EP0220975B1 - Display packaging for a glass and the like - Google Patents

Abstract

1. A display packaging for glass and similar articles formed from a blank (10 ; 30) of foldable material, which is cut out and folded to form a receptacle, said blank comprising a rectangular panel (3) forming a bottom wall of the receptable, first and second flaps (4 and 5) which are approximately of rectangular shape, which adjoin respectively the major sides (8 and 9) of the rectangular panel (3) and which form the side walls of the receptacle, third and fourth rectangular flaps (6 and 7) which adjoin respectively the minor sides (11 and 12) of the rectangular panel and which form the end walls of the receptacle, a first pair of securing tabs (13 and 14) which adjoin respectively two opposite sides (17 and 18) of one (4) of the first and third flaps (4 and 6), a second pair of securing tabs (15 and 16) which adjoin respectively two opposite sides (19 and 21) of one (5) of the second and fourth flaps (5 and 7), the two pairs of securing tabs serving to secure the first and second flaps (4 and 5) to the third and fourth flaps (6 and 7), a retaining tab (26), which is cut out of the third flap (6) and which can be folded towards the interior of the receptable so as to retain one end of an article contained therein, retaining means (28) for retaining the other end of said article, said retaining means comprising a fifth flap (28) which is approximately of rectangular shape and which adjoins the outer side (31) of the fourth flap (7) which is parallel to the minor side (12) of the rectangular panel (3), characterized in that said retaining means (28, 43, 44) also comprise two tabs (43 and 44) which adjoin respectively the minor sides (45 and 46) of the fifth flap (28) and which are perpendicular to said outer side (31) of the fourth flap (7), and in that said tabs (43 and 44) are secured respectively to the outer surface of the first and second flaps (4 and 5) forming the side walls of the receptable.

Description

The present invention relates to a display packaging for glass and similar article, produced from a blank of pliable material, which is cut and folded in the form of a tray, said blank comprising a rectangular panel forming a bottom wall of the tray. , first and second flaps having roughly a rectangular shape, which are respectively adjoining the long sides of the rectangular panel and which form side walls of the tray, third and fourth flaps having a roughly rectangular shape, which are respectively adjoining short sides of the rectangular panel and which form end walls of the tray, a first pair of fixing lugs which are respectively adjacent to two opposite sides of one of the first and third flaps, a second pair of fixing lugs which are attached respectively to two opposite sides of one of the second and fourth flaps, the two pairs of fixing lugs serving to f ix the first and second flaps to the third and fourth flaps, a retaining tab which is cut in the third flap and which can be folded inwards from the tray to retain one end of an article contained therein, retaining means for retaining another end of said article, said retaining means comprising a fifth flap having roughly a rectangular shape, which is attached to the outer side of the fourth flap which is parallel to the short side of the rectangular panel.

There is already known a display packaging of the above-mentioned type, in the form of a tray, intended to contain a single cup, stemware or similar article. However, as will be seen in detail below, the shaping and assembly of the known tray must be carried out in several stages using different machines, so that the time required to assemble each tray is relatively long. and that their manufacture is relatively expensive. In addition, as will also be seen in detail below, the known tray uses for its manufacture a relatively large quantity of raw material and causes losses of equally large raw materials.

The present invention therefore aims to provide a tray whose manufacture is simpler, shorter and less expensive, and which requires a quantity of raw material less than the known tray.

To this end, the display package of the present invention is characterized in that said retaining means further comprise two tabs which are respectively adjacent to the short sides of the fifth flap which are perpendicular to said outer side of the fourth flap, and which are fixed respectively to the external face of the first and second flaps forming the side walls of the tray.

• la figure 1 montre un flan, développé à plat, à partir duquel est formée la barquette antérieurement connue.
• La figure 2 est une vue en coupe longitudinale de la barquette connue obtenue à partir du flan de la figure 1.
• La figure 3 montre un flan, développé à plat, à partir duquel est obtenue la barquette de la présente invention.
• La figure 4 est une vue en élévation latérale de la barquette obtenue à partir du flan de la figure 3.
• La figure 5 est une vue en coupe longitudinale de la barquette de la figure 4, suivant la ligne V-V de la figure 6.
• La figure 6 est une vue de dessus de la barquette des figures 4 et 5.
• La figure 7 montre un autre flan, développé à plat, à partir duquel peut être obtenue la barquette de la présente invention.
• La figure 8 est une vue en élévation latérale de la barquette obtenue à partir du flan de la figure 7.
• La figure 9 est une vue de l'extrémité gauche de la barquette de la figure 8.
• La figure 10 est une vue de dessus de la barquette des figures 8 et 9.

The invention will be better understood on reading the description which follows, given with reference to the appended drawings in which:

• Figure 1 shows a blank, developed flat, from which is formed the previously known tray.
• FIG. 2 is a view in longitudinal section of the known container obtained from the blank of FIG. 1.
• Figure 3 shows a blank, developed flat, from which is obtained the tray of the present invention.
• FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of the tray obtained from the blank of FIG. 3.
• FIG. 5 is a view in longitudinal section of the container of FIG. 4, along the line VV of FIG. 6.
• FIG. 6 is a top view of the container of FIGS. 4 and 5.
• FIG. 7 shows another blank, developed flat, from which the tray of the present invention can be obtained.
• FIG. 8 is a side elevation view of the tray obtained from the blank of FIG. 7.
• FIG. 9 is a view of the left end of the tray of FIG. 8.
• FIG. 10 is a top view of the container of FIGS. 8 and 9.

The blank 1 shown in Figure 1, from which the known tray is formed, is cut from a sheet of cardboard, plasticized cardboard or other suitable material, which must have at least the dimensions of the rectangular frame 2 shown in phantom in Figure 1. The blank 1 comprises a rectangular panel 3, which is intended to form the bottom of the tray, two flaps 4 and 5 having roughly a rectangular shape, which are intended to form the side walls of the tray, and two rectangular flaps 6 and 7, which are intended to form end walls of the tray. The two flaps 4 and 5 adjoin respectively to the long sides 8 and 9 of the panel 3, while the two flaps 6 and 7 adjoin respectively to the two short sides 11 and 12 of the panel 3. The sides 8, 9, 11 and 12 of panel 3 form fold lines for flaps 4, 5, 6 and 7.

The blank 1 further comprises four fixing lugs 13, 14, 15 and 16, which adjoin the sides 17, 18, 19 and 21 respectively of the flaps 4 and 5. The lugs 14 and 16 are also adjoining part of the sides 22 and 23, respectively, of the flap 6, and they are divided into two parts by fold lines 24 and 25, respectively, which extend outward from the ends of the side 11 of the panel 3 and which form a 45 ° angle to the sides 18 and 21 of the flaps 4 and 5. The sides 17, 18, 19, 21, 22 and 23 of the flaps 4, 5 and 6 also form fold lines for the fixing lugs 13 to 16.

A retaining tab 26 is cut from the flap 6 and can be folded inwards from the tray around a fold line 27 which extends perpendicular to the short side 11 of the panel 3 in the middle of the flap 6.

The blank 1 further comprises two other flaps 28 and 29 which are respectively adjacent to the side 31 and to a part of the side 32 of the flap 7, the sides 31 and 32 forming fold lines for the flaps 28 and 29. In its part middle, the outer side 33 of the flap 28 is curved towards the fold line 31. In the flap 29 is cut an opening 34 having roughly the shape of a trapezoid whose small base 35 is adjacent to the side 36 of the flap 29 and curved towards the latter with a curvature corresponding to that of the side 33 of the flap 28. Two fold lines 37 and 38 are formed in the flap 29 parallel to the side 36 and substantially in correspondence with the large and small bases of the trapezoidal opening 34 , respectively.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the large outer sides 39 and 41 of the two flaps 4 and 5 are largely indented so as to make visible a substantial part of the sides of the article 42 contained in the tray.

The shaping of the known tray from the blank 1 of FIG. 1 and its filling with an article 42 such as a goblet or a stemmed glass, are carried out as follows.

In a first phase, the flaps 4, 5 and 6 are folded at 90 ° around the fold lines 8, 9 and 11, respectively. During this first phase, the two fixing lugs 14 and 16 fold around the fold lines 18, 22, 24 and 21, 23, 25, respectively, by forming bellows which are fixed by gluing to the internal face of the flap 6 .

In a second phase, the flap 28 is first folded around the fold line 31 so as to make a predetermined angle (approximately 70 °) with the flap 7. Then the flap 29 is folded 180 ° around the fold line 32, and its part 29a is glued to the internal face of the flap 7. Next, the part 29b of the flap 29 is folded up around the fold line 37 and the part 29c of the flap 29 is folded towards the bottom around the fold line 38 and glued to the outer face of the flap 28 as shown in Figure 2. At this time, the small curved base 35 of the trapezoidal opening 34 is coincident with the curved part of the edge 33 flap 28.

The order of the first and second phases described above can optionally be reversed.

In a third phase, the article 42 is deposited in the container partially formed during the first and second phases.

In a fourth phase, the flap 7 is folded 90 ° around the fold line 12, and the fixing lugs 13 and 15 are folded 90 ° respectively around the fold lines 17 and 19 and glued against the outer face of the flap 7. At this time, the parts 29b and 29c of the flap 29 and the flap 28 form a flange which retains the base of the article 42 to prevent it from coming out of the tray, the base of the article 42 being partially engaged in the opening 34 of the flap 29.

In a fifth phase, the retaining tab 26 is knocked inwardly of the tray so as to penetrate into the "drinking glass or cup 42, and it also helps to prevent it from leaving the tray.

It will be noted that the positioning of article 42 in the tray (third phase) must be carried out before the flap 7 is folded down and the tabs 13 and 15 are fixed to the flap 7 (fourth phase). Otherwise, if the fourth phase was carried out before the third phase, the placing of the article 42 in the tray could not be carried out or could only be carried out with difficulty because of the presence of the rim formed by the parts 29b and 29c of the flap 29. Consequently, the known tray cannot be completely shaped in a single phase and using a single machine, but it must be shaped in several phases, as has been described. above, using several machines.

The tray of the present invention can be obtained from the blank 10 shown in Figure 3. The blank 10 is cut from a sheet of semi-rigid and pliable material, such as cardboard, plasticized cardboard or plastic. The elements of the blank 10 which are identical or which play the same role as those of the blank 1 of FIG. 1 are designated by the same reference numbers and will therefore not be described again in detail. The blank 10 differs essentially from the blank 1 of FIG. 1 in that it does not have a flap 29, but two legs 43 and 44 which are attached respectively to the short sides 45 and 46 of the flap 28, which form fold lines for the legs 43 and 44. In addition, each of the two flaps 4 and 5 has a fold line 47 or 48, respectively, which extends parallel to the long sides 8 and 9 of the panel 3 over a major part of the length of the flaps 4 and 5. Two incisions 49 and 51 are formed in the flap 4 and each extend from one of the ends of the fold line 47 towards one of the ends of the large outer side of the flap 4. Similarly, two other incisions 52 and 53 are formed in the flap 5 and each extend from one of the ends of the fold line 48 towards one of the ends of the large outer side of the flap 5.

The fixing lugs 14 and 16 of the blank 10 shown in Figure 3 are only adjoining the sides 18 and 21 of the flaps 4 and 5, and the lug of the fixing 16 has a notch 54 which will be seen below.

The tray of the present invention can be shaped and filled with an article in the following manner. The four flaps 4, 5, 6 and 7 are folded 90 ° around the fold lines 8, 9, 11 and 12, respectively. Simultaneously, the four fixing lugs 13, 14, 15 and 16 are folded down 90 ° around the fold lines 17, 18, 19 and 21, respectively, and are fixed to the flaps 6 and 7. During these folding operations , the fixing lugs 13 and 15 can be placed against the external face or against the internal face of the flap 7 and the fixing lugs 14 and 16 can be placed against the face external or against the internal face of the flap 6, as desired. The fixing of the tabs 13, 14, 15 and 16 to the flaps 6 and 7 can be obtained by gluing or by stapling. All of these operations can be carried out in a single phase by means of a known machine known as a "tray maker". At the end of this first phase, the tray is almost completely formed.

In the case where the two flaps 4 and 5 are provided with fold lines 47 and 48 and incisions 49, 51 and 52, 53, respectively, the parts 4a and 5a of the flaps 4 and 5 are folded respectively around the fold lines 47 and 48 towards the inside of the tray in order to double and stiffen the side walls thereof, while forming wide indentations in said side walls to make the article which will then be deposited in the tray even more visible. The folding-down operation of the parts 4a and 5a can be carried out using very simple means, without increasing the duration of the shaping and filling cycle of the tray. Indeed, this operation can be carried out during the transfer of the tray between the “tray” and a filling station, without stopping the movement of the tray.

Then, in a second phase, an article such as a goblet or a stemmed glass is placed in the tray. Then, in a third phase, the flap 28 is folded around the fold line 31 towards the inside of the tray so as to form a predetermined angle (approximately 70 °) with the flap 7 as shown in FIG. 5. Simultaneously , the two legs 43 and 44 are folded 90 ° around the fold lines 45 and 46 and fixed respectively to the flaps 4 and 5. The legs 43 and 44 are fixed to the outer face of the flaps 4 and 5 as shown in the figures 4 to 6. The attachment of the legs 43 and 44 to the flaps 4 and 5 can be obtained for example by gluing or stapling. Once the tabs 43 and 44 have been fixed to the flaps 4 and 5, the flap 28 forms a rim which prevents the base of the goblet or the stemmed glass contained in the tray from coming out of the latter. Then, the retaining tab 26 is knocked inwardly of the tray as shown in Figures 5 and 6, so as to be engaged in the "drinking cup or glass to prevent it from coming out of the tray. The routing of the retaining tab 26 is enabled by the notch 54 which, once the fixing tab 16 has been fixed to the flap 6, is in coincidence with the retaining tab 26.

From the above, it is clear that the tray of the present invention, obtained from the blank of Figure 10, requires for its shaping and filling a smaller number of phases than in the case of the tray obtained from the blank 1 of Figure 1, since the tray itself can be shaped in a single phase, and this using a "conventional tray. In addition, it will be noted that the operations for folding down the flap 28 and the two tabs 43 and 44 of the blank 10 are simpler to perform than the operations for folding down the flaps 28 and 29 and the operations for folding the parts 29b and 29c of the flap. 29 of the blank 1 of Figure 1, and therefore require less complicated tools. In addition, for articles of equal dimensions, the blank 10 of FIG. 3 is inscribed in a rectangle 20 which has a narrower width than that of rectangle 2 in which the blank 1 of FIG. 1 is inscribed, as well as 'We can see this by comparing Figures 1 and 3. This results in a saving of raw material. This is due to the fact that the length of the side 36 of the flap 29 of the blank 1 of FIG. 1 must be substantially equal to the length of the side 31 of the flap 7.

FIG. 7 shows another blank 30 from which the tray of the present invention can be obtained. The elements of the blank 30 which are identical or which play the same role as those of the blank 10 of FIG. 3 are designated by the same reference numbers and will not be described again in detail. The blank 30 differs from the blank 10 in that each of the two legs 43 and 44 comprises a part 43a or 44a in the form of an isosceles triangle, attached to a part 43b or 44b in the form of a trapezoid. The base of the isosceles triangle 43a is formed by the short side 45 of the flap 28, while the base of the isosceles triangle 44a is formed by the other short side 46 of the flap 28. The side 55 of the part 43a forms both a fold line and part of the large base of the trapezium-shaped part 43b. Likewise, the side 56 of the part 44a forms both a fold line and part of the large base of the trapezoid-shaped part 44b.

The tray obtained from the blank 30 of Figure 7 is shaped and filled in a manner similar to what has been described above with respect to the tray obtained from the blank 10 of Figure 3. The only difference resides in that, after having folded the flap 28 around the fold line 31 and after having folded the two legs 43 and 44 by 90 ° respectively around the fold lines 45 and 46 to apply the parts 43a and 44a against the face exterior of the flaps 4 and 5, respectively, the fold lines 55 and 56 are then coincident with the vertical edges of the tray located respectively at the angles formed between the flap 7 and each of the two flaps 4 and 5. The parts 43b and 44b are then folded 90 ° respectively around the fold lines 55 and 56 towards the external face of the flap 7 as shown in Figures 8 to 10, and they are fixed to this flap for example by gluing or stapling. In this embodiment, the parts 43a and 44a may not be fixed to the flaps 4 and 5, although it is preferable to fix them there.

By comparing FIGS. 3 and 7, it will be noted that the blank 30 of FIG. 7 is inscribed in a rectangular frame 40 whose length is shorter than that of the frame 20 in which the blank 10 is inscribed. The blank 30 allows therefore a saving of raw material greater than the blank 10.

It goes without saying that the embodiments of the present invention which have been described above, have been given by way of purely indicative and in no way limitative example, and that numerous modifications can easily be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention. Thus in particular that, instead of adjoining the short sides 17, 18, 19 and 21 of the flaps 4 and 5, the fixing lugs 13, 14, 15 and 16 could be adjoining the short sides of the flaps 6 and 7. According to another alternative embodiment, the four fixing lugs 13, 14, 15 and 16 could be formed by lugs similar to the lugs 14 and 16 of the blank 1 of FIG. 1.

Claims (3)

1. A display packaging for glass and similar articles, formed from a blank (10 ; 30) of foldable material, which is cut out and folded to form a receptacle, said blank comprising a rectangular panel (3) forming a bottom wall of the receptacle, first and second flaps (4 and 5) which are approximately of rectangular shape, which adjoin respectively the major sides (8 and 9) of the rectangular panel (3) and which form the side walls of the receptacle, third and fourth rectangular flaps (6 and 7) which adjoin respectively the minor sides (11 and 12) of the rectangular panel and which form the end walls of the receptacle, a first pair of securing tabs (13 and 14) which adjoin respectively two opposite sides (17 and 18) of one (4) of the first and third flaps (4 and 6), a second pair of securing tabs (15 and 16) which adjoin respectively two opposite sides (19.and 21) of one (5) of the second and fourth flaps (5 and 7), the two pairs of securing tabs serving to secure the first and second flaps (4 and 5) to the third and fourth flaps (6 and 7), a retaining tab (26), which is cut out of the third flap (6) and which can be folded towards the interior of the receptacle so as to retain one end of an article contained therein, retaining means (28) for retaining the other end of said article, said retaining means comprising a fifth flap (28) which is approximately of rectangular shape and which adjoins the outer side (31) of the fourth flap (7) which is parallel to the minor side (12) of the rectangular panel (3), characterised in that said retaining means (28, 43, 44) also comprise two tabs (43 and 44) which adjoin respectively the minor sides (45 and 46) of the fifth flap (28) and which are perpendicular to said outer side (31) of the fourth flap (7), and in that said tabs (43 and 44) are secured respectively to the outer surface of the first and second flaps (4 and 5) forming the side walls of the receptacle.

2. A display packaging according to claim 1, characterised in that each of the two tabs (43 and 44) of the retaining means comprises a portion (43a or 44a) in the shape of an isosceles triangle joined to a trapezium-shaped portion (43b or 44b), the base of the isosceles triangle being formed by one of the minor sides (45 and 46) of the fifth flap (28), and that side (55 or 56) of the other two sides of the isosceles triangle which is nearest to the fourth flap (7) forming simultaneously a fold line and a part of the major base of said trapezium-shaped portion (43b or 44b), this latter being intended to be secured to the outer surface of the fourth flap (7).

3. A display packaging according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that each of the first and second flaps (4 and 5) comprises a fold line (47 or 48) which extends parallel to the major sides (8 and 9) of the rectangular panel (3) over a major portion of the length of the first and second flaps, and two cuts (49, 51 or 52, 53) each extending from one of the ends of said fold line (47 or 48) towards one of the ends of the outer major side of the corresponding flap (4 or 5), said outer major side, said two cuts and said fold line defining a flap portion (4a or 5a) which can be folded through 180° about the fold line (47 or 48), towards the interior of the receptacle, so as to double over and make one of its side walls more rigid.

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