EP1388498B1 - Closure and locking system for flaps of a packaging made of semi-rigid material - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a system for closing and locking the outer flaps of a packaging made of a semi-rigid material such as cardboard or corrugated cardboard. The invention also relates to packages made of a semi-rigid material comprising this locking system, such a package is described in US 6,135,347 and corresponds to the preamble of claim 1.

Many corrugated cardboard packages have four side walls hinged together by parallel ups and arranged perpendicular to each other, and rectangular flaps hinged to these walls by upsetting perpendicular to the previous, arranged substantially in the same plane at the base and / or at the upper part of these walls. These flaps are called flaps in the art, because they are intended to be folded perpendicularly to the adjoining walls, to be then assembled together to close the package at its base, where they form the bottom thereof, and / or to its upper part, after filling the package.

In the closed position, two of these flaps, of small dimensions, adjacent to two parallel walls of the package, are arranged in the same plane inside the package, while two other flaps, of larger dimensions, adjacent to the other two walls, are arranged edge to edge on the outside of the package, where they cover the small flaps. These outer flaps are locked in the folded position by various means known in the art, including by gluing or agraying on the inner flaps, or using adhesive tapes covering the contiguous edges of the outer flaps.

The present invention aims to provide a locking system in position of these outer flaps, which can be implemented easily, manually or mechanically, without increased consumption of the material, semi-rigid used.

For this purpose, the subject of the invention is a package made of a semi-rigid material of the type defined above, characterized in that the internal flaps have dimensions such that only an outer flap comes into contact with them in the folded position, while that the other outer flap is not only hinged by a creasing on a wall of the package, but is also; adjoining next, its side edges perpendicular to this upsetting to the two contiguous walls by means of a bellows-forming articulation, each articulation comprising a portion articulated by an upstanding along a lateral edge of the outer flap and able to be brought in the same plane as the adjacent internal flap. , and a portion articulated by an upsetting according to the upper part of the contiguous wall and can also be brought in the same plane as the adjacent inner flap, the two parts of the bellows being hinged together by an upstanding at an angle of 45 ° with the lateral edge of the outer flap and with the upper edge of the contiguous wall, so as to be folded against each other and against the outer face of this contiguous wall when the outer flap is brought into the folded position perpendicularly to the associated wall, the portion of the bellows hinged to the contiguous wall comprising a T-shaped locking lug, ui, in the folded position of the bellows against the contiguous wall, is opposite an opening of this wall, the dimensions of this opening being such that the portion of the tab corresponding to the head of the T must be deformed to be introduced therein , then resume its original shape by elasticity, to be locked in position, also locking the corresponding outer flap in the folded position.

Preferably, this outer flap has dimensions such that in the folded position, it overlaps on the other outer flap in the folded position and thus keeps it locked in this position.

Advantageously, the T-shaped tab is hinged to the adjoining part of the bellows by an upset, allowing to fold the tab against the inner face of the contiguous wall, after introduction into the opening thereof, to ensure a better locking of the paw inside the package.

The opening for receiving the locking lug may be a gripping cut formed in the usual manner in the corresponding wall.

A retractable flap, articulated by a recess on this wall, can be provided to close the opening in which is engaged the locking tab to increase the safety of this lock.

• La figure 1 est une vue en perspective d'un emballage en carton ondulé ouvert, comportant le système, de verrouillage conforme à l'invention ;
• La figure 2 montre cet emballage en cours de fermeture ;
• La figure 3 est une vue en perspective de l'emballage fermé ;
• La figure 4 est une vue partielle à plus grande échelle illustrant l'introduction d'une patte de verrouillage de cet emballage dans l'ouverture de paroi destinée à la recevoir ;
• La figure 5 est une vue partielle à plus grande échelle d'une autre ouverture de paroi apte à recevoir une patte de verrouillage de l'emballage.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear in the following detailed description of embodiments of the invention. of the invention. In this description, reference will be made to the attached schematic drawings, in which:

• Figure 1 is a perspective view of an open corrugated cardboard packaging, comprising the locking system according to the invention;
• Figure 2 shows this packaging being closed;
• Figure 3 is a perspective view of the closed package;
• Figure 4 is a partial view on a larger scale illustrating the introduction of a locking tab of this package in the wall opening for receiving it;
• Figure 5 is a partial view on a larger scale of another wall opening adapted to receive a locking tab of the package.

Reference is made first to FIGS. 1 to 4.

The bottom of the packaging was not figured because it can be absolutely any (automatic bottom, semi-automatic, flaps, etc ...).

This package comprises four rectangular walls hinged together by parallel upsets, namely two longitudinal walls 1 and two transverse walls 2 perpendicular to the previous, the four walls being perpendicular to the bottom and adjacent to parts thereof.

Two rectangular flaps 3 are hinged to the upper part of the walls 1 by upsetting perpendicular to those by which the walls 1 and 2 are hinged together.

Similarly, two flaps 4 are articulated by upsets to the upper part of walls 2.

The shutters 3 and 4 can thus be folded perpendicular to the adjoining walls to close the package and, in this position, the flaps 3 are above the flaps 4. This is why the flaps 3 are called external flaps and flaps 4 internal flaps.

The internal flaps 4 are usually articulated on the walls 2 along the entire length of these walls, but here, for the reasons that will be explained below, they extend only along about a part of this length and only one external flaps 3 comes to their contact in the folded position.

Indeed, according to the present invention, the other flap 3 is connected to each wall 2 contiguous by a bellows hinge, which comprises a first portion 5, articulated by an upstanding along a side edge of the flap 3, and a second, part 6, hinged to the upper part of the wall 2 contiguous by an upsetting arranged in the extension of that by which the inner flap 4 contiguous is hinged to the same wall 2. The parts 5 and 6 are hinged together by a 45 ° angle with those by which these parts 5 and 6 are hinged to the flap 3 and the wall 2. It is thus possible to fold the parts 5 and 6 against each other and against the face external wall 2, while bringing the outer flap 3 in the closed position, folded perpendicularly to the wall 1.

It can therefore be considered that the parts 5 and 6 are cut portions in the usual internal flaps which extend along the entire upper part of the walls 2, and that the embodiment of the bellows thus consumes no more corrugated cardboard than the internal flaps of the technique.

A tab 7 T-shaped is cut in the portion 5 of the bellows joint, in a position such that, when the flap 3 is in the folded position, with the bellows folded outside the wall 2, this tab 7 is opposite an opening 8 formed in corresponding position in this wall 2.

As seen in Figure 4, the dimensions of the opening 8 are such that the ends of the bar T of the tab 7 must be folded to be introduced into the opening, these ends then returning to their original position due to the elasticity of the carton, and thus locking the tab 7 inside the package.

The flap 3 adjoining the bellows is thus locked in the folded position and, as its dimensions are such that, in this position, it covers the contiguous portion of the second flap 3, also in the folded position, it is also locked in this portion.

As shown in Figure 4, upsets may be provided on the T bar of the tabs 7 to promote their introduction into the associated openings 8.

Advantageously, the tabs 7 are themselves hinged on the part 5 of the bellows by an upsetting facilitating their introduction into the openings 8 and to bring them in contact with the inner face of the corresponding wall 2, to improve the security lock.

The operations of setting up the legs 7 in their housing are obviously very simple and can be done manually or mechanically.

The openings 8 can be simple gripping cuts, as already exists on the packaging.

As shown in FIG. 5, each cutout 8 can be closed off by a shutter 9 of complementary shape, articulated by an upstanding along an edge of the cutout and able to retract into the inside of the package to let the locking lug 7, to then return substantially to its initial position and prevent any accidental release of this lug outside the package.

Claims (6)

1. Packaging of a semi-rigid material such as cardboard or corrugated cardboard, this packaging comprising one or more bottom parts, four side walls (1, 2) hinged to these bottom parts and perpendicular thereto, these side walls (1, 2) being of the same height relative to the bottom parts and each one of them being perpendicular to the contiguous walls, two panels (4) of small dimensions hinged by score lines to the top of two parallel walls (2) and capable of being brought into a position perpendicular to these walls, forming inner flaps, and two panels (3) of larger dimensions hinged by score lines to the top of the other two walls (1) and capable of being brought into a position perpendicular to these walls, forming outer flaps which come into contact with the flaps (4) and cover them, said packaging being characterised in that the inner flaps (4) have dimensions such that only one outer flap (3) comes into contact with them in the folded-over position, while the other outer flap (3) is not only hinged by a score line to a wall (1) of the packaging but also, along its lateral edges perpendicular to this score line, adjoins the two contiguous walls (2) through the intermediary of a joint element forming a gusset, each joint element comprising a part (5) hinged by a score line along a lateral edge of this outer flap (3) and capable of being brought into the same plane as the contiguous inner flap (4) and a part (6) hinged by a score line along the top of the contiguous wall (2) and capable of likewise being brought into the same plane as the contiguous inner flap (4), the two parts (5, 6) of the gusset being hinged together by a score line forming an angle of 45° with the lateral edge of the outer flap (3) and with the top edge of the contiguous wall (2), in such a way as to be able to folded one against the other and against the outer face of said contiguous wall when said outer flap is brought into a position where it is folded over perpendicularly to the associated wall, the part (5) of the gusset hinged to the contiguous wall comprising a locking tab (7) in the form of a T which, in the position where the gusset is folded against the contiguous wall (2), is positioned opposite an opening (8) in said wall (2), the dimensions of said opening (8) being such that the part of the tab (7) corresponding to the cross-stroke of the T has to be deformed in order to be introduced therein, in order thereafter resiliently to reassume its initial shape, so as in this way to be locked in place, likewise locking the corresponding outer flap (3) in the folded-over position.
2. Packaging according to claim 1, characterised in that the outer flap (3) adjoining the gusset (5, 6) has dimensions such that, in the folded-over position, it partly overlaps the other flap (3) in the folded-over position, thereby locking it in place.
3. Packaging according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterised in that the T-shaped tab (7) is hinged by a score line to the adjoining part (5) of the gusset.
4. Packaging according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the ends of the cross-stroke part of the T of the locking tab (7) are hinged to said part by score lines.
5. Packaging according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that each opening (8) in the walls (2) designed to receive the associated locking tab (7) is a packaging handle cut-out.
6. Packaging according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that a flap (9) substantially complementary in shape to the shape of the openings (8) is hinged by a score line along one edge of said opening.

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