EP0326450B1 - Tray-like cardboard package or the like - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a cardboard or similar packaging, in the form of a tray.

It is known that many such packages are used for packaging, transport, storage and for display for the sale of objects such as fruits, vegetables, cheeses, yoghurt pots, etc. ... These packages generally include a rectangular or square bottom, bordered by two longitudinal sides and by two transverse sides, each of which is connected to said bottom by a fold line. Each longitudinal side is extended at each of its ends by a flap articulated around a fold line orthogonal to that connecting said longitudinal side to said bottom and said flaps are secured to said transverse sides, for example by gluing.

Practice shows that these known packages, even if they are made of corrugated cardboard of the best quality, cannot withstand the crushing stresses which they undergo when they are stacked - we generally say "stacked" - while they contain the objects they are intended to protect. This may result in damage to said objects.

It will be noted that the document GB-A-748,409 describes a cardboard or similar packaging in the form of a tray comprising a rectangular or square bottom, bordered by two longitudinal sides and by two transverse sides, each of which is connected to said bottom by a fold line, each longitudinal side being extended at each of its ends by a flap articulated around a fold line orthogonal to that connecting the longitudinal side corresponding to said bottom, packaging in which on the one hand, each transverse side is extended externally by a band-shaped flap connected to the corresponding transverse side by at least one fold line parallel to that connecting the latter to said bottom , and, on the other hand, said flaps of the longitudinal sides are each disposed between a transverse side and the corresponding flap folded over the latter, first strips of adhesive material, perpendicular to the fold lines connecting a flap to the corresponding transverse side and this last said bottom, being provided between one face of said flaps and the opposite face of said corresponding transverse side.

The object of the present invention is to remedy the drawbacks of the packaging described above and to improve the packaging of document GB-A-748 409, so that the strips of adhesive material are all on the same side of the blank from which packaging and that said beads of adhesive material increase the crush resistance of said packaging.

• des seconds cordons de matière adhésive, également perpendiculaires aux lignes de pliage reliant un rabat au côté transversal correspondant et ce dernier audit fond, sont prévus entre l'autre face desdits volets et la face en regard dudit rabat correspondant ;
• lesdits premiers et seconds cordons de matière adhésive sont portés respectivement par lesdites faces en regard dudit côté transversal et dudit rabat correspondant ; et
• un premier cordon de matière adhésive est disposé en regard d'un second cordon de matière adhésive.

To this end, according to the invention, the packaging of the type described above is characterized in that:

• second strips of adhesive material, also perpendicular to the fold lines connecting a flap to the corresponding transverse side and the latter at said bottom, are provided between the other face of said flaps and the opposite face of said corresponding flap;
• said first and second strips of adhesive material are carried respectively by said faces opposite said transverse side and said corresponding flap; and
• a first bead of adhesive material is arranged opposite a second bead of adhesive material.

Thus, each side or transverse rim of the packaging according to the invention consists of three layers of cardboard glued together, so that said packaging has a high resistance to crushing. It will be noted that, when the packaging is made with corrugated cardboard, the direction of the undulations of a shutter is crossed with that of the undulations of the transverse side and of the corresponding flap. This results in very high resistance, since each corrugation behaves like a resistance line. It is advantageous for the cords of adhesive material to be linear cords, for example hot adhesive called "hot melt", each pair of facing cords playing the role of a resistant "beam".

• que pour une qualité de carton identique, l'emballage selon l'invention présente une résistance à l'écrasement supérieure à celle des emballages connus ;
• mais que si l'emballage selon l'invention doit résister à une charge égale à celle à laquelle résiste un emballage connu, il peut être réalisé en un carton de qualité inférieure, de sorte que son coût est abaissé.

So we see:

• that for an identical quality of cardboard, the packaging according to the invention has a higher crushing resistance than that of known packaging;
• but if the packaging according to the invention must withstand a load equal to that which a known packaging resists, it can be made of a cardboard of lower quality, so that its cost is lowered.

It will also be noted that the fold lines respectively connecting the flaps to the transverse sides of a package, form shoulders allowing good seating for the package placed on it. These shoulders stiffen the transverse edges of the packaging, so that the deformations of a lower packaging in a stack of packaging are slight and that the superimposed packaging has no tendency to fit together. .

According to a first embodiment of the invention making it possible to use only a just necessary cardboard surface, without falls, the width of a flap is less than that of the corresponding transverse side.

On the other hand, according to another embodiment of the invention, the width of said flaps is at least approximately equal to that of the corresponding transverse side. This second embodiment generally requires, for its production at equal volume, a larger surface of cardboard. However, as in this case the lower edge of the flap bears against the bottom of the packaging, this results in an increase in strength and the quality of the cardboard used can be lower, with the desired resistance being equal.

The figures of the appended drawing will make it clear how the invention can be implemented. In these figures, identical references designate similar elements.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a carton blank for making a first example of the packaging according to the present invention.

Figure 2 shows an angle of the packaging corresponding to the blank of Figure 1, during conformation.

Figure 3 shows in perspective the angle of Figure 2, at the end of the conformation.

Figure 4 is a plan view of a cardboard blank for making a second example of the packaging according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 shows in perspective an angle of the packaging obtained from the blank of FIG. 4.

The blank 1 of corrugated cardboard, shown in FIG. 1 and intended for the production of a first embodiment of the packaging according to the present invention, comprises a rectangular bottom 2, bordered by two longitudinal sides 3 and 4 and by two transverse sides 5 and 6. The longitudinal sides are respectively connected to the bottom 2 by parallel fold lines 7 and 8. Likewise, the transverse sides 5 and 6 are respectively connected to the bottom 2 by fold lines 9 and 10, parallel to each other, but perpendicular to the fold lines 7 and 8.

Furthermore, the longitudinal side 3 is extended, at its end close to the transverse side 5, by a flap 11.5, and, at its end close to the transverse side 6 by a flap 11.6. Similarly, the longitudinal side 4 is extended by flaps 12.5 and 12.6, respectively adjacent to the transverse sides 5 and 6. The flaps 11.5, 11.6, 12.5 and 12.6 are connected to the corresponding longitudinal side 3 or 4 by a respective fold line 13 , 14, 15 or 16 orthogonal to the fold line 7 or 8 connecting this longitudinal side to the bottom 2. The fold lines 13 to 16 are therefore parallel to the fold lines 9 and 10. They are not arranged as an extension of those here, but slightly offset towards the center of the bottom 2 relative to said fold lines 9 and 10.

Each transverse side 5 and 6 is extended externally by a flap 17 or 18, in the form of a band, connected to said corresponding transverse side by two parallel and close fold lines respectively carrying the references 19, 20, 21, 22. These fold lines 19 to 22 are therefore parallel to the fold lines 9 and 10.

At the limit of the transverse sides 5, 6 and the flaps 17, 18 are cut the partial contours of tabs 23 or 24, interrupting the fold lines 19, 20, 21 and 22, so that these tabs remain integral and coplanar with the flaps 17, 18 (or on the sides 5, 6) when the said flaps are folded around the lines 19, 20, 21, 22 with respect to the sides 5, 6. Cut-outs 25 are provided opposite the legs 23 and 24, 26 interrupting the fold lines 9 and 10. As shown in the cut-away portion 29 of the blank 1, the lines 30 of the corrugations of the corrugated cardboard constituting said blank are for example parallel to the fold lines 7 and 8.

Before folding the blank 1 for its conformation in packaging in the form of a tray, there are deposited on the transverse sides 5 and 6 and on the flaps 17 and 18, in the vicinity of the flaps 11.5, 11.6, 12.5 and 12.6, adhesive which are in the form of aligned hot melt cords 27, 28 perpendicular to the fold lines 9, 10, 19, 20, 21 ', 22. The application of such aligned longitudinal cords 27 and 28 is particularly simple to realize automatically and, moreover, such cords participate in the stiffening of the transverse edges of the packages according to the invention.

As can be seen in FIG. 1, the width d of the flaps 17 and 18 is smaller than the width D of the longitudinal and transverse sides 3 to 6.

The shaping of the blank 1, with a view to producing the packaging according to the invention, is illustrated by FIGS. 2 and 3.

First, the longitudinal sides 3 and 4 are orthogonally folded around the fold lines 7 and 8, as well as the flaps 11.5, 11.6, 12.5 and 12.6 around the fold lines 13 to 16 and the transverse sides 5 and 6 around fold lines 9 and 10, so that said flaps 11.5, 11.6, 12.5 and 12.6 are located opposite said transverse sides 5 or 6. Then the flaps 17 and 18 are folded around the fold lines 19, 20, 21 , 22 against said transverse sides 5 and 6 and against said flaps 11.5, 11.6, 12.5 and 12.6. It follows that one face of these is secured to the transverse sides 5 or 6 by the adhesive pads 28, while the other face of said flaps is secured to the flaps 17 and 18 by the adhesive pads 27.

It can therefore be seen that the transverse edges of the packaging according to the invention consist of the three glued thicknesses, formed respectively by the transverse sides 5 or 6, by the flaps 11.5, 11.6, 12.5 and 12.6 and by the flaps 17 or 18. They therefore have a high resistance to buckling. It will be noted that, necessarily, the direction of the lines of the undulations 30 of the flaps 11.5, 11.6, 12.5 and 12.6 is orthogonal to that of the lines of the undulations 30 of the transverse sides 5 and 6 and of the flaps 17 and 18.

In addition, during the folding of the flaps 17 and 18, the tabs 23 and 24 stand up parallel to said transverse sides, so that they form stacking tabs capable of cooperating with the cutouts 25, 26 of another identical packaging and superimposed. This folding further forms at the upper part of the transverse edges, a large middle part 31, delimited by the fold lines 19, 20, 21, 22 and capable of serving as a stable support for said superimposed packaging.

The cardboard blank 32 of the alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 4 has the same elements 2 to 26 as those described above for the blank 1. However, in this case, the width d of the flaps 17 and 18 is equal to the width D of the sides 3, 4, 5 and 6. As a result, when the blank 32 is shaped to constitute the packaging (see partial figure 5), the outer edges 33 of the flaps 17 and 18 come into bearing against the bottom 2. These outer edges 33 may include projections 34 penetrating into the stacking cutouts 25, 26.

Thus, the flaps 17 and 18, because they bear on the bottom 2, greatly increase the resistance of the transverse edges of the packaging according to the invention.

In FIG. 4, it has been assumed that the flaps 17 and 18 are each provided with an adhesive bead 27 at their ends and that an adhesive bead 28 is provided at each of the ends on a transverse side 5 or 6.

In the flaps 17 and 18 and in the transverse sides 5, 6, it is possible to provide cutouts 35 and 36, which, after shaping of the packaging, lie opposite one another, so as to constitute a handle.

Claims (5)

1. Package made of cardboard or the like in the shape of a tray comprising a rectangular or square bottom (2), bordered by two longitudinal sides (3, 4) and by two transverse sides (5, 6), each of which is joined to the said bottom (2) by a folding line (7, 8, 9 or 10), each longitudinal side (3, 4) being extended at each of its ends by a leaf (11.5, 11.6, 12.5 or 12.6) hinged about a folding line (13, 14, 15 or 16) which is orthogonal to that folding line (7 or 8) joining the corresponding longitudinal side (3 or 4) to the said bottom (2), in which package, on the one hand, each transverse side (5, 6) is extended outwards by a strip-shaped flap (17 or 18) joined to the corresponding transverse side by at least one folding line (19, 20 or 21, 22) parallel to that folding line (9 or 10) joining this transverse side to the said bottom (2), and, on the other hand, the said leaves (11.5, 11.6 - 12.5 and 12.6) of the longitudinal sides (3 and 4) are each arranged between a transverse side (5 or 6) and the corresponding flap (17 or 18) turned down over this transverse side, first beads (28) of adhesive material, which are perpendicular to the folding lines joining a flap (17, 18) to the corresponding transverse side (5, 6) and the latter to the said bottom, being provided between one face of the said leaves (11.5, 11.6 - 12.5, 12.6) and the opposite face of the said corresponding transverse side (5, 6), characterised in that:

   - second beads (27) of adhesive material, which are also perpendicular to the folding lines joining a flap to the corresponding transverse side and the latter to the said bottom, are provided between the other face of the said leaves (11.5, 11.6 - 12.5, 12.6) and the opposite face of the said corresponding flap (17, 18);

   - the said first and second beads of adhesive material (28, 27) are borne respectively by the said opposite faces of the said transverse side (5, 6) and of the said corresponding flap (17, 18); and

   - a first bead of adhesive material (28) is arranged opposite a second bead of adhesive material (27).
2. Package according to Claim 1, characterised in that the width of a flap is less than that of the corresponding transverse side.
3. Package according to Claim 1, characterised in that the width of a flap is at least approximately equal to that of the corresponding transverse side.
4. Package according to Claim 3, in which there are provided stacking tabs (23, 24) and stacking slots (25, 26), characterised in that the free edges (33) of the said flaps (17, 18) comprise projections (34) penetrating into the said stacking slots.
5. Package according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, characterised in that it is made of corrugated cardboard.

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