FR2735107A1 - Self=supporting cardboard pack, e.g. for yoghurt pots which are separate or joined together - Google Patents

Abstract

The pack, consists of a base (18), two parallel sides (16, 20) with reinforcing members (78, 80) and a top (22), all made from a single cardboard panel. The reinforcing members are made from inward-facing accordion pleats in the pack's side walls (16, 20), folded along parallel lines. The pack is made from a rectangular cardboard panel which is marked out with lines for the base, sides and top, with additional lines for the side wall pleats. On the top of the pack the pleat material if folded outwards to form a carrying handle, while the base has a slot in it to receive the handle of a pack located beneath it in a stack.

Description

 Self-supporting cardboard packaging in two parts.

 The present invention relates to a self-supporting carton or corrugated packaging of the type used for the presentation for sale of yogurt pots.

 A known packaging of this type is described in patent application n095.04374 in the name of the Applicant. This packaging is made from a single rectangular blank of double-sided corrugated cardboard or high-quality compact cardboard on which are marked a first series of transverse fold lines defining on the blank four flaps intended to form the upper wall, the side walls and the bottom wall of the package, a second series of three parallel and equidistant longitudinal fold lines extending over the four walls, in the vicinity of the longitudinal central axis of the blank, and recesses formed on the wall upper and on the bottom wall, so that before folding along the transverse lines, it is possible, by folding along the longitudinal lines, to bring out on the side walls two double thickness reinforcement beams and on the upper wall a tenon double thickness.

 However, such packaging has the disadvantage that all of its walls are made of the same quality of cardboard, while the performance that is expected is not the same. Indeed, if it is true that the side walls must withstand the stacking forces, it is not the same with regard to the bottom wall which is not subjected to any stress.

 On the other hand, it is known to print advertising inscriptions on the upper wall and on the side walls of the packaging, but these inscriptions are practically never carried on the bottom wall. The prints are usually made on a sheet of paper which is then glued to a single-sided corrugated cardboard sheet. It follows that if it is fully justified to make the upper wall and the side walls of double-sided corrugated cardboard or high-quality corrugated cardboard, which are materials which combine both the required qualities of stacking resistance and of 'printability, this is not the case for the back wall which does not need to have these qualities.

 The present invention aims to remedy this drawback is proposed for this purpose a package, in particular for thermoformed pots, characterized in that it is made from a first blank in rigid or semi-rigid material, for example cardboard corrugated double-sided whose outer side is of printable quality and in which the upper and side walls of the packaging are formed, and of a second blank of less resistant material and with non-printable sides, for example a sheet of compact cardboard or of light quality corrugated cardboard, in which the bottom of the packaging is formed, the said blanks being connected to each other by adhesive.

 Thus each of the blanks is made of the material which best suits the functions which it must fulfill.

The packaging obtained is therefore more functional and cheaper than conventional packaging, all the walls of which are produced in the same carton having the optimum qualities.

 In one embodiment of the invention, the first blank is of the type described in the aforementioned document, that is to say with portions for forming reinforcing beams, and differs from it only in that 'it has no bottom wall.

 The second blank has on its transverse edges two flaps intended to be erected perpendicular to the bottom and to be glued to the inner face of the side walls of the first blank, said flaps being provided in the middle of their length with notches in which the ends lower beams can fit together.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of nonlimiting example, with reference to the appended drawing in which
FIG. 1 shows a blank for making the upper wall and the side walls of a package
Figure 2 shows a blank for making the bottom of the packaging
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the blanks of Figures 1 and 2 shaped and ready to be assembled; and
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the packaging obtained.

 The blank 10 shown in FIG. 1 is intended to form the upper wall and two side walls of the packaging and must therefore be made of a material having good mechanical strength and of printable quality at least on its outer face, for example in double-sided corrugated cardboard. The blank 10 is substantially rectangular with diagonally cut corners and its grooves 14 extend in the longitudinal direction.

 On this blank are marked, in the transverse direction, two parallel fold lines 16, 18 which define a central flap 20 and, on either side thereof, two side flaps 22, 24, these flaps being intended to form respectively the upper wall and the two side walls of the package.

 In a manner known per se, on the blank 10 is also marked a series of three longitudinal and equidistant fold lines 26, 28, 30 and the central flap 20 has two recesses 31, 33 adjacent to the fold lines 16, 18 and occupying a area between the longitudinal fold lines 26, 30. As a result, when two opposite forces are directed on the blank 10 directed in the direction of the arrows in FIG. 1, the strips located between the fold lines 26, 30 on the side walls fold while retracting under the plane of the blank, and give two double thickness reinforcement beams 32, 34, while the strip situated between the fold lines 26, 30 on the central wall folds while projecting on the plane of the blank, which gives a double thickness tenon 36. Then folding the side flaps 22, 24 perpendicular to the central flap 20 we obtain the volume 38 shown in the upper part of FIG. 3.

 The blank 40 shown in FIG. 2 is intended to form the bottom wall of the packaging and it is therefore not necessary for it to be very resistant or of printable quality. A simple sheet of compact cardboard can be used for this, for example.

 The blank 40 is substantially rectangular. It has a central portion 42 which is intended to constitute the bottom proper of the packaging. On the longitudinal sides of said portion are articulated by fold lines 44, 46 two flaps 48, 50 and on its transverse sides are articulated fixing lugs 52, 54.

The latter are provided with notches 56, 58 in the middle of their length. On the flaps 48, 50 can be made incisions 60, 62 in U whose ends lead to the fold lines 44, 46 respectively, so that when the flaps 48, 50 are raised relative to the bottom 42, projections 64, 66 remain in the bottom plane. The fixing lugs are provided at their ends with foldable tabs 68.

 The bottom of the packaging is produced by erecting the flaps 48, 50 and the fixing lugs 52, 54 perpendicular to the bottom wall 42 and by gluing the tabs 68 to said flaps. Volume 70 is then obtained, shown in the lower part of FIG. 3. It is assembled to volume 38 by inserting it between the vertical walls 22, 24 and by fitting the beams 32, 34 into the notches 56, 58. The legs 52, 54 are then fixed to the side walls 22, 24 by gluing, which gives the packaging of FIG. 4.

 In this packaging, one can introduce for example four plates of four yogurt pots each arranged in two layers. Each lower plate overlaps the flap 48 or 50, two of its pots being received between the beams 32, 34 and said flap, and the other two pots resting partially on the projection 64 or 66. The plates of the upper layer are retained at by means of hook-shaped locking tabs 72, 74.

 Several modifications of detail can be made to the embodiment which has just been described. For example, the package can receive a single layer or more than two layers of plates. The packaging can be devoid of reinforcing beams. The second blank 40 may not include flaps 48, 50 or incisions 60, 62.

Claims (5)

Claims  1. Packaging, in particular for thermoformed pots, characterized in that it is produced from a first blank (10) of rigid or semi-rigid material, for example of double-sided corrugated cardboard, the outer face of which is of high quality printable and in which the upper (20) and side (22, 24) walls of the packaging are formed, and of a second blank (40) of less resistant material and with non-printable faces, for example in sheet of compact cardboard or of light quality corrugated cardboard, in which the bottom (42) of the packaging is formed, said blanks (10, 40) being connected to each other by gluing.  2. Packaging according to claim 1, characterized in that the first blank (10) comprises a first series of transverse fold lines (16, 18) defining on the blank three flaps (20, 22, 24) intended to form the wall upper and the side walls of the packaging, a second series of three longitudinal fold lines (26, 28, 30) parallel and equidistant extending on the three walls, in the vicinity of the longitudinal median axis of the blank, and recesses (31, 33) formed on the upper wall (20), so that before folding along the transverse lines, it is possible, by folding along the longitudinal lines, to bring out on the side walls (22, 24) two beams reinforcement (32, 34) with double thickness and on the upper wall (20) a stud (36) with double thickness.  3. Packaging according to claim 2, characterized in that the second blank (40) has on its transverse edges two flaps (52, 54) intended to be erected perpendicularly to the bottom (42) and to be glued to the inner face side walls (22, 24) of the first blank (10), said flaps being provided in the middle of their length with notches (56, 58) in which the beams (32, 34) can fit together.  4. Packaging according to claim 2, characterized in that the second blank (40) has on the longitudinal edges two foldable flaps (48, 50) intended to be erected perpendicular to the bottom (42) and to be secured with the flaps (52, 54).  5. Packaging according to claim 4, characterized in that on said flaps (48, 50) are made incisions (60, 62) in inverted U whose ends terminate on the fold lines (44, 46) of said flaps on the bottom (40), so that when said flaps are drawn up on the bottom, the blank portions inside the incisions remain in the plane of the bottom, forming projections (64, 66).