EP1121304B1 - Product packaging under film-sealed shell - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns a product packaging comprising a shell (1) forming at least a raised part (11) and a sealing film (2) linked to the shell, but not at the level of at least said raised part, to form at least a product reservoir, the shell (1) being at least partially covered by at least one flap (3). The invention is characterised in that said flap is integral with the shell and/or the film by two opposite edges.

Description

The present invention relates to product packaging, which can be both a liquid and a solid, in one or more tanks formed by a shell covered by a film. This kind of inexpensive packaging is often distributed as a product sample for promotional purposes. The present invention therefore finds a privileged application in the fields of perfumery and cosmetic. The products thus packaged can be of any kind, such as example of perfumes, creams, lipsticks or even eyeshadows.

A simple technique widely used to package such products in the form of samples consists of thermoforming a plastic sheet so as to make a shell defining at least one concave part which is filled with the desired product, an opercular film then being welded to the shell, but not at the level of the concave part, so that the film defines with the shell at least one reservoir. The shell thus generally defines two zones, a flat zone at which the film opercular is welded, and one or more raised zones which define the tanks. In general, the opercular film constitutes the back of the packaging, so that the thermoformed shell defines the top on which the brand and the nature of the product are for example indicated. The thermoformed shell thus constitutes a support advertising or promotional for the manufacturer or distributor of the product as well conditioning.

However, the domed area of the thermoformed shell considerably limits the advertising support plan which is often reduced to the least profiled central part. In addition, the fact that this area is not flat, this causes difficulties as to printing or sticking the label indicating the nature and brand of the product. In outside of this central, still domed area, it is not possible to use a other area of the hull to display indications relating to the product. Indeed, the flat area surrounding the curved area is limited since it only defines a flange of narrow width which extends around the convex zone which defines the tank. On the other hand, due to the technique used, i.e. thermoforming, it is not possible to make a shell with a desired aesthetic appearance, because the profile area which forms the reservoir must be surrounded in this peripheral flat area which seriously harms the aesthetics. This peripheral planar zone is indeed necessary for welding the lidding film which closes the tank.

In addition, the use of the bottom, that is to say the opercular film as a support display, is practically not feasible or at least unsightly. Indeed, the film in its part where it completes the tank does not have a perfectly surface flat, rather deformed or wavy. On the other hand, in its part welded to the hull, the film has an embossed surface unsuitable for printing. The opercular film does not form therefore not a good support surface for affixing indications relating to the product.

We know from document US-4 169 531 a packaging of tablets comprising a thermoformed shell defining raised portions forming reservoirs for individual tablets. The shell also forms a flap of protection in the form of a cover hinged on one edge which can be folded down on the individual tanks. A seal is applied to the tanks to isolate them others. To remove a tablet from its reservoir, first open the cover and press with a finger on a raised part of the tank, which causes the rupture of the seal. The hinged cover is therefore only intended to prevent any accidental sinking of a tank. Once opened, it no longer offers a surface suitable for affixing indications.

On the other hand, document US-A-5 344 018 describes a fluid dispenser comprising a shell forming a raised part and an opercular film connected to the shell, but not at the level of said raised portion to form a reservoir of product fluid, said raised part defining an actuating wall for extracting produced by pressure on said reservoir, through an outlet orifice. The preamble to the main claim is based on this document.

The object of the present invention is to remedy the aforementioned drawbacks of the art previous by defining a product packaging which on the one hand offers better aesthetic appearance and which, on the other hand, defines a more adequate adequate support area for the indication of the brand and the nature of the product.

To achieve this goal, the present invention provides product packaging. comprising a shell forming at least one raised part and an opercular film connected to the shell, but not at the level of said at least one raised part, to form at least a product reservoir, the hull being at least partially covered by at least one flap, said flap being integral with the shell and / or the film by two opposite edges. So, this flap mask on the one hand the sometimes unsightly tank and on the other hand offers a zone of larger support.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, the flap can be formed by the opercular film, the shell, or both. The flap is then presented in the form an extension and an extension of the film and / or the shell which is brought back onto the shell by pivoting or folding along a joint. The edge opposite the joint is then permanently secured to the shell and / or the film. he it is indeed a final fixation so that the flap permanently hides the shell.

According to another embodiment, the flap can be formed by a sheet separate that we came to attach to the shell or film. In this case, although the term "flap", it is actually an attached sheet independent of the hull or movie.

According to an aesthetic embodiment, the flap can be provided with at least a window at the level of the tank so as to reveal in an aesthetic manner a part of the hull. This window can advantageously have an aesthetic form such as the outline of a perfume bottle in the case of a perfume sample.

On the other hand, the raised part can define an actuating wall for extracting of the product by pressing on said reservoir advantageously through a nozzle spray. The method of extracting the product from the tank is largely depending on the nature of the packaged product, whether liquid, pasty or solid. In in this case, the actuation wall is driven through the flap. According to a embodiment, part of the cover film may be peelable to open directly the tank or reveal an outlet orifice, for example that of a sprinkler.

The invention will now be described more fully with reference to the drawings. joints giving by way of nonlimiting example several embodiments of the invention.

• la figure 1 est une vue schématique en perspective d'un conditionnement de produit selon une première forme de réalisation de l'invention,
• les figures 2 et 4 sont des vues en section transversale à travers un conditionnement de produit selon une troisième forme de réalisation,
• les figures 3a et 3b sont des représentations agrandies de détails de la figure 3, et
• la figure 5 est une vue en section transversale à travers un conditionnement selon une troisième forme de réalisation.

In the drawings:

• FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a product packaging according to a first embodiment of the invention,
• FIGS. 2 and 4 are views in cross section through a product packaging according to a third embodiment,
• FIGS. 3a and 3b are enlarged representations of details of FIG. 3, and
• Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view through a package according to a third embodiment.

In this first embodiment shown in Figure 1, the product packaging can be a fluid sample, such as perfume. The packaging consists essentially of two elements, namely a thermoformed shell designated as a whole by the reference numeral 1 and an opercular film 2.

The shell, which can advantageously be produced by thermoforming, comprises a flat zone 12 which extends all around a central raised zone 11. This zone in relief 11 therefore forms a sort of dome which defines the volume of the reservoir in which the product is stored, perfume in this case. To complete the tank, the film opercular 2 is made integral with the flat area 12, but not with the raised area 11. It it is therefore essential that the flat zone 12 extends over the entire periphery of the relief zone 11. For the distribution of the perfume, the zone or part in relief 11 is provided with a outlet port 112 which may advantageously be an orifice of a nozzle spray placed inside the tank. For the extraction of the perfume through this orifice 112, part of the raised area 11 defines an actuating wall 111 that can be pushed in with a finger, for example the thumb, to exert pressure on the perfume contained in the tank. It is therefore advantageous if the shell is made from a relatively rigid but still flexible plastic material allowing the raised area 11 to regain its original shape after pressing the actuating wall 111.

Until then, this product packaging is of a completely conventional type which is widely used for perfume samples.

According to the invention, this packaging is provided with a flap 3 intended to cover at least part of the shell 1 defined by its planar zone 12 and its raised zone 11. This flap 3 is in the embodiment of Figure 1 in the form of a extension of the complex formed by the shell 1 and the cover film 2 therein heat sealed. The flap 3 is therefore made in one piece with the complex 1, 2 defining the reservoir. For this, the shell is extended upwards by a part 13 connecting the flat area 12 via a section portion 14. So similar, the cover film is extended upwards by a flap part 23 which connects part 22 of film 2 which forms the bottom by a portion of edge 24. The part of edge 14, 24 is articulated with respect to the flat part 12, 22 along a line articulation defined by the upper edge of the packaging area defining the tank. In addition, the flap in its area 13 is articulated relative to the part of section 14, 24 around a line of articulation parallel to that shared by the part of edge 13, 24 with the flat area 12, 22. Thus, the flap 3 is brought back by a double pivoting on the part of the shell forming the tank, so as to hide the product tank.

Because it is flat, the flap 3 offers an extended area which can be used for the registration of the brand and the nature of the product. In the example in Figure 1, the flap 3 is pierced with a window 25 which, once the flap 3 returned to the tank, leaves appear part of it. The shape of window 25 can advantageously have an aesthetic appearance, for example that of a perfume bottle. Indeed, the window 25 can be dimensioned so that it reveals the dispensing orifice 112 and advantageously, the actuating wall 111.

In this embodiment, the packaging is also provided with a heel 4 also defined by the complex formed by the shell 1 and the film 2. The heel 4 is has the form of a flap which constitutes a retaining angle for the free end of the flap 3 when it is brought back to the reservoir. Heel 4 is like this formed of a heel part 16 formed by an extension of the flat area 12 and a heel part 26 formed by an extension of the bottom 22 formed by the film Opercular.

This embodiment for a perfume distributor is largely inspired by the packaging of matches in the form of pouches. According to the invention, the flap 3 is permanently attached to heel 4, for example by gluing, the distribution of the perfume being possible through the window 25. The flap 3 therefore constitutes a fixed wall which at least partially covers the tank. The flap 3 and the heel 4 define a support area for the registration of the brand and the nature of the product in addition of the area of the raised part 11 which is visible through the window 25. The flap 3 hides the unsightly aspects of the shell 1 while increasing the area usable for affixing the brand and the nature of the product.

In the second embodiment shown in Figures 2, 3a, 3b and 4, it this is a sample of a fluid product such as a perfume or a cream capable of being extracted by pressure on an actuating wall formed by the shell. As in the first embodiment of FIG. 1, this packaging comprises a thermoformed shell defining a peripheral planar zone 12 at the center of which projects a dome 11 defining with the opercular film 2 in its bottom part 22 the tank in which the fluid product is stored. In the initial state shown in the figure 4, the outlet orifice 121 of this sample is closed by an anachable tab or foldable 17 along a breaking or folding line 122. At the orifice of outlet 121, the thermoformed shell defines an outlet conduit 113 which can advantageously be provided with a nozzle in the case of a sprayable product.

According to the invention, this sample is provided with a flap 3 formed by the film opercular 2 in the form of a lateral extension 23 which covers the whole of the reservoir defined by the raised part 11 with the exception of the end of the outlet channel 113 which defines the outlet orifice 121. The flap 23 formed by the opercular film 2 extends therefore from one side edge of the flat part 12 to the other side edge where it is fixed by example by gluing or heat sealing on the bottom part 22 of the opercular film 2. A For this purpose, the flap 3 defines a lateral fixing strip 27 which is applied to the bottom part 22 as can be seen more precisely in FIG. 3a. The flap 3 permanently covers the fluid reservoir so that the actuation of the distributor by pressing in of the part 11 takes place through the flap 3, the orifice of exit 121 not being masked by the latter. The flap 3 hides all of the unsightly spaces of the hull 1 and also offers a very large area for a position of the brand and the nature of the product.

In these two embodiments, the flap 3 is produced by an extension of the shell, the film or the complex produced by the shell and the film. Although these modes of are preferred, it is also possible within the framework of the invention to form a flap from a sheet that is attached to the shell or film, as can be seen in Figure 4 where a flexible sheet is attached to the shell at the flat area 12.

Claims (7)

1. A fluid product sample comprising a shell (1) forming a portion in relief (11) and a sealing film (2) connected to the shell except at said portion in relief, so as to form a fluid product reservoir, the shell (1) being covered at least in part by a flap (3), said flap being integral with or secured to the shell and/or the film via two opposite edges, said portion in relief (11) defining an actuating wall (111) for extracting product by pressing on said reservoir, the product being extracted via an outlet orifice (112), characterized in that the flap permanently covers said actuating wall (111) so that said actuating wall (111) is pushed in through the flap.
2. Product sample according to claim 1, in which the flap (3) is formed by the sealing film (2).
3. Product sample according to claim 1, in which the flap is formed by the shell (1).
4. Product sample according to claim 1, in which the flap is formed by the film and by the shell.
5. Product sample according to claim 1, in which the flap is formed by a sheet fixed to the shell or to the film.
6. Product sample according to any preceding claim, in which the flap is provided with at least one window (25) at said at least one reservoir.
7. Product sample according to any preceding claim, in which at least one portion of the sealing film can be peeled off.

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