FR2474456A1 - Sliding clasp fasteners with individual packs - have packs arranged side by side and interconnected by flexible tapes across their rear faces - Google Patents

Abstract

The arrangement facilitates handling of a number of sliding clasp fasteners (1) which are individually packed in flexible packs (2) in plastics foil, cardboard or the like. The packs are arranged side by side to form a unit (3) by connecting them with one or more flexible tapes (4) or the like across their rear faces. Individual packs can be detached by severing the tapes (at 5) e.g. via perforations (7) , and the unit can be rolled-up if desired. The tape may be made of paper and/or plastics material and there may be two such tapes, one at each end of the unit (3). The tape may carry identification markings.

Description

 The present invention relates to an arrangement for handling, during operations preceding or accompanying the sale, several zippers individually wrapped, these zippers individually wrapped having a packaging which is flexible, self-supporting and adapted to their shape and which is in sheet plastic cardboard or the like.

The packaging may be of the folding type and have two longitudinal folding edges and, by folded tabs, use the cssté before the zippers or simply their carrier tapes. The packaging can also be a simple strip of cardboard fixed below the zippers. Finally, the packaging can also be in the form of a boot. In the context of the invention, the term "arrangement" designates the combination of several zippers in a set aimed at a given purpose.

 Within the framework of the arrangements known in the prior art, the zippers are of course grouped by characteristic parameters such as length and color and / or resistance. However, their arrangement is random since the individually wrapped closures have arbitrary mutual orientations.

In fact, in the case of known arrangements, it is simply packages made by bundling by means of a link such as a ribbon, a string, a bracelet, a banner, etc. When selling an individual closure, the desired closure is extracted from such an arrangement, that is to say from the package. For this, the arrangement is very often completely disturbed, so that the zippers which were originally assembled in said arrangement (even if their grouping was arbitrary) are separated which constitutes a discomfort. Within the framework of the arrangements known in the prior art, the preparation for sale is constituted by the grouping proper. The individual zippers within the arrangement or grouping cannot then be provided with inscriptions or d 'labels, or receive an additional distinctive caraderisation to differentiate them All of this results in additional operations which must be carried out before the closures are arranged together. Furthermore, we also know (in practice) arrangements of several zippers in which the different closures are no longer randomly arranged but are arranged in a row in a certain way: they are aligned along the direction of their length, and this alignment is related to manufacturing. In fact, the direction they follow during their manufacture coincides with their longitudinal direction. The automatic packaging of continuously produced zippers is also carried out in a corresponding manner.

The packages are joined together, but without interposition of articulation joints.

These known arrangements made up of longitudinally aligned slide fasteners do not lend themselves to being rolled up if one operates with flexible self-supporting packaging as described above. This is why the zippers forming part of such
ca arrangements coming from manufacturing are, in most / 'desdbdtHsées from each other then, during the operations preceding the sale, and with a view to this, are again brought together in random arrangements such as those described. certainly consider using appropriate machines to automatically provide the longitudinally aligned closings with inscriptions, labels, etc., but such a machine does not allow high production speeds to be obtained, since the length of the longitudinally aligned closures determines the machine operating rate, and the longitudinally aligned closures cannot challenge at as high a speed as would be desirable in a labeling machine or the like, when long lengths exist between successive labels.

 The object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement for handling several individually wrapped zippers, in which the closures are arranged according to a defined storage arrangement, this arrangement nevertheless being suitable for being rolled up for shipping or storage purposes. . In addition, this arrangement must be such that the closures it contains can easily be provided with inscriptions and labels applied at high speed.

 To achieve these goals, the invention recommends that several of these slide fasteners be mutually aligned transversely so as to constitute an assembly for sale, and that their packages are joined together, back side, by at least one flexible connection means, this with formation of an articulation joint with gap. In the context of the invention, the expression "Joint joint with gap" designates a device.

tion in which there is, between the different closings within the arrangement, a gap or possibly very narrow gap - allowing the various zippers assembled within the arrangement to be brought together by pivoting in at least one direction, this by folding the flexible connection means. By playing on the embodiment of the flexible connection means and / or on the choice of the gap width, one can, on the one hand, establish a certain desired degree of freedom of pivoting or ease of folding and, d On the other hand, keep a certain stiffness when folded if this is desirable for reasons relating to storage or the method of sale.

 In the context of the invention, the type and configuration of the flexible connection means are in principle arbitrary. In a preferred embodiment, the flexible connection means and a ribbon with a continuous strip, of cardboard or plastic, placed on the back of the packages, and for example glued to their back. In general, there will be a continuous ribbon in the region of the beginning of the closures and another in the region of the end of the closures.

 If it is an arrangement which must be provided with inscriptions or labels during the operations preceding the sale, the invention then provides that the flexible connection means are at the same time constipated in sign carriers or symbols. They can then be printed or provided with inscriptions, which is preferably done automatically. So that zippers can be isolated individually from the arrangement for sale, or to split an arrangement into several partial arrangements, cella without difficulty, the invention recommends that the flexible connecting means present, in the region of joint joint with gap, partition perforation or "weak points" having a similar effect.

 The advantages obtained result in that, in an arrangement according to the rention, the individual zippers are mutually associated by a storage in a defined row, and that a roll-up of the arrangement or partial arrangements is nevertheless possible since combination with the gaps between the individually wrapped closures - the connecting means simultaneously act as hinge elements. The zippers assembled in the arrangement can, without any problem, receive, by an automated procedure, inseriptions and / or labels, and this automated operation can be performed at high speed since the zippers are side by side at the within the layout.

As regards the sales parameters, it follows from all this that identical zippers can be automatically conditioned for different markets, in packaging of the same kind but with different finishing details. The expression "finishing details" here designates details such as the type of price tag, and the type and content of the entry (language, price, partition in groups). The slide fasteners belonging to an arrangement according to the invention are manufactured in central manufacturing units and are individually wrapped therein in the manner described, as necessary and usual in the case of such mass production.

The invention further allows a significant reduction in stocks, since the closures / slide already assembled in an arrangement but devoid of the aforementioned finishing details can then be stored in this condition, and said fidDion details can then only be applied to on the occasion of the exit from stock, immediately before shipping to a customer who ordered fittings according to the invention. These arrangements lend themselves easily to an assortment. Feeding them to a labeling machine or the like can also be automated. In addition, the arrangements according to the invention lead to a very attractive presentation of the closures between the packages - and the means of slide connection at the points of sale. The connection / can be carried out in various ways, for example by welding, gluing, heat-sealing, stapling, etc.

 The description which follows, with reference to the accompanying drawings by way of non-limiting example, will make it possible to understand how the present invention can be put into practice.

 Figure 1 is a plan view of an arrangement according to the invention.

 Figure la is an enlarged representation of a detail showing the constitution of an articulation joint with interstice and partition perforation.

 FIG. 2 represents a partial view from the back side of the object of FIG. 1.

 Figure 3 shows an end view of the object of Figure 2 rolled up.

 The arrangement shown in the figures is intended for handling, during operations preceding a sale and during the sale, of several zippers individually wrapped, in a package 2 which is flexible, self-supporting and adapted to the shape of the closures, and which is made of plastic sheet, cardboard or the like.

 Several of these zippers, five in the present example, are mutually aligned transversely (that is to say crosswise) so as to constitute a set or group for sale. In practice, it is generally much more than five zippers which constitute such an assembly or arrangement.

As can be seen in particular in FIG. 2, their packages 2 are joined, back side, by means of
Flexible house or binding 4 - two in this example - with the formation of a joint joint 5 with a gap (in this regard, see the enlarged representation of a part of joint in FIG. 1a). The flexible connecting means 4 are, - in this embodiment, continuous ribbons. They are arranged, on the one hand, in the region of the beginning and, on the other hand in the region of the end of the zippers 1. Furthermore, they are at the same time produced in the form of supports for signs or symbols indicators or characterizers and are, in this example, provided with inscriptions 6, such as labels. In the region of the articulation joints with gap, 5, these bands or ribbons have partition perforations 7 allowing the separation of individual closings 1.

Zippers 1 can be presented as shown in Figures 1 and 2, but they can also be rolled up as shown in Figure 3.

Claims (5)

 1.- Arrangement for handling, during operations preceding or accompanying the sale, several zippers (1) individually wrapped, these closures individually wrapped having a packaging which is  and flexible / self-supporting and which is made of plastic sheet and or cardboard or the like, this arrangement being characterized by the fact that several of these slide fasteners (1) are mutually aligned transversely so as to constitute an assembly ()) for the sale, and by the fact that their packages (2) are joined, back side, by at least one flexible connection means (4), this with the formation of an articulation joint (5) with interstice.  2.- Arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that a ribbon (4) of paper and / or plastic is applied - as a flexible connection means - on the back of the packages (1).  3. - Arrangement according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that a continuous ribbon (4) is arranged in the region of the beginning of the zippers (1) and another in the region of the end zippers (1).  4. - Arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 3 ss characterized by the fact that the connecting means (4) are at the same time constituted as supports for signs or symbols (6).  5.- Arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the connecting means (4) have, in the region of the articulation joint with interstice (5), a partition perforation (7) or the like.