EP0302805B1 - Protecting and stiffening panel for a bulk package - Google Patents

Abstract

A protective and reinforcing corner flap for group package of the wrapping type, especially six-packs, for various types of contents such as bottles and cans. The flap provides a foldable piece during the cutting of the end cutouts which folds up against the connecting strip to double it.

Description

The present invention relates to a grouping packaging of the enveloping type, in particular sheath, as described in the first part of claim 1. Such packaging is known from document EP-A-0171229.

The current means of production of consumer products and associated packaging machines allow high rates.

This is the case for filling, placing capsules and packaging in small grouping units for beverage bottles, especially beer.

Thus, the packaging is carried out continuously on products which are still hot, leaving the pasteurizers.

If the heat radiated by the bottles does not disturb the packaging phase, it constitutes a real disadvantage in the subsequent phase of temporary storage.

In fact, the packages made up are grouped on pallets directly and immediately at the exit of the wrappers.

For reasons of efficiency, the immobilization covers made of heat-shrinkable plastic film are placed at the end of the chain.

The packages thus loaded on pallets and immobilized are evacuated to the storage halls where the ambient temperature is at a significantly lower level.

As air drying cannot be guaranteed in an industrial environment, the inevitable phenomenon of condensation occurs inside the hot volume confined by the plastic covers despite the existence of insufficient perforated covers to eliminate this phenomenon.

This condensation brings a significant amount of water within the packaging, water which can go as far as trickling along the faces, in particular internal of the walls and accumulate in the lower part of the packaging then flow onto the lower packaging in a stack. Due to the shape of the bottles, this runoff particularly affects the bands of cardboard connection separating the end recesses and weakens the resistance of the cardboard and correspondingly of the packaging at these locations.

This lower mechanical resistance proves to be particularly sensitive to narrow connecting strips, such as those situated at the end, which thus risk breaking at the level of the base fold, that is to say at the level of the longidutinal fold between the face. side and the bottom panel.

These bands hold the end bottles. Their tearing or breaking causes the exit of the end bottles, often followed by the bursting of the packaging, that is to say, very often, its destruction with loss of its content.

The object of the present invention is to effectively remedy these various drawbacks by a simple and rapid means to be implemented during the preparation of the packages.

For this purpose, it relates to a corner protection and stiffening flap for grouping packaging of the enveloping type, in particular sheath, for various forms of containers, bottles and the like, characterized in that provision is made, in the cutout end recesses, a folding part or flap which is folded against the end connecting strip to come and double it.

• · protection à l'eau de condensation de la bande étroite de raccordement en extrémité
• · protection renforcée par la face imprimée et vernie du carton comme face de ruissellement
• · simplicité de fabrication
• · surcoût nul car cette invention n'entraîne aucune augmentation de superficie du fourreau, ce qui n'est pas le cas des moyens connus
• · facilité de mise en oeuvre par les moyens de mécanisation actuels.

Many advantages ensue from the present invention, the main ones of which are given below:

• · Protection against condensation from the narrow end connection strip
• · Protection reinforced by the printed and varnished side of the cardboard as a trickle face
• · Simple manufacturing
• · No extra cost because this invention does not increase the area of the sheath, which is not the case with known means
• · Ease of implementation by current mechanization means.

• · la figure 1 est une vue en perspective avec écorché d'un emballage pour contenants du type bouteilles comportant des volets de protection et de raidissement selon l'invention;
• · la figure 2 est une vue en perspective de détail montrant une extrémité pourvue du volet selon l'invention;
• · les figures 3 et 4 sont des vues à plat avec brisure en partie centrale de la découpe dans sa version simplifiée montrant les volets de protection d'extrémité respectivement avant et après rabattement;
• · la figure 5 est une vue en perspective de l'extrémité d'un emballage simplifié pour contenants cylindriques comportant des volets de protection et de raidissement selon l'invention en partie haute et basse;
• · la figure 6 est une vue de la découpe à plat de l'emballage représenté sur la figure 5.

The technical characteristics and other advantages of the protective flap and corner stiffener according to the invention are recorded in the description which follows, given by way of nonlimiting example on two embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

• · Figure 1 is a perspective view with cutaway of a packaging for containers of the bottle type having protective and stiffening flaps according to the invention;
• · Figure 2 is a detailed perspective view showing an end provided with the flap according to the invention;
• · Figures 3 and 4 are flat views with broken central part of the cutout in its simplified version showing the end protection flaps respectively before and after folding;
• · Figure 5 is a perspective view of the end of a simplified packaging for cylindrical containers having protective and stiffening flaps according to the invention in the upper and lower parts;
• FIG. 6 is a view of the flat blank of the packaging shown in FIG. 5.

The present invention proceeds from the general inventive idea which consists in creating, by the partial use of a zone usually hollowed out, a flap in the vicinity of each end connection strip at the bottom and possibly the top of the package, the folding down around a line parallel to the adjacent edge of the cutout simultaneously provides a plane of protection of said strip against condensation and its reinforcement by doubling the thickness of cardboard.

Preferably, the flap is perpendicular to the base fold of the packaging and extends on either side of it.

By way of example, the invention applies to packaging of the sheath type such as that shown in FIGS. 1 and 5.

It is understood that other forms of packaging may be suitable since the general shape of the containers allows wrapping with holding recesses.

The packaging has a body 1 of generally known parallelepiped shape comprising for example two side walls 2 and 3 connected to an upper face panel 4 by two oblique faces 5 and 6 with two cutouts 7 and 8 constituting gripping tabs (Figure 1 ). The body of the packaging has oblique sections 5 and 6 in the upper part, immobilization notches 9, 10, 11 and 12, 13, 14 capsules or necks.

The packaging also includes, in the lower part of its side walls extending at its bottom, holding recesses from 15 to 20 for the bottom of the containers, for example bottles such as 21, recesses spaced apart by intermediate connecting strips such as than 22 and narrower end 23, separated from the bottom panel by a lower connecting ply called base ply 24.

A packaging with a parallelepipedic body 25 of simpler constitution is shown in FIG. 5. On this packaging there are upper recesses referenced from 26 to 31 individualized by upper intermediate and end connection strips 32.

This package includes side panels 33 and 34 and an upper face panel 35 separated by two upper connecting plies such as 36.

The invention also applies to this type of packaging and to many others of identical, neighboring or similar general configuration.

Common elements are referenced in the same way.

A distinction is thus made in particular between the lower retaining recesses of 15 to 20 spaced apart by the intermediate connection bands such as 22 and end 23.

According to the invention, there is provided during the cutting of the end recesses a non-ejected zone materialized by a folding part articulated to pivot on the adjacent lateral edge of the recess. This part forms a flap 37 for protection and stiffening developing on either side of the base fold 24. This flap is folded entirely against the adjacent end connection strip 23 by pivoting around a fold 38 preferably parallel to the outer edge of the end strip, thus providing not only protection but mechanical stiffening by doubling.

The base ply 24 crosses the flap and arrives after pivoting around the fold 38 in extension of the line of the base ply 24 to follow the connection of the adjacent side and bottom panels (Figure 2) because the transverse fold 39 that has each flap 37 is a segment of said base fold 24.

The flap can be glued against the adjacent connecting strip, thus providing better mechanical reinforcement by a total joining of the two thicknesses.

Protection against humidity and runoff due to condensation is further improved by the external face of the flap, which corresponds to the printed and varnished side of the packaging, which is much more resistant because it benefits from the surface treatment resulting from printing and varnish.

We are thus guaranteed to keep all the original performances of the packaging up to the consumer.

In addition, the products thus palletized remain more stable during transport, avoiding any risk of buckling.

As can be seen from the observation of FIG. 5, the protection and stiffening flap according to the invention also partially applies superior for a packaging of cylindrical boxes such as 40.

The conformation and the folds are respectively identical. In this type of packaging, there are also upper flaps, identical to the lower flaps, pivotally articulated and developing in the same way on either side of the upper connection pleats such as 35.

The corner stiffening provided at the upper end of the packaging plays its protective role well against runoff from the upper packaging in a stack. It also plays its role of protection against degradation due to humidity.

It is understood that the invention is independent of the precise and exact shape of the flap. Thus, different variations of form are possible as soon as the essential functions are preserved.

Claims (9)

1. Bulk packaging of the enclosing type, in particular a sleeve, comprising holding recesses separated by intermediate connecting strips (22) and end connecting strips (23) connecting a base panel and/or an upper panel to the adjacent lateral wall by a connecting fold and comprising, in each cutout of each end retaining recess, in place of an area which is usually recessed, a flap (37) in the vicinity of each end connecting strip (23), characterised in that the entire cutout folds down against the adjacent end connecting strip and covers the connecting fold on both sides thereof, thus constituting a protective layer for the said strip and a reinforcement thereof by doubling the thickness of the cardboard.

2. Packaging according to claim 1, characterised in that the flap (37) is provided in the lower end recesses and in that, folded, it extends from either side of the base fold (24).

3. Packaging according to claim 1, characterised in that the flap (37) is provided in the upper and lower end recesses and in that, folded, it extends for the lower recesses on either side of the base fold and for the upper recesses on either side of the connecting fold.

4. Packaging according to the preceding claims, characterised in that the axis of pivot of the flap (37) is parallel to the adjacent external edge of the end strip.

5. Packaging according to the preceding claims, characterised in that the flap is perpendicular to the connecting folds.

6. Packaging according to the preceding claims, characterised in that the flap has a transverse bent section (39).

7. Packaging according to claim 6, characterised in that the transverse bent section (39) is a part of the base fold (24).

8. Packaging according to the preceding claims, characterised in that the flap (37) is folded completely against the end connecting strip which it protects.

9. Packaging according to the preceding claims, characterised in that the flap (37) is glued against the end connecting strip which it protects.

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