Packaging method and packaging apparatus

Abstract

To simply and easily compress and package a laminated body or a roll body of sanitary tissue paper, to reduce material cost and physical distribution cost, and to reduce a storage space.SOLUTION: The present invention is a packaging method of a laminate or a roll of hygienic thin-leaf paper, and includes a step of accommodating the laminate or the roll in the packaging member 12, a step of placing the accommodated laminate or roll at a first predetermined position P1, a step of compressing the laminate or the roll placed at the first predetermined position P1 to a second predetermined position P2, a step of degassing the packaging member 12 during and / or after the compression, and a step of sealing the opening 14 of the degassed packaging member 12.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a packaging method and a packaging device. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, laminates of sanitary thin paper such as tissue paper, hand towels, and kitchen towels have been packaged compactly for the purpose of improving the transport efficiency of laminates of sanitary thin paper and reducing storage space.

[0003] For example, Patent Documents 1 and 2 describe a technology for compressing and compactly packaging a laminate of sanitary thin paper by evacuating the air inside a film packaging material in a vacuum chamber and sealing the unsealed parts, while Patent Document 3 describes a technology for compressing and compacting a bundle of tissue paper by storing the bundle inside a heat-shrinkable bundling film and heating it to shrink the heat-shrinkable bundling film. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-98088 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-97956 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-047270 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, Patent Documents 1 to 3 require the preparation of additional expensive equipment such as a vacuum chamber and a heating device, and it is understood that it takes time and effort to master the use of the equipment.

[0006] It is also anticipated that there will be demand for compact packaging of sanitary tissue paper rolls to improve transportation efficiency and reduce storage space.

[0007] The present invention aims to provide a packaging method and packaging device that can simply and easily compress and package a stack or roll of sanitary tissue paper, thereby reducing material costs, logistics costs, and storage space. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] A packaging method according to a first aspect of the present invention is a packaging method for a stack or roll of sanitary thin paper, characterized in that it includes the steps of: storing the stack or roll in a packaging material; placing the stored stack or roll in a first predetermined position; compressing the stack or roll in the first predetermined position to a second predetermined position; degassing the packaging material during and / or after compression; and sealing the opening of the degassed packaging material.

[0009] A packaging method according to a second aspect of the present invention is the one described as the first aspect, characterized in that in the installation step, a regulating section can regulate displacement of the stack or roll body in a predetermined direction.

[0010] A packaging method according to a third aspect of the present invention is the same as that described in the second aspect, characterized in that the regulating portion has a surrounding surface that surrounds the outer periphery of the laminate or roll body in a direction perpendicular to the direction of compression.

[0011] A packaging method according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is the packaging method described in the second aspect, characterized in that the restricting portion is a box.

[0012] A packaging method according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is described as the second aspect, characterized in that the second predetermined position is a position set based on a scale portion provided on the regulating portion.

[0013] A packaging method according to a sixth aspect of the present invention is the packaging method described in the fourth aspect, characterized in that the second predetermined position is a position corresponding to the open end of the box body.

[0014] A packaging method according to a seventh aspect of the present invention is a packaging method for a stack of sanitary thin paper, which is described as the first aspect and is characterized in that, in the compressing step, the stack of sanitary thin paper is compressed so that its height dimension after compression is 60% or less of its height dimension before compression.

[0015] A packaging method according to an eighth aspect of the present invention is the packaging method described in the first aspect, characterized in that in the compressing step, compression is performed using a hydraulic jack.

[0016] The packaging device of the first form of the present invention is a packaging device for a stack or roll of sanitary thin paper, and is characterized by comprising a regulating section that can regulate displacement in a predetermined direction of the stack or roll when it is contained in a packaging material and placed in a first predetermined position, a compressor for compressing the stack or roll when placed in the first predetermined position to a second predetermined position, a deaerator for deaerating the packaging material during and / or after compression, and a sealing means for sealing the opening of the deaerated packaging material. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] According to the present invention, a stack or roll of sanitary tissue paper can be simply and easily compressed and packaged, thereby reducing material costs, logistics costs, and storage space. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] 1 is an overall perspective view of a compressed stack of sanitary thin paper sheets packaged by a packaging device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 2] 1A and 1B are front plan views of a container containing a stack of sanitary thin paper, where (a) shows the container containing the stack of sanitary thin paper before compression, and (b) shows the compressed stack of sanitary thin paper shown in FIG. [Figure 3] 1A and 1B are plan views of a packaging device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, where (a) is a front view, (b) is a top view, (c) is a bottom view, and (d) is a front view after the target item has been compressed to a second predetermined position. [Figure 4] 4A and 4B are cross-sectional views of the packaging device according to the first embodiment of the present invention as seen from the side, where FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IVa-IVa in FIG. 3A showing a state before compression, and FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IVb-IVb in FIG. 3D showing a state after compression. [Figure 5] 1A and 1B are plan views of the components of the packaging device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, where (a) is a top view of the box body, (b) is a cross-sectional view in the Vb-Vb direction of (a), (c) is a cross-sectional view in the Vc-Vc direction of (a), and (d) is a top view of the upper plate. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the process of deaerating and sealing a container of a stack of compressed sanitary thin paper using a deaerator and sealing means included in the packaging device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] 3 is a flow chart of a packaging process according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is an overall perspective view of a compressed roll of sanitary thin paper packaged by a packaging device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] 2A and 2B are front plan views of a container containing a roll of sanitary tissue paper, where (a) shows the container containing the roll of sanitary tissue paper before compression, and (b) shows the compressed roll of sanitary tissue paper shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 10] 10A and 10B are plan views of a packaging device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, where (a) is a front view, (b) is a top view, (c) is a bottom view, and (d) is a front view after the target item has been compressed to a second predetermined position. [Figure 11] 10A and 10B are cross-sectional views of a packaging device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XIa-XIa in FIG. 10A, showing the state before compression, and (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XIb-XIb in FIG. 10D, showing the state after compression. [Figure 12]10A and 10B are plan views of a box body of a packaging device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, where (a) is a top view, (b) is a cross-sectional view along the XIIb-XIIb direction of (a), and (c) is a cross-sectional view along the XIIc-XIIc direction of (a). [Figure 13] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the process of deaerating and sealing a container of a compressed sanitary thin paper roll using a deaerator and sealing means included in a packaging device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is an overall perspective view of a compressed roll of sanitary thin paper according to another example, packaged by a packaging device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] 10 is a flow chart of a packaging process according to a second embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to Figures 1 to 15. However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment.

[0020] The target items to be compressed and packaged by the packaging device according to the present invention are stacks or rolls of sanitary thin paper such as tissue paper, hand towels, kitchen towels, and toilet paper. A stack of sanitary thin paper is sanitary thin paper folded and stored so that it can be removed in a pop-up style, while a roll of sanitary thin paper is wound into a roll so that it can be pulled out. The tissue paper according to the present invention also includes so-called wet-type tissue paper to which a moisturizing agent or the like has been added. In the following first embodiment (see FIGS. 1 to 7), a case where a stack (stack) of sanitary thin paper is tissue paper is described as an example, and a second embodiment (see FIGS. 8 to 12) describes a case where a roll (roll) of sanitary thin paper is toilet paper (hereinafter also referred to as "toilet roll") is described as an example.

[0021] In this specification, the terms "top surface" and "bottom surface" refer to the surfaces of the components themselves. However, these terms are used merely for convenience and do not, of course, define absolute positions in the direction of gravity. The same applies to terms such as "upper" and "lower."

[0022] In addition, in the description of this specification, the term "rectangle" not only includes rectangular shapes but also square shapes, and also includes approximate rectangular shapes and approximate square shapes.

[0023] First Embodiment <Configuration of tissue paper stack compressed and wrapped by wrapping device> Figure 1 is an overall oblique view of a compressed body 1 of a sanitary thin paper stack packaged by a packaging device 2 according to the first embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter also referred to as a "compressed package of a sanitary thin paper stack"), and Figure 2 is a front plan view of an item containing a sanitary thin paper stack 11p, with Figure 2(a) showing the container 1p of the sanitary thin paper stack before compression and Figure 2(b) showing the compressed package 1 of the sanitary thin paper stack shown in Figure 1.

[0024] The sanitary tissue paper stack 11p is, for example, a stack of tissue paper equivalent to five tissue cartons, and is contained in a packaging member (a gusset bag in this embodiment) 12 with a sealed bottom. It is then compressed and packaged as a sanitary tissue paper stack 1 as shown in Figures 1 and 2(b) by a packaging device 2, which will be described later. The tissue paper to be compressed and packaged in this invention is not limited to five tissue cartons, but may be equivalent to one or more boxes other than five. Furthermore, in this invention, multiple soft pack tissues may be stacked and packaged. In this case, holes may be provided in the exterior packaging to release air from the soft pack tissues (holes to prevent each soft pack tissue from inhibiting compression).

[0025] <Packaging equipment configuration> FIG. 3 is a plan view of the packaging device 2 according to this embodiment, with FIG. 3(a) being a front view, FIG. 3(b) being a top view, FIG. 3(c) being a bottom view, and FIG. 3(d) being a front view after the container 1p of the target article, a stack of sanitary tissue paper, has been compressed to the second predetermined position P2. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional side view of the packaging device 2 according to this embodiment, with FIG. 4(a) being a cross-sectional view taken along the line IVa-IVa of FIG. 3(a) showing the state before compression, and FIG. 4(b) being a cross-sectional view taken along the line IVb-IVb of FIG. 3(d) showing the state after compression. FIG. 5 is a plan view of the components of the packaging device 2 according to this embodiment, with FIG. 5(a) being a top view of the box 22, FIG. 5(b) being a cross-sectional view taken along the line Vb-Vb of FIG. 5(a), FIG. 5(c) being a cross-sectional view taken along the line Vc-Vc of FIG. 5(a), and FIG. 5(d) being a top view of the upper plate 24. Figure 6 is a diagram for explaining the process of degassing and sealing the container 1p of compressed sanitary tissue paper stacks using the degasser 25 and sealing means 26 included in the packaging device 2 according to this embodiment. For ease of explanation, the lever 231 of the hydraulic jack 23 is omitted from Figure 4. Also, Figure 6 shows only the components of the packaging device 2 necessary for focusing on the degassing and sealing processes, and omits the frame 21, box 22, and hydraulic jack 23.

[0026] As shown in Figures 3 to 6, the packaging device (compression processor) 2 of this embodiment is a device for packaging and compressing a stack 11p of sanitary thin paper, and is equipped with a regulating section 22 that can regulate displacement in a predetermined direction of the stack 11p when it is contained in a packaging material 12 and placed at a first predetermined position P1, a compressor 23 for compressing the stack when placed at the first predetermined position P1 to a second predetermined position P2, a deaerator 25 for deaerating the packaging material 12 after compression, and a sealing means 26 for sealing the opening 14 of the deaerated packaging material 12.

[0027] This configuration allows the sanitary thin paper stack 11p to be compressed and packaged simply and easily, thereby reducing material costs, logistics costs, and storage space.

[0028] The packaging device 2 according to this embodiment includes a platform for placing the compressor 23 and the restricting unit 22, and a frame 21 for supporting and fixing the upper plate 24, which will be described later. The support plate on which the restricting unit 22 is installed and supported is fixed to the ram of the compressor 23, and is movable in the vertical direction so as to be raised and lowered by the compressor 23.

[0029] The restricting portion 22 is capable of receiving a tissue stack container 1p therein. In this embodiment, the restricting portion 22 has a surrounding surface that surrounds the outer periphery of the tissue stack 11p in a direction perpendicular to the compression direction. The surrounding surface of the restricting portion 22 restricts displacement of the stack 11p in a direction perpendicular to the compression direction. By arranging the surrounding portion so that it abuts or is close to the stack 11p along the entire periphery, the space defined by the restricting portion 22 can be formed so that the bottom surface of the restricting portion 22 abuts the bottom surface of the stack 11p and is close to two pairs of side surfaces of the stack 11p without any gaps. In this embodiment, the restricting portion 22 is a box-shaped body, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5. The box-shaped body 22 is removable from the packaging device 2. In this embodiment, the first predetermined position P1 is the bottom surface of the restricting portion 22 before compression. The second predetermined position P2 is set based on the scale provided on the restricting portion 22, and in this embodiment, it is a position corresponding to the open end of the box 22. The second predetermined position P2 can also be said to be the position of the bottom of the restricting portion 22 after compression (third predetermined position) plus the height of the restricting portion 22. In the process of placing the tissue stack container 1p at the first predetermined position P1 of the restricting portion 22, the restricting portion 22 can restrict displacement of the tissue stack 11p in a predetermined direction. By arranging the surrounding portion so that it abuts or is close to the stack 11p around the entire periphery, it is possible to restrict displacement of the stack in a direction perpendicular to the compression direction. In this way, it is possible to prevent the stack from shifting position during compression. In the present invention, the restricting portion 22 may be formed in a shape and size that leaves a gap between it and the stack.

[0030] The compressor 23 is configured to lift the box 22 via a support plate that supports the underside of the box. In this embodiment, the compressor 23 is a hydraulic jack. By pressing (pumping) the lever 231, the ram rises, lifting the tissue stack 11p and sandwiching it between the upper plate 24, compressing the target object in the stacking direction of the tissue stack 11p. A release valve (not shown) releases the hydraulic pressure to lower the target object, allowing adjustment of the compression of the target object. The present invention may include multiple hydraulic jacks (or cylinders). Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to hydraulic jacks; mechanical jacks (screw jacks, rack-driven jacks), air jacks, etc. may also be used, or a compressor configured with multiple of these may be used. The compressor 23 compresses the sanitary tissue stack 11p so that its height dimension H2 after compression is 60% or less of its height dimension H1 before compression (see Figures 2(a) and 2(b)). This compression can be continued until the dimension H2 is about 50%, and after the tissue paper stack is removed from the compressed packaging, the tissue returns to its original shape to some extent due to its restoring force, and the texture does not change much compared to the tissue paper stack before compression, maintaining the feel it had when used (see Table 1 and its explanation below).

[0031] As shown in FIGS. 3(b) and 5(d), the upper plate 24 has an opening 241 in the center, and the upper portion of the packaging member 12 of the tissue stack container 1p is passed through the opening 241, and compression by the compressor 23 is performed. The upper plate 24 is sized to cover substantially the entire upper surface of the container 1p. The present invention is not limited to this, and the upper plate may be smaller than the upper surface of the container. In this embodiment, the upper plate 24 is compressed to a position where it abuts the upper edge of the restricting portion 22 (in this case, the upper plate 24 is configured not to enter the restricting portion 22), and then the degassing process begins. Alternatively, the upper plate 24 may be configured to enter the internal space of the restricting portion 22, in which case the upper surface of the stack 11p can be compressed below the upper end of the restricting portion 22. The compression end position may also be determined by a visible scale, such as a groove carved into the inner peripheral surface of the surrounding portion. After (or during) the compression, the upper part of the packaging member 12 is used by a deaerator 25 and a sealing means 26, which will be described later, to deaerate the interior of the packaging member 12 and seal the opening 14 of the packaging member 12. By deaerating and sealing during compression, it becomes possible to hermetically seal the packaging member 12 with the storage space containing the tissue paper stack reduced in pressure.

[0032] In this embodiment, the deaerator 25 and the sealing means 26 are integrated. However, in the present invention, they may be separate. Known deaerators and sealers may be used for the deaerator 25 and the sealing means 26. In this embodiment, the deaerator 25 and the sealing means 26 can be installed on a plate (not shown) connected to the upper part of the frame 21. The deaerator 25 and the sealing means 26 are configured to open and close vertically. The deaerator 25 has an air intake nozzle (not shown), which is inserted into the opening 14 of the packaging member 12 to deaerate. After deaerating, the sealing means 25 seals the opening 14 of the packaging member 12, thereby forming a seal portion 13 in the packaging member 12 and sealing it. While the seal portions 13 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2(b) are two linear portions, this is not a limitation in the present invention; one or three or more portions may be used, and any shape may be used as long as the sealing function is achieved.

[0033] <Packaging material composition> In the present invention, the material and thickness of the packaging member 12 (or packaging members 12' and 12'' described below) can be appropriately selected as follows.

[0034] The packaging member 12 (or 12', 12'') can be made using a film made of a resin material, a biodegradable material (biodegradable plastic such as polylactic acid), a biomass material (biomass plastic), or a combination of these.

[0035] Examples of resins constituting the film that forms the packaging member 12 (or 12', 12'') include polyolefin resins, polyester resins, polyamide resins, polyether resins, acrylic resins, and natural polymer compounds (cellulose acetate, etc.). These can be used alone or in combination of two or more. Examples of polyolefin resins include polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA). Examples of polyester resins include polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyethylene naphthalate (PEN).

[0036] Furthermore, resins used for the film forming the packaging member 12 (or 12', 12'') may also be polystyrene (PS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), polyamide (PA), etc. Among these, polyethylene, polypropylene, etc. are preferred because they are flexible and easy to handle, have high heat-sealing properties, and are inexpensive.

[0037] It is also preferable to select a resin with high gas barrier properties, but even if a resin with relatively low gas barrier properties is selected, the gas blocking effect can be improved by increasing the film thickness. For example, in the case of polyethylene, a film thickness of less than 40 μm is susceptible to adverse effects due to gas permeation, and the degassed state may be lost, so it is desirable to make the film 40 μm or more.

[0038] In contrast, in the case of a material with high gas barrier properties such as polypropylene, even a thickness of 40 μm can block gas, so the thickness can be set to less than 40 μm.

[0039] However, it is desirable to set the thickness of the film forming the packaging member 12 (or 12', 12'') within the range of, for example, 20 μm or more and 100 μm or less. This is because by setting the thickness of the resin film to 20 μm or more, sufficient strength can be ensured for the packaging member 12 (or 12', 12'') in which the laminate 11p (or the roll body 11'p described below) is housed. Furthermore, by setting the thickness of the resin film to 100 μm or less, flexibility and light weight of the packaging member 12 (or 12', 12'') can be ensured.

[0040] Furthermore, the form of the film forming the packaging member 12 (or 12', 12'') is not particularly limited, and may be a single-layer film made of a resin material, a biodegradable material, a biomass material, or the like; a laminate film made by stacking these; a film made by bonding or laminating a resin material, a biodegradable material, and / or a biomass material with pulp paper or a nonwoven fabric; a mixed film made by mixing a plurality of resin materials, or the like; etc.

[0041] Furthermore, the packaging form of the packaging member 12 (or 12', 12'') is not limited to gusset packaging, but may be any packaging form that can maintain the degassed state at least after the degassing step. For example, gusset packaging, caramel packaging, pillow packaging, or a combination of these may be used.

[0042] <Density and measurement height of the compressed package of tissue paper stack before and after compression> Table 1 shows an example of the density and measurement height of the compressed and packaged tissue stack before and after compression in the packaging device 2 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] The density was calculated by measuring the mass of the tissue stack, finding the volume of the stack, and dividing the mass by the volume. The volume of the stack here was calculated by measuring the length, width, and height of the approximately rectangular parallelepiped stack from above the packaging member 12, and subtracting the length of the packaging member 12 (which was about 40 μm thick) from each length to determine the length, width, and height of the stack.

[0044] [Table 1]

[0045] Here, in Table 1, the "initial" state represents a state in which neither compression nor degassing has been performed, the "compressed and degassed" state represents a state in which the product has been compressed and degassed by the packaging device 2, and the "opened" state represents a state in which the product has been opened a certain period of time (approximately 10 days) after compression and degassing, allowing air to enter. The "opened" state can be an indicator of how much the product will return to its original state after being opened after compression and degassing.

[0046] In Table 1, "density" is the density calculated by the above method. The mass of the laminate when calculating the density is determined by measuring the mass of the laminate including the packaging material 12 and subtracting the mass of the packaging material 12 from the measured mass.

[0047] "Height" refers to the length along the compression direction (the length in the stacking direction of five boxes of tissues), and is the height of the stack, not including the thickness of the packaging member 12. "Height" can be a measure of the state before and after compression. "Density" before and after compression also serves as a measure of how much compressed tissue will return to its original state after opening.

[0048] Table 2 shows the measurement results of density and height according to the degree of compression of the tissue stack as Test Examples 1 to 5.

[0049] [Table 2]

[0050] The graph shows the density and the set height when five boxes of tissue stacks were compressed and deaerated to a set height (13.8 cm to 16.5 cm). In Test Example 1, the height was approximately 67% of the state before compression and deaeration, and in Test Example 5, the height was approximately 55% of the state before compression and deaeration. In all of Test Examples 1 to 5, the purpose of space saving through compression can be achieved, and the increased density makes it possible to increase the compressive strength of the entire packaging body 1. In other words, by increasing the density through compression and deaeration, the packaging body 1 not only has improved compressive strength in the stacking direction, but also has improved strength so that it can withstand deformation in a direction perpendicular to the stacking direction.

[0051] FIG. 7 shows a flow of the packaging process according to this embodiment.

[0052] The packaging process using the packaging device 2 of this embodiment includes the steps of storing a stack 11p of tissue paper in a packaging member 12, placing the stored stack 11p at a first predetermined position P1, compressing the stack 11p placed at the first predetermined position P1 to a second predetermined position P2, evacuating the compressed packaging member 12, and sealing the opening 14 of the evacuated packaging member 12.

[0053] The worker who compresses and packages the tissue stack 11p first prepares the packaging device 2 and prepares to start packaging (Step S1), places five boxes' worth of tissue stacks 11p in a gusset bag 12 (Step S2), and prepares a tissue stack container 1p as shown in Fig. 2(a). Next, the tissue stack container 1p is placed on the bottom (i.e., first predetermined position P1) of the box 22 removed from the packaging device 2 (Step S3), and the box 22 is placed on a platform of the frame 21 of the packaging device 2 that can be moved up and down by the ram of the compressor 23 (Step S4). At this time, the top of the gusset bag 12 is left passing through the opening 241 of the upper plate 24. Next, the tissue stack 11p is compressed by the compressor 23 of the packaging device 2 (while pulling the top of the gusset bag 12 that has passed through the opening 241 of the upper plate 24) (Step S5). Then, the inside of the gusset bag 12 is evacuated using the deaerator 25 (step S6), and the opening 14 of the gusset bag 12 is sealed using the sealing means 26 (step S7), thereby obtaining the compressed packaged body 1 of the tissue paper stack shown in Figures 1 and 2(b), and the series of steps is completed (step S8). By compressing in this manner, sufficient compression and rigidity can be obtained, and the tissue paper becomes a (nearly) rigid rectangular parallelepiped, so that even when multiple compressed packaged bodies 1 of the tissue paper stack are stacked, they do not easily shift.

[0054] Conventionally, laminates of sanitary tissue paper have been packaged compactly in order to improve the transportation efficiency of laminates of sanitary tissue paper and reduce storage space. For example, Patent Documents 1 and 2 describe a technology for compressing and compactly packaging a laminate of sanitary tissue paper by evacuating the air inside a film packaging material in a vacuum chamber and sealing the unsealed parts, and Patent Document 3 describes a technology for compressing and compacting a bundle of tissue paper by storing a bundle of tissue paper inside a heat-shrinkable bundling film and heating it to shrink the heat-shrinkable bundling film.

[0055] However, Patent Documents 1 to 3 require the preparation of additional expensive equipment such as a vacuum chamber and a heating device, and it is understood that it takes time and effort to master the use of the equipment.

[0056] According to this embodiment, the sanitary thin paper stack 11p can be simply and easily compressed and packaged, which in turn reduces material costs, logistics costs, and storage space.

[0057] Second Embodiment <Configuration of toilet rolls compressed and packaged by packaging equipment> In the above-described embodiment, the object to be compressed and packaged is a tissue paper laminate. However, as mentioned above, this can also be applied to a roll of sanitary thin paper. In this case, taking a toilet roll wound around a cardboard tube as an example, first, pressure is applied to the toilet roll in a direction intersecting the axial direction of the cardboard tube core so that the cardboard tube is crushed into a straight line. Multiple toilet rolls crushed under pressure are prepared and placed in a packaging member. Then, similarly to the above, they are compressed and packaged using a packaging device to obtain a compressed and packaged toilet roll. The present invention also allows for a configuration in which the cardboard tube is not crushed. As with the tissue paper laminate, a package containing multiple toilet rolls in a packaging member may be placed in a restricting unit to obtain a compressed and packaged product. (That is, the package is placed in the restricting unit, and the compressed and packaged product is obtained through the compression process and deaeration process.) When crushed, the toilet roll may deform and expand radially, but this radial deformation is restricted by contact with the inner surface of the packaging member and / or the inner surface of the restricting unit. As a result, the toilet roll inside the compressed package has a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape, which minimizes the gaps between adjacent toilet rolls inside the package and between compressed packages when they are stacked side by side, thereby ensuring storage space and improving storability. In particular, if the toilet roll is wound loosely, there is a risk that its texture will change if it is compressed (pressed) with a high pressure. Therefore, by controlling the pressure, etc., it is possible to obtain a compressed package in a form that does not completely crush the cardboard tube, or in which excessive pressure is not applied to the toilet roll while compressing until the cardboard tube is closed.

[0058] Figure 8 is an overall perspective view of a compressed body 1' of a sanitary tissue paper roll packaged by a packaging device 2' according to a second embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter also referred to as "compressed and packaged body of a sanitary tissue paper roll"), and Figure 9 is a front plan view of an arrangement containing a sanitary tissue paper roll 11'p, with Figure 9(a) showing the arrangement 1'p of a sanitary tissue paper roll before compression and Figure 9(b) showing the compressed and packaged body 1' of the sanitary tissue paper roll shown in Figure 8. Of the elements constituting the compressed body of a sanitary tissue paper roll packaged by a packaging device 2' according to this embodiment, those having similar functions are given the same reference numerals as in the first embodiment and their description will be omitted.

[0059] The sanitary tissue paper roll 11'p is, for example, a roll (i.e., a toilet roll) in which toilet paper is wound around a paper tube 111p. Six rolls (2 x 3) are housed in a packaging member (a gusset bag in this embodiment) 12', and a packaging device 2' (described below) forms a compressed package 1' of the sanitary tissue paper roll as shown in Figures 8 and 9(b). In Figure 9(b), reference numeral 111 represents the paper tube that has been crushed by compression. The present invention is not limited to six toilet rolls, and may also include one or more toilet rolls other than six. The toilet roll may also be double-wound, for example, with a roll length of 70 m or more and a roll diameter of 100 mm to 115 mm.

[0060] <Packaging equipment configuration> FIG. 10 is a plan view of a packaging device 2′ according to this embodiment, with FIG. 10(a) being a front view, FIG. 10(b) being a top view, FIG. 10(c) being a bottom view, and FIG. 10(d) being a front view after a container 1′p of a roll of sanitary tissue paper, which is the target item, has been compressed to the second predetermined position P′2. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the packaging device 2′ according to this embodiment, with FIG. 11(a) being a cross-sectional view along the line XIa-XIa in FIG. 10(a) showing the state before compression, and FIG. 11(b) being a cross-sectional view along the line XIb-XIb in FIG. 10(d) showing the state after compression. FIG. 12 is a plan view of a box 22′ of the packaging device 2′ according to this embodiment, with FIG. 12(a) being a top view, FIG. 12(b) being a cross-sectional view along the line XIIb-XIIb in FIG. 12(a), and FIG. 12(c) being a cross-sectional view along the line XIIc-XIIc in FIG. 12(a). FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating the process of deaerating and sealing the compressed sanitary tissue paper roll container 1'p using the deaerator 25 and sealing means 26 included in the packaging device 2' according to this embodiment. Elements constituting the packaging device 2' according to this embodiment that have similar functions are designated by the same reference numerals as in the first embodiment, and their description will be omitted. For ease of explanation, the packaging member 12' and the restricting portion 22' are omitted from FIGS. 10 and 11. For ease of explanation, the lever 231 of the hydraulic jack 23 is omitted from FIG. 11.

[0061] As shown in Figures 10 and 11, the packaging device (compression processor) 2' of this embodiment is a device for packaging and compressing a roll 11'p of sanitary thin paper, and is equipped with a regulating section 22' (not shown in Figures 10 and 11) that can regulate displacement in a predetermined direction of the roll 11'p when it is contained in a packaging material 12' and placed at a first predetermined position P'1, a compressor 23 for compressing the roll when placed at the first predetermined position P'1 to a second predetermined position P'2, a deaerator 25 (not shown in Figures 10 and 11) for deaerating the packaging material 12' after compression, and a sealing means 26 (not shown in Figures 10 and 11) for sealing the opening 14' of the deaerated packaging material 12'.

[0062] This configuration allows the sanitary tissue paper roll 11'p to be compressed and packaged simply and easily, thereby reducing material costs, logistics costs, and storage space.

[0063] The packaging device 2' according to this embodiment includes a platform for placing the compressor 23 and the regulating unit, and a frame 21' for supporting and fixing an upper plate 24' (described later). The support plate on which the regulating unit is mounted and supported is fixed to the ram of the compressor 23, and is movable in the vertical direction so as to be raised and lowered by the compressor 23.

[0064] In the present invention, a package containing multiple toilet rolls in a packaging member may be set in the restricting section 22' described below to obtain a compressed package. (That is, the package is placed in the restricting section 22', and the compressed package is obtained through the compression and degassing processes.) When crushed, the toilet roll may deform so as to expand radially, but this radial deformation is restricted by contact with the inner surface of the packaging member and / or the inner surface of the restricting section 22'. As a result, the toilet roll inside the compressed package becomes roughly rectangular, minimizing the gaps between adjacent toilet rolls inside the package and the gaps between compressed packages when stacked side by side, thereby ensuring storage space and improving storability.

[0065] In this embodiment, the restricting portion 22' is capable of receiving the toilet roll container 1'p. The restricting portion 22' has a surrounding surface that surrounds the outer periphery of the toilet paper roll 11'p in a direction perpendicular to the compression direction. The surrounding surface of the restricting portion 22' restricts the roll 11'p from being displaced in a direction perpendicular to the compression direction. By arranging the surrounding portions so that they are in contact with or in close proximity to the entire circumference of the six rolls 11'p arranged in a 2x3 configuration, the space defined by the restricting portion 22' can be formed so that the bottom surface of the restricting portion 22' abuts against the side surface of the roll 11'p and is close to the end surface of the roll 11'p without any gaps. In this embodiment, the restricting portion 22' is a box. The box 22' is removable from the packaging device 2'. In this embodiment, the first predetermined position P'1 is the bottom surface of the restricting portion 22' before compression. The second predetermined position P'2 is set based on the scale provided on the restricting portion 22', and in this embodiment, it is a position corresponding to the open end of the box 22'. The second predetermined position P'2 can also be considered the sum of the position of the bottom of the restricting portion 22' after compression (the third predetermined position) and the height of the restricting portion 22'. During the process of placing the toilet paper roll container 1'p at the first predetermined position P'1 of the restricting portion 22', the restricting portion 22' can restrict displacement of the toilet paper roll 11'p in a predetermined direction. By arranging the surrounding portion so that it abuts or is close to the entire circumference of the six rolls 11'p arranged in a 2x3 configuration, the roll can be restricted from displacing in a direction perpendicular to the compression direction. This prevents the roll from shifting position during compression. In the present invention, the restricting portion 22' may be formed in a shape and size that provides a gap with respect to the roll.

[0066] The compressor 23 is configured to lift the box via a support plate that supports the underside of the box. In this embodiment, the compressor 23 is a hydraulic jack. By pressing (pumping) the lever 231, the ram rises, lifting the toilet paper roll 11'p and sandwiching it between the upper plate 24', compressing the target object in the radial direction of the toilet paper roll 11'p. The hydraulic pressure is released by a release valve (not shown), allowing the target object to descend, thereby adjusting the compression of the target object. The compressor 23 compresses the sanitary thin paper roll 11'p so that the radial dimension H'2 after compression is 60% or less of the radial dimension H'1 of the sanitary thin paper roll 11'p before compression (see Figures 9(a) and 9(b)). This compression can be continued until the dimension H'2 is reduced to about 50%. After being removed from the compressed packaging, the toilet roll will regain some of its shape due to its restoring force, and the texture will not change much compared to the toilet roll before compression, maintaining the feel it had when used (see Table 3 and its explanation below).

[0067] As shown in FIG. 10(b), the upper plate 24' is flat and plate-like. In the present invention, as in the first embodiment, an opening may be provided in the center, and the upper portion of the packaging member 12' of the toilet paper roll container 1'p may be passed through the opening before compression by the compressor 23. The upper plate 24' is sized to cover substantially the entire upper surface of the container 1'p. The present invention is not limited to this, and the upper plate may be smaller than the upper surface of the container. In this embodiment, the upper plate 24' is compressed to a position where it abuts the upper edge of the restricting portion 22' (in this case, the upper plate 24' is configured not to enter the restricting portion 22'), and then the degassing process begins. Alternatively, the upper plate 24' may be configured to enter the internal space of the restricting portion 22', in which case the side portion of the roll 11'p can be compressed below the upper end of the restricting portion 22'. The end-of-compression position may also be determined by a visible scale, such as a groove carved into the inner peripheral surface of the surrounding portion. After (or during) the compression, the upper part of the packaging member 12' is used by a deaerator 25 (not shown in FIGS. 10 and 11) and a sealing means 26 (not shown in FIGS. 10 and 11) to deaerate the interior of the packaging member 12' and seal the opening 14' of the packaging member 12'. By deaerating and sealing during compression, it becomes possible to hermetically seal the packaging member 12' with the storage space containing the toilet paper roll reduced in pressure.

[0068] The deaerator 25 has an air intake nozzle (not shown), which is inserted into the opening 14' of the packaging member 12' to deaerate, and after deaerating, the sealing means 25 seals the opening 14' of the packaging member 12' by sandwiching it between them, thereby forming a seal portion 13' in the packaging member 12' and sealing it. Although two straight seal portions 13' are provided as shown in Figures 8 and 9(b), the present invention is not limited to this, and one or three or more seal portions may be provided, or any shape may be used as long as the sealing function is achieved.

[0069] 14 is an overall perspective view of a compressed roll of sanitary tissue paper according to another example, packaged by the packaging device according to this embodiment. Of the elements constituting the package according to this example, those having similar functions are assigned the same reference numerals as in the second embodiment, and their description will be omitted.

[0070] In the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, the depth of the packaging member 12′ extends in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the roll body. In this example, as shown in FIG. 14, the depth direction of the packaging member 12″ and the axial direction of the roll body 11′p are aligned, and the roll body 11′p is placed in the packaging member 12″, compressed, and packaged to form a package of compressed roll body 11′. The roll body may be compressed and packaged in this manner. Also, as shown in FIG. 14, a handle hole 15 that can be gripped to carry the package may be provided between the open end of the packaging bag and the seal portion 13. In the present invention, the handle hole 15 may be a pair of circles, or various other shapes such as an ellipse or an oval may be used for the handle hole 15. The configuration of the handle hole 15 and the seal portion 13 may be used in the first and second embodiments.

[0071] <Density and measurement height of compressed toilet roll packaging before and after compression> Table 3 shows an example of the density and measured height of a compressed package of toilet rolls before and after compression in the packaging device 2' according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0072] The density was calculated by measuring the mass of the toilet roll, finding the volume of the toilet roll (or a roll obtained by compressing it), and dividing the mass by the volume. The volume of the roll (including the toilet roll) here was calculated based on the mass of the roll placed in packaging member 12' (or 12, 12''), measuring the winding diameter and roll width of the roll from above packaging member 12' (or 12, 12''), as well as the length in the length, width, and height directions of the compressed roll, and subtracting the thickness of packaging member 12' (or 12, 12'') from the measured lengths.

[0073] [Table 3]

[0074] In Table 3, the "initial" state refers to a state before compression and degassing, the "compressed and degassed" state refers to a state after compression and degassing by the packaging device 2', and the "open" state refers to a state after opening a certain period (about 10 days) after compression and degassing, allowing air to enter. The "open" state can be an indicator of how much the bag will return to its original shape after opening it after compression and degassing.

[0075] In Table 3, "density" is the density calculated by the above method. The mass of the roll body when calculating the density is determined by measuring the mass of the laminate including the packaging member 12' (or 12, 12'') and subtracting the mass of the packaging member 12' (or 12, 12'').

[0076] "Height" refers to the length along the compression direction (height (roll diameter) in the case of an unpressurized toilet roll), and is the height of the roll body, not including the thickness of the packaging member 12' (or 12, 12''). The thickness was reduced to about half by compression. "Height" can be used as a guide to the state before and after compression. "Density" before and after compression also serves as a guide to the extent to which a compressed toilet roll will return to its original shape after opening.

[0077] Table 4 shows the measurement results of height and density according to the degree of compression of the toilet roll as Examples 1 to 7.

[0078] [Table 4]

[0079] For example, when a roll having a diameter of 11.4 cm is compressed and the length (height) in the direction of compression is reduced, the density increases and the rigidity in directions other than the direction of compression increases, as shown in Table 4. As a result, the roll can withstand external forces during transportation and maintain its shape within the packaging material.

[0080] Furthermore, if the height is increased and the degree of compression is reduced, the compressed roll body can be more easily returned to its original cylindrical shape when it is opened after compression and degassing (for example, pressed in a direction perpendicular to the compression direction to return to its cylindrical shape).

[0081] FIG. 12 shows a flow of the packaging process according to this embodiment.

[0082] The packaging process using the packaging device 2' of this embodiment includes the steps of storing the toilet paper roll 11'p in a packaging member 12', placing the stored roll 11'p at a first predetermined position P'1, compressing the roll 11'p placed at the first predetermined position P'1 to a second predetermined position P'2, evacuating the compressed packaging member 12', and sealing the opening 14' of the evacuated packaging member 12'.

[0083] The worker who compresses and packages the toilet paper roll 11'p first prepares the packaging device 2' and prepares to start packaging (Step S11), places six toilet rolls 11'p in a gusset bag 12' (Step S12), and prepares the toilet roll container 1'p as shown in Figure 8(a). Next, the worker places the toilet roll container 1'p on the bottom of the box 22' removed from the packaging device 2' (i.e., the first predetermined position P'1) (Step S13), and places the box 22' on a platform of the frame 21' of the packaging device 2' that can be moved up and down by the ram of the compressor 23 (Step S14). Next, the toilet paper roll 11'p is compressed by the compressor 23 of the packaging device 2' (Step S15). The inside of the gusset bag 12' is then evacuated using the deaerator 25 (step S16), and the opening 14' of the gusset bag 12' is sealed using the sealing means 26 (step S17), thereby obtaining the compressed packaged toilet roll 1' shown in Figures 8 and 9(b), and the series of steps is completed (step S18). By compressing in this manner, sufficient compression and rigidity can be achieved, and the compressed packaged toilet roll 1' becomes a hard (approximately) rectangular parallelepiped, so that multiple compressed packages of toilet roll 1' can be stacked without shifting.

[0084] According to this embodiment, the sanitary thin paper roll 11'p can be simply and easily compressed and packaged, which in turn reduces material costs, logistics costs, and storage space.

[0085] <Other> The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments or the modifications described throughout, and appropriate changes and modifications can be made without departing from the technical concept of the present invention.

[0086] For example, in the packaging device according to the second embodiment, the object to be compressed may be placed directly on a plate portion fixed to and pushed up by the ram of the hydraulic jack 23 without using the box body 22', and compression may be performed according to the scale of a ruler or the like serving as a regulating unit. In this case, the first predetermined position is the upper surface of the plate portion fixed to and pushed up by the ram before compression, and the second predetermined position is the position of the upper surface of the plate portion fixed to and pushed up by the ram after compression plus the numerical value on the scale of the ruler or the like.

[0087] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the packaging device according to the second embodiment, and the compressed package of the roll of sanitary thin paper may be produced by the packaging device according to the first embodiment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0088] 1. Compressed packaging of laminated sanitary tissue paper 11 Compressed laminate of sanitary tissue paper 1' Compressed packaging of sanitary tissue paper roll 11' Compressed roll of sanitary tissue paper 12, 12', 12'' packaging material 13, 13' seal part 14, 14' opening 1p sanitary tissue paper stack container 11p Hygienic tissue paper laminate 1. Sanitary tissue paper roll holder 11'p Sanitary tissue paper roll H1 Height of sanitary tissue paper stack before compression H2 Height of the sanitary tissue paper stack after compression H'1 Height of the sanitary tissue paper roll before compression H'2 Height of the sanitary tissue paper roll after compression 2, 2' packaging equipment 21, 21' frame 22, 22' box body (regulatory part) 23 Compressor 24, 24' top board 241 Opening 25 Deaerator 26 Sealing means P1, P'1 1st predetermined position P2, P'2 2nd predetermined position

Claims

1. A packaging method for a laminate or roll of sanitary tissue paper, comprising: a step of placing the laminate or roll in a packaging member; placing the stack or roll in the accommodated state at a first predetermined position; a step of compressing the laminate or roll body placed at the first predetermined position to a second predetermined position; degassing the packaging member during and / or after the compression; sealing the opening of the evacuated packaging member; A packaging method comprising:

2. 2. The packaging method according to claim 1, wherein in the placing step, a regulating portion can regulate displacement of the stack or roll in a predetermined direction.

3. 3. The packaging method according to claim 2, wherein the restricting portion has a surrounding surface that surrounds the outer periphery of the laminate or roll in a direction perpendicular to the direction of compression.

4. 3. The packaging method according to claim 2, wherein the restricting portion is a box.

5. 3. The packaging method according to claim 2, wherein the second predetermined position is set based on a scale portion provided on the restricting portion.

6. 5. The packaging method according to claim 4, wherein the second predetermined position corresponds to an open end of the box body.

7. A packaging method for the sanitary tissue paper stack, 2. The packaging method according to claim 1, wherein in the compressing step, the stack of sanitary thin paper is compressed so that its height dimension after compression is 60% or less of its height dimension before compression.

8. 2. The packaging method according to claim 1, wherein the compressing step uses a hydraulic jack.

9. A packaging device for a stack or roll of sanitary tissue paper, a restricting portion that restricts displacement in a predetermined direction of the stack or roll body that is contained in the packaging member and placed at the first predetermined position; a compressor for compressing the stack or roll body placed at the first predetermined position to a second predetermined position; a deaerator for deaerating the packaging member during and / or after compression; a sealing means for sealing the opening of the evacuated packaging member; A packaging device comprising:

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