AU784670B2 - A novel box, in particular a palletizable box, a pallet comprising this box, and their methods of manufacture - Google Patents

Description

P/00/011 28/5/91 Regulaton 3.2(2)

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Application Number: Lodged: Invention Title: A NOVEL BOX, IN PARTICULAR A PALLETIZABLE BOX, A PALLET COMPRISING THIS BOX, AND THEIR METHODS OF MANUFACTURE The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us A NOVELBOX, IN PARTICULAR A PALLETIZABLE BOX, A PALLET COMPRISING THIS BOX, AND THEIR METHODS OF MANUFACTURE FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a novel box, in particular a palletizable box, to the pallet comprising this box, and to their methods of manufacture.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Various types of packaging are known such as primary packages contained in other packages called secondary packages. It is known, for example, to pack a cardboard box (secondary package) with units (primary package) such as pouches, in particular flexible pouches of the uniformly flat type, also referred to as three-sided or four-sided sealed pouches (pillow pouch), or of the "doypack" type.

This secondary package (box) is placed on the shelf directly and sold with the primary packages (pouches) S 20 inside it. A package is thus obtained called a "multiooeoo Spack" which can hold a single variety or multiple S. varieties, the different pouches containing different products.

25 This type of packaging poses a number of problems.

oooo The first problem is the problem of palletization. Two standards are at present applied in the trade. In the first case, the characteristic dimensions of the pallet 30 are 800 x 1200 mm, whereas in the second case the ooo• characteristic dimensions are 1000 x 1200 mm.

The number of pouches per box varies greatly, depending on the type of product and on how the latter is marketed. It is possible to have 7 pouches per box for a 1 pouch per day use. The number of pouches can also vary for the same product, for example during sales promotions (with 2 extra pouches free) In the prior art, the pouches are arranged vertically in the box. Thus, the width of the box is imposed by the dimensions of the pouches, which dimensions are chosen to be unique. The height of the box is likewise imposed.

However, the length of the box varies depending on the number of pouches in it (the "case count"). Problems are therefore bound to be encountered with this type of box in terms of optimizing the pallet configuration since a box of variable length cannot optimize the occupation of the surface of the pallet for different "case counts". The distribution or organization of the boxes in layers on the pallet has to be modified when this "case count" is modified.

A secondary problem encountered is the manufacture of such boxes. They conventionally comprise side walls, a base and a lid, the base being integral with the side walls, whereas the lid can be added. For the manufacture of such 20 boxes, use is made of a mandrel (metal preform) which ooeeO shapes the material of the box by folding in a cavity. The *99' cavity and the mandrel have, as characteristic dimensions, the width and length of the box. Thus, when the length of the box changes, it is also necessary to change the 25 manufacturing tool. This increases the manufacturing difficulties and the final cost.

9*e9 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 0 In light of the above described shortcomings, it would be 30 desirable to provide a secondary package in which are accommodated a plurality of flexible primary packages or pouches and which permits maximum occupation of the surface of a pallet, in which such secondary packages may be arranged, and is easy to manufacture, irrespective of the number and type of pouches to be stored/received in it.

It would also be desirable to provide a pallet with such secondary packages.

In a first aspect of the invention, there is provided pallet with a plurality of boxes having widths and lengths corresponding to dimensions which are submultiples of 400 x 600 mm, the boxes accommodating a plurality of pouches which are arranged flat in relation to the pallet.

According to one embodiment, the pouches are of the doypack type and are stacked head-to-tail in the boxes.

According to a further embodiment, the boxes open at their top or alternatively at their side.

Preferably, the boxes are obtained by folding of a blank of packaging material with a mandrel, the mandrel having the same width and length as the boxes.

j 20 According to one embodiment, the pallet length and width measurements are 800 x 1200 mm, or alternatively 1000 x 1200 mm.

ee .:In a second aspect, the invention provides a box containing pouches, the box having a width and a length corresponding to dimensions which are submultiples of 400 x 600 mm, the pouches being received within the box flat as regards a plane containing said width and length.

oooo Oe. 30 Preferably, the pouches are of the doypack type and are placed stacked head-to-tail in the box.

In a third aspect, the invention provides a method of assembling a pallet according to the first aspect of the invention, by including the following steps: providing a plurality of boxes containing pouches; (ii) orientating said boxes in such a way as to have the pouches flat in relation to the pallet; and (iii) palletization of said boxes.

In a fourth aspect, the invention provides a method of manufacturing a box according to the second aspect of the invention, including the following steps: providing an empty box having at least two dimensions corresponding to dimensions, which are submultiples of 400 x 600 mm; (ii) filling of said box with pouches having a main plane, the pouches being stacked in the box such that their planes are about parallel to the plane containing said at least two dimensions of the box; and (iii) closing of the box.

According to one embodiment, step includes a step of folding a web of packaging material with the mandrel, the mandrel having the same at least two width and length dimensions as the box.

eeeoe According to another embodiment, step (ii) is effected by inserting the pouches horizontally into the box.

In a fifth aspect, the invention provides a device for o carrying out the method according to the third aspect of the invention, including: a first conveyor belt arranged for 30 delivering empty boxes, the boxes being arranged on the first conveyor belt in a plane containing said at least two dimensions; (ii) at least one second conveyor belt arranged for delivering pouches substantially perpendicular to the first conveyor belt delivering empty boxes, said pouches being arranged flat on said second conveyor belt; (iii) a pouch delivery arm arranged above said first and second conveyor belts and having a gripper device at an end thereof, said arm disposed for alternating between a position for gripping the pouches and a position for filling the box; and (iv) a device for closing the box.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are described in greater detail in the following description with reference to the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 shows a box according to a first embodiment of the invention; Figures 2a and 2b show a pallet loading configuration; Figure 3 shows a cross section through a box according to the invention; 20 Figure 4 shows the web before being folded into the box according to the first embodiment; Figure 5 shows a device for filling the box according to the invention; Figure 6 shows a box according to a second embodiment of the invention; Figure 7 shows the web before being folded into the o box according to the second embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 30 Figure 1 depicts a package according to a first embodiment. The package is a cardboard box 1 containing a plurality of pouches 2a, 2b, 2c, etc. These are arranged horizontally in the box. The latter thus has a width and a length which are fixed by the characteristics of the pouch and therefore remain fixed irrespective of the number of pouches in the box. Alternatively, once the dimensions of the box have been chosen, it is possible to adapt those of the pouch. This box can therefore have dimensions "on the base" or on a pallet which are identical and which can in particular correspond to dimensions, which are submultiples of 400 x 600 mm. The dimensions are submultiples of 400 x 600 mm when they result from the division of the 400 x 600 mm rectangle.

Thus, the following dimensions are submultiples: 300 x 400 mm (division by 200 x 400 mm (division by 200 x 300 mm (division by 130 x 300 mm (division by 6); 200 x 200 mm (division by 150 x 200 mm (division by 100 x 300 mm (division by 130 x 200 mm (division by 130 x 150 mm (division by 12); 100 x 200 mm (division by 12); 100 x 150 mm (division by 16). These 15 dimensions permit optimized stacking of the pallet in layers since it is always possible to reconstruct a base block measuring 400 x 600 mm. A pallet configuration is shown in Figures 2a and 2b which corresponds to 800 x 1200 mm and 1000 x 1200 mm respectively, with a "base 20 module" of 400 x 600 mm.

Such a box with pouches arranged flat when it is palletized therefore affords advantages in terms of palletization. As has been seen above, it is adapted to the two current standards. A variable number of pouches causes only the height of the box to vary, but not the Slayer or pallet base configuration which remains the same. A variation of the height of the box changes only the number of layers (which incidentally is already variable from one country to another, the maximum admissible heights of pallets varying from 2 m to 1.60 Automatic palletization is thus easy to implement because no control operation is any longer necessary, only the programming of the number of layers. The logistics are therefore improved.

The pouches situated in the box are of a conventional type. They can be of the uniformly flat type or -\\nzU\WIflwa\mrrn1n\1p0flRnanaQa Id mne "02 6/13 preferably of the "doypack" type (namely a square pouch having a surface forming a base and allowing the pouch to stand upright). The pouches of the doypack type will be preferred. Referring to Figure 3, this shows a cross section through a package according to the invention. The doypack pouches are again labelled 2a, 2b, 2c, etc. They alternate in a head-to-tail arrangement. This permits better utilization of the available volume in the box.

Indeed, the at least partial superpositioning of the doypack pouches makes it possible to increase the number of pouches per box (uniformly flat pouches losing a little useful volume at the four edges) and thus *ultimately the number of pouches per pallet. The partial superpositioning of the pouches also permits adaptation of the box with respect to the length of the pouches, thus making it possible to allow for the characteristic dimensions of, for example, 130 x 200 mm (or any other submultiple of 400 x 600 mm close to the dimensions of the pouch in question). Such a doypack arrangement provides an interlocking effect.

The manufacture of the box is conventional; the box is obtained by folding a cardboard web 3, the layout of which is shown in Figure 4. The box 1 is formed by 25 folding of a cardboard web 3. The latter has zones corresponding to the different parts of the box. The zone indicated by hatching is the zone which will be pushed firmly by the mandrel (not shown) into the corresponding cavity or impression (alternatively it is also possible to surround the mandrel with the web). This zone corresponds here to the base 11 of the box. It is flanked by two sides 12 and 13. The base 11 and the sides 12 and 13 are provided with flaps ila and lib, 12a and 12b, 13a and 13b, respectively. These flaps are adhesively bonded to one another to form the box, the flaps Ila, 12a and 13a, on the one hand, and lib, 12b and 13b, on the other, thus forming the third and fourth sides 14 and respectively. The box is then filled with pouches by a \%xixici.~Yva4\narnn\ i;0UlI3.Gdo no anoo 0 7/14 8 suitable machine, the pouches being generally inserted flat. The lid 16 (attached before or after filling) is then closed. It is also possible to make the lid integral with the other faces of the box, in which case the lid 16 is in the continuation of one of the flaps Ila or llb.

Figure 5 shows a device for filling the box according to the first embodiment. It comprises, for example, a conveyor belt 21 delivering empty boxes and, perpendicularly, two conveyor belts 22 and 23 delivering pouches (arranged flat). According to a preferred variant, the pouches are placed the opposite way round on the conveyor belts in order to achieve a head-to-tail arrangement in the box. The device additionally comprises 15 an arm 24 which rotates above the box and the pouches.

The pouches are gripped, for example, with the aid of suction cups 25a and 25b arranged at the end of the arm.

The arm thus alternately fills the box with pouches from :one conveyor belt and then from the other conveyor belt.

A device (not shown) for closing the box is also used in a conventional manner.

9* 0 Figure 6 shows a package according to a second embodiment. The package is a cardboard box 1 containing a 25 plurality of pouches 2a, 2b, 2c, etc. These are arranged horizontally in the box. In contrast to the first embodiment, the opening is via a face of the box.

Alternatively, it is possible to turn the box a quarter of a turn in such a way that the opening is at the top, the pouches then being arranged vertically (it is this variant which is preferred for the second embodiment).

The dimensions of the box remain given for the pouches being arranged flat. In the second embodiment, the box is used (preferred variant) in another sense than that for the palletization, in contrast to the first embodiment.

In the second embodiment, the pouches can have markings on their edge which makes it easier for consumers to \%RIRs(w4\VOI~\P~l1~ae1 nOU\t~fluD.dQ 0 M l U0 8/14 identity them, particularly in the case of a multi-pack containing multiple varieties.

The manufacture of the box according to the second embodiment is conventional; the box is obtained by folding a cardboard web 4, the layout of which is shown An Figure 7. The box 1 is formed by folding a cardboard web 4. The latter has zones corresponding to the different p arts of the box. The zone indicated by hatching is the zone which will be pushed firmly by the mandrel (not shown) into the corresponding cavity or impression. This zone corresponds here to the base 11 of the box. It is flanked by two sides 12 and 13, the latter being flanked by the upper part 16. The base 11 and the side 13 and the top 16 are provided. with flaps Ila *and lib, 13a and 13b, l6a and 16b, respectively. These flaps are adhesively bonded to one another to form the box, the f laps hla, 13a and 16a, on the one hand, and 20 lb, 13b, and 16b, on the other, thus fanning the third fourth sides 14 and 15, respectively. The box is then filled with pouches by a suitable machine. The box is filled via the opening side (here 12), the pouches this time being introduced vertically (for example via the top, the box being turned). in this case, the opening side is closed after filling and not the top, as in the 0: first embodiment.

The filling of these boxes according to the second embodiment is done as with the boxes according to the first embodiment, the device described with reference to Figure 5 also being adapted.

The cardboard box can be replaced by 'a box made of another rigid material, such as polymer materials. in the invention, "box" means any package that can be stacked on a (rigid) pallet. Generally, these boxes are of substantially parallelepipedal shape. Other shapes distinct from a rectangle are also suitable, especially ~~I2UOflwMCflD1120~1~flb~db .20 1" 20023 9114 when they permit paving of the surface of the pallet. The boxes otherwise have the conventional characteristics of such secondary packages.

The pouches can contain various types of products, in particular pastes, granules, liquids, which may or may not be foods. These products will preferably be moist food products. The pouches otherwise have the conventional characteristics of such primary packages.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments which have been described, but instead it is open to numerous variants easily accessible to the skilled person.

0 0 0 o *o 4o o *o ~\IuSO(4%Wt1fD &OflLO%13flfl B.d0a- an 2003 10114

Claims (12)

1. Pallet with a plurality of boxes having widths and lengths corresponding to dimensions which are submultiples of 400 x 600 mm, the boxes accommodating a plurality of pouches which are arranged flat in relation to the pallet.

2. Pallet according to Claim 1, wherein the pouches are of doypack type and are stacked head-to-tail in the boxes.

3. Pallet according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the boxes are devised to open at their top.

4. Pallet according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the boxes are devised to open at one of their sides. Pallet according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein 20 the boxes are obtained by folding a blank with a mandrel, the mandrel having the same width and length P 0 as the finished boxes.

6. Pallet according to any one of Claims 1 to measuring 800 x 1200 mm. .00. o Pallet according to any one of Claims 1 to measuring 1000 x 1200 mm. 30 8. Box containing pouches, the box having a width and a length corresponding to dimensions which are submultiples of 400 x 600 mm, the pouches being received within the box flat as regards a plane containing said width and length.

9. Box according to Claim 8, in which the pouches are of the doypack type and are stacked head-to-tail in the box. Box according to Claim 8 or 9, devised for opening at a top of the box.

11. Box according to Claim 8 or 9, devised for opening at a side of the box.

12. Box according to any one of Claims 8 to 11, obtained by folding a blank with a mandrel, the mandrel having the same width and length as the box.

13. Method of assembling a pallet according to any one of Claims 1 to 7, including the following steps: providing a plurality of boxes according to any one of claims 8 to 12; (ii) orientating said boxes in such a way as to have the pouches flat in relation to the pallet; and (iii) palletization of said boxes.

14. Method of assembling a box according to any one of Claims 8 to 12, including the following steps: providing an errpty box having at least two dimensions corresponding to dimensions which are submultiples of 400 x 600 mm; (ii) filling of said box with pouches, the respective planes of the pouches being •00o *'-"Asubstantially parallel to the plane defining said at least two dimensions; and 30 (iii) closing of the box. ooo Method according to Claim 14, in which step (i) includes a step of folding a blank of packaging material with a mandrel, the mandrel having the same at least two dimensions as the box.

16. Method according to Claim 14 or 15, in which step (ii) includes inserting the pouches horizontally into the box.

17. Device for carrying out the method according to Claim 16, including: a first conveyor belt arranged for delivering empty boxes, the boxes being arranged on the conveyor belt in a plane containing said at least two dimensions; (ii) at least one second conveyor belt arranged for delivering pouches substantially perpendicular to the first conveyor belt delivering empty boxes, said pouches being arranged flat on said second conveyor belt; (iii) a pouch transfer arm arranged above said first and second conveyor belts and having a gripper device at an end thereof, said arm disposed for alternating between a position for gripping the pouches from the second V. conveyor belt and a position for filling the box on the first co nveyor belt; and see (iv) a device for closing the box. DATED this 8th day of March 2006 MARS, INCORPORATED WATERMARK PATENT TRADE MARK ATTORNEYS 290 BURWOOD ROAD HAWTHORN VICTORIA 3122 AUSTRALIA *cot ,.cc# *Ott 35 P21140AUOO