METHOD FOR PACKING AND UNPACKING FLAT SUBSTRATES

Abstract

A method for packing flat substrates, more particularly glass substrates, in a packaging box is provided. The method include the steps of: providing a base part of the packaging box, the base part comprising a lower wall and preferably four side walls, placing a flat substrate directly or indirectly on the lower wall of the base part of the packaging box, placing an intermediate layer directly or indirectly on the placed flat substrate, forming a stack of flat substrates and intermediate layers therebetween by repeating the preceding two steps, and setting a cover part of the packaging box on the base part of the packaging box.

Claims

1. A method for packing flat glass substrates in a packaging box, comprising: providing a base part of the packaging box, the base part comprising a lower wall and a plurality of lateral walls; placing a flat glass substrate directly or indirectly onto the lower wall such that way that a lateral space remains between the flat glass substrate and each of the plurality of lateral walls; placing an interlayer directly or indirectly onto the flat glass substrate such that the interlayer protrudes laterally beyond the flat glass substrate into the lateral space; repeating the steps of placing of the flat glass substrate and the interlayer to form a stack; fitting a cover part of the packaging box onto the base part such that the stack is covered by the base part and the cover part.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: inserting a centering aid in the lateral space bordering each of the plurality of lateral walls before the steps of placing of the flat glass substrate and the interlayer to form the stack, wherein the centering aid is shorter than the plurality of lateral walls and leaves corners at adjacent walls of the plurality of walls free of the centering aid; and removing the centering aid before the step of fitting of the cover part.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of lateral walls comprises four lateral walls and the step of inserting the centering aid comprises inserting four centering aids with one of the four centering aids bordering each one of the four lateral walls.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the centering aid comprises a hollow section plate having a hollow section facing the stack.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the hollow section plate comprises a material selected from a group consisting of: rubber, ethylene-propylene-diene rubber, plastic, and polypropylene.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising placing an underlayer directly or indirectly onto the lower wall before the step of placing the flat glass substrate onto the lower wall, wherein the underlayer extends to at least one of the plurality of lateral walls, wherein the underlayer has a recess sized and positioned to receive the centering aid.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising placing the interlayer directly or indirectly onto the underlayer before the step of placing the flat glass substrate onto the lower wall.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the underlayer has an automation camera-detectable feature selected from a group consisting of: a color that differs from the packaging box, a color that differs from the interlayer, a pattern that differs from the packaging box, a pattern that differs from the interlayer, and any combinations thereof.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising, before the step of fitting the cover part onto the base part: placing an overlayer directly or indirectly onto the stack, wherein the overlayer protrudes into the lateral space and has a recess sized and positioned to receive the centering aid; and placing a foam element directly or indirectly onto the overlayer.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising placing the interlayer directly or indirectly onto the stack before the step of placing the overlay.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the foam element comprises one or more recesses each sized and configured to receive a desiccant pouch.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the interlayer has a feature selected from a group consisting of: opposite surfaces different surface roughnesses, a lower surface with higher surface roughness that an upper surface, a pH between 5 and 9, a pH between 6 and 8, a pH between 7 and 8, an interlayer thickness that is larger than a thickness of the flat substrate, an interlayer thickness that is 1.25 times larger than a thickness of the flat substrate, and an interlayer thickness that is 1.5 times larger than a thickness of the flat substrate.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising a step selected from a group consisting of: pressing the cover part onto the base part so as to compress the foam element, encircling the packaging box with tape to fasten the cover part on the base part, enclosing the packaging box in an envelope and generating a vacuum in the envelope, enclosing the packaging box in an envelope and introducing a protective gas into the envelope, and any combinations thereof.

14. A package of flat glass substrates, comprising: a packaging box having a base part and a cover part, wherein the base part comprises a lower wall and a plurality of lateral walls, and wherein the cover part comprises an upper wall and a corresponding plurality of lateral walls; a stack of flat glass substrates with interlayers therebetween, wherein the stack is directly or indirectly on the lower wall; and a lateral space between the stack and the plurality of lateral walls of the base part, wherein the interlayers protrude beyond the flat substrates and into the lateral space.

15. The package of flat glass substrates of claim 14, further comprising an underlayer between the lower wall and the stack, wherein the underlayer protrudes laterally beyond the stack and into the lateral space.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the underlayer has an automation camera-detectable feature selected from a group consisting of: a color that differs from the packaging box, a color that differs from the interlayer, a pattern that differs from the packaging box, a pattern that differs from the interlayer, and any combinations thereof.

17. The package of flat glass substrates of claim 14, further comprising an overlayer between the upper wall of the cover part and the stack, wherein the overlayer protrudes laterally beyond the stack and into the lateral space.

18. The package of flat glass substrates of claim 17, further comprising a foam element between the overlayer and the upper wall of the cover part.

19. The package of flat glass substrates of claim 14, wherein the interlayer has a feature selected from a group consisting of: opposite surfaces different surface roughnesses, a lower surface with higher surface roughness that an upper surface, a pH between 5 and 9, a pH between 6 and 8, a pH between 7 and 8, an interlayer thickness that is larger than a thickness of the flat substrate, an interlayer thickness that is 1.25 times larger than a thickness of the flat substrate, and an interlayer thickness that is 1.5 times larger than a thickness of the flat substrate.

20. A method for unpacking packed flat glass substrates from a packaging box, comprising: removing a cover part of the packaging box from a base part of the packaging box, the base part having a stack of flat glass substrates with interlayers therebetween, the flat glass substrates having a lateral space between the flat glass substrates and lateral walls of the base part, the interlayers protruding laterally beyond the flat substrates and into the lateral space; and withdrawing one of the flat substrates from the stack while holding the underlying interlayer downward at the regions protruding into the lateral space.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0060] The invention is elucidated in more detail below with a number of figures, in which:

[0061] FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a base part of the packaging box with inserted underlayer and inserted centering aids,

[0062] FIG. 2 shows a plan view of a base part of the packaging box with inserted underlayer, inserted centering aids, and an emplaced interlayer,

[0063] FIG. 3 shows a plan view of a base part of the packaging box with inserted underlayer, inserted centering aids, an emplaced interlayer, and an emplaced flat substrate,

[0064] FIG. 4 shows a plan view of a base part of the packaging box with a stack of flat substrates with interlayers therebetween,

[0065] FIG. 5 shows a lateral sectional representation of a packaging box with a base part, a top part and, packed therein, a stack of flat substrates with interlayers therebetween.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0066] FIGS. 1-5 show different, successive stages of an illustrative method for packing flat substrates 200. FIG. 5, moreover, serves as a representation of packed flat substrates in accordance with the illustrative method.

[0067] With reference to FIG. 5, the packaging box 10 comprises a base part 20 and also a cover part 30 which can be fitted onto the base part. The base part 20 has a lower wall 22 and lateral walls 24, and the lateral walls 24 may be foldable. In a similar way, the cover part 30 has an upper wall 32 and also lateral walls 34, which likewise may be foldable. Instead of foldable side mountings of the packaging box, the boxes may also have a fixed side part which after having been folded, for example, can no longer be folded out. The packaging box 10, the base part 20 and/or the cover part 30 may comprise hollow section elements or consist thereof and/or may contain or consist of polypropylene (PP), in particular in order to ensure secure jacketing of the substrates being packed.

[0068] With reference to FIG. 1, for the method for packing, first the base part 20 is provided and an underlayer 500 is placed on the lower wall 22 of the base part 20. In addition, centering aids 400 are inserted into the base part 20 onto the lower wall 200 and bordering the lateral walls 24. For this, the underlayer 500 has recesses 510 on the marginal side for the centering aids 400. The underlayer 500 is a stiff plate and may comprise or consist of polypropylene (PP), for example.

[0069] With reference to FIG. 2, in a subsequent step, a first interlayer 300, which in particular is embodied as an interlayer paper, is placed onto the underlayer 500 and hence indirectly onto the lower wall 22 of the base part. The interlayer 300 in turn has recesses 310 for the centering aids.

[0070] Referring to FIG. 3, in a subsequent step, a flat substrate 200, more particularly a glass sheet, is placed onto the interlayer 300 and hence indirectly onto the lower wall 22 of the base part. The flat substrate 200 is emplaced in such a way that there is a lateral spacing A remaining between the flat substrate 200 and each of the side walls 24. Aiding for this purpose are, in particular, the centering aids 400 (guiding blocks). The guiding blocks at the sides may also contribute to the stabilization.

[0071] With reference to FIG. 4, in a following step, in alternation, further interlayers 300 and flat substrates 200 are placed on, to form a stack 100 with flat substrates 200 and interlayers 300 therebetween. The interlayers 300 each have an excess size in relation to the flat substrates, and so protrude beyond the flat substrate 200 and into the lateral spacing A.

[0072] In other words, the interlayer paper is larger than glass sheets and there is at least one recess in the interlayer material, with the glass sheet not extending into the region of this recess, meaning that the interlayer paper in the region of the recess without glass sheets is accessible from the side.

[0073] Before the packaging box 10 is closed by the fitting of the cover part 30, an overlayer 600, identical or similar to the underlayer 500, can be placed onto the stack 100, and may be embodied as a stiff plate. The underlayer 500 and/or the overlayer 600 contribute to the stabilization of the glass-paper stack. The underlayer 500, the interlayers 300 and/or the overlayer 600 have the lateral cut-outs for the centering aids in each case at the same position, so that the centering aids can remain in the base part during the packing method. More particularly the recesses are each outwardly open laterally in the center, in such a way that the underlayer, the interlayers and/or the overlayer project further at the corners (“puzzle shape”). The centering aids (guiding blocks) are preferably withdrawn before the cover part 30 is fitted.

[0074] With reference to FIG. 5, before the fitting of the cover part 30, a foam element 700 as well is placed onto the overlayer 600, with the foam element 700 protruding beyond the upper margin of the lateral walls 24 of the base part 20, so that on compression it exerts a pressure on the stack 100. The foam element 700 therefore serves for compression and/or fastening of the stack 100. Lastly, the packaging box 10 may be provided additionally with strapping tapes and/or with a vacuum envelope.

[0075] Packed flat substrates, more particularly glass substrates, produced or producible in this way may be unpacked automatically, in particular at a different location. Illustratively, it is possible for this purpose first to remove the vacuum envelope and/or the strapping tapes, and to take off the cover part 30, the foam element 700 and/or the overlayer 600, in order to make the stack 100 accessible for automated unpacking.

[0076] Automated unpacking of the stack 100 may entail the lifting alternately of interlayers 300 and flat substrates 200 from the stack, where lifting from the stack 100 may be accomplished by suction - for example, a substrate 200 may be suctioned by means of a two-dimensional sucker.

[0077] In order to enable or facilitate automated lifting, the substrates 200 are preferably centered on the stack. In addition, the substrates 200 may be centered, for example, at a particular spacing relative to the interlayers 300, such as with a paper edge/glass edge spacing of 2 to 2.5 millimeters all round, for example. The interlayers 300 may correspond substantially to the dimensions of the base part (apart from recesses).

[0078] The surfaces of the interlayers 300 preferably have different embodiments on the top and bottom sides, where a smoother upper side and rougher lower side may be provided. By means of an asymmetric interlayer material of this kind, it is possible advantageously to exploit coefficients of friction or tribological effects. In particular, as a result of a rougher lower side, an interlayer 300 can be withdrawn more easily, since when the interlayer 300 is withdrawn, the underlying substrate (more particularly UTG) remains lying as a result. The flat substrates 200 typically adhere more strongly to a smooth surface. An advantage of effective adhesion of the substrates to a smoother upper side of the interlayers 300 is that the substrates do not slip on the interlayer or on the stack 100. It is noted that the adhesion of glass to paper when the glass is being withdrawn can be unproblematic, since a hold-down device for projecting paper can be utilized in order to prevent slipping.

[0079] During the lifting of the substrate 200, the underlying interlayer 300 is preferably held down. Holding down takes place preferably at the corners of the interlayer 300 or in the corners between adjacent lateral walls 24 of the base part of the packaging box. As a result of the holding down, the surface attraction between the substrate and the underlying interlayer is counteracted. The paper thickness is preferably tailored to automated unpacking and in particular is neither too low, to prevent handling problems, nor too high, to prevent problems with the glass surface.

[0080] While the substrates 200 and interlayers 300 are being withdrawn successively from the stack 100, the process may be monitored with a camera, with recognition of when all substrates 200 and/or interlayers 300 have been withdrawn from the stack 100. For this purpose, the packaging box may have a two-color design, in particular with an underlayer which is different in color, black for example, or comprises a pattern.