EP0397577A1 - Selflocking container and method of packaging - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a packaging container made of cardboard or packaging material and to the method of packaging. The self-locking packaging container, comprising a bottom consisting of a plane (114) and at least three adjacent sides (1145, 115, 1141) so as to form a parallelepipedal volume which is open at least towards the top, and a cover consisting of a plane (100) connected to at least three adjacent sides (105, 101, 111) forming a parallelepipedal volume which is open at least towards the bottom, is characterised in that at least one of the sides (1145, 115, 1141) of the bottom consists of a folded edge in which a flap (11410) provided with bearing means is cut out along a double cut-out stopping on a folding line (1143) and in that the side of the cover (102) coming, after closing, opposite the side of the bottom provided with a flap is provided with means (1010) which can permit the passage of the fingers and retention means (104) which may be combined with guiding means, so as, on closing the cover over the bottom, to clip-fasten the cover, preventing any opening of the container without external intervention. …<IMAGE>…

Description

The present invention relates to a cardboard packaging box or packaging material and the packaging method.

Cardboard packaging boxes are known which consist of a bottom comprising a plane and three adjacent flanks associated by a connecting strip with a cap consisting of a plane and three adjacent flanks. This type of box is generally used by pastry chefs for packaging cakes or by clothing stores for disposing of clothes. Such boxes may have on one of their sides a cutout associated with a tongue which constitutes a handle and a member for holding the closure of this box. However, to allow packaging with such a box, it is necessary to carry out a manipulation requiring, firstly, the closing of the cover, secondly, the extraction of the closing handle which at the same time constitutes a locking system for the cover. These packages therefore have the drawback of not being able to be the subject of an automated process.

There are also packages that allow easy closing, such as pastry packaging, but then the latter require a link to keep them closed, this link being either twine or a ribbon or any other means allowing surround the packaging. This binding operation is costly for large series of objects.

A first object of the invention is therefore to propose a packaging of simple constitution, and which by simple closure finds itself locked and does not require any other binding or manipulation operation to ensure this locking.

This object is achieved by the fact that the folded cardboard packaging box with self-locking closure comprises a bottom consisting of a plane and three adjacent sides, so as to form a parallelepipedal volume open upwards and on one side, connected by a junction flank to a cover consisting of a plane (100) connected to three adjacent flanks (105, 102, 111) completing, with the junction flank (110), the periphery of the box, at least one of the flanks of the bottom consisting of a folded edge in which a tongue is cut in a cut which stops on the fold line, the side of the cover facing the side of the bottom provided with a tongue after closure, and provided with means allowing the passage of the fingers and retaining means so as to ensure, when the lid is closed on the bottom, a clipping of the lid preventing any opening of the box without external intervention.

Thus the packaging box is easily and automatically locked. However in general but also more particularly when the packaging box is made of thin cardboard or of any material of small thickness, it is preferable to provide a guide for the tongue which allows better closure and even more precise locking. Indeed, it may happen that the tongue passes through retaining means and the locking is in this case poorly ensured.

The present invention also aims to remedy this kind of drawback easily but effectively and provides a packaging box in which the tongue is guided and the locking systematically ensured whatever the type of cardboard used.

For this, the self-locking closure packaging box according to claim 1 is remarkable in that the tongue cut out according to a cutout stopping on a fold line is provided with support means cooperating with guide means combined with the means. retaining means, the support means, when the lid is closed, pressing by sliding on the guide means until the tongue is locked by the retaining means, then remaining in support, after locking on said means guidance.

Thus, the idea consists in imposing, when the lid is closed, lateral guiding of the tongue and then of preventing the latter from undergoing too great a rotation during the clipping which has the effect of guaranteeing with certainty an effective locking.

According to an essential characteristic, over part of its height, on the side of the fold line, the tongue has a width greater than the width of the cutout of the retaining means thus constituting the support means, the tongue resting on either side and then sliding along the side walls of the cutout of the retaining means, the side walls of which constitute the guide means.

Finally, according to a preferred but non-limiting application, the tongue has substantially the shape of a T, the surface of which is defined by the intersection of the surfaces of a first rectangle limited by a first cut and of a rectangular sector, delimited by a second cut, formed by a second rectangle with a surface smaller than that of the first rectangle and the part of which situated opposite the fold line is on both sides identically narrowed over part of the height.

In this way the non-narrowed part of the tongue slides along the guide means and then remains in contact with them after the locking is obtained, authorized by a slight rotational movement, when the lower end of the narrowed part is found released when arriving at the horizontal cutout of the retaining means. This slight rotational movement guarantees that the lower end of the tongue comes and rests on the thickness, even small, of the horizontal cutout of the retaining means. The substantially T-shaped shape of the tongue must be interpreted very broadly, the transition between the narrowed and non-narrowed parts of the tongue can be made suddenly (discontinuity of a strictly T-shaped) or gradually (the narrowed part having, for example, the shape of an isosceles trapezoid).

In addition, the fact of making a first and a second cut makes it possible to provide an empty space around the tongue, an empty space advantageously facilitating the rotational movement of the tongue around the fold line.

According to different variants, the packaging box can have several locking devices respectively arranged on each of the sides.

Another object is to prevent the box, after self-locking, from being opened inadvertently.

This object is achieved by the fact that the means allowing the fingers to pass through the box consist of a pre-cutting of an orifice which, after rupture, allows the lid to be unclipped.

Finally, a final object of the invention is to propose a fully automated product packaging process, the automation being facilitated by the lateral guidance of the tongues and the assurance of perfect locking.

This object is achieved by the fact that the product packaging process, using a shim made of plastic material or other material which can serve as wedging in a continuous shape cut to the desired dimension, so as to surround the product (15), and once in place, its cross section has retaining parts in the direction perpendicular to the plane in which the length of the shim is located, said shim having cut-outs in full mass made from the bearing face on the packaging to constitute pivot means facilitating folding, consists :
bringing a wedge of determined length into a packaging area;
bringing a product to be packaged over a hold receiving region;
to bring into the packaging area, and under the hold, a packaging box according to the invention intended to receive the product in its hold;
to install the product in the receiving area of the hold, and the hold / product assembly in the packaging element, this assembly automatically deforms as it is introduced into the packaging, so that the sides of the shim completely surround the sides of the product, then fold the upper side of the shim over the product;
finally, fold the lid of the packaging box onto the bottom so that it clips onto it.

• -la figure 1 représente une vue de dessus de la bande de carton qui, après pliage, constitue la boîte d'emballage.
• -la figure 2 présente en a une vue en coupe partielle d'un des côtés de la boîte et du système de clipsage et en b un éclaté du système de clipsage.
• -la figure 3 représente une vue en perspective de la boîte.
• -la figure 4 représente la boîte utilisée dans un procédé d'emballage.

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will appear more clearly on reading the description below made with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

• FIG. 1 represents a top view of the strip of cardboard which, after folding, constitutes the packaging box.
• FIG 2 shows in a partial sectional view of one of the sides of the box and of the clipping system and in b an exploded view of the clipping system.
• FIG. 3 represents a perspective view of the box.
• FIG. 4 represents the box used in a packaging process.

The packaging box is shown in Figure 3 and has a bottom consisting of a plane (114) and three adjacent flanks (1145, 1141 and 115) respectively forming the outer lateral flanks and a front flank. The plane (114), constituting the bottom, is connected by a joining flank (110) to a cover consisting of a plane (100), connected to three adjacent flanks (101, 105 and 111), constituting the lateral flanks respectively. the front flank of the cover, and completing the edge of the box with the junction flank, once the cover is folded down on the open bottom.

In a variant of the invention, the box may have on the front flank a tongue (1150) which cooperates with a corresponding cutout (1110), produced in the interior of the front face (111) of the cover, so as to constitute a closure system.

In another variant, the box may include two lateral tabs (11450 and 11410) arranged on each lateral flank of the bottom, and being located opposite with two lateral cutouts (104, 108) formed in the interior of the flanks corresponding sides (101, 105) of the cover.

Finally, in another variant, the closure system of the box can be constituted by three tabs associated with three cutouts.

The box represented in FIG. 3 is obtained from a cut cardboard strip, as shown in FIG. 1. On this cardboard strip, the corresponding references of FIG. 3 have been used. The cardboard strip has a plane (100) constituting the top of the cover, and delimited by the fold lines (1004 to 1007), the fold line (1006) separating the plane (100) from a strip (111), constituting the front face of the cover. The fold line (1004) separates the plane (100) from a strip (110), constituting the joining flank of the cover at the bottom of the box. This junction flank (110) having the length of the box and the height corresponding to the thickness of the box. The front flank (111) of the cover is extended by two lateral tabs, respectively right (112) / left (113), connected to the front flank by the respective fold lines (1112, 1113). On the plane (100) is connected, on the side of the fold line (1007), the right lateral flank (101) of the cover. This right lateral flank (101) is separated from a part (102) by two fold lines (103), parallel to the fold line (1007). The part (102) comprises the means of retained in the form of a notch (104) cut so as to be open towards the outside, and having dimensions greater than the dimensions of the narrowed part of the associated clip tab (11410) which will be seen later. The strip (102) is extended at its ends opposite the flank (101) by tenons (1020 and 1021) cut, adjacent to the two opposite edges of the notch (104) and of dimensions corresponding to the recesses (1000, 1001) made along the fold line (1007) on the bottom (100). Finally, the strip (101), constituting the right outer flank, has a cutout (1010) in the form of a rounded rectangle so as, as will be seen later, to allow the fingers to pass in order to unlock the box. The right inner flank (102) is folded inwards along the fold lines (103), while the tongue (112) is placed between the right inner flank (102) and the right outer flank (101) , after folding the sidewall (111) along the line (1006), as can be seen in FIG. 2, the external edge of the tongue (112), perpendicular to the line (1112), bearing between the lines folding (103). The pins (1020, 1021) engage in the recesses (1000, 1001) so as to hold the assembly. Similarly, on the left side, along the fold line (1005), the bottom (100) is extended by a left outer flank (105) and an inner left flank (106), connected by two fold lines (107) parallel to the line (1005). The sidewall (106) also includes a cutout (108) adapted to the size of the tongue (11450), and two studs (1063, 1062) cut so as to penetrate the openings (1003, 1002) made in the bottom (100) along the fold line (1005).

The joining flank (110) is connected to the plane constituting the bottom (114) of the box by a fold line (1100). The plane (114) is delimited by a second fold line (1151), parallel to the line (1100), and located on the side adjacent to the front flank (115). The flank (115) is extended on each left and right side by tongues (117, 116) adjacent to the flank (115) by the respective fold lines (1157, 1156).

The plane (114) is extended on the right side by the bands (1141, 1142) connected together by two fold lines (1143) and on the plane (114) by the fold line (1149), and on the left side by the strips (1145, 1146), interconnected by the fold lines (1147), and to the plane (114) by the fold line (1148).

The external right flank (1141) comprises a double cut, the internal cut delimits a tongue (11410) the cutouts coming to stop along the fold lines (1143). Similarly, the left outer flank (1145) has a double cut, the internal cut delimiting a tongue (11450), which comes to stop along the fold lines (1147). The respective inner right and left flanks (1142, 1146) have at their ends tenons (11420, 11421) respectively (11460, 11461) which are received in the openings (11400, 11401, 11402, 11403) which are made in the surface (114), respectively along the fold lines (1149, 1148)

As can be seen in Figure 2a, to form the box, the right outer flank (1141) is folded so as to be perpendicular to the bottom (114), then the right inner flank (1142) is folded so that that the studs (11420, 11421) are housed in the respective notches (11400, 11401). At the same time, the tongue (116) is folded so as to slide between the right outer flank (1141) and the right inner flank (1142), when the flank (115) is positioned perpendicular to the flank (114) by folding. along the line (1151). The outer edge of the tongue (116), perpendicular to the line (1156), then rests between the fold lines (1143). In this way, the cut tongue (11410) in the right external flank (1141) constitutes an elastic element which moves away from the wall and is clipped into the horizontal cut of the retaining means (104), practiced in the internal flank. right (102) of the cover, when closing it. Thus, a user by simply closing the cover on the bottom of the box will allow the clipping of the tongue (11410) which, by abutting against the horizontal cutout of the notch (104), will prevent subsequent opening. Figure 2b shows an exploded view of the clipping system in the locked position. Such a locked position is obtained when the non-narrowed part of the tongue has slid along the guide means constituted by the lateral parts (1040, 1041) of the cutout (104), until the lower end of the narrowed part of the tongue (11410) is released when arriving at the horizontal cutout of the retaining means (104). In this locked position, the non-narrowed part of the tongue remains in abutment on the lateral parts (1040, 1041) of the cutout (104) while the lower end of the narrowed part comes into abutment against the thickness of the horizontal cutout. retaining means (104). To open the box, simply slide your fingers into the opening (1010), which is left free thanks to the shape of the tongue (112) and push the tongue (11410) towards the interior surface (1142). Advantageously, one can provide on the sides as many openings and clipping systems of the box as desired. Similarly to avoid, when the box has two openings (1010, 1050) located on opposite sides, to use these openings as means of gripping the boste, and by the same token, by pressing on the tongue, triggering an opening untimely of the box, provision is made in a variant of the device not to make the openings (1010, 1050) but to replace these with pre-cuts which must be broken to allow the opening of the box.

In an alternative embodiment, instead of the tongues (112, 113) coming, after folding, to be placed between the external flanks (101) respectively (105) and the corresponding internal flanks (102), respectively (106), obtained by folding, these tabs (112, 113) are made integral only with the interior of the internal flank (102), respectively (106). In this case, the tabs have a shape corresponding to the cutouts (104, 108) and can also contribute to locking.

FIG. 4 represents a packaging process, in which this type of box can be advantageously used with a type of block having been the subject of a patent application No. 88.00879, filed by BULL SA and entitled "Block packaging, container for such a wedge, and packaging method using such a wedge ". The method, using a shim made of plastic material in a continuous shape cut to the desired dimension, so as to surround the product (15), and that once in place, its cross section has retaining portions in the perpendicular direction in the plane in which the length of the shim is located, said shim comprising full-body cutouts made from the bearing face on the packaging to constitute pivoting means facilitating folding, consists in bringing a packing shim in an area determined, this packing block being supplied by a reel (9) and cut to length by a cutting device (11, 12). After having brought the hold above the area in which the packaging box has been placed, the product to be packaged is brought and then placed on the hold. The wedge then enters the packaging, and the cutting lines (8d, 8b) allow the folding of the sides (8f, 8e) of the wedge which slide on the inner lateral flanks (1146, 1142). The product (15) and the wedge (8) descend into the packaging by gravity, a handling arm then allows the side (8g) to be folded down on the product so as to close the wedging. Meanwhile, a second manipulation arm allows move the cover (100, 111, 105, 101) to close it on the bottom of the box, which at the same time clips the tabs (11410, 11450) into the respective notches (104, 108) of the cover. This clipping allows at the same time to maintain by the bottom (100) of the cover the part (8g) of the wedge on the product (15).

Other modifications within the reach of the skilled person are also part of the spirit of the invention.

In particular, the bottom and the cover of the box can be independent. In this case, the fourth side of the cover will be symmetrical with respect to the fold line (1004) of the side (111) with tongues (112, 113) and replaces the common side (110).

Similarly, the fourth flank of the bottom of the boste will be symmetrical with respect to the fold line (1100) of the flank (115) with tongues (116, 117) and will replace the common flank (110), because the bottom and the cover is no longer connected by the common side (110).

Claims (11)

1. Self-locking closure packaging box comprising a bottom consisting of a plane (114) and at least three adjacent sides (1145, 115, 1141, so as to form a parallelepipedal volume open at least upwards, and a cover consisting of a plane (100) connected to at least three adjacent flanks (105, 101, 111) forming a parallelepiped volume open at least downward, characterized in that at least one of the flanks 1145, 115, 1141 ) of the bottom consists of a folded edge in which a tongue (11410) is cut in a cut stopping on a fold line (1143) and in that the side of the cover (101), coming after screw closure -a screw on the side of the bottom provided with a tongue, is provided with means (1010) which can allow the passage of the fingers and means (104) for retaining, so as to ensure, when the cover is closed on the bottom, a clipping of the cover preventing any opening of the box without external intervention eh. 2. Self-locking closure packaging box according to claim 1 characterized in that the tongue (11410) cut in a cut stopping on a fold line (1143) is provided with support means cooperating with guide means (1040, 1041) combined with the retaining means (104), the support means, when the cover is closed, pressing by sliding on the guide means until the tongue is locked by the retaining means ( 104), then remaining in support, after locking, on said guide means. 3. Packaging box according to claim 2 characterized in that over part of its height, on the side of the fold line (1143), the tongue (11410) has a width greater than the width of the cutting of the means of retainer (104) thus constituting the support means, the tongue resting on either side and then sliding along the side walls of the cutout of the means (104), the side walls constituting the guide means (1140 , 1141). 4. Packaging box according to claim 3 characterized in that the tongue (11410) has substantially the shape of a T whose surface is defined by the intersection of the surfaces of a first rectangle limited by a first cut and d '' a rectangular sector, delimited by a second cut, formed by a second rectangle with a surface smaller than that of the first rectangle and the part of which situated opposite the fold line (1143) is identically on both sides narrowed over part of the height. 5. Box according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the bottom has three sides (1145, 115, 1141) and is connected by a junction side (110) to the cover which has three adjacent sides (105 , 101, 111) 6. Box according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it comprises on two sides (1145, 1141) of the bottom, tongues (11450, 11410) and on the corresponding sides of the cover, the means of passage (1010, 1050) of the fingers and of retention (104, 108,). 7. Box according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it comprises on the three sides of the bottom (1145, 115, 1141) tongues (11450, 1150, 11410) and on the corresponding sides of the cover, the means for passing the fingers (1010, 1050, 1110) and for retaining (104, 108, 1111). 8. Packaging box according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the means (1050, 1010, 1110) allowing the passage of the fingers consist of a pre-cutting of an orifice which, after rupture, allows unclipping the cover. 9. Packaging box according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the means (1010, 1050, 1110) allowing the passage of the fingers consist of an opening cut in the respective flank of the cover. 10. Packaging box according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the means for passing the fingers (1050, 1010, 1110) and the retaining means (104, 108, 1111) are formed in the same strip of cardboard, the inner and outer lateral flanks being interconnected by a fold line which separates the passage means (1010, 1050) from the retaining means (104, 108). 11. Method for packaging products using a block made of plastic material in a continuous shape cut to the desired size, so as to surround the product (15), and once in place, its cross section has retaining parts in the direction perpendicular to the plane in which the length of the shim is located, said shim having full-body cutouts made from the face bearing on the packaging to constitute pivot means facilitating folding, process consisting of:
- to bring the wedge of determined length into a packaging area,
-to bring a product (15) to be packaged above the receiving area of the hold (8),
- to bring into the packaging area and under the hold a packaging box according to one of the preceding claims intended to receive the product in its hold, characterized in that it consists in installing the product in the reception area of the hold and the wedge / product assembly in the packaging box, this assembly automatically deforms as it is introduced into the packaging, so that the sides of the wedge completely surround the sides of the product, then at fold the upper side of the wedge over the product,
- Finally, fold the lid of the packaging box on the bottom so as to clip it on the latter.

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