EP0639146A1

EP0639146A1 - Tubular package with frontal retaining strips for assembly of several objects

Info

Publication number: EP0639146A1
Application number: EP94911126A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Patrick Bienaime
Original assignee: 4P Nicolaus Kempten GmbH; 4P Emballages France SNC
Current assignee: 4P Nicolaus Kempten GmbH; 4P Emballages France SNC
Priority date: 1993-03-11
Filing date: 1994-03-08
Publication date: 1995-02-22
Anticipated expiration: 2014-03-08
Also published as: CA2135651A1; FR2702454B1; JPH07506555A; ES2122255T3; EP0639146B1; WO1994020386A1; FR2702454A1; DE59406258D1

Abstract

A tubular package for several objects (B) has two sidewalls (200, 300), two substantially horizontal walls (one covering wall 100 and one bottom wall 400a, 400b) and two opposite frontal openings with two retaining strips (500, 600) which extend substantially across the frontal openings. Each retaining strip is joined at one end to a side wall by a joining area (520, 530, 620, 630) inwardly folded against the sidewall and held in that position by one of the packaged objects. Each joining area extends a considerably width along one edge of the corresponding lateral area (200, 300), at least up to the first substantially horizontal wall (400a, 400b), and is held under pressure in the folded position between one end area of an adjacent object (B) and the corresponding sidewall.

Description

A TUBULAR PACK WITH FRONTAL HOLDING STRIPES FOR THE SUMMARY OF SEVERAL ITEMS.

The present invention relates generally to packages made from cardboard or the like, particularly for the combination of several objects, e.g. Bottles, cans, etc.

From EP-A-0 381 465 and DE-A-2 639 906 a tubular pack for several objects is already known, the pack consisting of two side walls, two essentially horizontal walls (a top wall and a bottom wall) and there are two opposite end openings with two retaining strips which extend substantially transversely over these end openings, each strip being articulated at each end by a linkage area on a side wall, this linkage area being folded inwards against the side wall and by one of the packaged items is held in this position.

While the pack is being set up in a three-dimensional shape, the holding strips take their position with the support of the articulation areas.

The holding strips, which hold the objects summarized by the package at the open ends of the package, should first of all make it impossible to remove one of the objects from the package through an opening at the front without damaging the package.

Another aim of the holding strips can be to cover existing bar codes or other labels on the objects themselves, so that not the code of a single object but the code for the entire objects, which is generally printed on the package, is read when they are put together ¬ objects can be checked by an optical barcode reader.

However, the packages described in the above-mentioned prior publications have the disadvantage that a skilled person is still able to remove individual items from the package without damaging the package. More specifically, it has been observed that the articulation areas can be deformed without the cardboard material tearing off, as a result of which the holding strip can be moved far enough to expose adjacent objects.

The applicant has found that it is possible to reduce the safety of such packages by reducing the above. Improve problem, and that this can be achieved in a simple and inexpensive manner.

The present invention therefore relates to a pack of the type mentioned in the introduction, which is characterized in that each articulation area extends over a considerable width along an edge of the corresponding side area at least to the first of the substantially horizontal walls and by pressure between the corresponding side wall and a substantial portion of the height of an adjacent item, including an end portion of that item, is held in the folded position.

Other preferred but non-limiting features of the package according to the invention are as follows:

At each articulation area an extension of an end area is formed from this articulation area, which extends inwards against the first substantially horizontal wall and which is held in this position above or below an object;

this extension is articulated on the articulation area by a fold line which lies essentially on a fold line which connects the corresponding side wall to the first substantially horizontal wall;

in a package which also has first sloping partitions between the top wall and the side walls, the first substantially horizontal wall represents the bottom wall and the articulation regions extend upwards essentially to the transition between the side walls and the sloping partition walls;

in the case of a pack which also has notches which are provided in the lower region of the side walls in order to hold portions of objects near their bottoms, the first essentially horizontal wall constitutes the bottom wall and each articulation region has a recess in its lower region, the edge of the recess lying essentially on a corresponding section of the edge of an adjacent notch;

the notches are provided in second sloping partitions between the side walls and the bottom wall and each articulation area is defined by a fold line in an upper area which is folded inwards against the corresponding side wall and a lower area which is against the corresponding second intermediate wall (including the Notch) is folded inward, divided;

each articulation area is connected to the corresponding side wall by a fold line which runs downwards and outwards in the longitudinal direction of the pack;

each articulation area is connected directly to an edge of the corresponding holding strip, the holding strip taking on a round shape;

each articulation area is connected to an edge of the corresponding holding strip by means of two articulated, essentially triangular connection areas;

the package is made from a flat blank which is placed in a tubular shape in the area of one of the substantially horizontal walls, and with this flat blank there is a space in the same between each edge of the other substantially horizontal wall and an adjacent edge of the holding strip front opening of the pack there;

the first substantially horizontal wall is the top wall and the pack is produced from a first blank, which represents the top wall and two side walls, and from a second blank, which represents a bottom wall, with which the lower regions of the Side walls are connected;

the side walls are extended by rags glued to the bottom wall.

In a second embodiment, the invention also relates to a pack of the type defined in the introduction, which is characterized in that each articulation area extends along an edge of the corresponding side area and in the folded position by pressure between the object and the corresponding side wall is held, and that there is a space in the flat blank between each edge of a substantially horizontal wall and an adjacent edge of the retaining strip in the same end opening of the package.

The shape of this adjacent edge can thus be freely designed and the edge is preferably linear over its entire length, in particular for optical reasons.

Other aspects, objects, and advantages of the present invention will become clearer upon reading the following detailed description of the two selected embodiments, which are illustrated in the drawing. Show:

1 shows a plan view of a blank for producing a pack, which represents a first exemplary embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a blank for the manufacture of a package, which represents a second embodiment of the invention;

3 shows a perspective partial section of the blank according to FIG. 1 with the summarized objects after the package has been set up in a three-dimensional shape; and

Fig. 4 is a partial perspective section of the blank according to Fig. 2 with the summarized objects after the package has been set up to a three-dimensional shape.

1, from which a blank of cardboard or the like can be seen, which essentially consists of an area 100 for a top wall, two areas 200 and 300 for side walls and two half areas 400a and 400b for a bottom wall.

Two oblique intermediate areas 120 and 130 extend between the cover area 100 and the side areas 200 and 300, which are to be vertical.

In the same way, two inclined intermediate areas 240, 340 extend between the side areas 200, 300 and the respective bottom wall half areas 400a, 400b. Parallel fold lines L1 to L8 connect the different main areas 100 - 400 and intermediate areas 120, 130, 240 and 340.

At the corner points of a square, four recesses 01-04 are provided in the deck area, which are to receive the respective neck of four bottles B, which are to be combined by the pack. Four LM tabs protrude from each recess and are designed to grip the top of the bottle from below z to hold it vertically.

Two punched-out tabs P are also provided to facilitate carrying the package that summarizes the bottles as finger holes.

In each of the two lower intermediate areas 240 and 340, two notches E1, E2 and E3, E4 are provided in order to hold the bottoms of the bottles B after the blank has been set up in a three-dimensional shape.

The bottom wall half regions 400a and 400b are each provided with locking devices Va and Vb in order to hold the blank together in tubular form after it has been set up in a three-dimensional shape. These devices correspond to the usual design standards and are not described separately here.

It would be easy anyway to replace such mechanical sealing devices with an adhesive application in the overlap area of the two half areas 400a and 400b.

According to the present invention, the blank also has two holding strip-forming regions 500 and 600, which are intended to run horizontally over respectively opposite openings of the pack after the blank has been set up in a three-dimensional shape. Each of these areas 500 and 600 is defined by two parallel edges, which represent an inner edge and an outer edge (while the blank is still lying flat).

The area 500 is connected by two articulation areas 520 and 530 to two longitudinal end edges of the side areas 200 and 300. While the blank is still lying flat, an essentially elongated empty space extends between the inner edge of the area 500 and the adjacent longitudinal outer edge of the cover area 100 and the intermediate areas 120 and 130. This empty space is dependent on the height at which it is desirable to provide the upper edge of the holding strip after the package has been set up in a three-dimensional shape, to be wider or narrower, this height being determined in particular by the design of the articulation areas. Because of this empty space, the holding strip can also have an upper edge (the inner

Edge in the drawing) have any shape, this shape may be different from the shape of the adjacent top wall for optical reasons and preferably straight.

The articulation area 520 consists of three sections 521, 522 and 523. The section 521 extends to the side wall 200 and has a complex shape with the following contour lines:

a fold line L9 which connects it to the adjacent side area 200, this line L9 extending at a small angle from the top wall towards the package bottom;

a short side Bl, which is parallel to the fold line L1, while the blank is lying flat;

a fold line L10 which extends at an angle of approximately 45 ° between the section 521 and an adjacent edge of the holding strip 500;

a straight, free edge B2 which extends as an extension of the outer edge of the holding strip 500; and

a fold line L1 1 that connects sections 521 and 522.

The section 522 extends corresponding to the intermediate area 240 and has the following outline: a fold line L2 as an extension of line L9; the above-mentioned fold line Ll 1;

a concave, free edge 522a, which forms a recess with the adjacent, straight edge B2 of section 521; and

a fold line L 13 connecting sections 522 and 523.

The section 523 finally has the shape of a flap which is articulated along the line L13 and extends the articulation region 520 to the outside next to the adjacent lower half region 400a.

With respect to the lines L5 and L7 extended by them, the fold lines Ll and L13 run slightly obliquely, the bevel being chosen such that the fold lines L9 and L12 standing in a straight line are the angle formed between the lines L5 and Ll 1 and the Halve the angle formed between lines L7 and L13.

As illustrated in the drawing, the three further articulation areas 530, 62 and 630 are arranged symmetrically to area 520, the various corresponding sections having reference numbers in which the first two digits have been changed accordingly. For reasons of simplification, the associated fold lines and free edges do not have their own reference numbers.

The blank is formed into a three-dimensional shape by folding the top, side, bottom and intermediate areas along the fold lines L1-L8, while pressing the articulation areas 520, 530, 620 and 630 inwards against the side areas.

Before the bottom of the pack is closed, objects (in this case bottles B) are inserted into the pack and the bottle necks are enclosed by the openings 01-04 and held in place by the tabs LM.

The articulation areas pressed against the inside of the package by the bottles B cause the holding strips to extend across the front openings of the resulting tubular shape, the holding strips taking up a round shape that fits tangentially over the bottle walls. Fig. 3 shows a partial section of the package set up by this method. The section 521 of the articulation area 520 is pressed against the inside of the side wall 200, while the section 522 is pressed against the inside of the lower intermediate wall 420 and assumes the same inclined position. The tab 523 is finally pressed against the inside of the bottom wall 400a, pressure being exerted through the bottom of the bottle B.

It can also be seen that the recess 522a defined by the section 522 lies on the edge of the adjacent notch El, so that the section 52 does not block the notch.

This construction makes it possible to hold the articulation area very firmly against the inside of the pack, because not only the bottle side but also the bottle bottom press the articulation area against the inside of the tubular pack in two essentially rectangular directions.

The holding strips 500 and 600 are therefore held in place with excellent security and a bottle B can only be removed from the pack if the carton is torn off.

In addition, the holding strips can be used if necessary to cover individual bar codes on each bottle. In this connection it can be pointed out that the vertical position of the holding strips can be changed by the person skilled in the art simply by constructing a suitable shape for the shape of the articulation area.

A second embodiment of the invention is described below with reference to Figs. 2 and 4 described.

Sections that correspond to the sections in the exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 1 and 3 are identical or similar, are given the same reference numerals and will not be described again. The characteristic features of this embodiment are as follows:

This pack is first of all designed to hold two rows of three essentially cylindrical cans, there being neither openings in the top wall 100 nor lower inclined intermediate areas 240, 340.

In this exemplary embodiment, the articulation area 520 consists of a single section which has the following outline:

a fold line L9 which connects it to the adjacent side wall 200 over the entire length;

a fold line L14 starting from line L3 and extending obliquely towards the bottom of the package;

a straight, free edge section B3, which extends in the extension of the outer edge of the holding strip 500 and which is followed by a concave edge 520a which forms a recess; and

a short, free edge B4 which extends the fold line L7.

As in the previous embodiment, the purpose of the recessed area 520a is to prevent the adjacent notch E1 from being blocked by the articulation area 520 when this articulation area is folded against the inside of the side area 200.

In addition, the holding strip 500 contains a central main area 501 and two triangular connection areas 525, 524 pointing in opposite directions, which extend the central area in the direction of the articulation area 520, these triangular areas being connected to one another, to the area 501 and to the area 520 by oblique fold lines are connected.

The other articulation areas 530, 620 and 630 are similarly constructed symmetrically and only the first two digits of the corresponding reference number have been changed accordingly. This package is manufactured using a procedure essentially the same as that shown in Figs. and 3 shown pack in a three-dimensional shape. It can be seen that the articulation areas 520, 530, 620 and 630 extend to the bottom wall 400a, 400b of the pack. It can also be seen that the triangular connection areas 524, 525 are folded against one another and against the upper area of the articulation area 520 in order to bring the holding strip 500 into the correct position.

In this exemplary embodiment, the fact that the bottoms of the packaged articles B contribute to the fact that articulation areas are pressed firmly against the inside of the tubular package guarantees that the holding strips are held in place.

It goes without saying that the present invention is not restricted to the exemplary embodiments described and illustrated, and the person skilled in the art will be able to make variants or changes in accordance with the spirit of the invention.

In a first variant (not shown), the upper and lower areas are exchanged, i.e. the tubular packing is closed at the top wall height, preferably at the transition between the top wall and a side wall.

In a further variant (not shown), the pack is produced from two blanks. A first cut consists of the top wall, the two side walls and two flaps that extend the side walls. The second cut is a conventional bowl, which consists of a bottom wall and upstanding edges wholly or partially around the circumference of this bottom. To make the tube shape, the flaps of the first blank are connected to the inside or outside of the bottom wall, e.g. with glue.

In addition, the shapes of the different sections of the pack can easily be adapted by the person skilled in the art to the conical or conical shape of the objects (bottles, cans, mugs, etc.) which are to be combined.

Claims

EXPECTATIONS

1 / A tubular package for several items (B), the

Pack consists of two side walls (200, 300), two substantially horizontal walls (a top wall 100 and a bottom wall 400a, 400b) and two mutually opposite end-side openings with two holding strips (500, 600), which are located essentially across this end-side Extend openings, each strip being hinged at each end by a hinge area (520, 530, 620, 630) to a side wall, this hinge area being folded inward against the side wall and being held in place by one of the packaged items, wherein this pack is characterized in that each articulation area extends to a considerable width along an edge of the corresponding side area (200, 300) at least up to the first of the substantially horizontal walls (400a, 400b) and by pressure between the corresponding side wall and a considerable part the amount of an adjacent object including a final area chs of this item is held in the folded position.

2 / Pack according to spoke 1, characterized in that an extension (523) of an end region of this articulation region is formed on each articulation area, which extends inwards against the first substantially horizontal wall and which extends above or below an object (B ) is recorded in this position.

3 / Pack according to spoke 2, characterized in that this extension (523) on the articulation area (520) is articulated by a fold line (L13) which lies essentially on a fold line (L7) which the corresponding side wall (200) with the connects the first substantially horizontal wall (400a).

4 / Package according spoke 1, 2 or 3, which also has first inclined intermediate walls (120, 130) between the top wall and the side walls, characterized in that the first substantially horizontal wall represents the bottom wall, and that the articulation areas ( 520, 530, 620, 630) extend upwards essentially to the transition between the side walls and the inclined intermediate walls. / Pack according to one of claims 1-4, which also has notches (E1-E4; E1-E6) which are provided in the lower region of the side walls (200, 300) in order to hold articles in sections near their bottoms, the Pack is characterized in that the first substantially horizontal wall is the bottom wall and that each articulation area has a recess (520a, 522a) in its lower region, the edge of the recess being substantially on a corresponding section of the edge of an adjacent notch ( El) lies.

/ Pack according to spoke 5, characterized in that the notches are provided in second oblique partition walls (240, 340) between the side walls and the bottom wall, and that each articulation area by a fold line (Ll 1) in an upper area (521), the is folded inward against the corresponding side wall and a lower region (522) which is folded inward against the corresponding second intermediate wall (including the notch 522a).

I Pack according to one of Claims 1-6, characterized in that each articulation area (520) is connected to the corresponding side wall (200) by a fold line (L9) which runs downwards and outwards in the longitudinal direction of the pack.

/ Pack according to one of claims 1-7, characterized in that each articulation area (520) is directly connected to an edge of the corresponding holding strip (500), the holding strip taking on a round shape.

/ Pack according to one of claims 1-7, characterized in that each articulation area (520) is connected to an edge of the corresponding holding strip (500) by two articulated, essentially triangular connection areas (524, 525).

0 / Pack according to one of claims 1-9, characterized in that it is produced from a flat blank, which in the region of one of the substantially horizontal walls (400a, 400b) to form a tube is set up and that with this flat blank there is a space between each edge of the other substantially horizontal wall (100) and an adjacent edge of the holding strip (500; 600) in the same end opening of the pack.

/ Pack according to one of claims 1-9, characterized in that the first substantially horizontal wall is the top wall (100), and that the pack consists of a first blank, the top wall (100) and two side walls (200 , 300), and is produced from a second blank, which represents a bottom wall with which the lower regions of the side walls are connected.

/ Package according spoke 11, characterized in that the side walls are extended by rags which are glued to the bottom wall.

/ Tubular pack for several objects (B), the pack being produced by forming a three-dimensional shape from at least one flat blank and from two side walls (200, 300), two essentially horizontal walls (a top wall 100 and a bottom wall 400a, 400b) and two opposite end openings with two retaining strips (500, 600) which extend substantially transversely over these end openings, each strip at each end through a linkage area (520, 530, 620, 630) is articulated to a side wall, said articulation area being folded inwards against the side wall and being held in this position by one of the packaged articles, the pack being characterized in that each articulation area extends along an edge of the corresponding side area (200, 300) and in the folded position by pressure between the object and the corresponding side wall is held, and that there is a space in the flat blank between each Ran an essentially horizontal wall (100) and an adjacent edge of the retaining strip (500, 600) in the same front opening of the package.

/ Pack according to spoke 13, characterized in that this adjacent edge of the holding strip (500; 600) is substantially straight over its entire length.