EP0575842A1 - Tubular carton wrapper - Google Patents

Abstract

A tubular wrapper has a bottom wall 100 which is formed by a single part. In the lower region of an end opening, a continuous strip 101, 102 is linked to the bottom and connected laterally to the adjacent parts of the wrapper 300, 110 via flaps 103, 104 for holding the strips in an upright position. At least one fastening tongue 410, 412 projects from an end edge of one of the walls 400 and has a central part 410 together with at least one wing 412. A fastening opening 114 is provided in the opposite region of the blank near to a hinge P3 between the other main wall 100 and a fastening flap 110. Each tongue is inserted in the appropriate opening with temporary deformation of the associated wing or wings. The invention is particularly suitable as an outer wrapper of primary containers. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a tubular packaging made of folded cardboard or a similar material for holding together a number of objects such as primary containers, for example essentially cylindrical beverage cans, which are arranged in two parallel rows.

It often happens that objects, such as primary containers, have bar codes or the like on their lower regions that identify the individual contents. At the same time, the outer packaging also has various bar codes that identify the product group as a whole. The bar code of each container is generally near the bottom, which is the reason why it is desired to provide the outer package with axial end caps that protrude upward from its bottom wall to prevent unintended reading of the bar codes on the to prevent individual containers.

Such outer packaging is generally formed by folding it back onto itself in a loop and providing adhesive closing devices or mechanical closing devices. For reasons that are essentially external, glued flaps or mechanical latches are generally located in the bottom wall of the outer package such that the side and top outer surfaces of the outer package remain substantially flat. Under these circumstances, the bottom wall consists of two sections that are initially at the two opposite ends of the exit blank.

It will be appreciated that it is difficult to reconcile the above requirement with the arrangement of the strips previously described and that in practice an outer package which is sealed or glued to the bottom has a strip which either looks unattractive or for example one Adhesion between the bar and the side walls of the outer packaging requires, which is undesirable from a mechanization point of view.

The invention is intended to remedy these deficiencies in the prior art by proposing packaging in which the strips are continuous and without adhesive, and in which the side walls and the upper walls are also continuous.

To this end, the invention provides a tubular package for a group of items, such as primary containers, formed from a single blank of foldable material and comprising main walls consisting of an upper wall, two side walls and a bottom wall, the packaging thereby characterized in that the bottom wall is formed in one piece, that it comprises at least in the bottom region of an end opening a continuous strip which is articulated to the bottom wall and is connected at the regions of its two opposite ends to the parts of the packaging adjacent to the bottom wall by means of flaps , the adjacent parts cooperating with the packaged articles so that the flap means are held in a position such that the intended strip or strips is or are fixed in a position substantially transverse to the plane of the bottom wall and that it has locking means which has at least one locking tongue which protrudes from the area of a free edge of the blank, which corresponds to an end edge of the main wall of the package, the tongue or each tongue having a central area and at least one wing which on the middle region is articulated, and comprise at least one closing opening which is assigned to each tongue and is provided in the opposite region of the blank in the vicinity of a fold line which corresponds to an end edge of the adjacent other main wall of the packaging between this other main wall and a closing flap, each tongue in their opening with a temporary Deformation of the associated wing or wing is used.

• Figur 1 eine Draufsicht auf einen Pappezuschnitt zur Bildung eines ersten Ausführungsbeispiels der erfindungsgemäßen äußeren Verpackung zeigt;
• Figur 2 eine Draufsicht auf eine Einzelheit eines Zuschnittes zeigt, der eine Ausführungsvariante bildet, und
• Figur 3 eine Draufsicht auf einen Pappezuschnitt zur Bildung eines zweiten Ausführungsbeispiels der erfindungsgemäßen äußeren Verpackung zeigt.

Further aspects, aims and advantages of the invention will become clearer from the following description of preferred exemplary embodiments in detail, which is given in the form of a non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

• Figure 1 shows a plan view of a cardboard blank to form a first embodiment of the outer packaging according to the invention;
• FIG. 2 shows a plan view of a detail of a blank which forms an embodiment variant, and
• Figure 3 shows a plan view of a cardboard blank to form a second embodiment of the outer packaging according to the invention.

First of all, it should be noted that in all figures, components or components that are identical or similar are generally designated by the same reference numerals. It should also be noted that cuts in the blanks are represented by solid lines, while fold lines (typically lines that are incised and / or notched) are represented by broken lines. Furthermore, parts of the blank that are removed are shown by hatching.

Finally, it should be noted that the shapes, proportions and dimensions of the blanks shown in the figures should, whenever possible, be considered an integral part of the present description.

1, a blank for the formation of an outer packaging for a group of six cylindrical containers, such as beverage cans, is shown in this figure.

The cut mainly comprises four substantially rectangular areas, namely an area 100 that the Bottom wall of the outer package forms an area 200 which forms the top wall and two areas 300 and 400 which form the side walls. Between its two ends, the blank has the following areas in succession: 100, 300, 200 and 400.

A fold line P1 connects the bottom area 100 to the side area 300. Another fold line P3 connects the area 100 to a flap 110, the role of which will be described later. It can be seen that the flap 110 has a circular opening 111 in its central region. The purpose of this opening is to facilitate the ingress of air between a blank taken from a stack of such blanks by means of a conventional suction cup and the blank immediately below, so as to avoid the known problem of having several such blanks in common be removed. Of course, several such openings 111 can also be provided.

From Fig. 1 it can also be seen that the bottom wall 100 has a substantially central, elongated right-angled cutout 120 which determines the direction of displacement for the blank before it is formed in an automatic packaging system. More specifically, drive fingers can engage the cutout 120 to take the blank with it, making it possible to reduce the size of the packaging gap. For production at a fixed production speed, it is thus possible to reduce the linear speed of the molding mechanisms.

If, in addition, different packagings are provided for different numbers of containers, then the cutout 120 can be provided at a location which is chosen such that the distance between its rear edge (in the direction of the cut) and the adjacent fold line P2 is the same. The same machine can then accept different types of packaging without having to change settings in the mechanism for taking the blanks before forming.

The upper region 200 is connected to the side regions 300, 400 in each case via two intermediate regions 230 which are designed such that they assume an inclined position during the shaping. A fold line P11 separates each intermediate region 230 from the adjacent side region 300 or 400 and a further fold line P10, which is parallel to the line P11, connects each intermediate region 230 to the upper region 200. Notches 220 are along these fold lines P10, for example in the form of circular arcs or semi-ellipses, is provided, whereby the upper region 200 is extended somewhat outwards relative to the fold lines P10. These notches, in combination with groups of straight notches E facing them in the adjacent intermediate part, serve to fix the position of the upper region of each container in that the material of the blank is deformed outwards in the region of these straight notches.

It should be noted in this connection that the edges of the material forming the areas 230 bounded by the notches 220 are designed to clamp under the envelope edges which are conventionally provided around the outer periphery of cylindrical metal beverage containers are. In this way, when the package is gripped from above, the areas 230 and the side walls 300 and 400 of the package help to absorb the weight of the containers without applying too much tension to the locking devices which lock the package together.

Finally, two substantially circular parts 210 are formed in the central part of the upper area 200 and articulated to the area 200 by fold lines so that it is possible to carry the set of containers held together by the tube by using two fingers inserted into the openings that these parts leave once they are pressed in by the fingers.

Arrangements of foldable flaps are provided on either side of area 100 to form two vertically oriented cross bars at the axial ends of the outer package. when it is molded. More specifically, each bar includes a central body 101, hinged to area 100 by a fold line P2 and configured to be at right angles to area 100, along with two side pieces 102 designed to that they are inclined inwardly about 45 ° relative to part 101 to form the transitions between part 101 and the side walls 300 and 110 of the tube, while fitting closely over the generating line of the generally round-shaped containers.

Folding lines P5, which run parallel to the folding lines P1 and P3, serve to connect the parts 101 to the parts 102.

The tube is formed by lateral holding flaps 103 and 104, each flap 103 being articulated to the associated parts 102 along a fold line P6 parallel to line P5 and each flap 104 primarily to the flap 103 via a fold line P7 which is inclined at 60 ° to 80 ° relative to the line P6, for example, and this meets at the inner end, and is articulated secondarily to the side wall 300 or the flap 110 via a fold line P8, which can run obliquely at approximately 100 ° to 120 ° relative to the line P6, for example. Each group of a lateral strip part 102 and the associated flaps 103 and 104 is likewise provided with an opening 105, which in the present exemplary embodiment is essentially diamond-shaped and from an inner edge of the part 102, an inner edge of the part 104, an outer edge of the side wall 300 or the flap 110 and is finally delimited by a beveled edge located in a corner of the floor 100. The beveled edge is formed such that when the outer packaging is shaped, this edge runs along the lower edge of the inclined strip part 102.

The strips are formed, for example, by progressively folding the middle parts 101 of the strips relative to the bottom 100 about the fold lines P2 until an angle equal to 90 ° or slightly less than 90 ° is reached while at the same time, an appropriate upward force is applied in the vicinity of the four groups of flaps 103, 104 to ensure that, during folding, the flaps enter the interior of the tube being molded. In a manner that is more or less staggered in time, but preferably includes a continuous movement, the side wall 300 and the flap 110 are then progressively folded until an angle of approximately 90 ° is reached, this movement entraining each of the flaps 104 in this way that the side wall 300 or the flap 110, the flap 103 and the flap 104 all run in planes which are adjacent and substantially parallel, being folded by 180 ° on the fold lines P7 and P8. Each bar is thus held in a position approximately perpendicular to the floor 100. It should be noted that when the containers are already placed on the bottom area 100, each group of flaps 103 and 104 is relatively closely gripped between the wall 300 and the flap 110 and an adjacent container, which has the effect of being practical the ledges are fixed in place and consequently the primary containers are fixed in their respective positions.

At this point it should be noted that in a variant the strips can be formed after the folding of the wall 300 and the flap 110 has started, the central parts 101 of the strips relative to the bottom 100 being upwards simultaneously with the area of the flaps 103 and 104 are folded, which is subjected to the inward pressure as described above. Under these circumstances, the containers will only be arranged later.

It goes without saying that the implementation of continuous end strips in the manner described above without gluing is difficult to combine with the fastening of the tube in the central region of its bottom wall simply by exerting a small number of external forces for the purpose of folding.

In combination with the last structure, as described above, the blank shown in FIG. 1 therefore has a mechanical design Locking devices that act near one of the edges of the tube. This means precisely that in the present example the free end edge of the side region 400, ie at a distance from the upper region 200 in this case has two projecting locking tongues which are articulated to the region 400 via fold lines P20 which are in line with the above-mentioned one free edge, each tongue comprising a substantially trapezoidal central part which tapers outwards and two side parts 412 which are hinged to the central part via fold lines P21. These side parts or wings 412 are essentially triangular in the present example, but their outer corners are cut off.

These tongues are designed so that they cooperate with corresponding arrangements, which are provided in the region of the transition between the floor and its flap 110. Specifically, this means that two trapezoidal openings 114 are provided in the region of the bottom next to the fold line P3 and the dimensions of the openings are essentially identical to the dimensions of the central parts 410 of the above-described tongues, the base lines of the openings being in line with the fold line P3 run.

As desired, a substantially trapezoidal tab 112 extends a certain portion of the way into each opening from a fold line P4 which is aligned with the fold line P3 as desired, which has a purpose described later.

The following is a description of how the tube is connected by means of the arrangements described above: In the final phase, during which the blank is folded along the lines P1, P3, P10 and P11 to give it the shape of a tube that the enclosing the container arranged therein, the free edge of the area 400 is located in the vicinity of the fold line P3 and parallel to it between the bottom area 100 and the flap 110. The closing tongues 410 and 412 then essentially by Folded 90 ° below the bottom, so that its central parts 410 lie over the openings 114, which are still partially closed by the tongues 112. A force is then exerted on the middle parts which causes the side parts 412 to be folded outwards about the fold lines P21, while at the same time the tongues 112 are folded inwards around the lines P4, while each middle part 410 is in the associated opening 114 occurs. When each tongue 410 and 412 has passed completely through the opening 114, the side parts 412 thereof, due to the elasticity, tend to return to a position in which they are less inclined to the plane of the central part 410 to which they are attached, so that each tongue 410 and 412 again becomes wider than the opening 114 and is therefore locked behind the opening.

At this point it should be noted that each opening 114 opens into the interior of the tube into an empty space between two adjacent cylindrical containers, which makes it possible for the associated locking tongue 410 or 412 to enter there. During this entry movement, the containers already in place in the tube force the side parts 410 of the locking tongues to move such that a tongue, once in its final position, cannot have a flat profile that will give the strength of the closing effect would reduce, but maintain a profile that is substantially U-shaped while the side parts 412 remain pressed against the inner surface of the bottom portion 100, so that, in contrast, the strength of the closing effect is enhanced.

At this point it should be noted that the flap 110 is intended primarily to be able to close the outer packaging along the fold lines P4 and to take part in the formation of the strips 101 and 102 while it is being folded to 90 ° relative to the floor. It should also be noted that the closing of the tube by means of the tongues 410 and 412 and the openings 114, which are provided with their own tongues 112, is such the parts of the cardboard to be connected work together when there is a train, not over the sharp edges of the cardboard, which would pose the risk of cracking if the train is too strong, but over two folded areas (tongue 112 and flap 110 on one side and tongue part 410 and side wall 400 on the other), which are brought into engagement with one another. This gives the combination a completely satisfactory mechanical strength.

Fig. 2 shows an embodiment of the blank shown in Fig. 1, in which a gusset is also provided in each of the two upper corners of each end opening of the end tube. Each gusset 250 is hinged to the adjacent central portion 230 about a fold line P30, which is preferably in line with the free edges of the adjacent areas 300 and 200 (or 400 and 200), each gusset being provided with two flaps 251, 252 , The flaps 251 are articulated on the gusset of the fold line P30 opposite to an oblique fold line P31 and the flap 252 is first articulated on the flap 251 by an oblique fold line 252 and further on the upper wall 200 by a fold line P33, which is aligned with the free edge of wall 200.

An opening (without reference number) is defined by the lower edges of the part that forms the gusset 250 and the flaps 251 and 252, and by an outer edge of the upper region 200.

As the blank is being formed, the flaps 251 and 252 are pressed inwardly so that they are substantially parallel to the plane of the area 200 on the inside thereof, the shapes of the flaps being such that the gusset is the corresponding corner of the end opening of the take outer packaging and have a significant oblique angle both relative to the plane of the upper wall 200 and relative to the plane of the adjacent side wall 300 or 400.

In Fig. 2 it can also be seen that the notches 220, which are provided in the embodiment of Fig. 1, by substantially crescent-shaped openings 240 are replaced, the upper regions of the containers being formed so that they protrude therethrough.

A second basic embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference to FIG. 3.

The designs for shaping the two end strips in connection with the base 100 are not described again since the corresponding areas, flaps and fold lines are provided with the same reference symbols.

In the example of FIG. 3, the blank successively comprises the main areas 400, 100, 300 and 200 between its two ends, each area having the same functions as the areas with the same reference numerals in FIG. 1.

Intermediate areas 230 and 401 are also provided, but instead of notches 220, they have substantially crescent-shaped openings 240 for receiving the projecting upper portions of the containers to conventionally hold them in place.

The tube is connected in the same manner as was described with reference to FIG. 1, with the exception that the closing tongues are provided in the free edge region of the upper region 200 and the corresponding openings are provided in the opposite intermediate region, which is designated by 401 and the outline of which is substantially identical to that of the intermediate region 230. On the side of the intermediate region 401 opposite the side wall 400 there is a flap 402, which has the same function as the flap 110 in FIG. 1 for the purpose of merging. Each locking tongue is similarly provided with a central part 260 and two side wings 262. The wings 262 have a different shape than the wings 412 in FIG. 1 because the wings 262 are parallelogram-shaped.

In this case, openings 452 extend across the entire width of intermediate region 401, each having a trapezoidal shape that is substantially identical to that of central portion 260 of FIG Tongues is.

As in the case illustrated in FIG. 1, a tongue 450 hinged to a fold line P42 in line with the fold line P41 that separates the intermediate area 401 from the adjacent flap 402 takes part of the area of the opening 452 prior to the merger a.

The fold line between the intermediate part 401 and the side area 400 is denoted by P41.

The blank in FIG. 3 is shaped in the same manner as the blank in FIG. 1 when the strips are molded, except that it is now the side region 400 that performs the function previously performed by the flap 110 was fulfilled.

To close the flap 402 played the role that flap 110 had previously played.

In conclusion, it should be noted that the openings 440 formed in the intermediate region 401 for the upper regions of the containers have a shape that is different from that of the openings 240 formed in the other intermediate region 230 in that theirs Edges adjacent the top wall 200 are rounded after molding, whereas the corresponding edges of each of the openings 440 are straight. The overlap portion on the curved edge is in this case formed by a suitable shaping of the edge of the top wall 200 from which the tongues 260 and 262 protrude.

The present invention is of course in no way limited to the specific exemplary embodiments described above and shown in the drawing. Those skilled in the art will be able to make changes and modifications within the scope of the invention. In particular, those skilled in the art will be able to adapt the shape and dimensions of the outer package of the invention to a changing number, arrangement and shape of the packaged items.

Claims (10)

Tubular packaging for a group of items such as primary containers, the packaging being formed from a single blank of a foldable material and comprising main walls consisting of an upper wall (200), two side walls (300, 400) and a bottom wall (100) exist, which packaging is characterized in that the bottom wall is formed in one piece, that it comprises at least in the lower region of an end opening a continuous strip (101, 102) which is articulated to the bottom wall and in the areas of its two opposite ends with the Bottom wall adjacent parts of the package (300, 100; 300, 400) is connected via flaps (103, 104), these adjacent areas cooperating with the packaged objects so that the flap devices are held in such a position that the intended strip or the slats provided are locked in a position which is essentially Chen extends transversely to the plane of the bottom wall, and that it has locking devices which have at least one locking tongue (410, 412; 260, 262) which protrudes from the area of a free edge of the blank which corresponds to the end edge of a main wall (400; 200) of the packaging, the tongue or each tongue having a central part (410; 260) and at least one wing (412, 262), which is articulated to the central part, and comprise at least one closing opening (114, 452) which is assigned to each tongue and is provided in the opposite region of the blank in the vicinity of a fold line (P3; P42) which is an end edge the adjacent other main wall (100; 400) corresponds to the packaging between the other main wall and a closing flap (110; 402), and each tongue is inserted into its opening when the associated wing or wing is temporarily deformed. Packaging according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises, in connection with each closing opening (114; 452), a reinforcing tongue (112; 450) which partially closes the opening before the closing and is arranged in such a way that the closing is achieved thereby, that a first fold line (P20, P50) of the material between the locking tongue (410, 412; 260, 262) and the main wall (400; 200) from which it protrudes, and a second fold line (P4, P42) of the material between the Closing tongue (110; 420) and the reinforcing tongue (112, 450) are fitted into one another. Packaging according to claim 2, characterized in that each reinforcing tongue (112; 450) is articulated to an edge of the closing opening which is substantially aligned with the fold line (P3; P40) which is between the associated main wall (100; 400) and the closing flap (110; 420). Packaging according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that each central part (410; 260) of a closing tongue, each closing opening (114; 452) and each reinforcing tongue (112; 450) are substantially trapezoidal. Packaging according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that one of the areas next to the bottom wall is formed by a closing flap (110), the closing tongue or the closing tongues (410, 412) along the free lower edge of a side wall (400) of the packaging are provided. Packaging according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the areas next to the bottom wall are formed by two side walls (300, 400), that the closing tongues or the closing tongue (260, 262) is or are provided along a free edge of the blank , which corresponds to an edge of the upper wall (200), and that the closing opening or the closing openings (452) in an intermediate region (401) between the side wall (400) and the top wall (200) of the packaging is or are. Packaging according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each closing tongue (410, 412; 260, 262) has two wings (412; 262), that each closing opening (114; 452) opens to the inside of the packaging in an empty area which is delimited between two adjacent objects and that each locking tongue (410, 412; 260, 262) is shaped and dimensioned such that the surfaces of the objects hold the locking tongues with a substantially U-shaped profile of an overall width which is greater than that of the associated closing opening is. Blank for forming a package according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has at least one opening (111) in an area (110) for receiving suction cup gripping devices to facilitate the separation of the blank from a stack of blanks from which it is removed . Packaging according to any preceding claim, characterized in that its bottom wall has an elongated opening (120) which is elongated in the direction of its displacement for the purpose of shaping. Packaging according to claim 9, characterized in that the packaging is designed such that containers of different numbers are received, the elongated opening (120) being arranged at a constant distance from one of the longitudinal end edges of the packaging and an adjacent fold line (P2), which delimits the bottom wall.

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