CZ275095A3 - Multi-chamber divisible container - Google Patents

Abstract

A multi-compartment container (10) for packaging a plurality of articles such as bottles (B), comprises two or more compartment units (M1, M2) and a frangible cover portion (30), said compartment units comprising a base panel (14, 38), side panels (12, 16, 18, 60, 84, 40, 34, 36, 132) and a top panel (20, 30, 32) wherein said compartment unit top panel is partly formed by said frangible cover portion (30) in said formed multi-compartment container and removal of said cover portion (30) from said container (10) causes at least partial separation of said units (M1, M2) and exposes the top of at least one of the articles contained in at least one of said units thereby enabling removal of the one article from the one unit.

Description

Technical field

The present invention relates to a collapsible, low-chamber, disposable container. The container is formed to contain chambers for storing a plurality of the same products which together provide a single carton unit adapted to be taken away by the customer. However, these chambers can be separated from one another and form a plurality of separate units.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The patent (JSA No. 4,919,269 discloses a twin-bulk container having two chambers each holding twelve cans. The entire carton of the twenty-four cans can be easily transported. The carton can be divided into two individual carton units, each with twelve cans. In the multi-compartment container referred to in this reference, the separation of the individual containers does not lead to the opening of one or the other of the separate containers. , but only disconnects the units from each other by separating them from each other.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a multi-compartment container is preferably provided for packaging a plurality of articles, such as bottles, comprising two or more compartment units and an easily lamellable connecting member,

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The chamber units comprise bases, opposing side panels and a top panel, in the chamber units being an easily lamellable face panel formed by a panel part opposing the end of which certain adjacent panels of each partially formed by said multichamber container formed therein. parts of the container act at least partially to separate these units and provide access to the removal of at least one of the products contained in at least one of the units contained therein, wherein by removing said fastener at least a portion of each face of the parts of each chamber unit remains intact .

According to a feature of the present invention, the portions may be the top portions of the respective portions of the connecting portion being a cover portion which bridges the removal of the chamber unit, thereby allowing it to be removed from each unit. In addition, the chamber units are preferably coupled in the formed container by a second, lamellable attachment means, which may be a flap that is lamellarly hinged to one unit from an adjacent pair of units and fixed to the other unit of an adjacent pair.

In yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the multi-chamber container comprises at least one pair of adjacent compartment units positioned side-by-side, the side portion of each unit forming a keel in the base of the formed container that separates the products in each of the adjacent pair units.

With 1-stroke units and a container, the form exhibits the product in each of these units. In a preferred cover piece, at least one connecting chamber chamber

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the cover part comprises a handle for supporting the formed container. The cover member may also include end flaps which are hingedly attached to the cover member and which may be clamped and retracted to remove the cover member from the container. In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the chamber unit comprises an easily laminated flap that is attached to the end flap of the cover member and also lamellarly hung into the end portion of the chamber unit in the formed carton, thereby providing additional means of attachment between the chamber unit and the cover portion.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the cover member is lamellable connected to the chamber units in the formed container along a perforated line that extends across the top of the chamber unit into its end piece. Preferably, the multi-chamber container is manufactured from a single blank.

In yet another embodiment, the present invention provides a multi-chamber container for packaging a plurality of articles, such as bottles, comprising two or more compartment units and an easily lamellable connecting portion, the compartment units comprising facing surfaces formed by a base portion, opposite side portions and opposite end portions. the adjacent walls of each of the compartment units partially include the easily laminated connecting piece in the formed multi-chamber container, and wherein removing the connecting piece from the container causes at least partial separation of the units and provides access to removal of at least one of the articles contained in at least one of these units wherein at least part of each of said faces of the parts of each chamber unit remains intact by removal of the connecting piece.

In this form, each chamber may include means of interacting with one or more articles to allow storage of the separate chamber on its side. In a preferred embodiment, the interactive (cooperating) means is a particular product dividing the structure, and in yet another preferred form is the top of the chamber.

Overview of the drawings

Containers embodying the present invention in the form of a carton will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a blank from which a carton according to the invention is formed.

Figure 2 is a perspective view taken from above and from one end of a carton formed from the blank shown in Figs. 1 and subsequently filled with products; and

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing two separate container units and a strip of material that is removed from the original single carton unit to divide it into separate container units.

Figure 4 is a plan view of a separate cover piece that is used to form a second embodiment of the invention.

Figure 5 is a plan view of the blanks used to form the chambers, which together with the cover member shown in Figs. 4, constitute a second embodiment of the invention.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a container according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 7 - A perspective view of two detachable chambers as they are seated in the container shown in Figs. 6.

Figure 8 is a plan view of a blank used to form one of the chambers shown in Figure 1; 7 a

Figure 9 - a plan view of the cover member used in conjunction with the chambers shown in Figs. 7, to form the container shown in FIG. 6.

g.Lí KU dy ... jjcjaxaAgjp X ... y y.BALsxa.

Referring to the drawings, in particular FIG. 1, a carton blank 10, formed of paperboard or the like of a bendable layer, comprising, in rows, a portion of a first inner side wall 12. a portion of a first base 14, a portion of a first lower side wall 16, a portion of a first upper side walls 18. a first top wall 20 suspended from one another along the transverse fold lines 22, 24, 26 and 28, respectively. The top wall 20 forms part of the handle structure generally indicated by reference S, which is incorporated within the removable portion 30, which is described in more detail below.

The second container module is similar to the one described above and comprises a plurality of main members suspended in rows comprising a top panel 32. which is the same as the episode

A portion of the second upper side wall 34, a portion of the second lower side wall 36, a portion of the second base 38 and a portion of the second inner side wall 40 hinged to one another along the transverse fold lines 42, 44, 46, and 48 respectively.

The workpiece is symmetrical about its longitudinal central axes and hence those parts that are hinged to the longitudinal edges of the main parts 12 to 20, 30 and 32 to 40. will be described with reference to only one edge of the blank, opposite and similar parts on the opposite longitudinal edge of the blank. are identified by the same reference numerals with the addition of a and ^w .

A portion of the first inner side wall 12 carries an integral corner tapered panel 50 suspended along the longitudinal fold line 52 into the panel 12 and the glued flap 54 is attached to the tapered panel 50 along the bend line 56. The glued flap 54 is hinged by the gusset 58 to one edge of the panel of the lower end wall 60, the gusset member 58 is hinged to the glued flap 54 by a transverse fold line 62 and to the lower end wall portion along the bent line 64. The lower end wall portion itself carries a bendable glued flap 66. which is laminatably connected to the bottom end wall portion 60 along the perforated line 68.

The other structural member of the end member comprises a corner member 70 that is hinged to the longitudinal edge of the first lower side wall member 16. along the longitudinal bend line 72. The corner member 70 is hinged to the glued flap 71 along the bend line 73. Another corner member 75 is hinged to the longitudinal edge of the upper side wall panel 18, along the longitudinal bend line 76, and to the inner structural part 74 along the bend line 77. The parts 71 and 74 are joined together by a hinged gusset member 78. end 84 to which it is hinged by bending line 86. Joint 80 is hinged to panel 74 along bending line 88. The upper end panel 84 carries at its extreme end a glued flap 90 that is hinged to the upper end wall panel along bending line 92 The upper end portion 84 is hinged to one longitudinal edge of the top portion 20 along the longitudinal fold line 91.

When the carton is formed, the glued flap 71 is secured to the free edge of the bottom end wall portion 60 internally of the carton so that the portions 60 and 84 together form a substantial portion of the end portion of the module. The corner portions 70 and 75 form a bevelled corner section between the side wall portions 16 and 18 and the end wall portions 60 and 84 in the formed carton.

Parts 20, 84, 90. 84a. 90a are lamellarly connected to the removable panel 30 by means of a lamellable connection 94 extending transversely across the blank 10. Similarly, the opposite end of the removable panel 30 has a connection 96 to the top panel 32 and its dependent to see that the removable panel 30 has top and end panels.

As noted, the handle assembly s is molded internally to the panels. Is the removable top and side panels 30 in the form of an extensible handle described in European Patent Application No. 89304604.5 the handle assembly comprises a reinforcing and preferably has and claimed for this purpose a part 98 that is hinged in the transverse, left and right slot of the handle opening 100 a similar transverse fold line 102. A similar handle slot 106 is punched out of the removable portion 30 between the transverse fold line 104 and the lamellable connection of the portion 30 to the upper portion 32. A relatively short transverse slit 202 parallel to the slot 100 is also cut in the upper portion 30. 202 and the parallel longitudinal fold line 204 provide a means of limiting the load in the carton when it is lifted by the handle.

The right side of the blank as seen in FIG. 1 is of a similar (same) configuration as on the left side of the transverse laminar connection 94 and, of course, comprises the components of the blank forming a second similar but detachable container module.

Thus, the second upper end portion 108 is hinged to the upper portion 32 along the longitudinal fold line 110. The glued flap 112 is hinged to the end edge of the portion 108 along the longitudinal fold line 114. The second upper end portion 116 is suspended along the longitudinal edge of the upper side portion 34. along the fold line 118. The portion 116 forms a bevelled corner portion in the formed carton and is hinged to the inner structural portion 117 along the fold line 119. The portion 117 is connected to the portion 108 by the gusset portion 120. The gusset portion 120 is hinged to the upper end wall portion 108 along the transverse bend line 122 and is hinged to the inner member 1171 along the bent line 124.

The corner portion of the lower end 126 is flexibly connected to the portion of the second lower side wall 36 along the longitudinal fold line 130 and to the inner glued portion 127 along the fold line 131. The portion 127 is connected to the portion 117 by the nip 128 and the second lower side wall 132 by the nip 133.

The portion of the second lower end wall 132 is hinged to the second lower wall 38 along the longitudinal bend line 134 and comprises a lamellar glued flap 136. hinged to the panel 132 along the perforated line 138. The second end portion 40 hinges a corner bevel 140 therebetween. a longitudinal bend 142 and a glued flap 144. which is hinged to the tapered portion along the longitudinal bend line 146. The glued flap 144 is attached to the second lower end portion 132 by a gusset portion 148 hinged to the glued portion 144 along the fold line 150 and to the lower end portion. 132 along the bending line 152.

In order to form a blank into a folded sleeve, which can then be lifted and the end loaded by means known in the art, first the handle portion 98 is bent 180 ° to the right (as shown in Fig. 1) around the fold line and adhered to the parts a blank between the cut of the handle 106 and the fold line 104 and between the lateral ends of the end flaps Ti and Tia. This brings the end flap T into face contact with the end flap Ti.

Parts of the blank to the right of the transverse fold line 44 are folded 180 ° to the left. The first lower inner panel 12 and the adjacent lateral panels 50, 50a, 54 and 54a are folded 180 ° to the right around the bending lines 22 and 62 and 62a The base tab ^W B remains in its flat position shown in FIG. 1. After application of adhesive to adhesive flap 66 and base tab ”B ⁿ . left blank by fold lines P ¹¹ is folded 180 ° to the right into overlapping relationship with parts of the exposed face of the second knowledge the portion of the blank. Thus, the adhesive flap 66 and the base tab B are adhered to the glued flap 136 and the eye portion G. adjacent the base part 38, respectively. Similarly, the adhesive flap 66a adheres to the second adhesive flap 136a.

The blank is now in a partially formed, flat-folded state from which it can be lifted and loaded. The carton is filled when it is in sleeve form and in a manner well known in the art. During the filling, the inner side wall panels 12 and 40 are held in an upright position and act to separate one piece of carton from the other, thus dividing the unattached glued flaps wrapped in products into two sections that form detachable modules. It should be noted, however, that during forming of the sleeve, the two parts of the inner side wall 12 and 40 are correlated with the faces, but internally of the sleeve. It is the flap ¹¹ and B 66. frangibly 136 which are responsible for securing together the two opposite ends of the container blank 10th

Closing the ends of the sleeve after filling is relatively traditional. The corner portions 70, 75, 116 and 126, the structural portions 74 and 117, and the glued flaps 71 and 127 are bent inwardly along the bending lines 72, 76, 130, 118, 7Z, 119, 72, and 131 respectively. the ends 84 and 108 are then folded downward around the fold line 95 and 110, respectively, in an overlapping relationship with the parts

TJLs 71, 117 and 127.

The lower end portion 60 is then folded upwardly about the folded connection to the base portion 14 and adhered to the portions 71, 74, 90, and 54. Similarly, the lower end portion 132 is raised around the bend line 134 and adheres to the portions 127. 117. 112 and 144 to terminate the end of the carton.

To open the carton, the large flaps T and Ti which are covered by the lamellae glued flaps 66, 136 are clamped and pulled therefrom and the whole of the lamellae top section 22 'which comprises the handle structure 2 and is defined by substantially lamellar perforated lines 24. 96 may be peeled off, exposing the contents of the carton and removing portions of opposite ends and the top wall. The pair of individual containers can then be separated from each other by tearing the lamellae glued flap B from the base of the corresponding module, leaving two modules M1 and M2 as described in FIG. 3. As can be seen immediately, these modules allow the content to be held inside the container in a storage position, but also allow access to the content for immediate use. Thus, access to the bottles 2 can be easily obtained without the need to remove any other part of the container outside the central lamella strip that is removed to separate the modules. After partitioning, the modules can be stored upright as the M2 module in FIG.

and they can also be laid on their side faces. As shown in FIG. 3, M1 is placed on its side, while the upper portion 20 of the upper end portions 34 and 84a and the upper side portion 18 help to hold the bottles B ..

The modules can be placed one at a time or side by side in refrigerator trays, such as in its door, and the bottles are conveniently removed from the exposed face of the container. The individual modules also provide a suitable container in which empty bottles can be returned to the store or collection point.

While it is preferred to form the container of the present invention from a unit blank, such as the blank 10 of FIG. 1, it is possible, for example, to provide a detachable multi-chamber container that when formed looks substantially like the container shown in FIG. 2, but which is comprised of a separate cover member 31 ¹ and separate blanks 15 ¹ and 35 ¹ , the latter forming a mold-like component or module as shown in the unformed plan views of FIG.

and 5.

It is readily understood that in order to form a container 10 * (not shown folded) using parts 31 ¹ , 15 ¹ and 35 *, the latter chambers should be formed, for example in the case of chamber 15 * »by raising the side parts 12 * and 16 ¹ and folding the adhesive flaps 54 *, 54a ¹ , 71 ¹ and 71A ¹ inwards. This is followed by raising end panels 60 and 60A * ¹ and adhering to said adhesive to form parts foxes similar structure. Similarly, chamber 35 ¹ is formed in the same manner.

To form the finished container 10 ¹ , the cover portion 31 ¹ is first folded to form a reinforced handle S ¹ in a manner similar to that previously described with respect to the handle portion of the laminar connection 30 of the first embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the handle portion 98 * is folded about the bend line 104 ¹ so that it can be glued to the piece between the bend line 104 ¹ and the cut 106 *. The cover portion 31 is then lowered onto the chamber 15 and ¹ * 35 and adhered thereto for example by gluing glue flap 90 * to the outer surface of the end piece 60 ^x Ux chamber ¹ and repeat the same for all glue flaps.

The side wall 18 of cover portion 31 ^{X 1} can further be adhered to side wall panel 12 ^one on the inside or outside surface thereof. Alternatively it might not be necessary to adhere panels 12 and 18. ¹ A ^x. in which case it is advisable to stuff the part i8. ^x inside the chamber 15 * - the container is formed by gluing all the parts 90 *. 112 ^x . 98 ^x and 112A ^X to their respective chambers 15 ¹ and 35. ¹ .

For the separation of the compartments from the container the removable panel 3O ^X separated from the container as described in relation to the first embodiment of the invention. I.e., flaps for Tl and Tl ¹ may be pulled in order to burst the frangible lines 94 and 96 ^{x 1st}

A further embodiment of the container according to the invention is shown in FIG. 6, 7, 8 and 9. In this embodiment, the two chambers 15 ^IX and 35 ^{xx are} made of separate blanks and comprise product distributors from each other as clearly seen in FIG. The container 10 ^xx also includes a separate cover portion 31 ¹¹ . which includes the removable member 30 ^x1 shown in FIG.

9. Thus, in a third embodiment of the invention, there is provided a two-chamber detachable container in which each chamber holds six bottles in an array of two to three, each bottle having its own storage portion separate from adjacent bottles.

The blank used to form one of these chambers is shown in FIG. 8 in an unformed plan view. In order to form the erected chamber, the end pieces are 60 ^{x 1} and 60A ^x1, respectively. folded around the 64 ^xx and 63 ^{x 1} suspension lines. and 64A ^X1 and 63A ^IX . to secure the upwardly projecting part 61 ¹¹ . Referring to the view of FIG. 8, side wall panels 12 and 16 ^{xx xx} are then folded downwardly and glue flap 60 ¹¹ 70 ^xx. 50A ^IX and 70A ^xx are folded inward and adhered to the inner faces of the end pieces 60 ^x1 and 60A ^xx , respectively. The overlap base portions 14 ^{x 1} and 14AA ^1x are then folded inwardly so that they overlap and are closed together using, for example, a closure device of known mechanical type.

The upper part ^{11 of} chamber 61 15 ¹¹ 35 and ¹¹ includes parts from the neck portion fit 31Ο ¹¹ from parts 61 ¹¹ are also dependent dividers 312 ^11th separating adjacent bottles in a container.

Once lifted, the two chambers 15 ¹¹ and 35 * ¹ are positioned adjacent to each other and the top piece 31 ¹¹ can be lowered into position. In this embodiment, the top portion 31 ¹¹ comprises a removable portion 30 ¹¹ comprising a portion of the top portion 33 ¹¹ . inclined upper side wall panels 22 ^IX and 32 ¹¹ . and side wall parts 18 ¹¹ and 34 ^IX . The removable piece 30 ^{x 1} also includes inclined end pieces 84 ^{x 1} , 84A ^{x x} . and end wall parts 90 ^{x 1} , 90A ^xx . The cover member 31 ¹¹ further comprises two tear strips 300 ¹¹ and 300A ¹¹ and end adhesive flaps 302 ¹¹ , 302A ¹¹ . 304 ^{x 1} and 304a ¹¹ . The top cover 31 ¹¹ is formed by bending the end pieces 18 ^{x 1} and 34 ^xx downwards, bending the side panels 90 * ¹ and 90a ¹¹ down and gluing together the different pairs of provided corner adhesive flaps such as 75 * ¹ and 80 ^{x 1} . The cover portion 31 is ¹¹ then lowered onto the two adjacent compartments 15 and 35 ^{x xx first} and adhesive flaps 302 ¹¹ . 302A ^1x . 304 304A ¹¹ and ¹¹ are respectively glued to the associated end wall 6 O ^x 60A and ¹¹ chambers 15 and 35 ^{xx xx.}

To separate one chamber from the other and remove the cover member 30. ^XX , tear strips 300 ^{x 1} and 300A ^{XX are} torn along their respective tear lines 94 ^{x 1} and 94A ¹¹ , and 96 ¹¹ and 96A ^X1 . The adhesive flaps 302 ¹¹ and 304 ¹¹ are separated from each other by a cut 303 ^xx . are similarly end glue tabs 304A 3O2A ¹¹ and ¹¹ separated by cut 303A ^x1 and thus the chamber 15 * ¹ 35 ^{* 1} separable as shown in Fig. 7.

The tear strips 300 ^{x 1} may have a tapered portion such as 301 ¹¹ and 301A ¹¹ . allowing tear strips to be squeezed while separating the removable piece 30 ¹¹ from the chambers 35 ^{x 1} and 15 ¹¹ .

Again, when the removable piece 30 ^{x 1} is removed, the products in these chambers are exposed. Moreover, the assembly of the chambers having the partition structure allows, among other things, the chambers to be placed on their sides, such as the chamber 15 ¹¹ in FIG. 7.

Claims (18)

PATENT CLAIMS A multi-chamber container for a plurality of articles, such as bottles, comprising two or more compartment units and an easily lamellable connecting part, said compartment units comprising face faces of portions comprising a base portion, opposed side portions, opposed end portions, and an upper portion; that certain adjacent walls of each compartment unit partially include said laminate in the formed multi-compartment container and wherein removing said connector from said container causes at least partial separation of said units and provides access to remove at least one of the articles contained in at least one of said units wherein at least a portion of each of the face faces of the portions of each of said chamber units remains intact by removing said connector. A multi-chamber container according to claim 1, characterized in that the adjacent parts are the upper parts of the respective units and the connecting part is the cover part of the container which bridges the units. The multi-chamber container of claim 2, wherein removing the cover member exposes at least one article in each compartment unit, thereby allowing it to be removed from each unit. A multi-chamber container according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the chamber units are connected to each other in the formed container by means of a second, easily lamellable fastening means. A multi-chamber container according to claim 4, characterized in that the second, easily lamellable connection means is a connecting flap which is lamellarly suspended in one of the chamber units and fixed to the adjacent chamber unit. A multi-chamber container according to any preceding claim, comprising at least one pair of adjacent compartment units positioned side-by-side, characterized in that the side portion of each pair of units forms a keel in the base formed container that separates products between each unit of the adjacent pair. A multi-chamber container according to any preceding claim 2 to 6, wherein the cover portion comprises a handle for supporting the formed container. \ A multi-chamber container according to any one of claims 2 to 7, wherein the cover part comprises end flaps which are hingably attached to the cover part and which can be clamped and retracted to remove the cover part from the container. A multi-chamber container according to claim 8, wherein the chamber unit comprises an easily flapable flap that is attached to the end flap of the cover member and lamellarly hung into the end piece of the chamber unit in the formed carton. A multi-chamber container according to any one of claims 2 to 9, characterized in that the cover member is lamellarly connected to the chamber units in the formed container along a perforated line that extends across the top of the chamber unit and extends into its end piece. A multi-chamber container according to any preceding claim, made from a single blank. A multi-chamber container according to any preceding claim, wherein each chamber is made of a separate blank and the container further comprises a separate cover piece. A multi-chamber container according to claim 12, comprising two chambers and a unit cover member comprising a removable connecting piece. 14. A multi-chamber container for packaging a plurality of articles, such as bottles, comprising two or more compartment units and an easily lamellable connecting part, the compartment units comprising facing surfaces formed by a base part, opposite side portions and opposite end portions, characterized in that certain adjacent the walls of each of the compartment units partially include the easily laminatable connecting piece in the formed multi-chamber container, and wherein removing the connecting piece from the container causes at least partial separation of the units and provides access to removal of at least one of the products contained in the at least one of wherein at least part of each face of the parts of each chamber unit remains intact by removing said connector. 15. A multi-chamber container according to claim 14, wherein each chamber comprises means for interacting with one or more articles to allow a separate chamber to be placed on its side. 16. A multi-chamber container according to claim 15, wherein the cooperating means is a product separating the structure. 17. A multi-chamber container according to claim 15, wherein the cooperating means is a chamber top. A multi-chamber container according to any one of claims 1 to 13, in conjunction with any one of claims 14 to 17.