DE202023105509U1 - Reusable packaging for the storage, transport and presentation of general cargo - Google Patents

Abstract

Reusable packaging for the storage, transport and presentation of general cargo, characterized in that it comprises:
- a first outer container (2) with at least four side walls (21, 22), two of which lie opposite each other, and a lower base (20), and
- at least two second removable containers (3) with a holding and handling handle (4), which are arranged within the first outer container (2) and in which the piece goods are received, each of the at least two opposing walls (22) of the first outer container (2) has a recess defining a cavity (23) for receiving and positioning the handle (4) of one of the second removable containers (3), the handle (4) extending from the outside of the first container ( 2) is accessible from.

Description

SUBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The invention, a reusable packaging for the storage, transport and presentation of general cargo, is a packaging in the form of a transport box, which is used in the form of a crate for the transport of products sold as general cargo, such as fruits and vegetables, in which they are protected from their place of origin or from the packaging plants to the markets, supermarkets or other points of sale where they are presented directly in the box itself. The packaging which is the subject of the present invention comprises a first container in the form of a tray within which are arranged a plurality of removable containers or second containers intended to contain a certain quantity of the product, which is preferably general cargo that has already been prepared at the place of origin, which not only protects the product better, since each container or second container contains a smaller amount of it, thus preventing undesirable crushing and improving presentation at the point of sale, but which are also designed in particular in the form of a “scoop” or a “dosing cup” to make it easier for the customer to take the desired amount of product himself, by pouring it directly into a bag, without having to touch the product with his hand and consequently even without the use of gloves to ensure the hygiene measures that these types of products usually require. Both the first and second containers are preferably made of plastic, but can also be made of other materials, which can be the same or different materials. For example, the first container can be made of plastic and the second containers can be made of cardboard or paper, in which case the user could take the second container with them without having to pour its contents into a bag.

The scope of the present invention falls within the field of the industry active in the production of packaging, with particular emphasis on packaging in the form of transport boxes or shipping boxes, in particular plastic boxes, which are normally used in the primary sector, but without to exclude other areas that use this type of packaging for the sale of general cargo.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

So-called transport boxes or shipping boxes are known in the prior art, which are usually made of plastic, but also of wood or cardboard and are usually used for the transport of products sold as piece goods, such as fruit and vegetables, so that they can be placed directly on the Field or in the packaging and sorting plant itself and presented together with the product in the store or supermarket for the end customer, where it is often the customer himself who removes the product in a self-service manner and takes the quantity of product with him he wants to buy.

One of the problems with this type of crate is that, especially when intended for products that, as is the case with many fruits and some vegetables, are prone to crushing due to the weight of the items, which means that they cannot be filled very much, which is why a lot of space is lost, which in turn increases transport costs. Likewise, handling of the products by the user when removing these products may result in damage to other products contained in the tray.

Another problem with these products is that for hygiene reasons, all customers should wear gloves when handling them and avoid touching them directly with their hands. In fact, retailers in most supermarkets and points of sale provide gloves for this purpose to the public. However, since these are used by only a few customers, they not only represent a cost to the business, but are ultimately not effective.

Furthermore, the packaging of this type of product usually requires single-use plastic packaging, which significantly increases the number of single-use plastic packaging placed on the market.

These problems are perhaps even more serious for products such as cherries, blueberries or other small products that can be damaged when touched and therefore have to be discarded, but which require customers to purchase them either by the handful, with the risk of damaging them in the process, or one after the other, with the consequent loss of time.

The aim of the present invention is therefore to provide the market with a new type of packaging that allows all to solve the described problems of the currently used transport boxes and also to provide additional advantages, both for (i) the retailer, so that the product is better protected and better presented and the entire contents of the packaging can be used; (ii) for the end customer, as he can easily, quickly and hygienically remove the desired quantity of product (avoiding food waste) without having to touch the product with his hands and therefore without having to put on gloves, which on the other hand saves the trader, to purchase them and keep them available and; (iii) for society, as promoting sales as general goods avoids the introduction of single-use plastic packaging onto the market and ultimately limits plastic waste.

DECLARATION OF THE INVENTION

• - einen ersten äußeren Behälter mit mindestens vier Seitenwänden, von denen jeweils zwei einander gegenüberliegen, und einem unteren Boden, und
• - mindestens zwei zweite herausnehmbare Behälter mit einem Halte- und Handhabungsgriff, die innerhalb des ersten äußeren Behälters angeordnet sind und in denen die Stückgüter aufgenommen werden,

wobei jede der mindestens zwei einander gegenüberliegenden Wände des ersten äußeren Behälters eine Aussparung aufweist, die einen Hohlraum definiert, um den Griff eines der zweiten herausnehmbaren Behälter aufzunehmen und zu positionieren, wobei der Griff von der Außenseite des ersten Behälters aus zugänglich ist.The subject of the present invention is a reusable packaging for the storage, transport and presentation of piece goods according to claim 1. Specifically, the packaging according to the invention comprises the following:

• - a first outer container with at least four side walls, two of which face each other, and a lower bottom, and
• - at least two second removable containers with a holding and handling handle, which are arranged within the first outer container and in which the piece goods are received,

each of the at least two opposing walls of the first outer container having a recess defining a cavity for receiving and positioning the handle of one of the second removable containers, the handle being accessible from the outside of the first container.

What the invention therefore proposes, as mentioned above, is a packaging comprising a first container or outer box, in the form of a crate or transport box, as used for the transport of products sold as general cargo, such as fruits and vegetables in which they are protected from their place of origin or from the packaging plants to the markets, supermarkets or other points of sale where they are presented directly in the box itself and also includes a variety of removable secondary containers or containers intended to provide a to contain a certain quantity of the product that has already been prepared for distribution at the place of origin. In this way, these second containers or containers allow not only better protection of the product, but also better presentation of the product, the sale of the product as piece goods (avoiding the use of single-use plastic packaging) and also allows full use of the entire capacity of the first container or the first box. These second containers are designed in particular to be used as a tool in the form of a “scoop” or a dosing cup and to make it easier for the end customer to serve himself by transferring the desired quantity of general goods into a bag (thus reducing the waste of foods) without having to touch the product directly by hand and therefore avoiding the use of gloves in order to ensure the hygiene measures that this type of product normally requires.

Preferably, each of the removable second containers or containers that the first container or the outer box of the packaging has has a holding and handling handle. Furthermore, this handle is designed so that when the second containers or containers are in the first container or box, the handle is easily accessible from the outside of the first container or box, preferably from one of its sides, which allows the user to grasp this handle to hold the second container in the form of a “scoop” and transfer the desired amount of product into the weighing and labeling bag, for example, without having to touch the product at any time.

One or more of the side walls of the first container have one or more cavities which are suitable for receiving and exposing the handles of the second containers or containers. Preferably, the handle of each second removable container does not protrude from the cavity of the first container when said second container is within the first container, thereby avoiding interference with other packages that may be placed next to it.

The first container or the first box preferably has a cuboid container with a rectangular base, consisting of a lower base and four side walls, two of which lie opposite each other, with preferably two shorter ones on the narrower sides. Two of the sides may have openings for holding, and the other two sides have recesses which form the cavities for the handles of the second containers or containers define. Preferably, the bottom and the walls constituting the first container consist of removable parts which can be connected to one another, that is to say the walls can be removed from the bottom. Alternatively, the walls of the first container at the bottom can be foldable towards the interior of said container when the second containers are not arranged in its interior.

Likewise, the second containers or containers are again designed in a cube shape, with a square base and dimensions so that they fit into one another exactly, whereby they completely fill the aforementioned interior space of the first container or box, both in width and length in height. In addition, every second container or container has a handling and holding handle in the form of an extension projecting on one of its sides, which, when the second containers are within the first container, corresponds to the respective cavities of the side walls of said first container and after protrudes outside of this so that it is easily accessible so that it can be held by the user to remove the second container and to reinsert it after use. Preferably, these second removable containers are made in one piece or, in other words, they are one-piece bodies.

Furthermore, the first container or the outer box is preferably designed so that they fit into one another and the stacking of a plurality of first containers of the same plurality of packages is possible, and in turn the first containers or containers are also designed so that they fit into one another and enable the stacking of a large number of these containers, thereby maximizing transport space.

Preferably, both the first container and the second removable containers are made of plastic material with holes for ventilation and weight saving, although they could also be made of other materials such as cardboard or paper.

Preferably, the first container can accommodate six second containers, so that their handles can be inserted into the six cavities, each arranged in a row of three, in the opposing walls of the first container. Alternatively, other combinations are also possible, such as a first container that can hold two, four or eight second containers, but also more.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

In order to complete the description of the present invention and to facilitate the understanding of its features, this description includes as part thereof some figures which represent it in an illustrative and non-limiting manner.

Figure number 1 shows a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the reusable packaging according to the invention for the storage, transport and presentation of piece goods, which is shown with all of its removable second containers or containers within the first container or the outer box, but without contents .

Figure number 2 shows a perspective view of the example in the 1 shown packaging according to the invention, which in this case is shown with the second container filled with the product.

Figure number 3 shows a perspective view of one of the first removable containers, shown separate and outside of the first container.

Figure number 4 shows a perspective view of a plurality of packages according to the invention, shown in a stacked position for storage, showing the arrangement of the various elements.

Figure number 5 shows an exploded perspective view of the example of the packaging according to the invention shown in the previous figures, showing the parts and elements it comprises.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

In view of the above figures, an exemplary embodiment of the subject matter of the present invention is described below.

The packaging (1) according to the invention, which can be used to hold piece goods (p) which are placed directly in the packaging (1) at the place of origin for storage, transport and presentation at the point of sale, comprises a first container or external box (2), within which are arranged a plurality of removable second containers or containers (3) intended to contain a certain quantity of the product (p) already prepared at the place of origin. These second removable containers (3) provide a graspable tool in the form of a “shovel” or one Dosing cups for decanting the product (p) contained in them, that is to say they are suitable for being removed and allowing a user to remove a quantity of the product (p) contained in them, for example in a packaging belonging to this, a Tupperware container, a bag, a basket or another type of container is transferred without having to touch it. These second containers are preferably made in one piece in the form of a basket.

Each of the second removable containers (3) belonging to the first container (2) of the packaging (1) has a holding and handling handle (4). The said holding and handling handle (4), which each first removable container (3) has, is arranged so that it is easily accessible from the outside of the first container (2) when these (3) are arranged inside the first container (2). , since said first container has cavities (23) on some of its sides (22) in which said handles (4) are accommodated. The handle (4) of each second removable container (3) is therefore accessible from said sides (22) of the first container (2).

The number of second removable containers (3) contained in the first container (2) is variable and depends on the specific requirements, depending on the type or size of the product and the dimensions of the product and the box.

In a preferred embodiment, the first container (2) defines a cuboid-shaped container with a rectangular base area, consisting of a lower base (20) and four side walls, preferably two short sides (21) with openings (5), around the first container ( 2) to be able to hold it by hand, and two long sides (22) which have recesses which define the cavities (23) for the handles (4) of the second removable containers (3).

The second removable containers (3) are preferably cube-shaped, with a square base and dimensions so that they fit exactly into one another within the first container (3), and overall they completely fill the said interior space, both in width and length in height, the two rows being arranged so that the respective handles (4) correspond to the respective cavities (23) of the long side walls (22), as in the example of 1 you can see.

Each second removable container (3), as mentioned, has a handle (4) in the form of an extension protruding from one of its sides, so that when the first removable containers (3) are inside the first container (2). , said handle (4) comes to rest in correspondence with the respective cavities (23) of the long side walls (22) of said first container and protrudes outwards therefrom.

In any case, the first container (2) is designed to fit into another first container and to enable stacking of a plurality of containers (2) of a same plurality of packages, and in turn the first removable containers (3) are also so designed so that they fit into one another and enable a large number of these containers to be stacked. This stacking can occur both independently and within the first container (2), which is located on top of a stack of first containers, as in the 5 can be seen, saving space.

Since the packaging (1) is reusable, the first container (2) and the second removable containers (3) are preferably made of plastic material with holes for ventilation and weight saving in order to maximally promote their reuse and thus avoid the use of disposable containers and/or materials to avoid. Deviating from this and as a further possibility, the first container (2) is made of plastic and the second containers (3) are made of cardboard or paper so that the user can take them with them without having to transfer their contents into another packaging. In another alternative, both the first container (2) and the second containers (3) are made of cardboard and/or paper.

Preferably, the bottom (20) and the walls (21, 22) from which the first container (2) is formed consist of removable parts which can be connected to one another, optionally providing for the presence of a filling film (6). covers the base (20) and serves as a support element for the second container (3), which can optionally consist of absorbent material.

Alternatively, instead of the six second containers, with the handles inserted into the six cavities arranged in rows of three in the opposing walls of the first container, the first container can also accommodate more or fewer than six containers with the corresponding changes to the design and dimensions . A first container can, for example, hold two, four or eight second containers, although it can also hold more.

Claims (11)

Reusable packaging for the storage, transport and presentation of general cargo, characterized in that it the following comprises: - a first outer container (2) with at least four side walls (21, 22), two of which lie opposite each other, and a lower base (20), and - at least two second removable containers (3) with a holding and handling handle (4), which are arranged within the first outer container (2) and in which the piece goods are received, each of the at least two opposing walls (22) of the first outer container (2) having a recess which has a cavity (23) to receive and position the handle (4) of one of the second removable containers (3), the handle (4) being accessible from the outside of the first container (2). Packaging according to Claim 1 , characterized in that the first container (2) is cuboid, with a rectangular base with two opposing first walls (21), with openings (5) for holding said first container and two second opposing walls (22) which have the cavities (23). Packaging according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second removable containers (3) are cube-shaped, with four sides and a square base, which fit into the interior of the first container (2), overall completely filling said interior , both in width and length as well as in height. Packaging according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the handle (4) of each second removable container (3) does not protrude from the cavity (23) of the first container (2) when said second container (3) is inside the first Container (2) is located. Packaging according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the handle (4) of each second container (3) has the shape of an extension projecting from one of the four sides forming said second container (3). Packaging according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the walls (21, 22) of the first container (2) at the bottom (20) are foldable towards the interior of said container (2) when the second containers (3) are not in are arranged in its interior. Packaging according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the walls (21, 22) are removable from the base (20). Packaging according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second containers (3) are manufactured in one piece. Packaging according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first container (2) and the second containers (3) have holes for ventilation and to save weight. Packaging according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first container (2) and the second containers (3) are made of plastic. Packaging according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it generally comprises six second removable containers (3), the handles (4) of which are inserted into the six cavities (23), each arranged in a row of three, in the opposing walls (22). .

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