EP0930999A1

EP0930999A1 - Package, method and device for packaging a batch of articles of undetermined volume

Info

Publication number: EP0930999A1
Application number: EP97909402A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jean-Yves Bacques; Guy Coalier; Jean-Claude Serre
Original assignee: Otor SA
Current assignee: Otor SA
Priority date: 1996-10-11
Filing date: 1997-10-13
Publication date: 1999-07-28
Also published as: FR2754518A1; FR2754518B1; CA2268024A1; US6216871B1; JP2001505168A; WO1998016434A1; AU4709597A; NZ335608A

Abstract

The invention concerns a packaging case made of cardboard or the like for transporting a load, a method and a device for packaging such a case. The case comprises a lateral band (2, 3, 4, 5) and a horizontal base (6) integral with said band via joining lines, and a heat shrinkable plastic film material (7, 8, 9) for packaging and holding the load securely. The case also comprises at least one rigid mounted plate (11), pressing the heat shrinkable film on the internal face of the base of the case leaving free strips of material arranged for blocking the load by shrinking on the film, said plate being inserted between at least two first vertically opposite walls of the case such that the edges of the plate are in contact via the plastic film with at least part of the joining lines of said first walls. The case further comprises means for blocking the plate against the base.

Description

PACKAGE, METHOD AND DEVICE FOR PACKAGING LOTS OF ITEMS OF INDETERMINARY VOLUME

The present invention relates to a packaging of the cardboard box type provided with a shrink film which is integral with it, intended for the packaging of articles intended to be delivered in number or in very variable volume.

It also relates to a method and a device for forming a packaging package of the cardboard box type provided with a shrink film.

It finds a particularly application

15 important although not exclusive in the field of transporting heavy objects, that is to say weighing more than a kilogram, for example three kg, five kg, ten or even thirty kg and of irregular shape.

Such conditioning is also

20 particularly suitable for objects such as boxes, vials, medicines or various documents, taken in groups or individually in the same packaging particularly intended for the delivery of a retailer such as a bookseller, pharmacist and more

25 usually retail.

It is easy to understand that wholesalers, in order to prepare the order for their retailers, need to package lots of very different articles by nature in packaging which must nevertheless withstand sometimes difficult transport and delivery conditions; given the cost of standard boxes, it quickly became difficult to use such packaging to package batches of items of this nature, as this would imply systematically using ranges of packaging whose storage would be extremely expensive and therefore unsuitable for this form of distribution.

Numerous solutions to this type of problem are already known, which have long proposed to package batches of articles inside a box or a container, in particular of cardboard, covered by a sheet of heat-shrinkable plastic linked to the internal face of the bottom of the body and / or the internal face of the two opposite vertical walls; in this way, it suffices to place the objects to be packaged inside a cardboard bottom, then cover them with the plastic sheet which will finally be completely shrunk on the products by passing through a heating tunnel for example , with the consequence of keeping said products securely stowed at the transport crate. Such solutions are normally very advantageous since they require only a single case of a minimum volume of cardboard providing substantial savings in materials in addition to obvious savings in packaging storage which has become unique. In this sense we know the French patent FR-2,426,620 according to which we use to pack a batch of products, two plastic sheets which overlap by one of their ends above the load in order to be welded hot at the level of the overlap zone, the other of their ends which is not in contact with the load being glued to the internal face of the bottom or close to the bottom on the internal face of a side wall of a box cardboard obtained from a simple blank forming the bottom of the box from which extend two side faces which are previously folded over the load before folding the two plastic sheets which will come by welding to maintain the assembly. This particular packaging suffers from a serious mechanical failure of the assembly; indeed, all the packaging is linked to the resistance to take-off or tearing of the connections of the plastic sheets with the bottom or the side walls of the cardboard box. It is well known that such packaging is subjected to high stresses during handling and transport frequently leading to the rupture of the connections of the plastic films with the cardboard base. In this respect, other solutions have been proposed, this time based on the surprising observation that the resistance to peeling or tearing off of the heat-shrinkable sheet materials during handling and / or transport operations was improved when the connection of said heat-shrinkable materials to the body was carried out outside of said body on at least one external face (bottom or side wall) thereof, the edge of said face, which is covered by said heat-shrinkable material sheet, acting as a means opposing the stresses exerted by the weight of the load.

In this sense, several solutions have already been proposed, in particular in French patent FR-A-86.01435 describing a packaging case consisting of a case, for example made of cardboard and of a heat-shrinkable sheet material for packaging and holding a load in place, characterized in that the heat-shrinkable sheet material is linked by at least one of its edges to the external surface of a wall of the case in the vicinity of the edge of said wall, and is developed outside from said edge towards the edge of said wall and then inside the case opposite the internal surface of said wall while moving away from it towards the load to be packaged. A similar solution is also found in French patent FR-A-85.16217 according to which the heat-shrinkable sheets are inserted between the internal faces of the walls and portions of these same walls folded towards the inside of the box.

The latter solutions have the drawback either of requiring a cover in the first case, or of originally provide for a special cutting costly in material and generating an additional cost in the stock management of such packaging; in addition, these solutions are mechanically more complicated insofar as they require two sheets of plastic significantly complicating the mounting operations.

Another solution has been proposed in French patent FR-2,577,001 which describes an American box or the like using a heat-shrinkable plastic film secured to the bottom of the box, characterized in that the plastic film is pinched between the external flaps adjoining two parallel walls of the box and constituting the bottom proper of the packaging, and the internal flaps, adjoining the other two walls and lining the bottom internally.

The latter solution has the advantage of being able to be mechanized relatively easily since the heat-shrinkable film can be inserted continuously from a reel and furthermore the solution does not require any bonding of said film to the bottom of the box, thus overcoming the aforementioned drawbacks.

On the other hand, the latter solution is not satisfactory since it is only adaptable to American boxes with full bottoms, excluding for example boxes with reduced flaps but also trays with glued corners outside or inside or even boxes american joined together, closed by an independent bonded cover.

There is also known (FR-A-2,661,392) a process for the packaging of batches of products of various volumes in which a piston is pressed into a box by entraining a plastic film. The film is arranged and protrudes transversely on either side of the wedge which is narrower than the internal dimension of the body in the transverse direction, and which has longitudinally on its two opposite sides two wings or elastic flaps locked by spring effect via locking tabs in openings complementary to the walls of the previously formed box.

Such a method does not make it possible to obtain a packaging capable of holding objects of significant weight.

There is also known (DE 81.15.943) a packaging case for small parts of any shape, provided with a sheath or bag of heat-shrinkable plastic and one or more superimposed pallets being introduced with adjustment in the sheath and the checkout. Here again, such packaging has drawbacks. Its manufacture cannot be mechanized, in particular given the difficulty of introducing the pallet into the sheath or the bag, and it can only concern small objects (screws for example). To overcome all these drawbacks, the present invention proposes in particular a cardboard packaging box or the like for transporting a load, said box comprising a lateral belt formed by at least four vertical walls and a horizontal bottom secured to said belt via junction lines, a heat-shrinkable plastic film material intended for the packaging and holding in place of said load, at least one attached plate, pressing the heat-shrinkable film on the internal face of the bottom of the box by letting escape on either side of two opposite edges opposite said plate, called transverse edges, curtain portions of free material extending from said transverse edges over a length sufficient to cover the the other by completely enveloping the load and blocking said load by thermal shrinkage of the film and means for locking said plate against the bottom, char laughed in that the plate is rigid and in that it is inserted between at least two first opposite vertical walls so that said transverse edges are in contact via the plastic film with at least part of the junction lines of said first walls . In other words, the distance which separates the transverse edges of the plate is on at least part of said edges, greater than or equal to the internal transverse dimensions of the box. Advantageously, the rigid plate is a flat plate when it is flat and devoid of flaps, that is to say the lateral, transverse and longitudinal peripheral portions of which are not connected by fold or crease lines with the central part of the plate, for example to form wings elastically deforming during an introduction into the body.

In other words, the plate has a transverse dimension equal to or greater than the internal transverse dimensions of the box, that is to say that the distance which separates the transverse edges in contact and circumvented by the plastic film is at least equal to the transverse dimensions inside the box. By internal transverse dimensions of the body is meant the smallest distance separating the internal faces of two opposite walls in the transverse direction.

It is well understood that such a solution has many advantages over all previous teachings insofar as it is possible to equip any cardboard boxes, cases, trays or cases forming a receptacle with a heat-shrinkable film intended to wrap a load any without risking the problems of detachment or tearing off during handling or impact during transport; similarly, the solution recommended by the invention is equally suitable for continuous manufacturing insofar as one uses a shrink film in one piece or a completely manual and punctual manufacturing since It suffices to provide, in addition to a reel of heat-shrinkable film, planar elements which are cut when the time comes to the dimensions of the bottom of the tray, the case or any other container made of compact corrugated cardboard or other sheet material, the mounting of the film and the plate is done simply by force or bias insertion or at least in contact between two opposite side walls of the container to be fitted.

Of course, and according to another important characteristic of the invention, the planar element constituting the double bottom of the container is obtained from a simple blank of corrugated cardboard, the directions of the grooves of which must simply be oriented as will be explained. further.

In advantageous embodiments, one and / or the other of the following arrangements are also used:

- to constitute at least partially the locking means, the lower face of the plate is at least partly directly bonded to the upper face of the bottom of the box, through at least one recess of the film or on a surface devoid of film. Advantageously, the upper face of the box is glued with the lower face of the plate through several small recesses.

Also advantageously the faces are glued through a large central orifice of the film opposite the center of the plate, for example circular or oval, from five to ten centimeters in maximum transverse dimension.

To constitute the recesses, the film is also, for example, perforated in the form of several orifices drilled by heating or punching, for example in the form of lunules, arranged near the junction lines, for example one or two centimeters from said junction lines of the first walls, the cardboard to cardboard bonding being carried out through the orifices, a complementary bonding of the film of plastic material can also be carried out by overflowing of the adhesive under and on the peripheries of the orifices;

- The locking means are constituted at least in part by the first walls, the plate being of dimension slightly greater than the distance between said first walls so that said plate is jammed in force between said first walls after insertion;

- To constitute at least partially the locking means, the plate has on at least one of its two opposite edges, at least one lug, said lug collaborating with a corresponding recess made at the level of the junction line with the bottom of the first facing wall, to provide the snap-fitting of the plate once the latter in place against the bottom of the body;

1 recess is constituted by a groove of height equal or substantially equal to the thickness of said plate and extending over a portion of the length of said junction line;

- The locking means comprise portions of interior flaps directly bonded to the internal faces of said first vertical walls, the lower periphery of said interior flaps abutting with the upper edges of the plate to ensure said locking; the locking means comprise flaps attached to the upper peripheries of the first walls by fold lines; - The locking means comprise flaps attached to the lateral peripheries of the second walls directly or indirectly adjacent to the first walls.

By indirectly adjacent is meant a wall which would for example be separated from the first wall by a cut corner; the locking means comprise flaps attached to the lower peripheries of the first walls by fold lines forming at least in part of the junction lines with the bottom, said flaps each comprising a tab detachable from said flap but remaining attached to said junction lines and fixed to the bottom of the body formed by two other flaps, said flaps being folded down and for example fixed by gluing by above the plate;

- the film of heat-shrinkable material is in one piece;

- The plate is made of corrugated cardboard, the direction of the grooves is perpendicular to the contact lines with the first vertical walls between which said plate is inserted; the plate completely covers the bottom of the box to form a double bottom; - The box is made from a blank comprising a series of flaps terminated by a fixing tab, connected to each other by first fold lines parallel to each other, and a first set of lateral flaps arranged in one side and connected to the main flaps by second fold lines forming said junction lines, perpendicular to the first fold lines and intended to form at least partially the bottom of the box, said second fold lines being aligned and said box being arranged to be mounted automatically by folding down said flaps and flaps of said first set around a mandrel, the end flap of the series of flaps and the tongue on the one hand, and the adjacent flaps on the other hand, being fixed together by gluing to form said box;

- the suite has eight components, namely four main components separated two by two by four intermediate components.

It goes without saying that the embodiments more particularly described here which are half cases, are provided to constitute cases according to the invention and to do this include covers known in themselves, for example constituted by flaps connected to the walls by fold lines or by a cover in the form of a plate connected or not by a fold line to a wall.

The invention also provides a method of forming a cardboard packaging box or the like for transporting a load, as described above. Advantageously, the method comprises the following stages: the bottom and the vertical walls of the box are formed which are left open on top, a composite element is formed comprising the plate and the plastic material which is at least temporarily attached to said plate and the composite element is introduced by force or at an angle until it comes to the locking position in abutment against the bottom of the body before closing the top of said box by folding a flap or fitting a cover, after introduction of the load and heat sealing.

In another advantageous embodiment, the method comprises the following stages: the bottom and the vertical walls of the box are formed which are left open on top, then the plastic film and the plate are introduced by force or bias on the plastic material until it comes to the locking position in abutment against the bottom of the box before finishing forming the packaging as described above.

Advantageously, the film having been previously perforated to form several orifices, for example aligned or staggered parallel and substantially close to the edges of the plate suitable for facing the lines of junction of the bottom with the first walls, sticks through these holes on the cardboard of the plate or the bottom located below, before pressing the plastic material on the plate or the bottom and introducing into the box said composite element formed by the plate and the attached film, or the plate alone if the film is already introduced and plated on the bottom. In an advantageous embodiment, the bottom and the walls of the box are formed around a mandrel.

Advantageously before forming the bottom and the walls of the box, the composite element is plated on the bottom of the mandrel and then form the box on top.

In another embodiment, the bottom and part of the vertical walls of the box are formed, which are left open on the side, a composite element is formed comprising the plate and the plastic material secured at least temporarily to said plate and the composite element is introduced into said box from the side, before closing said side.

The invention also provides a device for manufacturing a cardboard or similar packaging case for transporting a load, said case comprising a lateral belt formed by at least four vertical walls and a horizontal bottom secured to said belt via junction lines, and a heat-shrinkable plastic film material intended for the packaging and holding in place of said load, characterized in that it comprises means for forming the bottom and vertical walls of the body, means for presenting a composite element comprising a plate superimposed on the plastic material, secured or not at least provisionally to said plate and means for force, slight friction, or biased introduction of the composite element into said body, until pressing the thermo-film retractable on the internal face of the bottom of the body, sandwiched with said plate, letting escape on either side of two opposite edges opposite the plate, two curtain portions of free material s 'extending from said edges over a length sufficient to cover each other by completely enveloping a load to be introduced, means for blocking said load by heat sealing and thermal shrinkage of the film, said means being suitable for pressing said element in pressing on the attached rigid plate, and means for closing the top of the box.

The plate and the half-body are thus arranged so that the plate is inserted between at least two first opposite vertical walls so that two edges of the plate are in contact via the plastic film with at least part of the junction lines. of said first walls and then held in the locking position of the plate against the bottom.

Advantageously, the device comprises bonding means allowing direct bonding between a part of the lower face of the plate and the upper face of the bottom of the box while crossing the film.

In an advantageous embodiment, the device comprises means for forming the bottom and the walls of the box around a mandrel. Also advantageously it comprises means for plating the composite element on the bottom of the mandrel.

Other advantages and characteristics will emerge more clearly from the description which will be given of several embodiments of the box in accordance with the invention with reference to the appended drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a half-body according to a first variant of the invention showing the constituent elements of the half-body before mounting according to the arrows F,

- Figure 2 is an elevational view of a section II-II of Figure 1 when the double bottom plate is plywood on the bottom of the box; in addition, there is shown in solid lines a portion of the articles after shrinking the plastic film and in thin dashed lines the two plastics curtains before loading the articles, - Figure 3 is a perspective view of a second variant of the half-body according to the invention showing the plate forming a double bottom before mounting according to F and snap-fastening of the double bottom between two opposite vertical walls of the body,

- Figure 4 is a sectional view IV- IV of Figure 3 showing in solid lines the half-body with its double bottom snapped and in broken lines the two plastic curtains before loading the articles,

- Figure 5 is a side sectional view of another embodiment of a half-box according to the invention, Figure 6 is a plan view of the blank for obtaining a half-box corresponding to the figure 5,

FIG. 7 is a top view of the half-body of FIG. 5,

- Figure 8 shows a perspective of a plate / film assembly and the primary container or box intended to form a half-box according to another embodiment of the invention, - Figure 9 is a sectional view of the half-box of FIG. 8, FIG. 10 is a plan view of the blank making it possible to obtain the box of the half-box of FIG. 8, - FIG. 11 shows a perspective of a plate / film assembly and of the box according to another embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 12 is a sectional view of the half-box of FIG. 11, FIG. 13 is a plan view of the blank making it possible to obtain the box of the half-box of FIG. 11, FIG. 14 shows a perspective of a plate / film assembly and of the box according to another embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 15 is a sectional view of the half-body of FIG. 14,

- Figures 16A and 16B show two plan views of the blank, before folding the flaps and after folding the flaps, making it possible to obtain the box of the half-body of Figure 14, - Figure 17 is a bottom view of the half-body of FIG. 14,

- Figure 18 is a schematic block diagram showing the steps of an embodiment of the method according to the invention, - Figure 19 is a block diagram of a device according to an embodiment of one invention.

According to Figures 1 and 2, the box 1 for packaging a batch of articles corresponding to the preparation of an order comprises according to a first variant of the invention, a corrugated cardboard belt or the like made from four 2,3,4,5 panels, for example rectangular, arranged vertically and joined to each other by their length, the walls 2,4 and 3,5 opposite being normally, although not necessarily, identical in order to form in the space, a rectangular parallelepiped; this belt is provided in its lower part with a bottom 6 secured to any known way to each of the walls 2,3,4,5 to form a receptacle 10 open upwards. It is obvious that the receptacle 10 can be obtained from a simple American half-box or an American box without the upper flaps or even from a tray with a bottom glued for example on entablatures; of course the choice of a parallelepipedic box 1 corresponding to the vast majority of uses, is not limiting and one could perfectly conceive of producing receptacles 10 comprising more than four vertical walls to satisfy a particular need in the handling or transport. Inside the receptacle 10, there is first of all a sheet of heat-shrinkable plastic 7 of dimension such that it substantially covers the bottom 6 of said receptacle while flourishing along two opposite vertical walls 3,5 to overflow largely outside the body 1 and form two curtains 8,9 which will come once the load deposited in the receptacle 10 cover the objects with a minimum overlap between the two curtains 8, 9 to provide a tight seal after passing through a heating tunnel as will be said later.

A flat and rigid element 11 is then forcibly inserted into the interior of the receptacle 10 provided with its heat-shrinkable film 7, the two curtains 8, 9 of which have been folded down outside the vertical walls 3, 5 so as to ply against the film 7 on the bottom 6 of the receptacle. Of course, the element 11 which comes to lock the film 7 at the bottom 6 of the receptacle 10 is correctly dimensioned to be inserted by force between the two vertical walls 3.5 overlapped by the two curtains 8,9, thus providing a real wedging of the film 7 respectively between the edge 12 of the element 11 and the wall 3 and between the edge 13 and the wall 5. It is easy to understand that such an assembly, particularly easy to produce, is an effective solution for packaging a batch of articles of undetermined volume which it suffices to have on the upper face of the element 11 and to cover with the two curtains of plastic material 8.9 to obtain a solid and waterproof packaging after heat-shrinking in the tunnel, heating for example film 7 and two curtains 8,9 arranged in slight overlap. According to an alternative embodiment of the box in accordance with the invention, it is entirely possible to proceed with a bonding of the element 11 on the bottom 6 of the receptacle 10, bonding which will be done by crossing the film 7. According to a general characteristic of the invention, the planar element 11 must be rigid to provide maximum blocking of the film 7 between the vertical walls 3,5 of the receptacle 10; advantageously this planar element 11 will be cut from corrugated cardboard, preferably, although not necessarily, to the dimensions of the bottom 6 of the receptacle 10 in order to constitute a real double bottom. To provide the necessary rigidity to the corrugated cardboard, the flat element 11 will be inserted in such a way that the direction of the grooves 14 is perpendicular to the lines of contact with the vertical walls 3, 5 between which said element 11 is force-fitted.

In accordance with FIGS. 3 and 4, a second variant of the box in accordance with the invention will now be given, observing that the parts of FIGS. 3 and 4 which are common to the two variants have the same references as in FIGS. 1 and 2.

As in the first variant, the receptacle 1 will advantageously be formed from four side walls 2,3,4,5, preferably of rectangular shape held together to form a belt, for example of corrugated cardboard or the like secured to a bottom 6, to form in a very usual manner, a receptacle 10 ′ such as an American box without upper flaps or an American half-box or even a tray with single walls or double walls commonly used in the field of packaging. As in the previous variant, there is disposed inside the receptacle 10 'a sheet of heat-shrinkable plastic 7, the two ends of which form curtains 8, 9 of free material projecting widely on either side of the receptacle 10 ′ beyond two opposite vertical walls 3, 5 over a length making it possible to completely cover the articles to be packaged as already explained above. In this second variant, the planar element 11 ′ coming as in the previous variant against the central part of the film 7 on the bottom 6 of the receptacle 10 ′ naturally has all the characteristics of the planar element 11 of the first variant, but it is additionally provided with pins 15,16 extending outwards in the plane of the element 11 'from the opposite edges 12,13 of said element 11' coming into contact with two side walls 3,5 of the receptacle 10 'contributing to the blocking of the two curtains 8.9.

These two studs 15,16 on the element 11 'are provided to collaborate with two grooves 17,18 extending horizontally at the base of the two opposite vertical walls 3,5 of the receptacle 10' to form a latching locking of the element 11 'after it has been force-fitted and plywood on the bottom 6 of the receptacle 10'.

The two grooves 17, 18 are arranged in the lower part of the vertical walls 3.5 just above the junction line between said walls 3.5 and the bottom 6, over a length at most equal to the length of said walls and normally over a sufficient length to firmly hold the element 11 'against the bottom 6 of the receptacle 10. Thus the element 11 'snapped into the grooves 17,18 of the opposite side walls 3,5 not only against the greenhouse by its edges 12,13 the film 7 against the same vertical walls 3,5 but by the play of the two tenons 15 , 16 forms corners which irreversibly embed the base of the curtains 8, 9 in the grooves 17 and 18. In this way, any traction on the film 7, for example in the event of a fall, impact or rough handling, will be compensated not only by the wedging effect of the part 11 ′ as in the first variant but also by the wedge effect of the tenons 15, 16 embedded in the grooves 17, 18 of the vertical walls 3.5.

It is then understood that in this variant, it is possible to avoid, if the loads are not too heavy, to complete the fixing of the heat-shrinkable film 7 to the bottom 6 of the receptacle 10 'by bonding. Such an assembly of the element 11 ′ in the receptacle 10 ′ by snap-fastening is particularly suitable for the receptacle of the double-walled container type making it possible to mask the two grooves 17,18 externally only made on the interior wall of the vertical walls 3,5.

Naturally one could imagine alternative embodiments providing for example that a single wall 3.5 has a groove 17 or 18 even if such an assembly is obviously less reliable than that which has just been described. Here again, the element 11 ′ must have obvious rigidity for the reasons already mentioned in the first variant. To this end, the studs 15, 16 will be cut in the direction of the grooves, that is to say in extension of the two edges 12, 13 counter-blocking the two curtains 8, 9 on the opposite side walls 3.5.

It is obvious that all solutions derived from one or the other of the variants with or without snap-fastening of the planar element 11, 11 ', for example by replacing one or the other of the pins 15, 16 with several successive tenons on one and / or the other of the edges 12, 13 of the element 11 'would not depart from the field of the invention, the skilled person knowing occasionally extrapolate the two main variants underexposed; similarly would not depart from the scope of the invention any particular execution aimed at obtaining a box of generally polygonal shape, that is to say comprising more than four faces and this insofar as the element 11 or 11 ′ can be inserted between two walls which are not necessarily parallel but which provide a counter-clamping in relation to the heat-shrinkable film 7 between said element and said vertical walls, before blocking of element 11.

The invention is particularly applicable for the preparation of punctual orders whose content is variable and therefore cannot be fixed in advance. FIG. 5 shows a parallelepipedal half-box 20 for packaging in cardboard or the like for transporting a load, said half-box comprising a lateral belt 21 formed by four vertical walls 22 and a horizontal bottom 23 formed by four flaps secured to said belt via junction lines 24, and a heat-shrinkable plastic film material 25 intended for packaging and holding the load in place (not shown).

The half-body has a rigid rectangular plate 26 attached, flattening the heat-shrinkable film on the internal face 27 of the bottom of the body while letting escape on either side of two opposite edges facing 28 of the plate, portions 29 and 30 of curtain of free material extending from the edges 28 over a length sufficient to cover each other by completely enveloping the load and blocking said load by thermal shrinkage of the film.

The plate 26 is inserted between at least two first opposite vertical walls so that said edges are in contact or substantially in contact via the plastic film 25 with at least part of the joining lines 24 of said first walls.

Throughout the text, we must hear "in contact via the film" by being flush with the plastic film, itself in contact with the line of junction and / or preferably by pressure on the plastic film which is itself in contact with the junction line.

The box comprises blocking means 31 of the plate 26 against the bottom 23.

The blocking means 31 comprise portions of internal flaps 32 directly bonded to the internal faces 33 of the first vertical walls 22, the lower periphery 34 of the internal flaps coming into abutment with the upper edges 35 of the plate to ensure blocking, thus wedging the plastic film 25 between the lower edge of the flaps 32, the internal face of the first wall and the end of the upper face of the edge of the plate.

More specifically, with reference to FIG. 6, the half-body is formed from a blank comprising the four rectangular walls 22 separated by vertical fold lines 36 provided with a lower rectangular flap 37 intended to form the bottom 23 , attached to the lower part of the box by a fold line 24 aligned with that of the adjacent flap.

Two interior flaps 32 bonded to two non-adjacent walls are provided.

They are for example rectangular and of a surface slightly less than that of the walls 22 concerned.

The lower periphery 34 of the flaps is situated at a distance e_ corresponding to the thickness of the plate 26 which slides into abutment under said peripheries.

FIG. 7 is a top view of FIG. 5 showing the two facing walls 22, each provided with two internal flaps 32 for blocking the plate 26 against the bottom formed by the flaps 37.

The plastic film 25 (in phantom in the figure) is moreover pierced with circular orifices 38 of small diameter, for example four orifices arranged on a line parallel to the junction line 24, at a distance of 1 to 5 cm. of the latter, for example 2 cm.

The holes are one or two centimeters.

Glue dots 39 were injected through allowing direct bonding of the underside of the added plate 26 on the upper, flat face, large contiguous flaps 37 which constitute the upper part of the bottom, the small flaps being in turn folded outside and glued. In one embodiment, the plastic film 25 is also glued on one or on its two sides to the adjoining cardboard faces, for example by two lines 40 of so-called "hot melt" glue.

FIGS. 8 to 10 show another embodiment of the primary container 49 or box obtained from the blank 50.

The box 49 is in the form of a tray comprising a rectangular bottom 51 comprising four first rectangular flaps equal in pairs 52 and 53 connected respectively to each side of the bottom by fold lines 54 perpendicular to each other.

Two first opposite flaps 53, for example corresponding to the short sides, each comprise on either side, second rectangular flaps 55 attached to the lateral peripheries of said first flaps.

The second flaps 55 have, in the lower part, rectangular recessed portions 56 of height equal to or substantially equal to that of the plate 57, arranged to allow the vertical blocking of the plate 57 (see FIGS. 8 and 9) previously provided on its lower face. a plastic sheet 58, for example secured by gluing, which comes to be embedded below the lower edges 59 of the second flaps 55 by wedging the film 58 as shown in FIG. 9.

The film 58 thus describes a horizontal path parallel to the bottom 60 of the box, then vertical over a small lower portion 61 of the vertical wall 53, then horizontal 62 towards the inside of the box, before leaving freely towards the load and / or the top and the inside of said box, so that it can then be folded back onto the load 63 (in dashed lines in the figure) as shown with the arrows 64.

In one embodiment, the plate blocking means may even comprise, or be constituted by, a product to be packaged, higher than the others, which would come into abutment on the internal face of the cover (not shown) when the cover is put in place.

Figures 11 to 13 show another embodiment of a box 70 for crate according to the invention with rectangular plate 71 provided with a plastic film 72 pre-glued on the underside of the plate.

The film includes for example orifices or recesses 73, for example in the form of small size lunules (from 0.5 cm to 3 cm maximum size, for example 1 cm) for example two rows of 10 lunules 73 (2 times 5) staggered, that is to say offset, suitable for being arranged below and vertically in line with the internal wall sections specified below, or directly near towards the interior of the box.

These lunules will allow direct bonding cardboard on cardboard, as described above. More precisely, the box 70 in the form of a tray comprises four rectangular walls formed by two small flaps 74 and two large flaps 75 attached to the bottom 76 by fold or junction lines 77. Each small flap comprises two second rectangular lateral flaps 78, with lower recess 79 for blocking the plate against the bottom as described above. These recesses are substantially rectangular, of width e_ between the extension of the fold line 77 and the lower edge of the flap 78, and extend over the entire length of the second flap 78. The second flaps 78 are also glued to the faces internal of large flaps 75.

The large flaps 75 comprise, on their upper horizontal periphery, third rectangular flaps 81 attached to the latter by double fold lines 82, of thickness equal to or slightly greater than that of the second flaps 78, so as to be folded down , and glued to the external faces 83 directed towards the inside of the box of the second flaps 78, as shown in FIG. 12.

The plastic film 72 previously introduced into the tray formed or secured to the plate 71 before being introduced (see FIG. 11), is thus wedged horizontally between the lower edges 84 of the second flaps 85 and of the third flaps on one more large horizontal distance, the width 1 of the third flaps being calculated to allow said flap to graze and / or also wedge the plate against the bottom on the plastic film.

In practice the third flaps can be folded only after introduction of the film and the plate, thus further consolidating the blocking, which will allow the transport of objects particularly heavy like kitchen utensils for example.

Figures 14 to 17 show another embodiment of the invention. The box 90 is here obtained from a blank 91 in the form of a belt provided with four rectangular flaps 92, 93, 94 and 95 forming the vertical walls of the box obtained from the box. A lateral bonding tab is also provided in a known manner.

Each flap comprises a lower flap, namely the large flaps 92 and 94 each comprise a rectangular flap 96 intended to form the contiguous and flat face of the bottom against which the plate 97 will be locked, and the small flaps 93 and 95 comprise a flap identical 98 of rectangular shape higher than that of the small adjacent flap to which it is attached.

Each flap 98 has a central tab 99 detachable from said flap, but attached by a fold line 100 offset from the junction lines 101, aligned, flaps 92 to 95, with the bottom.

We will now describe the formation of the half-box according to the embodiment of the invention with reference to FIGS. 16A, 16B and 17 first, then 14 and 15.

First fold the flaps 98 (Cf. figure 16B) at 180 ° to come and press them on the faces internal flaps 93 and 95 with which they are for example provisionally secured by dots of adhesive 102.

The tabs 99, for example of rectangular shape, on the other hand remain horizontal in the same plane as the other flaps 96, a complementary recess 99 ′ therefore appearing in said flaps 98.

The box is then formed, for example around a mandrel, the large rectangular flaps 96 being above and the tabs 99 glued below said flaps 96 (see FIG. 17).

We then obtain the half-body of Figure 14.

The plate 97 provided with the film 103, for example of transverse dimension a little less than the length between raised flaps 98 to allow its introduction, is then introduced and comes to block the film 103 on the flat bottom of the box.

Then the flaps 98 are folded down (arrow 104) and come to constitute the means for blocking the plate 97 on the bottom, plate with which they are glued (cf. FIG. 15), the film 103 escaping on the sides as shown on the figure.

In the preferred embodiments of the invention, the film is in one piece.

It could be in two pieces fixed on either side and leaving between the two a space devoid of film allowing an excellent direct bonding of the plate on the bottom. It is important that the top of the bottom is perfectly flat to allow good holding of the film and effective plating completed by bonding of said plate on the film. In the embodiments more particularly described here, the plate is made of corrugated cardboard, the direction of the grooves of which is perpendicular to the contact lines with the first vertical walls between which said plate is inserted, and the plate completely covers the bottom of the body to constitute a double bottom.

We will now describe a method of forming a cardboard packaging box or the like for transporting a load of the type described above with reference to FIG. 18 schematically giving the steps followed.

A first step 110 consists in forming the bottom and the vertical walls of the box which are left open on the top. Such training can for example be carried out around a mandrel from a flap belt as described in documents FR-A-2 629 012 or FR-A-2 665 137.

The blocking means may in this case be either the internal blocking flaps glued to the walls, or snap-fastening means, the whole being completed by bonding through the plastic film (s). Then a composite element is formed (step 111) comprising the plate and the plastic material previously secured at least temporarily to said plate by gluing (step 112). Then, for example, by force or bias plunging (step 113), the composite element is introduced into said box until it comes into locking position in abutment against the bottom of the box, maintaining if necessary the free edges of the plastic film towards outside, for example by blowing nozzles.

We then come (step 114) to place the load in the packaging, we close (115) the ends of the plastic film on it, which is heat sealed at 116, then we perform thermal constriction (step 117) for example by passing through a tunnel heating in a manner known per se.

The packaging is then closed (step 118) by placing the cover and / or simply closing it with gluing if it is upper flaps, before removing (119) the packaging.

Another method consists in introducing the plastic film before introducing the plate.

It thus has better retention of the plastic film when the plate is put in place.

In an advantageous mode, where a mandrel is used before forming the bottom and the walls of said body, the composite element is placed on the bottom of the mandrel and then the body is formed on top.

It is also possible to form the bottom and part of the vertical walls of the box which are left open on the side, to form the composite element comprising the plate and the plastic material secured at least temporarily to said plate and to introduce the composite element. in the said box from the side before closing it, placing the load, heat shrinking and putting on the box cover.

The invention also provides a device for manufacturing a cardboard packaging box or the like for transporting a load, said box comprising a lateral belt formed by at least four vertical walls and a horizontal bottom secured to the belt via junction lines, and a heat-shrinkable plastic film material intended for packaging and holding said load in place. The device will now be described with reference to FIG. 19.

The means which it implements are a combination of known means and / or adapted in a manner accessible to the person skilled in the art seeking to mechanize the manufacture of a box according to the invention, such as tray-forming machines and / or polygonal boxes with four or eight sides around a mandrel. The novelty comes in particular from the application in combination of these machines making it possible to obtain the packaging according to the invention.

The device therefore comprises means 120 for forming the bottom and vertical walls of the box C from blanks F supplied in a known manner, means 121 for presenting a composite element comprising a plate 122 superimposed on the plastic film material 123 advantageously secured at least temporarily to said plate.

The means 121 comprise, for example, a film reel 124, means 125 for piercing orifices, for example by heating, and means 126 for bringing cardboard plate 122 above the film, with bonding by means of injection 127, and means 128 for force or bias introduction of the composite element, comprising for example a rocking arm or a piston, into said box until the heat-shrinkable film is pressed against the inner face of the bottom of the body while letting escape and maintaining (rollers 129) on either side of two opposite edges opposite said plate, curtain portions of free material extending from said edges over a sufficient length to overlap each other by completely enveloping the load and block said load by thermal shrinkage of the film during their folding. The body, for its part, comprises the means specific to pressing said element by pressing on the attached rigid plate.

The device also comprises means 131 for placing the load, means 130 for folding down the film parts on the load, and heat sealing means 132 for said film parts.

1 'over one'.

It then comprises means 133 for thermoconstricting the film and for reclosing by a cover 134 or folding down the flap pre-glued by means 135.

In a variant where the packaging is formed around a mandrel, the means 128 are replaced by means for plating the composite element on the bottom of the mandrel before the box is formed around.

Claims

1. Cardboard packaging box or the like for transporting a load, said box comprising a lateral belt formed by at least four vertical walls (2, 3, 4, 5; 22; 52, 53; 74, 75

; 92, 93, 94, 95) and a horizontal bottom (6; 51; 76; 96, 98) secured to said belt via junction lines (24, 54, 77, 100, 101), a plastic material ( 7, 8, 9; 29, 30; 58; 72

; 103, 123) heat-shrinkable film intended for the packaging and holding in place of said load, at least one attached plate (11, 26, 57, 71, 97, 122), pressing the heat-shrinkable film on the internal face of the bottom of the body, letting on either side of two opposite edges opposite said plate, said transverse edges, portions (8, 9; 29, 30) of curtain of free material s 'extending from said transverse edges over a length sufficient to overlap each other by completely enveloping the load and blocking said load by thermal shrinkage of the film, and means (3, 5; 32; 55; 81; 98) for locking said plate against the bottom, characterized in that the plate is rigid, and in that it is inserted between at least two first opposite vertical walls (3, 5; 22; 53; 75; 92, 94) so that said edges transverse are in contact via the plastic film with at least a portion of the joining lines (24, 54, 77, 101) of said first walls.

2. Box according to claim 1, characterized in that, to constitute at least partially the locking means, the underside of the plate is at least partially directly bonded to the upper face of the bottom of the box, through d '' at least one obviously (38; 73) of the film or on a surface devoid of film.

3. Packaging box according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the locking means are constituted at least in part by said first walls (3, 5), the plate (11, 11 ') being of dimension one little greater than the distance between said first walls so that said plate can only be introduced and then wedged in force between said first walls.

4. Packaging box according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, to constitute at least partially the locking means, the plate comprises on at least one of its two opposite edges, at least one stud (15) , said stud collaborating with a corresponding recess (17) made at the level of the junction line with the bottom of the first wall facing each other, to provide the snap-fastening of the plate a the latter in place against the bottom of the body.

5. Box according to claim 4, characterized in that one recess (17) is constituted by a groove of height at least equal to the thickness of said plate and extending over part of the length of said junction line .

6. Packaging box according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the locking means comprise portions (32) of internal flaps directly bonded to the internal faces of said first vertical walls (22), the lower periphery (34 ) said inner flaps abutting with the upper edges (35) of the plate (26) to ensure said locking.

7. Packaging box according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the locking means comprise flaps (81) attached to the upper peripheries of the first walls by fold lines.

8. Packaging box according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the locking means comprise flaps (78) attached to the lateral peripheries of the second walls directly or indirectly adjacent to the first walls.

9. Packaging box according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the locking means comprise flaps (98) attached to the lower peripheries of the first walls (93, 95) by fold lines (100, 101) forming the lines of junction with the bottom, said flaps each comprising a tab (99) detachable from said flap but remaining attached to said junction lines and fixed to the bottom of the body formed by two other flaps (96), said flaps being folded over the plate (97).

10. Packaging box according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the film of heat-shrinkable material is in one piece.

11. Packaging box according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the plate is made of corrugated cardboard, the direction of the grooves is perpendicular to the contact lines with the first vertical walls between which said plate is inserted.

12. Box according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the plate completely covers the bottom of the box to form a double bottom.

13. Packaging box according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the box is produced at from a blank comprising a series of flaps (22; 92, 93, 94, 95) terminated by a fixing tab, connected to each other by first fold lines (36) parallel to each other, and a first set of side flaps (37; 96, 98) arranged on one side and connected to the main flaps by second fold lines (24, 101) forming said junction lines, perpendicular to the first fold lines and intended to form the at least partially the bottom of the box, said second fold lines (24, 101) being aligned and said box being arranged to be mounted automatically by folding down said flaps and flaps of said first set around a mandrel, the end flap the series of shutters and the tongue on the one hand, and the adjacent flaps on the other hand, being fixed together by gluing to form said box.

14. Box according to claim 13, characterized in that the series comprises eight components, namely four main components separated two by two by four intermediate components.

15. A method of forming a cardboard packaging box or the like for transporting a load, according to any one of the preceding claims.

16. Method according to claim 15, of forming a box, characterized in that forming (110) the bottom and the vertical walls of the box which are left open on top, forming (111) a composite element comprising the plate and the plastic material secured, or not, at least temporarily to said plate and the composite element is introduced (113) forcibly or at an angle into said box until it comes into a locking position in abutment against the bottom of the box before closing (115) the top of said box by folding flaps or fitting of a cover, after introduction (114) of the load and heat sealing.

17. Method according to claim 16, characterized in that the film has been previously perforated to form several orifices (73) aligned or staggered parallel and substantially close to the edges of the plate suitable for facing the junction lines. from the bottom with the first walls, and in that glue is injected through these orifices onto the cardboard of the plate situated below, before pressing the plastic material on the plate and introducing said composite element formed by the plate and film attached to the box

18. Method according to claim 15, characterized in that the bottom and the vertical walls of the box are formed which are left open on top, the plastic material is introduced, then the plate is forcibly introduced onto the plastic material until it comes into the locking position in abutment against the bottom of the box before closing the latter after introduction of the load and heat sealing.

19. The method of claim 15 for forming a box according to any one of claims 13 and 14, characterized in that the bottom and the walls of the box are formed around a mandrel.

20. The method of claim 19, characterized in that, before forming the bottom and the walls of said box, the composite element is pressed on the bottom of the mandrel and then the box is formed above.

21. Method according to claim 15, characterized in that the bottom and part of the vertical walls of the box are formed which are left open on the side, a composite element is formed comprising the plate and the plastic material secured at least temporarily to the said plate and the composite element is introduced into the said box from the side before the box is closed after the load has been placed and heat-sealed.

22. Device for manufacturing a cardboard or similar packaging case for transporting a load, said case comprising a lateral belt formed by at least four walls vertical and of a horizontal bottom secured to said belt via junction lines, and a heat-shrinkable plastic film material intended for the packaging and holding in place of said load, characterized in that it comprises means ( 120) for forming the bottom and the vertical walls of the box, means (121) for presenting a composite element comprising a plate (122) superimposed on the plastic film material (123) advantageously secured at least temporarily to said plate and means (128) for force, slight friction, or biasing introduction of the composite element into said box until the heat-shrinkable film (123) is pressed on the internal face of the bottom of the box sandwiched with said plate by letting escape on either side of two opposite edges opposite said plate, curtain portions of free material extending from said edges over a length sufficient to overlap one by completely enveloping the load and blocking said load by thermal shrinkage of the film, said means being suitable for pressing said element by pressing on the attached rigid plate.

23. Device according to claim 21, characterized in that it comprises means for formation of the bottom and the walls of the body around a mandrel.

24. Device according to claim 23, characterized in that it comprises means for plating the composite element on the bottom of the mandrel.