EP1843948A1

EP1843948A1 - Container, in particular for pourable matters as detergents

Info

Publication number: EP1843948A1
Application number: EP05813622A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Wolfgang Barthel; Rudolf TÖPLER; Barbara Grossman
Original assignee: Henkel AG and Co KGaA
Current assignee: Henkel AG and Co KGaA
Priority date: 2005-02-04
Filing date: 2005-11-24
Publication date: 2007-10-17
Also published as: WO2006081855A1; DE102005005500B3

Abstract

The invention relates to a container, in particular for pourable matters as detergents, wherein said container comprises an external layer (2) which forms an external box provided with at least six walls, a pivotally openable cover element (4) which forms the box external part, an internal layer (3) whose at least two segments (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e) are foldable with respect to each other and are arranged respectively in a parallel position to at least two walls of the external layer (2), the cover element (4) covers at least partially the internal layer (3) when it is closed and a closing tongue (7) which is placed on the first segment (3a) of the internal layer, interacts with a corresponding counterpart (6) arranged on the cover element (4) in such a way that it is detachably fixable. The aim of said invention is to develop a container which makes it possible to carry out an alternative automatic folding and provides a greater flexibility for designing static aspects .For this purpose, the corresponding counterpart (6) is fixed to the a segment (3e) of the internal layer (3) which differs from the first segment (3a) when the container is in the initial closed state thereof.

Description

Containers, in particular for pourable goods, such as laundry detergent

The invention relates to a container, in particular for free-flowing goods such as detergent according to the preamble of claim 1. From the prior art, a variety of cardboard for the purpose of storage and transport of free-flowing goods are known, including those by means of a From cardboard trained closure cover closable lid. In most cases, such containers are formed from a single blank, wherein the closure means and the associated lid parts are arranged on this blank.

The citation US 5,256,799 describes a reclosable cardboard with an inner frame, wherein the inner frame has a plurality of segments, wherein on one of the segments by means of pre-punching a closing tab and the closing tab associated counterpart is formed, wherein the counterpart in an originally unopened state of the carton for a is connected to the closing tab and is glued to the other with an inner side of a lid member of the carton. In addition, a folding behind the front wall of the inner frame auxiliary tab is provided, wherein the auxiliary tab is hinged to the front wall of the inner frame. As a result, the counterpart in the closed state lies within the plane of a front wall of the inner frame. Such an arrangement is only expensive to produce depending on the design of the carton folding machine. In addition, the foldable auxiliary tab either only extends so low that it hardly contributes to the structural support for the entire carton or it is so large that it causes a support, however, brings with respect to the production of the original blank material waste. It is the object of the invention to provide a container mentioned above, through which there is an alternative possibility of automated folding and greater flexibility with regard to the design of the static.

This object is achieved with the characterizing features of claim 1.

In a simple way, an overlapping of the first segment and the counterpart having different segment can thus take place, so that on the one hand a particularly stable inner frame is present at this point and on the other hand, the closing flap is articulated in a plane which is set back relative to the outer surface of the inner layer is. As regards the overlapping of the segments of the inner layer, it may be a partial or even a complete overlap over an entire width of a container side.

In a preferred embodiment, the outer layer of cardboard material, wherein the material of the inner layer has a greater rigidity, than the material of the outer layer. Thus, for example, the inner layer can be printed inexpensively with conventional machines, whereas the inner layer significantly contributes to the rigidity of the container and thus to the stackability for transport. In addition, total weight and material is saved if the inner layer comprises only vertical walls of the container, since an increased mechanical load usually only occurs in this vertical direction of the container.

Advantageously, the closing flap in the region of a front wall of the container is arranged substantially centrally and has a width of not more than 70%, particularly preferably not more than about 50%, of the width of the front wall. This ensures that no excessively large forces must be expended when opening the box for the first time or even during repeated opening of the box, which would cause damage to the material. In a particularly advantageous container, the outer layer comprises at least one tearable strip element, by means of which an edge region of the lid element is defined for the purpose of a first opening of the container. This facilitates the control of the original condition of the container. In addition, increased security against leakage in the original unopened state of the container is ensured.

Preferably, the counterpart is in the originally unopened state of the container via a line of weakness integrally connected to the inner layer. This allows for the production or folding of the container precise positioning of the counterpart and also provides an additional means of control by sealing the container. For the same reasons, the counterpart is advantageously fixed in particular by means of adhesion to an inner surface of the cover element.

In a preferred embodiment of the container, the counterpart has the form of a bridge, which is connected in the originally unopened state via two legs with the inner layer. This makes it possible to arrange the closing tab on a top edge of the inner layer, which may be desired depending on the requirements. Alternatively or additionally, the counterpart in the originally unopened state can advantageously be connected to an edge of the different segment that is at least partially recessed relative to the first segment.

Further advantages and features of a container according to the invention will become apparent from the embodiments described below and from the dependent claims.

Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment with two modifications will be described and explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings: - A -

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a container according to the invention in an open state.

FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the blank of an outer box or the outer layer of the container from FIG. 1.

3 shows a plan view of the blank of the inner layer or inner frame of the container from FIG. 1.

4 shows a first modification of the inner layer of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 shows a second modification of the inner layer of FIG. 3

The container 1 shown in FIG. 1 comprises an outer box folded from an outer layer 2 into which an inner frame folded from an inner layer 3 is inserted. The outer box comprises a cover element 4, which is pivotally connected to the rest of the outer box via a bending edge 4a and which has an edge region 4b which has been formed by previously tearing off a tear-off strip element 5 (see FIG. 2) and the separation between cover element 4 and representing remaining outer container.

In the closed state, the cover element 4 covers a region of the inner layer 3 protruding beyond the edge 4b of the outer box 3. A counterpart 6 consisting of the material of the inner layer 3 is glued to the inside of a front section of the cover element 4. This counterpart 6 corresponds to a closing tab 7, which is arranged at a front upper edge of the inner layer 3 in the form of an extension of the inner layer 3 connected via a bending line. The closing tab 7 is folded forward so that it is in the closed state of the container 1 between the inner layer 3 and the front projection 4c of the lid member 4 and abuts an upper edge 6a of the counterpart 6. This abutment causes in the closed state of the container a backup of Deckelele- When pulling up the cover element 4 is then raised due to the Stoßbündigkeit the closing flap and at the same time pushed the double at this point inner layer 3 and the front part of the lid 4 from each other. After overcoming a maximum resistance then the lid snaps on, with the closing tab 7 springs back in an obliquely downwardly inclined position.

Both the opening of the lid and the closing, in which the closing tab jumps behind the counterpart abutting edge 6a, are accompanied by an audible noise.

The inner layer 3 has a total of five segments 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e (see also Fig. 2), which are folded over creases or score lines 8 in the folded state in each case by 90 degrees relative to its adjacent segment. The closing flap 7 is fixed to the first segment 3a via a score line 7a or left standing when the inner layer 3 is cut. A segment 3e, which is different from the first segment 3a, has an edge 14 recessed relative to an upper edge 9 of the inner layer, on which the counterpart 6 is fixed in the originally unopened state via a weakening line 6b, in particular a perforation or partially by cutting.

In the production of the folded container from the blanks 2, 3, the closing flap 7 is folded over from the blank shown in FIG. 3 to the front. The first connected to the blank 3 counterpart 6 is glued to the closed and secured over the strip element 5 cover element 4. Upon a first opening of the cover element 4, after the strip element 5 has previously been removed, the counterpart 6 tears off its weakening line 6b and subsequently remains connected only to the cover element 4 through the bond.

The outer box is folded from the blank or the outer layer 2, wherein this has a front wall 10, to which via score lines 8 side walls 11, 12 connect, wherein the one side wall 11 in turn followed by a rear wall 13 of the container 1. The rear wall 13 has an adhesive tab 15, by means of which the segments 10, 11, 12, 13 of the outer box, which are bent stepwise by 90 degrees, are glued together to form a closed circumferential wall. The strip element 5 extends over both side walls 11, 12 and the front wall 10. Each of the walls 10, 11, 12, 13 has on each of its end faces in each case a tab 10a, 10b - 13a, 13b. In this case, the cover element is formed from the tabs 10a, 11a, 12a and also separated by the tearable strip 5 regions of the walls 10, 11, 12. A bottom of the container is formed by the tabs 10b, 11b, 12b, 13b.

According to a first modification, Fig. 4 shows an inner layer 3 ', which differs from the inner layer of Fig. 3 substantially by the positioning of the closing tab T and the counterpart 6'. While these are arranged in the embodiment according to FIG. 3 in each case substantially at the end on their respective segments, the closing flap T of the first modification is arranged centrally on the first segment 3a '. Likewise, the counterpart 6 'is arranged centrally on the segment 3e' different from the first segment 3a '. Since here too the pulled-down upper edge 6b 'does not extend over the entire width of the segment 3e', a substantially U-shaped cutout of the segment 3e 'results in which the counterpart 6' is defined by its weakening line 6a '. Overall, it can be achieved that the segments 3a 'and 3e' overlap in the folded state of the container in its full width, so that a particularly large gain of the container results at least in its front wall portion.

In the second modification of the inner layer 3 "shown in Fig. 5, as in the first modification, there is a centric arrangement of the closing flap 7" and of the counterpart 6 "with respect to the respective associated segment 3a" or 3e " 6 "not fixed to a pulled-down edge, but at a continuous upper edge of the inner layer 3". The counterpart 6 "has the form of a bridge which is connected to the different segment 3e" via two legs at correspondingly two lines of weakness 6b. "In order to achieve the functionally correct positioning of the abutment edge 6a" on the cover element 4 associated with the closing flap 7 ", the counterpart 6 "must first be folded down in the course of the folding of the container onto the segment 3e", after which it is connected to the cover element 4 by means of adhesive bonding.

Claims

claims

1. A container, in particular for free-flowing goods such as detergent, comprising: an outer layer (2), wherein by the outer layer (2) an outer box is formed with at least six walls, a swing-lid element (4), wherein the cover element (4 ) is formed as part of the outer box, an inner layer (3), wherein at least two mutually bendable segments (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e) of the inner layer (3) each parallel to at least two walls of the outer layer (2 a part of the lid element (4) in a closed state at least partially covers the inner layer (3), and a closing flap (7) arranged on a first of the inner layer segments (3a), the closing flap ( 7) cooperates with a cover element (4) arranged on the counterpart (6) for the purpose of releasably fixing the cover element (4), characterized in that the counterpart (6) in an originally unopened the container is fixed to one of the first segment (3a) different segment (3e) of the inner layer.

2. Container according to claim 1, characterized in that inner layer (3) and outer layer (2) consist of cardboard material, wherein the material of the inner layer (3) has a greater rigidity than the material of the outer layer (2).

3. Container according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the closing flap (7) in the region of a front wall (10) substantially is centrally located and has a width of not more than about 70% of the width of the front wall (10).

4. A container according to claim 3, characterized in that the closing flap (7) has a width of not more than about 50% of the width of the front wall (10).

5. Container according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the outer layer (2) comprises at least one tearable strip element (5), by means of which an edge region of the lid member for the purpose of a first opening of the container is releasable.

6. Container according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inner layer (3) and the outer layer (2) are fixed to each other, in particular by means of bonding.

7. Container according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the counterpart (6) in the originally unopened state via a weakening line (6b) is integrally connected to the inner (3) layer.

8. Container according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the counterpart (6) by means of adhesion to an inner surface of the lid member (4) is fixed.

9. Container according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the counterpart (6 ") has the shape of an arc, which is connected in the originally unopened state via two legs with the inner layer (3").

10. Container according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the counterpart (6 ') in the originally unopened state with an edge of the different segment (3e ') recessed at least partially opposite the first segment (3a ¹ ).

11. Container according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first segment (3a, 3a ', 3a ") and the different segment (3e, 3e', 3e") overlap at least partially.