ES2217214T3 - BOX TO TRANSPORT A PLURALITY OF ARTICLES. - Google Patents

Abstract

Box for housing a plurality of articles in a group, said box comprising an upper part (22), opposite side walls (18, 26) and a base (12, 32), interconnected in an articulated manner, to form a structure tubular, in which at least one of said side walls comprises a movable area (66) arranged to protrude from the plane of the side wall to accommodate a part of an adjacent article and in which said movable area comprises a plurality of sections connected, each occupying a different plane from the next contiguous section.

Description

Box for transporting a plurality of articles.

The present invention relates to a box that It is particularly but not only suitable for housing containers of beverage such as cans and incorporating a carrying handle of band type that is automatically mounted in a position of use as the box is closed after being loaded

Beverage boxes that include transport handles and, in fact, band-type transport handles are known. For example, US 4,166,570 (Lazerand et al. ) Discloses a container box for beverage cans with a band-shaped handle. The handle band has a central part for the user exposed to the view in an access opening to the handle in the upper wall of the box, extends through the upper wall and has opposite ends ending in the respective fins of a pair of end closure fins that are articulated with the upper wall. The handle band is reinforced by a separate strip of reinforcing material, for example, a fibrous adhesive tape.

The box is mounted as an end sleeve open for loading and then loaded at the ends, after which it is terminated by closing the closing panel extreme The closure of the end closure panel has an effect in the arrangement of the handle band. As the panels of upper end closure folds towards their positions of closure, the handle band is loosened to a position ready for utilization. When the box is lifted by the exposed part of the handle band arches up and protrudes through the access opening of the upper wall. The load is transmitted from the handle band to the upper wall of the box in each of the opposite ends of the access opening to the handle and distributed to through the upper wall.

Another problem has been identified regarding packaging of modeled items, for example, bottles shaped pear, so known boxes can no longer accommodate items properly to minimize the movement of items inside the transport stand.

The present invention seeks to resolve or so less mitigate the problems of the prior art.

An aspect of the invention provides a box for beverage containers, said box including a series of panels articulated forming a sleeve and end closure panels articulated with at least one of said articulated panels for close, at least in part, the opposite ends of a sleeve, wherein said an articulated panel includes handle means by which can be transported said box, said said comprising handle means a band attached to opposite end panels, provided with a user part that is in relation substantially coplanar with said articulated panel when it is in a storage condition and said band being attached, in their opposite ends, to said end closure panels in order of providing a surplus of material to allow such User part can be taken to a position of use.

A second aspect of the invention relates to a container box to accommodate a plurality of articles in a group, whose box comprises a top, side walls opposites and a base, which interconnect, each other in a way articulated, to form a tubular structure where at least one of the side walls comprises a movable area arranged to protrude from the plane of the side wall which serves to host a part of an adjoining article. The scrollable zone It comprises a multiplicity of connected sections, occupying each a different plane to the next contiguous section. Preferably, the movable zone is shaped to adapt to the form of the article.

According to an optional feature of the second aspect of the invention, the connected sections are delimited by several arched cutting lines.

According to another optional feature of the second aspect of the invention, the side wall further comprises a tongue from a part of the side wall where the plurality of the arched cutting lines are shaped to define the part protrusion and in which the cut lines are arranged in a substantially vertical plane.

In some embodiments, the box comprises at least one article retention flap, which will fold towards the inside a side panel to retain the bottom of a Article.

A third aspect of the invention relates to a semi-finished to form a box comprising a plurality of articles with a shaped body part, for example, a pear-shaped bottle, whose semi-finished product comprises a part upper, side walls and a base with interconnection, so articulated, in which the side wall comprises a plurality of cut lines arranged in a spaced relationship and adapted to receive the shaped body part of said article, when the Box is in the mounting condition for use. Preferably The cut lines are arched.

According to an optional feature of the third aspect of the present invention, the side wall comprises, in addition, a tongue from a part of the side wall, where the plurality of arched cutting lines are shaped to define the protruding part and the cut lines are arranged substantially parallel. They can also understand at least one article retention flap that folds toward the inside of a side panel to retain a bottom of an article.

Embodiments will be described below. Preferred inventions, by way of example, with references to The following drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the semi-finished round envelope box.

Figure 2 is a partial plan view of the box that illustrates the part to receive and retain an item;

Figure 3a is a perspective view of the upper semi-finished panels illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3b is a perspective view of the internal side of the upper semi-finished panels illustrating the end closure panels that conform and

Figure 4 illustrates the bottom of the box formed substantially from the semi-finished illustrated in Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings and in particular to Figures 1 and 2, an article transport support is formed from a semi-finished unit 10 made of cardboard or other suitable sheet material, which can be adapted to accommodate a wide range of items, for example, six bottles arranged in two rows of three bottles each. Is considered that the transport bracket can be adapted to accommodate a number Different from bottles, depending on user needs. Returning to the raw material 10 illustrated in Figure 1, this semi-finished comprises a first base panel 12, a heel panel inclined 14, a lower side panel 16, a side panel top 18, a shoulder panel 20, a top panel 22, a second shoulder panel 24, a second upper panel 26, a second panel lower side 28, an inclined heel panel 30 and a second base panel 32 connected to each other in an articulated manner, in a plane longitudinal along the fold lines 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50 and 52, respectively.

To tighten the sleeve around a group of articles, clamping openings 58 are formed in the base panel 12, while a similar clamping opening 60 is formed in the second base panel 34. With the sleeve arranged around a group of articles and with base panels 12 and 34 arranged in a overlap ratio, machine elements penetrate through of the openings 58, 60 and move towards each other, thereby tighten the sleeve around the item group, as is well known in this technique. Once the sleeve is tight, it is blocked by locking tabs 62, which are driven through the openings and are defined by retention tabs 64, respectively. The configurations of locking and retention tabs 62, 64 are well known in this technique and the blocking operation is well understood.

The means of support and retention of articles 66  comprise several reinforcement fins for inserting articles 68, 70, 72, 74, 76, 78 that are derived from the heel panels inclined 14; 30 and base panels 12; 32. The means of support and retention of items comprise several panels of article support 80, 82, 84, 86, 88, 90 from the respective lower side panels 14, 28. The support panels of Articles 80-90 and reinforcement fins of insertion of articles 68-78 are identical and so therefore, a detailed description of the article support panel 80 and the insert reinforcement fin of article 68, only here they are included and described in greater detail by making reference to Figure 2.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the fins of insert reinforcement articles 68 comprise a pair of fins arranged in opposition 92, 94 joined by folding to the panel of inclined heel 14 along the fold lines 96 and 98, respectively. Preferably, the fold lines 96 and 98 are converging in an upward direction. The fins 92, 94 are also connect to the base panel 12 along the lines of folded 100 and 102, respectively, being convergent towards the free end edge of the base panel 12. Preferably, the lines folding 96, 98 and 100, 102 have an intersection in a line of interrupted folding 34. A cutting line 104 separates the fins contiguous 92, 94 and optionally, an additional pair of lines of folded 106, 108 extend between the intersection of the line of folding 34 with the folding lines 100, 96; 102, 98 respectively and the cut line 104.

The lower edges of the fins 92, 94 define a clamping opening edge 58 and the upper edge of fins 92, 94 extend in a receiving opening of Articles 110, derived from part of the inclined heel panel 14 and extending to the lower side panel 16. In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 2, the heel receiving opening of Articles 110 is interrupted by the article support panel 80, interconnecting the opposite side edges of the side panel bottom interrupted 16.

The article support panel 80 comprises several cut lines 112, 114 that are preferably arched. In this way, each set of cut lines 112 and 113 are separated on either side of a line of centers, which extends from intermediate points of the upper and lower edges 115, 116 of the article support panel 80. In this embodiment, each set comprises four cut lines 112 and 114, although consider that there could be more cut lines to increase the part Outgoing or less cutting lines for reduction. As a result, items of various shapes and sizes can be packed without depart from the scope of the invention, by adding or removing of cut lines 112, 114. Under conditions of use, the lines of section 112, 114 define a movable zone, which is described as continuation.

The upper panel 22 may further comprise a central user part 180, frangibly connected to the top panel 22. In this embodiment, the central user part 180 is substantially rectangular in shape and comprises a pair of support panels 182, 184 derived and connected to the edges sides of the central user part along the lines of folded 186, 188, respectively. In addition, a handle band 190, illustrated in Figure 3a, can be applied to the surface interior of the semi-finished 10, being fixed to the user part central 180 and opposite main parts 126, 126a of the end closure panels by glue or other means known in this technique. Preferably one, the handle band 190 is also glued to step panels 174, 174a of each stage, as illustrated in Figure 3a. It is also preferred that the handle band be formed of ordinary cardboard, laminated cardboard, fibrous tape or Other suitable plastic material.

Going back to the construction of the box, which illustrated in Figures 3b and 4, the semi-finished requires several sequential folding and gluing operations that can be perform on a rectilinear machine so that it is not required that The box is turned or inverted to complete its construction. The folding process is not limited to the one described below and can be modified to meet manufacturing requirements private individuals

In this way, items A are held together in two rows of three items A and the semi-finished box is introduce in articles A. In this embodiment, the semi-finished is introduced from above, the shoulder panels 20, 24 and the Semi-finished side panels 16, 18, 26, 28 fold, to then around fold lines 42 and 48, respectively, so that, preferably, the conical side panels, down and out, from the panel Top 24 and end closure panels.

End closure panels 118 and 120 are fold down at each end of the sleeve formed by the action of folding envelope. At the same time, corner panels 120, 130 and 148, 150 fold inward around the lines of folded 132, 152 and 122, so that corner panels 128, 148 enter into a face-to-face relationship with shoulder panels 20 and 24, respectively. The panels are in the construction stage illustrated in Figure 3b. Next, the side panels 18, 26 will continue to fold so that the second panels of corner 130, 150 come into contact, face to face, with their respective first corner reinforcement panels 128, 148. During the above folding process, the corner arrangements, whereby the panel parts 140, 160 fold, out of alignment, with the next panel part contiguous 142, 162 to define a corner portion substantially curved, as illustrated in Figure 3b.

Optionally, the fin faces of corners 128, 148, in contact with shoulder panels 20, 24, respectively, they can be fixed together by means known in this technique to keep the end closure panels in place. Additionally, or as an alternative, the first and second Corner panels 128, 130, 148, 150 can be fixed together by glue medium or other means known in this technique.

Each of the stabilizing fins (or bottleneck separator) 168, 168a, conform to the intermediate, substantially 175, 177, 175a, 177a cut lines perpendicular to the folding lines 170, 172, 170a, 172a, a around which the fins can be folded, in an action of tilting, to define a stepped part 191 in each top panel end 22. This action can be performed automatically when folding the closing panels of end that brings the fins 191 to its operative position in which the fins move out of the plane of the top panel towards inside the box, as illustrated in Figure 3b. So optional, cut lines 175, 177, 175a, 177a are shaped to define a profiled edge adapted to engage with a Neck part of an article. Once the fins are displaced stabilizers 168, 168a, are arranged between neck parts of the contiguous end of items inside the packaging to help keep the items in their correct vertical positions inside of the packaging, particularly to prevent the bottles from tipping inward while the end closure panels prevent the bottles from tilting towards the end of the packaging.

The support of the article and the means of retention 66 is also formed so that the retention fins of the Articles 68 to 78 fold inwards to define faces reception as is well known and base panels 12 and 34 are fold misaligned with inclined heel panels 14 and 32 and the lower side panels 16 and 30, respectively, and panels side or base are brought into contact with the respective items A, so that the bottom of items A protrude through openings formed from the middle of retention and are held in position by means of fins 92, 94 of the retaining means 66, as illustrated in Figure 4. It you will appreciate that the support panels of articles 80 to 90 they also move, out of alignment, with the side panel lower, when the coupling with a part of the article occurs, forming a scrollable area 192, which is arranged to protruding outward from the plane of the side walls 16, 28 to house a part of an adjoining article. Figure 4 shows illustrates the scrollable area 192 consisting of several sections connected 194 each occupying a different plane to the following contiguous section More particularly, the connected sections 194 they are provided by arched cut lines 112, 114, as illustrated in Figures 2 and 4.

Next, base panels 12 and 34 are lead to an overlapping relationship and connect together, according to It was previously described. In this way, the box is in a mounting condition for use and charged.

The present invention and its preferred embodiment refer to an article transport support that is profiled to provide satisfactory mechanical strength to keep the items firmly, but with a certain degree of flexibility, so that the transfer of the load to the handle is absorb by the transport support. The semi-finished form minimizes the amount of cardboard needed and the support of transport can be applied to an ordered set of items to hand or with automatic machinery. It is envisioned that the invention will be It can apply to various kinds of transport brackets and not limited to the envelope type. For example, the top panel 22, the side panels 20, 24 and end closure panels 118, 120 above can be applied to a top grip box and Similarly, the article 66 retention and support means are You can apply to other kinds of boxes, without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (11)

1. Box to accommodate a plurality of items in a group, said box comprising an upper part (22), opposite side walls (18, 26) and a base (12, 32), interconnected together in an articulated way, to form a tubular structure, in which at least one of said walls lateral comprises a movable area (66) arranged for protrude from the plane of the side wall to accommodate a part of an adjoining article and in which said movable area comprises a plurality of connected sections, each occupying a plane different from the next contiguous section. 2. Box according to claim 1, wherein the movable area is shaped to fit the profile of the Article. 3. Box according to claim 1 or the claim 2, wherein the connected sections are provided by means of a series of pairs of cutting lines (112, 114). 4. Box according to claim 3, wherein Cut lines are arched. 5. Box according to claim 3, wherein the side wall further comprises a tongue (80, 82, 84; 86, 88, 90) which is derived from a part of said side wall (18, 26) in where the plurality of arched cutting lines (112, 114) have been shaped to define the outgoing part and in which the lines of Cut are arranged in a substantially vertical plane. 6. Box according to any of the claims 1 to 5, further comprising at least one retention flap of items that folds in from a side panel to retain a bottom of an article. 7. Semifinished to form a box that it comprises a plurality of articles that includes a part of shaped body, for example, a pear-shaped bottle, said semi-finished comprising an upper part (22), some opposite side walls (18, 26) and a base (12, 32) interconnected in an articulated way, in which the wall lateral comprises a plurality of cutting lines (112, 114) arranged in a spaced relationship and adapted to receive the shaped body part of said article when the box is in The mounting condition. 8. Semi-finished according to claim 7, in the that the cut lines are arched. 9. Semi-finished according to claim 7 or the claim 8, wherein the side wall further comprises a tab (80, 82, 84; 86, 88, 90) derived from a part of said side wall (18, 26) in which the plurality of cut lines arched (112, 114) are shaped to define the projecting part and in which the cut lines are arranged in a plane substantially vertical 10. Semifinished according to any of the claims 6 to 8, further comprising at least one fin of retaining items that folds towards the inside of a side panel to retain a bottom of an article. 11. Packaging comprising a plurality of items in a group and a box according to any of the claims 1 to 5.