Method for producing a display package

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing a multipack (50), in particular in the form of a display package (48), in which at least one first toothbrush (20) is introduced into a first tubular bag (10) in order to form a first package unit (12), a second toothbrush (22), which differs from the first toothbrush (20), is introduced into a second tubular bag (16) in order to form a second package unit (18), and a plurality of first and second package units (12; 18) are introduced into a cardboard box (54) of the multipack (50).

Description

[0001] Method for manufacturing a display package

[0002] The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a container, in particular a display package. Such display packages are typically manufactured for discount stores. The display package serves to store and protect the goods to be sold during transport to the discount store. The display package has a presentation part, which serves to display the goods to be sold within the display package, and a protective part, which is connected to the presentation part and can usually be separated from it without tools. A container comprises several goods. A container within the meaning of the present invention particularly comprises a cardboard box in which the goods are protected and transported as a unit, and can be removed for presentation on the sales floor and disposed of after the goods have been distributed on the sales floor.

[0003] The cardboard box or display packaging to be produced according to the inventive method is, in particular, packaging made of a compostable material, for example cellulose, specifically cardboard. In this case, a perforation is provided between the presentation part and the protective part, which can be easily torn open to separate the protective part from the presentation part.

[0004] The present invention relates in particular to the manufacture of a container, especially a display package, for the sale of toothbrushes to the end consumer. As mentioned previously, the display package is typically placed on the shelf in a discount store along with the presentation element, so that a customer can take a single toothbrush from the presentation package and purchase it. For hygienic reasons, the toothbrush is provided in individual packaging. According to the invention, this individual packaging is formed by a tubular bag, which is preferably also made of a compostable material, specifically cellulose, for example, paper. The toothbrush is contained within this tubular bag.

[0005] A toothbrush within the meaning of the present invention can be any dental cleaning element that is provided with cleaning elements for dental care and has a body that supports the cleaning element. The cleaning element can be formed—as is usual with toothbrushes—but need not necessarily be formed by classic bristle bundles or individual bristles. Rather, the cleaning element can also be formed by the body itself in the form of a thin filament or a piece of dental floss. Similarly, twisted wire can support filaments that essentially project at right angles from the wire and form an interdental cleaning element. Such a brush is also an interdental brush within the meaning of the present invention. Due to differing customer requirements, first and second toothbrushes, which differ from each other, are produced using the method according to the present invention.The brushes can differ in at least one physical parameter. In particular, the brushes can have different colors or different hardness of cleaning elements. In the case of interdental brushes, for example, the brushes can have different diameters adapted to different sized interdental spaces.

[0006] The method according to the invention should make it possible to offer several different toothbrushes in a single container, preferably in the form of a display package.

[0007] However, the invention aims to make the differences between individual toothbrushes identifiable on the outside of the individual packaging assigned to each brush. In the following description, a packaging unit is understood to be a unit consisting of at least one toothbrush contained in the individual packaging. The individual packaging and the at least one toothbrush accordingly constitute the packaging unit. More than one toothbrush can be provided in a packaging unit. Toothbrushes within a packaging unit can differ from one another.

[0008] According to the inventive method, first and second packaging units are produced, and optionally also third and fourth, etc. The first packaging unit contains at least one first toothbrush. The second packaging unit contains at least one second toothbrush. The at least one first and the at least one second toothbrush are different from each other. The brushes contained in each packaging unit can be identical or differ in at least one parameter. A packaging unit can preferably contain between one and five toothbrushes.

[0009] The first pouch, which forms the individual packaging of the first packaging unit, indicates its contents on its outer surface. Similarly, the second pouch, which belongs to the second packaging unit, indicates its contents. Since the contents of the first and second pouches are different, this requires differently designed pouches, each filled with the appropriate first or second toothbrush, respectively.

[0010] The present invention aims to provide a method that enables the production of a display package by fitting it with different packaging units in the most economical way possible.

[0011] The first and second packaging units are placed inside the display packaging or a portion thereof. The display packaging is closed for transport to the retailer, ensuring that all packaging units are safely contained within it. Each of the tubular bags used in the inventive method is preferably formed from a continuous supply of tubular material. This material is initially supplied as a flat sheet and is typically formed into a tube with a longitudinal weld seam to seal the tube circumferentially.

[0012] According to one method, at least one toothbrush is inserted into the tube. The tube is then sealed. Typically, the tube pouch is sealed at one end before the toothbrush is inserted. When sealing the front end of a tube pouch to form a leading seam, the rear end of a previous tube pouch is usually sealed to form a trailing seam. The two tube pouches, initially connected via the continuous loop, are separated between the trailing seam of the leading pouch and the leading seam of the following pouch.

[0013] According to an alternative embodiment, at least one first or at least one second toothbrush is initially placed on a pouch material, which is fed in as a flat strip and forms the tube pouch. Only then is the tube formed together with the at least one toothbrush lying on the pouch material. Afterwards, the tube is sealed transversely to its longitudinal direction and the pouch pouch is cut from the continuously fed material.

[0014] With a view to a high-quality presentation of the toothbrush, preferred embodiments of the inventive method are presented below, which lead to a predetermined arrangement of the at least one toothbrush in the associated pouch. Thus, the at least one first or the at least one second toothbrush can be connected to the pouch, i.e., attached to it directly or indirectly. The toothbrush can be directly bonded to the inner surface of the pouch by gluing or the like. Preferably, a compostable adhesive is used for this purpose.

[0015] The connection to the tubular bag can be made on the bag material forming the tubular bag before it has been formed into a tube by creating a longitudinal weld seam. Accordingly, the bag material forming the tubular bag is first fed along a flat, continuous path past a toothbrush placement station, where at least one or at least one second toothbrush is placed onto the path. The bag material can be fed intermittently or continuously. With a continuous feed of the bag material, it is advantageous to move the brush along with it in the feed direction of the path as it is placed onto the bag material, until the at least one toothbrush is positioned on the bag material, preferably thus secured.

[0016] Alternatively or additionally to the previously discussed method, the toothbrush can be inserted into the pouch using an insert. This insert can be placed into the pouch, which is initially sealed on one side, along with at least one toothbrush. Alternatively, the insert can be applied to the pouch material, as before, before the pouch is formed into a tube and sealed with a longitudinal weld seam.

[0017] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the at least one first or the at least one second toothbrush is initially connected to the insert. Only then is the insert, provided with the at least one toothbrush, brought together, and optionally connected, to the bag material forming the tube bag. The insert, like the toothbrush before it, can be applied to the material forming the tube bag before or after the tube has been formed, and preferably connected to it.

[0018] The insert according to this embodiment can preferably be made of a compostable material, particularly preferably cellulose, especially cardboard. The cardboard can be folded and cut three-dimensionally. It can, for example, form a U-shaped tray surrounding at least one toothbrush, in which at least one, preferably two or more toothbrushes are located and held in a predetermined manner and orientation. The insert can also be formed by a tube containing at least the handle of the toothbrush, which holds the handle of the toothbrush in a frictional manner at least to such an extent that a predetermined orientation of the toothbrush relative to the pouch material can be established via the connection of the tube to the pouch material.

[0019] It is understood that an insert is first connected to the bag material and only then is the toothbrush positioned and attached in a suitable orientation to the insert so that the desired high-quality presentation of the toothbrush is achieved within the pouch.

[0020] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a changeover of the supplied film material is carried out to produce the number of toothbrushes provided in the display packaging. The first packaging units of the display packaging are produced in a first batch, and the second packaging units of the display packaging are produced in a second batch. Between the production of the first and second batches, the supply of the first film material required for the production of the first tubular bag is stopped. Instead of the first film material, the film material forming the second tubular bag is fed into the production line during the changeover. The consecutively produced batches of first and second packaging units typically constitute the total number of packaging units required to fill the display packaging.In an alternative process that eliminates the need for the previously discussed order change, a film material is prepared that has length sections adapted for forming the first and second tubular bags. These length sections can each have a length adapted for forming a single tubular bag, so that when the length section and toothbrushes are brought together, a first packaging unit and then a second packaging unit are formed immediately one after the other.The length sections can also contain multiple lengths of film material, which is used to form several first or second tubular bags, so that when combining length sections and toothbrushes, several first packaging units are formed immediately one after the other, and then several second packaging units are formed on the same production line without interrupting the supply of bag material.

[0021] In this process, the exact number of packaging units required to complete a single display package are typically produced sequentially, eliminating the need to insert intermediate packaging units during the display package production. Instead, the packaging units are fed directly from the production line into the display package until it contains the required number of packaging units. At the end of the production line, a new, initially empty display package can be positioned and subsequently filled with packaging units.

[0022] The supplied film material is usually adapted by printing to the design of the tubular bag material required for the production of the first packaging unit or for the production of the second packaging unit before being applied to the production line.

[0023] In a preferred embodiment of the inventive method, a brush sensor is used which is adapted to distinguish at least one first toothbrush from at least one second toothbrush. Furthermore, a bag sensor is preferably used which is adapted to distinguish the bag material forming the first tubular bag from the bag material forming the second tubular bag. A control system that processes the signals from both sensors makes it possible to analyze the supplied bag material to determine whether it is adapted to form a first tubular bag or a second tubular bag, and, controlled by the brush sensor, to supply the corresponding first or second toothbrushes to this material. The brush sensor or the bag sensor can be an optical sensor that detects optical properties of the brush or bag.The sensor analyzes the bag material and assigns it to the first or second packaging unit. The sensor can therefore be a camera.

[0024] The differentiation between packaging units and / or toothbrushes can be achieved through different colors and / or by reading a 2D or 3D code on the outside of the pouch, which can also be used for price determination via scanning at the checkout. Each sensor can also be a position sensor that, based on stored information, recognizes that at a specific position within the production line, the toothbrush belonging to the first packaging unit or the toothbrush belonging to the second packaging unit, and / or the pouch material belonging to the first packaging unit or the pouch material belonging to the second packaging unit, is present. It goes without saying that the recognition and assignment of toothbrushes and packaging units can be performed and optimized using artificial intelligence.

[0025] As previously mentioned, the pouch material forming the first or second tubular bag is preferably a compostable material, particularly preferably cellulose. This compostable material can also preferably form a viewing window, which, according to a preferred embodiment of the present method, is formed as part of the first or second tubular bag and allows a view of the at least one toothbrush contained within the tubular bag. This enables the consumer to see the contents of the respective packaging unit from the outside and thus make a purchase decision. The viewing window is made of a transparent or at least translucent material. The translucency is typically designed such that at least the essential properties of the brush can be recognized through the viewing window from the outside.A viewing window made from a compostable material can, for example, be made from cellulose or cellophane.

[0026] Further details and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments in conjunction with the drawing. The drawing shows:

[0027] Figure 1 schematic representation of a section of a production line for forming packaging units;

[0028] Figure 2a shows a top view of the underside of the embodiment;

[0029] Figure 2b shows a side view of the embodiment;

[0030] Figure 2c shows a top view of the upper surface of the embodiment;

[0031] Figure 2d shows a sectional view along line dd according to Figure 2b;

[0032] Figure 2e is a sectional view along line ee according to Figure 2c;

[0033] Figure 3 shows a perspective side view of a first embodiment of an insert; Figure 4a shows a top view of the upper side of a further embodiment with a second embodiment of an insert;

[0034] Figure 4b shows a sectional view according to Figure 2e of the further embodiment according to Figure 4a;

[0035] Figure 4c shows a top view of the second embodiment of the insert;

[0036] Figure 4d shows a side view of the second embodiment of the insert according to

[0037] Figure 4c;

[0038] Figure 4e shows a perspective side view of a second embodiment of an insert;

[0039] Figure 5 shows a perspective side view of a third embodiment of an insert and

[0040] Figure 6 shows an example of a display package containing packaging units.

[0041] Figure 1 schematically shows a conveyor line 2 on which a continuous web 4 of bag material 6 is conveyed from right to left. Reference numeral 8 designates a first longitudinal section of the bag material 6, which is adapted to form a first tubular bag 10 of a first packaging unit 12. Reference numeral 14 designates a second longitudinal section, which is adapted to form a second tubular bag 16 of a second packaging unit 18. The first and second packaging units 12 and 18 are shown on the left in Figure 1.

[0042] In Figure 1, reference numeral 20 designates two first toothbrushes, and reference numeral 22 designates two second toothbrushes. The first toothbrushes 20 are provided in two different versions 20A and 20B. The second toothbrushes 22 are also provided in two different versions 22A and 22B.

[0043] In the process illustrated in Figure 1, the first brushes 20 are placed alternately with the second toothbrushes 22 at a placement station A onto the track 4, specifically onto their respective length sections 8 and 14. The first toothbrushes 20, 22 can be connected to the bag material 6, for example by gluing.

[0044] At a forming station B, the flat track 4 is formed into a fully enclosed tube 24, which is provided with a longitudinal weld seam 26 and fully surrounds the respective toothbrushes 20, 22.

[0045] Reference numeral C designates a sealing station where the longitudinal sections 8, 14 are each provided at their ends with a leading seam 28 and a trailing seam 30, respectively. At sealing station C, the trailing seam 30 of a tubular bag 10, 16, which is moving forward in the conveying direction, is also separated from the leading seam 28 of the following longitudinal section 8, 14. Figures 2a to e show an embodiment of a packaging unit produced in this manner, in this case the first packaging unit 12. Figure 2a shows a top view of the embodiment and reveals the longitudinal weld seam 26 as well as the two leading to the trailing seams 28, 30. Within this first tubular bag 10 are two first toothbrushes 20A, 20B, which can be seen lying side by side in the partially cutaway view of Figure 2d. In fact, Figure 2d shows a sectional view along line dd according to Figure 2b.While Figure 2a illustrates a top view of the underside of the packaging unit 12, Figure 2c shows the opposite top side of the packaging unit 12 in a top view. A printed marking 32 is provided there, which identifies the first two toothbrushes 20A, 20B. Thus, a consumer can see from the outside of the packaging unit 12 what the packaging unit contains, i.e., which toothbrushes are included.

[0046] Figure 2e shows a cross-sectional view along the line ee as shown in Figure 2c to illustrate the orientation of the toothbrush 20A and thus 20B within the first packaging unit 12.

[0047] As previously described, the toothbrushes 20, 22 can be positioned within the pouch 10, 16 using an insert. Such an insert is shown in Figure 3 in the form of a U-shaped piece of cardboard in cross-section, which holds the toothbrush 20 in a predetermined orientation. In this case, only one toothbrush 20 is provided per packaging unit 12 and is accordingly received in and connected to the insert 38.

[0048] Figures 4a to d show a modified embodiment in which the tube bag 10 is provided with a viewing window 36 which allows a view of the toothbrushes 20A, 20B contained in the tube bag 10.

[0049] Figures 4a to d also illustrate an alternative embodiment of an insert 38 shown separately in Figure 4e, which in this case is formed from a basically flat piece of cardboard which, approximately along its central length, forms a triangular projection in cross-section (see Fig. 3d) created by folding and cutting the cardboard, which is provided with a slot 40 in the longitudinal direction (see Fig. 3d) of the toothbrushes 20A, 20B, which clamps the handle of each toothbrush 20A, 20B and thus holds the toothbrushes 20A, 20B in a predetermined orientation on the insert 38.

[0050] Figure 5 shows a variant of an insert 38, which clamps a toothbrush 20 approximately in the center of the slot 40. This insert 38 has a folding flap 44 at the end of the toothbrush 20, which is provided with bristle bundles 42, projecting at a right angle to the longitudinal extent of the toothbrush 20. This flap has a triangular base and extends beyond the bristle bundles 42 in their longitudinal direction to protect them. Figure 6, reference numeral 46, shows a presentation part of a display package, which is generally designated by reference numeral 48. This display package represents an example of a container 50 of the present invention. Its protective part 52, indicated by dashed lines, is previously connected to the presentation part 46, forming a cardboard outer packaging, indicated by reference numeral 54.The presentation part 46 has on its base a multitude of compartments 56, each of which can hold several packaging units 12, 18 and basically present them to an end consumer in a way that is perpendicular to the base when the presentation part 46 is placed on the shelf of a discount store with the lower front facing forward.

[0051] 10

[0052] Reference symbol list

[0053] Conveyor track, conveyor belt, bag material, first length section, first tubular bag, first packaging unit, second length section, second tubular bag, second packaging unit, first toothbrush, second toothbrush, closed tube, longitudinal weld seam, leading seam, trailing seam, printing, viewing window, insert

[0054] Slit, bristle bundle, folding flap, presentation part, display packaging, container, protective part, cardboard box compartment

[0055] Placement station, forming station, sealing station

Claims

# 265 11 Claims 1. Method for producing a container (50), in particular in the form of a display package (48) in which at least one first toothbrush (20) is placed in a first pouch (10) to form a first packaging unit (12) and a second toothbrush (22), which differs from the first toothbrush (20), is placed in a second pouch (16) to form a second packaging unit (18) and several first and second packaging units (12; 18) are placed in a carton (54) of the container (50).

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the tubular bag (10; 16) is formed from an endlessly supplied web (4) of a bag material (6) which is formed into a tube (24) by means of a longitudinal weld seam (26), that the at least one toothbrush (20; 22) is inserted into the tube (24) and the tube (24) is closed.

3. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that the tube bag (10; 16) is closed with a leading seam (28) before the insertion of the at least one toothbrush (20; 22).

4. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one first and / or the at least one second toothbrush (20; 22) is first placed on a bag material (6) forming the tube bag (10; 16) and then the bag material is connected to it to form a tube (24).

5. Method according to claim 4, characterized in that the at least one first and / or the at least one second toothbrush (20; 22) is placed on the bag material (6) before forming a tube (24) from the bag material (6) and then the bag material (6) is formed into a tube (24) with a longitudinal weld seam (26) and that the tube (24) is closed.

6. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one first and / or the at least one second toothbrush (20; 22) is connected to the bag material (6) forming the tube bag (10; 16), in particular directly connected to it. # 265 12 7. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an insert (38) positioning the at least one first and / or the at least one second toothbrush (20; 22) in the tube bag (10; 16) is enclosed in the tube bag (10; 16).

8. Method according to claim 7, characterized in that the at least one first and / or the at least one second toothbrush (20; 22) is first connected to the insert (38) and then the insert (38) with the toothbrush provided thereon is applied to the bag material (6) forming the tube bag (10; 16).

9. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a first film material adapted for the production of the first tubular bag (10) is fed to a production line and a number of first packaging units (12) corresponding to the number of first packaging units (12) in the display packaging (48) is initially produced, and that a second film material adapted for the production of the second tubular bag (16) is fed to the production line and a number of second packaging units (18) corresponding to the number of second packaging units (18) in the display packaging (48) is produced.

10. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a film material is fed to a production line which has length sections (8; 10) adapted for the formation of first and second tubular bags (10; 16), and that the at least one first toothbrush (20) and the at least one second toothbrush (22) are successively fed to the production line and inserted into the tube in such a way that first and second packaging units (12; 18) are produced on the production line without changing the film material.

11. Method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that a brush sensor is provided that distinguishes the at least one first toothbrush (20) from the at least one second toothbrush (22), that a bag material (6) forming the first tube bag (10) is provided that distinguishes a bag material (6) forming the second tube bag (16), and that the method is controlled via the sensors such that the at least one first toothbrush (20) is placed in a first tube bag (10) and the at least one second toothbrush (22) is placed in a second tube bag (16). # 265 13 12. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least two first, different toothbrushes (20) are placed in the first pouch (10) to form the first packaging unit (12) and that at least two second, different toothbrushes (22) are placed in the second pouch (16) to form the second packaging unit (18) and that the first toothbrushes (20) are different from the second toothbrushes (22).

13. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first and the second tubular bag (10; 16) are formed from a compostable material, in particular cellulose.

14. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first and the second tube bag (10; 16) are formed with a transparent or translucent viewing window (36) which allows a view of the at least one toothbrush contained in the tube bag.

15. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the insert (38) is formed from a compostable material, in particular cellulose.

16. Container (50), in particular in the form of a display package (48), containing a toothbrush (20, 22) which is placed in a first tube bag (10).

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