Packaging insert for product separation and protection

Abstract

Manufacturers of extruded profiles have two major problems with the present packaging material, i.e. a too low stability and the fact that the profiles are not separated in the package. Extruded profiles are often manufactured in short series, which puts high demands on short turnaround times, also when packaging the profiles. Another demand is that the products should be packed so as to take up the smallest volume possible. The present invention solves this problem by folding a sheet to form partition walls (B) on which a second insert is resting, so that each profile is completely separated from the others and each layer is only carrying its own weight. The sheet may be folded so that the compartments assume different height and width, both within a layer and between different layers. The stability is obtained by attaching, preferably by gluing, the partition walls, or, alternatively, the folded sheet, on a base plate (A) which may consist of the same material as the partition walls. The packaging insert is manufactured using an apparatus in which the dimensions of the insert are continuously adjustable, so that products with different dimensions may be packed in the same package.

1 . Packaging insert comprising at least one comb-construction, wherein said comb construction comprises a base plate (A) with thereon attached longitudinal, parallel partition walls (B), characterized in that the partition walls consists of a dubble folded sheet which is shaped so that a part of the sheet is forming a T-flange which is attached to the base plate so that the partition wall is forming a 90 degree, or approximately 90 degree, angle to the base plate.  
     
     
         2 . Packaging insert according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the partition walls are attached by gluing.  
     
     
         3 . Packaging insert comprising several comb constructions, according to any of claims  1  or  2 , in successive layers.  
     
     
         4 . Packaging insert according to  claim 3 , characterized in that the height of the partition walls in the individual layers is not the same.  
     
     
         5 . Packaging insert according to any of claims  3  or  4 , characterized in that the distance between the partition walls in the individual layers is not the same.  
     
     
         6 . Packaging insert according to any of claims  3  or  4 , characterized in that the distances between the partition walls within one individual layer are not the same.  
     
     
         7 . Packaging insert according to any of claims  1 - 6 , characterized in that it is manufactured by a natural fibre material.  
     
     
         8 . Packaging insert according to claims  7 , characterized in that the natural fiber material is carton, paper, solid board or paperboard.  
     
     
         9 . Packaging insert according to any of claims  7  or  8 , characterized in that the the material has a basis weight of 200-600 g/M 2 .  
     
     
         10 . Packaging insert according to any of claims  1 - 6 , characterized in that it is made of plastics or is a laminate.  
     
     
         11 . Packaging insert according to any of claims  1 - 10 , characterized in that the base plate has a width of 50-500 mm.  
     
     
         12 . Method of manufacturing a packaging insert according to any of claims  1 - 11 , characterized in that longitudinal, parallel partition walls (B) are attached on at least one side of the base plate (A).  
     
     
         13 . Method of manufacturing a packaging insert according to  claim 12 , characterized in that the partition walls are formed by dubble folding a sheet so that a part of the sheet is forming a T-flange.  
     
     
         14 . Method of manufacturing a packaging insert according to any of claims  12  or  13 , characterized in that the partition walls are attached to the base plate by gluing.  
     
     
         15 . Method of manufacturing a packaging insert according to any of claims  12 - 14 , characterized in that, after packaging of objects in the formed compartments, at least one more comb construction is placed on top of the first one.  
     
     
         16 . Method of manufacturing a packaging insert according to any of claims  12 - 15 , characterized in that several layers of comb constructions are placed on top of each other so that longitudinal compartments are formed and that the partition walls of the compartments are higher than the objects to be packed.  
     
     
         17 . Method of manufacturing a packaging insert according to any of claims  12 - 16 , characterized in that the comb construction is put in a fixture.  
     
     
         18 . Method of manufacturing a packaging insert according to any of claims  12 - 17 , characterized in that the comb construction is put in a wrapping.  
     
     
         19 . Use of a packaging insert according to any of claims  1 - 12  for the packaging of longitudinal objects.  
     
     
         20 . Use of a packaging insert according to  claim 19 , in which the longitudinal objects are extruded aluminium profiles.  
     
     
         21 . Apparatus for manufacturing packaging inserts comprising a feed unit ( 1 ) for the material for a base plate and a feed unit ( 2 ) for the material for the partition walls, characterized in that the feed direction of the base plate runs in parallel to the feed direction for the partition walls.  
     
     
         22 . Apparatus for manufacturing packaging inserts according to  claim 21 , characterized in that a cutting tool for the cutting of a sheets aimed to become partition walls is located at the end of feeder band  2 .  
     
     
         23 . Apparatus for manufacturing packaging inserts according to claim  21 - 22 , characterized in that the width of the feed unit for the partition wall material is continuously adjustable.  
     
     
         24 . Apparatus for manufacturing packaging inserts according to claim  21 - 23 , characterized in that the longitudinal feed adjustment of the feed unit for the base plate is continuously adjustable.  
     
     
         25 . Apparatus for manufacturing packaging inserts according to claim  21 - 24 , characterized in that a cutting tool for the base plate is located above feeder band  1 .