EP0445390A1

EP0445390A1 - Wrapping box, wrapping container, and method of wrapping this wrapping container

Info

Publication number: EP0445390A1
Application number: EP90123701A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Yasuhiko Yamaura; Ichiro Ando; Hisanori Murooka; Miho Noguchi; Hiroshi Kk.Bandai Kanda Bunshitu Of Dai 2 Marumo
Original assignee: Bandai Co Ltd
Current assignee: Bandai Co Ltd
Priority date: 1990-03-07
Filing date: 1990-12-10
Publication date: 1991-09-11
Also published as: AU6845590A; CN1054569A

Abstract

A wrapping box (11) includes upper paperboard (12); lower paperboard (13) arranged so as to become substantially parallel to the upper paperboard; and back paperboard (14) for connecting the back ends of the upper paperboard and the lower paperboard to each other. The wrapping box further includes front paperboard (17) arranged on the front end of either the upper paperboard or the lower paperboard; and side paperboard (15,16) arranged on both sides of the upper paperboard and/or the lower paperboard.

The wrapping box is formed into a box-like shape by folding a sheet of mounting paperboard. The front paperboard and the side paperboard are arranged so as to be capable of being bent toward the inside of the wrapping box.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a wrapping box for fabric products, a wrapping container for fabric products, and to a method of wrapping this wrapping container.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

Wrapping boxes have heretofore been formed three-dimensionally by upper paperboard, lower paperboard, and side paperboard which connects the edges of the upper and lower paperboard to each other.
Conventional wrapping containers are formed in such a way that wrapping bags made of soft synthetic resin sheets may directly wrap commodities, such as clothing like underwear or fabric products such as hosiery, or may wrap boxes or the like in which such types of commodities are contained so the commodities will not be crushed.
So-called vacuum packing, used for forming a wrapping container, effectively preserves the freshness of foods, and has widely been utilized for food packing. However, it has not been utilized for the above commodities and wrapping boxes.
Since clothing such as underwear or fabric products such as hosiery contain a large quantity of air therein, the volume of such a commodity becomes very small when it is vacuum packed. Vacuum packing is thus convenient method for preserving and carrying the commodity. A fabric product such as hosiery, however, is loosely shaped, so that wrinkles are formed on the surface of the product. This results in a disadvantage that not only the outward appearance but also the value of the commodity are spoiled. Furthermore, when the above commodity is inserted into a wrapping bag having an opening, and then the opening is heat-sealed followed by evacuation of the air in the wrapping bag, the heating portion of a heat seal device may come in contact with an end of the commodity, thus damaging the commodity. Even when the opening of the wrapping bag is high-frequency-bonded, the opening may be solvent-welded while the commodity gets caught in the seal portion. The above disadvantages are serious obstacles to mass production of such a product.
To eliminate the above disadvantages, a commodity can be contained in a wrapping box which is vacuum packed. However, the side paperboard of the wrapping box is irregularly bent, thereby deforming or damaging the commodity contained in the box. This leads to a problem in that the value of the commodity is markedly spoiled.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished in view of the foregoing problems. An object of the invention is therefore to provide a wrapping box which shrinks as a whole with little deformation even when the box is vacuum packed, and which does not spoil the value of a commodity.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a compact wrapping container which does not appreciably deform a commodity such as a fabric product, which does not damage the commodity at all, and which is convenient for carrying the commodity.
A further object of the invention is to provide a method of wrapping a novel and compact wrapping container in which a commodity such as a fabric product is contained.
The above first object can be attained by providing a wrapping box comprising: upper paperboard; lower paperboard arranged so as to become substantially parallel to the upper paperboard; back paperboard for connecting the back ends of the upper paperboard and the lower paperboard to each other; front paperboard arranged on the front end of either the upper paperboard or the lower paperboard; and side paperboard arranged on both sides of the upper paperboard and/or the lower paperboard; wherein the wrapping box is formed into a box-like shape by folding a sheet of mounting paperboard; and wherein the front paperboard and the side paperboard are arranged so as to be capable of being bent toward the inside of the wrapping box.
The above second object can be attained by providing a wrapping container comprising: a wrapping bag in which mounting paperboard folded in two or the wrapping box according to claim 1 in which a fabric product is contained is contained, wherein the wrapping container is formed by a soft synthetic resin sheet and the wrapped box, and wherein the air inside the wrapped bag is evacuated, an opening being hermetically sealed.
The above third object can be obtained by providing a method of wrapping a wrapping container comprising the steps of: inserting a fabric product into mounting paperboard folded in two, or housing a fabric product in the wrapped box according to claim 1; inserting, through an opening, the mounting paperboard or the wrapping box into a wrapped bag formed of a soft synthetic resin sheet, and housing the mounting paperboard or the box; and hermetically sealing the opening after the air in the wrapping bag has been evacuated.
With the construction mentioned above, a commodity such as a fabric product can be sandwiched between the upper paperboard and the lower paperboard of the wrapping box of the present invention. When the wrapping box is vacuum packed, the edges of the upper paperboard and the lower paperboard are bent inwardly. The upper paperboard and the side paperboard are pressed toward the inside of the wrapping box, thereby inwardly pressing the commodity inside the wrapping box. Thus the commodity is not spread out within the wrapping box, whereby the value of the commodity is not spoiled.
The wrapping container of the present invention is formed in the following manner. A fabric product is inserted into the mounting paperboard folded in two, or is contained in the above wrapping box. The wrapping container is then inserted, through the opening, into the wrapping bag made of a soft synthetic resin sheet. After the air in the wrapping bag is evacuated, the opening is hermetically sealed.
The wrapping container formed as above is not unwieldy and is thus very convenient for carrying, being compact as compared with the conventional wrapping container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a wrapping container according to the present invention;
Fig. 2 is an exploded view, in perspective, of the wrapping container in Fig. 1;
Figs. 3 through 5 are perspective views illustrating modified examples of mounting paperboard;
Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a wrapping box in accordance with the present invention;
Fig. 7 is a view in which the wrapping box in Fig. 6 is spread;
Fig. 8 is a plan view of the wrapping box as seen from direction X in Fig. 6; and
Fig. 9 is a side view of the wrapping box as seen from direction Y in Fig. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings.
Numeral 1 denotes a wrapping container, and numeral 2 stockings made of nylon polyurethane which are bent in a zigzag manner. Rectangle paperboard is formed into mounting paperboard 3 by bending it to a u shape in cross section. A folding back 3a is formed in a bend. A wrapping bag 4, having an opening 4a on one side thereof, is a hermetic bag made of synthetic resin, such as polyvinyl chloride.
The zigzag-bent stockings 2 are first inserted into the mounting paperboard 3, which is also inserted into the wrapping bag 4 so that the folding back 3a of the mounting paperboard 3 may be arranged on the side of the opening 4a of the wrapping bag 4. A vacuum pump is then used to evacuate the air in the wrapping bag 4. The opening 4a is heat-sealed or high-frequency-bonded. This completes a wrapping container 1 of the present invention.
In the above embodiment, stockings 2 made of nylon polyurethane are used as an example of a fabric product. This is because the fabric product is very likely to be damaged by heat while the opening 4a is being heat-sealed. The fabric product is not limited to such a fabric product.
In addition to the mounting paperboard 3 which is u-shaped in cross section as shown in Fig. 1, the length of an upper face of the mounting paperboard 3 being the same as that of a lower face of the mounting paperboard 3, the mounting paperboard 3, as shown in Fig. 3, in which the length of one face, that is, the length of either the upper face or the lower face is shorter than that of the other may also be used. Furthermore, as illustrated in Fig. 4, the mounting paperboard 3 which is U-shaped in cross section or the mounting paperboard 3 which is V-shaped in cross section may also be used. Moreover, as shown in Fig. 5, the mounting paperboard 3 may be formed as follows: the folding back 3a is formed on each side 3b of the mounting paperboard 3, and folding pieces 3c are bent so as to form an integral piece. A thick synthetic resin sheet may also be utilized as the mounting paperboard 3.
Moreover, the wrapping bag 4 is not necessarily formed as a bag from the beginning. A long, cylindrically-formed sheet made of synthetic resin, such as polyvinyl chloride, may also be used so as to be formed into a bag in the following manner. One of the openings on both sides of the sheet is heat-sealed or high-frequency-bonded, immediately before the mounting paperboard 3, into which the stockings 2 are inserted, is inserted into the wrapping bag 4.
In the above embodiment, though the stockings 2 are inserted into the mounting paperboard 3, they may be contained in a wrapping box 11 which is formed into a box by folding a sheet of mounting paperboard. In other words, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the wrapping box 11 has upper paperboard 12, and lower paperboard 13 which is arranged so as to be substantially parallel to the upper paperboard 12. A back end 12a of the upper paperboard 12 and a back end 13a of the lower paperboard 13 are connected to each other through back paperboard 14. The back paperboard 14 has a bend 14a formed substantially along the center thereof. This bend 14a is capable of being bent toward the inside of the wrapping box 11. Side paperboard 15, 15 is provided along the edges 12b, 12b of the upper paperboard 12; side paperboard 16, 16 is also provided along the edges 13b, 13b of the lower paperboard 13. The side paperboard 15, 15, 16, 16 is each capable of being bent toward the inside of the wrapping box 11. Furthermore, front paperboard 17 is arranged at the front end 12c of the upper paperboard 12. A bend 17a, which can be bent toward the inside of the wrapping box 11, is formed substantially along the center of the front paperboard 17. An inserting piece 18 is formed at the front end 17b of the front paperboard 17, this inserting piece 18 being inserted into not only the space between the upper paperboard 12 and the lower paperboard 13, but also the space between the side paperboard 16, 16.
The stockings 2 are inserted into the wrapping box 11 constructed above, which is then inserted into the wrapping bag 4. When the air in the wrapping bag 4 is thereafter evacuated for vacuum packing, the upper paperboard 12 as well as the lower paperboard 13 are pressed, whereby the space between the upper paperboard 12 and the lower paperboard 13 is shrunk. This shrinkage causes the bend 17a of the front paperboard 17 and the bend 14a of the paperback board 14 to bend further toward the inside of the wrapping box 11. At the same time, the side paperboard 15, 15 of the upper paperboard 12 and the side paperboard 16, 16 of the lower paperboard 13 are also caused to bend further toward the inside of the wrapping box 11. As a result, the bends 14a, 17a together with the side paperboard 15, 15, 16, 16 further push the stockings 2 into the wrapping box 11.
The wrapping box 11 is not limited to the embodiment mentioned above. Side paperboard may be provided to either the upper paperboard 12 or the lower paperboard 13. The wrapping box 11 may, of course, be formed by providing the back paperboard 14 without the bend 14a, and the front paperboard 17 without the bend 17 or the inserting piece 18, as by providing the side paperboard 15, 15, 16, 16, to which no bends are provided.
The wrapping container 1 of the above embodiment has a length of 7-8 cm, a width of 6-7 cm, and a thickness of 0.6-1 cm, even when the mounting paperboard 3 or the wrapping box 11 is employed. It can thus be formed substantially into a card-type shape, which is convenient for keeping or carrying the wrapping container 1. Since the stockings 2 remain inserted into the mounting paperboard 3 or the wrapping box 11, no wrinkles are formed on the surface of the wrapping container 1, thereby not spoiling the outward appearance or the value of the commodity. Furthermore, the end of the stockings 2 is not damaged by seal heat, nor does it get caught at the hermetic seal portion during heat sealing or high-frequency bonding of the opening 4a. This is because the mounting paperboard 3, into which the stockings 2 are inserted, is so inserted into the wrapping bag 4 that the folding back 3a is arranged on the side of the opening 4a.
The folding back 3a of the mounting paperboard 3 shown in Fig. 5, into which the stockings 2 are inserted, is always arranged on the side of the opening 4a, no matter where the stockings 2 are inserted into the wrapping bag 4, so that the stockings 2 will not be damaged at all. Furthermore, when the air in the wrapping bag 4 is evacuated, since the folding pieces 3c press the entire hems of the stockings 2, the stockings 2 are not deformed, nor are wrinkles formed, whereby the value of the commodity is not spoiled. Moreover, when the wrapping container 1, which has been vacuum packed, is covered with a transparent sheet, it is possible to tell, through the space enclosed by the folding pieces 3c, the color or the like of the stockings 2. This fact can help buyers to choose the commodity.
When the air in the wrapping box 11, in which the stockings 2 are contained, is evacuated, the stockings 2 are pressed into the wrapping box 11 and are not spread out within the wrapping box 11. The stockings 2 are thus prevented from being damaged by seal heat when heat sealing or high-frequency bonding is being performed.
The wrapping box of the present invention brings about the following advantages. When it is inserted into the wrapping bag and the air in the bag is evacuated, because the front paperboard as well as the side paperboard press the commodity inwardly, the commodity is not spread out of the bag. Even when the opening is hermetically sealed, the commodity is not damaged at all. In addition, when the wrapping box is vacuum packed, the side paperboard of the wrapping box is regularly bent inwardly, as against the side paperboard of the conventional wrapping box which is bent irregularly. This is because the front paperboard and the side paperboard of the wrapping box are so arranged that they are capable of being bent inwardly, which fact renders the commodity appealing.
The wrapping container and a method of wrapping it in accordance with the invention permit the volume of a wrapped fabric product to be very small. It is thus convenient to keep or carry the product. Furthermore, no wrinkles are formed on the surface of the wrapping container, thereby not spoiling the value of the commodity. Moreover, even then the opening of the wrapping bag is hermetically sealed, the fabric product is not damaged.

Claims

A wrapping box comprising:
upper paperboard;
lower paperboard arranged so as to become substantially parallel to said upper paperboard;
back paperboard for connecting the back ends of said upper paperboard and said lower paperboard to each other;
front paperboard arranged on the front end of either said upper paperboard or said lower paperboard; and
side paperboard arranged on both sides of said upper paperboard and/or said lower paperboard; wherein said wrapping box is formed into a box-like shape by folding a sheet of mounting paperboard; and wherein said front paperboard and said side paperboard are arranged so as to be capable of being bent toward the inside of said wrapping box.
A wrapping container comprising:
a sheet of mounting paperboard folded in two and containing a fabric product therein, or a wrapping box according to claim 1 in which a fabric product is contained; and
a wrapping bag formed by a soft synthetic resin sheet in which said mounting paperboard or said wrapping box is capable of being contained and the air inside of the bag is capable of being evacuated and the opening of the bag is capable of being sealed hermetically.
A method of wrapping a wrapping container comprising the steps of:
inserting a fabric product into mounting paperboard folded in two, or housing a fabric product in said wrapped box according to claim 1;
inserting, through an opening, said mounting paperboard or said wrapping box into a wrapped bag formed by a soft synthetic resin sheet, and housing said mounting paperboard or said box; and
hermetically sealing said opening after the air in said wrapping bag has been evacuated.