EP0865384B1 - Food packaging carton - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a packaging box for products, especially food products such as pastries.

The packaging boxes traditionally used by artisans, especially bakers, pastry chefs and confectioners, are generally made of cardboard in a blank cut, folded and glued. These traditional boxes protect the product that has been chosen by the buyer on a display or a window and then placed in the packaging, which can easily be decorated with printed and personalized in the name of the craftsman. Such a box, which enjoys the image of tradition and quality of craftsmen, cannot be used in industry and food distribution due to its implementation costs artwork and filling. She also suffers from the major drawback of not being able to see the product food content.

To overcome this last drawback, we have developed cardboard boxes with a lid or transparent film or in the walls of which one spares openings then closed with a transparent film or translucent. These openings are a point of weakness of the box, especially with regard to its resistance compression.

We also know packaging boxes entirely in transparent or translucent material, which allows vision global and direct of the product contained in it. In this case, we usually uses boxes made of one thermoformed plastic part. So classic, a first part of this piece presents a hollow compartment or bottom for receiving the product and second part serves as a cover, this second part being folded over the first to close it by folding the plastic between the two parts with possibly a snap between cover and bottom. For the presentation information relating to the contained product, these packaging is practically limited to labels affixed to the transparent box or printed sheets at least partially obstructing the view of the contents.

If these transparent boxes offer the advantages of allow high visibility of the content, to be easily stacked in a minimum volume before use and to allow a simple and economical filling, they are ill-suited for noble content, such as by example of pastries, because of their relatively poor and not very rewarding.

In order to overcome these drawbacks, the invention proposes a new type of packaging box with two elements separate which, before mounting the box itself, have a small thickness allowing storage reduced size by nesting, easy separation by disembodiment and of which at least one of the elements can serve as an information medium.

To this end, the invention relates to a box of the type comprising a bottom surrounded by a peripheral wall and a hinged cover on said peripheral wall and capable of being closed and opened, said peripheral wall comprising a crown, the cover and the base comprising two surfaces each articulated on a connecting piece of so as to form a triptych, characterized in that said surfaces include abutment members against the internal and / or external periphery of the respective edge of said crown, means for holding the closed position of the box being integrated into said triptych and / or said crown or being reported after closing the box.

We know, by GB-A-434.530, a box comprising a bottom surrounded by a peripheral wall and a hinged cover on this peripheral wall and capable of being opened and closed, the lid and the bottom comprising two surfaces each articulated on a connecting piece so as to form a triptych. In this known box, a band peripheral surrounds a rim of the folded and recessed bottom, in order to keep the assembly thus folded. This band peripheral only has the role of retaining the periphery folded from the bottom in a complicated construction box, otherwise requiring stapling or similar. Indeed, in this known box the band side does not cooperate with stop members of the cover and bottom, but only with the wall peripheral which it completely covers.

The stops against which the periphery comes to rest internal or external of the respective edge of the crown are advantageously formed by continuous projections and / or discontinuous and / or by points directed towards the interior of the crown from the surfaces of the triptych.

The triptych thus produced has a small thickness and is stored by nesting in a reduced storage volume and can be easily removed from the stack thus formed. The crown can be fixed on the connecting piece by all means known per se and can be advantageously folded so as not to interfere with stacking.

When using such a box, the product is loaded on one of the surfaces of the triptych constituting the background, then the crown is placed on said surface and the other sides of the triptych are folded in position, that is to say that the connecting piece extends transversely to the crown and the second surface of the triptych extends parallel to the first surface on which the product, the abutment members of said second surface are housed against the periphery of the upper edge of the crown, said crown thus ensuring resistance sufficient for compression.

Advantageously, the crown has a tubular shape, its lower end resting against the first surface of the triptych constituting the bottom of the box and its end upper housing the second surface constituting the lid. Depending on the form you wish to give to the box, said crown may be cylindrical, in particular cylindrical of revolution, frustoconical, truncated pyramid or any shape. The edges of the crown can then be in parallel planes or not. Said crown may also have at least one edge of any shape as crenellated or wavy for decoration purposes and / or ventilation.

As a variant of the tubular shape, the crown can be continuous but open, possibly overlapping partial.

In a particularly simple form, the crown can be discontinuous next to at least part of the piece of liaison.

Advantageously, said cardboard crown is produced or plastic and can be used as a support any information and / or decorative patterns.

Said crown may, in addition, comprise at least one recess can then be partially or completely obstructed by a transparent or translucent film. According to one alternative embodiment, closing the recess of the crown can be made by the connecting piece resting against said crown and which has an embossing cooperating with said recess.

According to one embodiment of the invention, at least one surfaces constituting the triptych can include at least an end extension and / or at least one side flap. Said end extension or the side flap can then have an embossing which cooperates with a recess crown correspondent.

Cooperation of embossings with the respective opening can be done from the outside or from the inside of the corresponding face of the triptych.

Advantageously, the two surfaces and the connecting piece forming the triptych and possibly the extensions end and / or side flaps, are made in one single piece, preferably made of transparent plastic. The part is thus produced by thermoforming and is easily stored in a small footprint by interlocking thanks to the fact that thermoforming involves spoils for the raised parts.

The closing means of said box can be reported and of any type known per se such as tapes adhesives, rubber bands, tapes or staples.

One can also provide integrated closing means of type known per se such as nipples cooperating with holes, tabs adapted to corresponding slots, etc. In the case of integrated locking means, these can be worn on both sides and / or on flaps end and / or on tabs.

Another closing method can consist of points, pre-glued lines or surfaces on the triptych and / or the crowned.

la figure 1 représente une vue en perspective éclatée d'une boíte selon un exemple de réalisation de l'invention ;

les figures 2 à 5 représentent schématiquement en coupe partielle diverses formes de coopération de la couronne avec les butées des deux surfaces du triptyque ;

la figure 6 représente une vue schématique en plan d'un triptyque selon un second exemple de réalisation de l'invention ;

la figure 7 représente une vue schématique en perspective d'une couronne utilisable avec le triptyque de la figure 6 ;

la figure 8 représente schématiquement une variante d'une saillie discontinue du triptyque ; et

les figures 9 à 15 représentent schématiquement, en perspective éclatée, diverses formes de réalisation d'une boíte selon l'invention.

We will now describe in more detail embodiments of the invention with reference to the appended drawing in which:

Figure 1 shows an exploded perspective view of a box according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention;

Figures 2 to 5 schematically show in partial section various forms of cooperation of the crown with the stops of the two surfaces of the triptych;

FIG. 6 represents a schematic plan view of a triptych according to a second embodiment of the invention;

Figure 7 shows a schematic perspective view of a crown usable with the triptych of Figure 6;

FIG. 8 schematically represents a variant of a discontinuous projection of the triptych; and

Figures 9 to 15 schematically show, in exploded perspective, various embodiments of a box according to the invention.

According to the embodiment of the box shown in the figure 1, this is made up of a triptych 1 and a crown 2. Triptych 1 consists of a coin substantially rectangular in plastic and which consists of two surfaces 3 and 4 articulated on a piece of connection 5. The surface 3 constitutes the bottom of the box while that the surface 4 forms the cover.

On the outside of each of surfaces 3 and 4 of the triptych are formed by ribs or projections 6 and 7 respectively which, projecting on the opposite side of said surfaces 3 and 4, constitute abutment members against the periphery of the respective edges of the crown 2.

In the example of FIGS. 1, 6 and 9 to 15, the ribs 6 and 7 are carried out continuously so as to abut against the periphery of the crown 2 continuously. It is also possible to provide occasional projections or discontinuous (Figure 8). Any combination of projections which have just been described is possible.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the crown 2 is discontinuous, its face facing the workpiece link 5 does not exist. Such deletion can be only partial, with one or two end returns from crown 2 opposite the corresponding edge or edges of the connecting piece.

Crown 2 can be opened, for example at a corner or even have an overlap area.

Preferably, the crown is tubular, that is to say continuous and closed, as is the case for example of the crown shown in Figures 7 and 9 to 15.

In all cases, at least one of the side faces of the box, outside the face including the connecting piece 5, consists exclusively of a portion of the crown 2.

The connecting piece 5 and the edges 5 'formed by said part 5 increase the compressive strength of the box thus obtained. The ribs 6 and 7 form reinforcement beams of the box which, due to their abutment against the edges of the crown 2, constitute a self-locking system of high rigidity in compression also vertical rather than transverse.

In the case of the embodiments shown schematically in Figures 2, 3, 4 and 9 to 15, the rib 6 or 7 is in abutment against the internal periphery of the crown 2. In addition, in the case of FIG. 3, a return 6a from the bottom 3 and a return 7a of the cover 4 form stops outside for crown 2. In the case of figure 4, returns 6b and 7b are extended substantially at height of the respective rib 6, 7. In the embodiment in Figure 5, the stops are formed by returns 6c and 7c of the bottom 3 and of the cover 4 respectively and act on the outer periphery only of the crown 2. Any combination of these abutment means can also be adopted.

Figures 6 and 7 show an exemplary embodiment of the box according to the invention in which the crown 2 (figure 7) has a rectangular recess 21 on each of its side walls and the bottom 3 has an end flap 31 and two side flaps 32 and 33 while the cover 4 has an end flap 41. Each of said flaps 31, 32 and 33 includes an embossing suitable for engaging in a recesses 21 of the crown 2.

The crown 2 having a rectangular recess 21 on each of its walls is placed on the bottom 3, its periphery of the lower edge abutting the rib 6 from the bottom 3. The connecting piece 5 provided with an embossing corresponding to a recess 21 in the crown 2 is folded so that said embossment engages in the corresponding recess 21 of the crown 2 while the embossing of the side flaps 32 and 33 and of the flap end 31 engage in the recesses 21 crown correspondents 2.

The cover 4 is then lowered on the periphery of the edge top of crown 2 and end flap 41, provided also with embossing, is lowered on the flap end 31 of the bottom 3, the embossing of the flap 41 is accommodating in the embossment of the flap 31. The flap 31 comprises snap holes 34 into which engage complementary nipples 42 provided on the flap 41 so as to close the box thus produced.

As a variant or in addition, the closure means are carried by tabs extending the bottom and / or the cover, or directly on the bottom and the cover.

It is also possible to provide, in addition to or as a variant, previous closing means, that the triptych and / or the crown have dots and / or surfaces and / or pre-glued lines that allow or facilitate mounting and closing the box.

The connecting piece 5 can have a shape and dimensions any. It can, for example, be formed by a narrow rectangular band, trapezoidal, with side edges straight or curved.

The crown 2 can be of any material such as cardboard or plastic.

Crown 2 can have any shape, for example cylindrical, with square section in the examples shown, or cylindrical of revolution, frustoconical, pyramid truncated, etc.

The edges of the crown 2 intended to cooperate with the projections 6, 7, 6a, 7a, 6b, 7b and / or 6c, 7c can be in planes, parallel or not. At least one of the edges may not not be in a plane and have any shape, by crenellated or wavy example.

The bottom 3 and / or the cover 4 are generally stopped at near the outside of the crown 2. They can however be extended outside the crown 2, in particular to facilitate gripping of the cover 4. On may also consider that crown 2 is completely inscribed inside a triptych of different shape, for example with a cylindrical crown of revolution and a parallelepiped triptych.

In the embodiment of Figure 9, which constitutes a variant of Figures 6 and 7, the flaps 51 and 61 extending surfaces 3 and 4 respectively not cover after closure and include means of locking, such as tabs 52 and 62 respectively, cooperating respectively with bodies complementary, such as slots 52 'and 62', formed in crown 2.

In the example shown in Figure 10, the box is similar to that of Figures 6 and 7, except that the side flaps 32 and 33 have been removed and the means for interlocking the end flaps 31 and 41 are tab and slot type.

FIG. 11 shows an exemplary embodiment of the invention in which the entire outer surface of the box is formed, as in the case of Figures 6 and 7, by the triptych 3, 4, 5 and flaps. Surface 4 of triptych, instead of the bottom surface 3, has two side flaps 71 and 72 while the bottom surface 3 is extended by an end flap 73 provided with tabs 74. The legs 74 include a means of locking, such as a tongue 75, cooperating with a additional means, such as a slot 76, in the side flap 71 and 72 adjacent. It will also be noted, in this example, that the side flaps 71 and 72 have, at a corner, a oblique tongue 100 which, after assembly of the assembly, is will be housed under the corresponding corner 101 of a recess 21 in the crown 2, thereby strengthening the locking provided by embossments.

In the example of figure 12, similar to that of figure 11, the side flaps 71 and 72 of the surface 4 are provided end tabs 77 provided with tabs 78 of locking in slots 79 of the connecting piece 5, other end tabs 80 of the side flaps 71 and 72 being provided with tongues 81 cooperating with slots 82 of the end flap 73 of the bottom surface 3.

In Figure 13, end tabs 82 of the flap 73 of the surface 3 cooperate with lateral extensions 83 of the connecting piece 5, these lateral extensions 83 occupying a lateral face of the box after assembly. Locking is performed by tabs 84 of the legs 82 cooperating with slots 85 of the extensions 83.

Figure 14 shows a variant of Figure 11 in which tabs 74, tabs 75 and slots 76 have been removed, the locking being ensured by oblique tabs 102, similar to oblique tabs 100 of Figure 11, also present in this case. The oblique tabs 102 cooperate with a corner 103 of the window recess 21 in the crown 2. It will further be noted that the end flap 73 is extended by a tab 104 sliding under the front edge of surface 4 and allowing folding the flap 73 before unlocking.

In the embodiment of FIG. 15, analogous to that of FIGS. 6 and 7, the end flap 41 of the surface 4, which has a height corresponding to that of the crown 2, is provided at its two free corners with tabs obliques 105, similar to the tabs 100 in FIG. 11 and 102 of FIG. 14, which cooperate respectively with the lower corners 106 of the corresponding recess 21 in the crown 2. The lateral extensions 32 and 33 of the surface 3 in the background, which can be omitted, each have a tab 107 similar to tab 104 in Figure 14.

These embodiments of Figures 14 and 15 provide the advantage that, when the box is assembled, the means of support are completely invisible.

Claims (26)

1. Box of the type comprising a base (3), surrounded by a peripheral wall and a lid (4), hinged on said peripheral wall (2) and capable of being closed and opened, said circumferential wall comprising a top (2), the lid (4) and the base (3) comprising two surfaces each hinged on a connecting part (5) so as to form a triptych, characterised in that said surfaces (3, 4) comprise stop members (6, 7; 6a, 7a; 6b, 7b; 6c, 7c) against the internal and/or external periphery of the respective edge of said top (2), separable closure means being integrated in said triptych and/or in said top (2) or being fitted after closure of the box.
2. Box according to claim 1, characterised in that the stop members are formed by continuous projections (6), discontinuous projections (7) and/or by points, directed towards the interior of the top (2).
3. Box according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterised in that the top (2) comprises at least one opening (21).
4. Box according to claim 3, characterised in that said opening (21) is blocked, partially or completely, by a transparent or translucid film.
5. Box according to claim 3, characterised in that the connecting part (5) comprises a raised portion which co-operates with a corresponding opening (21) of the top (2).
6. Box according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that at least one of the surfaces (3, 4) comprises at least one end extension (31, 41) and/or at least one lateral flap (32, 33).
7. Box according to claim 6, characterised in that said extension (31, 41) and/or said lateral flap (32, 33) are provided with a raised portion which co-operates with a corresponding opening (21) of the top (2).
8. Box according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the top (2) is formed from cardboard.
9. Box according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the top (2) is formed from plastics material.
10. Box according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterised in that the top (2) is configured to be tubular, cylindrical, more especially cylindrically turned, truncated, truncated pyramidal or the like.
11. Box according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterised in that the top (2) is interrupted, at least partially, with regard to the connecting part (5) of the triptych (3, 4, 5).
12. Box according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterised in that the top (2) is open.
13. Box according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterised in that the edges of the top (2) are in parallel planes.
14. Box according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterised in that the edges of the top (2) are not in parallel planes.
15. Box according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterised in that at least one edge of the top (2) has some kind of shape, such as crenelated or undulating.
16. Box according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterised in that the two surfaces (3, 4) and the connecting part (5) and, possibly, the extensions and the flaps (41, 31, 32, 33), are in a single piece.
17. Box according to claim 16, characterised in that said piece is formed from transparent plastics material.
18. Box according to claim 17, characterised in that said piece is manufactured by heat-shaping.
19. Box according to one of claims 1 to 18, characterised in that the product is charged on the second surface (3), then the top (2) is put in place and the other faces (5, 4) of the triptych and, finally, the flaps (41, 31, 32, 33) are folded into position.
20. Box according to one of claims 1 to 19, characterised in that the top (2) is secured on the interior face of the connecting part (5) by any securing means known per se, and folded-back in order not to hinder the filling of the box.
21. Box according to one of claims 1 to 20, characterised in that the closure means fitted are of any type known per se, such as self-adhesive strip(s), resilient strip(s), band(s), staple(s).
22. Box according to one of claims 1 to 20, characterised in that the integrated closure means are complementary means known per se, such as nubs (42) and holes (34), tongues (52, 62, 75, 78, 81, 84) and slots (52', 62', 76, 79, 82, 85)
23. Box according to claim 22, characterised in that said integrated closure means are carried on the surfaces (3, 4) of the triptych (3, 4, 5) and/or on the flaps extending them.
24. Box according to claim to 22, characterised in that said integrated closure means are carried on the end flaps (41, 31).
25. Box according to one of claims 1 to 20, characterised in that the triptych (3, 4, 5) and/or the top (2) comprise pre-glued points and/or surfaces and/or lines.
26. Box according to one of claims 3 to 25, characterised in that the integrated closure means comprise oblique tongues (100, 102, 105), at a free corner of a flap (71, 72, 41) which extend a surface (3, 4) of the triptych, said tongues being arranged to slide, in the course of closing, under a corner (101, 103, 106) of a corresponding opening (21) of the top (2).

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