EP1577221B1 - Package made out of semi rigid material with anti-tampering feature - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a flap-box, or flap-and-lid-type package made of a semi-rigid material such as cardboard or corrugated cardboard, having tamper evidence.

Documents US 449 265 and EP 0519389 describe packages of this type

Increasingly, we are now confronted with delinquent acts, aimed at packages delivered by post or courier, which are opened during the course of delivery, emptied of their contents, and closed again with more or less care, before reach empty to their recipients.

These, if they do not pay attention to the parcel they receive, open it, discover that it is empty and then blame the sender in good time for not having provided them with the expected goods.

The invention aims to solve this problem, in the case of packaging type crates with external flaps and internal flaps, articulated by folding lines on the walls of the package, or internal flaps adjacent to two walls opposite and a cover pivotally mounted relative to a third wall, and it proposes for this purpose to equip the package with a tamper evidence, which, unbeknownst to individuals who fraudulently opened the packaging, puts from the outside of it the fact that it has been violated and thus allows the addressee to refuse it 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 outer flaps hinged to the upper part of two other walls by fold lines perpendicular to those of the internal flaps, so as to be folded on them, or still a cover hinged to another wall by a fold line perpendicular to those of the inner flaps, in order to be folded over 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 portion of the face of the tab disposed opposite the cut may have a distinctive sign or be colored.

Advantageously, two lugs may be provided respectively along the two lateral sides of the same outer flap and two slots are then formed in corresponding position in the two inner flaps.

To be able to be more easily introduced into the associated cutout, the lug may comprise a portion projecting laterally opposite the associated cut and articulated by an upset on the rest of the leg. This tab can be easily separated from the outer flap, during an attempted break-in, and thus serves as a tamper evidence.

• 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 appear in the detailed description which follows of one of its embodiments. 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.

The 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 previous ones, on which they are articulated by parallel fold lines. The four walls have the same height.

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

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

At the upper part of the walls 1 and 2 are articulated by parallel fold lines flaps, here substantially rectangular, 10, 11, folded perpendicularly to the associated walls to form external flaps which are overlapping, while at the top walls 3 and 4 are articulated by fold lines perpendicular to the preceding and located in the same plane as the two flaps 12, 13, here substantially rectangular, folded perpendicular to the associated walls below the outer flaps 10, 11, to form internal flaps.

From two lateral edges of the outer flap 10 laterally protrude two lugs 14, 15, to be respectively engaged in two slots 16, 17, formed in corresponding position in the inner flaps 12, 13, in a position contiguous to the line of folding 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, 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 upon insertion of the tab in 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 tabs 14, 15, are thus locked in position below the inner flaps 12, 13 with the outer flaps 10-11 folded over them, and we can then lock the full package in the closed position, for example by applying on the two outer flaps 10, 11, along their contiguous edges, a single 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 conveyance of the full package, an attempted break-in occurs, by detaching the strip 18 and lifting the flaps 10 and 11 to access the contents of the package, the movement of the flap 10 has the effect to break the tabs 14 and 15, which fall to the bottom of the package and are therefore no longer visible from the outside through the 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 fracture of the leg portions 14, 15a in an attempt to 'breaking in.

Even if the individuals having opened the package then put in place, with more or less care, the adhesive tape 18, the recipient of the package, by receiving it, can, at a glance through the cutouts 19 and 20, distinguish whether the legs or parts of legs are apparent or not and know well, without having to open the package, if it has or not break-in. It is thus 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 tab or the leg portion visible from the outside through the cutouts 19 and 20 is preferably colored, thus constituting an easily distinguishable tamper evidence.

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

Claims (4)

1. Packaging of a semi-rigid material such as cardboard or corrugated cardboard, this packaging comprising:

   - side walls (1-4) adjoining one another via parallel fold lines;

   - at least one base part (6, 9) adjoining at least one of said walls;

   - two panels known as inner flaps (12, 13), hinged to the upper part of two opposing walls by fold lines perpendicular to those mentioned above and capable of being folded perpendicularly to these walls;

   - two panels known as outer flaps (10, 11), hinged to the upper part of another two walls by fold lines perpendicular to those of the inner flaps, in such a way as to be able to folded over the latter, or indeed a lid hinged to another wall by a fold line perpendicular to those of the inner flaps, with a view to being foldable over the latter;

   - a means (18) of locking the outer panels (10, 11) or the lid in the folded position;

   one of the outer flaps (10, 11) or the lid comprising, along at least one of its lateral edges, at least one tab (14, 15) capable of being folded perpendicularly to said flap so as to be engaged in a slot (16, 17) formed at a corresponding position in the contiguous inner panel (12, 13), the slot (16, 17) having a longitudinal dimension which is less than the corresponding dimension of the tab (14, 15) in such a way that the latter can only be introduced therein after folding or distortion, it then recovering its initial shape due to the resilience of the semi-rigid material, being thus locked underneath the inner flap (12, 13), said packaging being characterised in that a cut-away (19, 20) is formed in the wall adjoining this flap, opposite at least one part of said tab, in such a way as to be able to distinguish the latter from the outside and thus verify whether it has been broken in an attempt at breaking into the package.
2. Packaging according to claim 1, characterised in that two tabs (14, 15) are provided respectively along the two lateral sides of one and the same outer flap (10) and two slots (19, 20) are formed in corresponding positions in the two inner flaps (12, 13).
3. Packaging according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterised in that the part of the tab (14, 15) disposed opposite the cut-away (19, 20) comprises a distinctive mark or is coloured.
4. Packaging according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that, with a view to facilitating introduction thereof into the associated slot (16, 17), the tab (14, 15) comprises a part (14a, 15a) projecting laterally opposite the corresponding cut-away (19, 20) in the contiguous wall (3, 4).

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