FR2893924A1 - Articles e.g. container, package for agri-food field, has sidewall with front panel covering front end of articles, removable shutter placed in front panel, and film that stretches articles by covering sides - Google Patents

Abstract

The package has a sidewall (14) made of rigid or semi-rigid material and with a front panel (15) covering a front end (8) of a set of articles (2) e.g. can, with opposite sides (10, 11) adjacent to the front end. Side panels (16, 17) are arranged on both sides of the panel (15). A removable shutter (20) is placed in the front panel of the sidewall for permitting an access to the articles through the front end. The sidewall leaves a side (12) of the articles uncovered. A film (28) stretches the articles by covering the sides (10, 11) over the side panels (16, 17).

Description

1 pack of articles including a sidewall partially overlapping it and a

wrapping film

  The invention relates to the packaging of articles. It relates more particularly to a package, wherein the articles are kept grouped and which includes a detachable portion to allow access to articles for their extraction. Packets of this type are known, which comprise a cardboard package in the form of a box enclosing the articles, this box having, at one end, a detachable flap (either completely or partially while remaining attached by an edge to the remainder of the box). the box) to allow the distribution of items. To illustrate this type of package, it will be possible to refer in particular to US patents US 6,578,736 and US 6,715,639 (RIVERWOOD). This type of package is particularly encountered in the agri-food sector, and more particularly in the packaging of beverage cans, where the package ensures jointly (and this is its main advantage) the packaging and distribution of food products. boxes. In practice, this type of package has a number of disadvantages, both in terms of its manufacture and its use.

  Regarding first of all its manufacture, it should be noted that a large amount of cardboard is necessary for the realization of the box. The quantity required is not limited to the sum of the surfaces covering all the faces of the group of articles: indeed, it is necessary to provide a quantity of cardboard for the flaps and other shutters. In practice, the result is, for each package, a quantity of cardboard equivalent to twice the total surface of the package. In addition, the operations of folding and sticking the carton require a complex and expensive installation.

  In addition, this type of package being intended to be 2 handled individually, first for the shelving, then for consumption, it must have sufficient rigidity to support the items. The carton chosen must therefore be of a high grammage (generally greater than 400 g / m2). In the end, the manufacture of this type of package is costly both in raw material and in production means. Next with regard to the use, the flatness of the faces of the pack imposes that there is a clearance between the cardboard (flat) and the articles (which may be cylindrical, as in the case of beverage cans). In the absence of play in fact, the cardboard will tend to deform under the pressure of articles, to the detriment of the visual quality of the package. However, because of this game, the items tend, during the handling of the package, to move relative to each other and to hit the walls of the box, so that there is a risk that it it is unintentionally opened during rough handling.

  The invention aims in particular to solve the aforementioned drawbacks, by proposing a bundle of grouped articles, which is both simple and inexpensive to manufacture, while ensuring efficient holding of the articles when handling the package and allowing their easy extraction when opening it. For this purpose, the invention proposes a packet comprising. a group of articles arranged side by side; a flank made of a rigid or semi-rigid material, which comprises: a front panel covering a front end of the group of articles, two side panels which extend on either side of the front panel and respectively cover two opposite sides group 3 of articles, adjacent to the front end, the flank comprising a detachable flap, made at least partly in the front panel, to allow access to the articles by the front end of the package; the sidewall exposing the articles on at least one side of the group of articles, the package further comprising a film enclosing the group of articles covering at least its sides over the side panels.

  The film ensures the cohesion of the group of articles, the flank having, after opening thereof, a guide function of the articles during their extraction. The flank can also be used for advertising purposes, so that it is not necessary to print the film (this operation is known to be particularly delicate and expensive). This configuration is substantially less expensive than all-cardboard type solutions; moreover, it ensures a more attractive aesthetic and a better distribution of the articles than the solutions in which the articles are simply wrapped in a plastic film. To access the items and extract them from the package, simply pull the detachable flap, the package then acting as a distributor. In one embodiment, the sidewall exposes one side of the group of articles connecting the covered sides. Preferably, the flank leaves exposed two opposite sides of the article group, connecting the covered sides. A distal end of the group of articles, opposite to the front end, is preferably also left uncovered by the sidewall. According to one embodiment, wherein the articles comprise an opposite top and bottom, connected by a body of generally cylindrical shape, the side panels respectively cover the tops and the funds of the articles. In addition, the side panels may have a corrugated edge that substantially follows the curvature of the articles, so that the film more closely matches the shape thereof. The detachable flap comprises for example a tongue-shaped portion made in one of the side panels, to facilitate the tearing of the flap and, if necessary, allow the simultaneous extraction of the first article. The articles are for example arranged in two rows of superposed articles.

  The front panel preferably has a strip of non-releasable material which forms a stop for the articles, which are thus maintained in the package as long as they are not extracted by the user.

  Preferably, the film leaves exposed the front end of the group of articles, so as to facilitate tearing of the detachable flap. According to a preferred embodiment, the sidewall is made of cardboard, the grammage is preferably greater than 280 g / m2. This weight is for example 320 g / m2, or 380 g / m2. Furthermore, the flank may, for ease of handling and handling, have two retractable flaps formed in one of the side panels, delimited by cutouts having a concavity facing a distal end of the pack, opposite to the front end. Articles may be containers; it can especially be cylindrical beverage cans.

  Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the light of the description given hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: - Figure 1 is a perspective view of an article package according to the invention; Figures 2 and 3 are views similar to Figure 1, which respectively illustrate the opening of the package and the extraction of an article thereof; FIGS. 4 to 6 are perspective views illustrating steps for manufacturing the package of FIG. 1. FIG. 1 shows a package 1 comprising a group of articles 2, here containers, in this case boxes. of beverage, arranged in two superimposed rows, namely an upper row 3 and a lower row 4, five containers each. In the remainder of the description, reference 2 will be used to name articles or containers indifferently. Each container 2 comprises a bottom 5, a top 6 (conventionally provided with an opening blocked by a frangible cover) and a cylindrical body 7 connecting them. The containers 2 are, in each row 3, 4, arranged side by side, the two rows 3, 4 being superimposed on the vertical, that is to say that each container 2 of the upper row 3 is in contact with a only container 2 of the lower row 4, and vice versa. The group of containers 2, which here has a substantially parallelepiped shape, has a front end 8, an opposite distal end 9, and four sides 10, 11, 12, 13 opposite in pairs that connect the ends. For the purpose of the description, the two opposite sides 10, 11 opposite the bottom 5 are defined by the bottoms 5 (substantially coplanar) and the vertices 6 (also substantially coplanar) of the containers 2, and the upper and lower sides respectively the two sides. 12, 13 opposed connecting the sides 10, 11 side and defined by the body 7 of the containers 2 of the upper row 3 and the lower row 4 respectively.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the package 1 comprises a flank 14, made of a rigid or semi-rigid material, which comprises at least: a front panel, substantially rectangular, which covers the front end 8 of the group of containers 2 being pressed against the bodies 7 of the two superimposed containers 2 at this end 8, and two side panels 16, 17, which extend on both sides of the front panel and cover respectively the two sides 10 The side panels 16, 17 are attached to the front panel by two side edges 18, 19 located at the junction between the front end 8 and the lateral sides 10, 11 of the front group. articles 2. The sidewall 14 is preferably made of cardboard, with a basis weight preferably greater than 280 g / m2. According to a particular embodiment, the basis weight of the board is 320 g / m2; it can also be 380 g / m2. Alternatively, the sidewall may be made of a plastic material such as polypropylene. According to a preferred embodiment, illustrated in the figures, the sidewall 14 exposes, at least in part, the upper side 12 of the group of articles 2. More specifically, the upper side 12, the lower side 13 and the distal end 9 of the group of articles 2 are left completely uncovered. In other words, the flank 14 has a U-shaped profile and partially surrounds the group of articles 2 on the lateral sides 10, 11 and the front end 8. 7 Moreover, and as illustrated on FIGS. 1 and 2, the flank 14 comprises a detachable flap 20, which comprises: a first portion 21, rectangular, made in the front panel and delimited by two precuts 22 formed on the lateral edges 18, 19 and by a precut 23 which connects them parallel to and in the vicinity of a lower edge 24 of the front panel, and - a second part 25, made in a side panel 17, defined by a U-shaped precut 26 at the height of the container 2 end of the upper row 3, this second portion 25 attached to the first portion 21 by a side edge 19 and forming a tongue for facilitating the tearing of the flap 20. The front panel comprises, on the side of his lower edge 24, a strip 27 of material, separated from the flap 20 by the precut 23 and which has a width (or, in the orientation of Figure 1, a height) of between one third and one half of the diameter of the containers 2 This strip 27, the utility of which will be seen below, remains attached to the panels 16, 17 which form the link, after tearing of the detachable flap 20.

  The package 1 comprises, finally, a film 28 which encloses the group of articles 2 (the group of containers in the example shown) to ensure cohesion, covering at least its sides 10, 11 side, its upper side 12 and its lower side 13 over the side panels 16, 17. The film 28 may also cover, at least partially, the front panel; in this case, it will preferably be provided with a precut defining a detachable part that will tear at the same time as the flap 20. However, according to a preferred embodiment, the film 28 leaves exposed 8 the front end 8 (and therefore the front panel), the edges 29 of the film being located, as illustrated in FIG. 1, slightly recessed with respect to the front panel.

  The film 28 is here a heat-shrunk plastic film (such as polyethylene) which, in the parts of the containers 2 not covered by the sidewall (on the sides 12, 13 upper and lower, as well as, if appropriate, at the end distal 9), substantially matches the shapes of the containers 2. On the side sides 10, 11 on the contrary, the presence of the panels 16, 17 side prevents the film 28 to match the shape of the containers 2 and fill, even partially, the hollow defined between them. According to a preferred embodiment, illustrated in the figures, the side panels 16, 17 have upright upper edges which extend substantially in the plane tangential to the bodies 7 of the containers 2 of the upper row 3. The film 28 is therefore constrained to extend, along these upper edges 30, in this tangent plane but, because of its elasticity, it tends on the contrary, to a certain distance from these same edges 30, to marry the bodies 7 of the containers 2 and thus presents ripples 31 of small amplitude. As is also visible in the figures, preferably, the side panels 16, 17 have, opposite the upper edges 30, undulating lower edges 32 which locally embrace the circular curvature of the containers 2, at their vertices 6 In this way, the film 28 marries the containers 2 more closely on the lower side 13 than on the upper side 12, the lower row 4 thus being held more firmly than the upper row 3. To extract the containers 2 from the package 1, it is possible to proceed as follows, assuming that the package 1 is laid flat on its lower side 13, the containers 2 being coated, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3. Starting from the closed package 1 as represented in FIG. the tear-off flap 20 is first removed by pressing the second tab-shaped portion 25 towards the inside of the package 1 to separate it from the rest of the side panel 17, and then pulling sus to detach the rest of the flap 20 according to its precuts 22, 23 (Figure 2). The detachment of the flap 20 then allows access to the articles 2 by the front end 8 of the package 1.

  The end container 2 is then extracted from the upper row 3, the end container 2 of the lower row 4 being held in place by the band 27, which forms a stop. The other containers 2 of the upper row 3 then shift together towards the front end 8 to come, by rocking, position staggered with respect to the containers 2 of the lower row 4 (Figure 2). In this configuration, the containers 2 of the upper row 3 are separated from the film 28. Assuming that the containers 2 do not reposition themselves automatically to the extraction of the first of them, because of a too tight hold by the film 28, it suffices to hit the last container 2 of the upper row 3 (the side of the distal end 9) towards the front end 8 to force them to tilt. The containers 2 can then be extracted one by one, or from the upper row 3, or, more simply, by systematically grasping the end container 2 of the lower row 4, situated against the stop formed by the band 27. As a result, under the weight of the containers 2 of the upper row 3 there is a rearrangement of the containers 2 of the lower row 4, which automatically shift towards the front end 8 until one of the between them (or a container 2 of the upper row 3) is positioned against the stop formed by the band 27 to take the place of the container 2 which has just been extracted. It can be seen that the pack 1 plays, by its configuration, a role of distributor of the containers 2. The guiding of the containers 2 is ensured by the lateral panels 16, 17, whose parallelism is preserved by the containers 2 themselves, which form spacers, and by the film 28 which, even after the extraction of the first containers 2, retains a certain rigidity and therefore tends to keep its original shape. It should be noted that the extraction of the first container 2 (the end container 2 of the upper row 3, as we have seen) can be performed at the same time as the detachable flap 20 is removed: it is sufficient for this to tilt the container 2 at the same time that one pulls on the tongue. In addition, as can be seen in FIG. 1, the flank 14 may comprise two frangible flaps 33 in the form of a half-moon, formed in a lateral panel 17 and each delimited by a cutout 34 in a semi-circle with a concavity turned towards the outside. distal end 9 and whose opposite ends are connected by a line 35 of right folding. Under the pressure exerted by the fingers of a user (for example the index finger and the middle finger), the flaps 33 are retracted inside the pack 1 by tilting around the fold line, which facilitates the capture of this one, for example for its extraction of a supermarket rack. The flaps 33 are preferably positioned at the interstices between the containers 2, so as to clear enough space for the passage of the fingers. Given their orientation, the flaps 33, even retracted, do not form an obstacle to the extraction of the containers 2; under the pressure of these (either directly extracted from the package 1, or they are gradually shifted towards the front end 8), the flaps 33 are simply pushed forward by tilting around their line 35 of folding. The package 1 which has just been described has the following particularities and advantages. Firstly, the flank 14 does not ensure the cohesion of the articles 2, the latter being provided by the film 28, which comes to grip together the articles 2 and the sidewall 14 (at least at its panels 16, 17 side).

  Secondly, the amount of material needed to make the sidewall 14 is reduced to half of the outer surface of the article group 2. This results in substantial cost savings. It is also possible to take advantage of the flank 14 for communication purposes, to ensure the visual package: it is indeed possible to print the commercial information on the outer face of the panels 15, 16, 17, without that it is necessary to print the film 28, which can thus be transparent and devoid of inscriptions. This transparency has the advantage of allowing direct visual access to articles 2 (especially by the upper side), which may seem appreciable to some consumers. Thirdly, the articles 2 being, before the opening of the package 1, firmly held together by the film 28, there is virtually no play in the package 1, which prevents abrupt movements during handling , do not cause the untimely opening of it.

  It should be noted that, although articles 2 of the package just described are containers, it could be any other type of articles: cans, beverage cans, glasses, jars, batteries, etc. In addition, the configuration that has just been presented (namely two rows 3, 4 superimposed of five items 12 2) is given by way of example only. This could include a different number of rows, and a different number of items per row. Similarly, it is not mandatory that the rows include all the same number of items. In other words, the general form of Cluster 2 is not necessarily parallelepipedic. This shape could in particular be trapezoidal or triangular profile. Of course, it would be necessary to adapt the shape of the panels 15, 16, 17. It will now be described, with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6, a method of manufacturing the package 1. The containers 2 are first grouped vertically according to the desired configuration (in this case in two rows 3, 4 of five containers 2 each). The group of articles 2 thus formed is placed (for example by simply being slid) on the flank 14 (flat) so that the articles 2 rest by their bottom 5 on the corresponding side panel 16 (Figure 4). The front panel and then the other side panel 17 are then folded at right angles against the front end 8 and against the vertices of the articles 2, respectively (FIG. 5).

  Finally, the whole is wrapped with a plastic film 28 coming from a reel (not shown), the covering of the film 28, where the film is welded, being made on the lower side of the article group. 2 (Figure 6). Finally, the assembly passes through a tunnel furnace (not shown) where the film 28 is heat-shrunk to jointly grip the containers 2 and the flank 14, which is thus firmly held in place. It is even more difficult to remove the flank 14 that the film 28 matches the corrugations of the lower edge 32 of the panels 16, 17 side.

The process which has just been described can in particular be implemented within a conventional shrinkwrapper (such as the seamless shrinkwrapper proposed by CERMEX under the trade name TS EVOLUTION 3), to which would be added a filling station. feeding flanks flat and a bending station flanks around the containers.

Claims (18)

  A package (1) comprising: a group of articles (2) arranged side by side; a flank (14) made of a rigid or semi-rigid material, which comprises: a front panel (15) covering a front end (8) of the article group (2), two side panels (16, 17) which are extend on either side of the front panel (15) and respectively cover two opposite sides (10, 11) of the group of articles (2), adjacent to the front end (8), the sidewall (14) comprising a detachable flap (20), made at least partly in the front panel (15), to allow access to the articles (2) through the front end (8) of the package (1); the flank (14) leaving the articles (2) uncovered on at least one side (12) of the article group (2), the package (1) further comprising a film (28) enclosing the group of articles ( 2) covering at least its sides (10, 11) over the side panels (16, 17).   2. Package (1) according to claim 1, wherein the sidewall (14) reveals a side (12) of the group of articles (2) connecting the sides (10, 11) covered.   3. Package (1) according to claim 1, wherein the sidewall (14) reveals two opposite sides (12, 13) of the group of articles (2), connecting the sides (10, 11) covered.   4. Package (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the sidewall (14) exposes a distal end (9) of the group of articles (2), opposite the front end (8). ).   5. Package (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the articles (2) comprise a bottom (5) and an apex (6) opposite, connected by a body (7) of generally cylindrical shape.   6. Package (1) according to claim 5, wherein the panels (16, 17) side respectively cover the bottoms (5) and the vertices (6) of the articles (2).   The package (1) according to claim 6, wherein the side panels (16, 17) have a corrugated edge (32) which substantially follows the curvature of the articles (2).   8. Package (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the detachable flap (20) comprises a portion (25) shaped tab formed in a panel (17) side.   9. Package (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8, which comprises two rows (3, 4) of articles (2) superimposed.   10. Package (1) according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the panel (15) front has a strip (27) of non-releasable material which forms a stop for the articles (2).   11. Package (1) according to one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the film (28) leaves exposed the end (8) of the group of articles (2).   12. Package (1) according to one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the sidewall (14) is made of cardboard.   13. Package (1) according to claim 12, wherein the carton has a basis weight greater than 280 g / m2.   14. Package (1) according to claim 13, wherein the carton has a basis weight of 320 g / m2.   The package (1) according to claim 13, wherein the carton has a basis weight of 380 g / m2.   16. Pack (1) according to one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the sidewall (14) has two flaps (33) 16 retractable formed in a panel (17) side delimited by cutouts (34) having a concavity turned towards a distal end (9) of the pack (1), opposite to the front end (8).   17. Package (1) according to one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the articles (2) are containers.   The package (1) according to claim 17, wherein the containers (2) are cylindrical beverage cans.