Printed Tube Packaging With Concealed Weld and Continuous Decoration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for butt-welding printed sheets to form tubular bodies fail to achieve a continuous decoration across the weld, leading to visible offsets and discontinuities in the design.

Innovation Solution

A method involving printing a series of images on a sheet, cutting the edges to match the tubular body dimensions, and butt-welding with lateral strips to ensure continuity of the design, concealing the weld within the decoration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If conventional butt-welding methods are used to join printed sheets, then the tubular body can be manufactured, but the weld zone creates visible offsets and discontinuities in the decoration

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontinuity of decoration across weldVSAvoidvisible weld offsets

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-calculating and pre-positioning overlapping lateral strips on the printed sheet before welding. These strips are designed with identical decorative patterns that will align perfectly when the sheet is formed into a tube and welded, thereby concealing the weld line within the continuous pattern rather than creating visible offsets.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses copying by creating identical lateral strips with the same decorative pattern on opposite sides of the sheet. These copied patterns ensure that when the sheet is welded into a tubular form, the decoration appears continuous across the weld zone, eliminating visible discontinuities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Manufacturing precision

If the sheet width is precisely matched to the tubular body diameter, then the decoration can be continuous, but manufacturing variations cause misalignment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvealignment of decorative patternsVSAvoidconsistency across production variations

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the sheet dimensions to include additional overlapping lateral strips beyond the precise match between sheet width and tubular body diameter. This intentional dimensional change creates a buffer zone that accommodates manufacturing variations while maintaining pattern alignment through the overlapping strips.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements beforehand cushioning by incorporating extra overlapping lateral strips that act as a buffer against manufacturing variations. These strips are positioned and sized in advance to compensate for potential misalignments during production, ensuring reliable pattern continuity despite variations in the manufacturing process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Object-generated harmful factors

If lateral strips are added to the sheet, then the weld can be concealed, but the sheet width exceeds the tubular body perimeter

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevisibility of weld zoneVSAvoidsheet width relative to tube perimeter

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-generated harmful factorsVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies taking out by extracting or removing portions of the lateral strips during the forming process. The overlapping strips are positioned to extend beyond the final tubular perimeter, but excess material is removed or folded during tube formation, leaving only the necessary overlapping portions visible at the weld line to conceal it while maintaining the correct final dimensions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS12528631B2Packaging in which the weld is concealed in the print and manufacturing method

Publication Date: 2026.01.20 AISAPACK HLDG SA

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a tubular body (2) for a packaging in tube form (1), comprising the following steps: —) definition of the geometrical characteristics of the tubular body (2) to be produced; —) creation of an initial image (6) covering the surface of the tubular body (2) to be produced, said initial image (6) having a right lateral edge and a left lateral edge; —) creation of an intermediate image (8) from the initial image (6) by adding a lateral strip (13) to one of said edges of the initial image (6), said lateral strip (13) comprising a copy of the other of said edges of the initial image (6); —) printing of at least one intermediate image (8) on a sheet, the intermediate image (8) being disposed such that the lateral edges of the image are parallel to the direction of unwinding of the sheet; —) cutting of a small strip on each lateral side of the intermediate image (8) to form a final image (10); —) shaping of the sheet as tubular body (2) and edge-to-edge assembly to obtain a continuity of the design between the right edge and the left edge of the image.