EP0000824B1 - Light-weight packages comprising a skeletal container - Google Patents
Light-weight packages comprising a skeletal container Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP0000824B1 EP0000824B1 EP78300222A EP78300222A EP0000824B1 EP 0000824 B1 EP0000824 B1 EP 0000824B1 EP 78300222 A EP78300222 A EP 78300222A EP 78300222 A EP78300222 A EP 78300222A EP 0000824 B1 EP0000824 B1 EP 0000824B1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- container
- rib
- sheet material
- sheet
- ribs
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Images
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D85/00—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials
- B65D85/30—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials for articles particularly sensitive to damage by shock or pressure
- B65D85/34—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials for articles particularly sensitive to damage by shock or pressure for fruit, e.g. apples, oranges or tomatoes
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D57/00—Internal frames or supports for flexible articles, e.g. stiffeners; Separators for articles packaged in stacks or groups, e.g. for preventing adhesion of sticky articles
- B65D57/002—Separators for articles packaged in stacks or groups, e.g. stacked or nested
- B65D57/003—Separators for articles packaged in stacks or groups, e.g. stacked or nested for horizontally placed articles, i.e. for stacked or nested articles
Definitions
- This invention relates to light-weight packages comprising skeletal containers.
- German patent specification 1171812 discloses a package for soft fruit, the package comprising a framework of interconnecting ribs held in tension by an endless net. Endless nets usually require special heat-sealing or stitching machinery to fit them around a framework and so are not suitable for fitting by hand by unskilled horticultural workers in the field or greenhouse.
- the containers have a capacity of from 500 to 100,000 cm 3 (especially 1000 to 14,000 cm3 ) .
- the sheet material may be any material which is resilient and flexible enough to be stretched around the container and which is strong enough (preferably even when wet) to sustain a tension which exerts a compressive force on the container.
- the sheet material may therefore be a woven cloth, a thermoplastics film (especially polyethylene or polyolefin films) or a net (especially a polyethylene or polypropylene net). Nets have the advantage of allowing easy circulation of air into and out of the package.
- Positive means are provided to secure the ends of the sheet material to the ribs of the container.
- the positive means may comprise a layer of adhesive (preferably impact adhesive) which bonds the end of the sheet material either directly onto a rib or indirectly, that is to say the end may be bonded onto a member which is itself fixed to the rib.
- the adhesive may be replaced by a clip, preferably a clip which makes a tight snap-action fit around the rib.
- a third possible positive means comprises a series of projections provided on the rib and preferably moulded integrally with the rib. The ends of the sheet material are impaled upon the projections (if the sheet material is continuous) or hooked over the projections (if the sheet material is a net).
- the projections may be barbed to hinder accidental removal of the sheet material or they may be swaged down onto the sheet material for example using the technique known as ultrasonic staking or by pressing with a hot tool. Barbed projections have the advantage of being simple to use and also being re-usable whereas swaged projections provide a more permanent fastening which makes pilfering more difficult.
- the containers and sheet materials are preferably made from aliphatic crystalline polyolefins such as low or high density polyethylene or homopolymers of propylene or copolymers of propylene with from 1 to 20% by weight of ethylene.
- the copolymers are preferably made by introducing ethylene into the final stages of an otherwise propylene homopolymerisation process.
- a homopolymer of propylene blended with up to 10% by weight of a rubber may be used.
- Suitable rubbers include butyl rubbers, polyisoprenes and the rubbery copolymers of ethylene with 30 to 70% by weight (based on the ethylene) of propylene and optionally up to 8% by weight (based on the weight of the ethylene) of a non-conjugated diene.
- the preferred aliphatic crystalline polyolefins preferably have a melt flow index of from 0.5 to 40 g/10 minutes when measured according to British Standard 2782: Part 1/105C/1970 using a 2.16 kg load and carried out at 230°C in the case of predominantly propylene polymers and at 190°C for all other polyolefins.
- Ribs 3 and 7 and ribs 4 and 8 have sections as shown in Fig. 4 and 5 respectively.
- Uprights 5 have horizontal sections as shown in Fig. 6 and are provided with horizontal reinforcing flanges 11.
- Braces 6 have a horizontal section which is the same as the vertical section of ribs 3 as shown in Fig. 4.
- Cross-braces 9a and 9b have vertical sections as shown in Fig. 7.
- Container 1 is used to form package 2 as shown in Fig. 11.
- Package 2 consists of net 12 stretched around container 1.
- the ends 13 and 14 of net 12 are securely clipped onto longitudinal rib 3 by a snap-action clip 14.
- Net 12 is clipped onto rib 3 in such a way as to ensure net 12 is in tension so that it exerts a compressive force on container 1.
- the package 2 has sufficient rigidity for it to be used in the transport of tomatoes 15 even though the total volume of thermoplastics material used in making the container is less than 3% of the capacity of the package.
- Fig. 8 shows an alternative method of securing net 12 to rib 3.
- Rib 3 is provided with an integral barbed projection 20 onto which net 12 is hooked.
- Fig. 9 and 10 show a further alternative method of securing net 12 onto rib 3.
- Rib 3 is provided with an integral projection 21 over which net 12 is hooked.
- Projection 21 is then swaged down onto net 12 using an ultrasonic or heat-staking technique so as to produce a mushroomed stake 22.
- the sheet wrapping material should be long enough to wrap around the container and wide enough to enclose at least a major part (preferably at least 95%) of those faces of the container around which it is wrapped. More preferably the sheet wrapping material should be wide enough to alow its longitudinal edges to be folded inwardly of the package to protect the remaining faces of the container.
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Packging For Living Organisms, Food Or Medicinal Products That Are Sensitive To Environmental Conditiond (AREA)
- Packages (AREA)
- Packaging Frangible Articles (AREA)
- Containers Having Bodies Formed In One Piece (AREA)
Description
- This invention relates to light-weight packages comprising skeletal containers.
- It is known to make crates from thermoplastics materials, but such crates need to have thick walls and/or thick reinforcing ribs if they are to be rigid enough for use in transporting soft articles such as fruit and in particular tomatoes. Thick walls and ribs mean that a large volume of thermoplastics material is consumed in making the crate with the result that the crates are heavy and expensive and cannot compete with crates made from compressed paper or low quality wood which are conventionally used by fruit packers. German patent specification 1171812 discloses a package for soft fruit, the package comprising a framework of interconnecting ribs held in tension by an endless net. Endless nets usually require special heat-sealing or stitching machinery to fit them around a framework and so are not suitable for fitting by hand by unskilled horticultural workers in the field or greenhouse.
- This invention provides a rigid light-weight package comprising a skeletal container formed from a plurality of interconnected self-supporting ribs on which a compressive force is exerted by a sheet material characterised in that:
- a) the interconnected self-supporting ribs consist of thermoplastics material,
- b) the total volume of the thermoplastics material used to make the ribs does not exceed 3% of the capacity of the container, and
- c) the sheet material has two ends and an intervening portion, one end of the sheet being positively secured to a rib of the container, the intervening portion of the sheet being stretched around the container so as to exert the compressive force on the container and the other end of the sheet also being positively secured to a rib of the container so as to maintain tension in the sheet material.
- Preferably the containers have a capacity of from 500 to 100,000 cm3 (especially 1000 to 14,000 cm3).
- The sheet material may be any material which is resilient and flexible enough to be stretched around the container and which is strong enough (preferably even when wet) to sustain a tension which exerts a compressive force on the container. The sheet material may therefore be a woven cloth, a thermoplastics film (especially polyethylene or polyolefin films) or a net (especially a polyethylene or polypropylene net). Nets have the advantage of allowing easy circulation of air into and out of the package.
- Positive means are provided to secure the ends of the sheet material to the ribs of the container. For example, the positive means may comprise a layer of adhesive (preferably impact adhesive) which bonds the end of the sheet material either directly onto a rib or indirectly, that is to say the end may be bonded onto a member which is itself fixed to the rib. Alternatively, the adhesive may be replaced by a clip, preferably a clip which makes a tight snap-action fit around the rib. A third possible positive means comprises a series of projections provided on the rib and preferably moulded integrally with the rib. The ends of the sheet material are impaled upon the projections (if the sheet material is continuous) or hooked over the projections (if the sheet material is a net). The projections may be barbed to hinder accidental removal of the sheet material or they may be swaged down onto the sheet material for example using the technique known as ultrasonic staking or by pressing with a hot tool. Barbed projections have the advantage of being simple to use and also being re-usable whereas swaged projections provide a more permanent fastening which makes pilfering more difficult.
- The containers and sheet materials are preferably made from aliphatic crystalline polyolefins such as low or high density polyethylene or homopolymers of propylene or copolymers of propylene with from 1 to 20% by weight of ethylene. The copolymers are preferably made by introducing ethylene into the final stages of an otherwise propylene homopolymerisation process. As an alternative to the copolymers there may be used a homopolymer of propylene blended with up to 10% by weight of a rubber. Suitable rubbers include butyl rubbers, polyisoprenes and the rubbery copolymers of ethylene with 30 to 70% by weight (based on the ethylene) of propylene and optionally up to 8% by weight (based on the weight of the ethylene) of a non-conjugated diene.
- The preferred aliphatic crystalline polyolefins preferably have a melt flow index of from 0.5 to 40 g/10 minutes when measured according to British Standard 2782:
Part 1/105C/1970 using a 2.16 kg load and carried out at 230°C in the case of predominantly propylene polymers and at 190°C for all other polyolefins. - A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the drawings in which:
- Fig. 1 shows a side elevation of a container used to make a package according to this invention.
- Fig. 2 shows an end elevation of the container shown in Fig. 1.
- Fig. 3 shows a plan view of the base of the container shown in Fig. 1 and 2.
- Fig. 4 shows on a larger scale a section taken on the line A-A of Fig. 1 or 2 or E-E of Fig. 1.
- Fig. 5 shows a section taken on the line C-C of Fig. 3.
- Fig. 6 shows a section taken on the line D-D of Fig. 1.
- Fig. 7 shows a section taken on the line B-B of Fig. 3.
- Fig. 8 to 10 show on an even larger scale modifications to the section taken on the line A-A of Fig. 1 (as shown in Fig. 4).
- Fig.11 shows a package incorporating the container shown in Fig. 1 to 3.
- Fig. 1, 2 and 3 show a light-
weight container 1 suitable for use in apackage 2 as shown in Fig. 11.Container 1 comprises opposed longitudinal walls defined by horizontallongitudinal ribs 3 and 4 and uprights 5 and also end walls defined by uprights 5 and horizontaltransverse ribs 7 and 8.Ribs 3 and 4 andribs 7 and 8 are reinforced bybraces 6. The base ofcontainer 1 is defined by longitudinal ribs 4 andtransverse ribs 8 reinforced bycross-braces Feet 10 are provided at each corner of the base to assist in aligning the base of a stacked container with the top of the container beneath. -
Ribs 3 and 7 andribs 4 and 8 have sections as shown in Fig. 4 and 5 respectively. Uprights 5 have horizontal sections as shown in Fig. 6 and are provided with horizontal reinforcingflanges 11.Braces 6 have a horizontal section which is the same as the vertical section ofribs 3 as shown in Fig. 4. Cross-braces 9a and 9b have vertical sections as shown in Fig. 7. -
Container 1 is used to formpackage 2 as shown in Fig. 11.Package 2 consists of net 12 stretched aroundcontainer 1. Theends net 12 are securely clipped ontolongitudinal rib 3 by a snap-action clip 14. Net 12 is clipped ontorib 3 in such a way as to ensure net 12 is in tension so that it exerts a compressive force oncontainer 1. - It has been found that provided net 12 exerts a compressive force on
container 1, thepackage 2 has sufficient rigidity for it to be used in the transport oftomatoes 15 even though the total volume of thermoplastics material used in making the container is less than 3% of the capacity of the package. - Fig. 8 shows an alternative method of securing
net 12 torib 3.Rib 3 is provided with anintegral barbed projection 20 onto which net 12 is hooked. - Fig. 9 and 10 show a further alternative method of securing net 12 onto
rib 3.Rib 3 is provided with anintegral projection 21 over which net 12 is hooked.Projection 21 is then swaged down ontonet 12 using an ultrasonic or heat-staking technique so as to produce amushroomed stake 22. - Clearly the sheet wrapping material should be long enough to wrap around the container and wide enough to enclose at least a major part (preferably at least 95%) of those faces of the container around which it is wrapped. More preferably the sheet wrapping material should be wide enough to alow its longitudinal edges to be folded inwardly of the package to protect the remaining faces of the container.
Claims (5)
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB34149/77A GB1583577A (en) | 1977-08-15 | 1977-08-15 | Light-weight packages comprising a skeletal container |
GB3414977 | 1977-08-15 |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP0000824A1 EP0000824A1 (en) | 1979-02-21 |
EP0000824B1 true EP0000824B1 (en) | 1981-01-28 |
Family
ID=10362003
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP78300222A Expired EP0000824B1 (en) | 1977-08-15 | 1978-08-01 | Light-weight packages comprising a skeletal container |
Country Status (3)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP0000824B1 (en) |
DE (1) | DE2860372D1 (en) |
GB (1) | GB1583577A (en) |
Families Citing this family (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
FR2602492B1 (en) * | 1986-08-06 | 1988-12-02 | Salat Gilbert | PACKAGING, PARTICULARLY FOR DISHWARE |
EP0325867A1 (en) * | 1988-01-25 | 1989-08-02 | Gilbert Salat | Packing especially for crockery |
US5165947A (en) * | 1990-03-26 | 1992-11-24 | Dowbrands, Inc. | Controlled atmosphere, controlled humidity package for red-ripe tomatoes |
DE102010014063B4 (en) | 2010-04-07 | 2012-05-03 | Michael Däbritz | transport container |
Family Cites Families (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2106425A (en) * | 1937-01-16 | 1938-01-25 | Helen G Grant | Container |
ES262616A1 (en) * | 1960-11-19 | 1961-02-01 | Polo Sara | Procedure for manufacturing baskets from paper transformed (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding) |
FR1457980A (en) * | 1965-12-11 | 1966-01-24 | Hammer As Papirindustri S | Packaging, in particular for food products or similar products |
US4047550A (en) * | 1976-02-23 | 1977-09-13 | Standun, Inc. | Packaging wrapper |
-
1977
- 1977-08-15 GB GB34149/77A patent/GB1583577A/en not_active Expired
-
1978
- 1978-08-01 DE DE7878300222T patent/DE2860372D1/en not_active Expired
- 1978-08-01 EP EP78300222A patent/EP0000824B1/en not_active Expired
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
GB1583577A (en) | 1981-01-28 |
DE2860372D1 (en) | 1981-03-19 |
EP0000824A1 (en) | 1979-02-21 |
Similar Documents
Publication | Publication Date | Title |
---|---|---|
US4143796A (en) | Collapsible receptacle for flowable materials | |
US4194652A (en) | Collapsible receptacle for flowable materials | |
US5328268A (en) | Bulk bag with restrainer | |
US7086781B2 (en) | Bulk bag for meat and meat products | |
US7581772B2 (en) | Carryable plastic mattress bag | |
US3507667A (en) | Container for the preservation of fruit and vegetables | |
CA1272700A (en) | Packing case and method of preparation | |
US8038003B2 (en) | Heavy duty handle U-board | |
US7934894B1 (en) | Reusable pallet wrap | |
US20040159565A1 (en) | Bulk bag | |
EP0788974B1 (en) | Bag, obtained from a sheet and a plastic net, for containing loose products, particularly fruit and vegetable products | |
US20230150728A1 (en) | Firewood transport & storage assembly | |
EP0000824B1 (en) | Light-weight packages comprising a skeletal container | |
EP1670701B1 (en) | Sleeve | |
EP1119504A1 (en) | Returnable package | |
WO1998021107A1 (en) | Bulk container with internal baffle bands | |
US20040264814A1 (en) | Stackable and forklift positionable bulk bags | |
US3796339A (en) | Simplified collapsible container | |
JPH08164976A (en) | Packaging material | |
US20140307983A1 (en) | Bulk material transport & storage bag | |
US5364023A (en) | Produce box | |
JP3080560U (en) | Box jig for bundling cut off materials | |
US9365338B2 (en) | Cover for building siding boards | |
JP2515997Y2 (en) | Container bag | |
IL35586A (en) | Crate for packing and transporting foodstuffs,particularly fruits and vegetables |
Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
PUAI | Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase |
Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012 |
|
AK | Designated contracting states |
Designated state(s): BE DE FR NL |
|
17P | Request for examination filed | ||
DET | De: translation of patent claims | ||
GRAA | (expected) grant |
Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009210 |
|
AK | Designated contracting states |
Designated state(s): BE DE FR NL |
|
REF | Corresponds to: |
Ref document number: 2860372 Country of ref document: DE Date of ref document: 19810319 |
|
RAP2 | Party data changed (patent owner data changed or rights of a patent transferred) |
Owner name: IMPERIAL CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES PLC |
|
PGFP | Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: FR Payment date: 19920713 Year of fee payment: 15 |
|
PGFP | Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: DE Payment date: 19920720 Year of fee payment: 15 |
|
PGFP | Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: BE Payment date: 19920723 Year of fee payment: 15 |
|
PGFP | Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: NL Payment date: 19920831 Year of fee payment: 15 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: BE Effective date: 19930831 |
|
BERE | Be: lapsed |
Owner name: IMPERIAL CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES P.L.C. Effective date: 19930831 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: NL Effective date: 19940301 |
|
NLV4 | Nl: lapsed or anulled due to non-payment of the annual fee | ||
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: FR Effective date: 19940429 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: DE Effective date: 19940503 |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: FR Ref legal event code: ST |
|
PLBE | No opposition filed within time limit |
Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009261 |
|
STAA | Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent |
Free format text: STATUS: NO OPPOSITION FILED WITHIN TIME LIMIT |