EP1449785A1 - Fastening device for a plastic lid on a plastic box for vacuum preservation of articles in a bulk arrangement in the box - Google Patents

Abstract

The device has a lid with a back portion joined to a box and a front portion linked to the back portion by a hinge joint. The front portion is fixed at level of upper edge of the front surface of a box by a locking unit (10) which is unlocked to permit opening of the front portion and to access articles inside the box. A breaking unit distinct from the locking unit ensures unbreakability of the front portion of the lid.

Description

The present invention relates to a device for fixing a plastic cover on a also plastic box for the packaging, with a view to their display for sale, articles in particular of hardware arranged in bulk in the box.

We know such a device according to which the cover includes a rear part secured to the packaging box and a front part connected to the rear part by a hinge, the front part being fixed at the upper edge of the front wall of the box by a means of lock manually unlockable to allow the opening of the front part by pivoting towards the high relative to the rear part of the cover and allow access to the articles in the box.

The locking means of the front part of the cover is constituted by an elastic tongue with free hook-shaped end secured to the edge top of the front wall of the box and snapping into a rectangular opening made near the anterior end of the part front cover. To ensure the inviolability of the front part of the cover to prevent access to articles packaged in the closed box exposed to the sale, the width of the passage window of the locking tab is narrow enough to do not allow the unlocking of the front part of the cover that by exerting on it an effort of very important traction. This has the major disadvantage that a user having acquired such a packaging box will have huge difficulties for unlock the front part of the cover each time that he will want to access the articles contained in the box.

The object of the present invention is to eliminate the above drawback by proposing a device for fixing a plastic cover on a plastic box for packaging, in view of their exhibition for sale, of articles arranged in loose in the box, the cover including a part rear secured to the box and a front part connected to the rear part by a hinge articulation and fixed at the upper edge of the front wall of the box by at least one means of lock manually unlockable to allow the opening of the front part of the cover and access to the articles in the box, and which is characterized in that that it also includes at least one breakable means separate from the locking means, ensuring the inviolability of the front part of the cover and does not can be cut or broken only by a tool.

Preferably, each means of inviolability includes a window made through a flat ledge inferior rigid of the anterior end of the part front cover and a rigid tongue attached from the front wall of the box projecting towards outside in the vicinity of the upper edge of the wall front so as to pass through the window of which at least part of its edge, constituting a breakable zone, is relatively close to the lower end of the ledge of the front part of the cover.

Advantageously, the window includes two cutouts in an arc at each of its ends extending beyond the edge of the window adjacent to the end lower edge of the front part of the cover, the ends of the arcuate cutouts being close to the lower end of this ledge to form two breakable areas.

For example, the ends of the cutouts arched are located about 0.5 mm from the end lower of the aforementioned rim.

Preferably, two breakable means are located on either side of the locking means.

The back wall of the box includes in the vicinity from its upper edge a rim with cross section in U located outside the wall and allowing the attachment in a substantially horizontal position of the box with an opening for receiving this formed rim in a vertical display panel for the sale of the closed box in which the articles are packaged or in a wall panel for a user of this box.

The rear end of the rear part of the cover includes a lower rim resting on the hooking edge of the box in position closing the cover.

The locking means of the front part of the cover includes an elastic tab at the end free in the form of a hook secured to the upper edge of the front wall of the box substantially in the middle of this edge and another elastic hook tab integral locking of the lower edge of the part front cover and snap-on elastically with the tongue of the front wall of the box during the flap of this front part on the box.

The rear part of the cover is fixed to the box on the one hand by at least two spears with free ends in the form of a locking hook secured to the face internal part of the rear part of the cover near the rear arm of this part and secondly by at least a free end lance in the shape of a hook integral locking of the internal face of the part back of the cover near each side edge of this part, the spears being engaged through respectively of retaining stirrups of the ends in hook shape of these and integral with the internal faces of the side walls and back of the box.

The empty boxes are partially stackable one inside the other and the side and back walls of a box have external parts hollowed out of rectangular shape opening towards the bottom of the case and on which parts respectively protruding conjugate integral with the internal faces of these walls of another box when these two boxes are stacked one inside the other so as to limit the insertion of a box into the other.

Advantageously, the front wall of the box includes an external cut-out tab for the attachment of the box and cover assembly closure to a single or double horizontal rod of a display.

The front part of the cover, in its position of closure of the box, is inclined downwards by compared to the rear part of the cover parallel to the bottom of the box.

The plastic material of the case and / or the cover can be translucent or transparent and in color or no.

• la figure 1 est une vue en perspective d'un panneau présentoir auquel peuvent être accrochées des boítes fermées de conditionnement d'articles conformes à l'invention ;
• la figure 2 est une vue en perspective du panneau de la figure 1 auquel sont accrochées diverses boítes de conditionnement d'articles ;
• la figure 3 est une vue en perspective d'un panneau mural auquel peuvent être accrochées les boítes fermées de conditionnement d'articles conformes à l'invention ;
• la figure 4 est une vue en perspective du panneau de la figure 3 auquel sont accrochées diverses boítes de conditionnement d'articles ;
• la figure 5 est une vue en perspective d'une boíte fermée de conditionnement d'articles de l'invention ;
• la figure 6 est une vue de dessus de la boíte fermée de la figure 5 ;
• la figure 7 est une vue en coupe suivant la ligne VII-VII de la figure 6 ;
• la figure 8 est une vue en coupe suivant la ligne VIII-VIII de la figure 6 ;
• la figure 9 est une vue agrandie de la partie cerclée en IX de la figure 7 ;
• la figure 10 est une vue agrandie de la partie cerclée en X de la figure 8 ;
• la figure 11 est une vue agrandie de la partie cerclée en XI de la figure 7 ;
• la figure 12 est une vue en perspective de la boíte de l'invention sans son couvercle ;
• la figure 13 est une vue de dessus du couvercle de fermeture de la boíte de conditionnement d'articles ;
• la figure 14 est une vue en coupe suivant la ligne XIV-XIV de la figure 13 ;
• la figure 15 est une vue en perspective du couvercle de fermeture de la figure 13 ;
• la figure 16 est une vue agrandie suivant la flèche XVI de la figure 15 ;
• la figure 17 est une vue ne perspective agrandie d'un moyen assurant l'inviolabilité de la partie frontale du couvercle de fermeture du boítier ; et
• la figure 18 est une vue de côté représentant deux boítes vides empilées l'une dans l'autre.

The invention will be better understood, and other objects, characteristics, details and advantages thereof will appear more clearly in the explanatory description which follows, made with reference to the appended drawings given solely by way of example illustrating an embodiment. of the invention and in which:

• Figure 1 is a perspective view of a display panel to which can be hung closed boxes for packaging articles according to the invention;
• Figure 2 is a perspective view of the panel of Figure 1 to which are hung various boxes for packaging articles;
• Figure 3 is a perspective view of a wall panel to which can be hung the closed boxes for packaging articles according to the invention;
• Figure 4 is a perspective view of the panel of Figure 3 to which are hung various boxes for packaging articles;
• Figure 5 is a perspective view of a closed box for packaging articles of the invention;
• Figure 6 is a top view of the closed box of Figure 5;
• Figure 7 is a sectional view along line VII-VII of Figure 6;
• Figure 8 is a sectional view along line VIII-VIII of Figure 6;
• Figure 9 is an enlarged view of the part circled in IX of Figure 7;
• Figure 10 is an enlarged view of the X-rimmed part of Figure 8;
• Figure 11 is an enlarged view of the part circled in XI of Figure 7;
• Figure 12 is a perspective view of the box of the invention without its cover;
• Figure 13 is a top view of the closure cover of the article packaging box;
• Figure 14 is a sectional view along line XIV-XIV of Figure 13;
• Figure 15 is a perspective view of the closure cover of Figure 13;
• Figure 16 is an enlarged view along arrow XVI of Figure 15;
• Figure 17 is an enlarged perspective view of a means ensuring the inviolability of the front part of the closure cover of the housing; and
• Figure 18 is a side view showing two empty boxes stacked one inside the other.

Referring to the figures, the reference 1 designates a rigid plastic box of general shape parallelepiped with the front walls 2, side 3 and dorsal 4 are slightly inclined from its bottom 5, widening upwards.

Box 1 is covered by a cover of closure 6 integral with the box which may contain articles packaged in bulk, for example articles hardware such as screws, nails or like.

The rigid plastic material constituting the box 1 and the closure cover 6 can be transparent or translucent in color or not.

The cover 6 comprises in the present case a rear part 7 resting on the upper edges of the side walls 3 and dorsal 4 of the box 1 and a front part 8 connected to the rear part 7 by a articulation hinge 9 extending transversely to the side walls 3 of the box 1 and constituted by a thinned line connecting the parts of the cover 7 and 8 coming from material with these.

The front part 8 of the cover is fixed on the anterior edges of the side walls 3 and the edge upper of the front wall 2 of the box 1 by a locking means 10, which will be described later, and manually unlockable to disengage the part front 8 of the box 1 up around the articulation hinge 9 in order to access the articles present in the box 1. This locking means 10 is located substantially in the middle of the front wall 2 of the box 1 in the upper part thereof.

According to the invention, at least one means is provided breakable 11 separate from the locking means 10 and ensuring the inviolability of the front part 8 of the cover 6 for better security of sale, thus preventing access to enclosed articles in box 1 displayed for sale.

Preferably, two breakable means 11 are provided on either side of the locking means 10 and each must be cut or broken by a tool after sale from the box to a user.

As is clear from Figures 9, 16 and 17, each breakable means 11 comprises a window 12 made through a rigid lower flat edge 13 of the front end of the front part 8 of the cover 6 and a rigid tongue 14 secured to the front wall 2 of box 1 projecting towards outside in the vicinity of the upper edge of the wall front 2 so as to pass through window 12 in clearly protruding outside the rim 13 of the cover part 8. The rim 13 extends substantially perpendicular from the end front of the front part 8 of the cover 6 and the rigid tongue 14 extends from the front wall 2 of the box 1 substantially perpendicular thereto. Of course, the flange 13 and the tongue 14 come from material with respectively the front part 8 of the cover 6 and the front wall 2 of the box 1.

Each window 12 can be of general shape rectangular extending perpendicular to the walls side 3 of the box 1, that is to say according to the longitudinal direction of rim 13, and has one of its edges 12a adjacent to the lower end 13a of the rim 13. The window 12 comprises at each of its ends two arcuate cutouts 12b extending towards the end 13a from the ledge 13 beyond the edge 12a of the window so that the ends of the arcuate parts 12b are close from the end 13a of the rim 13 to constitute respectively two breakable zones ZS which can be forcibly severed or broken by a tool, such as by example a screwdriver, or sliced by a knife or a pair of scissors by the user who bought the box closed packaging of hardware items.

The locking means 10 of the front part 8 from cover 6 to box 1 includes, as is best seen in Figure 10, an elastic tongue deformable 16 secured to the lower edge 13 of the wall 8 of the cover 6 of the box 1 substantially in the middle of this edge and comprising a hook-shaped part of lock 16a. The tongue 16 comes in one piece with the wall 8 of the cover and extends along a width determined along the lower edge 13 of the wall 8 of the lid. The locking means 10 further comprises another elastically deformable tongue 15 in shape hook and secured to the upper edge of the wall front 2 of the box 1. During the flap of the part front 8 of cover 6, part 16a of tongue 16 snaps automatically and resiliently with the end 15a of the tongue 15 to lock removably the front part 8 on the part box 1.

So when a user bought the box of packaging of articles, it cuts by any tool suitable for ZS breakable areas to remove the part end 13b of the flange 13 located between the two ends of each window 12 so as to release the tamper-evident connection between rim 13 and the wall front 2. Then the user just has to enter manually the end of the tongue 16 to elastically spread it away from the shaped end hook 15a of the tongue 15 in order to open completely facilitated the front part 8 of the cover 6 and, by therefore, to access the articles contained in the box 1.

The back wall 4 of the box 1 comprises at its upper edge a section forming a rim 4a substantially U-shaped cross section located at the outside of the wall 4 and allowing the attachment in substantially horizontal position of the box 1 to one vertical support which, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, may consist of at least one sheet metal panel 17 held vertically by two support legs 18 for constitute a display for sale. Panel 17 can be of the transportable type and for this purpose includes a upper grip handle 19 and includes on its face before several rows of stirrup-shaped elements horizontal 20 obtained by deformation of the sheet or fixed, for example by welding, to the panel 17, these elements also extending along several columns. As shown, three rows of elements forming stirrups 20 distributed in three columns are provided. Thus, the rear edge 4a of each box 1 can engage in one of the stirrup elements of support 20 to maintain in an almost horizontal position the box 1 including the lower back wall 4 comes to bear by tilting on a bead 21 of the front face of the panel 17 located below the element 20 parallel to this one.

Figure 2 shows that several boxes 1 of different dimensions can be hung on the panel support 17 to which can be attached to its rear face a second identical panel 22 also comprising elements forming stirrups 20 for supporting boxes 1.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the rim 4a of each box 1 can also be used to hang the box to a wall panel 22 in a workshop the user who bought boxes to manage easy access to the various items packaged in them. Of course, this wall panel can include caliper elements 20 identical to those described in Figure 1 or any other opening element in the form of slot allowing to hang the rim 4a. Note that the wall panel 22 can be identical to each panel 17 and 22 of Figures 1 and 2 and that it suffices to attach two panels to arrive at the configuration of the figures 1 and 2, adding the handles 19 and the feet 18.

The rear end of the rear part 7 of the cover 6 includes a lower rim 7a extending substantially at right angles to part 7 and coming partially cover the hanging edge 4a of the wall back 4 in the closed position of the cover 6 of so as to stiffen the rim 4a as shown better from figure 8.

To prevent removal of the rear part 7 of the cover 6 of the box 1, the part 7 is fixed to this box on the one hand by at least two lances 23, of which one is better visible in Figure 11, integral with the inner face of the cover part 7 in the vicinity of its rear edge extending perpendicularly from the part 7 and being arranged symmetrically to the axis longitudinal X-X 'of part 7 and on the other hand by at minus another identical lance 23 also attached to the internal face of the cover part 7 and each side of it. Each of the free ends of the lance 23 is in the form of a locking hook 23a able to engage elastically during the operation of closing of the cover 6 on the housing 1 in a part in the form of a stirrup 24 secured to the internal face of the corresponding side or back wall 3, 4 so the hook-shaped end 23a comes to a stop on the lower edge 24a of the retaining clip 24 which extends parallel to the bottom 5 of the box 1. More specifically, the two lances 23 of the rear end of the part of the cover 7 are locked respectively in the two stirrups 24 integral with the internal face of the back wall 4, while the two lateral spears 23 of the cover part 7 are locked respectively in the 24 correpodants stirrups integral with the two internal faces of the two walls side 3, the two stirrups 24 for locking the side lances 23 which can be opposite one of the other symmetrically to the longitudinal axis X-X 'of the cover part 7. The snap-on mounting of the spears 23 and stirrups 24 is upset by them ribs with a slope of 99 requiring a forced assembly. This device makes disassembly even more difficult.

Finally the cover 6 has internal flanges 50 and 51 all around only interrupting at hinge right 9 (see figures 13 and 15 as well as Figure 7). These edges have the dual purpose of preventing the possible exit of small parts and hinder the intrusion of tools to force locking the lances 23 on the stirrups 24.

The front wall 2 of the box 1 includes also an external tab 25 with cutout 26 allowing the attachment of the box 1 assembly and closure cover 6 to a horizontal rod (not shown), single or double, from a display to the sale.

Empty boxes 1 are partially stackable inside each other and Figure 16 shows two boxes 1 partially stacked one inside the other. In this indeed, the side walls 3 and the back wall 4 of each box has hollowed out external parts 27 constituting recess cavities in these walls resulting in the formation of corresponding parts or projecting bosses 28 in the housing 1. The cavities 27 came from molding and each has a shape substantially rectangular opening towards the bottom 5 of the housing by defining opposite to the part opening a top abutment edge 27a on the outside walls 3, 4 and therefore an upper edge of stop 28a for each internal boss 28, the edges 27a and 28a being parallel to the bottom 5 of the box 1. The internal bosses 28 allow the stirrups to be accommodated 24.

So when a box 1 is stacked in a other box 1, the internal bosses 28 of the box lower 1 rest respectively on the cavities 27 of the upper box 1 until the edges 27a of the cavities 27 of the upper box come resting on the edges 28a of the bosses of the box lower 1 so that the upper box faces partly protruding above the lower box 1 as shown in figure 16.

As is apparent in particular from FIG. 3, in closing position of the cover 6, the front part 8 of this cover is inclined downward relative to the rear part 7 and therefore comes to bear on the upper edge of the front wall 2 and the edges front tilted down the side walls 3 in extension of the upper edges of the walls 3 on which is fixed the rear cover part 7.

The above-described fixing device the invention ensures excellent safety for the sale since access to items packaged in boxes 1 is prevented by insuring means the inviolability of the front part of the cover closing the box. Once these means have been cut or broken by the user who bought such a box of packaging, this can easily open the front part of the cover when unlocking manually the locking means 10.

Claims (13)

Device for attaching a plastic cover (6) to a plastic box (1) for packaging, with a view to their display for sale, of articles arranged in bulk in the box (1), the cover (6) comprising a rear part (7) integral with the box (1) and a front part (8) connected to the rear part (7) by a hinge (9) and fixed at the upper edge of the front wall (2) of the box (1) by a locking means (10) manually unlockable to allow the opening of the front part (8) of the cover (6) and access to the articles in the box (1), characterized in that it also comprises at least one breakable means (11) distinct from the locking means (10), ensuring the inviolability of the front part (8) of the cover (6) and which can only be cut or broken by a tool. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that each tamper-evident means (11) comprises a window (12) produced through a rigid lower flat edge (13) of the anterior end of the front part (8) of the cover (6) and a rigid tongue (14) secured to the front wall (2) of the box (1) projecting outwards in the vicinity of the upper edge of the front wall (2) so as to pass through the window (12) at least part of its edge, constituting a breakable zone (ZS), is relatively close to the lower end (13a) of the flange (13) of the front part (8) of the cover (6). Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the window (12) comprises two cutouts in an arc (12b) at each of its ends extending beyond the edge (12a) of the window (12) adjacent to the 'lower end (13a) of the rim (13) of the front part (8) of the cover (6), the ends of the arcuate cutouts (12b) being close to the lower end (13a) of this rim to form two breakable zones (ZS). Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the ends of the arcuate cutouts (12b) are located approximately 0.5 mm from the lower end (13a) of the above-mentioned rim (13). Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises two breakable means (11) located on either side of the locking means (10). Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the back wall (4) of the box (1) comprises, near its upper edge, a rim (4a) with a U-shaped cross section located outside the wall (4) and allowing the attachment in a substantially horizontal position of the box (1) to an opening for receiving this rim formed in a vertical panel (17; 22) for presenting the closed box (1) for sale are conditioned the articles or in a wall panel for a user of this box. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that the rear end of the rear part (7) of the cover (6) comprises a lower rim (7a) bearing on the rim (4a) for hooking the box (1 ) in the closed position of the cover (6). Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the locking means (10) of the front part (8) of the cover (6) comprises an elastic tongue (15) with a free end in the form of a hook (15a) integral with from the upper edge of the front wall (2) of the box (1) substantially in the middle of this edge and another elastic tongue (16) with locking hook (16a) integral with the lower edge (13) of the front part (8 ) of the cover (6) and which can snap elastically with the tongue (15) of the front wall (2) of the box (1) during the flap of this front part on the box (1). Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rear part (7) of the cover (6) is fixed to the box (1) on the one hand by two lances (23) with free ends in the form of a hook locking (23a) integral with the internal face of the rear part (7) of the cover (6) in the vicinity of the rear edge of this part and on the other hand by at least one lance (23) with free end in the form of a hook locking (23a) integral with the internal face of the rear part (7) of the cover (6) in the vicinity of each lateral edge of this part, the lances (23) being engaged respectively through stirrups (24) for retaining hook-shaped ends (23a) for locking them and integral with the internal faces of the side walls (3) and back (4) of the box (1). Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the empty boxes (1) can be partially stacked one inside the other and the side (3) and dorsal (4) walls of a box (1) have external parts hollowed out from rectangular shape (27) opening towards the bottom (5) of the box (1) and in which rest respectively on conjugate projecting parts (28) integral with the internal faces of these walls (3,4) of another box ( 1) when these two boxes are stacked one in the other so as to limit the penetration of a box in the other. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the front wall (2) of the box (1) comprises an external tongue (25) with cutout (26) allowing the attachment of the box assembly (1) and closure cover (6) to a single or double horizontal rod of a display. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the front part (8) of the cover (6), in its closed position of the box (1), is inclined downward relative to the rear part (7 ) of the cover (6) parallel to the bottom (5) of the box (1). Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the plastic material of the box (1) and the cover (6) is translucent or transparent, color or not.

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