EP3006360B1

EP3006360B1 - Container

Info

Publication number: EP3006360B1
Application number: EP15188807.0A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Barry Lill
Original assignee: Mainline Flatpacks Ltd
Current assignee: Mainline Flatpacks Ltd
Priority date: 2014-10-07
Filing date: 2015-10-07
Publication date: 2018-05-02
Anticipated expiration: 2035-10-07
Also published as: GB201417676D0; EP3006360A1; US20160096652A1; GB2526891B; AU2015238827B2; AU2015238827A1; GB2526891A

Description

Technical field

The invention relates to containers, more specifically boxes, for the transit of goods. In particular, the invention relates to, but is not limited to, containers for the transit of consumer goods by postal or courier networks. The invention also relates to blanks for such containers.

Background

Consumer purchases over the Internet are increasing year-on-year and, as such, Internet retailers are dealing with higher and higher volumes of goods that must be packaged for transit by post or courier.
When dealing with such high volumes, speed of packaging is a key factor. In addition, cost of packaging and protection from damage of goods contained within the packaging are important.
In view of the above, there is a need to improve packaging methods to provide increased efficiency of packaging, at lower cost and with improved security.
GB 2474069 A relates to a container formed from a blank having a web of material adapted constrain an article therein, FR 2853885 A1 relates to a container with two sheets of flexible material to hold a object in position, and WO 2006/081360 A2 relates to a method for making a container by attaching a flexible material with a cohesive to a shipping container.

Summary

According to the invention in a first aspect, there is provided an intermediate blank for a container for the transit of goods, the intermediate blank configured to form a container having a base and sidewalls, the intermediate blank comprising: a flexible retainer fixed to the intermediate blank and configured such that when the container is formed, first and second portions of the flexible retainer are positioned on opposing sidewalls of the container and are foldable over an item placed within the box to retain the item in position, wherein a cohesive material is applied to at least 20% of a surface area of the first and/or second portions of the flexible retainer, and wherein the first portion of the flexible retainer comprises a first discrete section fixed to two sidewall sections of the intermediate blank, and a second portion of the flexible retainer comprises a second discrete section fixed to one sidewall section of the intermediate blank, wherein the cohesive material is applied to a side of the first or second discrete section of the flexible retainer facing inwards when the container is formed and to a side of the other of the first and second discrete sections of the flexible retainer facing outwards when the container is formed. The use of cohesive material on opposing sides of the flexible retainer, such that one faces the internal volume of the constructed container and the other faces away from the internal volume of the constructed container means that the two portions of cohesive material face each other when the flexible retainer is folded over an item in the container.
Optionally, the flexible retainer comprises a sheet of flexible material.
Optionally, the first and second discrete sections are fixed to opposing sidewall sections of the intermediate blank or to one or more base sections of the intermediate blank.
Optionally, the first discrete section is fixed to a first sidewall section and to one or both sidewalls sections adjacent to the first sidewall section of the intermediate blank.
Optionally, the cohesive material is applied at least to an upper portion of the first and second portions of the flexible retainer.
Optionally, the upper portion extends to an upper limit of the first and second portions of the flexible retainer.
Optionally, an area of the first and second portions of the flexible retainer between the upper portion and an upper limit of the first and second portions of the flexible retainer comprises no cohesive material.
Optionally, the cohesive material is applied to one of: at least 25%; at least 30%; at least 40%; or at least 50% of a surface area of the first and/or second portions of the flexible retainer.
Optionally, the cohesive material is applied to substantially the entire area of the first and second portions of the flexible retainer.
Optionally, the cohesive material is applied to a further side of the first discrete section of the flexible retainer facing outwards when the container is formed and to a further side of the second discrete section of the flexible retainer facing inwards when the container is formed.
Optionally, the flexible retainer is fixed to one or more sidewall sections of the intermediate blank proximate to a base section of the intermediate blank.
Optionally, the flexible retainer is fixed to the intermediate blank by adhesive. Optionally, the flexible retainer has a depth that is greater than a depth of a sidewall section.
Optionally, the flexible retainer has a depth that is one of: at least 1.5 times the depth of the sidewall section; at least twice the depth of the sidewall section; and at least 2.5 times the depth of the sidewall section.
Optionally, the flexible retainer extends beyond an upper limit of the intermediate blank. Optionally, the cohesive material extends beyond an upper limit of the intermediate blank.
According to the invention in a second aspect, there is provided a container formed from an intermediate blank described above.

Brief description of figures

Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a blank for a container for transit of goods;
Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of a blank for a container for transit of goods;
Figure 3 is a perspective view of a blank for a container for transit of goods as it is being constructed into a container; and
Figure 4 is a perspective view of an intermediate blank;
Figure 5 is a perspective view of a constructed container;
Figure 6 is a perspective view of a constructed container with an item inside;
Figure 7 is a perspective view of a constructed container with an item inside and a flexible retainer folded over the item.

Detailed description

Generally, disclosed herein is a container and a blank for a container comprising a flexible retainer configured to be foldable over an item placed within the box to retain the item in position. The flexible retainer may be in a plurality of discrete sections that are not connected. Each discrete section may have a cohesive material applied to opposing sides thereof, such that when the container is formed the cohesive material of a first discrete section faces into the internal volume of the box and the cohesive material of a second discrete section faces outwards from the internal volume of the container. This allows the cohesive material of each discrete section to contact the cohesive material of the other discrete section when they are folded over an item within the container.
Figures 1 and 2 show a blank 100 for a container. The blank 100 comprises four sidewall sections 102a-d. In Figure 1, the sidewall sections 102b-d are shrouded by a flexible retainer 104, which is split into first and second discrete sections 104a-b. The sidewall sections 102a-d become the sidewalls of the container when the blank 100 is formed into the container. Each of the sidewall sections 102a-d is connected to at least one other sidewall section 102a-d by way of a foldable seam.
The blank 100 also comprises four base sections 106a-d. Each of the base sections 106a-d is joined to a corresponding sidewall section 102a-d by way of a foldable seam. When forming the blank 100 into a container, this allows the base sections 106a-d to be folded to form a base of the container at right angles to the sidewall sections 102a-d.
The blank 100 also comprises four top sections 108a-d. Each of the top sections 108a-d is joined to a corresponding sidewall section 102a-d by way of a foldable seam. When forming the blank 100 into a container, this allows the top sections 108a-d to be folded to form a top or lid of the container at right angles to the sidewall sections 102a-d. In exemplary container blanks 100, one or more of the top sections 108a-d may comprise a securing means for securing the lid of the box in a closed position. The securing means may comprise an adhesive in the form of a peel and seal strip. One or more of the top sections 108a-d may comprise an opening means to facilitate easy opening of the box. The opening means may comprise a rip strip comprising a tab that may be pulled by a user and a strip configured to rip open the container when the tab is pulled.
The blank 100 may be a crashlock/autolock base blank configured to form a container.
The flexible retainer 104 comprises a plurality of discrete sections 104a-b. Each discrete section 104a-b is fixed to at least one sidewall section 102a-d of the blank 100. In the exemplary blank of Figure 1, a first discrete section 104a is fixed to two sidewall sections 102b, 102c and a second discrete section 104b is fixed to one sidewall section 102d. The plurality of sidewall sections 102a-d to which the flexible retainer 104 is fixed comprises at least two opposing sidewall sections. That is, the flexible retainer 104 is fixed to at least two sidewall sections 102a-d that will form opposing sidewalls of the container when the blank 100 is formed into a container. The discrete sections 104a-b of the flexible retainer 104 may be fixed to the plurality of sidewall sections 102a-d by an adhesive 110, although other methods may be used. The discrete sections 104a-b of the flexible retainer 104 are fixed to the plurality of sidewall sections 102a-d at a base region of the sidewalls. In alternative exemplary blanks, the discrete sections 104a-b may be fixed to one or more of the base sections 106a-d of the blank 100. That is, the flexible retainer 104 may be fixed to the plurality of sidewall sections 102a-d at a region near the base sections 106a-d. This allows the flexible retainer 104 to be folded over an item within the container.
The discrete sections 104a-b of the flexible retainer 104 have a cohesive material applied to opposing surfaces thereof. That is, the first discrete section 104a has a cohesive material applied to a first (e.g. an inner) surface 112 and the second discrete section 104b has a cohesive material applied to a second (e.g. an outer) surface 114. In other exemplary blanks, the cohesive material may be applied to the discrete sections 104a-b in a reverse configuration, for example the cohesive material may be applied to the outer surface of the first discrete section 104a and to the inner side of the second discrete section 104b.
As used herein, the term "cohesive material" encompasses materials that adhere to themselves but substantially do not adhere to other materials. For example, if an inner surface of the flexible retainer 104 is coated with a cohesive material, then that cohesive material will adhere to other features of the blank 100 also coated with the cohesive material; however it will not adhere to features of the blank not coated with the cohesive material, such as the sidewall, base and top sections.
As shown in Figure 2 by the vertical arrows, the discrete sections 104a-b are fixed to the plurality of sidewall sections 102a-d by placing the discrete sections 104a-b on the sidewall sections 102a-d and securing them with adhesive 110. At least a portion of each discrete section 104a-b of the flexible retainer 104 is free and is not fixed to the blank 100. In the exemplary blank 100 of Figure 1, a strip of adhesive in a range from 1 cm to 2 cm thick is used to fix the flexible retainer 104 to the blank 100.
The cohesive material may be applied to substantially all of the corresponding surface 112, 114 of each discrete section 104a-b of the flexible retainer 104. That is, the cohesive material may cover substantially all of the opposing surfaces 112, 114 of the free ends of the discrete portions 104a-b of the flexible retainer. In other exemplary arrangements, the cohesive material may be applied to a region of each of the discrete portions 104a-b of the flexible retainer. For example, the cohesive material may be applied to an area at least 25%, 30%, 40% or 50% of the surface area or free surface area of the surfaces 112, 114.
This provides an area of the flexible retainer covered in the cohesive material sufficient to allow the discrete portions 104a-b of the flexible retainer to be cohered to one another at a number of different tensions. That is, the tension between the discrete portions 104a-b may be adjusted to suit the contents of the container. In addition, covering a significant amount of the surface area of the surfaces 112, 114 allows the discrete portions 104a-b of the flexible retainer to be scrunched together over the top of items in the container such that the scrunched flexible retainer at least partially fills a void within the container between the items and the closed lid sections. This provides greater security for the items in the container, as they are less likely to move around in the container during transit.
Further, the cohesive material may be applied to any one of a number of different areas of the flexible retainer. These areas may cover the surface areas described above. In one exemplary arrangement, the cohesive material may be applied to a portion of the surface beginning at an upper limit of a discrete portion. This may be termed an upper portion of the surfaces 112, 114. The upper portion of the surface may cover a surface area of the surfaces 112, 114 relating to the areas described above. In other arrangements, the upper portion of a surface 112, 114 may not begin at an upper limit of the discrete portions 104a-b, but may be shifted downwards. That is, the area of the surfaces covered may be, for example, 25% or more of the total surface area, and there may be an area that has no cohesive material applied to it between the upper limit of the cohesive material and an upper limit of the discrete portion. In exemplary arrangements, the cohesive material may be applied to an area of the surfaces that does not extend to one or both of the lateral limits of the discrete portions 104a-b.
In exemplary arrangements, the cohesive material may be applied to further surfaces 111, 113 of the discrete portions 104a-b of the flexible retainer. In such arrangements, the cohesive material may be applied to substantially the entire surface area of each surface 111, 112, 113, 114, or at least to the surface area of the free portions (i.e. those portions not adhered to the blank) of the flexible retainer.
In other exemplary blanks that are not part of the invention, the flexible retainer 104 may be formed of a single section.
In such arrangements, first and second portions of the flexible retainer 104 have cohesive material applied to opposing surfaces. Further, in other exemplary blanks, a third discrete section of flexible retainer 104 may be applied to the remaining sidewall section 102a. In such arrangements, a cohesive material may be applied to the same surface as the second discrete section 104b, the outer surface 114 in the example of Figures 1 and 2. The same description provided above in respect of the cohesive material being applied to surfaces of the discrete portions 104a-b may apply to a flexible retainer having a single section, except that the portions are not now discrete.
The flexible retainer 104 (in whatever form) may extend beyond an upper limit of the blank 100. That is, the flexible retainer 104 may extend beyond the top sections 108a-d. Further, the areas of the flexible retainer comprising the cohesive material may extend beyond the upper limit of the blank. The flexible retainer and/or the areas of the flexible retainer comprising the cohesive material may extend beyond the top sections 108a-d by at least 50% of the depth of one or more top sections 108a-d. The flexible retainer 104 may have a depth greater than the depth of the sidewall sections 102a-d. The flexible retainer may have a depth greater than the depth of the sidewall sections 102a-d and the top sections 108a-d combined. Such arrangements have a larger area of flexible retainer that may be folded or scrunched over items within the container. Therefore, if the flexible retainer is loosely scrunched over the items in the container then a void between the items and inner surfaces of the container may be filled by the flexible retainer.
It is noted that relative terms such as upper, lower, inner and outer are used herein to aid description of the exemplary blanks and containers and need not limit the scope of the claimed invention. In particular, the terms inner and outer may refer to the inner and outer faces of a constructed container and the terms upper and lower may refer to the top and base of a constructed container.
In exemplary blanks, the blank 100 itself may be formed from cardboard. Specifically, the blank 100 may be formed from corrugated cardboard or solid board. In exemplary blanks, the flexible retainer 104 may comprise a sheet of flexible material, such as paper, card or a plastics material. In exemplary blanks, the cohesive material may comprise a synthetic or non-synthetic glue.
Figure 3 shows a blank 100 part way formed into a container. A first sidewall section 102a is folded at right angles to a second sidewall section 102b. Also, a fourth sidewall section 102d is folded at right angles to a third sidewall section 102c. In Figure 3, the third sidewall section 102c is shown as being flush with the second sidewall section 102b, however this will also be folded at right angles as part of the construction of the container. As can be seen in Figure 3, the first discrete section 104a is fixed to the second and third sidewall sections 102b, 102c. The second discrete section 104b is fixed to the fourth sidewall section 102d. As such, the discrete sections 104a, 104b are fixed to opposed sidewalls of the constructed container and the first discrete 104a section is also fixed to the third sidewall section 102c, which is adjacent to the opposed sidewall sections 102b, 102d.
The blank 100 may be partially constructed into an intermediate blank (or glued blank) 400 suitable for transit in high volumes, as shown in Figure 4. The intermediate blank is formed by folding the first and fourth sidewall sections 102a, 102d inwards and over the second and third sidewall sections 102b, 102c, as shown in Figure 3. A tab (or glue flap) 116 extends from an edge of the fourth sidewall section 102d and is fixed to an inner surface of the first sidewall section 102a. In addition, base tabs 118a-b, which form part of the base sections 106a, 106c, are fixed to corresponding adjacent base sections 106a, 106d such that the base is formed in the container as the intermediate blank is opened to form rectangularly arranged sidewalls.
Figure 5 shows a fully constructed container 500. In the exemplary container 500 the flexible retainer 104 is shown positioned on the second, third and fourth sidewall sections 102b-d and extending to the upper limit of the corresponding top sections 108b-d. The first discrete section 104a is positioned on the second and third sidewall section 102b-c and the second discrete section 104b is positioned on the further sidewall section 102d. There is no significant amount of flexible retainer positioned on the first sidewall section 102a, however an amount of the flexible retainer may come at least partially around the sidewall section 102d by the length of the glue flap 116, as shown in Figure 3.
Because the cohesive material is on opposite surfaces of the first and second discrete sections 104a-b, when the flexible retainer is folded over an item within the container 500 the cohesive material of the first discrete section 104a faces the cohesive material of the second discrete section 104b. For example, the first discrete section 104a may have cohesive material on an inner surface and the second discrete section 104b may have cohesive material on an outer surface. In such an arrangement, an item is placed into the container 500, as shown in Figure 6. Then, as shown in Figure 7, the second discrete section 104b may be folded over the item first, such that the cohesive material is facing upwards and the first discrete section 104a is folded over the item and the second discrete section, such that the cohesive material is facing downwards. Therefore, a higher proportion of cohesive material from each discrete section is in contact with the cohesive material of the other section.
As discussed above, the flexible retainers may be loosely scrunched to form structure within a void of the container. Accordingly, in exemplary arrangements there is provided a blank for a container for the transit of goods, the blank configured to form a container having a base and sidewalls, the blank comprising: a flexible retainer fixed to the blank and configured such that when the container is formed, first and second portions of the flexible retainer are positioned on opposing sidewalls of the container, wherein a cohesive material is applied to a first side of the first portion of the flexible retainer and to a second side of the second portion of the flexible retainer, wherein the second side is opposite the first side, and wherein the first and second portions of the flexible retainer are configured to be scrunched together and to cohere to form a structure for at least partially filling a void within the formed container.
Flexible retainers having cohesive material applied to both opposed surfaces are particularly suited to embodiments in which the flexible retainer may be scrunched to form a structure for at least partially filling the void.
The skilled person will be able to envisage other exemplary blanks and containers without departing from the appended claims.

Claims

An intermediate blank (400) for a container for the transit of goods, the intermediate blank configured to form a container having a base and sidewalls (102a-d), the intermediate blank (400) comprising:
a flexible retainer (104) fixed to the intermediate blank (400) and configured such that when the container (500) is formed, first and second portions of the flexible retainer (104) are positioned on opposing sidewalls of the container and are foldable over an item placed within the container to retain the item in position,

wherein a cohesive material is applied to the flexible retainer (104) and the cohesive material is applied to at least 20% of a surface area of the first and/or second portions of the flexible retainer (104),

characterised in that

the first portion comprises a first discrete section (104a) and the second portion comprises a second discrete section (104b), wherein the first discrete section (104a) is fixed to two sidewall sections (102b, 102c) of the intermediate blank and the second discrete section (104b) is fixed to one sidewall section (102d) of the intermediate blank (400),

and in that the cohesive material is applied to a side of the first or second discrete section (104a, 104b) facing inwards when the container (500) is formed and to a side of the other of the first and second discrete sections (104a, 104b) facing outwards when the container (500) is formed.
An intermediate blank according to claim 1, wherein the first discrete section is fixed to a first sidewall section and to one or both sidewalls sections adjacent to the first sidewall section of the intermediate blank.
An intermediate blank (400) according to any preceding claim, wherein the cohesive material is applied at least to an upper portion of the first and second portions of the flexible retainer (104).
An intermediate blank (400) according to claim 3, wherein the upper portion extends to an upper limit of the first and second portions of the flexible retainer (104).
An intermediate blank (400) according to claim 3, wherein an area of the first and second portions of the flexible retainer (104) between the upper portion and an upper limit of the first and second portions of the flexible retainer comprises no cohesive material.
An intermediate blank (400) according to any preceding claim, wherein the cohesive material is applied to one of: at least 25%; at least 30%; at least 40%; or at least 50% of a surface area of the first and/or second portions of the flexible retainer (104).
An intermediate blank (400) according to any preceding claim, wherein the cohesive material is applied to substantially the entire area of the first and second portions of the flexible retainer (104).
An intermediate blank (400) according to any preceding claim, wherein the cohesive material is applied to a further side of the first discrete section (104a) of the flexible retainer (104) facing outwards when the container (500) is formed and to a further side of the second discrete section (104b) of the flexible retainer (104) facing inwards when the container (500) is formed.
An intermediate blank (400) according to any preceding claim, wherein the flexible retainer (104) has a depth that is greater than a depth of a sidewall section (102a-d).
An intermediate blank (400) according to claim 9, wherein the flexible retainer (104) has a depth that is one of: at least 1.5 times the depth of the sidewall section (102a-d); at least twice the depth of the sidewall section (102a-d); and at least 2.5 times the depth of the sidewall section (102a-d).
An intermediate blank (400) according to any preceding claim, wherein the flexible retainer (104) extends beyond an upper limit of the intermediate blank.
An intermediate blank (400) according to claim 11, wherein the cohesive material extends beyond the upper limit of the intermediate blank.
A container (500) formed from an intermediate blank (400) according to any preceding claim.