Blank End-Face Tape Folding for High-Speed Crease-Free Bonding

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for applying tape to the lateral ends of paper container blanks face issues such as creasing and peeling, especially at high speeds, and require complex systems for folding the tape onto the back side, leading to low production efficiency and versatility.

Innovation Solution

An apparatus and method involving a conveyance system, blank-heating system, tape application system, tape-folding system, and heat-bonding system to apply and fold tape onto the bonding end of a blank, ensuring precise and high-speed processing without creasing or peeling, using a tape-folding system with a passage that reduces its angle continuously to facilitate smooth folding.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If tape is applied to the lateral ends of blanks at high speed, then productivity is improved, but tape application failures such as creasing and peeling occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing speedVSAvoidtape application quality
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The blank-heating system heats the bonding end of the blank in advance before tape application. This preliminary heating prepares the surface for better tape adhesion, preventing peeling even during high-speed processing. The heating occurs before the tape is applied, creating optimal bonding conditions in advance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces complex mechanical folding systems with a heat-bonding system. Instead of using mechanical means to fold and secure the tape, the invention uses thermal bonding to attach the tape directly to the blank end face, simplifying the system and improving reliability at high speeds.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If a complex system is used to fold tape onto the back side of blanks, then tape application completeness is improved, but device complexity increases and production time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetape application completenessVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces complex mechanical folding systems with a heat-bonding system. Instead of using mechanical means to fold and secure the tape, the invention uses thermal bonding to attach the tape directly to the blank end face, simplifying the system and improving reliability at high speeds.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention extracts the folding operation from the system entirely. Rather than incorporating a folding mechanism, the tape is applied in a way that it naturally covers the end face without requiring folding, eliminating the complex folding subsystem.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Reliability

If a complex system is used to fold tape onto the back side of blanks, then tape application completeness is improved, but production time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetape application completenessVSAvoidproduction time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The heating, tape application, and heat-bonding operations are performed in continuous sequence without interruption. The blank is conveyed through the system and processed continuously, eliminating the time losses associated with stopping for complex folding operations or changing between different processing steps.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces complex mechanical folding systems with a heat-bonding system. Instead of using mechanical means to fold and secure the tape, the invention uses thermal bonding to attach the tape directly to the blank end face, simplifying the system and improving reliability at high speeds.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Reliability

If resin film is cut to larger size with overhang and folded back, then water resistance is improved, but additional cutting process reduces productivity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewater resistanceVSAvoidproduction efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the folding operation from the system entirely. Rather than incorporating a folding mechanism, the tape is applied in a way that it naturally covers the end face without requiring folding, eliminating the complex folding subsystem.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The heating, tape application, and heat-bonding operations are performed in continuous sequence without interruption. The blank is conveyed through the system and processed continuously, eliminating the time losses associated with stopping for complex folding operations or changing between different processing steps.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables high-speed, continuous, and automatic processing of blank end faces with minimal tape application failures, improving production efficiency and versatility by allowing tape to be applied to both sides of the blank with precision and simplicity.

Implementation Method 1

a blank-heating system configured to heat the bonding end of the blank

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Implementation Method 2

a heat-bonding system configured to apply the folded portion of the tape to a bonding end area on another side of the blank

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat bonding: Heating

Data Source

PatentEP4684952A1Tape-sticking end face treatment device and tape-sticking end face treatment method
Publication Date: 2026.01.28 TOKAN KOGYO CO LTD
  • EP4684952A1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP4684952A1 patent drawingFigure 2~3A
  • EP4684952A1 patent drawingFigure 3B~4A

AI summary

To provide a simply structured end face tape application apparatus and an end face tape application method that can suppress the generation of tape application failures such as creasing and peeling even under high-speed processing of blank end faces. The end face tape application apparatus (100) is configured to cover an end face (E) of a blank (B) by applying a strip of tape to a bonding end of the blank. The apparatus includes a conveyance system (101) that conveys the blank. From an upstream side along the conveying path, there are a blank-heating system (110) that heats the bonding end of the blank; a tape application system (120) that feeds a strip of the tape cut to a length that matches the bonding end of the blank such that the longitudinal direction of the tape coincides with the blank-conveying direction, and applies the tape to one side of the blank; a tape-folding system (140) that folds back an overhanging portion of the tape applied to the blank; and a heat-bonding system that applies a folded portion of the tape to the other side of the blank.