EP1577221A1 - Package made out of semi rigid material with anti-tampering feature - Google Patents

Abstract

The package has outer flaps (10, 11) including tabs (14, 15) for being engaged in slots (16, 17) arranged in inner flaps (12, 13). The slots have length less than corresponding dimension of the tabs such that the tabs are locked below the inner flaps. Cuts are respectively formed in side walls adjoining the flaps, opposite to a part of the tabs, such that condition of the tabs can be detected from outside the package.

Description

The present invention relates to a box type packaging flaps, or with flaps and cover, of a semi-rigid material such as the cardboard or corrugated cardboard, with a tamper evidence.

More and more, we are now confronted with acts criminal offense against packaging carried by post or messaging, which are open during routing, emptied of their content, and closed with more or less care, before reaching empty to their addressees.

These, if they do not pay attention to the package they receive, open this one, discover that it is empty and then reproach good time to the sender for not having provided them the goods expected.

The invention aims to solve this problem, in the case of box-type packages with external flaps and internal flaps, articulated by fold lines on walls of packaging, or internal flaps adjoining two walls opposed and a lid mounted pivotally relative to a third wall, and it proposes for this purpose to equip the packaging of a witness of inviolability, which, unbeknownst to individuals who have opened fraudulently packaging, highlights from outside of it the fact that it has been violated and thus allows the addressee to refuse without opening it, when it reaches him.

• des parois latérales attenantes entre elles par des lignes de pliage parallèles ;
• au moins une partie de fond attenante à au moins l'une de ces parois ;
• deux volets dits rabats internes, articulés à la partie supérieure de deux parois opposées par des lignes de pliage perpendiculaires aux précédentes et aptes à être rabattus perpendiculairement à ces parois ;
• deux volets dits rabats externes, articulés à la partie supérieure de deux autres parois par des lignes de pliage perpendiculaires à celles des rabats internes, de manière à pouvoir être rabattus sur ceux-ci, ou encore un couvercle articulé sur une autre paroi par une ligne de pliage perpendiculaire à celles des volets internes, en vue de pouvoir être rabattu sur ceux-ci ;
• un moyen de verrouillage en position rabattue des volets externes ou du couvercle ;

   cet emballage étant caractérisé en ce que l'un des rabats externes ou le couvercle comporte, suivant au moins l'un de ses bords latéraux, au moins une patte apte à être repliée perpendiculairement à ce rabat pour être engagée dans une fente ménagée en position correspondante dans le volet interne contigu, la fente ayant une dimension longitudinale inférieure à la dimension correspondante de la patte, de façon que celle-ci ne puisse y être introduite qu'après pliage ou gauchissement, pour reprendre ensuite sa forme initiale du fait de l'élasticité du matériau semi-rigide, en étant ainsi verrouillée au-dessous du rabat interne, une découpe étant ménagée dans la paroi attenante à ce rabat, en regard d'au moins une partie de cette patte, de manière à pouvoir distinguer celle-ci de l'extérieur et vérifier ainsi si elle a été rompue lors d'une tentative d'effraction de l'emballage.For this purpose, the subject of the invention is a package made of a semi-rigid material such as cardboard or corrugated cardboard, this package comprising:

• side walls adjoining each other by parallel fold lines;
• at least one bottom portion adjoining at least one of these walls;
• two flaps said internal flaps hinged to the upper part of two opposite walls by fold lines perpendicular to the preceding and adapted to be folded perpendicularly to these walls;
• two flaps said external flaps, articulated to the upper part of two other walls by fold lines perpendicular to those of the inner flaps, so as to be folded on them, or a cover hinged to another wall by a line bending perpendicular to those of the inner flaps, in order to be folded on them;
• locking means in the folded position of the outer flaps or the lid;

this packaging being characterized in that one of the outer flaps or the lid comprises, along at least one of its lateral edges, at least one tab adapted to be folded perpendicularly to this flap to be engaged in a slot in position corresponding in the contiguous inner flap, the slot having a longitudinal dimension smaller than the corresponding dimension of the tab, so that it can be introduced therein only after folding or warping, to then resume its original shape because of the elasticity of the semi-rigid material, thus being locked below the internal flap, a cutout being formed in the wall adjacent to this flap, facing at least a portion of this tab, so as to be able to distinguish between from outside and check if it has been broken during an attempt to break the packaging.

To be more easily visible from the outside, the part of the face the tab disposed next to the cutout may include a sign distinctive or be colored.

Advantageously, two legs can be provided respectively along the two lateral sides of the same external flap and two slots are then arranged in corresponding position in the two internal flaps.

To be more easily introduced into the cut associated, the leg may include a projecting portion laterally next to the cutout associated and articulated by a pushing back on the rest of the leg. This paw can be easily separated from the outer flap, during an attempted break-in, and therefore as a witness of inviolability.

La figure 1 est une vue du flan de carton ondulé prédécoupé et refoulé à partir duquel est mis en forme l'emballage illustré ;

La figure 2 est une vue en perspective de l'emballage monté, partiellement ouvert ;

La figure 3 est une vue en perspective de l'emballage monté et fermé, tel qu'il parvient normalement à son destinataire.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the detailed description which follows of one of its forms of implementation. In this description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view of the corrugated cardboard blank pre-cut and discharged from which is shaped the illustrated packaging;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the package mounted, partially open;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the package mounted and closed, as it normally reaches the recipient.

Flap box type packaging illustrated by the drawings comprises two longitudinal walls, 1 and 2, parallel to each other and two transverse walls 3 and 4, perpendicular to the preceding, on which they are articulated by parallel fold lines. The four walls have the same height.

A band 5 articulated on the wall 2 by a fold line parallel to the previous is glued against the inner face of the wall 3.

At the base of walls 1-4, are articulated by fold lines perpendicular to the preceding ones and arranged in the same plane background parts, 6-9, here an automatic background of a well-known type, which he It is not necessary to describe in more detail. The bottom of the package is foreign to the invention and could of course be of any other type.

At the top of the walls 1 and 2 are articulated by parallel fold lines of the flaps, here substantially rectangular, 10, 11, folded perpendicular to the associated walls to form outer flaps that come to overlap, while at the party upper walls 3 and 4 are articulated by fold lines perpendicular to the previous ones and located in the same plane as these two shutters 12, 13, here substantially rectangular, folded perpendicular to the associated walls below the flaps 10, 11, to form internal flaps.

From two lateral edges of the outer flap 10 protrude laterally two legs 14, 15, to be engaged respectively in two slots 16, 17, arranged in position corresponding in the internal flaps 12, 13, in a position contiguous to the fold line by which these flaps are articulated on the walls 3, 4, associated.

Slots 16 and 17 have a length less than the corresponding dimension of tabs 14 and 15, so that once the packaging is filled with packaged articles, the tabs can not be introduced into the associated slots until after warping or folding in these slots. As shown in the drawings in order to facilitate their introduction, the tabs 14 and 15 preferably comprise a laterally projecting portion, respectively 14a and 15a, hinged to the remainder of the tab by a fold line, so as to be retracted when introducing the paw into the corresponding slot.

After introduction of the lugs 14 and 15 into the slots 16, 17, together, the protruding portions 14a, 15a, resume their initial position due to the inherent elasticity on corrugated cardboard of which they consist. It is naturally the same if the tab is introduced into the slot by warping.

The legs 14, 15, are thus locked in position below internal flaps 12, 13 with the outer flaps 10-11 folded over of these, and one can then lock the full package in closed position, for example by applying on the two external flaps 10, 11, along their contiguous edges, a simple adhesive strip 18.

Cutouts 19 and 20 are formed respectively in the walls 3 and 4, below the slots 16 and 17, at a height such that they are opposite the tabs 14 and 15 and, more particularly, in the case shown, facing portions 14a and 15a, when the tabs are engaged in the corresponding slots, the tabs or the leg portions thus being visible from the outside.

If, during the transport of the full package, an attempt is made burglary occurs, by detachment of tape 18 and uprising flaps 10 and 11 to access the contents of the package, the movement of the flap 10 has the effect of breaking the legs 14 and 15, which fall to the bottom of the packaging and are no longer visible from outside through cutouts 19 and 20.

The fold lines connecting the tabs 14, 15 to the outer flap 10 may be provided with pre-cuts to facilitate breakage of the legs during an attempted break-in. Alternatively, such pre-cuts may be provided on the folding line between the leg portions 14, 15a and the tabs 14, 15, thereby facilitating the breaking of leg portions 14, 15a in an attempt to 'breaking in.

Even if the individuals having opened the packaging in place, with more or less care, the tape 18, the recipient of the parcel, by receiving this one, can, at a glance through the cutouts 19 and 20, distinguish whether the legs or parts of legs are visible or not and know well, without having to open the packaging, whether or not the packaging has been tampered with. It is so possible by carrying out checks at each stage of the conveyance, to determine at what stage a package could possibly be violated.

The face of the leg or part of the leg visible from the outside to through cutouts 19 and 20 is preferably colored to constitute thus a witness of inviolability easy to distinguish.

It is clear that the package may have only one flap 10, which then caps the entire top of the package and serves as a lid, without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (4)

Packaging in a semi-rigid material such as cardboard or corrugated cardboard, this package comprising: sidewalls (1-4) adjoining each other by parallel fold lines; at least one bottom portion (6, 9) adjoining at least one of these walls; two flaps said internal flaps (12, 13) articulated to the upper part of two opposite walls by fold lines perpendicular to the preceding and adapted to be folded perpendicularly to these walls; two flaps said external flaps (10, 11) articulated to the upper part of two other walls by fold lines perpendicular to those of the inner flaps, so as to be folded on them, or a cover articulated on a another wall by a fold line perpendicular to those of the internal flaps, in order to be folded over them; means (18) for locking in the folded position of the outer flaps (10, 11) or the cover; this packaging being characterized in that one of the outer flaps (10, 11) or the cover comprises, along at least one of its lateral edges, at least one lug (14, 15) adapted to be folded perpendicularly to this flap to be engaged in a slot (16, 17) formed in corresponding position in the adjacent inner flap (12, 13), the slot (16, 17) having a longitudinal dimension smaller than the corresponding dimension of the tab (14, 15). ), so that it can be introduced after folding or warping, then resume its original shape due to the elasticity of the semi-rigid material, thus being locked below the inner flap (12). , 13), a cutout (19, 20) being formed in the wall adjacent to this flap, facing at least a portion of this tab, so as to distinguish it from the outside and thus check if it was broken during an attempted break-in of the packaging. Packaging according to claim 1, characterized in that two lugs (14, 15) are respectively provided along the two lateral sides of the same outer flap (10) and two slots (19, 20) are arranged in corresponding position in the two internal flaps (12, 13). Packaging according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the portion of the tab (14, 15) disposed opposite the cutout (19, 20) has a distinctive sign or is colored. Packaging according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that in order to facilitate its introduction into the slot (16, 17) associated with the tab (14, 15) has a portion (14, 15a) which projecting laterally opposite the corresponding cutout (19, 20) of the contiguous wall (3, 4).

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