ES2337801T3 - CARTON PACK AND PREFORM TO CARTON PACK OF TWO PARTS. - Google Patents

Abstract

A carton for containing a group of bottles is constructed by combining a pair of complementary U-shaped structures ( 10, 20 ). One ( 10 ) of the U-shaped structures comprises a bottom panel ( 24 ) and opposing end walls ( 16, 18 ). The other ( 20 ) of the U-shaped structures comprises a top panel ( 22 ) and opposing side walls ( 12, 14 ).

Description

Cardboard container and preform for cardboard packaging of two parts.

The present invention relates to a container of cardboard to contain a plurality of similar items, such as bottles, and to a means to retain the bottles inside the cardboard container and, in particular, a means to access the articles.

Cardboard containers to confine multiple items are useful to allow consumers to obtain and transport a desired amount of individual items such like soda or other drinks. It is necessary that said carton packs are strong enough to support Multiple items, especially if the items are bottles. It is also desirable that said carton packs be easy to Handle and portable.

It is often desirable that items contained within the carton can be visualized and, also, that the cardboard container has large areas that can Print with advertising symbols. Often it is also desirable that the articles are easily accessible and, also, is it is preferable that the items are secured on your site within of the carton, especially if the items are fragile, For example, glass bottles. However, it is undesirable that access articles too easily, for example, before buy them.

It is also desirable to have a cardboard container that, after the contents of the articles have been consumed, can be used to return empty items to a recycling point

The present invention is intended to provide a means to display the articles or a part of the articles in combination with a means of access for the withdrawal of articles, where the access means leaves the cardboard container with sufficient integrity for the replacement of the items with the In order to return them to a recycling point.

Schuster US 5,022,525 describes a wrap-around bottle holder that has openings for bottlenecks, in which the folding lines concentric arches are connected to grooves that form flaps, flaps that fold to allow reception of bottlenecks of greater circumference.

Muller's GB 2,171,672 document describes a wrapper package comprising a tray type base for bottles and a top cover, formed separately, secured to the tray type base, in which the cut lines form tear strips to facilitate separation of parts upper cover of the tray base.

Mardon GB 406.511 describes a packaging box for bottled items, including the box of packing a tight-fitting diaphragm that has holes circular arranged to level with the positions of the bottlenecks located inside the box. FR document 2,041,931 describes another two-part cardboard container for Contain a group of bottles.

Summary of the invention

According to a first aspect of the invention a two-piece cardboard container is provided to contain a group of similar items such as bottles, comprising the two-piece cardboard container a first structure shaped U to form a tray and a second U-shaped structure to form a cover, in which the first U-shaped structure comprises panels to provide a bottom wall and walls opposite ends of the carton and in which the second U-shaped structure comprises panels to provide a upper wall and opposite side walls extending towards below the cardboard container, in which the second structure with U-shape is complementary to the first U-shaped structure, in the one that the upper wall is located at a lower elevation than the upper edges of the end walls or side walls, providing together the first and second structures shaped U a substantially fully closed cardboard container characterized in that the first U-shaped structure comprises flaps that provide support to opposite side walls that extend down the second U-shaped structure and, additionally, a surface to which the opposite side walls that extend down the second U-shaped structure.

Preferably, the upper wall is at a elevation less than an upper edge of the end walls of the carton and sidewall container paperboard.

Preferably, the upper wall comprises openings to receive the articles or part thereof, where each opening has a frangible connection that extends to the minus another opening to facilitate the removal of articles.

Preferably, the cardboard package comprises additionally at least one reinforced grip opening (54) that it is made from one of said side and end walls of the cardboard container.

Preferably, the frangible connection is so that after the removal of the items, the container cardboard retains sufficient structural integrity to Reuse it to return empty items.

Preferably, at least one is provided grip opening made from one of said walls side and end of the carton and in which said at least one grip opening is located at an elevation greater than the wall higher.

According to a second aspect of the invention a two part preform is provided to form a two-piece cardboard container to contain a group of items similar, such as bottles, the preform comprising a first and second parts, the first part to form a first U-shaped structure, to form a tray, comprising the first U-shaped structure a bottom wall and walls opposite ends, the second part to form a second U-shaped structure, to form a cover, comprising the second U-shaped structure a top wall and walls opposite sides, where in a mounted cardboard container formed to from a two-part preform, the second structure with U-shape is complementary to the first U-shaped structure, the first and second U-shaped structures being arranged in a  opposite relationship, comprising the second U-shaped structure side walls that extend down and the top wall it is arranged at a lower elevation than that of the upper edges of the final walls characterized by the first part comprises flaps to provide support to the side walls of the second U-shaped structure and, additionally, a surface to which the side walls of the second U-shaped structure.

Additionally, the upper wall of the second part may comprise openings to receive the items or parts thereof, in which each opening has a connection frangible that extends to at least one other opening for facilitate the removal of items.

Preferably, at least one is provided grip opening made from one of said walls lateral and final and in which said at least one grip opening is located at an elevation greater than the upper wall in a assembled cardboard container.

Brief description of the drawings

Exemplary embodiments of the invention, by way of example only, with reference to attached drawings, in which:

Figure 1A illustrates a first part of a preform to form a carton style packaging box according to a first embodiment of the invention;

Figure 1B illustrates a second part of a preform to form a carton style packaging box according to a first embodiment of the invention;

Figure 1C shows a first stage in the process to erect carton style packaging box formed from the preforms of Figures 1A and 1B;

Figure 1D shows a second stage in the process to erect a cardboard box style packaging box formed from the preforms of Figures 1A and 1B;

Figure 1E shows a third stage in the process to erect carton style packaging box formed from the preforms of Figures 1A and 1B;

Figure 1F shows the cardboard container of packaging box style formed from the preforms of the Figures 1A and 1B;

Figure 2A illustrates a first part of a preform to form a carton style packaging box according to a second embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2B illustrates a second part of a preform to form a carton style packaging box according to a second embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2C illustrates a stage in the process to erect a carton style packaging box starting from of the preforms of Figures 2A and 2B;

Figure 2D shows the cardboard container of packaging box style formed from the preforms of the Figures 2A and 2B.

Detailed description of the preferred embodiments

Figures 1A-1F show a first embodiment of the present invention. Figures 1A and 1B show a first and a second part, respectively, of a two-part preform, to form a cardboard container of packing box style 30, made from cardboard or a similar folding sheet material. In the first embodiment of the invention two preforms 10 and 20 of Figures 1A and 1B are formed in a tray and a cover, respectively. Together, the tray and The cover form a carton style packaging box 30 shown in Figure 1F. The invention is designed to receive similar items, such as bottles, but are expected to The present invention can be used to contain other items, without departing from the scope of the invention.

Returning to Figure 1A, the preform for the tray 10 comprises a first end wall 16, a bottom panel 24 and a second end wall 18, connected in an articulated manner, one to the next in series, along the fold lines 44 and 48, respectively. The grip openings 54 are made to from the first and second end walls 16, 18 and tabs of fingerprint 58 protrude inward from the edges upper grip openings 54. Clamping tabs fingerprint allow the carton-style cardboard container erected packaging 30 is easily held and lifted by grip openings 54.

The preform for tray 10 comprises additionally corner flaps 66a / 66b and 68a / 68b connected from articulated form to the first and second final walls 16 and 18, respectively. In this embodiment of the invention the flaps of corner 66a / 66b and 68a / 68b provide additional protection to Some of the bottles contained inside the carton. In other embodiments of the invention it is anticipated that a greater or lesser number of corner flaps can be used to provide a carton style packaging box with a shape specific, to accommodate the different types of items that they can be contained inside a cardboard style container Packing box.

In this embodiment of the invention the flaps Corner 66a / 66b and 68a / 68b are articulated connected to the side flaps 76a / 76b and 78a / 78b along lines of folded 86a / 86b and 88a / 88b respectively, as shown in the Figure 1A Side flaps 76a / 76b and 78a / 78b provide a means for securing the tray formed from preform 10 to the cover formed from preform 20 to erect the carton style packaging box 30.

In this embodiment of the invention, the preform for tray 10 additionally comprises end flaps bottom 74a and 74b articulated connected to the bottom panel 24, along the fold lines 64a and 64b. The flaps of lower end 74a, 74b provide an additional means for Secure the tray and cover together.

The preform for tray 10 also comprises 26 internal handling panels foldably connected to the first and second final walls 16, 18 around the lines folding 40 and 42. Internal handling panels 26 they comprise finger tabs 58 and are made up of so that, after folding the internal handling panels 26 180º around the fold lines 40 and 42, a Two-sheet reinforced handling structure.

In this embodiment of the invention the panels internal handling 26 are additionally provided with 70a / 70b and 72a / 72b adhesive flaps, which can be secured at internal faces of corner panels 66a / 66b and 68a / 68b, respectively. In this way, some can be provided additional protection of items held within corners of the carton style packaging box 30. In Other embodiments of the invention are provided that the flaps adhesives 70a / 70b and 72a / 72b may not be required or, in fact, may  secure to the inner faces of the side flaps 76a / 76b and 78a / 78b.

A second preform is shown in Figure 1B, the preform for the cover 20. The preform for the cover 20 is used to form a cover for the tray formed from the preform 10 of Figure 1A. The preform 20 comprises a panel upper 22 which is articulated to the first and second side walls 12, 14 along the lines of folded 34a, 34b. The first and second side walls 12, 14 they comprise the fold lines 32a and 32b.

A series of openings 56 are made to starting from the top panel 22 and are structured to receive a top of the items that have to be contained within the carton style packaging box 30. In this embodiment of the invention, the carton-style packaging box 30 It is suitable for containing bottles and openings 56 are designed to receive bottlenecks. In this embodiment, the openings 56 are circular and comprise additionally tabs that protrude towards the center of each of the openings 56. The protruding tabs can help provide a tight fit of the bottlenecks within openings 56. This can help prevent bottles from getting are subject to damage, which can occur if the bottles hit against each other. In other embodiments of the invention the openings 56 may not be circular and may or may not contain additional tabs

The upper panel 22 further comprises a series of weakened lines or notches 37 that connect each opening 56 to at least one other opening 56. In the first embodiment the notches 37 extend between the openings 56 in the lines perpendicular to the first and second side walls 12, 14. In Other embodiments of the invention are expected to be configurations of the notches 37 may differ from those described, for example, the notches 37 may not extend fully until the next openings 56, can cross each other or the notches 37 can extend to the edges of the top panel 22. The upper panel 22 further comprises a series of flaps 36a / 36b and 38a / 38b adhesives used to secure the panel top 22 to the preform tray 10.

Returning to the construction of the cardboard container style packing box 30 from the preform to the tray 10 and preform for cover 20, a series is required of sequential folding and pasting operations. Preferably, these can be done in a machine in a straight line, so that it is not necessary to rotate or invert the preforms 10, 20 to complete the construction The folding process is not limited to as described below and can be altered according to requirements of particular manufacturing.

The first phase is to ensure the panels of internal manipulation 26 to the internal faces of the panels of the final wall 16, 18 and secure the adhesive flaps 70a / 70b and 72a / 72b to the inner faces of corner panels 66a / 66b and 68a / 68b. The end wall panels 16, 18 are then folded around the fold lines 44 and 48, out of the plane of the bottom panel 24 to produce a tray.

The tray is then loaded with bottles, such as Shown in Figure 1C and corner panels 66a / 66b and 68a / 68b and side flaps 76a / 76b and 78a / 78b fold around the fold lines 96a / 96b, 98a / 98b, 86a / 86b and 88a / 88b. The lower end flaps 74a, 74b fold also into the tray.

During the preparation of operations folding and gluing ends to complete the erection of the container cardboard style packing box 30, the preform for the cover 20 folds around the fold lines 34a, 34b, 32a and 32b, as shown in Figure 1D. Side walls 12, 14 fold 90 ° around fold lines 34a and 34b, out of the plane of the top panel 22. The second walls laterals 12, 14 are then folded around the lines of folded 32a and 32b to carry the lower parts of the first and second side walls 12, 14 back to the panel plane top 22, as shown in Figure 1D.

The preform for the cover 20 is flush then with the bottles that have been loaded in the tray. The upper parts of the first and second side walls are placed in flat face contact with the internal faces of the side flaps 76a / 76b and 78a / 78b, respectively and can be secured together by adhesive or other means known in the technique. The lower parts of the first and second walls laterals 12, 14 additionally fold around the lines folding 32a and 32b so that the lower parts of the first and second side walls are in flat face contact with the upper parts of the first and second side walls 12, 14 and the outer faces of the side flaps 76a / 76b and 78a / 78b, respectively. In this way, the fold lines 32a and 32b form the upper edges of the side walls of the carton style packaging box 30. Again, you can be used glued or other means to secure the lower parts of the first and second side walls 12, 14 to the outer faces of the side flaps 76a / 76b and 78a / 78b and the outer faces of the lower end flaps 74a and 74b, as shown in the Figure 1E

In this way, an upper part of two sheets of the side walls of the cardboard box-style packaging box is formed. In other embodiments of the invention it is envisioned that the first and second side walls 12, 14 may additionally be provided with gripping openings 54 made from the first and second side walls 12, 14. This could provide two-sheet handling structures. on each wall of the carton-style packaging box erected 30, in other embodiments, without departing from the scope of the present invention.
tion.

Figure 1F shows the cardboard container Packing box style formed from preforms 10 and 20. It can be seen that the bottles are secured inside the carton, once the cover made from the preform 20 has been secured inside the tray, erected from of preform 10. Access to bottles is achieved by separating the notches 37, this can be achieved by lifting a bottle from the cardboard packaging style packing box 30 or, in others embodiments, it is envisioned that a means of laying can be provided underway to assist in the separation of the notches 37.

The use of notches 37 allows you to access each bottle individually while maintaining the structural integrity of the cardboard container. The bottles at that has not been accessed remain in position by openings 56 in the cover. Therefore, the carton provides an adaptable support vessel, whose integrity Structural is not destroyed when bottles are accessed. This allows the carton to be reused for a return Convenient of empty bottles.

It can be seen that they can be made diverse changes within the scope of the present invention, for example, The size and shape of the panels and openings can be adjusted to accommodate items of different size or shape.

Figures 2A - 2D illustrate a second embodiment of the present invention, which will now be described by way of  example only. This serves to illustrate some of the changes that can be made without departing from the scope of this invention. In subsequent figures, reference numbers similar have been used to designate similar elements, the reference numbers in the second embodiment of the invention are increased by "200" to show that they represent elements of the second embodiment. As the second embodiment It has common elements with the first embodiment, only highlight the differences in the second embodiment.

In the second embodiment of the present invention the first and second side walls 12, 14 are not provided with folding lines and can be sized so that when the cover from preform 220 is inserted into the tray formed from preform 210, the position of the panel of the upper wall 222 is adjustable. To adapt to this feature, the side flaps 276a / 276b and 278a / 278b are also dimension to allow upper panel 222 to have an adjustable lift once the tray and cover are have formed in the carton style packaging box 230.

Carton style packaging box 230 is erected by performing a similar provision of operations of folded and pasted as previously described, however the folding operation of the first and second side walls 12, 14 around fold lines 32a and 32b is not required in this realization The second embodiment can be considered as a special case of the first embodiment in which the lines of folded 232a, 232b are located along the lines of folded 234a / 234b. An intermediate stage is shown in Figure 2C in the process of erection.

The present invention is designed so that a carton style packaging box can be formed to from two preforms, in which the elevation of the upper panel 22, 222 can be adjusted by altering the depth of the part bottom of the first and second side walls 12, 212, 14 and 214. The depth of the bottom of the first and second side walls 12, 212, 14 and 214 is defined by the position of the fold lines 32a, 32b, 232a and 232b and the size of the First and second side walls.

The present invention also allows the height of the upper edge of the first and second side walls 12, 212, 14 and 214 be adjustable with respect to the height of the walls late 16, 18, 216 and 218. The upper edge of the first and second side walls 12, 212, 14 and 214 can be considered also defined by the position of the fold lines 32a, 32b, 232a and 232b.

It is expected that the characteristics of the various embodiments described in this document may be altered without move away from the scope of the present invention. For example, in others embodiments of the invention the openings formed within the upper panel may not be circular and may also be provided with additional tabs that protrude towards the opening, to aid in the retention of bottlenecks or Other items contained within the carton.

It will be recognized that, as used in this document, directional references such as "part top "," bottom "," front ", "rear", "final", "lateral", "internal", "external", "superior" and "inferior" do not limit the respective panels to that orientation, but simply serve to distinguish these panels from each other. Should not interpret that any reference to an articulated connection is necessarily refers to a single folding line only; from In fact, it is envisioned that the articulated connection can be formed from one or more of the following, a grooved line, a line frangible or a folding line, without departing from the scope of the invention as indicated in the appended claims.

Claims (9)

1. A two-piece cardboard container (10, 20) to contain a group of similar items such as bottles, the two-piece cardboard package comprising a first U-shaped structure (10) to form a tray and a second U-shaped structure (20) to form a cover, in which the first U-shaped structure comprises panels to provide a bottom wall (24) and opposite end walls (16, 18) of the carton and in which The second U-shaped structure comprises panels to provide an upper wall (22) and opposite side walls that extend downward (12, 14) of the carton, in which the second U-shaped structure is complementary to the first U-shaped structure, in which the upper wall is located at a lower elevation than the upper edges of the end walls or the side walls, providing the first and second U-shaped structures together with a cardboard container substantially fully enclosed characterized in that the first U-shaped structure comprises flaps (76a, 76b, 78a, 78b) that provide support to the opposite side walls that extend downward from the second U-shaped structure and, additionally, a surface to which the opposite side walls that extend down the second U-shaped structure are secured. 2. A carton according to the claim 1 wherein the upper wall is disposed to a elevation less than an upper edge of the end walls of the carton and sidewall container paperboard. 3. A cardboard container according to a any of the preceding claims wherein the wall upper comprises openings (56) to receive the items or parts thereof, in which each opening has a connection frangible (37) extending to at least one other opening for facilitate the removal of items. 4. A cardboard container according to a any of the preceding claims, comprising additionally at least one reinforced grip opening (54) that it is made from one of said side and end walls of the cardboard container. 5. A carton according to the claim 3 wherein the frangible connection is available so that after the removal of the items, the cardboard container retains sufficient structural integrity to reuse it To return empty items. 6. A two-part preform (10, 20) to form a two-piece cardboard container to contain a group of similar items, such as bottles, the preform comprising a first and a second part, the first part (10) for forming a first U-shaped structure to form a tray, the first U-shaped structure comprising a bottom wall (24) and opposite end walls (16, 18), the second part (20) to form a second structure in the form of a U to form a cover, the second U-shaped structure comprising an upper wall (22) and opposite side walls (12, 14), in which in a mounted cardboard container formed from the two-part preform, the second U-shaped structure is complementary to the first U-shaped structure, the first and second U-shaped structures being arranged in an opposite relationship, the second U-shaped structure comprising side walls extending downwards. or and the upper wall is arranged at a lower elevation than that of the upper edges of the end walls, characterized in that the first part comprises flaps (76a, 76b, 78a, 78b) to provide support to the side walls of the second structure with U-shape and, additionally, a surface to which the side walls of the second U-shaped structure can be secured. 7. A preform according to claim 6 in which the upper wall of the second part comprises openings (56) to receive the articles or parts thereof, in which each opening has a frangible connection (37) that extends to at least one other opening to facilitate the removal of the articles. 8. A carton according to the claim 1 wherein at least one grip opening (54) is  made from one of said side and end walls of the carton and in which said at least one grip opening It is situated at a higher elevation than the upper wall. 9. A preform (10, 20) according to the claim 6 wherein at least one grip opening (54) it is made from one of said side and end walls and wherein said at least one grip opening is located at a elevation greater than the top wall in a cardboard container mounted.