EP2008936B1 - Cardboard crate from a flat blank, blank and packaged foodstuffs - Google Patents

Abstract

The cardboard crate has an opening with base plate having front side walls (16,18). The base plate is covered at distance by grill plate (22,24) and has openings (30,32,34,36) for the admission of the cups. The grill plate and the base plate are arc-shaped. The grill plate is folded along the long side of the cardboard packing (10) of the base plate. An independent claim is also included for the packed food with which the food is taken up as contents in a cup and the cups are taken up in a cardboard packing with an even cut.

Description

The invention relates to a cardboard tray of a flat blank, with a bottom plate and protruding from the bottom plate end walls, wherein the bottom plate at a distance of at least one of the bottom plate arcuately spanning Grid is covered, which has openings for receiving articles.

The invention further relates to a blank for such a cardboard trays.

A cardboard tray and a blank of the type mentioned above are from the documents US 6 019 224 A and US 6,935,505 B1 known.

Finally, the invention relates to a packaged food, in which the food is received as contents in a cup, wherein the cups are accommodated in a cardboard packaging, which consists of a flat blank, and the blank has a bottom plate and projecting from the bottom plate end walls, wherein the bottom plate is covered at a distance from at least one grid plate having openings for receiving articles, in particular a plurality of cups forming a container, wherein the cups formed in a predetermined pattern in a lower part and the cups together by means of a sealing plate resting on the lower part are closed.

A packaged food of the aforementioned kind is known.

Cardboard sheeting is used, inter alia, to transport cup-packaged dairy foods such as yogurts, puddings and the like, and to provide them on a grocery store shelf.

For packaging such foods, the so-called form-fill-seal method is often used. In this case, individual cups or a rectangular lattice-shaped grid of cup bodies in the plate, for example of 2 × 2 or 2 × 4 cup bodies, are first produced from a thermoplastic plastic sheet or film by deep drawing or the like. These single cup or cup body are then filled in the same system and then the whole by means of a sealing plate by welding or the like. Closed. The structure of the formed in the plate and filled cup bodies and the sealing plate represents a manageable container.

So that the consumer can identify the respective product and its manufacturer before buying, the cups are provided on the side and / or the sealing plate above with a corresponding imprint. The containers must of course be presented in the crate on the shelf so that the consumer can recognize this imprint.

In a first type known cardboard trays they consist only of a trough with a rectangular bottom plate, two straight side walls and two straight end walls. The walls are higher than the housed therein, for example, four or six containers. The cardboard tray is open at the top. The sealing plates of the container thereby form an upper termination level of the crate. The directly visible consumer information in this case is limited to the imprint on the sealing plates.

This known cardboard tray has the disadvantage that it is relatively unstable, especially in the only partially filled state, due to the trough-like design. Furthermore, a removal of individual containers from a still full cardboard tray is cumbersome. Furthermore, the consumer information is limited to the upper imprint, which is then difficult to see on shelves with very flat subjects from the front. Finally, when stacking such cardboard trays, the entire weight of the upper layers of the stack is directly on the cups of the lower layers, so that the board trays can only be stacked in a limited number of layers.

A second type of known cardboard trays has a rectangular bottom plate, a parallel, parallel grid plate spaced from the bottom plate, two straight side walls and two straight end walls, which are connected at their upper edges to the grid plate. The walls are only about half as high as the ones in it to be picked up. The cups of the containers are inserted into openings of the grid plates and protrude upward beyond the grid plate.

These known cardboard trays have the advantage, in comparison to the above-mentioned first type of known board trays, that the trays are partly visible from the side, so that a consumer can recognize a note printed there. On the other hand, these cardboard trays are still relatively unstable, because the cuboid body easily twisted. Furthermore, these crates are also limited stackable for the reasons mentioned above.

The from the documents mentioned above US 6 019 224 A and US 6,935,505 B1 Known cardboard trays are used to hold individual dumplings (tacos). They have a bottom plate and a bottom plate arcuately spanning grid plate. In the grid plate elongated slots are introduced, which extend substantially over the entire arc length. The bow shape is merely the better side posture in the completely unstable dumplings. These known cardboard trays thus have far from the stability, as it is necessary for the safe reception of cup packs of the type described above, especially when they are moved jerkily during transport, stacking and handling and mechanically stressed.

The invention is therefore the object of developing a cardboard tray, a blank and a packaged food of the type mentioned in such a way that these disadvantages are avoided. In particular, a cardboard tray is to be made available in which the cups are visible from the side, and yet is so stable that it is stackable in many situations.

In a cardboard tray and a packaged food of the type mentioned above, this object is achieved in that the at least one grid plate spans the bottom plate arcuately.

In a blank of the type mentioned, the object is achieved in that laterally next to the bottom plate one of these deflectable grid plate is arranged, and that in addition to the grid plates on the side facing away from the bottom plate side of each of these deflectable side parts are provided, that when erecting the blank from the side parts along a, a longitudinal center plane of the cardboard packaging extending spar is formed, on both sides of the spar respectively the curved grid plate is provided, and further the openings for receiving cups are formed.

The object underlying the invention is completely solved in this way.

The arch shape of the grid plate in conjunction with the centrally arranged spar provides namely a considerable improvement in stability, so that twisting of the cardboard trays largely avoided and stacking in far more layers is possible, as is the case with conventional cardboard trays.

The invention also has the advantage that in the region of the longitudinal center plane where the two grid plates meet, the spar can be accommodated for stiffening, for example in the form of a two-ply adhesive bond of both grid plates.

The invention also has the advantage that in the form of the spar, ie in particular a hollow profile, a stiffening element and / or support element is provided, which increases the stability and / or the stackability of the board trays. If the spar has the same height as the container to be accommodated in the cardboard tray, the stackability of the cardboard tray is considerably increased because the weight of the upper Layers are also removed from the spar in the base plate and thus in the lower layers.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the at least one grid plate is folded along a longitudinal side of the cardboard packaging of the bottom plate.

This measure has the advantage that the cardboard trays can be produced in a simple manner from a flat blank and can also be easily erected.

In a further preferred embodiment, the at least one grid plate has its maximum distance from the base plate along a longitudinal center plane of the cardboard packaging.

This measure has the advantage that a symmetrical structure is created in which the edge of the container can best be viewed from the side.

A good effect is achieved if the at least one grid plate has at least approximately the shape of a circular cylinder jacket arc.

This measure has the advantage that a stable three-dimensional shape is provided, which can be produced in a simple manner from a flat blank.

It is further preferred if the spar is formed by folding lateral, substantially strip-shaped extensions of the grid plates.

This measure has the advantage that both the grid plates and the spar can be produced and erected in a simple manner from a flat blank.

In this case, the grid plates preferably end at a predetermined height on the spar.

This measure has the advantage that the arc shape and the distance of the grid plates are defined by the bottom plate adjustable.

The predetermined height is preferably about half the height of the spar.

A good effect is further achieved when the spar is connected by means of folded out of the bottom plate adhesive tabs with the bottom plate in particular cohesively.

This measure has the advantage that the cohesion of spar and base plate is further improved, this being possible in terms of the production and the erection with simple measures.

In a group of embodiments, which can also be used alone, support tabs are provided which connect the bottom plate with the at least one grid plate and protrude upward over the at least one grid plate.

This measure has the advantage that a further substantial increase in the stability of the cardboard trays is achieved in terms of stackability, because the load of the upper layers of a stack is also removed to the support tabs and from these to the bottom plate and the lower layers.

As already mentioned, it is further preferred for an increase in stackability if a spar is provided along a longitudinal center plane of the cardboard packaging, and that the support tabs have the same height as the spar.

Furthermore, it is expedient in this case if the support tabs are formed by folding over portions of the grid plates.

This measure has the advantage that the support tabs can be made in a particularly simple manner from the flat blank and just as easily can be erected.

Again, a further improvement in the cohesion and thus the stability is achieved when the support tabs are connected by means of folded out of the bottom plate adhesive tabs with the bottom plate in particular cohesively.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, which can also be used alone, foldable adhesive tabs are formed in the end face region of the bottom plate out of the bottom plate and in particular are bonded to the end side walls and / or to the at least one grid plate.

This measure also has the advantage of increasing the stability by improving the cohesion, without the measures mentioned impeding the production from a flat blank or erecting.

Further advantages will become apparent from the description and the accompanying drawings.

It is understood that the features mentioned above and those yet to be explained below can be used not only in the particular combination given, but also in other combinations or in isolation, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Figur 1:

eine perspektivische Ansicht von schräg oben eines Ausführungsbeispiels einer erfindungsgemäßen Kartonsteige;

Figur 2:

eine perspektivische Ansicht von schräg unten der Kartonsteige von Figur 1;

Figur 3:

einen ebenen Zuschnitt, wie er für die Herstellung der Kartonsteige gemäß Figur 1 und 2 verwendet werden kann;

Figur 4:

einen Schnitt durch die Kartonsteige gemäß den Figuren 1 bis 3 entlang der Linie IV-IV von Figur 1 und 3; und

Figur 5:

eine perspektivische Ansicht eines Gebindes, die von der Kartonsteige gemäß den Figuren 1 bis 4 aufgenommen werden kann.

Embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings and are explained in more detail in the following description. Show it:

FIG. 1:

a perspective view obliquely from above of an embodiment of a cardboard tray according to the invention;

FIG. 2:

a perspective view obliquely from below the cardboard tray of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 3:

a flat blank, as he for the production of cardboard board according to FIG. 1 and 2 can be used;

FIG. 4:

a section through the cardboard trays according to FIGS. 1 to 3 along the line IV-IV of FIG. 1 and 3 ; and

FIG. 5:

a perspective view of a container, of the cardboard tray according to the FIGS. 1 to 4 can be included.

In the FIGS. 1 . 2 and 4 10 as a whole denotes an exemplary embodiment of a cardboard tray according to the invention. The cardboard tray 10 consists of a flat Blank 12, the in FIG. 3 is shown, and serves to accommodate individual cups or containers 13, as they FIG. 5 shows.

In the illustration of the blank 12 in FIG FIG. 3 are embossed lines drawn through (-------), perforated lines dashed (- - - -), dotted lines dashed lines (-xxxx-) and half-dotted lines dashed-dashed lines (- | - | - | -) shown.

The cardboard tray 10 has in the illustration of FIG. 1 a flat, rectangular bottom plate 14, a front end wall 16 with a curved upper side 17, a rear end wall 18 with a curved top 19 and a left upper grid plate 22 and a right upper grid plate 24. The cardboard tray 10 is formed at a longitudinal center plane indicated at 25 substantially folding symmetry. Between the grid plates 22 and 24 extends along the longitudinal center plane 25, a spar 26, that is, a reinforcing element, in particular a hollow profile. The spar 26 has a height H ( FIG. 4 ), which is equal to the height of the container 13 inserted into the cardboard tray 10, so that the filled cardboard trays 10 have a uniform surface and thus can be safely stacked, because the spar 26 ablates a portion of the load of the upper layers of a stack.

The grid plates 22 and 24 are provided symmetrically to the longitudinal and transverse axis of the cardboard trays with (in the illustrated embodiment) twenty-four openings for receiving containers 13.

Four first openings 30 are located in the corners of the board trays and are substantially circular. Four second openings 32 are located between the first openings 30 and the spar 26. They are also substantially circular, but are open to the spar 26 out. Eight third openings 34 are each located four along the spar 26 between the second openings 32. They are also substantially circular, but are open both to the spar 26 and to the outside. Finally, eight fourth openings 36 are provided, which are each four laterally adjacent to the third openings 34. They are semicircular to the outside of the cardboard tray 10 and rectangular to the third openings 34.

The particular shape of the second, third and fourth openings 32, 34, 36 results from the special design of the blank 12 and the elements contained therein, as will be explained.

It is understood at this point that the embodiment illustrated in the figures illustrates only one of numerous possibilities. Thus, the number and shape of the apertures, the aperture pattern used, the shape of the bottom plate and the walls, etc., can vary within wide limits, without this limiting the scope of the invention.

Between the third and fourth openings 34, 36 a total of eight support tabs 38 are provided. The support tabs 38 are formed in the blank 12 by a straight, punched-through line 40, a straight, half-punched line 42 and a punched-out area 43, the side facing the spar 26 semicircular and its side facing away from the spar 26 is rectangular. When erecting the cardboard tray 10, the support tabs 38 from the plane of the FIG. 3 folded out of the blank 12 around the half-punched line 42.

Complementary to each support tab 38 is located in the bottom panel 14 is a substantially rectangular adhesive flap 44, which is formed by an arcuate, punched-through line 46 and a straight, half-punched line 48. When erecting the cardboard tray 10, the adhesive tabs 44 from the plane of the FIG. 3 folded out of the blank 12 around the half-punched line 48.

Now, if the two grid plates 22 and 24 are folded around the bottom plate 14 around the longitudinal center plane 25 parallel stamping lines 49, then the adhesive tabs 44 abut against the lower ends of the support tabs 38 and are there with them glued ( FIG. 4 ). The support tabs 38 are dimensioned such that they are just as high (height H) in the erected state of the cardboard trays as the spar 26.

If, in the context of the present application, "gluing" or "cohesive connection" is mentioned in this context, this too is only to be understood as an example. Of course, the respective elements concerned can also be connected to each other in other ways, for example by brackets or the like.

Along the longitudinal center plane 25 of the cardboard tray 10 are provided below the spar 26 in the bottom plate 14, two elongated, narrow pairs of substantially rectangular adhesive tabs 50, 52, in the blank 12 by a straight, punched line 54 in the longitudinal center plane 25 and two thereto parallel, straight, and half-punched lines 60, 62 and end-side straight, punched-through lines 56, 58 are formed.

The spar 26 itself has a right spar part 64 with an upper part 65 and a side part 66, wherein the side part 66 adjoins the side part 65 via a straight, half-punched line 67. Accordingly, the spar 26 on the symmetrically opposite side on a left spar member 70 with an upper part 71 and a side part 72, wherein the side part 72 borders on a straight, half-punched line 73 to the side part 65.

In the region of the side parts 66 and 72, the blank 12 is provided with curved, punched-through lines 69 which, together with punched-out regions 75a and 75b, form the third openings 34 and the second openings 32, respectively.

When the grid plates 22 and 24 are folded around the stamping lines 49 in the manner already described, the side parts 66 and 72 also become around the line defined by the perforated lines 68 and the tops 65 and 71 around the lines 67 and 73, respectively folded over 90 ° until the cross-section trapezoidal spar 26 forms ( FIG. 4 ). If now even the adhesive tabs 50 and 52 are folded up by about 90 ° from the bottom plate 14, they put on the side panels 66 and 72 and can be glued to them.

Furthermore, a total of four adhesive tabs 76 are provided in the bottom part 14. The adhesive tabs 76 are in pairs on the narrow edge of the bottom plate 14 in transition to the end walls 16 and 18. The adhesive tabs 76 each consist of a first tab portion 77 and a second tab portion 78, which are circumscribed by an arcuate, punched-through line 79. A straight, embossed line 80 separates the first flap portion 77 from the second flap portion, and a straight, embossed line 81 separates the second flap portion 78 from the adjacent end wall 16.

When erecting the cardboard tray 10, the second flap portion 78 is folded upwards by 90 ° and glued to the adjacent end wall, as in FIG. 3 indicated by 78 'on the right-hand side wall 18 there. The first flap portion 77 is folded away at 90 ° from the second flap portion 78 and adhered from below to the adjacent grid plate, as in FIG. 3 indicated at 78 '.

By these bonds with the tabs 44, 50 and 52 and the tab parts 77, 78 on the one hand a high stability of the cardboard trays is achieved and on the other hand, together with the arrangement and dimensioning of the various lines in the blank 12, the arc shape of the grid plates 22, 24 defines begins at the edge in the region of the stamping lines 49 with the height zero and ends at a height h on the spar 26. The arcuate shape of the grid plates 22 and 24 preferably corresponds substantially to the arcuate shape of the tops 17 and 19 of the end faces of the grid plates 22 and 24 adjacent end walls 16 and 18.

FIG. 5 This has in a lower part 91 a plurality of usually circular frustoconical cups 92a to 92d, which are arranged in a predetermined grid, in the example shown in a rectangular grid with 2 x 2 = 4 cups. It is understood that the number of cups per container 13, the shape of the cups and the grid shape is shown here only as one of many possible examples.

The container 13 is designed as a so-called form-fill-seal packaging. By this the skilled person understands a packaging in which the cups 92a to 92d are first formed from a flat, typically rectangular and thermoplastic plate in the predetermined pattern by deep drawing, blowing or the like as the lower part 92 ("mold"), then the filled cups 92a to 92d are filled with a content, typically a milk dish, and finally the filled cups 92a to 92d are sealed with a sealing plate 93. In a further operation, perforation lines 94 between the cups 92a to 92d are then produced, so that the consumer can break off individual cups from the container 13.

In the illustrated embodiment, a total of twenty-four cups or six containers 13 are inserted into the cardboard tray 10 with its twenty-four holes, three adjacent each other in each grid plate 22, and 24. The flat arc shape of the grid plates 22 and 24 protrude the cup 92a to 92d in part at the top of the cardboard tray 10 so that a buyer can recognize the cups 92a to 92d with their imprint.

How to clear FIG. 4 can recognize is ensured by the dimensioning of the height H for both the spar 26 and the support tabs 38 that a flat surface of the filled cardboard trays 10 is formed so that it can be easily and safely stacked.

In a practical embodiment, the cardboard tray is 39 cm long, 25 cm wide and 4 cm high (height H). The arcuate grid plates 22 and 24 terminate at a height of 2.5 cm (height h) on the spar 16. The radius R is about 40 cm. It is understood, however, that these figures are to be understood only as an example.

Claims (15)

1. Cardboard tray made of a planar blank (12), having a bottom panel (14) and having end side walls (16, 18) protruding from the bottom panel (14), wherein the bottom panel (14) is overlaid at a distance (h) by two grid panels (22, 24), which span the bottom panel (14) in an arcuate manner and have openings (30, 32, 34, 36) for accommodating articles, wherein a member (26) is provided, in each case one of the two curved grid panels (22, 24) is arranged on both sides of the member (26), and the openings (30, 32, 34, 36) are designed to accommodate cups (92a to 92d).
2. Cardboard tray according to Claim 1, characterized in that the member (26) is a hollow profile having a substantially trapezoidal cross section.
3. Cardboard tray according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the member (26) is formed by folding lateral, substantially strip-like extensions (65, 66, 71, 72) of the grid panels (22, 24).
4. Cardboard tray according to Claim 3, characterized in that the grid panels (22, 24) end at a predetermined height (h) at the member (26).
5. Cardboard tray according to Claim 3, characterized in that the predetermined height (h) is approximately half the height (H) of the member (26).
6. Cardboard tray according to one or more of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the member (26) is cohesively joined to the bottom panel (14) by means of adhesive flaps (50, 52) folded out of the bottom panel (14).
7. Cardboard tray according to one or more of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that supporting flaps (38) which connect the bottom panel (14) to the at least one grid panel (22, 24) and protrude upwards over the at least one grid panel (22, 24) are provided.
8. Cardboard tray according to Claim 7, characterized in that the member (26) is provided along a longitudinal mid-plane (25) of the cardboard tray, and the supporting flaps (38) are the same height (H) as the member (26).
9. Cardboard tray according to Claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the two curved grid panels (22, 24) are provided on both sides of a longitudinal mid-plane (25) of the cardboard tray, and in that the supporting flaps (38) are formed by folding portions of the grid panels (22, 24).
10. Cardboard tray according to one or more of Claims 7 to 9, characterized in that the supporting flaps (38) are cohesively joined to the bottom panel (14) by means of adhesive flaps (44) folded out of the bottom panel (14).
11. Cardboard tray according to one or more of Claims 1 to 10, characterized in that adhesive flaps (76), which can be folded (14) out of the bottom panel (14), are formed in the end side region of the bottom panel and are cohesively joined (78 to the end side walls (16, 18).
12. Cardboard tray according to one or more of Claims 1 to 10, characterized in that adhesive flaps (76), which can be folded (14) out of the bottom panel (14), are formed in the end side region of the bottom panel and are cohesively joined (77') to the at least one grid panel (22, 24).
13. Cardboard tray according to one or more of Claims 1 to 10, characterized in that adhesive flaps (76), which can be folded (14) out of the bottom panel (14), are formed in the end side region of the bottom panel and are cohesively joined (78') to the end side walls (16, 18) and to the at least one grid panel (22, 24).
14. Blank for a cardboard tray (10) having a bottom panel (14) and having end side walls (16, 18) protruding from the bottom panel (14), wherein the bottom panel (14) is overlaid at a distance (h) by two grid panels (22, 24), which span the bottom panel (14) in an arcuate manner and have openings (30, 32, 34, 36) for accommodating articles, wherein in each case one of the two grid panels (22, 24) is arranged laterally next to the bottom panel (14) such that it can be bent away from the latter, and side parts (66, 72) that can in each case be bent away from the bottom panel (14) are arranged alongside the grid panels (22, 24) on the side facing away from the bottom panel (14), such that when the blank is erected a member (26) is produced from the side parts (66, 72), wherein in each case the curved grid panels (22, 24) are provided on both sides of the member (26), and furthermore the openings (30, 32, 34, 36) are designed to accommodate cups (92a to 92d).
15. Packaged foodstuff, in which the foodstuff is accommodated as contents in a cup (92a to 92d), wherein the cups (92a to 92d) are accommodated in a cardboard tray (10) which consists of a planar blank (12), and the blank (12) has a bottom panel (14) and end side walls (16, 18) protruding from the bottom panel (14), wherein the bottom panel (14) is overlaid at a distance (h) by two grid panels (22, 24), which have openings (30, 32, 34, 36) for accommodating articles, in particular a plurality of cups (92a to 92d) forms a container (13), wherein the cups (92a to 92d) are formed in a predetermined pattern in a lower part (91) and the cups (92a to 92d) are closed jointly by means of a sealing panel (93) resting on the lower part (91), wherein the two grid panels (22, 24) span the bottom panel (14) in an arcuate manner, a member (26) is provided, and in each case one of the two curved grid panels (22, 24) is provided on both sides of the member (26).

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