneven patterns of the connecting flaps 4 are crushed immediately before applying the adhesive, so that it is possible to suppress the crushed uneven patterns from returning to their original shape and ensure the adhesive strength of the adhesive portion.

[0048] Next, in the glue application step S6, as shown in FIG. 7, glue 8 is applied to a predetermined position on the upper surface of the connecting flap 4 where the uneven pattern has been crushed in the crushing step S5. Here, the back surface portion 3 is conveyed in a state of being positioned above the front surface portion 2, and glue is discharged from a pair of glue discharge nozzles 50 installed above the conveyor belt, and the glue 8 is applied linearly to the upper surface of the connecting flap 4 where the uneven patterns on both sides of the front surface portion 2 have been crushed.

[0049] Finally, in the adhesion step S7, the connecting flaps 4 respectively connected to both sides of the front surface portion 2 are folded onto the upper surface of the back surface portion 3 by folding means 60 having a folding guide and a crimping portion, and are crimped and adhered to the back surface portion 3. Thereby, the envelope-type package 1 is assembled and becomes the state shown in FIG. 2.

[0050] FIG. 8 shows the state of the material sheet processed in each step of the manufacturing method of the envelope-type package of the present invention. In FIG. 8, the state as viewed from above the conveyor belt is shown. FIG. 8(A) shows a state in which information including the barcode 7 is printed on the upper surface of the back surface portion 3 in the printing step S3. FIG. 8(B) shows a state in which the front surface portion 2 is folded under the back surface portion 3 in the folding step S4. In this case, the connecting flaps 4 on both sides of the front surface portion 2 are exposed from both side ends of the back surface portion 3. FIG. 8(C) shows a state in which the uneven patterns of the connecting flaps 4 on both sides of the front surface portion 2 have been crushed in the crushing step S5. FIG. 8(D) shows a state in which glue 8 is applied to both side end sides of the surface of the back surface portion 3 in the glue application step S6. FIG. 8(E) shows a state in which the connecting flaps 4 on both sides of the front surface portion 2 are folded onto the upper surface of the back surface portion 3 and adhered in the adhesion step S7. In this way, an envelope-type package 1 having cushioning properties on the inner surface can be obtained by using a material sheet 1X having an uneven pattern on one side that has been previously cut into the unfolded shape of the envelope.

[0051] Next, the effects of the present embodiment will be described.

[0052] In the method for manufacturing the envelope-type package of the present embodiment, cardboard of single-sided corrugated board as a material sheet having a concavo-convex pattern is previously cut into a developed shape of an envelope in which a rectangular back surface portion 3 is continuously provided at the lower edge of a rectangular front surface portion 2 via a first fold line a1, and connecting flaps 4 are continuously provided at both side edges of the front surface portion 2 via a second fold line a2. The concavo-convex pattern of the material sheet 1X having the developed shape of the obtained envelope is folded inward so that the front surface portion 2 faces the back surface portion 3. When folding, while the material sheet 1X is conveyed by the conveying means 10, the front surface portion 2 is guided downward, the back surface portion 3 is supported from below so as to move straight horizontally, the front surface portion 2 bent downward is lifted backward to a predetermined angle, and is folded toward the back surface portion 3 conveyed horizontally. By doing so, the front end of the material sheet 1X can be surely guided to the bending guide portion 31 during bending, and it is possible to avoid the rear end of the material sheet 1X floating away from the lower conveying belt having driving force during bending, and to secure the conveying force. Also, it is not necessary to previously perform a crushing process on the entire material sheet 1X as in the prior art, and it is possible to prevent the occurrence of defects such as folding wrinkles. Further, damage to the material sheet 1X can be reduced. Furthermore, since the front surface portion 2 is folded toward the back surface portion 3 so that the concavo-convex pattern of the material sheet 1X faces inward, cushioning properties can be imparted to the inner surface of the envelope-type package 1, and an envelope-type package 1 having cushioning properties on the inner surface and being environmentally friendly and recyclable at low cost can be obtained.

[0053] Also, in the method for manufacturing the envelope-type package of the present embodiment, it becomes possible to print information including a barcode 7 on the upper surface while conveying the concavo-convex pattern of the material sheet 1X downward. That is, printing using an inkjet printer becomes easy. Thereby, it is possible to print information including different barcodes for each packaging package.

[0054] Therefore, according to the manufacturing method of the envelope-type package of the present embodiment, when folding, the front end of the material sheet 1X can be reliably guided to the folding guide portion 31, the conveying force can be ensured, and the occurrence of defects such as folding wrinkles can be prevented. Further, while transporting the uneven pattern of the material sheet 1X downward, it becomes possible to print information including the barcode 7 on the upper surface. Furthermore, by using the material sheet 1X, an envelope-type package 1 having cushioning properties and being environmentally friendly and recyclable at low cost can be obtained.

[0055] Also, in the manufacturing method of the envelope-type package of the present embodiment, in the folding step S4, while transporting the material sheet 1X, the pressing means 32 presses the front surface portion 2 from above and descends obliquely downward in the advancing direction to guide it to the folding guide portion 31, and the lifting means 33 supports the back surface portion 3 from below so that the back surface portion 3 advances horizontally. After the front end of the front surface portion 2 abuts against the stopper of the folding guide portion 31, the folding auxiliary means 35 lifts the front surface portion 2 rearward by a predetermined angle α and folds it toward the back surface portion 3 that advances horizontally, so that the front end of the front surface portion 2 can be reliably dropped downward and made to enter the folding guide portion 31, and the conveying force can be ensured.

[0056] Therefore, in the manufacturing method of the envelope-type package of the present embodiment, in the folding step S4, the pressing means 32 is used to lower the front surface portion 2 of the material sheet 1X and guide it to the folding guide portion 31, and the lifting means 33 is used to support the back surface portion 3 from below so that the back surface portion 3 advances horizontally. Therefore, the front end of the front surface portion 2 can be reliably dropped downward and made to enter the folding guide portion 31, the conveying force can be ensured, and the generation of wrinkles during folding in the front surface portion 2 can be prevented. Therefore, it can be folded smoothly while being transported.

[0057] Also, in the method for manufacturing the envelope-type package of the present embodiment, the pressing means 32 is configured to press the front surface portion 2 from above while the front surface portion 2 passes through, and the lifting means 33 is configured to support the back surface portion 3 from below so as to lift the pressing means 32 after the front surface portion 2 has passed through. The folding assisting means 35 is provided at the upper end of the bending guide portion 31 and includes a lifting plate 35c that is rotatable via a rotation shaft 35b. After the front end of the front surface portion 2 abuts against the stopper 31c of the bending guide portion 31, the lifting plate 35c lifts the front surface portion 2 backward by a predetermined angle α and folds it toward the back surface portion 3 that travels straight horizontally. That is, after the front surface portion 2 has passed through, the lifting means 33 supports the back surface portion 3 from below, releases the pressing by the pressing means 32, and after the front end of the front surface portion 2 abuts against the stopper 31c of the bending guide portion 31, the lifting plate 35c rotates to lift the front surface portion 2 backward by a predetermined angle α and fold it toward the back surface portion 3. Therefore, the front end of the front surface portion 2 can be surely dropped downward and made to enter the bending guide portion 31, and at the same time as releasing the pressing, the conveying force can be ensured, the connected back surface portion 3 can be made to travel straight horizontally, and the generation of wrinkles during folding of the front surface portion 2 can be prevented.

[0058] Therefore, according to the method for manufacturing the envelope-type package of the present embodiment, the front end of the front surface portion 2 can be surely made to enter the bending guide portion 31, the conveying force can be ensured, the back surface portion 3 can be made to travel straight horizontally, and the generation of wrinkles during folding of the front surface portion 2 can be prevented.

[0059] In addition, in the method for manufacturing the envelope-type package of the present embodiment, by having a printing step S3 in which information including a barcode 7 is printed on the upper surface of the back surface portion 3 by the printing means 20 installed upstream of the folding step S4, it is possible to print the information including the barcode 7 on the upper surface while transporting the uneven pattern of the material sheet 1X having the uneven pattern on one side downward. Further, there are a crushing step S5 of crushing the uneven patterns of the connecting flaps 4 on both sides of the surface portion 2 folded in the folding step S4, a glue application step S6 of applying glue to a predetermined position on the upper surface of the connecting flap 4 whose uneven pattern has been crushed in the crushing step S5, and an adhesion step S7 of folding the connecting flap 4 onto the upper surface of the back surface portion 3 and crimping it to adhere it to the back surface portion 3. Thus, since the uneven pattern of the connecting flap 4 is crushed immediately before applying the glue, it is possible to suppress the crushed uneven pattern from returning to its original shape and ensure the adhesion strength of the adhesion portion.

[0060] Therefore, in the method for manufacturing the envelope-type package of the present embodiment, it is possible to print information including a different barcode 7 for each envelope-type package, and printing with an inkjet printer becomes easy. Further, since the uneven pattern of the connecting flap 4 is crushed immediately before applying the glue, it is possible to suppress the crushed uneven pattern from returning to its original shape and ensure the adhesion strength of the adhesion portion. Also, the manufacturing process of the envelope-type package 1 can be performed continuously, and the production efficiency can be improved.

[0061] In addition, in the above-described embodiment, an example in which the bending guide portion 31 is arranged such that the lower part is slightly inclined forward has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the bending guide portion 31 may be installed in the vertical direction.

[0062] In addition, in the above-described embodiment, an example in which the folding assisting means 35 has five lifting plates 35c has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this.

[0063] Also, in the above-described embodiment, an example having a printing step S3 of printing information including a barcode on the upper surface while conveying the concavo-convex pattern of the material sheet 1X downward has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the information including the barcode may be printed in advance before being conveyed by the conveying means 10.

[0064] Also, in the above-described embodiment, in the folding step S4, an example using a pair of pressing rollers 32a as the pressing means 32 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the bending portion 30, other configurations that can lower the surface portion 2 obliquely downward in the traveling direction while pressing it from above may be used.

[0065] Also, in the above-described embodiment, in the folding step S4, an example in which an air outlet 36 as an auxiliary means for pressing the front end of the surface portion 2 downward and causing it to enter the folding guide portion 31 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the air outlet 36 may not be provided.

[0066] Also, in the above-described embodiment, in the folding step S4, an example in which the back surface portion 3 is linearly advanced horizontally and the lifting means 33 for ensuring the conveying force is composed of a pair of lifting rollers 33a, a rotating arm 33b, and an air cylinder 33c has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. Other configurations may be used.

[0067] Also, in the above-described embodiment, in the crushing step S5, an example in which the concavo-convex pattern on substantially the entire surface of the connecting flap 4 is crushed has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, only a part of the concavo-convex pattern of the connecting flap 4 may be crushed.

[0068] Also, in the above-described embodiment, an example in which a zipper 6 for opening is formed on the upper end flap portion 5 of the envelope-type package 1 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the zipper 6 for opening may not be provided.

[0069] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, as the material sheet having the uneven pattern on one side, a corrugated cardboard having a wavy uneven pattern on one side was described as an example, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Cardboard or a thin synthetic resin plate that is embossed and has uneven patterns such as hemispherical shapes or triangular shapes on one side may also be used.

[0070] In addition, although an example in which the steps of the single-sided cardboard are arranged in the length direction (the left-right direction in FIG. 3) has been described, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the steps of the single-sided cardboard may be arranged in a direction orthogonal to the direction in which the steps are conveyed (the up-down direction in FIG. 3).

[0071] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various forms with design changes are included in the technical scope without departing from the gist of the invention described in the claims.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0072] 1 Envelope-type package 1X, 1Y Material sheet 2 Front surface part 3 Back surface part 4 Upper end flap part 5 Connecting flap 6 Zipper for opening 7 Barcode 8 Adhesive 10 Conveyor 11 Upper conveyor belt 12a, 12b Lower conveyor belt 13 Pressing roller 20 Inkjet printer 30 Bending part 31 Bending guide part 31a Guide plate 31b Guide member 31c Stopper 31d Slit 32 Pressing means 32a Pressing roller 33 Lifting means 33a Lifting roller 33b Rotating arm 33c Air cylinder 34 Timing sensor 35 Folding assistance means 35a Driving motor 35b Rotating shaft 35c Lifting plate 36 Air outlet 40 Crushing means 41a, 41b, 41c Crushing rollers 42a, 42b, 42c Support rollers 43a, 43b, 43c Adjusting screws 50 Glue ejection nozzle 60 Folding means a1 First fold line a2 Second fold line a3 Third fold line

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing an envelope-type package using a material sheet having an uneven pattern on one side, comprising: a conveying step of conveying the material sheet, which has been cut into a developed shape of an envelope in which a rectangular back surface portion is continuously provided via a fold line at the lower edge of a rectangular front surface portion, and connecting flaps are continuously provided via fold lines at both side edges of the front surface portion, horizontally with the uneven pattern facing downward to a downstream process; a folding step of folding the front surface portion toward the back surface portion so that the uneven pattern of the material sheet faces inward; In the folding step, the method for manufacturing an envelope-type package is characterized by including a guiding step of guiding the front surface portion downward while conveying the material sheet by the conveying step, a supporting step of supporting the back surface portion from below so as to move straight horizontally, and a folding step of lifting the front surface portion folded downward upward to a predetermined angle backward and folding it toward the back surface portion.

2. In the method for manufacturing an envelope-type package according to Claim 1, in the guiding step, while conveying the material sheet by the conveying step, the front surface portion is pushed from above by a pressing means and lowered obliquely downward in the advancing direction and guided to a folding guide portion; in the supporting step, the back surface portion is supported from below by a lifting means so as to lift the pressing means so that the back surface portion moves straight horizontally; in the folding step, after the front end of the front surface portion abuts against a stopper of the folding guide portion, the front surface portion is lifted backward to a predetermined angle by a folding assisting means and folded toward the back surface portion moving straight horizontally.

3. In the method for manufacturing an envelope-type package according to Claim 2, the pressing means is configured to press the front surface portion from above while the front surface portion passes through; the lifting means is configured to support the back surface portion from below so as to rise from below and lift the pressing means after the front surface portion has passed through. The folding assistance means includes a lifting plate provided at the upper end of the bending guide portion and rotatable via a rotation shaft. After the front end of the surface portion abuts against the stopper of the bending guide portion, the surface portion is lifted rearward by the lifting plate to a predetermined angle and folded toward the rear surface portion that moves straight horizontally. A method for manufacturing an envelope-type package, characterized in that it is configured as described above.

4. In the method for manufacturing an envelope-type package according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, a printing step of printing information including a barcode on the upper surface of the rear surface portion by printing means installed upstream of the folding step; a crushing step of crushing the concavo-convex patterns of the connecting flaps on both sides of the surface portion folded in the folding step; a glue application step of applying glue to a predetermined position on the upper surface of the connecting flap in which the concavo-convex pattern has been crushed in the crushing step; and a bonding step of folding the connecting flaps on both sides of the surface portion onto the upper surface of the rear surface portion and bonding them to the rear surface portion. A method for manufacturing an envelope-type package, characterized by further comprising the above steps.

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