JP7757019B2 - Tape application edge surface processing device and tape application edge surface processing method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a technology for waterproofing the end faces of blanks for forming paper containers such as paper cups, and in particular to a tape-applied end face processing device and tape-applied end face processing method for covering the end faces of blanks with tape.

Conventionally, the material for paper containers such as paper cups has been a paper laminate in which a resin layer is laminated as a water-blocking layer on the surface of the base paper (paper substrate) that faces the inside of the container, because base paper alone has poor water resistance and gas barrier properties.
The inverted truncated cone-shaped body of a paper cup is formed by rolling up a blank punched into a fan shape, overlapping it so that one side end (the adhesive end) is on the inside and the other side end is on the outside, and gluing them together liquid-tightly.However, it is known that the end surface of one side end of the blank that will be on the inside side is treated so that the base paper is not exposed and water resistance is ensured.

Examples of edge treatments include skive hemming, in which the outer surface of the side edge of the blank is cut to approximately half its thickness, and the remaining approximately half-thick portion is folded back to the outer surface and glued to the cut-out area without any gaps (see, for example, Patent Document 1); covering processes in which a length of film is prepared, cut into short pieces, and attached to upper and lower sealing bars, and the blank is inserted into the narrow gap and heat-sealed from above and below; and covering processes in which a resin film is laminated onto the surface of the base paper as a waterproof layer, cut with selvedge protruding from the side edge of the base paper, and then folded back and attached to the back surface (see, for example, Patent Documents 2 and 3).

However, skive hemming processing can raise new hygiene issues, such as the generation of paper dust and glue stains. Furthermore, the coating process, in which a blank is sandwiched between upper and lower seal bars and heat-sealed while a film is attached to them, requires different film widths for each blank size to be processed, and the complex mechanism makes it difficult to process at high speeds. Furthermore, the coating process, in which a resin film is laminated onto the base paper and folded back, requires the resin film to be cut out to a size larger than the base paper, which increases the number of punching processes and reduces productivity, and the need for specialized processing processes and blanks makes it less versatile.

On the other hand, another edge treatment that does not cause these problems is an edge treatment in which separately prepared strips of water-resistant tape are attached to both the front and back sides of the side edges of the blank to cover the edge surfaces (see, for example, Patent Documents 4 to 6).

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-312636 JP 2012-020769 A Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 52-138280 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 57-063241 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-157526 Patent No. 5211849

However, when performing edge processing in which strips of tape are attached to the side edges of blanks as disclosed in Patent Documents 4 to 6, it is difficult to attach the strips of tape to the surface of the side edges of the blanks quickly and with high precision, and attachment defects such as wrinkling or curling of the tape can occur. Furthermore, even if the tape is attached to the surface of the side edges of the blanks, folding it back to cover the edge of the blank requires a complex mechanism and a lot of time. Therefore, it is difficult to say that the device structure has been sufficiently simplified or the production time has been shortened.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide a tape application edge processing device and tape application edge processing method that has a simple structure, prevents tape wrinkles and curling, and other bonding defects even when blank edge processing is performed at high speed, and can automatically fold the tape back to the back side of the blank while transporting the blank, thereby enabling edge processing using tape to be performed in a short time with a high yield and achieving high production efficiency.

The tape application edge surface processing device of the present invention is a tape application edge surface processing device that applies a long tape to an adhesive end of a blank to cover the end surface of the adhesive end of the blank,
a conveying mechanism that conveys the blank along a conveying path;
a blank heating mechanism, a tape bonding mechanism, a tape folding mechanism, and a welding mechanism are arranged along the transport path from the upstream side;
the blank heating mechanism is configured to heat the adhesive edge of the blank;
the tape joining mechanism is configured to supply the tape cut to a length corresponding to the adhesive end of the blank so that the longitudinal direction of the tape coincides with the blank transport direction, and to join the tape to the adhesive end region on one side of the blank while transporting the blank in a state where the tape protrudes from the adhesive end edge of the blank;
the tape folding mechanism is configured to fold back a protruding portion of the tape attached to the blank along an adhesive edge of the blank;
the welding mechanism is configured to attach the folded tape to an adhesive edge region on the other side of the blank ;
the welding mechanism includes a first welding unit having a lower seal bar that can move up and down and welds the free end of the folded-back tape to a part of the adhesive end region on the other side of the blank, and a second welding unit having a lower seal bar that welds the entire surface of the folded-back tape to the adhesive end region on the other side of the blank while the free end of the folded-back tape is temporarily fastened by the first welding unit,
the first welding portion includes a tape correction guide fixedly provided to maintain the folded tape in a folded state in which the folded tape is forcibly brought close to the other surface side of the blank,
The tape correction guide is disposed adjacent to the lower seal bar of the first welded portion .

In the tape application edge surface processing device of the present invention, it is preferable that the tape application mechanism feeds out the tape in synchronization with the transport speed of the blank by the transport mechanism.

In the tape application edge surface processing device of the present invention, the tape folding mechanism has an insertion passage with one side open through which the adhesive end of the blank passes while conveying the blank,
The insertion passage may have a folded wall whose angle with respect to the blank plane continuously decreases as the blank advances in the blank conveying direction.

In addition, in the tape application edge surface processing device of the present invention, it is preferable that the tape folding mechanism is folded in a manner such that a space is formed between the end surface of the adhesive end of the blank and the tape.

In addition, the tape application edge surface processing device of the present invention can be configured to have a tape temporary fastening mechanism between the tape application mechanism and the tape folding mechanism, which welds the tape to at least a portion of the adhesive end region on one side of the blank on the upstream side in the blank transport direction.

The tape application end surface processing method of the present invention is a tape application end surface processing method for covering an end surface of an adhesive end of a blank by applying a long tape to the adhesive end of the blank,
a blank heating step of heating the adhesive end portion of the blank conveyed along a conveyance path;
a tape joining step of supplying the tape cut to a length corresponding to the adhesive end of the blank so that the longitudinal direction of the tape coincides with the blank conveyance direction, and adhering the tape to the adhesive end region on one side of the blank while conveying the blank in a manner that protrudes from the adhesive end edge of the blank;
a tape folding step of folding back a portion of the tape attached to the blank that protrudes from the blank along the adhesive edge of the blank;
a welding step of attaching the folded tape to the adhesive end region on the other side of the blank ,
The welding step includes a first welding step of welding the free end of the folded tape to a part of the adhesive end region on the other side of the blank, and a second welding step of welding the entire surface of the folded tape to the adhesive end region on the other side of the blank while the free end of the folded tape is temporarily fastened in the first welding step.
In the first welding process, the folded tape is maintained in a folded state in which it is forced close to the other side of the blank by a tape correction guide, and the free end of the folded tape is welded by a lower seal bar arranged adjacent to the tape correction guide .

The tape application edge surface processing device and tape application edge surface processing method of the present invention include a blank heating mechanism that preheats the adhesive edge of the blank, a tape application mechanism that applies the tape to one side of the blank so that it protrudes from the adhesive edge, a tape folding mechanism that folds the protruding portion of the tape to the other side, and a welding mechanism that applies the folded tape to the blank. Essentially, the tape is applied to both the front and back sides of the adhesive edge of the blank, covering the edge surface, preventing exposure of the base paper at the edge surface and ensuring the desired water resistance. Furthermore, the simple structure allows these processes to be performed continuously, automatically, and with high precision, even when blank edge surface processing is performed at high speed. This prevents the occurrence of application defects such as wrinkling or curling of the tape, and allows the tape to be folded back to the back side of the blank while the blank is being transported. As a result, edge surface processing using tape can be performed in a short time and with a high yield, resulting in high production efficiency.
Furthermore, since the tape is cut to a length corresponding to the adhesive end of the blank in the tape joining mechanism, even when the blank specifications change, tape of a length corresponding to the blank can be supplied. This eliminates the need to change the width size of the tape when the blank specifications change, resulting in high versatility.

In addition, in a tape application end surface processing device in which the tape application mechanism is configured to unwind the tape in synchronization with the blank transport speed, the blank is transported in a pre-heated state while the tape is supplied in synchronization with this, so the blank and tape come into contact while moving at the same speed, and the tape T is applied to the blank B. Therefore, this can be done with high precision without causing wrinkles in the tape even under high-speed operation.

In addition, with a tape application end surface processing device that has a folding wall whose angle with respect to the blank plane continuously decreases as it progresses in the blank transport direction and has a tape folding mechanism with an insertion passage that is open on one side, simply by passing the tape through the insertion passage with the tape attached to the adhesive end area on one side of the blank while it is being transported, the tape is folded back nearly 180 degrees to the other side of the blank.This simple configuration allows the tape to be reliably folded back, and as a result, the tape can be attached to the adhesive end area on the other side of the blank with high precision, further improving production efficiency.

In addition, in a tape application edge processing device with a tape folding mechanism that folds the tape so that a space is formed between the adhesive end of the blank and the tape, the formation of a space between the blank's edge and the tape allows for variation in the blank's edge position and the tape folding accuracy. Furthermore, when the blanks are heat-sealed to assemble the final product, excess tape is melted and can be used as a resin material to fill the gaps that inevitably form between the blanks.

In addition, a tape application edge processing device having a tape temporary fastening mechanism that welds tape to at least a portion of the adhesive end area on one side of the blank upstream in the blank transport direction can reliably temporarily fasten at least the leading edge of the supplied tape in the blank transport direction to one side of the blank, and can reliably prevent the occurrence of wrinkles or misalignment of the tape when the tape is folded back in the tape folding mechanism, thereby allowing for greater precision in processing the edge of the blank using tape.

In addition, with a tape application edge processing device configured to have a first welding section that partially welds the tape to the adhesive end area on the other side of the blank, and a second welding section that welds almost the entire surface of the tape, the tape can be securely temporarily fastened to the other side of the blank by the first welding section, and then the second welding section can weld almost the entire surface of the tape.This reliably prevents wrinkles, misalignment, etc. from occurring when the entire tape is welded, and therefore allows the edge processing of blanks with tape to be performed with even greater precision.

Furthermore, according to a tape application end surface processing device in which the first welding section is equipped with a tape correction guide, the folded state of the tape can be reliably maintained by the tape correction guide while the tape can be welded to the adhesive end area on the other side of the blank, so the tape can be reliably temporarily fixed in the desired position without any misalignment, and therefore the end surface processing of the blank with tape can be performed with even greater precision.
Furthermore, if there is no component, such as a tape correction guide, that maintains or corrects the folded state of the tape by external force, etc., there is a risk that the elasticity of the tape will cause it to return to its original state or to an angle halfway thereto after being ejected from the tape folding mechanism.

1 is a schematic diagram (plan view) showing an example of the configuration of a blank and tape whose edge is treated by a tape application edge surface treatment device of the present invention; 1 is a schematic diagram (X-ray cross-sectional view) showing an example of the configuration of a blank and tape whose edge is treated by a tape-applying edge-face treatment device of the present invention; 1 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a taping edge surface processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a blank heating mechanism of the tape application end face processing apparatus of FIG. 2 . 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a blank heating mechanism of the tape application end face processing apparatus of FIG. 2. 10 is a schematic diagram (plan view) showing a state in which tape has been adhered to the front surface side of the blank by the tape adhering mechanism. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram (Y-line cross-sectional view) showing a state in which tape has been adhered to the front surface side of the blank by the tape adhering mechanism. FIG. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a tape joining mechanism of the taping edge surface processing apparatus of FIG. 2 . 3 is a side view showing a tape joining mechanism of the taping edge surface processing apparatus of FIG. 2. FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged side view showing a tape joining mechanism of the tape joining end face processing apparatus of FIG. 2. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a temporary tape fastening mechanism of the taping edge surface processing apparatus of FIG. 2. FIG. 3 is a side view showing a temporary tape fastening mechanism of the taping edge surface processing apparatus of FIG. 2. 10 is a schematic plan view showing a state in which tape is temporarily fastened to the front surface side of the blank by the tape temporary fastening mechanism. FIG. 3 is a side view showing a tape folding mechanism of the tape application end face processing device of FIG. 2. 3A to 3C are cross-sectional views showing respective cross sections of a tape folding mechanism of the tape application end face processing device of FIG. 2 . 3 is a perspective view showing a first welding part of the tape-applying edge surface processing device of FIG. 2. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a first welding portion of the tape-applying edge surface processing device of FIG. 2. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a second welding portion of the tape-applying edge surface processing device of FIG. 2. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a second welding portion of the tape-applying edge surface processing device of FIG. 2. FIG.

The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The tape-applied edge treatment device of the present invention is a device for continuously and automatically performing edge treatment by covering the edge of a blank, which is the material for a paper container such as a paper cup, with a long, strip-shaped tape. The purpose of such edge treatment is to prevent the base paper from being exposed at the adhesive end of the blank, which will be located on the inner surface of the container, thereby suppressing liquid penetration from the blank edge and ensuring high water resistance of the container.
The blank B, which is the object to be processed by the tape application edge surface processing device of the present invention, is used to form the body of a paper cup, for example, and is fan-shaped in plan view, as shown in Figure 1A. A fan shape is a shape obtained by cutting a single ring by two straight lines extending radially from a center point (the center of the fan) and forming an acute angle with each other. In the tape application edge surface processing device 100 of this embodiment, strips of tape T are applied to the side edge (adhesive edge) formed by the straight lines.

〔blank〕
The blank B can be obtained by punching a predetermined shape from the paper laminate 1. There are no particular limitations on the punching method, and it can be carried out using, for example, various known punching devices.
As shown in Figure 1B, the paper laminate 1 is formed by forming resin layers 3, 3, which serve as water-stopping layers, on both surfaces of the base paper 2, which is the main material. From the viewpoint of imparting water resistance to the paper container finally manufactured by assembling the blank B, this resin layer 3 only needs to be formed on the side that will become the inner surface of the container. The paper laminate 1 may also have a laminated structure of three or more layers, and each resin layer 3 may be made of a different resin material. Furthermore, for example, a barrier layer made of a metal vapor deposition layer, a printed layer, an adhesive layer, etc. may also be provided.

The thickness of the blank B (thickness of the paper laminate 1) is, for example, 150 to 450 μm.
Furthermore, the thickness of the resin layer 3 is a thickness that exhibits heat sealing properties when the blanks B are thermally bonded together to assemble the paper container, and can be, for example, in the range of 10 to 80 μm, and the thickness can be set according to the target areas to be bonded.

As the base paper 2, various known base papers can be used depending on the shape of the paper container, the desired strength, etc.
The base paper 2 preferably has a basis weight in the range of 150 to 330 g/m ² .

The resin layer 3 can be made of a variety of known water-resistant resin materials. Other preferred materials include polyolefin resins such as polyethylene and polypropylene, polyvinyl alcohol resin, acrylic resin, methacrylic resin, vinyl chloride resin, polyvinylidene chloride resin, vinyl acetate resin, polyurethane resin, polyester resins such as polyethylene terephthalate, polyamide resins such as nylon 6 and nylon 6,6, polystyrene resin, phenolic resin, and mixtures thereof, all of which offer both water resistance and heat sealability. Among these, polyethylene resin is preferred for its water resistance, heat sealability, and glass transition temperature.

〔tape〕
The tape T to be attached to the side edge of the blank B is made of a film having a surface layer of a resin with heat-sealing properties that allows it to be welded to the blank B, and may be of either a single-layer structure or a multi-layer structure.
The thickness of the tape T is preferably, for example, 50 to 100 μm, taking into consideration the folding property and durability.
An example of the layer structure of the tape T is a polyethylene resin layer (thickness 20 μm)/polyethylene terephthalate resin layer (thickness 12 μm)/polyethylene resin layer (thickness 20 μm).
The tape T is supplied to a tape joining mechanism 120, which will be described in detail later, as a roll of uncut, long, narrow tape wound up.
The width of the tape T is, for example, 5 to 20 mm, and preferably 10 mm. If the width of the tape T is too large, the tape folding mechanism will have to be large, and if the width of the tape T is too small, it may not be possible to reliably weld the tape T to the front and back sides of the side edges of the blank B.

[Tape-applying edge processing device]
A tape application edge surface processing apparatus 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention performs edge surface processing by applying a long tape T to a side edge (adhesion edge) of a blank B to cover an edge surface E of the side edge. As shown in FIG. 2 , the apparatus includes a transport mechanism 101 that transports the blank B along a transport path, a blank heating mechanism 110 that performs a blank heating step of heating the side edge of the blank B, and a tape application mechanism 120 that performs a tape application step of applying a half T1 (hereinafter referred to as the “left half”) consisting of approximately half the width of the tape T that has been cut in advance to an adhesive edge region A1 of the side edge on the surface (one side) of the blank B. The apparatus is equipped with a tape temporary fastening mechanism 130 that performs a tape temporary fastening process of welding the tape T to a portion of the adhesive end region A1 on the upstream side in the blank conveying direction, a tape folding mechanism 140 that performs a tape folding process of folding back the remaining half (hereinafter referred to as the "right half") T2 of the tape T protruding from the side edge F on the front side of the blank B to the back side (other side) along the side edge (adhesive edge) F of the blank B, a first welding unit 150 that performs a first welding process of temporarily fastening the folded tape T to the adhesive end region A2 on the other side of the blank B, and a second welding unit 160 that performs a second welding process of welding the entire surface of the folded tape T.

The blank heating mechanism 110, tape joining mechanism 120, tape temporary fastening mechanism 130, tape folding mechanism 140, first welding unit 150, and second welding unit 160 are arranged from the upstream side along a linear transport path, and each step of the tape joining edge processing method is performed at each location as the blank B is transported. Furthermore, the blank heating mechanism 110, tape joining mechanism 120, tape temporary fastening mechanism 130, tape folding mechanism 140, first welding unit 150, and second welding unit 160 are controlled to operate in conjunction with each other during intermittent transport by the transport mechanism 101. This allows the tape joining edge processing device 100 to continuously cover the edge E of the side edge of the blank B with tape T.
The edge processing speed of the blank B by the tape application edge processing device 100 of the present invention is set to 120 to 180 sheets/min, and preferably 150 sheets/min or more, for example.

[Transport mechanism]
The conveying mechanism 101 conveys the blanks B continuously and intermittently in one direction, specifically conveying the blanks B linearly so that the longitudinal direction of the end face E (the direction in which the side edge F extends) of the side end of the blank B to be end-face processed coincides with the conveying direction. The conveying mechanism 101 also has a conveying lane 102, and preferably supports the center of the blank B while conveying it so that the side end of the blank B to be end-face processed is suspended in midair (see FIG. 3B ), for example, so that 35 to 50 mm from the end face E of the blank B protrudes outward from the conveying lane 102.
The transport mechanism 101 of the tape application edge surface processing device 100 according to this embodiment employs a transport method using a belt conveyor with vacuum suction, but the specific transport method is not particularly limited as long as it is a method that can achieve the intermittent transport required by the present invention, and various known configurations can be employed. For example, a transport method in which the substrate is clamped by a clamping member may be employed.

[Blank heating mechanism]
The blank heating mechanism 110 heats the front and back surfaces of the side end portions of the blank B, thereby increasing the temperature of the entire blank B and melting the resin layer 3 on the front and back surfaces of the side end portions of the blank B.
3A and 3B, the blank heating mechanism 110 is specifically configured to include a heating unit 111 that heats the front side of the side edge of the blank B, and a heating unit 116 that heats the back side of the side edge of the blank B, both of which are provided on the transport path of the side edge of the blank B. By simultaneously heating the front and back sides of the side edge of the blank B, a sufficient amount of heat is applied to the side edge of the blank B, even when the edge surface of the blank B is processed at high speed, so that the temperature of the blank B can be reliably increased, and the tape T can be reliably bonded to the blank B in the subsequent tape bonding mechanism 120.
These heating sections 111, 116 are arranged on the conveying path at the side end of the blank B so as to be in a non-contact state with the blank B, thereby enabling the blank B to be heated simply by conveying it in the conveying direction and stopping it at a predetermined position.
Specifically, the heating units 111, 116 are hot air heaters, and the hot air outlets 112, 117 from which hot air is blown are arranged 3 to 8 mm (5 mm in this embodiment) away from the front and back surfaces of the side end portions of the blank B. The hot air outlets 112, 117 in this embodiment are formed from a large number of tiny holes arranged along a length approximately equal to the longitudinal direction of the side end portions of the blank B, but the shape of the hot air outlets is not limited as long as they can heat the side end portions of the blank B.
In the blank heating mechanism 110, it is sufficient to heat the area including the adhesive end areas A1 and A2 on the front and back sides of the side end of the blank B to a predetermined temperature, for example, an area 10 mm inward from the side edge F.
In this embodiment, the temperature of the hot air from the heating section 111 facing the front surface of the blank B can be, for example, 440°C, and the temperature of the hot air from the heating section 116 facing the back surface of the blank B can be, for example, 300°C. The temperatures of the heating sections 111, 116 for the front and back surfaces of the blank B may be the same, but because the tape T is bonded to the front surface of the side edge of the blank B in the tape bonding mechanism 120 described below, it is preferable to set the temperature of the heating section 111 facing the front surface of the blank B to be higher. If the temperatures of the heating sections 111, 116 are excessively high, there is a risk that the resin forming the resin layer 3 will foam due to moisture in the base paper 2 of the blank B.
The specific heating method of the blank B in the blank heating mechanism 110 is not limited to a method using hot air, and various known configurations can be adopted as long as it can heat the front and back surfaces of the side end portion of the blank B to a predetermined temperature. For example, a heating method using a direct flame plate may be adopted.

[Tape bonding mechanism]
As shown in Figures 4A and 4B, the tape joining mechanism 120 supplies tape T cut to a length corresponding to the side edge of blank B so that the longitudinal direction of the tape T coincides with the blank transport direction at the joining point P (see Figures 5B and 5C), and while transporting the blank B, joins the left half T1 of the tape T to the adhesive end region A1 on the front side of the blank B, and causes the right half T2 of the tape T to protrude outward (to the right in Figures 4A and 4B) from the side edge F of the blank B in an ear-out state.
In this example, the width of the tape T is 10 mm, the left half T1 of the tape T is 4.7 mm wide, and the remaining right half T2 is 5.3 mm wide.
Specifically, as shown in Figures 5A, 5B, and 5C, the tape bonding mechanism 120 has a tape transport unit 121 that unwinds uncut tape T from a roll of tape (not shown) and transports it along a tape transport path while applying tension using a tension roll or the like as necessary, a tape cutting unit 122 that cuts the tape T in the tape width direction perpendicular to the tape transport direction on the tape transport path, and a bonding unit 123 that is arranged downstream of the tape cutting unit 122 on the tape transport path and bonds the cut tape T to the adhesive end area A1 on the front side of the blank B.

The tape transport unit 121 is not limited to a specific configuration as long as it can transport an extremely thin tape T without meandering, but for example, it can be configured to transport the tape T on a conveyor by a tape transport belt 125 that can adsorb the tape T. It may also be configured to have a groove in which the tape T is transported while fitted into the groove. The tape transport belt 125 is stretched over a plurality of tension rollers, and is driven to circulate in one direction (clockwise in FIG. 5B ) by a drive roller among the tension rollers. Furthermore, the transport path of the tape T by the tape transport unit 121 has a section in which the tape T is transported vertically downward.
The tape transport unit 121 pays out the tape T in synchronization with the transport speed of the blank B by the transport mechanism 101, and transports it to the joining point P. Therefore, at the joining point P of the joining unit 123, the transport speed of the tape T and the transport speed of the blank B are the same, and the transport amounts of the blank B and the tape T are the same, so that the occurrence of wrinkles and misalignment in the tape T can be suppressed while the tapes are joined.

The tape cutting unit 122 is preferably positioned to cut the tape T in a section of the transport path where the tape transport unit 121 transports the tape T vertically downward. Since tension acts on the tape T in the longitudinal direction (vertically downward) due to its own weight when the tape is in a vertical position, the rigidity of the tape T increases and the stability of the transport of the tape T improves, thereby stably cutting the tape T. After being cut, the tape T is adsorbed and held by the tape transport belt 125 by the tape transport unit 121 and transported to the joining unit 123.
The position where the tape T is cut is indicated by a solid black arrow in FIG. 5B.
The tape T is cut in the tape width direction by the tape cutting unit 122, so the width of the original tape corresponds to the width of the tape T.

The bonding unit 123 is configured to include a drive roller 126, which is also a tension roller for the tape transport belt 125 of the tape transport unit 121, and a nip roller 127, which is arranged opposite the drive roller 126 and is driven to rotate in synchronization with the drive roller 126 so as to move in the same direction at the bonding point.
In the tape bonding mechanism 120, the uncut tape T is fed in the longitudinal direction, cut in the width direction of the tape T, and the cut tape T is fed in the longitudinal direction as well, while being supplied along the side edge F of the blank B. The feed speed of the tape T is synchronized with the feed speed of the blank B, so that when the blank B heated by the blank heating mechanism 110 and the tape T are stacked together and sandwiched between the drive roller 126 and the nip roller 127, the left half T1 of the tape T comes into contact with the adhesive end region A1 on the front side of the heated blank B at the bonding point P, and the resin layer 3 of the blank B is melted to a bondable state by pressure bonding, allowing the tape T to be bonded to this adhesive end region A1.
Here, the positional relationship of the drive roller 126 and nip roller 127 relative to the thickness of the blank B and tape T will be explained. The thickness of the blank B is approximately 0.4 mm, the thickness of the tape T is approximately 0.05 mm, and the gap between the drive roller 126 and nip roller 127 rolls is approximately 0.45 mm.
In this embodiment, the positional relationship between the nip rollers 127 and 128 is such that a gap of a size corresponding to the thickness of the tape T is left between the nip rollers 127 and 128, but the nip rollers 127 may also be arranged in a state in which they press the drive roller 126 so as to apply an appropriate nip pressure.

The region where the tape is applied to the blank B by the tape application mechanism 120 is the central region of the side edge of the blank B, excluding the upstream and downstream edges in the blank transport direction. The edge regions where the tape T is not applied are regions with a length t1 in the blank transport direction of approximately 5 mm±1 mm. In other words, the length h of the tape T cut by the tape cutting unit 122 is shorter than the length of the side edge of the blank B (e.g., 110 mm) and is a length (e.g., 100 mm) obtained by subtracting the length of the edge region where the tape T is not applied.
If the positional accuracy of the lamination is low, the end face covering effect may not be obtained properly, curling may be hindered when assembling the blank B, and the appearance may be impaired.
The end regions are not exposed inside the container because they become the curled portion of the opening or the bottom portion when the blank B is assembled.

The specific amount of protrusion of the tape T outward from the adhesive end region A1 on the front side of the blank B varies slightly depending on the width of the tape T, but it is sufficient that it is securely attached to the front and back sides of the side end of the blank B and covers the end face E. For example, it is preferable that it be 20 to 80% of the width of the tape T after deducting the length of the end face E, and more preferably 50%.

The specific method of adhering the tape T to the blank B in the lamination unit 123 is not limited to the method of pressing using two rollers, and various known configurations can be used. For example, a method using a seal bar (heat plate) or an ultrasonic method may be used. Furthermore, depending on the welding method used, welding can be performed while the blank B is stationary, rather than while it is being transported.

[Tape temporary fastening mechanism]
As shown in Figure 6A, the tape temporary fastening mechanism 130 is arranged between the tape joining mechanism 120 and the tape folding mechanism 140, and temporarily fastens the tape T to the surface side of the blank B in order to prevent the tape T from peeling off from the blank B in the tape folding mechanism 140 described below, or to improve the folding accuracy of the tape T.
The tape T can be temporarily fastened by welding the left half T1 of the tape T to at least a portion of the upstream side in the blank transport direction (the blank leading edge side) of the adhesive end region A1 on the front side of the blank B. That is, at least the leading edge side in the blank transport direction of the left half T1 of the tape T can be welded to the blank leading edge side of the adhesive end region A1 on the front side of the blank B. Specifically, for example, an area extending 63 mm longitudinally from the leading edge (top end in FIG. 7 ) of the left half T1 of the tape T and spanning the entire width (5 mm) of the left half T1 of the tape T in the width direction can be welded to the blank B.
The tape T may be temporarily fastened over the entire adhesive end region A1, that is, over the entire left half T1 of the tape T.

Specifically, as shown in Figure 6B, the tape temporary fastening mechanism 130 is configured to include an upper seal bar 131 that can move up and down and heats the front side of the side end of the blank B, which is provided on the conveying path of the side end of the blank B, and a fixed lower seal bar 136 that heats the back side of the side end of the blank B.
As shown in Figure 7, the upper seal bar 131 and the lower seal bar 136 each have a size corresponding to the area to be temporarily fastened on the left half T1 of the tape T (widthwise length of 5 mm, blank conveying direction length t2 of 63 mm).
By lowering the upper seal bar 131 while the blank B is held in a predetermined position, the predetermined area where the tape T on the side edge of the blank B should be temporarily fastened is sandwiched between the upper seal bar 131 and the lower seal bar 136, thereby enabling the temporary fastening process. When the upper seal bar 131 is in the raised position, the space between the upper seal bar 131 and the lower seal bar 136 becomes a transport path for the side edge of the blank B, allowing the blank B to pass through.
In this embodiment, the temperature of the upper seal bar 131 can be, for example, 130°C, and the temperature of the lower seal bar 136 can be, for example, 60°C. The temperatures of the upper seal bar 131 and the lower seal bar 136 are preferably set so that the temperature of the upper seal bar 131 is higher, since the tape T is temporarily fastened to the surface side of the side edge of the blank B. If the temperature of the lower seal bar 136 is excessively high, there is a risk that the blank B will stick to the lower seal bar 136. The temperatures of the upper seal bar 131 and the lower seal bar 136 may be set higher, as long as problems such as the tape T or the blank B sticking to them do not occur.
In this embodiment, the surfaces of the upper seal bar 131 and the lower seal bar 136 that come into contact with the blank B and the tape T are subjected to temperature control and surface treatment such as fluororesin processing in order to prevent the resin layers of the blank B and the tape T from sticking to these seal bars 131, 136.
The specific method of welding the tape T to the blank B in the tape temporary fastening mechanism 130 is not limited to a method using a seal bar (hot plate), and various known configurations can be used as long as the tape T can be temporarily fastened to the blank B. For example, a pressure bonding method using a fixing roller or an ultrasonic method may be used. Furthermore, depending on the welding method used, welding can be performed while the blank B is being conveyed, rather than while the conveyance of the blank B is stagnant.

[Tape folding mechanism]
As shown in FIG. 8, the tape folding mechanism 140 has an insertion passage 141 extending in the blank conveying direction, through which the side edge of the blank B passes while being conveyed.
The insertion passage 141 is open on one side (the front side in FIG. 8 ) along the blank conveyance direction, allowing the side end of the blank B to pass through during conveyance. The insertion passage 141 has a ceiling wall 142 arranged to face the front side (upper side in FIG. 8 ) of the blank B on the plane along which the conveyed blank extends (hereinafter referred to as the "blank plane"), a folding wall 143 whose angle with respect to the blank plane continuously decreases as the blank B is conveyed in the blank conveyance direction, and a rear wall 144 connecting the ceiling wall 142 and the folding wall 143. In other words, the folding wall 143 has a different slope depending on its position along the blank conveyance direction, and the slope of the wall surface changes continuously or stepwise as the blank moves in the blank conveyance direction.
The inner surface of the insertion passage 141 of the tape folding mechanism 140 in this embodiment, i.e., the surface that comes into contact with the blank B or the tape T, is subjected to a surface treatment such as a fluororesin processing treatment to ensure non-adhesion and low friction with the blank B or the tape T.

When blank B, with the left half T1 of tape T attached to its surface and the right half T2 protruding from the side edge F, is passed through the insertion passage 141, the tape T interferes with the rear wall 144 and the folding wall 143, causing the right half T2 of tape T to automatically fold toward the back side of blank B, and finally is folded 180 degrees so that it is close to and facing the back side of blank B.

Specifically, Figure 9(a) shows a cross section at a position 2 mm away from the entrance A of the insertion passage 141 in the blank conveying direction, where the ceiling wall 142 is not provided close to the entrance A, and the folded wall 143 is formed integrally with the rear wall 144 in a flat plate shape and at an angle to the ceiling wall 142, but the folded wall 143 and the rear wall 144 are spaced apart enough so as not to come into contact with the tape T, and therefore the tape T cannot be folded.
9(b) shows a cross section at a position 10 mm away from the entrance A of the insertion passage 141 in the blank conveying direction, where the ceiling wall 142 is spaced, for example, 1.05 mm from the blank plane. The folding wall 143 at this position is formed as a flat plate integral with the rear wall 144, and is 0.68 mm horizontally from the end face E of the blank B and has a slope of 114° relative to the blank plane. The tape T is folded in one step along the rear wall 144 and the folding wall 143.
9(c) shows a cross section at a position 20 mm away from the entrance A of the insertion passage 141 in the blank conveying direction, where the ceiling wall 142 is provided very close to the blank plane (separation distance d1 = 0.05 mm), and the folding wall 143 at this position is formed as a flat plate integral with the rear wall 144, with a horizontal distance of 0.2 mm from the end face E of the blank B and a slope of 104° relative to the blank plane. The tape T is folded along the rear wall 144 and the folding wall 143.
9(d) shows a cross section at a position 30 mm away from the entrance A of the insertion passage 141 in the blank conveying direction, where the ceiling wall 142 is located in the same position as in FIG. 9(c), and the folding wall 143 at this position is formed as a flat plate integral with the rear wall 144, with a horizontal distance d2 of 0.2 mm from the end face E of the blank B and an angle of 90° with respect to the blank plane. The tape T is folded along the rear wall 144 and the folding wall 143.
9(e) shows a cross section at a position 40 mm away from the entrance A of the insertion passage 141 in the blank conveying direction, and at this position the ceiling wall 142 is provided in the same position as in FIG. 9(c), and the rear wall 144 at this position is 0.2 mm horizontally from the end face E of the blank B, forms an angle of 90° with respect to the blank plane, and has a vertical length (vertical length in FIG. 9) of 0.6 mm, and the folding wall 143 is continuous with the rear wall 144 and has a slope at an angle of 68° with respect to the blank plane. The tape T is folded in one step along the rear wall 144, and then folded in another step along the folding wall 143.
9(f) shows a cross section at a position 50 mm away from the entrance A of the insertion passage 141 in the blank conveying direction, where the ceiling wall 142 is provided in the same position as in FIG. 9(c), the rear wall 144 is provided in the same position as in FIG. 9(e), and the folding wall 143 is continuous with the rear wall 144 and has a slope of 37° with respect to the blank plane. The tape T is folded along the folding wall 143.
9(g) shows a cross section at a position 60 mm away from the entrance A of the insertion passage 141 in the blank conveying direction, where the ceiling wall 142 is provided in the same position as in FIG. 9(c), the rear wall 144 is provided in the same position as in FIG. 9(e), and the folding wall 143 is continuous with the rear wall 144 and has a slope of 9.5° with respect to the blank plane. The tape T is folded along the folding wall 143.
Figure 9(h) shows a cross section at a position 68 mm away from the entrance A of the insertion passage 141 in the blank conveying direction, where the ceiling wall 142 is located in the same position as in Figure 9(c), and the rear wall 144 is located in the same position as in Figure 9(e). The folding wall 143 is continuous with the rear wall 144 and has a slope of 0° with respect to the blank plane, so that the tape T is further folded along the folding wall 143, resulting in a state in which the left half T1 of the tape T attached to the surface side of the blank B is folded nearly 180°.

In the tape folding mechanism 140, the right half T2 of the tape T to be folded is bent along the rear wall 144 and the folding wall 143, so that the tape T folded along the rear wall 144, which is slightly spaced apart from the end face E of the blank B, is folded without coming into contact with the end face E of the side end of the blank B.
Since the tape T is welded in this state, the resulting edge-processed blank B has a minute space formed between the edge E of the blank B and the tape T. Here, "not contacting the edge E of the blank B" means that a space can be formed between the edge E and the folded-back tape T, and means that the length of the tape T from the side edge on the front side of the blank B to the side edge on the back side is greater than the length in the thickness direction of the edge E (i.e., the thickness of the blank B), and includes the case where a portion of the floating tape T is in contact with the edge E.
In the edge-processed blank B obtained by the tape application edge processing device 100 of this embodiment, the width of the left half T1 of the tape T welded to the adhesive edge area A1 on the front side of the side end of the blank B is 4.7 mm, the width of the remaining right half T2 welded to the adhesive edge area A2 on the back side is 4.7 mm, and the width of the non-welded portion facing the edge E is 0.6 mm.
The space formed between the end face E of the end face-processed blank B obtained by the tape application end face processing device 100 of this embodiment and the tape T is a very small space as described above, but this is not essential and the device may be configured to form a larger space.

In the tape folding mechanism 140 of this embodiment, the folding of the tape T is achieved through a single insertion passage 141 whose internal wall structure changes continuously, but the specific configuration of the tape folding mechanism 140 is not limited to the above embodiment, and it may be configured to fold gradually using multiple stations, or it may be configured to fold while the blank B is stopped from being transported, rather than while it is being transported.

[First welded part]
The tape application edge surface processing device 100 of this embodiment has a welding mechanism that attaches the folded tape T to the adhesive end area A2 on the back surface of the blank B, and this welding mechanism consists of a first welding section 150 that temporarily fastens the folded tape T to the adhesive end area A2 on the back surface of the blank B, and a second welding section 160 that welds the entire surface of the folded tape T to the adhesive end area A2 on the back surface of the blank B.
The first welding section 150 is located near the exit of the insertion passage 141 of the tape folding mechanism 140, and is intended to temporarily fasten the tape T folded back to the back side of the blank B, maintaining the folded state of the tape T and providing it to the second welding section 160.
The tape T can be temporarily fastened to the back side of the blank B by welding a portion of the right half T2 of the tape T to an inward region in the width direction (left-right direction in FIG. 10B ) perpendicular to the blank conveyance direction in the adhesive end region A2 on the back side of the blank B. For example, a region 2.2 mm wide from the free end (the right end before being folded back) of the tape T folded back to the back side of the blank B, and extending from the leading end to the trailing end in the blank conveyance direction, can be welded to the adhesive end region A2 on the back side of the blank B.

Specifically, as shown in Figures 10A and 10B, the first welding section 150 is equipped with a tape correction guide 155 that supports the area of the tape T other than the temporary fastening area to the back side of the blank B and maintains the folded state in which the tape T folded by the tape folding mechanism 140 is forcibly brought close to the other side of the blank B, and is further equipped with a fixed upper seal bar 151 that is provided on the transport path of the side end of the blank B and heats the front side of the side end of the blank B, and a lower seal bar 156 that can be moved up and down and heats the back side of the side end of the blank B.
The tape correction guide 155 is made up of a non-heating bar that supports the tape T in a state where it is pushed upward from below, facing the upper seal bar 151, and a lower seal bar 156 is disposed adjacent to the tape correction guide 155 and facing the upper seal bar 151. The tape correction guide 155 and the lower seal bar 156 are spaced apart from each other by, for example, about 0.5 mm in the horizontal direction.
In Figure 10B, the area indicated by fine diagonal lines within the upper seal bar 151 indicates the portion facing the left half T1 of the tape T (size: width length 4.7 mm, length in the blank transport direction 100 mm), and the area indicated by fine diagonal lines within the lower seal bar 156 indicates the portion facing the area to be temporarily fastened on the right half T2 of the tape T (size: width length 2.2 mm, length in the blank transport direction 100 mm).
The tape correction guide 155 is fixedly provided, and since the exit of the insertion passage 141 of the tape folding mechanism 140 and the space between the upper seal bar 151 and the tape correction guide 155 at the first welding portion 150 are substantially continuous, the blank B can be transported to a predetermined heating point while maintaining the folded state of the tape T.
By using a non-heating bar as the tape correction guide 155, the tape T is prevented from contacting the seal bar for a long period of time, and thermal shrinkage of the tape T can be suppressed.
The surfaces of the tape correction guide 155 in this embodiment that come into contact with the blank B or the tape T are subjected to a surface treatment such as a fluororesin processing treatment in order to prevent the resin layer of the blank B or the tape T from sticking to the tape correction guide 155.

By raising the lower seal bar 156 while the blank B is held in a predetermined position, the side edge of the blank B is sandwiched between the upper seal bar 151 and the lower seal bar 156, thereby enabling the temporary fastening process. After the temporary fastening process, the free end of the right half T2 of the tape T is welded to the back surface of the blank B, and the remainder of the right half T2 of the tape T is left floating without being welded to the blank B. On the other hand, when the lower seal bar 156 is in the lowered position, the space between the upper seal bar 151 and the lower seal bar 156 and the tape correction guide 155 forms a transport path for the side edge of the blank B, allowing the blank B to pass through.
In this embodiment, the temperature of the upper seal bar 151 may be, for example, 115°C, and the temperature of the lower seal bar 156 may be, for example, 135°C. The temperatures of the upper seal bar 151 and the lower seal bar 156 are preferably set so that the temperature of the lower seal bar 156 is higher because the tape T is temporarily fastened to the backside of the side edge of the blank B and because time has passed since the blank B was heated by the blank heating mechanism 110. On the other hand, the temperature of the upper seal bar 151 does not need to be raised as much as that of the lower seal bar 156 because the heat applied by the tape temporary fastening mechanism 130 remains. If the temperatures of the upper seal bar 151 and the lower seal bar 156 are excessively high, there is a risk that the tape T will stick to the upper seal bar 151 or the lower seal bar 156. The temperatures of the upper seal bar 151 and the lower seal bar 156 may be set higher as long as problems such as the tape T sticking to them do not occur.
In this embodiment, the surfaces of the upper seal bar 151 and the lower seal bar 156 that come into contact with the blank B and the tape T are subjected to temperature control and surface treatment such as fluororesin processing in order to prevent the resin layers of the blank B and the tape T from sticking to these seal bars 151, 156.
The specific welding method of the tape T to the blank B in the first welding unit 150 is not limited to a method using a seal bar (hot plate), and various known methods can be used as long as the tape T can be temporarily fastened to the blank B. For example, a pressure bonding method using a fixing roller or an ultrasonic method may be used. Furthermore, depending on the welding method used, welding can be performed while the blank B is being conveyed, rather than while the conveyance of the blank B is stagnant.

[Second welded part]
The second welding section 160 welds substantially the entire surface of the folded tape T to the adhesive end region A2 on the back surface of the blank B. Because a portion of the right half T2 of the tape is temporarily fastened to the back surface of the blank B at the first welding section 150, the folded state of the tape T is maintained even without correction by the tape correction guide.
In this embodiment, the welding of the tape T at the second welding section 160 is performed on the entire surface of the right half T2 of the tape T facing the back side of the blank B, but this is not limited to this, and it is sufficient if the floating area of the tape T that has not been welded to the back side of the blank B at the first welding section 150 is newly welded, and further, some floating may remain as long as it melts during the heat sealing process when assembling the blank B to form a paper container.

Specifically, as shown in Figures 11A and 11B, the second welding section 160 is configured to include a fixed upper seal bar 161 that is provided on the conveying path of the side end of blank B and heats the front side of the side end of blank B, and a lower seal bar 166 that can move up and down and heats the back side of the side end of blank B.
In Figure 11B, the areas indicated by fine diagonal lines within the upper seal bar 161 and the lower seal bar 166 indicate the parts that face the parts of the left half T1 and right half T2 of the tape T to be welded (size: width direction length 4.7 mm, blank conveying direction length 100 mm).
By raising the lower seal bar 166 while the blank B is held in a predetermined position, the side edge of the blank B is sandwiched between the upper seal bar 161 and the lower seal bar 166, thereby enabling full-surface welding. After full-surface welding, the blank B has the left half T1 of the tape T welded to the front of the blank B and most of the right half T2 welded to the back of the blank B, with the tape T affixed to both the front and back surfaces of the blank B by welding, thereby covering the end face E. Note that the tape T may be welded directly to the end face E of the blank B, or may be covered by the tape T via a gap.
When the lower seal bar 166 is in the lowered position, the space between the upper seal bar 161 and the lower seal bar 166 serves as a transport path for the side edge of the blank B, allowing the blank B to pass through.
In this embodiment, the temperature of the upper seal bar 161 may be, for example, 40°C, and the temperature of the lower seal bar 166 may be, for example, 130°C. The temperatures of the upper seal bar 161 and the lower seal bar 166 are preferably set so that the temperature of the lower seal bar 166 is higher, since the tape T is to be welded to the unwelded portion of the adhesive end region A2 on the back side of the blank B. On the other hand, the temperature of the upper seal bar 161 does not need to be as high as that of the lower seal bar 166, since heat applied in the previous process remains. If the temperatures of the upper seal bar 161 and the lower seal bar 166 are excessively high, there is a risk that the tape T will stick to the upper seal bar 161 or the lower seal bar 166. The temperatures of the upper seal bar 161 and the lower seal bar 166 may be set higher, provided that problems such as the tape T sticking to them do not occur.
In this embodiment, the surfaces of the upper seal bar 161 and the lower seal bar 166 that come into contact with the blank B and the tape T are subjected to temperature control and surface treatment such as fluororesin processing in order to prevent the resin layers of the blank B and the tape T from sticking to these seal bars 161, 166.
The specific welding method of the tape T to the blank B in the second welding section 160 is not limited to a method using a seal bar (hot plate), and various known methods can be used as long as the tape T can be temporarily fastened to the blank B. For example, a pressure bonding method using a fixing roller or an ultrasonic method may be used. Furthermore, depending on the welding method used, welding can be performed while the blank B is being conveyed, rather than while the conveyance of the blank B is stagnant.

The above describes a tape application edge surface processing device and a tape application edge surface processing method according to one embodiment of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the scope that does not change the gist of the present invention.
For example, in the above embodiment, the case of covering the end faces of the side end portions of a sector-shaped blank was described, but the shape of the blank is not limited to this, and any straight edge portion can be treated in the same way. Note that slight meandering, arc-shaped bulges, notches, etc. of the edge are acceptable.
For example, the tape-applying edge treatment device in the above embodiment has been described as performing edge treatment to ensure high water resistance in the paper container finally obtained from the blank, but it can also be used for various purposes such as covering the edge by applying strips of tape to the front and back surfaces of the (straight) ends of a sheet-like blank.

1 Paper laminate 2 Base paper 3 Resin layer 100 Tape application end surface processing device 101 Conveying mechanism 102 Conveying lane 110 Blank heating mechanism 111, 116 Heating section 112, 117 Hot air outlet 120 Tape application mechanism 121 Tape conveying unit 122 Tape cutting unit 123 Application unit 125 Tape conveying belt 126 Drive roller 127 Nip roller 130 Tape temporary fastening mechanism 131 Upper seal bar 136 Lower seal bar 140 Tape folding mechanism 141 Insertion passage 142 Ceiling wall 143 Folding wall 144 Back wall 150 First welding section 151 Upper seal bar 155 Tape correction guide 156 Lower seal bar 160 Second welding section 161 Upper seal bar 166 Lower seal bar B Blank E End surface T Tape T1 Left half T2 Right half A1 Adhesive end area A2 Adhesive end area F Side edge P Bonding point

Claims (6)

A tape application end surface treatment device that applies a long tape to an adhesive end of a blank to cover the end surface of the adhesive end of the blank,
a conveying mechanism that conveys the blank along a conveying path;
a blank heating mechanism, a tape bonding mechanism, a tape folding mechanism, and a welding mechanism are arranged along the transport path from the upstream side;
the blank heating mechanism is configured to heat the adhesive edge of the blank;
the tape joining mechanism is configured to supply the tape cut to a length corresponding to the adhesive end of the blank so that the longitudinal direction of the tape coincides with the blank transport direction, and to join the tape to the adhesive end region on one side of the blank while transporting the blank in a state where the tape protrudes from the adhesive end edge of the blank;
the tape folding mechanism is configured to fold back a protruding portion of the tape attached to the blank along an adhesive edge of the blank;
the welding mechanism is configured to attach the folded tape to an adhesive edge region on the other side of the blank ;
the welding mechanism includes a first welding unit having a lower seal bar that can move up and down and welds the free end of the folded-back tape to a part of the adhesive end region on the other side of the blank, and a second welding unit having a lower seal bar that welds the entire surface of the folded-back tape to the adhesive end region on the other side of the blank while the free end of the folded-back tape is temporarily fastened by the first welding unit,
the first welding portion includes a tape correction guide fixedly provided to maintain the folded tape in a folded state in which the folded tape is forcibly brought close to the other surface side of the blank,
The tape application edge surface processing device is characterized in that the tape correction guide is disposed adjacent to the lower seal bar of the first welding portion . The tape application edge processing device described in claim 1, characterized in that the tape application mechanism unwinds the tape in synchronization with the transport speed of the blank by the transport mechanism. the tape folding mechanism has an insertion passage that is open on one side and through which the adhesive end of the blank passes while being transported,
2. The tape application end surface processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the insertion passage has a folded wall whose angle with respect to the blank plane continuously decreases as the blank advances in the blank conveying direction. The tape application edge surface processing device described in claim 1, characterized in that the tape folded by the tape folding mechanism is folded in a manner that forms a space between the end surface of the adhesive end of the blank and the tape. The tape application edge surface processing device described in claim 1, characterized in that a tape temporary fastening mechanism is provided between the tape application mechanism and the tape folding mechanism, which welds the tape to at least a portion of the adhesive edge region on one side of the blank on the upstream side in the blank transport direction. A tape-applying edge surface processing method for covering an end surface of an adhesive end of a blank by applying a long tape to the adhesive end of the blank, comprising:
a blank heating step of heating the adhesive end portion of the blank conveyed along a conveyance path;
a tape joining step of supplying the tape cut to a length corresponding to the adhesive end of the blank so that the longitudinal direction of the tape coincides with the blank conveyance direction, and adhering the tape to the adhesive end region on one side of the blank while conveying the blank in a manner that protrudes from the adhesive end edge of the blank;
a tape folding step of folding back a portion of the tape attached to the blank that protrudes from the blank along the adhesive edge of the blank;
a welding step of attaching the folded tape to the adhesive end region on the other side of the blank,
The welding step includes a first welding step of welding the free end of the folded tape to a part of the adhesive end region on the other side of the blank, and a second welding step of welding the entire surface of the folded tape to the adhesive end region on the other side of the blank while the free end of the folded tape is temporarily fastened in the first welding step.
A tape application end face processing method characterized in that in the first welding process, the folded tape is maintained in a folded state in which it is forced close to the other side of the blank by a tape correction guide, and the free end of the folded tape is welded by a lower seal bar arranged adjacent to the tape correction guide.