EP1574441A1 - Sleeve of semi rigid material for protecting and locating an oblong article inside a package - Google Patents

Abstract

The box has a panel (9) with shutters (11, 15) at its respective ends. The shutter (11) transversally closes the end of the box. A locking unit maintains the shutter (11) in upright position. The shutter (15) has a cut out (6) receiving a projecting part such as neck, of an object. A shutter (17) is joined on the object by a folding line applied against the inner side of a panel (1) opposite to the panel (9). An independent claim is also included for a blank for fabricating an open-end box.

Description

The present invention relates to a sheath made of a semi-rigid material such as cardboard or corrugated cardboard for the protection and wedging an oblong object, in particular a bottle, inside a conditioning. The invention also relates to a pre-cut blank and repressed, a semi-rigid material for the realization of this sheath.

It is common to stay in cardboard packaging, corrugated board or the like, a single bottle, which is then conveyed in that package to the addressee or up to an exhibition space for sale.

During transport and handling, the bottle must be protected against external shocks received by the packaging. It must, in besides, be perfectly wedged inside of it.

In order to meet these requirements, the Applicant has already proposed in its French patent application FR-A-2 719 563, a device made of a semi-rigid material, such as cardboard or cardboard corrugated, for the protection and setting of a bottle inside a conditioning, this device comprising four panels substantially rectangular, adjoining each other by upsetting longitudinally substantially parallel, so that they can be folded around the bottle, in contact with it, to form a sheath protection of this bottle, this device being characterized in that comprises, at each end of each of said panels, a first flap adjoining the panel associated with at least one fold line transverse substantially perpendicular to the fold lines longitudinal, this first component can be folded against the face external panel adjoining not facing the bottle, to form an extra thickness on the outside of this panel and thus avoid contact direct between this panel and the packaging.

By providing an articulated flap at each end of the panels of the device and folding it against the outer face of this panel, that is to say against the non-facing side of the bottle housed in the sheath made up of these panels, we thus perfectly bottle and its sheath in the associated packaging and avoids any direct transmission to the bottle or to the panels in contact with it shocks received by the packaging during operations transportation or handling.

In this device, the flaps arranged at the ends of the panels can be attached to each other laterally by fold lines arranged in the extension of those by which the panels are adjoining each other.

In a preferred embodiment described in FR-A-2 719 563, the first component attached to each end of the panels is extended by a second component, adjacent to this first component by at least one fold line perpendicular to the fold lines longitudinal between panels, so that it can be folded and pinched between the first associated flap and the outer face of the panel corresponding.

In this embodiment, the extra thickness is thus increased. constituted by the two overlapping wings, at each end of panels, resulting in a better fit of the scabbard constituted by these panels and better protection of the bottle housed in this sheath.

The second flaps can be sideways to each other by folding lines arranged in the extension of those by which the panels are adjacent to each other, whereas for facilitate the shaping of the device, a cut can advantageously laterally separate the first contiguous flaps.

• verrouiller le fourreau en position montée, alors que le fourreau précédemment décrit est dépourvu de tout moyen de verrouillage ;
• ménager à une extrémité du fourreau un moyen apte à s'opposer au passage de la bouteille qu'il contient, lorsque ce fourreau est manipulé en position verticale, pour être introduit verticalement dans un conditionnement ouvert vers le haut, alors que le fourreau précédemment décrit était disposé à l'horizontale dans son conditionnement.

While continuing its studies on this type of sheath, the Applicant then brought to it various improvements, aiming in particular to:

• lock the sheath in mounted position, while the sleeve described above is devoid of any locking means;
• to provide at one end of the sheath means adapted to oppose the passage of the bottle that it contains, when the sheath is manipulated in a vertical position, to be introduced vertically into an upwardly open package, whereas the sheath previously described was arranged horizontally in its packaging.

For this purpose, in his French patent application No. 03.13231, filed on November 12, 2003 and not published on the filing date of the present application, it has described a sheath of the general type described above, intended to envelop an oblong object such as a bottle, this sleeve being characterized in that it comprises a means of locking in mounted position forming a body with at least one of said panels.

This locking means can be of any type known per se, but, in a particularly simple embodiment, at least one leg is cut in a first panel of the sheath comprising a free longitudinal edge, while in a panel contiguous to the preceding and also having a free longitudinal edge, is provided at least one cutout intended to receive the leg of the first panel folded towards the inside of the sleeve against the face of the panel to which it is attached, the shape and dimensions of the cut being such that the associated leg can only be engaged after having been warped or otherwise distorted, the paw then taking its shape because of the relative elasticity of the carton, to be locked in position by the cut.

The tab and the cutout may have for example the general shape of a T , and the tab may in particular be hinged to the panel from which it is derived by a push parallel to those by which the panels are hinged together.

This mode of locking is particularly advantageous, since the leg and the cut-out intended to receive it are arranged in sheath panels and therefore do not consume any quantity additional semi-rigid material.

In addition, the tab can be manually deformed to be introduced into the cut and the locking of the sheath is therefore particularly easy to implement.

The present invention relates to a sheath of the same general type, but equipped with shutters able to close the ends of the sheath corresponding to the bottom and neck of the bottle.

The invention also aims to provide in one of these components a setting means in position of the neck of the bottle.

The invention finally aims to propose a sheath of this type suitable for adapt to bottles whose body and / or neck have diameters different.

• à une extrémité correspondant au fond de l'objet oblong à conditionner dans le fourreau, un volet articulé par une ligne de pliage transversale sur ce cinquième panneau et redressé perpendiculairement à celui-ci, afin d'obturer transversalement l'extrémité correspondante du fourreau, un moyen usuel de verrouillage étant prévu pour maintenir ce volet en position redressée ;
• à l'autre extrémité de ce cinquième panneau un volet articulé sur celui-ci par une ligne de pliage transversale et redressé perpendiculairement au panneau attenant à l'intérieur du fourreau, ce volet comportant une découpe ou des amorces d'une découpe destinée à recevoir une partie en saillie de l'objet oblong conditionné, notamment le col d'une bouteille, un second volet articulé sur le précédent par une ligne de pliage étant appliqué contre la face interne du panneau opposé au cinquième panneau.

For this purpose, the subject of the invention is a sheath made of a semi-rigid material such as cardboard or corrugated board of the general type described above, for the protection and wedging of an oblong object, in particular a bottle, inside a packaging, characterized in that it comprises a fifth panel adjoining one of the other four panels by a fold line parallel to those by which these panels are hinged together, this fifth panel being applied against the internal face of one of the four panels arranged perpendicular to that to which this fifth panel is attached, this fifth panel comprising:

• at one end corresponding to the bottom of the oblong object to be conditioned in the sheath, a flap hinged by a transverse fold line on this fifth panel and straightened perpendicular thereto, in order to seal transversely the corresponding end of the sheath, common locking means being provided to maintain this flap in the rectified position;
• at the other end of this fifth panel a flap hinged thereto by a transverse fold line and straightened perpendicular to the panel adjoining the inside of the sheath, this flap comprising a cutout or primers of a cutout intended to receive a protruding portion of the oblong conditioned object, in particular the neck of a bottle, a second flap hinged on the preceding by a fold line being applied against the inner face of the panel opposite the fifth panel.

Alternatively, the flap intended to be applied against the inner face opposite panel to the fifth panel may have a transversal upset, to straighten the end of this component perpendicular to the different panels, so as to close the corresponding end of the sheath.

To maintain in position the shutter closing transversely sheath at one end, one can provide an additional flap articulated on it by a transverse fold line and coming apply against the inner face of the opposite panel. In this pane may be cut one or more sections joining the folding line by which it is articulated on the attached flap, this fold line which may also include a cut line in order to allow this component to deform, to adapt to the diameter of the bottom of the oblong conditioned object.

At the opposite end of the scabbard, the flap adjoining the one which is cut out and which is applied against the face internal part of an opposite panel of the sheath can advantageously be locked in position by a tongue protruding perpendicularly from this panel towards the inside of the sheath.

To keep the sheath in the assembled position, an organ of locking, in particular a tongue, can advantageously be cut in the panel against an inner face of which is applied the fifth panel and be articulated on the one from which it is derived by a folding line parallel to those by which the panels are articulated together, so that they can be folded towards the inside of the sheath through a cutout formed in the fifth panel and to be engaged after warping or folding in a cutout of smaller dimensions in the panel adjacent to the fifth panel, to protrude outwardly of the sheath.

The pre-cut and repressed blank made of a semi-rigid material such as the cardboard or corrugated cardboard from which the sheath conforming to the invention constitutes another object of this invention.

La figure 1 est une vue en plan du flan de carton ondulé prédécoupé et refoulé dont est issue cette forme de réalisation du fourreau conforme à l'invention ;

Les figures 2 à 6 sont des vues en perspective illustrant différentes phases successives de mise en forme et d'assemblage du fourreau à partir du flan de la figure 1 ;

La figure 7 est une vue en perspective du fourreau ainsi réalisé ;

La figure 8 est une vue en perspective illustrant la mise en place d'un fourreau conforme à l'invention dans un conditionnement ;

Les figures 9 et 10 sont des vues équivalentes aux figures 1 et 2 d'une variante, respectivement, du flan de départ et du fourreau conforme à l'invention, dans une seconde forme de réalisation.

Other features and advantages of the invention will emerge from the following description of an embodiment thereof. In this description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the corrugated cardboard blank pre-cut and discharged from which this embodiment of the sleeve according to the invention follows;

Figures 2 to 6 are perspective views illustrating different successive phases of shaping and assembly of the sleeve from the blank of Figure 1;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the sleeve thus produced;

Figure 8 is a perspective view illustrating the introduction of a sleeve according to the invention in a package;

Figures 9 and 10 are views equivalent to Figures 1 and 2 of a variant, respectively, of the starting blank and the sleeve according to the invention, in a second embodiment.

As described in the prior art mentioned above, the corrugated cardboard blank shown in Figure 1 includes four identical rectangular panels, 1, hinged together according to their longitudinal edges by parallel upsets 2, allowing fold all the panels 1 perpendicular to each other others around a bottle not shown.

At each end of the panels is pivotally mounted a first part 3, around two parallel Upset 4, 4b, perpendicular to Upset 2. One could use a single upsetting, but by using two, separated by a narrow band, it is possible, in a manner known per se, to take into account the thickness of the corrugated board.

Similarly, the first sections 3 are extended by a second flap 6 hinged to the previous one by two parallel Upset 7, 7b, perpendicular to the lines 2 and separated by a narrow strip.

As seen in Figure 1, the second flaps 6 are folded against the first associated shutters 3, the shutters 3 then being folded down against the face of the panels 1 not turned towards the inside of the sheath formed by these panels, to pinch the shutters 6 between the shutters 3 and the panels 1. The shutters 6 and folded associated with a panel 1 are articulated on the adjacent flaps 6 and they are thus maintained mutually in position, because of the elasticity of corrugated cardboard, without no locking system.

In the embodiment shown, the flaps 6 are of preferably articulated together by fold lines arranged in the extension of the upsets 2, while the adjacent shutters 3 are separated by cutouts 8, to facilitate the folding of the shutters.

According to the invention, a fifth panel 9 is articulated on one of the panels 1 by a fold line 10 parallel to 2 and is straightened perpendicularly to this panel 1 for come to be applied against the inner face of a panel 1 contiguous to previous, in the mounted position of the sheath.

On this panel 9, a flap 11 is hinged by a transverse fold line perpendicular to Upset 2 and 10 and disposed substantially at the level of lines 4 a, 4 b, this flap 11 having such dimensions that after being straightened perpendicularly to 9 panel, it at least partially closes the sleeve at the bottom of the bottle to be packaged in this sleeve.

On the flap 11, a flap 12 is articulated by a transverse fold line, that is to say perpendicular to the ups and downs 2, this flap 12 being intended to be engaged in the sleeve by the corresponding end thereof to come to bear against the inner face of the panel 1 opposite the panel 5, in order to lock the flap 11 in transverse position. To facilitate insertion of the flap 12 into the sheath, it can be divided into two parts 12 a, 12 b, by a folding line perpendicular to Upset 2.

As seen in Figure 1, the portion 12a can comprise a cutting line 13 parallel to Upset 2, while cut line 14 is formed in the central portion of upsetting by which the flap 11 and the portion 12 has are articulated between them. Obliquely arranged ups and downs furthermore bring together the ends of the cutting lines 13 and 14, all this to provide the flap 12 with a possibility of deformation in order to adapt to bottoms of bottles of different diameters.

At the other end of the panel 9, a flap 15 having a cutout 16 intended to receive the neck of the bottle packaged in the sheath is articulated by a fold line perpendicular to the upsetting 2, to straighten the flap 15 transversely to the inside of the sheath.

A flap 17 articulated on the flap 15 by a fold line perpendicular to the upsets 2, comes to apply inside the sleeve against the inner face of the panel 1 opposite the panel 9, in to lock the flap 15 in a position perpendicular to the panel 9. This flap itself abuts against a tongue 18 protruding inside the sleeve from panel 1 opposite the panel 9. One could, of course, use another means of blocking the flap 17, from the latter or the panel 1 opposite the panel 9, for keep it upright.

It will be noted that cutting lines starting from the cutout 6 and diverging towards the outside of it allow it to adapt to bottle necks of different diameters.

As shown, the flap 17 may optionally include a transverse fold line 26 delimiting at its end a portion of dimensions substantially equal to those of the internal section of the sheath, so as to straighten this end portion perpendicular to the portion of the flap 17 applied against the flap 1, to close the corresponding end of the sheath. Part of the shutter 17 closing the sheath can be locked by any known means in the art, for example by a tongue of the same type as the tongue 18, protruding inwardly from the sheath from panel 1 opposite to that against which is applied the panel 9 and under which will come to engage the free end of the end part folded shutter 17.

A tear strip 20 (see FIG. extend transversely on the panels 1.

To lock the sheath in the mounted position, a tab 21, here in T-shape, is cut in the panel 1 against which is applied the panel 9 and articulated on this panel 1 by a fold line parallel to the upsets 2, so that it can be folded towards the inside of the sheath through a cutout 22 formed in position corresponding in the panel 9. This lug 21 is then engaged by folding or warping it into a cutout 23 of smaller dimensions, to protrude outwardly from the sheath and thus be locked in position.

The shaping of the sheath will now be exposed briefly with reference to Figures 2 to 7.

The shutters 6 adjacent to the shutters 3 are first folded against these shutters 3, which are themselves folded towards the panels 1.

The panels 1 are then folded in order to be brought perpendicular to each other, while simultaneously the panel 9 is brought against the adjacent panel 1 to which it is not adjacent, that the shutters 11 and 12 are brought into their position inside the sheath, as well as flaps 15 and 17 (Figures 4 to 7).

The tab 21 is then folded, first towards the inside of the sheath through the cutout 22 of the panel 9, then outward, through the cutout 23 of the panel 1 from which it comes, to lock the sleeve in assembled position (Figure 7).

As can be seen in Figure 8, it is easy to introduce the sleeve 24, held vertically in a package 25 open at its upper part, in which it is housed in position vertically, without the bottle contained in this sheath being liable to escape in this position.

The conditioning illustrated in Figure 8 is given only example and it can be of absolutely any type and contain a single bottle housed in a sheath according to the invention or a plurality of bottles housed in separate sleeves.

In the embodiment variant of the sheath according to the invention illustrated by FIGS. 9 and 10, on which the elements already described are designated by the same reference figures, a body of locking shutters 3 and 6 in the folded position against the panel 1 partner is planned.

This locking member 30 has the shape of an arrow, whose stem is articulated by a fold line, at its end furthest from the tip, on two contiguous panels 6, while the tip is disposed in the starting blank between the two flaps 3 associated with these flaps 6 and is directed to the cutout 8, which separates these flaps 3 and extends between the associated panels 1.

When folding the shutters 6 and 3 against the panels 1, it is thus possible to engage the tip of the arrow of the locking member 26 in the corresponding cutout 8, at the end of the assembly of the sheath, by deforming for this purpose the lateral parts of the tip, which then take up their shape, because of the elasticity of the cardboard, thus locking the shutters 3, 6 in the folded position.

Claims (12)

Sheath made of a semi-rigid material such as corrugated cardboard for the protection and wedging of an oblong object, in particular of a bottle, inside a packaging, this sheath comprising four substantially rectangular panels (1), adjoining each other by substantially parallel longitudinal projections (2), so as to be folded around the oblong object, in contact therewith, this sheath comprising, at each end of each of the panels (1), a flap (3) adjacent to the panel (1) associated with at least one transverse upset (4a, 4b) substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal upsets (2), this flap (3) can thus be folded against the outer face of the adjoining panel (1) no turned towards the bottle, to form an extra thickness on the outside of this panel and, preferably, a second flap (6) interposed between the first flap (3) and the panel (1) associated, this sheath being characterized in that it comprises a fifth panel (9) adjoining one of the other four panels (1) by a fold line parallel to those by which these panels are hinged together, this fifth panel (9) being pressed against the inner face of the one of the four panels (1) arranged perpendicularly to the one to which this fifth panel is attached, this fifth panel (9) comprising: at one end corresponding to the bottom of the oblong object to be packaged in the sheath, a flap (11) articulated by a transverse fold line on this fifth panel (9) and straightened perpendicular thereto, in order to seal transversely the corresponding end of the sleeve, a conventional locking means being provided to maintain the flap in the rectified position; at the other end of this fifth panel a flap (15) hinged thereto by a transverse fold line and straightened perpendicularly to the adjoining panel (9), inside the sleeve, the flap (15) comprising a cutout (16) or primers of a cutout for receiving a projecting portion of the oblong conditioned object, in particular the neck of a bottle, a second flap (17) hinged on the preceding by a fold line being applied against the inner face of the panel (1) opposite to the fifth panel (9). Sheath according to claim 1, characterized in that on the flap (11) transversely closing the sleeve at one end is articulated by a transverse upstanding a flap (12) which is applied against the inner face of the panel (1) opposite the panel ( 9). Sheath according to claim 2, characterized in that a transverse fold line divides the flap (12) in two parts (12 a, 12 b). Sheath according to claim 3, characterized in that a cutting line (13) perpendicular to the folding line dividing the flap (12) into two parts (12 a, 12 b) is disposed between this folding line and the by which the flap (12) is hinged to the flap (11), the latter also comprising in its middle part a cutting line (14) whose ends are joined by upsets arranged obliquely at the opposite end of the line (13). ), so that the portion (12 a ) can adapt by deforming to bodies of objects of different diameters. Sheath according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the flap (17) adjoining that (15) which comprises a cutout (16) in which can be engaged the neck of a bottle is locked in the position in which it is applied against the face of the panel (1) opposite the panel (9) by a tongue (18) projecting towards the inside of the sheath from this panel (1), against which the flap (17) comes into stop. Sheath according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that cutting lines (24) are formed in the panel (15) from the blank (16) and diverge therefrom to allow the cutting (16) to adapt to collars of bottles of different diameters. Sleeve according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that a transverse fold line (26) defines in the flap (17) an end portion of dimensions substantially equal to those of the inner section of the sheath and suitable to be straightened perpendicular to the portion of the flap (17) to close the corresponding end of the sheath. Sheath according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that a locking member, in particular a tongue (21), is cut in the panel (1) against an inner face of which the fifth panel (9) is applied and is articulated on this panel (8) by a fold line parallel to those by which the panels (1) are hinged together, so as to be folded inwardly of the sheath through a cutout (22) formed in the fifth panel and to be engaged by deformation in a cutout (23) of smaller dimensions in the panel (1) adjacent to the fifth panel, to protrude outwardly of the sleeve and then resume its original shape, because of the elasticity of the semi-rigid material, to thereby lock the sleeve in mounted position. Sleeve according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that a locking member (30) is articulated by a fold line on two adjacent second flaps (6), said locking member (30) having an end arranged between the two adjacent first flaps (3) adjoining these flaps (6) and directed towards a cutout (8) which separates these shutters (3) and extends between the panels (1) adjoining them, this end of the locking member (6) having a shape and dimensions such that it can be engaged by deformation, when folding the flaps (3, 6), in the cutout (8) to which it is directed, to project from the other side of the panels (1) associated, and then resume its original shape, due to the elasticity of the semi-rigid material, thus locking the flaps (3, 6) in the folded position. Blank pre-cut and discharged into a semi-rigid material such as cardboard or corrugated cardboard, for producing a sheath according to claim 1, this blank comprising four rectangular panels (1) hinged together by parallel upsets (2). along their longitudinal edges and each comprising, at each of their ends, a flap (3) hinged to the associated panel by at least one transverse extrusion perpendicular to the preceding and, preferably, a second flap (6) articulated on each flap (3 ) by at least one transverse upset, the upsets (4 a ) by which the flaps (3) are articulated on the associated panels being in the extension of each other, while the ups and downs by which the flaps (6) are articulated on the flaps (3) are also located in the extension of each other, this blank being characterized in that a fifth rectangular panel (9) is articulated by a fold line e parallel to upsets (2) on a contiguous panel (1), this fifth panel (9) comprising at one end a first flap (11) hinged to it by a transverse extrusion, while at the other end of the second panel (9), a flap (15) in which is formed a cutout (16) is articulated by a transverse upstanding on the panel (9), and a flap (17) is also articulated by a transverse upstanding on the flap ( 15). Blank according to claim 10, characterized in that in the panel (1) having a free longitudinal edge is cut a locking member, in particular a tab (21), hinged to this panel by an extrusion parallel to those by which the panels ( 1) are articulated together, while in the fifth panel (9) is formed in the corresponding position a cutout (22), the dimensions of which allow the passage of this locking member, and that in the panel (1) adjacent to this fifth panel (9) is also provided in corresponding position a cutout (23) of such dimensions that the locking member must be bent or deformed to be engaged. Blank according to one of claims 10 and 11, characterized in that a locking member (30) articulated by a fold line on two contiguous second flaps (6) has an end disposed between the two adjacent first flaps (3). adjacent to these flaps (6) and directed to a cutout (8) separating these flaps (3) and extending between the panels (1) adjacent thereto, the shape and dimensions of the end of this locking member being such that when the flaps (3, 6) are folded, this end can be engaged only by temporary deformation in the cutout (8) associated.

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