FR2733740A1 - Package for grouped objects, e.g. containers of drink, made from two or more cardboard panels and interlocking elements - Google Patents

Abstract

The package comprises two or more cardboard panels. One panel forms the side walls (130,140,230,240), a base (110) and a top (210). The top has two central apertures (10,11), located one on each side of a central strip (12). Another panel is in the form of an insert (16) which forms separators (29) for the containers inside the package. A carrying handle (15) can be grasped through the central apertures. The insert has two walls (18,19) extending downwards to the separators. A top strip (17) extends along the top of the package beneath the central strip. The walls also have apertures in them forming the carrying handle.

Description

 The invention relates to a closed packaging for grouping a set of objects such as containers of liquids such as drinks, packaging of the kind which include at least two parts and locking means between these parts for ensuring their assembly, the packaging having side walls, a bottom wall and a cover wall having a central region which has two openings located respectively on each side of a strip of material.

 Such packaging is generally made of cardboard or similar material. This type of packaging is known, in particular from application FR - A - 2707260, in the name of the same applicant, or from US - A - 3394800. Such packaging is particularly suitable for grouping bottles, in particular of beer, because they keep the products away from light which prevents their degradation over time.

 We seek to simplify the manufacturing and implementation of these packages, avoiding as much as possible the bonding operations requiring a special station with reservoir and means for applying glue.

 We also seek to provide packaging capable of accepting a relatively large number of objects, in order to reduce handling. The increase in the number of objects inside the packaging leads, of course, to an increase in the load supported by the packaging when it is handled, in particular when it is lifted from the cover wall. . In fact, for the simplicity and efficiency of the manipulations, the manipulation of the packaging should take place at the level of the cover wall.

 US - A - 3394800 proposes, with a relatively small number of objects in the packaging, to lift the latter by inserting the fingers through the openings in the central region of the cover wall. Such a procedure does not offer maximum security since the forces created by the weight of the objects located inside the packaging are concentrated at the ends of the strip of material limited by the openings, and primers of tearing of the cover wall may occur, resulting in ruin of the packaging. This is all the more to be feared as the number of wrapped objects increases.

 To avoid such drawbacks, consideration has been given to adding an adhesive handle attached to the packaging, but we then find the drawbacks mentioned above with regard to bonding. In addition, such a handle attached to the packaging can hinder the stacking operations of the packaging for storage.

 The invention aims, above all, to provide a closed package which no longer has the drawbacks mentioned above, while remaining simple and economical to manufacture.

According to the invention, a closed package for grouping a set of objects such as containers
of the kind defined above, is characterized in that it comprises, on the inside, on the one hand a gripping means extending under said strip of the central region, and beyond this strip under the wall of cover, this gripping means being able to be grasped through said openings, and on the other hand, a support means, linked to the gripping means, to hold it substantially against the strip.

 The forces created by the weight of the packaged objects, when the packaging is lifted, are thus distributed over an extended area of the wall of the cover so that the risks of rupture at the ends of the strip of material in the central region are eliminated, or at the very least greatly reduced.

 Generally the cover wall has a substantially rectangular outline, said strip being parallel to two of the sides of the outline, in particular the long sides, the openings of the wall being arranged on either side of the longitudinal edges of the strip, preferably then , the gripping means has a length substantially equal to that of the sides of the cover wall parallel to the strip, and extends to the side walls of the packaging, arranged transversely to the direction of the length of the strip.

 Advantageously, the gripping means comprises a blade forming a handle extending between two opposite side walls of the packaging, and passing under said strip. The width of the blade is substantially equal to that of the strip. The direction of the length of the blade is preferably parallel to the direction of the length of the strip.

 The support means may comprise at least one wall substantially orthogonal to the plane of the blade, capable of bearing, directly or indirectly, against the bottom wall of the package, the wall of the support means being connected, in the upper part, articulated to at least one segment of an edge of the blade, this segment being located next to a central free part of this edge.

 Preferably the support means comprises two walls, each connected in an articulated manner to a longitudinal edge of the blade, leaving free a central space to allow the grip of the blade under the strip, the assembly of the two walls of the support means and the blade forming a sort of inverted U inside the package.

 Each wall of the support means can form a partition between two rows of objects which it separates.

 The assembly of the blade forming a handle and of the wall or walls forming partitions is advantageously constituted by a cardboard blank, the articulation between blade and walls being ensured by a fold line.

 Advantageously provided are transverse intermediate elements, arranged perpendicular to the walls forming partitions and separating two spans of objects; these intermediate elements are in abutment against the bottom wall, notches or notches being provided in the walls forming partitions of the support means and / or in the inserts to come into respective engagement and ensure the maintenance of the assembly.

 The parts of the closed packaging and the locking means between these parts advantageously conform to those described in patent application FR - A - 2707260 mentioned previously, in the name of the same applicant.

 The invention consists, apart from the arrangements set out above, of a certain number of other arrangements which will be more explicitly discussed below in connection with a particular embodiment described with reference to the attached drawings, but which is in no way limiting.

 Figure 1 of these drawings is a plan view of a cardboard blank for making a first part of a package according to the invention.

 Figure 2 is a plan view, on the same scale as Figure 1, of a cardboard blank used to make a second part of the packaging according to the invention.

 Figure 3 is a plan view of a cardboard blank for making the gripping means and the support means according to the invention.

 Figure 4 is a plan view of an insert.

 Figure 5 is a perspective view, with parts broken away, of the blank of Figure 3 shaped, with three intermediate elements in engagement.

 FIG. 6, finally, is a simplified perspective view of the closed package on the walls of which the contours of the gripping means and of the support means arranged inside the packaging have been shown in dashed lines.

 Referring to Figures 1 and 2, one can see two cardboard blanks intended to cooperate to form a closed package. These blanks are similar to those described in FR - A - 2707260, the description of which must be considered as incorporated into the present application. The description of the blanks will be made only succinctly; for more details it will suffice to refer to FR - A 2707260.

 The blank 100 shown in FIG. 1 comprises a central main zone 110 defining a bottom wall of the packaging, in which are arranged two rows of four locking openings 112 intended to cooperate with locking tabs 262 belonging to the other blank 200.

 The bottom wall 110 is bordered by two zones forming the front wall, each of these zones comprising a first part 130 adjacent to the wall 110 and a second part 140 intended to form an upper front wall part, slightly inclined so as to match the neck region of bottles intended to be grouped in the packaging. Flaps are provided along the longitudinal edges of the sidewall. The fold lines are shown in dashes and delimit several flaps. Openings 155 to facilitate folding and locking openings 162 are provided.

 The second blank 200 shown in Figure 2 combines with the blank 100 to define the closed package. This blank 200 has a central part 210 intended to constitute a wall for the cover of the packaging. On either side of the central part 210, in the longitudinal direction, zones intended to form the side walls of the packaging are provided. Each zone comprises a first part 230 defining an upper region of the side wall, slightly inclined to match the neck part of the containers, and the second part 240 defining a lower region of the side wall, oriented vertically. The blank 200 has, in the region of its longitudinal ends, two parts 260 intended to come under the bottom wall 110 of the other blank 100. Folding lines, shown in dashes, are provided between the different parts and the flaps .

 Each part 260 comprises, projecting outwards in the longitudinal direction, a plurality of locking tabs 262 intended to cooperate with the openings 112 of the blank of FIG. 1. The locking means between the two parts of the assembly are therefore constituted by the openings 112 and the legs 262.

 For assembly, the blank 200 is positioned above the blank 100 so that its longitudinal direction is perpendicular to that of the blank 100.

 The cover wall 210, of rectangular outline, has in its central region two openings 10, 11 bordered by cut lines 211, for example in the form of an ellipse part, and delimiting flaps. The openings 10, 11 are released by folding the flaps inward, or by detaching them completely.

 A central strip of material 12 is thus defined by the two openings 10, 11. The strip 12 is parallel to the long sides of the cover wall 210; this strip 12 is itself rectangular and the openings 10, 11 are arranged on either side of the longitudinal edges of the strip 12. The latter is attached at its ends 13, 14 to the rest of the cover wall 210.

 Referring to Figure 6, and with the help of Figure 5, we see that the closed package (which has been shown without objects, for clarity of the drawing) has, inside, on the one hand a gripping means 15 extending under the strip 12 and beyond the ends 13, 14 of this strip under the cover wall 210 and, on the other hand, support means 16 linked to the gripping means 15 to hold it substantially against the strip 12. The gripping means 15 can be grasped manually through the openings 10, 11.

 The gripping means 15 has a length L substantially equal to that D (see FIG. 2) of the long sides of the wall of the cover 210 and thus extends to the side walls 140 arranged transversely to the direction of the length of the strip. 12.

 The gripping means 15 comprises a blade 17 forming a handle, passing under the strip 12 and having substantially the same width. The direction of the length of the blade 17 is parallel to the direction of the length of the strip 12.

 The support means 16 comprises two walls 18, 19 substantially orthogonal to the plane of the blade 17 adapted to bear, directly or indirectly, against the bottom wall 110 of the package. Each wall 18, 19 of the support means is connected in the upper part, in an articulated manner, to two segments of a longitudinal edge of the blade 17, leaving a central space 20 free to allow the grip of the blade. The assembly of the two walls 18, 19 and of the blade 17 form a kind of inverted U, inside the packaging.

 The free space 20 is delimited, for example, by a cut 20a along three sides of a substantially rectangular outline, defining a folding flap 21 adjoining by a large side to the central area of a longitudinal edge of the blade 17. The flap 21 folded down, substantially at right angles to the blade 17, contributes to the stiffness of the handle by forming a stiffener.

 Each wall 18, 19 constitutes a partition comprised between two rows of objects (not shown) which it separates. The width of the blade 17 being less than that of a row of objects, the walls 18, 19 have a slightly inclined upper part 22 connected by a fold line 24, to a lower part 23 perpendicular to the plane of the wall of cover 210 and bottom wall 110.

 In the example under consideration three rows of four bottles are provided inside the packaging, and the walls 18, 19 therefore surround the central row while the lateral rows of containers are respectively between the walls 18, 19 and the side walls 240 of the package.

 Transverse intermediate elements 25 are arranged perpendicular to the walls 18, 19 so as to separate two spans of objects. In the example considered, there are four spans of three objects. There are therefore provided three intermediate elements 25 delimiting between them and with the end end walls 130, 140 four spans.

 Each intermediate element 25, as visible in FIG. 4, consists of a plate, in particular of cardboard, with a substantially rectangular outline. The large lower side of the plate, rectilinear, is intended to be applied against the bottom wall 210 of the package, the intermediate element 25 being vertical. The upper edges of the element 25 have two notches 26 whose axes are spaced a distance e slightly greater than the diameter of a packaged object. The notches 26 have a rounded concave upward lower end ensuring satisfactory centering of the wall part 18 or 19 engaged in the recess 26. The distance between the axis of each notch 26 and the outer edge adjacent to the element 25 is equal to g, greater than or equal to e.

 The tongue 27 between two notches 26 has a substantially semi-circular convex contour.

Of course, the number of notches 26 may be different depending on the type of packaging. This number of notches 26 is equal to N - 1, N being the number of rows of objects.

 The parts 23 of the walls 18, 19 have, along their lower edge, vertical notches 28 when the assembly is in place in the packaging. The notches 28, parallel to each other and orthogonal to the blade 17, are regularly spaced along the length L. Their number is equal to T - 1, T being the number of spans.

In the example considered, three notches 28 are provided on each lower longitudinal edge. The tongues 29 located on either side of the notches have a rounded end substantially in a semicircle. The bottom of the notches 28 is concave in a semicircle.

 The two series of notches 28 provided on each wall 18, 19 are symmetrical with respect to a longitudinal plane orthogonal to the blade 17 and passing through the axis of this blade.

 As can be seen in FIG. 5, an intermediate element 25 is engaged in two notches 28 located opposite one another respectively in the walls 18, 19. The notches 28 engage in the notches 26. The depths of the notches 28 and notches 26 are provided so that the bottom of the notches 28 comes to bear against the bottom of the notches 26, the lower ends of the tongues 29 remaining slightly spaced from the bottom 110.

 When the walls 18, 19 are in engagement with the intermediate elements 25 orthogonal to these walls, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the assembly forms a sort of framework determining a number of housings corresponding to that of the objects that one wishes. place inside the package.

 The assembly of the blade 17 and the walls 18, 19 is advantageously constituted by a cardboard blank, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the articulation between blade 17 and walls 18, 19 being ensured by a fold line respectively 30, 31. The flap 21, provided in the central zone of each fold line 30, 31, has a length h greater than the length of the openings 10, 11 so that this flap 21 can extend beyond the ends 13, 14 of the strip 12, under the cover 210. The assembly is symmetrical relative to the center of the blade 17. In addition, the width b of each flap 21 is at least equal to the width of the blade 17. Thus, when the 'blade 17 / flaps 21 assembly is clamped between the fingers of a user who wants to lift the packaging, the flaps 21 approaching, and possibly coming into contact with each other by their lower edge, form with the corresponding part of the blade 17, a kind of hollow beam with a triangular section having good resistance to bending and having an extended range under the cover 210.

 It can be noted, in FIG. 3, that the transverse edges 32 of the parts 22 are not orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the blade 17, but are inclined so as to form a V that is very open towards the outside. This inclination allows the edges 32, when the framework is produced in accordance with FIG. 5, to closely match the upper inclined walls 140 (see FIG. 6) of the packaging.

 The packaging volume and its filling result from the foregoing explanations and will be briefly described below.

 The blank 100 is placed flat in a conveying unit capable of positioning twelve objects, in particular twelve bottles, in three rows of four on the bottom portion 110. The rows are oriented in the longitudinal direction of the blank 100. Before placing in place of the bottles, the front walls 130, 140 have been folded up 90C.

 In parallel, the frame illustrated in FIG. 5 is produced by folding the blank illustrated in FIG. 3 and engaged with three intermediate elements 25.

This frame can be engaged from top to bottom on the bottles already positioned on the bottom 110, each bottle being placed in a housing determined by the frame of FIG. 5.

 The blank 200 is then positioned above the assembly and the walls 230, 240 are folded down. The various flaps of the blanks 100 and 200 are suitably folded and the locking means 262, 112 are engaged. The closed packaging is then finished.

 It will be noted that the framework formed by the assembly illustrated in FIG. 5 contributes to the solidity of the closed package. The vertical edges of the intermediate elements 25 bear against the internal faces of the walls 240 and constitute spacers stiffening the assembly. I1 is the same for the extreme edges of the walls 18, 19 which come to bear against the internal faces of the walls 130, 140 as illustrated in dashes in FIG. 6. The combination of the support of the lower horizontal edges of the intermediate elements 25 against the bottom 110, and of the blade 17 against the internal face of the cover 210, also contributes to the resistance of the packaging in compression.

 The packaging is taken up through the openings 10, 11, by gripping the blade 17 and the flaps 21. The forces are distributed along the entire length of the blade 17 under the cover wall 210 so that the risks tear at the ends of the openings 10, 11 are reduced.

 The assembly can advantageously be produced without bonding.

Claims (10)

 1- Closed packaging for grouping a set of objects such as beverage containers, comprising at least two parts (100,200) and locking means (112,262) between these parts to ensure their assembly, this packaging having walls lateral (130,140; 230,240), a bottom wall (110) and a cover wall (210) having a central region which has two openings (10,11) located respectively on each side of a strip of material (12), characterized in that it comprises, on the inside, on the one hand a gripping means (15) extending under said strip (12) and, beyond this strip, under the cover wall (210), this gripping means (15) being arranged so that it can be grasped through said openings (10,11), and on the other hand a support means (16), linked to the gripping means, to hold it substantially against the bandaged.  2- Packaging according to claim 1 wherein the cover wall (210) has a substantially rectangular outline, said strip (12) being parallel to two of the sides of the outline, in particular the long sides, the openings (10,11) being arranged on either side of the longitudinal edges of the strip (12) characterized in that the gripping means (15) has a length (L) substantially equal to that (D) of the sides of the cover wall (210 ) parallel to the strip (12), and extends to the side walls of the packaging arranged transversely to the length of the strip.  3- Packaging according to claim 1 or 2 characterized by the fact that the gripping means (15) comprises a blade (17) forming a substantially rectangular handle, extending between two opposite side walls (140) of the packaging, and passing under said strip (12).  4- Packaging according to claim 3 characterized in that the support means (16) comprises at least one wall (18,19) substantially orthogonal to the plane of the blade (17), adapted to bear, directly or indirectly, against the bottom wall (110) of the packaging, the wall (18,19) of the support means being connected in the upper part (30,31), in an articulated manner, to at least one segment of an edge of the blade (17) located next to a free central part of this edge.  5 - Packaging according to claim 4 characterized in that the support means (16) comprises two walls (18,19), each connected in an articulated manner to a longitudinal edge of the blade (17), leaving a central space free (20) to allow the blade to grip, the assembly of the two walls of the support means and the blade forming a sort of inverted U, inside the packaging.  6 - Packaging according to claim 5 characterized in that the free space (20) is delimited by a cutout (20a) defining a flap (21) adjoined by a large side to the central area of a longitudinal edge of the blade (17).  7 - Packaging according to claim 6 characterized in that the flap (21) has a length (h) greater than the length of the openings (10,11) so that the flap (21) can extend, on the part and on the other, beyond the ends (13,14) of the strip (12).  8 - Packaging according to one of claims 4 to 7 characterized in that each wall (18,19) forms a partition between two rows of objects that it separates.  9 - Packaging according to claim 8 characterized in that it comprises transverse intermediate elements (25), arranged perpendicular to the walls (18,19) forming partitions, and separating two spans of objects, these intermediate elements (25) being resting against the bottom wall (110), notches (28) or notches (26) being provided in the walls and / or the intermediate elements to come into respective engagement.  10 - Packaging according to one of the preceding claims characterized in that the assembly of the blade (17) forming a handle and of the wall or walls (18, 19) forming partitions consists of a cardboard blank, the articulation between blade (17) and walls (18,19) being provided by a fold line (30,31).