DE29900181U1 - Flat structures for packaging clothing or the like. - Google Patents

Description

PATENT ATTORNEY KALDENKIRCHENER STR. 35a

DIPL.-ING. M. BONSMANN D-41063 Mönchengladbach

EUROPEAN PATENT ATTORNEY TEL: (02161) 12114 · FAX: 16296

File: 98 276

CD.DESIGN GMBH

Bismarckstrasse 100, 41061 Mönchengladbach

Fabrics for packaging clothing
or similar

The invention relates to a sheet-like structure for packaging preferably folded items of clothing such as shirts, sweaters, trousers, or the like.

It is known that items of clothing, especially particularly high-quality items of clothing, are wrapped in paper after being sold in retail stores before being handed over to the customer so that they do not lose their shape or become dirty in the carrier bags usually used for transport. Rectangular sheets of paper are usually used for this purpose, in which the goods are wrapped by the seller or the cashier. This process is quite time-consuming, as the paper has to be carefully folded and the packaging has to be secured with adhesive tape or similar so that the packaging has a visually appealing appearance.

One object of the present invention is to make the packaging process significantly easier, so that working time is saved and the waiting time for customers at the checkout is shortened, while at the same time ensuring visually appealing packaging.

To achieve the above-mentioned object, the invention proposes that the sheet-like structure is made from at least one layer of paper-like material - preferably tissue paper - and is pre-folded and/or pre-creased by the manufacturer in such a way that the packaging process for the item of clothing is made easier. The pre-creasing or pre-folding allows the item of clothing to be packaged in just a few steps, with a visually appealing impression being ensured by precise pre-creases or folds. In principle, other paper-like materials - including those with a plastic content - can also be used instead of tissue paper.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, it can be provided that the flat structure is essentially rectangular in its unpackaged flat state, and that the manufacturer provides side folds on two opposite sides, each arranged essentially parallel to these sides, at such a distance from the respective sides that the item of clothing to be packaged can be received in the middle area between the two folds for packaging and can be covered by the overlapping side parts by folding over the two side parts at the folds. This reduces the packaging process for the sales staff to placing the item of clothing - e.g. a folded shirt - on the middle area of the flat structure lying ready on the packaging counter, folding the two side parts over the item of clothing and connecting the two side parts to one another with an adhesive tape or a sealing sticker. The area of the middle section is preferably dimensioned so that there is enough space for all usual items of clothing such as shirts, T-shirts, sweaters, vests, etc. in folded form.

Furthermore, according to the invention, at least one longitudinal fold can be provided by the manufacturer transversely to the direction of the side folds, which is formed by two longitudinal folds and folding the fabric by 180° in opposite directions along the longitudinal folds. Such a longitudinal fold essentially offers aesthetic advantages, as it visually structures the packaging. The packaging therefore appears more complex and attractive, although the sales staff do not need to carry out any additional manipulation for the longitudinal fold already provided by the manufacturer.

In particular, it can be provided that the side folds are provided by the manufacturer after the longitudinal fold has been formed. This sequence of folding and folding processes by the manufacturer allows the two side parts with the existing longitudinal fold to be folded over along the folding direction. For particularly large items of clothing, it is also generally possible to unfold the longitudinal fold again before the packaging process in order to increase the area of the middle area. However, with the folding and folding sequence mentioned above, parts of the folds in the unfolded fold area must be folded over in the opposite direction to the specified folding direction.

Furthermore, with a view to a particularly aesthetic design of the sheet-like structure, it can be provided that it is made of at least two layers of tissue paper lying one on top of the other, the outermost layer in the packaged state being translucent and the layer following the outermost layer towards the inside being colored.

It can be provided that the colored layer is printed in such a way that the printed image shines through the outermost layer. It is particularly useful to print the colored layer with a manufacturer's logo in the form of a regularly recurring pattern, for example in white, so that the manufacturer's logo shines through the outermost paper layer in a shadowy manner.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, it can further be provided that a third layer of unprinted, non-colored tissue paper is provided on the side facing the item of clothing when packaged. This third layer reliably prevents the middle tissue paper from rubbing off on the packaged item of clothing, even if moisture is present.

The invention is explained in more detail below using the drawings as examples. They show:

Fig. 1 is a schematic plan view of an unfolded sheet according to the invention with fold and folding lines;

Fig. 2 is a schematic sectional view along the narrow side of the fabric provided with a longitudinal fold shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a schematic sectional view of the sheet material in the packaged state in the direction of the long side of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of the area marked with A in Fig. 2, from which the individual layers of the fabric can be seen.

The rectangular sheet 10 shown in Fig. 1 in the unfolded state consists of three layers of tissue paper 12, 14, 16 lying one above the other, each of the same size (Fig. 4). The sheet 10 is provided with a fold by the manufacturer by first folding it lengthwise along the lines 20 and 22 by 180° in opposite directions, resulting in a fold (18, see Fig. 2) with the width of the distance between the lines 20 and 22. Then further folds 26 and 28 are provided, by which the sheet 10 is divided into a central area 32 and two side areas 34 and 36. This completes the folding and folding process by the manufacturer.

To pack a schematically shown folded item of clothing 30, this is placed on the middle area of the fabric according to Fig. 3 and the side areas 34, 36 are folded over. The side areas 34, 36 are dimensioned such that, with the usual thickness of the item of clothing, an overlap area is formed, onto which a self-adhesive seal or the like is glued to fix the two side areas. In addition, adhesive strips or the like can also be attached to the long side ends to prevent the item of clothing from falling out.

According to Fig. 4, a layer of partially transparent, colorless tissue paper 12 is provided on the outside, followed by a colored tissue paper 14 as the middle layer, on which a manufacturer's logo or the like is printed in white ink in a repeating pattern that optically shines through the outermost layer. To protect the items of clothing from

To prevent discoloration by the colored paper 14, a neutral layer of tissue paper 16 is provided at the innermost layer.

Claims (8)

Protection claims 1. Flat structure (10) for packaging preferably folded items of clothing (30) such as shirts, sweaters, trousers, or the like, characterized in that the flat structure is made from at least one layer of paper-like material and is pre-folded and/or pre-creased by the manufacturer in such a way that the packaging process for the item of clothing (30) is facilitated. 2. A sheet according to claim 1, characterized in that the sheet is made from at least one layer of tissue paper. 3. Flat structure according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is essentially rectangular in its unpackaged flat state, and that the manufacturer provides side folds (26, 28) on two opposite sides, each arranged essentially parallel to these sides, at such a distance from the respective sides that the item of clothing (30) to be packaged can be received in the middle area (32) between the two folds for packaging and can be covered by the overlapping side parts by folding over the two side parts (34, 36) at the folds. 4. A sheet according to claim 3, characterized in that at least one longitudinal fold (18) is provided by the manufacturer transversely to the direction of the side folds (26, 28), which is formed by two longitudinal folds (20, 22) and folding the sheet by 180° each along the longitudinal folds (20, 22). 5. A sheet according to claim 4, characterized in that the side folds (26, 28) are provided by the manufacturer after the longitudinal fold (18) has been formed. 6. A sheet-like structure according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it is formed from at least two layers of tissue paper (12, 14) lying one above the other, the outermost layer (12) in the packaged state being translucent and the layer (14) following the outermost layer towards the inside being colored. 7. A sheet-like structure according to claim 6, characterized in that the colored layer (14) is printed in such a way that the printed image shines through the outermost layer (12). 8. A sheet-like structure according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that a third layer (16) of unprinted, non-colored tissue paper is provided on the side facing the item of clothing (30) in the packaged state.