FR2643048A1 - DEVICE FOR THE PACKAGING OF HOLLOW AND FRAGILE ENLARGED OBJECTS, EMBLED IN ONE OTHERS - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for packaging similar elongated objects, hollow and fragile, nestable into each other, comprising a box or the like. Advantageously, the device comprises: a plurality of parallel plates 6 and spaced apart from each other so that the distance separating two consecutive plates is less than the length of said objects, each plate being provided with orifices 8 such that the orifices of the plates are facing each other and that each orifice can retain by friction by one of the ends one of said objects 1 introduced into said orifice; and - means 10 for maintaining said plurality of trays inside said box, so that the objects projecting with respect to the end plate 6A are kept spaced from the facing face of said box 2. Application of the device in particular to packaging of food cones.

Description

The present invention relates to a device for conditioning

  similar elongated objects, hollow and

  fragile, interlocking into each other.

  The conditioning of this particular type of object raises a number of difficulties inherent in the characteris-

same objects.

  One of the solutions used to ensure the conditioning

  Such objects consist in arranging them in a box or receptacle provided with a plurality of compartments in each of which is housed an object. Such a solution can only be considered in cases where the objects are

  relatively expensive and / or dangerous when they break.

  In addition, said box can contain only a limited number of objects so that it remains easily manipulated. Moreover, while said objects are capable of being nested within each other making it possible to store a large number of them in a restricted volume, this solution

  requires to arrange them individually.

  Another solution for packaging such objects is to fit them directly into each other to thereby form a plurality of piles of elongated objects, hollow and fragile. Each stack of objects can then be packaged in a bag or the like and then a plurality of

  sachets are then arranged in a boot.

  This is especially the solution generally adopted for the packaging of food cones intended to receive thereafter an ice cream or any other

analogous food product.

  However, this solution is far from giving

  satisfaction, since the various operations required

  cone conditioning and the various manipulations

  The boxes containing said stacks of cones 1 often result in the destruction of many of them because of their extreme friability. In addition, the cones stacked in contact with each other may sometimes stick together, which implies, during their separation, the damage of glued cones,

  subsequently rendering them unusable.

  One could of course think, to prevent the cones from breaking too easily or sticking, to interpose between the nested cones buffer sheets or the like, but this would involve a considerable increase in the time required for conditioning

  each stack, as well as production costs.

  The present invention aims to remedy these

  disadvantages and relates to a device for the condition-

  similar hollow and fragile elongate objects, which can be folded into each other, such as, for example, food cones, enabling the packaging of a

  high number of objects while preventing their deterioration.

  For this purpose, the device for packaging similar elongated, hollow and fragile objects, nestable into each other, comprising a box or the like, is remarkable, according to the invention, in that it comprises: - a plurality parallel trays spaced apart from one another so that the distance separating two consecutive trays is less than the length of said objects, each tray being provided with orifices such that the orifices of the trays are facing each other and that each orifice can hold by friction by one of the ends one of said objects introduced into said orifice; and means for maintaining said plurality of trays within said box so that objects projecting from the end tray are maintained

  spaced from the face opposite said box.

  1 Thus, thanks to the invention, can be disposed in said box several stages of trays, each of which comprises a plurality of similar elongated objects, hollow and fragile, individually held by friction in the orifices, said objects of each said trays, with the exception of the objects introduced into said end plate, further interlocking in the objects of the corresponding lower plate without touching each other, which then avoids

any risk of deterioration.

  Preferably, said trays are arranged in said

box parallel to its bottom.

  In a particularly advantageous embodiment, said orifices are of frustoconical shape, each object being retained by one of its ends of corresponding shape, by the wall delimiting one of said orifices, while

  its other end protrudes from the corresponding plateau.

  In addition, said orifices provided in each tray are

arranged in rows and columns.

  According to another characteristic of the invention, spikes can be provided on each plate allowing the superimposition of said trays, the spikes, which protrude transversely from each plate, defining the distance separating two consecutive trays, so that the objects retained by friction by the walls of the orifices of an upper plate are nested in the objects held by friction by the walls of the orifices of the plate

lower, without touching them.

  In another embodiment of said trays, ribs or the like may be provided on each of said trays, said ribs being arranged parallel to each other and extending approximately from one of the lateral edges of each tray to the opposite edge,

  separating the holes in a row.

  Thus, when the trays are presented so that their ribs are parallel, one can stack said trays on each other, the ribs of a lower plate fitting into those of the upper plate. In this way, the storage of said front plates

  use has a small footprint.

  On the other hand, when the trays, in the orifices of which food cones or the like have been introduced, are intended to be arranged in a box, the trays are presented so that the ribs of a plate are perpendicular to the ribs of the consecutive plate, And so on. The ribs of a lower plate then act as support beams vis-à-vis the ribs of the upper plate, perpendicular and rest without fitting on those of the lower plate. Consequently, the trays are spaced a distance corresponding to the height of the ribs, so that the objects held by friction by the walls of the orifices of an upper plate are interlocked in the objects 2C held by friction by the walls. holes of a

  lower tray, without touching them.

  Furthermore, said means for maintaining the end plate disposed parallel opposite the corresponding face of the box may comprise spacers provided in said box and on which said end plate rests, so that the ends of said elongated objects, opposite those held by friction by the walls of the orifices of said plate,

away from said face.

  Advantageously, said plates are made in one

thermoplastic material.

  The invention also relates to a plate for holding hollow and fragile elongate objects capable of fitting into similar objects arranged on another

similar tray.

  For this purpose, the plate is remarkable in that orifices are formed therein, retaining by friction,

  by one of their ends, said objects.

  Advantageously, each orifice has a frustoconical shape, with which the end cooperates, of shape

1C corresponding, said object.

  The figures of the appended drawing will make it clear how the invention can be realized. In these figures,

  identical references designate similar elements.

  Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment 1i of the device according to the invention for packaging elongated objects, such as food cones. FIG. 2 illustrates a view from above of the device shown in FIG. 1, the trays in which are arranged

  2C the food cones, being stacked in said bolite.

  FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the device according to FIG.

  line III-III of Figure 2.- - - -

  Figure 4 is a partially cut away perspective view of another embodiment of said trays showing how to arrange them. so-called trays for

store before use.

  Figure 5 is a sectional view of a set of trays, shown in Figure 4, showing the storage of said trays. Figure 6 is a partially cutaway perspective view of the trays shown in Figure 4, showing the manner of arranging said trays as food cones are introduced into the receiving ports. FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the trays illustrated on

  Figure 6 and intended to be arranged in a box.

  Referring to Figure 1, the device for packaging elongated objects, similar, hollow and fragile, nestable in each other, such as, for example, food canes intended to subsequently receive an ice cream, comprises a box 2 having a parallelepiped shape. This box 2 has its upper face 3 open, the lateral flaps 4, intended 1 'later to form the upper face 3 to close the box, being folded towards the side faces 5 thereof. The device comprises a plurality of identical and parallel plates 6, two of which 6A and 6B have 2 (shown in FIG. 1. These plates 6 have a section corresponding to the section of the box 2 and are intended to be introduced therein. parallel to its bottom 7. It can be seen in this FIG. 1 that each plate 6A and 6B is provided with identical orifices 8 for receiving the food cones 1. These orifices 8 are arranged in rows and columns, being spaced at regular intervals. In this particular embodiment, as shown in particular the cutaway made in the plate 6A, the 3C section of the wall 8A delimiting each orifice is frustoconical, corresponding to that of the canes 1. Moreover, the frustoconical orifices 8 trays are in

  look at each other, coaxially.

  It is therefore understood that the wall 8A of each truncated opening

  8 retains, by friction, the upper end 1A of the food cone 1 introduced into the orifice, as shown in this figure 1, the two cones 1 housed in the frustoconical orifices 8 respectively of the plate 6A and

of the tray 6B.

  Furthermore, to prevent the end tips 1B of the cones 1 introduced into the orifices 8 of the lower end plate 6A do not hit the bottom 7 of the box, there are provided means 10 for maintaining said extreme plate 6A

away from the bottom 7 of the box.

  In this embodiment, these holding means 10 consist of spacers 11, in this case two, whose lower edge 11A comes into contact with the bottom 7 1 of the box, while the upper edge 11B receives the extreme plate 6A. Of course, the height of the spacers 11 is greater than the length of the cones 1. In this way, the tips IB of the cones 1 are distant from the bottom 7 of the box, as seen in FIG.

  2D may not be damaged.

  Instead of spacers, it could have provided edges formed directly, or reported, on the inner faces of the side flaps 5 of the box, at a distance from the bottom of the bowl such that when the plate 6A rests on these edges, the points lB of the cones are distant

said background.

  Furthermore, each plate 6 has pins 12 arranged, for example, in the vicinity of the four corners of each of the plates, protruding perpendicularly from each of them and on the same side as the walls 8A delimiting the frustoconical orifices 8. The height in this embodiment, the pins 12 are slightly greater than

  walls 8A delimiting the orifices 8.

  1 It is seen, in particular in Figure 3, that the pins 12 allow the superposition of the trays 6 on each other regularly spaced, as shown by the trays 6A, 6B and 6C shown. The distance d separating two consecutive trays and corresponding to the height of the pins is substantially less than the length of said elongated objects, but sufficient for the cones 1, for example, of the plate 6C to fit into the cones 1 of the lower plate. 6B by preventing them from touching each other. A game j then separates the outer wall 1C cones of the upper plate of the inner wall 1D cones of the lower plate. Moreover, the face of the upper end lA of the cones comes substantially at the level of the trays,

  without, however, going beyond these.

  In this way, thanks to the device of the invention, the cones 1, in this particular application, are held individually from each other, while being nested, without contact, into each other, which allows, d on the one hand, to avoid any shock and therefore any deterioration of the cones between them, and on the other hand, to store a number

  important cones in the same box.

  FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the trays 6. It can be seen that each of the two identical illustrated trays 6E and 6F has ribs 18 which are arranged parallel to each other, extending from a lateral edge 19A to opposite side edge 19B of each tray. In this way, the ribs 18 separate the orifices 8 in a row. The. profile of the ribs 18 is such that

  extends, at the locations of the orifices 8, the frustoconical walls

8A delineating these orifices.

  This embodiment of said trays is particularly advantageous since it allows, when the ribs of the trays are parallel to each other, the storage trays before use occupying a minimum footprint. In fact, as shown in FIG. 5, the ribs 18G of the plate 6G and the walls 8G of the orifices 8 fit respectively into the ribs 18F and the walls 8F of the orifices of the upper plate 6F, whereas, at their turn, the ribs 18F and the walls 8F of the orifices 8 of the plate 6F fit respectively into the ribs 18E and the walls 8E of the orifices 8 of the upper plate 6E. In this way, the space occupied by the trays thus stacked,

  before use, is minimal.

  1 C. On the other hand, when the trays are intended to be arranged in a receiving box, not shown but similar to that illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the trays 6, of which two 6E and 6F are represented in FIGS. 6 and 7, are presented so that the ribs 18E of the plate 6E are perpendicular to the ribs 18F of the plate 6F. In this way, the ribs 18E and 18F thus oriented allow the superposition of said trays, avoiding that they bend into each other, similarly to the pins 12 formed on the trays 6,

  2. shown in Figures 1 to 3.

  These ribs 18E and 18F thus act as support beams, which increases the rigidity of the plates, the ribs 18E of the plate 6E coming into contact with the ribs

  18F of the plate 6F, perpendicular to them.

  In FIG. 7, the height of the ribs is determined so that the food cones 1 held by friction by the frustoconical walls 8E of the orifices 8 of the upper plate 6E are interlocked in the food cones 1 held by friction by the frustoconical walls 8F of the holes 8

  of the lower plate 6F, without touching them.

  It can be seen in FIG. 7 that a game L is thus created between the upper and lower cones shown, avoiding their deterioration. The trays, including orifices and pins or ribs can be easily made directly

  from a thermoplastic material.

Claims (4)

  1 1 - Device for packaging similar elongated objects, hollow and fragile, nestable in one another   Other, having a box or the like, -   characterized in that it comprises: - a plurality of plates (6) parallel and spaced from each other so that the distance separating two consecutive trays is less than the length of said objects, each tray being provided with orifices (8) such that the openings of the plates are facing each other 1G and that each orifice can frictionally retain by one of the ends one of said objects (1) introduced into said orifice; and - means (10) for holding said plurality of trays inside said box, so that the objects projecting from the end plate (6A) are kept apart from the face opposite said box (2).   2 - Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said plates (6) are arranged   2C in said box (2) parallel to its bottom (7).   3 - Device according to one of claims 1 or 2,   characterized in that said orifices (8) are of shape   frustoconical, each object (1) being retained by one of its   ends (1A) of corresponding shape, by the wall (8A) 2 delimiting one of said orifices, while its other   end (1B) protrudes from the corresponding plate.   4 - Device according to one of claims 1 to 3,   characterized in that said orifices (8) formed in   each tray are arranged in rows and columns.   - Device according to one of the preceding claims 1   at 4, characterized in that pins (12) or the like are provided on each plate (6) allowing the superposition of said plates, the pins, which protrude transversely from each plate, defining the distance separating two consecutive plates, of in such a way that the objects (1) held by friction by the walls of the orifices (8) of an upper plate (1B) are interlocked in the IC objects, (1) held by friction by the walls of the orifices of the   bottom plate (1A), without touching them.   6 - Device according to one of the preceding claims 1   at 4, characterized in that ribs (18) or the like are provided on each of said plates, said ribs (18) being arranged parallel to each other and extending approximately one (9A) from the lateral edges of each plate to opposite edge (19gB, separating said orifices (8) in a row.   2 (7 - Device according to any one of the claims   previous 1 to 6, characterized in that said means (10) for maintaining the end plate disposed parallel opposite the corresponding face of the box comprises spacers (11) provided in said box (2) and on which said plateau extreme (6A), so that the ends (lB) of said elongate objects, opposed to those (1A) held by friction by the walls (SA) of the orifices (8)   said tray, are remote from said face (7).   3C 68 - Device according to any one of claims 1   to 7, characterized in that said plates (6) are made of a thermoplastic material.   9 - Tray for holding elongated objects, hollow and fragile, capable of fitting into similar objects arranged on another similar plate, characterized in that in said plate (6) are formed orifices (8) retaining by friction, by one of their   ends (1A), said objects (1).   Tray according to claim 9, characterized in that each orifice (8) has a frustoconical shape, with which the end (1A) co-operates with   corresponding form, of said object (1).