US3618755A

US3618755A - Unitized package for sheet materials and method for packaging same

Info

Publication number: US3618755A
Application number: US34359A
Authority: US
Inventors: James S Kean Sr; Frederick L Metzger; Ralph C Hansen
Original assignee: Libbey Owens Ford Co
Current assignee: Pilkington North America Inc
Priority date: 1970-05-04
Filing date: 1970-05-04
Publication date: 1971-11-09
Anticipated expiration: 1988-11-09

Abstract

Improved manner for relatively low cost utilized packaging of glass sheets while ensuring the same against breakage and weathering during transportation or storage.

Description

United States Patent [72] Inventors J||neeS.Kean,Sr.;

S T N E T mm C am I an S D R E n N U m 5 Frederick L. Metxger; Ralph C. Hansen, all ol Toledo, Ohio RXRRRm 2 222/ mz mmn 6 66 mm mm o 2 5 Mn l fl eal mmls cc ca nr W M CR-Mm Mm YW o mmfia GWRRAK 797990 553667 999999 HHHHH 850578 I. 097438 53 238 .99 254282 084652 3 ,3 223 33 v. m m C m l mi 94 9 J v M 4 a o. m. -eMNLT a de N M L n wmmm AHPA UMU 2247 .l.[.l.l

Primary Examiner-Joseph R. Leclair [54] Aging Examiner-Save AND METHOD FOR PACKAGING SAME Au0rny -Co||in3 and Oberlin 8 Claims, 7 Drawing Flgs.

[52] 206/62 R, 53/30. 206/65 S. 229/DlG. l2

8651! 85/48 ABSTRACT: Improved manner for relatively low cost utilized 53/30; packaging of glass sheets while ensuring the same against breakage and weathering during transportation or storage.

[5l] ht. [50] Field of 206/46 R, 46 BK. 62 R, 65 S; 229/DIG. l2

PATENTEnunv 9 l9?! SHEET 2 OF 2 izzi FIELD OF THE INVENTION According to conventional handling of glass, sheets, as for the glazing of windows and like purposes, have been boxed or otherwise packed in so-called 50 foot lots. That is to say, regardless of the thickness or size of the individual sheets, the preferred total footage of glass is 50 square feet. Thus, sheets of like thickness and area, as well as quality, are combined as a packaged unit or group. In this respect, the thickness and area of the sheets can determine the actual number that will conform to or approximate the total footage.

Because of the large number of various sizes and thicknesses of sheets to be packaged, the ready provision of suitably sized containers has continued to create a serious problem, both from the standpoint of an adequate supply as well as the relatively high cost of the starting materials and then ultimate disposal. It is contemplated by this invention to simplify the packaging of glass and at the same time provide adequate protective means that will satisfy the requirements for safe handling and protection from weathering. Moreover, it is herein contemplated that when a number of sheets have been wrapped and sealed in a plastic envelope to form a package, a selected number of such packages can be stacked, either horizontally or vertically, on a transporting rack or pallet and then in unitized relation further sealed within a plastic envelope. This final containment of the packages ensures they will be additionally protected from damage as by dust or moisture.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates broadly to the art of packaging and more particularly is directed to unitized packaging of glass sheets.

It is an important object of the invention to provide an improved manner of packaging in which glass sheets can be rapidly and satisfactorily assembled as a stack in a relatively short time and with the danger or possibilities of injury to the glass during packaging and in transit being substantially eliminated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a package for glass sheets wherein a stack of glass sheets are enclosed within a protecting case and a sealed envelope and then further contained within a substantially rigid frame which is then contained in a sealed moisture-proof envelope.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for arranging a number of packages of glass sheets in a stacked unit on a suitable transporting pallet and enclosing the packages in a sealed envelope which is impervious to entry of dust or moisture.

A further object of the invention is to provide a package for glass sheets that is of relatively low cost and adapted to convenient handling during transit or storage with similarly produced packages.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent during the course of the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a package for sheet materials as constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on the plane of line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the plane of line 3-3 ofFlG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a modified embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on the plane of line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of sealed plurality of glass sheet package arranged on a pallet; and

FIG. 7 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on the plane of line 7-7 of FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION As illustrated in FIG. 6 of the drawings, the unitized stacking and sealing of a plurality of glass sheet packages is designated in its entirety by the numeral 15. This unit 15 is sealed in an envelope of plastic sheeting I6 and arranged on a transport pallet 17. While as herein illustrated, the packages 18 are vertically stacked on the pallet with the planes of the glass sheets placed horizontally, it is also contemplated that the packages can be alternatively placed on a pallet such that the planes of the sheets will be vertically disposed.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the glass sheets are packaged in the manner illustrated in FIG. I; the completed package being designated by the number 20. And in an equally satisfactory way, a number of glass sheets are adapted to be packaged in a modified form of the invention as illustrated in FIG. 4 and designated by the numeral 50.

With reference now to FIGS. 1 and 3 of the drawings, a selected number of glass sheets 21 are first packed in a panel 22 of corrugated paperboard that has been precut and prescored, as at 23, to define a body portion or back panel 24, side, top and bottom flanges, respectively, indicated by the

numerals

25, 26 and 27. The element of the paperboard panel forming the remaining side flange 28 is additionally prescored, as indicated by the numeral 29, to provide a cover or front panel 30. When the several flanges are bent to engage the edges of the glass sheets, they constitute a relatively rigid protective case 31 in which the sheets are adequately contained.

This cased arrangement is then sealed into an envelope 35 which serves to hold the flanged elements of the case 31 firmly in position. Such an envelope is preferably of a heat-scalable transparent plastic material or sheeting on which the case 31 is placed and such that the side portions of the plastic layer spanning the front of the case and coming up along one side thereof can be sealed together by a suitable ironing tool and then trimmed to provide an integral seam or flap 36 that can be folded upon itself. The upper and lower extremities of the plastic sheeting are then in sequence folded and sealed together by the ironing tool. Such upper and lower flaps which completed sealing of the envelope are designated at 37 and 38. Preferably, the desired characteristics of the plastic material of the envelope 35 lends the same susceptible to a heating action that will serve to shrink the envelope about the case 31.

Now the relatively simple manipulation of the plastic sheeting readily accomplishes two important purposes in that by being adapted to be tautened when sealed and shrunk about the case 31 the completed envelope 35 becomes substantially skintight and holds the same in a firm position with regard to the glass sheets which serves to prevent inadvertent shifting or jarring of the sheets one against the other. Moreover, the sealed condition of the plastic affords an effective barrier against the ingress of moisture and dust. In other words, sweating or other weathering of the surfaces of the sheets has been found to be substantially reduced, if not completely eliminated, with a resulting minimum amount of glass loss.

As herein above noted, the relatively large number of various dimensional sizes and thicknesses of glass sheets has imposed a serious problem for many years. Since the initial packaging of glass sheets involves only a previously prescored panel and a length of plastic sheeting, a ready solution to the problem is readily apparent.

The envelope 35 is now encompassed in a frame 40 formed by the assembly of a plurality of bars or logs 4I of a cushioning material, such as fiberboard, which is known to possess considerable strength or resistance against crushing. As viewed in FIG. 1, the logs 41 are arranged around the perimeter of the envelope and held together to fonn the frame 40 by a plastic envelope 45. This is accomplished by placing the case 31 in the envelope 35 on a length of plastic sheeting, locating the logs 41 thereabout and then heat-sealing the respective side and end areas of the sheet together. As noted earlier, the two side portions when sealed fon'n an integral seam or flap 46 with the end areas forming

similar flaps

47 and 48. The outer envelope 45, while retaining the logs of the frame 410 firmly about the envelope 35, creates a further barrier against entry of moisture and dust.

MODIFIED FORM OF THE INVENTION With reference now to FIG. 4, the modified form of package 50 contemplates a stack of glass sheets 51 that are provided in the corner areas with protective caps 52. As known in the art, such caps are usually of a corrugated paper construction which is precut and scored to fit over the edges of the sheets, as at 53, and the adjacent surfaces of the outermost sheets of the stack, as at 54. The glass sheets and comer caps are then assembled between a back panel 56 and front panel 57 of corrugated paperboard or like material. The sheets 51 within the

panels

56 and 57 are then received in an envelope 60 of heatsealable plastic material. The plastic is sealed to form side and end flaps, such as side flap indicated by the numeral 61 and the top and

bottom flaps

62 and 63, respectively, thereby providing a relatively taut, moisture and dust-proof envelope about the glass sheets.

The envelope 60 is then placed on a length of plastic sheeting and a frame 65 is fonned thereabout by the logs 66 of fiberboard. Proceeding according to the above-described manner, a like, outer envelope 70 is formed to contain the frame 65 and firmly hold the logs against the sides of the envelope 60. This is achieved by sealing the sides of the sheeting to create the seams of the sides and ends thereof, such as the side flap 71, top flap 72 and bottom flap 73.

In comparing the structures of the package 20, as produced according to the preferred form of invention, as in FIG. 1 and the type of package 50 illustrated in FIG. 4, it is evident the modified embodiment does not include a panel having flanged elements that enclose the edges of the sheets. This, on the other hand, provides a package of glass sheets in which the edges are protected by the corner caps 52 and the frame 65 while the planar surfaces will be covered and protected by the

panels

56 and 57.

Earlier reference has been made to thickness of the glass sheets which are usually of precut sizes intended for the glazing of windows or like openings. Such thickness, in the nomenclature of the glass industry, is commonly referred to as sheet glass of single strength and double strength." Obviously, a stack of single strength sheets with a total footage as of 50 square feet will have a total thickness that is less than a stack of double strength sheets of like footage.

The above-described ways of packaging glass sheets can, of course, be employed to advantage for the handling of polished plate glass and laminated or other types of automotive glass and whether or not the number and/or sizes of the sheets approximates 50 square feet.

In considering the ways in which the glass sheet packages can be transported, it is believed important to note that a package of glass sheets can be placed horizontally and stacked vertically on a pallet with like packages as illustrated in FIG. 6. Alternatively, the packages can be stood on edge on a skid, pallet or like movable platform. When a number of packages have been arranged in either manner, they are contained on the pallet 17, as by the envelope 16, to form what is referred to as a unitized pack. Likewise, the stack of packages can be secured on a pallet by metal banding when this means of forming a unitized pack is desired. In this way, the packages and pallet can be readily handled and transported until a final area of distribution has been reached. When piled or stacked one upon another, as above mentioned, the frames of the packages will serve to support the accumulative weight.

In this connection, when the packages are arranged in vertically stacked relation, there is a lesser possibility for the sheets to be broken by inadvertent damage to the edges. As hereinabove indicated in FIG. 7, by way of example, the frames 65 encompass the edge perimeters of the sheets which also are protected by the comer caps 52. This is believed to be one reason for effectively employing the modified form for packaging lass sheets of either thickness.

An equaly pertinent reason resides in the reduction in number and formation of prescored paperboard panels required for the packaging operations. This would be true since the width of the flanges for a case, such as the case 31, when containing single strength glass would be narrower than the width of the flanges for a case to contain double strength glass of the same dimensional area. In consequence, the type of scaled package of FIG. 4 is well adapted for packaging of all thicknesses of glass sheets and when arranged in a unitized pack.

We claim:

ll. A package of sheet material such as glass or the like, comprising a lot of individual sheets arranged in face to face relation, layers of cushioning material covering exposed edge and surface areas of said lot, an envelope of plastic material enclosing and shrunk onto said covered lot, strips of cushioning material covering edges of said plastic enclosed lot, and a second envelope of plastic material enclosing and shrunk onto said edge covered plastic enclosed lot.

2. A package as defined in claim 1 which includes a plurality of other such plastic enclosed lots of sheets assembled in face to face relation therewith, and a third and common envelope of plastic material enclosing and shrunk onto said assembly.

3. A package as defined in claim 1 in which said layers of cushioning material include panels covering said surface areas, and portions from at least one of said panels overlapping and covering said edge areas.

4. A package as defined in claim 1 in which said layers of cushioning material comprise a single sheet scored and folded to fit over and cover said edge and surface areas.

5. A package as defined in claim I in which said cushioning layers include cap members covering corners and adjacent edge and surface areas of said lot of sheets, and panels covering exposed surface areas thereof.

6. A package as defined in claim I in which said layers and strips of cushioning material are of fiber board.

7. A package as defined in claim 5 in which said cap members and said panels are of corrugated paper.

8. A method of packaging lots of sheet material such as glass or the like, comprising arranging the individual sheets of said lot in face to face relation, covering the exposed edge and surface areas of said lot with cushioning material, enveloping said covered lot in a sheet of plastic material, shrinking said plastic into skintight contact with said covered lot, covering the edges of said enveloped lot with cushioning material, enveloping said edge covered enveloped lot in a second sheet of plastic material, and shrinking said second mentioned envelope into skintight engagement with the contents thereof.

It t El 19 I01

Claims

1. A package of sheet material such as glass or the like, comprising a lot of individual sheets arranged in face to face relation, layers of cushioning material covering exposed edge and surface areas of said lot, an envelope of plastic material enclosing and shrunk onto said covered lot, strips of cushioning material covering edges of said plastic enclosed lot, and a second envelope of plastic material enclosing and shrunk onto said edge covered plastic enclosed lot.

5. A package as defined in claim 1 in which said cushioning layers include cap members covering corners and adjacent edge and surface areas of said lot of sheets, and panels covering exposed surface areas thereof.

6. A package as defined in claim 1 in which said layers and strips of cushioning material are of fiber board.