EP0755867B1 - Envelope of the type consisting of a heat shrinkable plastic sleeve for packaging at least one object - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to the packaging of objects, and particularly the packaging of consumer products such as food, chemical, or pharmaceutical products, which require consumer information or the user.

More specifically, the invention relates to a envelope intended for the packaging of at least one such object a container, which packaging is of the type constituted by a sleeve made of heat-shrinkable plastic suitable for surround closely with at least a main portion a part of the object, said sleeve further comprising a removable additional flap extending externally by superimposition, being connected by its two ends side, and detachably, to the main portion of the sleeve, said complementary flap comprising a line of punctures at least at its end non-free lateral, in accordance with the preamble of the claim 1.

Such a sleeve of heat-shrinkable plastic generally used to form an information carrier and / or to ensure the relative immobilization of the means opening and closing (when the object is a container). The removable additional flap is then used to issue additional specific information which are present on the flap itself, or on a leaflet explanatory arranged in the pocket that forms the flap with the sleeve.

An envelope of this type is described in the document FR-A-2,698,851 of the applicant. In this known envelope, the additional flap is one piece with the sleeve, and it is connected to the sleeve properly said by means of tearing off (such as bites side), these means being arranged in two lines parallel to the generatrices of the sleeve near its two side ends. The arrangement of the means of removal must allow easy detachment of the flap complementary, without altering the sleeve in the separation where the flap is detached from the sleeve.

The aforementioned document provides for the use of adhesive means instead of tearing means, but it appears that such use of adhesive means is tricky in practice. Indeed, if the adhesive means are arranged in a line whose width is excessive, tearing off the flap generates high forces in the affected area of the sleeve, with a risk of tearing partial or total of the wall thereof. If on the other hand wants to decrease the width of the glue line to avoid the aforementioned risk of tearing, then sealing the flap may become too weak to withstand forces acting in a circumferential direction when the sleeve is retracted, causing completely undesirable flap opening. Moreover, the specialists know that a noticeable decrease in width of the bonding line becomes quickly difficult in practice to implement when trying to reach a width close to a millimeter, because the distribution of the glue is necessarily irregular along the line.

One might be tempted to replace the line of gluing with dots of glue, as has been proposed in document FR-A-2.518.060 for a tamper-evident skirt tear tab, but such bonding is not not suitable for a removable flap: in fact, when the tongue is released from the skirt, it is for cutting this over its entire height at a line of perforations, so that we don't care about possible damage to the skirt when the glue dots which then constitute areas of concentration of efforts. A similar technique is also described in document WO 92/02421, but exclusively for a cardboard envelope, which has nothing to do with the field of heat-shrinkable plastic films.

The state of the art is finally illustrated by the documents US-A-1,686,354 and BE-A-506,116, as well as the documents FR-A-2,696,263, EP-A-0 612 051 and DE-U-91 05757.

The object of the invention is to improve the envelope which is described in document FR-A-2,698,851, in designing a method of connecting the complementary flap which allows easy detachability of this flap without causing deterioration for the sleeve, while resisting retraction forces.

The object of the invention is also to design a method of connecting the flap to the sleeve which can be used not only for the packaging of a single object, but also for packaging a group of objects by means of a sleeve with several compartments, in particular a sleeve produced in accordance with patent FR-A-2,637,866 of the plaintiff.

It is more particularly an envelope intended for the packaging of at least one object, of the type consisting of a sleeve made of heat-shrinkable plastic able to surround tightly by a main portion at least part of the object in the case of a single object, or of the group of objects in case of plurality of objects, said sleeve further comprising a complementary flap removable extending externally by superposition, in being connected by its two lateral ends, and detachably, to the main portion of the sleeve, said complementary flap comprising a line of stitching or the like at least at its lateral end non-free, characterized in that the complementary flap is connected to the main portion of the sleeve by a thin bonding line adjacent to the free lateral edge of said flap, the thin line of bonding being defined by two parallel bands previously printed on one or the other of the facing faces concerned and which delimit between them an effective bonding area.

The two adjacent parallel bands form thus two rails delimiting between them a width channel low constant and totally determined reliable, width corresponding to the gluing line obtained during the formation of the envelope before the retraction thereof on the object or group of objects to wrap.

According to a particular embodiment, the two parallel bands are printed on the outside of the main portion of the sleeve. We could alternatively print the two parallel strips on the inside of the flap, but this reduces the interest of the width controlled from the bonding line and can lead to slightly more complex implementation of automated manufacturing at high rates.

We can also foresee that the two parallel strips are made from a varnish, with a thickness of the order of a millimeter. This is especially interesting for large sizing envelopes, because we can have a bonding line that is both narrow and thick.

Alternatively, in particular for envelopes of small dimensioning, one could foresee that the two parallel strips are made from ink, with a thickness of the order of a few tenths of a millimeter. The bonding line is then narrow and thin. In particular, the ink forming the two parallel strips has a color corresponding to a color used for printing of the main portion of the sleeve, which makes it easier to integrate the connection means into the overall decoration of the sleeve.

It is also interesting that the two bands parallels are arranged so as to delimit between they a linear bonding area whose width is less than a millimeter. In practice, thanks to the precision of the printing of the two bands, we can easily obtain line widths much smaller than the millimeter, especially around 3 to 5 tenths of millimeter: this could not be obtained as reliably with prior techniques.

Preferably, the two parallel strips extend over the entire height of the sleeve. This facilitates notably the manufacture of envelopes, even if the the intermediate flap does not extend over the entire sleeve height.

According to a particular embodiment, the two parallel strips extend at a distance from the side edge free of the additional flap which is sufficient for define a gripping portion allowing to grasp the corresponding lateral end of said complementary flap. Advantageously then, the gripping portion is coated, preferably on its outer face, with a strip adhesive in non-shrinkable material. Such a band locally blocks the retraction of the gripping portion avoiding the curling of the edge of this portion; if she is provided on the outside, this strip forms in plus a thermal protection shield.

Alternatively, the two parallel strips extend along the free lateral edge of the complementary flap, and this free lateral edge has a gripping tab or a miter cut making it easier to enter the end corresponding side of said flap.

Furthermore, it can be foreseen that the line of stitching or the like connecting the complementary flap is straight and extends over the entire height of the sleeve, or alternatively that this line extends over only a part of the height of the sleeve, and then connects to the minus a circumferential line of pits or the like extending to the free lateral edge of said flap. This last case will be especially interesting in case the upper part of the sleeve surrounds opening means and closing a wrapped container because the flap removable will then only extend to the body main container and not at the neck of the container.

Finally, provision may be made for the additional flap presents, before the shrinking of the sleeve, a fold or the like extending over the entire height of the flap, along a generatrix of said sleeve, to form a circumferential length reserve for said flap during heat shrink. This fold allows you to control retraction tensions, and prevents effort being exerted during retraction at the gluing line.

• la figure 1 illustre en perspective un contenant emballé avec une enveloppe selon l'invention, dont le rabat complémentaire amovible est encore en place, et maintient un coupon ou une notice dans la pochette qu'il forme avec le manchon ;
• les figures 2 et 3 illustrent la séparation progressive du rabat, avec d'abord un décollage au niveau de la ligne de collage définie par les deux bandes parallèles (figure 2), puis un déchirement au niveau de la ligne de piqûres prévue à l'autre extrémité latérale du rabat (figure 3) ;
• la figure 4 est une vue en bout de l'enveloppe des figures 1 à 3 après formation et collage du rabat amovible, et avant mise en place sur le contenant et thermorétraction sur ce contenant ;
• la figure 5 est une vue en plan de la surface extérieure développée de cette même enveloppe, et la figure 6 est une coupe partielle associée selon VI-VI, à plus grande échelle;
• les figures 7 et 8 sont des vues de détail illustrant une extrémité libre de rabat équipée à titre de variante respectivement d'une patte de préhension et d'une découpe en onglet ;
• les figures 9 et 10 sont des vues en élévation et de dessus schématique d'un groupe de deux contenants emballé avec une enveloppe conforme à l'invention, ladite enveloppe étant de préférence une enveloppe à deux compartiments ;
• la figure 11 est une vue en bout de l'enveloppe des figures 9 et 10, à rapprocher de la vue de la figure 4, montrant une enveloppe particulière à deux compartiments équipée extérieurement d'un rabat amovible analogue à celui qui a déjà été illustré ;
• la figure 12 est une vue en plan de la surface extérieure développée de l'enveloppe des figures 9 et 10 ;
• la figure 13 illustre en perspective un contenant emballé avec encore une autre enveloppe selon l'invention, dont le rabat amovible ne s'étend que sur le corps seulement de la hauteur du manchon ;
• la figure 14 illustre en perspective une autre variante dans laquelle le rabat complémentaire de l'enveloppe (non encore rétractée) présente un pli formant réserve de longueur et se termine par une portion de préhension doublée d'une bande adhésive de protection ;
• la figure 15 est une vue en bout analogue à la figure 4, et la figure 16 est une vue en plan analogue à la figure 5, montrant l'enveloppe précédente avec son rabat à pli et sa bande adhésive de protection ;
• la figure 17 est une vue en bout analogue à la figure 11, montrant une enveloppe à deux compartiments dont le rabat est comme précédemment équipé d'un pli et d'une bande adhésive de protection.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly in the light of the description which follows and of the appended drawings, relating to particular embodiments, with reference to the figures, where:

• FIG. 1 illustrates in perspective a container packed with an envelope according to the invention, the removable removable flap of which is still in place, and maintains a coupon or a leaflet in the pocket that it forms with the sleeve;
• Figures 2 and 3 illustrate the gradual separation of the flap, with first a take-off at the glue line defined by the two parallel strips (Figure 2), then a tear at the line of stitching provided for another lateral end of the flap (FIG. 3);
• Figure 4 is an end view of the envelope of Figures 1 to 3 after formation and bonding of the removable flap, and before placement on the container and heat shrinking on this container;
• FIG. 5 is a plan view of the developed external surface of this same envelope, and FIG. 6 is an associated partial section on VI-VI, on a larger scale;
• Figures 7 and 8 are detail views illustrating a free end of the flap fitted as a variant respectively with a gripping tab and a miter cut;
• Figures 9 and 10 are schematic elevational views from above of a group of two containers packed with an envelope according to the invention, said envelope preferably being an envelope with two compartments;
• Figure 11 is an end view of the envelope of Figures 9 and 10, to be compared to the view of Figure 4, showing a particular envelope with two compartments externally equipped with a removable flap similar to that which has already been illustrated ;
• Figure 12 is a plan view of the developed outer surface of the casing of Figures 9 and 10;
• FIG. 13 illustrates in perspective a container packed with yet another envelope according to the invention, the removable flap of which extends only over the body only at the height of the sleeve;
• FIG. 14 illustrates in perspective another variant in which the complementary flap of the envelope (not yet retracted) has a fold forming a reserve of length and ends in a gripping portion lined with a protective adhesive strip;
• Figure 15 is an end view similar to Figure 4, and Figure 16 is a plan view similar to Figure 5 showing the previous envelope with its folded flap and its protective tape;
• FIG. 17 is an end view similar to FIG. 11, showing an envelope with two compartments, the flap of which is as previously fitted with a fold and an adhesive protective strip.

Figure 1 illustrates a container 1 packed with an envelope according to the invention denoted 100. The container 1 comprises a body 2 and a closure plug 3, and the packaging envelope 100 tightly surrounds the body of this container. Such a container is of course given to as an example, to illustrate a particular case of object packed using an envelope conforming to the invention.

The envelope 100 is constituted by a sleeve made of heat-shrinkable plastic, and has a main portion 101 tightly surrounding the body of the containing 1, as well as a removable complementary flap 103 extending externally by superimposition by being connected by its two lateral ends, and in a detachable manner, to the main portion 101 of the sleeve. In this case, the complementary flap 103 delimits with the portion main 101 of the sleeve a pocket in which is inserted a notice or coupon 10.

The sleeve 100 has a weld line 102, which extends along a generatrix of the cylinder formed by said sleeve, and the removable complementary flap 103 extends outward from this weld line 102. The complementary flap 103 is connected to the portion main envelope by a thin line of gluing 105 adjacent to the free lateral edge of the flap, and said complementary flap has a line of stitching or microperforations 104 at its lateral end not free. This line 104 could also be formed by a localized marking reducing the thickness of the wall, likewise promoting detachment along said line.

To access the manual or coupon 10 housed in the associated pocket, it is necessary to detach the complementary flap 103, which supposes breaking the connections 104, 105 which connect it to the envelope.

In FIG. 1, the complementary flap 103 is still superimposed on the main portion of the envelope, this which prevents access to the manual or coupon 10. To release this access, just open the shutter that constitutes the complementary flap 103 by first detaching the end side associated with the glue line 105, as is illustrated in Figure 2, this component can then be permanently detached by breaking the link provided by the puncture line 104, as illustrated in the figure 3.

It should be noted that the gluing line 105 is provided here at a distance from the free lateral edge of the flap complementary 103, which makes it possible to define a portion of grip 106 allowing to grasp the lateral end corresponding of the complementary flap 103, in order to break easily the connection associated with the gluing line 105. This is shown diagrammatically by the arrow 50 in FIG. 2, the arrow 51 diagramming the withdrawal of the notice or coupon 10.

In accordance with an essential aspect of the invention, the thin gluing line 105 is defined by two adjacent parallel strips 110, 111 previously printed on one or other of the opposite faces concerned, and which delimit between them a bonding zone workforce 112.

The end view of FIG. 4 thus makes it possible to distinguish this envelope 100, with the weld line 102, and the gluing line 105 produced in accordance with the invention with its system of two parallel strips adjacent 110, 111 delimiting between them a zone narrow linear effective bonding 112.

The plan view of Figure 5, showing the developed outer surface of the aforementioned envelope 100, makes it possible to distinguish on the one hand the main portion 101 with its two zones A, A 'associated with the weld line 102, and its zone C associated with the gluing line 105, and on the other hand the complementary flap 103 connected to the portion main 101 through the stitching line 104, which flap complementary presents a zone C ', associated with the zone above C to form the gluing line 105. As well as this is easy to understand, when the envelope 100 is conformed, zones A and A 'are superimposed to form the weld line 102, and the zones C, C 'are superimposed to form the gluing line 105.

In Figure 5, areas A 'and C' are shown with simple hatching to indicate that these areas are behind the wall of the envelope and therefore seen by transparency, while zone A is represented with cross hatching to indicate that this area is on the outer face of the wall.

Figure 6 which is a section on an enlarged scale of the gluing line 105 allows a better understanding of the function provided by the two adjacent parallel strips 110, 111 which are previously printed, here on one side of the envelope 100. These two bands 110, 111 delimit between them a linear space 112 whose width can be made less than a millimeter, this space forming a bonding line when glue 20 is deposited parallel to the corresponding generator of the sleeve. If the glue 20 is deposited in excess, as has been shown schematically in the section of figure 6, the quantity excess overflows on the surface of one and / or the other of the two parallel strips 110, 111, and therefore does not affect the wall of the envelope which remains only concerned by the effective bonding line whose width is always constant. We thus manage to elegantly resolve the overflow problem that we could encounter with previous techniques by wanting to make a line of glue as thin as possible, especially in width less than a millimeter.

In practice, we will prefer to print both parallel strips 110, 111 on the outside of the main portion 101 of the sleeve, as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6. In fact, this makes it possible to preserve the wall of the main portion of the sleeve of any glue overflows, which overflows do not concern in fact that the removable additional flap.

Thus, the two adjacent parallel strips 110, 111 form two rails delimiting between them a channel 112 of constant and determined small width, width which corresponds to the bonding line obtained during the formation of the envelope before the retraction thereof on the object to be packaged. The width of the bonding line could thus be made less than a millimeter, notably close to 3 to 5 tenths of a millimeter, which could not be obtained with such reliability by putting using previous techniques.

The two parallel strips 110, 111 may be made from a varnish, transparent or not, with a thickness of the order of a millimeter. It is then about thick rails, intended to retain a quantity of glue important in the intermediate space 112, so that this solution will be especially interesting for envelopes of strong dimensioning. It should be noted that playing on the thickness of the parallel strips 110, 111, we does not change the width of the intermediate glue line 112. As a variant, the two strips can be produced parallel 110, 111 from ink, with thickness of the order of a few tenths of a millimeter, in particular 3 to 5 tenths of a millimeter. This solution will be especially interesting for envelopes of low sizing, as far as the amount of glue necessary for holding the additional flap is relatively small. The envelope packaging such objects is generally printed to present decorations and / or product information. It is then interesting to choose an ink whose color corresponds to a color already used for printing the portion main of the sleeve, which allows to integrate perfectly the overall decoration the two parallel strips printed with such ink.

Figures 7 and 8 are details illustrating a variant of the gripping method of the complementary flap 103, when the two parallel strips 110, 111 extend along the free side edge of this flap. In Figure 7, there is thus a free lateral edge having a gripping tab 107, and in FIG. 8 an edge free side with a miter cut 107 ', so facilitate entry of the corresponding lateral end of the flap.

As is best seen in Figure 5, the stitching line 104 connecting the complementary flap 103 is straight, and extends over the entire height of the sleeve However, we can predict that this line of bites 104 extends only over part of the height of the sleeve, and connects to at least one line of circumferential punctures extending to the free lateral edge of the flap complementary. This could in particular be the case when the upper part of the sleeve surrounds opening means and closing a wrapped container, as is illustrated in Figure 13. In this case, a circumferential puncture line 104 'extending to free side edge of the complementary flap 103, and also distinguishes a gripping tab 107 allowing facilitate the removal of the flap that forms the flap. For for convenience, the gluing line 105 will preferably be arranged over the entire height of the sleeve, so avoid excessive complexity of printing both parallel bands.

Once the envelope 100 has been formed, that is to say with its welding line 102, and its bonding line 105, it is threaded onto the object to be packed, before finally retract the envelope on the outer surface of the object. During this retraction, circumferential forces are generated in the sleeve, and the tests carried out by the applicant have shown that bonding using a two-strip system printed parallel is reliable enough to withstand to the efforts generated during the retraction, while authorizing easy detachability of the shutter.

The invention applies not only to packaging of a single object, as just described, but also for packaging a group of objects using a sleeve with several compartments, in particular a sleeve produced in accordance with patent FR-A-2,637,866 of the plaintiff. This patent describes a number of sleeves with several compartments, and in particular one sleeve of the type illustrated in FIGS. 9 to 12.

Figures 9 to 12 indeed illustrate a envelope 200 according to the invention used to package a group of two containers 11, 12. To simplify the description, identical or homologous parts of the envelope 100 previously described will be affected by the same references increased by 100, and will not be the subject of a new description.

Being a sleeve with two compartments, it a second weld line 208 is provided, arranged at distance from the first weld line 202, so that define an intermediate membrane 209. Line 208 is naturally parallel to line 202, and Figures 10 and 11 allow a better understanding of the form taken by this envelope 200, respectively deposited and retracted on the two objects 11, 12, and before being strung on these two objects. The developed view of Figure 12 thus allows to better distinguish the zones B, B 'associated with the conformation of the second weld line 208. We find by elsewhere zones A, A 'associated with the first line of weld 202, and zones C, C 'associated with the line of collage 205, as for the previous sleeve wrapping a unique object.

For the rest, the organization of the additional flap 203, with the line of stitching 204 and the line of collage 205 defined by two adjacent parallel lines 210, 211, is identical to that just described for the embodiment associated with the packaging of a unique object.

We thus managed to achieve a mode of binding of the additional flap of a packaging envelope made of heat-shrinkable plastic which allows easy detachability without causing deterioration for the sleeve, while resisting retraction forces. The arrangement using two adjacent parallel strips previously printed to delimit an area between them effective bonding of controlled small width, allows control the aggressiveness of the glue on the constituent film of the sleeve. We can therefore use a traditional glue used in this field, for example of the hot-melt type.

As we have also seen, the mode of connection thus designed can be used not only for packaging of a single object, but also for the packaging of a group objects by means of a sleeve with several compartments, in particular in accordance with the teaching of patent FR-A-2,637,866 of the plaintiff.

Other advantageous developments may also be provided, as illustrated in Figures 14 to 17 on which the same references have been kept.

In FIG. 14, the envelope 100 is threaded over object 1, but not yet retracted on it. We notes that the complementary flap 103 has a fold or analog P extending over the entire height of the flap, according to a generator of the sleeve. This P fold, whose shape is by example in V or in niche or in bellows, and of which there is any location between line 104 and line glue 105, forms a reserve of circumferential length for the flap during retraction. The P fold allows thus, thanks to this "slack", to control the tensions of retraction and to avoid significant efforts being exerted during the retraction at the line of collage 105.

In addition, the gripping portion 106 forming the end portion of the complementary flap 103, is coated an adhesive strip L made of non-shrinkable material. This strip thus makes it possible to locally block the retraction of this terminal portion, and to avoid the defects which may occur during retraction with a thin wall (curling for example). L band can be applied on the inside or outside of the portion of grip: however, if one chooses, as is illustrated here, the outside, the adhesive strip L additionally provides a heat shield function the gripping portion 106. Such a strip will especially interesting in the case of non-cylindrical objects.

Figures 15 and 16 show the aforementioned envelope, with its P fold and its adhesive tape L, in a representation similar to that of Figures 4 and 5.

Figure 17, recalling Figure 11, illustrates an envelope 200 with two compartments, including the flap complementary 203 has a P fold and an adhesive strip L of the same type as what has just been described for the envelope 100, and with the same functions and advantages.

Claims (13)

1. An envelope (100; 200) for packaging at least one object, the envelope being of the type constituted by a sleeve of heat-shrink plastics material suitable for providing a main portion that closely surrounds at least a portion of the object when there is a single object, or of a group of objects when there is a plurality of objects, said sleeve also having a removable additional flap (103; 203) superposed over the outside of the main portion of the sleeve and connected thereto in detachable manner via its two lateral ends, said additional flap including a line of perforations or the like (104; 204) at least at its non-free lateral end, the envelope being characterized in that the additional flap (103; 203) is connected to the main portion of the sleeve (101; 201) via a thin line of adhesive (105; 205) adjacent to the free lateral edge of said flap, the thin line of adhesive (105; 205) being defined by two parallel strips (100, 111; 210, 211) previously printed on one or other of the facing faces concerned, and defining between them a zone (112; 212) in which adhesion actually takes place.
2. An envelope according to claim 1, characterized in that the two parallel strips (110, 111; 210, 211) are printed on the outside face of the main portion of the sleeve.
3. An envelope according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the two parallel strips (110, 111; 210, 211) are made using a varnish, having a thickness of about one millimeter.
4. An envelope according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the two parallel strips (110, 111; 210, 211) are made using an ink, with a thickness of the order of a few tenths of a millimeter.
5. An envelope according to claim 4, characterized in that ink forming the two parallel strips (110, 111; 210, 211) has a color corresponding to a color used for printing the main portion of the sleeve.
6. An envelope according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the two parallel strips (110, 111; 210, 211) are disposed so as to define between them a linear adhesion zone (112; 212) of width smaller than one millimeter.
7. An envelope according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the two parallel strips (110, 111; 210, 211) extend over the full height of the sleeve.
8. An envelope according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the two parallel strips (110, 111; 210, 211) extend at a distance from the free lateral edge of the additional flap (103; 203) which is sufficiently large to define a pull portion (106; 206) enabling the corresponding lateral end of the additional flap to be grasped.
9. An envelope according to claim 8, characterized in that the pull portion (106; 206) is coated, preferably on its outside face, in an adhesive strip (L) of non-heat-shrink material.
10. An envelope according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the two parallel strips (110, 111) extend along the free lateral edge of the additional flap (103), and said free lateral edge has a pull tab (107) or an arcuate cutout (107') making it easier to take hold of the corresponding lateral end of said flap.
11. An envelope according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the line of perforations or the like (104; 204) connecting the additional flap (103; 203) is rectilinear and extends along the full height of the sleeve.
12. An envelope according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the line of perforations or the like (104) connecting the additional flap (103) extends over a portion only of the height of the sleeve, and is connected to at least one circumferential line of perforations or the like (104') extending to the free lateral edge of said flap.
13. An envelope according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the additional flap (103; 203), prior to said sleeve being heat-shrunk, presents a pleat (P) or the like extending over the full height of the flap along a generator line of said sleeve for the purpose of providing said flap with a reserve of circumferential length during heat shrinking.

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