FR2818618A1 - Carton, e.g. for cat litter, has form of triangular prism when closed and can be opened to form rectangular tray, base of carton having two transverse folds and sides having two sets of sloping folds to form closed package - Google Patents

Abstract

The carton has the form of a triangular prism when closed and can be opened to form a rectangular tray containing the product. The base of the carton has two transverse folds (10) and the sides (3) have sloping folds (15) which begin at the transverse folds and converge towards the tops of the sides. A second set of sloping folds (20, 21) forms tabs which are tucked in to close the carton.

Description

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 The present invention relates to a cardboard packaging which can adopt two configurations, namely an unfolded configuration, in which this packaging makes it possible to form a box having a bottom and four side walls, and a folded configuration, in which the packaging delimits a receptacle. suitable for enclosing a product.

 The packaging according to the invention can be used to contain any type of product, but finds a particularly advantageous use when it is a product which must be used with the packaging in the unfolded configuration and which must be disposed of properly after use. , which then allows the packaging in the folded configuration.

 The packaging according to the invention is for example intended to be used to contain litter for domestic animals; the packaging then makes it possible, in the folded configuration, to market this litter, then, in the unfolded configuration, to contain this litter for the time of its use by the animal, and finally, again in the folded configuration, to properly dispose of this litter when 'she is defiled.

 This packaging could also be used, for example, to receive different containers, notably containing food; in the unfolded configuration, it could then be used as a meal tray and, in the folded configuration, used to properly dispose of empty containers and other meal waste.

 Clean packaging has been designed to adopt the two aforementioned configurations and therefore fulfill the functions set out above.

 However, these packaging have the essential drawback of not being particularly easy to use, when their unfolding and / or their folding involves carrying out several successive operations, in a determined order, including in particular to move the product to a determined location of the packaging to be able to carry out these unfolding and / or folding.

 It is then to be feared that the consumer performs these operations in a defective manner, thus degrading the packaging and leading to the latter not being leaktight and causing the product to spill.

 Another disadvantage of existing packaging is that it is difficult to maintain it perfectly in the unfolded position, which can significantly or even hinder their use in this configuration.

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The present invention aims to remedy these drawbacks. Its main objective is to provide packaging suitable for perfectly fulfilling the above functions while being easy to use, that is to say having unfolding and folding movements simple and natural to perform, and in particular not involving not to transfer the product to a specific location on the packaging to allow these unfolding and folding movements.

 Another object of the invention is to allow perfect maintenance of the packaging in the unfolded configuration.

 An additional objective of the invention is to provide packaging which is easy to transport in the folded configuration and which has a pleasant visual appearance.

 The packaging that the invention relates to comprises, in a manner known per se, - a bottom of substantially rectangular shape; - two longitudinal walls connected to the longer edges of the bottom; - two side walls connected to the shortest edges of the bottom, and - assembly tabs or lugs enabling the ends of the longitudinal walls and the side walls to be connected to allow these walls to be held in an upright position relative to said bottom, corresponding to the unfolded configuration of the packaging.

 According to the invention, the bottom comprises two fold lines perpendicular to its longest edges, these two fold lines dividing this bottom into a central panel and two side panels; each longitudinal wall comprises two oblique fold lines, one of which is connected to one of the bottom fold lines and the other to the other of the bottom fold lines, these two oblique fold lines converging one towards each other in the direction opposite to the bottom and dividing each longitudinal wall into a central portion and two lateral portions; each lateral portion comprises two fold lines, the first of which is connected to the nearest bottom fold line and the second of which is connected to the fold line separating the bottom and the

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 nearest side wall; these two fold lines of each lateral portion converge towards each other in the direction opposite to the bottom, said first fold line extending along the bisector of the angle formed by the adjacent oblique fold line and the edge longitudinal of the bottom while said second fold line extends along the bisector of the angle formed by the longitudinal edge of the bottom and the edge by which the longitudinal wall is connected to the nearest side wall.

 Said bottom fold lines make it possible to fold said bottom side panels towards each other around the central part of the package, while said first and second longitudinal wall fold lines allow the side walls to be folded down. the packaging and said lateral portions of the longitudinal walls against the lateral side panels. This flap of the side panels of the bottom is possible until the side walls of the package come close to one another, above the central part of the package delimited by the central panel of the bottom and by said central portions of the longitudinal walls.

 The packaging according to the invention thus has, in its folded configuration, a triangular shape, seen in profile; the lower part of this packaging defines a receptacle suitable for receiving a product and the upper part allows the closure of this receptacle and constitutes a grip handle.

 The packaging formed in this way occupies a small volume and can be placed stably on a surface, in particular on a store shelf for marketing the product and on the floor at the consumer in the case of litter. This packaging is easy to open, without risk of handling error, and this opening simply requires separating the two side panels from one another, rotating them as far as the plane of the central bottom panel and deploying the longitudinal walls and the side walls. This deployment thus makes it possible to constitute said box having a bottom and four side walls.

 When the product has been used, in particular when the litter is soiled, the packaging is folded up simply by lifting the two bottom side panels and simultaneously folding the side walls of the packaging and said side portions of the walls longitudinal against these bottom side panels, then bringing back

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 said side walls in contact with each other. This movement brings the product at the same time into the receptacle that forms the central part of the packaging, and the grip handle that forms the upper edge of the packaging in the folded configuration allows the packaging to be transported in a perfectly safe manner so that 'it can be thrown in a trash can.

 The packaging according to the invention thus has a particularly simple and natural unfolding and folding movement to execute, and does not imply any positive transfer of the product to a determined location of the packaging to allow these movements.

 This packaging also has a pleasant visual appearance when it is in the folded configuration.

 Advantageously, each longitudinal wall is equipped with a longitudinal flap situated on its longitudinal edge not connected to the bottom, and said oblique fold lines as well as said first and second fold lines extend over this flap.

 The latter does not prevent the folding of the packaging and can, in the unfolded configuration of this packaging, be folded substantially at 90 relative to the longitudinal wall which comprises it, so as to constitute a longitudinal stiffening rib of this wall.

 The two flaps allow the packaging to be held perfectly in the unfolded configuration.

 For a good understanding, the invention is again described below with reference to the appended diagrammatic drawing representing, by way of nonlimiting example, a preferred embodiment of the packaging that it relates to.

 Figure 1 is a flat view of the blank from which this packaging is obtained; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the package in an intermediate position between a folded configuration and an unfolded configuration; Figure 3 is a side view, in the folded configuration; Figure 4 is a perspective view, in the same folded configuration, and Figure 5 is a perspective view, in the unfolded configuration.

 FIG. 1 represents a blank of cardboard 1 comprising:

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 - A bottom 2 of substantially rectangular shape; - two longitudinal walls 3 connected, by fold lines 4, to the longer edges of the bottom 2; - two side walls 5 connected, by fold lines 6, to the shortest edges of the bottom 2, and - tabs or assembly tabs 7 making it possible to connect, in particular by gluing or stapling, the ends of the longitudinal walls 3 and side walls 5.

 The bottom 2 comprises two fold lines 10 perpendicular to its longest edges, which divide it into a central panel 11 and two side panels 12.

 Each longitudinal wall 3 comprises two oblique fold lines 15, one of which is connected to one of the lines 10 and the other of which is connected to the other line 10. These oblique lines 15 converge towards each other in the direction of the longitudinal edge of the wall 3 not connected to the bottom 2 and divide each wall 3 into a central portion 16 and two lateral portions 17.

 Each lateral portion 17 comprises two fold lines 20, 21, of which a first line 20 is connected to the nearest line 10 and whose second line 21 is connected to the nearest line 6. The lines 20, 21 of each portion 17 converge towards one another in the direction opposite to the bottom 2; line 20 extends along the bisector of the angle formed by the adjacent line 15 and line 4 while line 21 extends along the bisector of the angle formed by line 4 and the edge by which the wall longitudinal 3 is connected to the nearest wall 5.

 In the example shown, the angle formed by line 4 and line 15, considered at the level of a panel 12, is of the order of 1100, so that the angle formed by line 4 and the line 20 is around 55; the angle formed by line 4 and said edge by which wall 3 is connected to the nearest wall 5 is 90, so that the angle formed by this line 4 and line 21 is 45.

 Each longitudinal wall 3 is further equipped with a longitudinal flap 25, situated on its longitudinal edge opposite to that connected to the bottom 2. This flap 25 is connected to the wall 3 by a fold line 26, and the lines 15.20 and 21 extend over it, beyond this line 26.

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 To constitute a package from the blank 1, the walls 3 and 5 are folded around the respective lines 4 and 6, on the same side of the bottom 2 then the tabs 7 are fixed to the adjacent walls 5.

 As can be seen in FIG. 2, the lines 10 allow the panels 12 to be folded down one towards the other, which provides a central receptacle 50, delimited by the panel 11, the wall portions 16 and the portions of the panels 12 located on the side of the panel 11. The lines 20 and 21 allow the walls 5 and the wall portions 17 to be folded down simultaneously against the panels 12, so that the flap of the panels 12 is possible until the walls 5 come close to one another, above the receptacle 50, as shown in FIG. 3. At the end of the race, the walls 5 come to engage between the wall portions 16.

 There is then formed a package 51 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, having a triangular shape, seen in profile, that is to say comprising a flat bottom constituted by the panel 11 and a relatively thin upper end, forming a handle 52 which allows easy gripping and transport of the packaging 51.

 From this folded configuration, the walls 5 can be extracted from the receptacle 50 and the panels 12 can be pivoted towards the outside of this receptacle 50. The packaging 51 then makes it possible to form, in its unfolded configuration shown in FIG. 5 , a box comprising a bottom and four sides, constituted respectively by the bottom 2 and the walls 3 and 5. The flaps 25 can then be folded towards the inside of the box, substantially at 90 relative to the walls 3, and thus allow to stiffen these walls 3 longitudinally.

 The packaging 51 is in particular intended to be used to market litter for domestic animals, and to allow proper disposal of this litter when it is soiled.

 In practice, the packaging 51 being in the intermediate configuration shown in FIG. 2, the litter is deposited in the receptacle 50 then the panels 12 are folded one towards the other as mentioned above, until that the walls 5 come close to one another, as can be seen in FIG. 3.

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 The panels 12 are then connected to each other by an assembly means such as a piece of adhesive tape, to maintain the package 51 thus formed in this folded configuration.

 The flat bottom formed by the panel 11 makes it possible to place the packaging 51 stably on a surface, in particular on a store shelf for marketing the product, and on the floor at the consumer's.

 To install the litter of his pet, the consumer simply has to separate the two walls 5 and panels 12, to pivot these panels 12 towards the outside of the receptacle 50, to deploy the walls 3 and 5, to fold the flaps 25 at 90 relative to the walls 3 and to roughly distribute the litter in the box thus formed.

 When the litter is soiled, the consumer need only rotate the flaps 25 in the plane of the walls 3 and then fold the panels 12, walls 5 and portions 17 inward again, to bring the packaging 15 into its configuration. folded and thus slide the litter into the receptacle 50. The packaging 51 is, in this configuration, relatively sealed, and can be easily grasped at its upper part 52, which allows it to be properly disposed of in a bin.

 As appears from the above, the invention provides a cardboard packaging having the advantages of being able to adopt two configurations, namely an unfolded configuration, in which this packaging makes it possible to form a box having a bottom and four side walls. , and a folded configuration, in which the packaging delimits a receptacle capable of enclosing a product, and this while being easy to use, that is to say by having unfolding and folding movements simple and natural to execute , which do not in particular involve transferring the product to a determined location on the packaging to allow these unfolding and folding movements.

 The invention also provides a packaging which can be perfectly maintained in the unfolded configuration, which is easy to transport in the folded configuration and which has a pleasant visual appearance.

 It goes without saying that the invention is not limited to the embodiment described above by way of example, but on the contrary embraces all of the variant embodiments thereof. Thus, the panel 11 can have a width less than that of the panels 12, giving the packaging the

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 triangular profile with a narrow base shown in the drawing, or may have a width identical to, or even greater than, that of these panels 12.

Claims (4)

 CLAIMS 1-Cardboard packaging which can adopt two configurations, comprising: -a bottom (2) of substantially rectangular shape; - two longitudinal walls (3) connected to the longer edges of the bottom (2); - two side walls (5) connected to the shortest edges of the bottom (2), and - assembly tabs or tabs (7) making it possible to connect the ends of the longitudinal walls (3) and the side walls (5) to allow the maintenance of these walls (3,5) in an upright position relative to said bottom (2), corresponding to the unfolded configuration of the packaging; packaging (51) characterized in that: - the bottom (2) comprises two fold lines (10) perpendicular to its longest edges, these two fold lines (10) dividing this bottom (2) into a central panel ( 11) and two side panels (12); - each longitudinal wall (3) comprises two oblique fold lines (15), one of which is connected to one of the fold lines (10) of the bottom (2) and the other to the other of the fold lines ( 10) from the bottom (2), these two oblique fold lines (15) converging towards each other in the direction opposite to the bottom (2) and dividing each longitudinal wall (3) into a central portion (16) and two side portions (17); - Each lateral portion (17) comprises two fold lines (20,21), of which a first line (20) is connected to the fold line (10) of the bottom (2) closest and whose second line (21 ) is connected to the fold line (6) separating the bottom (2) and the nearest side wall (5); these two fold lines (20, 21) of each lateral portion (17) converge towards each other in the direction opposite to the bottom (2), said first fold line (20) extending along the bisector of the angle formed by the adjacent oblique fold line (15) and the longitudinal edge of the bottom (2) while said second fold line (21) extends along the bisector of the angle formed by the longitudinal edge of the bottom (2) and the edge <Desc / Clms Page number 10>  by which the longitudinal wall (3) is connected to the nearest side wall (5).  2-packaging according to claim 1, characterized in that each longitudinal wall (3) is equipped with a longitudinal flap (25) located on its longitudinal edge not connected to the bottom (2), and in that said oblique fold lines (15) and said first and second fold lines (20,21) extend over this flap (25).  3-packaging according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the central panel (11) of the bottom (2) has a width less than that of the side panels (12) of this bottom (2).  4-packaging according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the central panel of the bottom has a width identical to, or even greater than, that of the side panels of this bottom.