CA1299148C - Multiple packaging arrangement - Google Patents

Abstract

SKEWED SERPENTINE MULTI-PACKAGE PRODUCT STORAGE RACK

Abstract of the Disclosure A storage rack assembly and vending channel structure for a vending machine that stores packages such as bottles and cans and feeds the same to a release mechanism upon the insertion of one or more coins or tokens in payment for the article A
release mechanism allows the product to travel down a vend chute and into a delivery port. Each channel is comprised of a pair of mutually opposing serpentine side members having a predetermined separation distance providing a storage column for both bottles and cans. The support surfaces of both members comprise side walls which are furthermore skewed or inclined from the horizontal downwardly. A rear support surface comprising a back wall and/or a serpentine guide bar is also provided so the package, whether it be a bottle or can or both, is guided by its side and base rather than by its end or side only, thus providing compatibility with various types of packages including reduced neck bottles and cans which will not normally feed properly through conventional serpentine mechanisms.

Description

The invention relates to a method for producing a packaging unit comprising a plurality of folding boxes designed to accommodate packaged articles.
In, for example, the electrotechnical industry, appliances manufactured are always packaged in individual boxes. The resulting boxes are then generally placed in larger boxes and are arranged in rows, side-by-side or one above -the other, to form a large packaging unit, in oraer to facilitate storage, transportation and dispatcn. Produc-tion, filling and closing of the individual boxes involves aconsiderable amount of labour and time. In addition to this, the individual boxes must then be sorted or grouped together and counted when an order is to be prepared for shipping. The large number of different electrotechnical appliances now available leads to major problems in storage if individual boxes must be counted in order to determine the stock. Individual boxes also have to be opened and then closed again for inspection purposes, for example in the transit stage. Finally, it is also inconvenient for the ultimate consumer to have to open each box by hand in order to remove each appliance for further processing. These awkward and time-consuming production and handling methods, resulting from individu~l packaging, do not arise only in connection with electrical appliances, but also in many other technical fields and even in the packing of commodities in daily use.
It is therefore the purpose of the invention to provide a method for producing a packaging unit comprising a plurality of folding boxes whereby, on the one hand, produc-tion of the unit is substantially simplified and whereby, - - 1 - ~

12991a~8 the other hand, storage, shipping and, finally, handling en route and on the ultimate consumer's premises is also facilitated.
In accordance with the invention there is provided an arrangement for the multiple packaging of components comprising a plurality of individual boxes, each said box having four sides and two ends, one of said ends having a pivotal flap formed therein for sealing said end and the other end comprising an open area communica-ting with the interior of each said box and opposite said end with said pivotal flap; each said individual box arranged such that said open ends are on a common side and each box having at least one of said sides adjacent another side of another box such that the boxes form a singular array; a U-shaped member having a middle section corresponding in shape to the open areas of the aligned boxes and two end sections projecting from the middle section on opposite sides thereof and at right angles thereto such that the end sections overlap opposite sides of the boxes and the middle section is adja-cent and over an open area of each said box, and means foradhering the end sections of the U-shaped member to the sides of the boxes, said U-shaped member having individual score lines formed therein and corresponding with the sides of the individual boxes such that once said U-shaped member is adhered to the boxes, individual boxes or groups of boxes may be broken away from the remaining box or group of boxes by breaking the U-shaped member at the score lines.
Also in accordance with the invention there is provided a packaging arrangement for uniformly sealing a plurality of aligned individual boxes to form a single multiple packing array, where each said box has an open end 1299141~

and a closed end, said apparatus comprising a rectangular sheet having a middle section and two end sections project-ing at opposite ends therefrom, said middle section defined by a pair of parallel fold lines formed therein, such that said sheet when folded about said fold lines, at right angles to the middle section, forms a substantially U-shaped member with said middle section forming a plane correspond-ing in dimension to the dimension of the aligned open ends of said boxes; said rectangular sheet having formed therein means for separating the rectangular sheet at predetermined sections, each said section corresponding in dimension to the dimension of an individual box in the packaging array;
whereby the U-shaped member may be placed over the open ends of the plurality of boxes and adhered thereto to seal the open ends of the boxes and form a sealed package structurally supporting and sealing the individual boxes.
Further in accordance with the invention there is provided a method for producing a packaging arrangement for uniformly sealing a plurality of aligned individual boxes to form a single multiple packaging array, where each said box has an open end and a closed end, and including the steps of:
arranying a plurality of said boxes in a row closely side-by-side;
fitting a common cover to the open bottom of said boxes and to two adjacent outer lateral sides after the cover has been provided with perforations for the purpose of breaking off folding boxes which remain closed;

~99~48 and wherein the perforations are provided in one lateral part of the cover on each side of a longitudinal strip extending over all the boxes in the packaging arrangement.
The invention will be better understood by an examination of the following description, toge-ther with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a blank of a folding box;
FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a folding box in an intermediate stage of the folding process;
FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of a folding box with the cover slightly open and the bottom - at the top - open;
FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a row of folding boxes showing the cover before it is fitted thereto;
FIGURE 5 is an end-elevation of a folding box and cover in an intermediate stage before being joined together;
FIGURE 6 is an end-elevation according to Figure 5, showing the folding box and covèr assembled;

- 3a -FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of a packaging unit in which the longitudinal strip is partly torn off and some of the folding boxes are open; and FIGURE 8 is a perspective view showing the manner in which individual folding boxes are broken off the packaging unit.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a blank 1 for a folding box which has the advantage of being stamped out of pasteboard or, in the case of larger boxes, out of cardboard or, if necessary, out of strip-plastic or some other suit-able strip material. The same materials may also be used for the blank of cover 22 which will be explained herein-after. Blank 1 comprises four wall parts 2,3,4 and 5 and a cover 9. A push-in tab 10 is made integral with cover 9.
Small notches 19,20 are provided at the end of fold-line 18 between cover 9 and push-in tab 10. Cover tabs 7,8 are integral with wall parts 3,5 adjacent wall part 2 of cover 9. Finally, an edge tab 6 is integral with wall part 2, so that the edges of blank 1, which are adjacent after box 21 has been folded (Figure 3), can be connected together by means of the said edge tab and adhesive, as shown in Figures 3 and ~. This blank 1, with the parts indicated herein-before, may be produced in a single stamping operation.
Fold lines 11 to 18, shown dotted, are provided between individual parts. These fold lines may be produced during the stamping operation, or in a separate operation by light pressure with the edge of a press-tool or by grooving, in order to ensure accurately folded boxes. Folding may also be completely automatic. The same also applies to the application of glue for the gluing of edge tab 6.

~299148 A significant factor in connection with the fold-ing boxes produced in accordance with the invention is that the said boxes, as such, have no bottoms, i.e., that the bottoms remain open.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of a folding box, cover 9 and tab 10 being shown at the bottom in the slightly open position. Prior to any further processing, however, the cover is closed by means of the tab. Boxes 21, thus prepared, are then preferably arranged in a row loosely side-by-side wlth the open bottom at the top and this may also be accomplished completely automatically. It has been found particularly advantageous to combine ten folding boxes into one packaging unit.
As shown in Figures 4 to 6, the open bottoms and the two adjacent outer lateral walls 3,5 are enclosed by a common cover 22. This cover is made from a rectangular blank which is provided, at the edges visible in Figure 4, with fold lines corresponding to Figure 1, thus allowing the blank to be folded into a profile having a U-shaped cross-section as shown in Figure 4. The said U-shaped profile has a bottom part 23 corresponding to the total area of the open bottoms of folding boxes 21 arranged side-by-side. Located at the two longitudinal edges (fold lines) of bottom part 23 are lateral parts 24,25 which completely cover outer lateral walls 3 and S of folding boxes 21. The cover is provided with perforations 26,27 and 28 which may be applied during the stamping operation. These perforations lie in the planes corresponding to the intermediate planes between two adjacent folding boxes, and in such a manner that the said 1299~48 boxes can be broken oEf the packaging unit individually or in groups and in the closed condition, as will be explained in greater detail hereinafter.
One particularly advantageous conriguration of the packaging unit according to the invention consists in the provision, at one lateral part 24 of cover 22, of a longi-tudinal strip 29 which extends over all of the folding boxes in the packaging unit. The said longitudinal strip arises from perforations 30,31 on both sides which are preferably in the form of toothed perforations, as shown quite clearly in Figures 4, 7 and 8. Like perforations 26 to 28, per~
forations 30 and 31 may be produced during the operation of stamping out the blank for the cover.
In order to obtain a packaging unit from the fold-ing boxes arranged loosely side-by-side according to Figure 4, common cover 22 must be connected to all of the boxes in the packaging unit. This is preferably accomplished by means of layers of adhesive 32 and 33 which are applied, according to Figures 5 and 6, between lateral parts 24 and 25 of cover 22, on the one hand, and outer lateral walls 3,5 of folding boxes 21 on the other hand. Adhesive layer 32 covers the whole area between lateral part 25 of cover 22 and adjacent lateral walls 5 of the folding boxes. Between the other lateral part 24 and lateral walls 3 a layer of adhesive is applied only in the area between longitudinal strip 29 and the outer edge of lateral part 24. Late al part strip 34 (Figure 5) of part 24 thus carries no layer adhesive and strip 29 is therefore not glued to toothed perforations 30 and 31. It is desirable for the said strip to be staggered eccentrically in lateral part 24 of cover 22 1299~48 in an upward direction according to Figure 7, in such a manner that a narrow edge part 35 remains between strip 29 and bottom paxt 23.
Above-mentioned perforations 26 to 28 and 30,31 may be in the form of rows of punched holes. However, the said perforations are preferably cut or slotted, in such a manner that, in spite of the objects contained in the packaging unit, the latter does not break or open locally in an unwanted manner during normal handling.
As will readily be understood from the foregoing, a packaging unit is produced mainly by first preparing blanks for the folding boxes and blanks for the cover com-prising fold lines and perforations. This is followed by folding the boxes and arranging them in a row one behind the other. The cover is then also folded, is preferably pro-vided with the layers of adhesive as described hereinbefore, ls fitted to the folding boxes, and is finally connected thereto to form a packaging unit. Before fitting the cover, it is desirable to place the articles to be packaged in the individual boxes, the said boxes being set up with the cover at the bottom and the open bottoms at the top. The articles to be packaged can then be in-troduced into the boxes fully automatically through the open bottoms. All of the boxes are completely closed as soon as the cover is fitted.
The packaging unit described hereinbefore offers a variety of advantages. In the first place it is substan-tially easier to handle than existing folding boxes, as already explained at the beginning hereof. A single box can be broken off the packaging unit at transverse perforations 26 to 28 and, in this condition, the folding box still remains ciosed on all sides, but may be opened by opening 12991a~8 cover 9 and cover tabs 7,8 in order tO remove the packaged article. Instead of this, however, a related group of boxes may be broken off the packaging uni-t. It is aiso possible, especially for purposes of inspection, but also when it is desired to open up the whole packaging unit quickly - and this applies more particularly to the ultimate consumer involved in processing -the packaged articles, i.e. electro-technical appliances - to separate longitudinal strip 29, partly or whol]y, with the aid of perforations 30,31, as shown in Figure 7. This releases bottom parts 23 and edge parts 35 and these can be folded open - jointly if perfora-tions 27 are not torn, or individually if bottom parts 23 are separated from each other by opening perforations 27 (Figure 7). If the longitudinal strip is completely removed, the packaging unit still remains as such because remaining lateral parts 24 and 25 still hold the folding boxes together. It is possible, merely by rotating the packaging unit, to open bottom parts 23 individually or jointly, thus allowing the packaged articles to fall out.
When longitudinal strip 29 is torn off merely to check the packaging unit as a whole, edge parts 35 of bottom parts 23, like cover 9, may be closed again by means of push-in tab 10 .
Although a particular embodiment has been des-cribed, this was for the purpose of illustrating, but not limiting, the invention. Various modifications, which will come readily to the mind of one skilled in the art, are within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims (16)

1. An arrangement for the multiple packaging of com-ponents comprising a plurality of individual boxes, each said box having four sides and two ends, one of said ends having a pivotal flap formed therein for sealing said end and the other end comprising an open area communicating with the interior of each said box and opposite said end with said pivotal flap; each said individual box arranged such that said open ends are on a common side and each box having at least one of said sides adjacent another side of another box such that the boxes form a singular array; a U-shaped member having a middle section corresponding in shape to the open areas of the aligned boxes and two end sections projecting from the middle section on opposite sides thereof and at right angles thereto such that the end sections overlap opposite sides of the boxes and the middle section is adjacent and over an open area of each said box, and means for adhering the end sections of the U-shaped member to the sides of the boxes, said U-shaped member having individual score lines formed therein and corresponding with the sides of the individual boxes such that once said U-shaped member is adhered to the boxes, individual boxes or groups of boxes may be broken away from the remaining box or group of boxes by breaking the U-shaped member at the score lines.

2. The arrangement of Claim 1 where the means for adhering the end sections to the sides of the boxes comprises a glue.

3. The arrangement of Claim 1 wherein the individual boxes and U-shaped member are comprised of cardboard.

4. The arrangement of Claim 1 where the U-shaped member includes a frangible strip formed therein along an end section thereof whereby removal of the frangible strip from the U-shaped member when said member is adhered to the boxes permits the middle section of the U-shaped member to pivot with respect to the open area of said box to expose said open area.

5. The arrangement of Claim 1 where the U-shaped member has parallel fold lines formed therein to define the middle section of said member.

6. A packaging arrangement for uniformly sealing a plurality of aligned individual boxes to form a single multiple packing array, where each said box has an open end and a closed end, said apparatus comprising a rectangular sheet having a middle section and two end sections project-ing at opposite ends therefrom, said middle section defined by a pair of parallel fold lines formed therein, such that said sheet when folded about said fold lines, at right angles to the middle section, forms a substantially U-shaped member with said middle section forming a plane correspond-ing in dimension to the dimension of the aligned open ends of said boxes; said rectangular sheet having formed therein means for separating the rectangular sheet at predetermined sections, each said section corresponding in dimension to the dimension of an individual box in the packaging array;
whereby the U-shaped member may be placed over the open ends of the plurality of boxes and adhered thereto to seal the open ends of the boxes and form a sealed package structurally supporting and sealing the individual boxes.

7. The arrangement of Claim 6 where the separating means comprises a series of parallel lines scored into the material of the rectangular sheet such that upon exerting a tensile force at selective locations on the rectangular sheet it will tear at and along the individual score lines.

8. The arrangement of Claim 6 where the rectangular sheet has means for exposing the open area of the individual boxes formed thereon such that when operated said means allows a portion of the rectangular sheet to open permitting access to the interior of said boxes.

9. The arrangement of Claim 8 where the means for exposing the interior of the individual boxes comprises a frangible strip scored in the rectangular sheet parallel to one of the fold lines and substantially adjacent thereto such that removing the frangible strip causes a flap to be formed by the middle section where said flap is pivotal with respect to the open end of the individual box to expose said open end for access to the interior of said box.

10. The arrangement of Claim 6 where the rectangular sheet is adhered to the individual boxes by a glue.

11. The arrangement of Claim 6 where the rectangular sheet comprises cardboard.

12. The packaging arrangement of Claim 6 where the closed end has a foldable flap for closing said end such that said end may be opened and closed by folding the flap with respect to the box end.

13. A method for producing a packaging arrangement for uniformly sealing a plurality of aligned individual boxes to form a single multiple packaging array, where each said box has an open end and a closed end, and including the steps of:
arranging a plurality of said boxes in a row closely side-by-side;
fitting a common cover to the open bottom of said boxes and to two adjacent outer lateral sides after the cover has been provided with perforations for the purpose of breaking off folding boxes which remain closed;
and wherein the perforations are provided in one lateral part of the cover on each side of a longitudinal strip extending over all the boxes in the packaging arrangement.

14. A method of Claim 13 wherein the cover is adhered to the lateral sides by a layer of adhesive.

15. A method of Claim 14 wherein a layer of adhesive is applied to the area between the longitudinal strip and the outer edge of the lateral part of the cover.

16. A method of Claim 15 wherein the articles to be packaged are inserted through the open bottoms of the boxes before the cover is fitted over the open bottoms.