EP1464586B1

EP1464586B1 - Cover and protection element for ordered groups of containers

Info

Publication number: EP1464586B1
Application number: EP04075903A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Silvano Groppi
Original assignee: TECNOFORM Srl
Current assignee: TECNOFORM Srl
Priority date: 2003-03-31
Filing date: 2004-03-19
Publication date: 2009-11-11
Anticipated expiration: 2024-03-19
Also published as: ITRE20030005U1; ITRE20030005V0; ATE448156T1; DE602004023989D1; EP1464586A1

Abstract

Cover and protection element for ordered groups of containers in the form of packs, comprising at least one pair of adjacent containers (3) of rectangular plan which are each provided with a pouring spout and stopper (31), and kept together by a lateral wrapping band with which a handgrip (5) is associated, said element consisting of a generally flat profiled body (2) to be positioned in the manner of a hood on the top of the pack (1 ), and presenting a plan shape practically equal to that of the pack and a depth at least slightly greater than the height of the stopper, said body being divided into a number of compartments equal to the number of containers. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to an element for covering and protecting the top of an ordered group of articles, typically containers for example of liquid substances.
Hereinafter express reference will be made to parallelepiped cardboard containers of the TETRA BRIK® type carrying at their top a pouring spout with relative closure stopper, however the description is evidently also valid for similar containers, whether of cardboard or not.
Said containers of the TETRA BRIK® type are generally sold in packs comprising an ordered group of adjacent containers, for example of two, four, six or more in number.
Said groups, or packs, are generally maintained rigid by a plastic wrapping band, enabling several groups to be stacked.
Said band is also generally provided with a synthetic tape forming a hand grip for lifting and transporting the pack.
FR 2 034 126 discloses a cover element for a battery of accumulators that comprises a profiled body that is constituted of a relatively rigid material and that allows, by means of its profiled shape, the manual handling of the battery. The profiled shape of the cover comprises a crossed element in a more elevated position and on the sides of which areas are provided for recesses for the caps of the battery. When such packaged batteries are placed one on top of the other, the lower sides of the upper battery engages with planar surfaces belonging to the crossed element. Although this cover is disclosed in connection to a battery, it has the technical features of the preamble of appended claim 1. A second cover element is disclosed in the same document, the cover element having substantially vertical side walls that have gorges suitable for handling the group of containers. This covering element has a substantial thickness and may be realized in a moulding process by expanded polystyrene.
US 3 650 395 discloses a cover and protection element for ordered groups of containers, such as for examples bottles, composed of a top tray, realized from a thin material and having a plurality of shallow depressions to receive the caps of said bottles. Such covering element is completely sustained by the caps of the bottles causing a concentration of weight on said caps and no weight discharge on the sides of the bottles.
An object of the invention is to provide an element able to safeguard the top of the individual containers of said container groups or packs against accidental impact and soiling.
Another object of the invention is to provide a cover element enabling such contained groups to be stacked with uniform weight distribution, while preventing undesirable overlying load concentrations on the stoppers of underlying containers.
Another object is to provide an element able to maintain its correct operating position on the pack even after this latter has been handled.
A further object is to provide a cover element which can be formed quickly, easily and at low cost.
Said objects are attained by virtue of the characterising elements indicated in the claims.
In a totally general sense, the element in question is obtained starting from a generally thin synthetic rectangular sheet which is subjected to thermoforming to obtain a generally flat profiled body, the plan shape of which is practically identical to that of the pack.
Specifically it has the shape of a lid to be positioned in the manner of a hood on the top of the pack, where it covers the upper walls of its constituent containers and the respective accessories such as spouts and stoppers.
Said hood has a depth at least slightly greater than the distance from the bottom to the top of said stoppers.
Said hood is preferably divided into a series of identical compartments, one for each individual container, their plan shape being generally identical to that of this latter.
Preferably the side walls of said compartments have a generally zig-zag, for example undulated, shape in plan view so that at least a part of their free edges can rest alternately on the upper peripheral edges of one and the other of two adjacent containers.
In addition, on the base of at least some of said containers there is preferably provided, by thermoforming, a cap able to receive a respective stopper preferably with clearance.
The characteristics and constructional merits of the invention will be apparent from the ensuing detailed description, given with reference to the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view showing the pack together with an element according to the invention.
Figure 2 is a view of Figure 1 from above.
Figure 3 is a view in the direction III of Figure 2, with the element mounted on the pack.

Said figures, and in particular Figure 1, show a pack, indicated overall by 1, and a cover and protection element indicated overall by 2.
The illustrated pack 1 comprises six identical containers, for example of cardboard lined internally with an aluminium film, its upper walls being flat and each presenting an off-centre pouring spout 30 with a respective closure stopper 31.
The containers can be of any number provided the number is even, for example four or twelve.
The containers are grouped into mutual contact and are kept together by a usual lateral wrapping band 4.
A tape 5, shown only partially as it is of usual type, is associated with the band 4 to centrally connect together the shorter sides of said band 4, in order to form a handgrip for carrying the pack 1 once completed.
The element 2 is intended to be positioned between the top of the pack 1 and said handgrip 5.
Said element 2 consists of a generally flat body obtained by thermoforming from a generally thin sheet of generally rigid flexible synthetic material.
The constituent synthetic material of said starting sheet can be of any type, provided it is suitable for thermoforming.
Said starting sheet can be transparent or non-transparent, and have any thickness suitable for the purpose, such as 0.2-2.0 mm.
The element 2 is shaped overall as an inverted tray, able to act as a hood for the top of the pack 1.
Said tray or hood has a plan shape practically identical to that of the pack 1, which is rectangular, and a depth slightly greater than the distance between the flat upper wall of the containers 3 and the top of the stoppers 31 (see Figure 1).
Said hood is divided into a series of flared compartments 6, one for each container 3, the free edges of their side walls being turned outwards.
By virtue of said turned edges, the hood has a flat perimetral edge 7 along its entire extension, a narrow flat longitudinal strip 70, and two flat transverse strips 71 which intersect the preceding 70.
In addition, in plan view said side walls of said compartments 6 have a generally zig-zag shape.
Certain walls have an undulated shape (see Figures 1 and 3), while others comprise arcuate portions interposed between straight portions.
By virtue of the aforedescribed flat regions which surround the mouths of the compartments 6, the weight due to one or more packs 1 stacked on the first pack of a pile is uniformly distributed along the perimeter of the upper faces of the containers of said first pack 1, and hence advantageously discharged onto the side edges of said containers 3.
In particular the zig-zag shape of the side walls of the compartments 6 enables them to rest alternately on the coplanar upper adjacent edges of the mutually touching side walls between two containers 3.
Moreover, at least some of said compartments 6, in the illustrated example the compartments 6 located at the corners of the element 2, present a cap 8 to receive at least a part of the stopper 31 of the respective container 3.
The cap 8 is obtained by thermoforming the base of the corresponding compartment 6.
Said cap 8 presents a frusto-conical shape with pronounced flaring, to enable it to easily engage the stopper 31 when the element is mounted on the pack 1 by the operator making up this latter.
In addition to safeguarding the integrity and hygiene of the stoppers 31 in combination with the compartments 6, said caps 8 also maintain the thermoformed element 2 in position.
This is also aided by inclined surfaces 9 (Figures 1 and 3) disposed in pairs on one and the other side of the opposing ends of the flat longitudinal strip 70, to form two valleys to be engaged by the grippable upper part of the handgrip 5.
Ribs 11 connecting pairs of compartments together to stiffen the element 2 against flexural and torsional forces are also provided, together with corner notches 10 to facilitate the manipulation and retention of the element 2 along the automatic production lines of the specific sector.
The merits and advantages of the invention are clearly apparent from the aforegoing and from an examination of the accompanying figures.
Finally it should be noted that the flat bottom parts of the compartments 6 advantageously provide surfaces on which publicity or the like can be displayed, for example data relating to the product in the container 3.

Claims

A cover and protection element for ordered groups of containers in the form of packs, comprising at least one pair of adjacent containers (3) of rectangular plan which are each provided with a pouring spout and stopper (31), and kept together by a lateral wrapping band with which a handgrip (5) is associated, consisting of a generally flat profiled body (2) to be positioned in the manner of a hood on the top of the pack (1), and presenting a plan shape practically equal to that of the packs and a depth at least slightly greater than the height of the stopper, said body being divided into a number of compartments equal to the number of containers, characterised in that the side walls of said compartments have their free edges turned outwards to provide respective regions for resting on the upper walls of the containers.
An element as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that said walls have in plan view a generally zig-zag shape dimensioned to enable the wall to rest alternately on one and on the other upper facing edge of two adjacent containers.
An element as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that at least some of said compartments present, on their base, a cap arranged to receive the stopper of the respective container with clearance.
An element as claimed in claim 1, characterised by comprising, at the centre of those two sides of the body which face the connection points of the handgrip, respective depressions (9) for receiving and retaining said handgrip.
An element as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that at least some of said compartments are connected together by stiffening ribs.
An element as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the side walls of at least some of said compartments are provided with engagement means to enable the body to be manipulated automatically.