AU2018101202A4

AU2018101202A4 - A device configured to enable hanging of packaged items

Info

Publication number: AU2018101202A4
Application number: AU2018101202A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Oliver Kratzer
Original assignee: AMPFIBIAN HOLDINGS Pty Ltd
Current assignee: AMPFIBIAN HOLDINGS Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2018-08-20
Filing date: 2018-08-20
Publication date: 2018-09-27
Anticipated expiration: 2026-08-20

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device configured to enable hanging of packaged items. For example, in some embodiments such a device is used to enable hanging of cardboard display boxes. While some embodiments will be described herein with particular reference to that application, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to such a field of use, and is applicable in broader contexts. (FIG. 4) UD LATCH RECEPTABLE UD-FLAP UD HANGER CUTOUT UMITING FACES LEAD-INS FINGER ACCESS CUTOUTS

Description

A DEVICE CONFIGURED TO ENABLE HANGING OF

PACKAGED ITEMS

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a device configured to enable hanging of packaged items. For example, in some embodiments such a device is used to enable hanging of cardboard display boxes. While some embodiments will be described herein with particular reference to that application, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to such a field of use, and is applicable in broader contexts.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Any discussion of the background art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.

[0003] In a retail setting, there is often a desire to hang packaged items for display, including items contained in cardboard packaging. A selection of common approaches for achieving this goal include: • Flexible stick-on hangers, which provide a low cost and simple solution, but which are only suitable for very light products, for example less than 0.5kg. • Rigid hangers, which are suitable for heavier items (say up to approximately 2.5kg), but which stand-up permanently (and hence compromise shipping and/or stacking) and/or require insertion before display). • Integrated fold-out hangers (e.g. die-cut into packaging material itself).

[0004] There is a need in the art for improved solutions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] It is an object of the present invention to overcome or ameliorate at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art, or to provide a useful alternative.

[0006] Example embodiments are provided in the Detailed Description below, and in the Claims.

[0007] Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment”, “some embodiments” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment”, “in some embodiments” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, but may. Furthermore, the particular features, structures or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner, as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from this disclosure, in one or more embodiments.

[0008] As used herein, unless otherwise specified the use of the ordinal adjectives "first", "second", "third", etc., to describe a common object, merely indicate that different instances of like objects are being referred to, and are not intended to imply that the objects so described must be in a given sequence, either temporally, spatially, in ranking, or in any other manner.

[0009] In the claims below and the description herein, any one of the terms comprising, comprised of or which comprises is an open term that means including at least the elements/features that follow, but not excluding others. Thus, the term comprising, when used in the claims, should not be interpreted as being limitative to the means or elements or steps listed thereafter. For example, the scope of the expression a device comprising A and B should not be limited to devices consisting only of elements A and B. Any one of the terms including or which includes or that includes as used herein is also an open term that also means including at least the elements/features that follow the term, but not excluding others. Thus, including is synonymous with and means comprising.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which FIG. 1 to FIG. 17 provide various views of a device according to one embodiment, including sectional views, and views showing mounting of the device to an example cardboard box.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0011] Described herein are devices configured to enable hanging of a packaging item, with such devices being referred to as “hanger units”. Embodiments are described below by reference to a packaging item in the form of a cardboard box. This may be a fairly conventional cardboard box, although with some general modifications which facilitate mounting of the hanger unit. It will be appreciated, however, that hanger units within the scope of the present invention may be applied to a range of packaging items.

[0012] FIG. 1 shows an example carboard box. The cardboard box may be corrugated and between 1mm to 4mm thick, preferred embodiment 1.7mm (commonly known as e-flute), although other packaging units may be used. The box of FIG. 1 includes a body having two pairs of opposed sidewalls that are arranged to provide a container having an upper container opening. In this example the box has four sidewalls providing a quadrangular opening; other arrangements may be present in further embodiments (for example a hexagonal box). The box includes pair of opposed dust flaps. Each dust flap is hingedly connected at its proximal end to an upper edge of a respective sidewall of a first one of the pairs of sidewalls, such that the flaps rotate inwards to bring into proximity their respective distal edges thereby to at least partially close the upper container opening. In FIG. 1, edges come together at a meeting line between the distal edges of the flaps.

[0013] A lid that is hingedly connected to an upper edge of a sidewall of a second one of the pairs, such that the lid rotates inwards thereby to meet the upper edge of the opposed sidewall thereby to close the container opening. The lid has a central aperture formed therein (marked as a lid hanger cutout in FIG. 1). The central aperture is positioned such that upon closure of the upper container opening by firstly the pair of opposed flaps and secondly by the lid, at least a portion of the meeting line is visible though the central aperture.

[0014] The box also includes lead ins and limiting faces, which are cut into the dust flaps thereby to facilitate mounting of the hanger unit, as shown best in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. The box also includes a lid flap, lid latch receptacle, and lid latch to facilitate locking of the lid in a closed configuration.

[0015] The hanger unit includes a lower body plate (bottom plate) having a substantially planar upper surface, and an upper body plate (top plate) having a substantially planar lower surface. The the upper body plate is mounted to the upper body plate thereby to define a channel therebetween, the channel being sized thereby to firmly receive a portion of each of the flaps when those flaps are positioned to close the upper container opening (as best shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8).

[0016] A hanger member (hinged portion) that is hingedly mounted to the upper body plate. In this example, the entire hanger unit is integrally formed from plastics (for example injection moulded from polyethylene) and the hinge is defined by a relatively thin plastics region. The hanger member is rotatable between a storage configuration wherein the hanger member is substantially parallel with the plane of the upper body plate (see FIG. 3), and a hanging configuration wherein the hanger member is substantially orthogonal to the plane of the upper body plate (see FIG. 4).

[0017] The hanger member includes an aperture formed therethrough (a hanger hole). The aperture has an axis that is substantially parallel to the plane of upper body plate the hanging member is in the hanging configuration.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 3 to FIG. 8), upon installation of the device to the packaging item such that channel firmly receives a portion of each of the flaps when those flaps are positioned to close the upper container opening, and the lid is positioned to additionally close the upper container opening, the hanger member is presented through the central aperture, and movable between the storage configuration and the hanging configuration through manual access via the central aperture.

[0019] The upper body plate is connected to the lower body plate by a centre web, and a stop wall. The centre web bridges the channel, wherein in use the centre web is positioned intermediate the distal edges of the flaps along the meeting line. The stop wall defines a rear closure to the channel substantially perpendicular to the centre web, and abuts against the limiting faces to indicate correct installation to the box. Retainers which protrude into the channel are formed in either or both of the upper face of the bottom plate or lower face of the upper plate thereby to fix the hanger unit in position upon installation.

[0020] In this embodiment, the hanger includes a latch member having a latch lip that is configured to engage against a lower face of the lower body plate when the hanger is in the storage configuration. This is resiliently biased into position in the storage configuration for a snap-lock closure.

[0021] The illustrated hanger unit is advantageous in the sense that, for example: (i) when installed, it is low-profile when in the storage configuration, allowing for boxes to be stacked; and (ii) because of the design and structural configuration, it is able to support heavier boxes as compared to various prior art hangers (such as adhesive hangers). This, is in broad terms achieved as a result of having first body component that is configured to sandwich a portion of each of the opposed flaps when those flaps are positioned to close the upper container opening; and a second body component that is hingedly mounted to the first body component, wherein when the first body component is positioned to sandwich a portion of each of the opposed flaps when those flaps are positioned to close the upper container opening, and the lid is positioned to close the upper container opening, the second body component is presented through the central aperture and movable between a storage configuration wherein the second body component is substantially parallel with the first body component and a hanging configuration wherein the second body component is substantially orthogonal to the first body component.

[0022] In use, heavy items are able to be hung from a u-shaped (double-wire) hanger (as shown in FIG. 18)/ The latch does not rotate the product (around its vertical axis) if used with a single-wire hanger, but simply bends out of the way along its hinge without compromising retail presentation.

[0023] In terms of more detailed elements of the illustrated design: • Ribs on top of hanger member form a structural beam which carries the bulk of the forces while minimising deflection. • The peripheral fence and structural web transfer the forces from the top of the hanger to the hinge. • The hinge transfers the forces to the top plate which is tied to the bottom plate by the centre web and the stop-wall. • The peripheral fence sits outside the abbreviated portion of the top plate lowering the overall profile without compromising strength - the fences also reduce dust ingress. • The bottom plate transfers the bulk of the forces to the two dust flaps which in combination with the lid (next point) transfer forces to sidewalls which connect to base which supports the product. • The lid holds the dust-flaps in place, creating a double-lever lock. • The sharp retaining ribs inside the fixed part of the hanger are designed to crush/deform the carton board forming the dust flaps to tie them together under heavy load - by creating a friction interface they also help to retain the hanger during installation - none, one or more per side may be used depending on the carboard. • The hanger is slipped over the two dust-flaps until the stop wall hits the limiting faces. • The lid hanger cut out may be formed by perforations, allowing it to remain in-situ so the box can be used without the hanger (e.g. for B2B or web sales where it won’t be hung up) reducing cost. • The hanger’s centre web helps distribute the tension forces acting on the hanger, aids in assembly, locates the hanger laterally, and creates a gap between the dust-flaps for the hanger latch. • The lid itself is held in place by the lid latch which is itself locked in place either by a small, self-adhesive anti-tamper seal, or an additional sleeve which covers the whole box.

[0024] While above there has been described what are believed to be the preferred embodiments of the invention, those skilled in the art will recognize that other and further modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is intended to claim all such changes and modifications as falling within the scope of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A device configured to enable hanging of a packaging item, wherein the packaging item includes: a body having two pairs of opposed sidewalls that are arranged to provide a container having an upper container opening; a pair of opposed flaps, each flap being hingedly connected at its proximal end to an upper edge of a respective sidewall of a first one of the pairs, such that the flaps rotate inwards to bring into proximity their respective distal edges along a meeting line, thereby to at least partially close the upper container opening; a lid that is hingedly connected to an upper edge of a sidewall of a second one of the pairs, such that the lid rotates inwards thereby to meet the upper edge of the opposed sidewall thereby to further close the container opening, wherein the lid has a central aperture formed therein, wherein the central aperture is positioned such that upon closure of the upper container opening by firstly the pair of opposed flaps and secondly by the lid, at least a portion of the distal edges of each of the flaps is visible though the central aperture; wherein the device includes: a lower body plate having a substantially planar upper surface; an upper body plate having a substantially planar lower surface, wherein the upper body plate is mounted to the upper body plate thereby to define a channel therebetween, wherein the channel is sized thereby to firmly receive a portion of each of the flaps when those flaps are positioned to close the upper container opening; a hanger member that is hingedly mounted to the upper body plate, wherein: the hanger member is rotatable between a storage configuration wherein the hanger member is substantially parallel with the plane of the upper body plate, and a hanging configuration wherein the hanger member is substantially orthogonal to the plane of the upper body plate; the hanger member includes an aperture formed therethrough, wherein the aperture has an axis that is substantially parallel to the plane of upper body plate the hanging member is in the hanging configuration; and upon installation of the device to the packaging item such that channel firmly receives a portion of each of the flaps when those flaps are positioned to close the upper container opening, and the lid is positioned to additionally close the upper container opening, the hanger member is presented through the central aperture, and movable between the storage configuration and the hanging configuration through manual access via the central aperture.
2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the upper body plate is connected to the lower body plate by: a centre web, which bridges the channel, wherein in use the centre web is positioned intermediate the distal edges of the flaps; and a stop wall, which defines a rear closure to the channel substantially perpendicular to the centre web.
3. A device according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the hanger includes a latch member having a latch lip that is configured to engage against a lower face of the lower body plate when the hanger is in the storage configuration.
4. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the device is integrally formed from plastics material.
5. A device configured to enable hanging of a packaging item, wherein the packaging item includes: a body having two pairs of opposed sidewalls that are arranged to provide a container having an upper container opening; a pair of flaps, each flap being hingedly connected at its proximal end to an upper edge of a respective sidewall of a first one of the pairs, such that the flaps rotate inwards to bring into proximity their respective distal edges thereby to at least partially close the upper container opening; a lid that is hingedly connected to an upper edge of a sidewall of a second one of the pairs, such that the lid rotates inwards thereby to meet the upper edge of the opposed sidewall thereby to close the container opening, wherein the lid has a central aperture formed therein, wherein the central aperture is positioned such that upon closure of the upper container opening by firstly the pair of flaps and secondly by the lid, at least a portion of the distal edges of each of the flaps is visible though the central aperture; wherein the device includes: a first body component that is configured to sandwich a portion of each of the opposed flaps when those flaps are positioned to close the upper container opening; and a second body component that is hingedly mounted to the first body component, wherein when the first body component is positioned to sandwich a portion of each of the opposed flaps when those flaps are positioned to close the upper container opening, and the lid is positioned to close the upper container opening, the second body component is presented through the central aperture and movable between a storage configuration wherein the second body component is substantially parallel with the first body component and a hanging configuration wherein the second body component is substantially orthogonal to the first body component.