Semi-Corrugated Panels via Modified Corrugating Rolls
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Solution Overview
Problem
The corrugated packaging industry faces challenges in reducing the basis weight of liners and mediums while maintaining the strength of corrugated boards, as lightweight materials are prone to failure in high-speed manufacturing processes, and there is a need for alternative approaches beyond continuous basis weight reduction to match packaging requirements.
Innovation Solution
The modification of corrugating rolls with slots and creasing tools to produce semi corrugated board, which eliminates the top liner and creates a creased base layer with a matrix pattern, allowing for the production of 2-ply, 3-ply, and 4-ply panels with reduced fiber content and increased strength, using the semi corrugated board corrugating rolls on a standard corrugator.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If the basis weight of liners and mediums is reduced to lower cost and environmental impact, then fiber content and production cost decrease, but the strength and reliability of corrugated board deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining fluted medium with creased linerboard to form a new structural configuration. The creased linerboard provides additional structural support and stiffness, compensating for the reduced basis weight of the medium while maintaining overall board strength. This composite structure allows for lower fiber content in the medium without sacrificing performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces creases in the linerboard that extend in the machine direction, adding a new dimensional feature to the traditional fluted structure. These creases create a matrix pattern that provides structural reinforcement along the length of the board, enabling strength maintenance with reduced material weight.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the basis weight of liners and mediums is continuously reduced to match packaging requirements, then economic and environmental benefits improve, but the manufacturing process reliability deteriorates due to material fragility
Solution Approach 1:
By creating a composite structure with creased linerboard and fluted medium, the patent achieves greater adaptability to various packaging requirements while maintaining manufacturing reliability. The creased linerboard provides structural integrity that prevents material failure during high-speed manufacturing, even when using lightweight components.
Solution Approach 2:
The creases are pre-formed in the linerboard before it is combined with the fluted medium. This preliminary structuring of the linerboard provides built-in reinforcement that prevents material failure during subsequent manufacturing operations, ensuring reliability before the materials are subjected to manufacturing stresses.
3Strength
If traditional corrugated board structure is used to ensure strength, then packaging performance is maintained, but fiber content and production cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adds creases in the machine direction to the traditional cross-flute structure, creating a matrix pattern that provides structural reinforcement. This dimensional addition allows for reduced fiber content in the medium while maintaining or improving packaging performance through the enhanced structural geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the structural support function between the fluted medium and the creased linerboard. Instead of relying solely on the medium for structural integrity, the linerboard is divided into creased sections that provide localized reinforcement, allowing for overall reduction in fiber content while maintaining strength.
Data Source
AI summary
A means of making a multi ply structural panel by eliminating the top liner in the corrugating process. The present invention is made possible through modification to the corrugating rolls of the singlefacer. The design modification to the rolls involves incorporation of slots that run around the circumference of one roll and mating creasing tools incorporated around the circumference of the other of the corrugated roll set. These slots and creasing tools are incorporated across the existing flutes of the corrugating rolls.