EP2181930A1

EP2181930A1 - Packaging, blank for a packaging and assembly of a packaging and a product

Info

Publication number: EP2181930A1
Application number: EP09174815A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Filip Van Hoeck
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-10-31
Filing date: 2009-11-02
Publication date: 2010-05-05
Also published as: NL2002155C

Abstract

The invention relates to a packaging manufactured from a single blank (1) for at least one product, comprising: a plurality of outer wall parts (10,11,13,14,15,16); two product-holding wall parts (31,32) directed toward each other and extending inside a space enclosed by the outer wall parts; and positioning wall parts (41,42); wherein the product-holding wall parts each transpose into an outer wall part via a positioning wall part. The invention also relates to a blank for manufacturing such a packaging and an assembly of the packaging with a product held therein.

Description

The present invention relates to a packaging, a blank for manufacturing such a packaging and an assembly of such a packaging and a product.
Packagings for products exist of course in many variants. In order to hold solid objects in a secured position in the packaging, internal parts are often placed in packagings for definitive positioning of products. It is possible here to envisage a gas-containing filler material (such as for instance foam material and foil material with gas chambers) or internal parts with openings modified to the products (such as bottle containers or plastic containers provided with preformed receiving spaces modified to product dimensions). Such packagings with preformed internal parts can be used particularly for products having standardized dimensions.
The present invention has for its object to provide an improved packaging with which products of varying dimensions can be positioned in a container in an efficient manner.
The invention provides for this purpose a packaging manufactured from a single blank for at least one product, comprising: a plurality of outer wall parts partially enclosing a space, wherein each outer wall part is connected to at least one other outer wall part; two product-holding wall parts directed toward each other and extending inside the space enclosed by the outer wall parts, these product-holding wall parts each being provided with a recess for receiving a product between the product-holding wall parts; and positioning wall parts which likewise extend inside the space enclosed by the outer wall parts, wherein the product-holding wall parts each transpose into an outer wall part via a positioning wall part. The product-holding wall parts are thus connected to an outer wall part via a positioning wall part. The product-holding wall parts placed in the space enclosed by the outer wall parts are at least partially held in position by the positioning wall parts and provide the option of holding and positioning a product in simple manner inside the outer wall parts. The mutual distance between the product-holding wall parts is variable and can be easily modified to the products for holding. It is thus possible for instance for the product to be held at a distance from the outer wall parts by the product-holding wall parts. Not only does this reduce the risk of damage to the held product, the outside of the packaging hereby also retains its shape better and damage to the inner side thereof as a result of contact with the product is prevented. The product no longer touches the outer side, or at least only to limited extent, because the product supports wholly or partially on the product-holding wall parts.
The product can further be secured by the product-holding wall parts, and more particularly by the recesses arranged for this purpose in the product-holding wall parts, such that the product has no freedom of movement, or only a very limited freedom of movement, in the packaging.
Another advantage of the use of the product-holding wall parts is that the product-holding wall parts stiffen, and thereby strengthen, the overall packaging. They form as it were ribs placed in the space enclosed by the outer wall parts, which particularly prevent denting of the outer wall parts. The packagings can hereby withstand greater external loads than if the product-holding wall parts were to be absent. The result is that the packagings according to the present invention can be readily stacked. It should be further noted that the product-holding wall parts can each be positioned in the packaging by a positioning wall-part such that they press against each other under bias or leave clear such a small mutual space that a product is clamped under bias between the two product-holding wall parts when placed between the mutually facing sides of the product-holding wall parts. It is not only the positioning wall parts which can fulfil a function for this purpose, the choice of material for the product-holding wall parts also plays a part in bringing about a determined bias. The product-holding wall parts can thus be manufactured substantially from a material with little stiffness, for instance paper or cardboard, or conversely a greater stiffness, for instance a plastic or a metal, wherein the product can be positioned under respectively a lower or higher bias for a determined orientation of the product-holding wall parts. It is noted that the above stated advantages of the present packaging are possibly already provided individually in different types of packaging, but that the special feature of the present invention lies particularly in the combination of advantages coupled with the very simple construction of this packaging from a single blank.
In a first embodiment variant, for the purpose of positioning the product-holding wall parts relative to the outer wall parts, the product-holding wall parts are each also provided, on the side remote from the positioning wall part, with a supporting wall part.
With the supporting wall parts the "free side" of the positioning wall parts, i.e. the side of the positioning wall parts remote from the positioning wall parts with which the product-holding wall parts are connected to the outer wall parts, the position of the product-holding wall parts inside the outside of the packaging can be fixed still further. The bias with which the product-holding wall parts engage on a product for holding can also be determined by the supporting wall parts (in particular the length thereof). If the supporting wall parts take a longer form, the product-holding wall parts will after all have less space to move apart when a product is placed therebetween than if the supporting wall parts were to take a shorter form.
The mutually connecting wall parts connect to each other at an angle along a fold line. It is advantageous to simplify the assembly of the packaging and to improve the accuracy of the folding together by arranging preferred fold lines in the blank by means of for instance weakening lines (cuts), or for instance by embossing recessed relief lines.
The outer wall parts can define a different shape, such as for instance a triangular shape, a cylindrical shape and so on. The outer wall parts particularly define a block form, and at least one outer wall part is displaceable for the purpose of providing a closable access to the space enclosed by the outer wall parts. Because the outer wall parts define a block form, a box-like packaging is created which can be readily stacked. This facilitates storage and transport of the packaging. Owing to the presence of a displaceable outer wall part it is easy to place a product in the packaging or remove it from the packaging. It is also easy here if the displaceable outer wall part encloses substantially a right angle with the product-holding wall parts. This simplifies access between the mutually facing sides of the product-holding wall parts. For reliable protection of a packaged product from outside influences, it is advantageous if the outer wall parts wholly enclose the space.
If the outer wall parts can be coupled in mutually releasable manner, the whole packaging can be returned once again to the flat blank form after use. Repeat use can have a very advantageous influence on the logistical costs of transport and storage of the packaging. It can on the other hand be advantageous to reduce the volume of a waste flow of used packagings.
If the product-holding wall parts are positioned in the packaging such that there is a plane of symmetry between these product-holding wall parts, a product can be held centred in the packaging in simple manner. In addition to optimum use of the space available in the packaging, this also has the advantage that under normal conditions the centre of gravity will also lie close to the centre of the packaging.
The wall parts can all have the same colour or pattern. The wall parts can also have mutually varying colours or patterns. In particular, the wall parts are at least partially transparent and a product held by the packaging can be visible from outside the packaging. In addition to the advantage of a simplified identification of a packaged product, this can also provide a commercial advantage. The entire packaging can of course be manufactured from a transparent (plastic) plate material, but it is also possible for only one or more windows to be arranged in the outer wall parts or for one or more outer wall parts to take a transparent form. The recesses can be manufactured in simple manner if they are circular.
The present invention also relates to a blank for manufacturing a packaging as described above. For the advantages of such a blank reference is made to the above stated advantages of the packaging assembled from such a blank.
The invention moreover also provides an assembly of a packaging as described above and at least one product held by the packaging, wherein the product is engaged under bias between the product-holding wall parts. It is desirable here for the product to remain completely clear of the outer wall parts; this is possible if the product is engaged only by the product-holding wall parts. The packaging is particularly advantageous for packaging substantially round products which do not have fully standardized dimensions and have limited, irregular variations relative to the roundness thereof. Owing to the bias with which the products are engaged between the product-holding wall parts, limited variations in respect of dimensioning can after all be compensated by bending the product-holding wall parts outward to greater or lesser extent. The packaging is therefore particularly advantageous for packaging fruit, bulbs and tubers, more in particular plant bulbs, optionally in single units. Not only are these relatively vulnerable products which can in this way be well protected against damage and moisture accumulation where they lie against an outer wall part, they are also organic products with a dimensioning which is not wholly fixed. It is precisely for this type of product that the advantages of the present packaging are clearly manifest.
The invention will be further elucidated on the basis of the non-limitative exemplary embodiments shown in the following figures. Herein:

figure 1 shows a blank of a packaging according to the present invention;
figure 2 shows a schematic perspective view of the packaging as assembled from the blank shown in figure 1; and
figure 3 shows a schematic cross-section through the packaging as shown in figure 2.

Figure 1 shows a blank 1 for assembly of a packaging according to the present invention, wherein blank 1 is still in a flat form. Blank 1 comprises six outer wall parts 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16 which are mutually connected along fold lines 20, 21, 22, 23, 24. Blank 1 is further provided with two product- holding wall parts 31, 32 and two positioning wall parts 41, 42. Positioning wall parts 41, 42 connect to outer wall parts 14, 13 along fold lines 61, 62 respectively, and to respective positioning wall parts 41, 42 along fold lines 51, 52. A supporting wall part 43, 44 connects to each of the positioning wall parts 41, 42 along fold lines 71, 72 respectively. For releasable coupling of all wall parts the blank 1 is also provided with a number of flaps 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, which are connected to outer wall parts 10, 11, 13, 14, 15 along associated fold lines 91, 92, 93, 94, 95. Further arranged in each of the product-holding wall parts 31, 32 is an opening 33, 34 through which a part of a product for holding can be placed.
Blank 1 is assembled as follows. Outer wall part 10 is folded along fold line 20 and flap 81 is folded in corresponding direction along fold line 91, whereby outer wall part 10 forms the underside of the packaging 2 for folding together (see figure 2). Positioning wall parts 41, 42 are folded along associated fold lines 61, 62 in the same direction in which outer wall part 10 has been folded. The two product-holding wall parts 31, 32 are folded along respective fold lines 51, 52 in a direction opposite to that in which outer wall part 10 has been folded. The two supporting wall parts 43, 44 are then folded along fold lines 71, 72 in the same direction as that in which outer wall part 10 has been folded. Outer wall parts 13, 14 are now folded so far along the adjacent fold lines 22, 23 that positioning wall parts 41, 42 lie against outer wall part 10. Outer wall part 15 is then folded along fold line 24 and flap 85 along fold line 95 so that outer wall part 15 lies against flap 81 and flap 85 lies against outer wall part 13. Outer wall parts 10, 12, 13, 14, 15 now partially enclose a space inside which lie the product-holding wall parts 31, 32, positioning wall parts 41, 42 and supporting wall parts 43, 44. Now situated between product-holding wall parts 31, 32 is a limited space in which a product (not shown) can be placed such that it protrudes partially through openings 33, 34. After placing of a plant bulb 3, shown in side view in figure 3, flaps 82, 83, 84 can be folded along respective fold lines 92, 93, 94. Finally, outer wall part 11 is folded along fold line 21 in the direction of the enclosed space so that plant bulb 3 is fully enclosed.
As can be seen in figure 3, product-holding wall parts 31, 32 will be pushed partly apart by plant bulb 3, and because positioning wall parts 41, 42 and supporting wall parts 43, 44 impede moving apart of product-holding wall parts 31, 32, product-holding wall parts 31, 33 will bend outward. It is precisely this which creates a bias with which plant bulb 3 is held in position.

Claims

Packaging manufactured from a single blank for at least one product, comprising:
- a plurality of outer wall parts at least partially enclosing a space, wherein each outer wall part is connected to at least one other outer wall part;

- two product-holding wall parts directed toward each other and extending inside the space enclosed by the outer wall parts, these product-holding wall parts each being provided with a recess for receiving a product between the product-holding wall parts; and

- positioning wall parts which likewise extend inside the space enclosed by the outer wall parts,
wherein the product-holding wall parts each transpose into an outer wall part via a positioning wall part.
Packaging as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that for the purpose of positioning the product-holding wall parts relative to the outer wall parts the product-holding wall parts are each also provided, on the side remote from the positioning wall part, with a supporting wall part.
Packaging as claimed in claims 1-2, characterized in that mutually connecting wall parts connect to each other at an angle along a fold line.
Packaging as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the outer wall parts define a block form, and that at least one outer wall part is displaceable for the purpose of providing a closable access to the space enclosed by the outer wall parts.
Packaging as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the outer wall parts wholly enclose the space.
Packaging as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the outer wall parts can be coupled in mutually releasable manner.
Packaging as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the packaging has at least one plane of symmetry.
Packaging as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the wall parts are at least partially transparent.
Packaging as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the recesses in the product-holding wall parts are circular.
Blank for manufacturing a packaging as claimed in any of the foregoing claims.
Assembly of a packaging as claimed in any of the claims 1-9 and at least one product held by the packaging, characterized in that the product is engaged under bias between the product-holding wall parts.
Assembly as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that the product is engaged only by the product-holding wall parts.
Assembly as claimed in claim 11 or 12, characterized in that the product is a plant bulb.