FR2936226A1 - Interlocking bottom plate i.e. lower box, for delivering e.g. pizza, has lateral walls or tabs including intermediate stop units to stop top plate on bottom plate in partial embedded position of top plate in bottom plate - Google Patents

Abstract

The bottom plate i.e. lower box (13), has two opposed lateral walls i.e. flaps (3), whose upper parts are connected by double bending lines (5) to tabs (6), where the plate is made of a sheet of board material. The tabs are folded towards interior of the plate with respect to inner surfaces of the corresponding lateral walls. The lateral walls or the tabs include intermediate stop units i.e. pillars (15), to stop a top plate on the bottom plate in a partial embedded position of the top plate in the bottom plate. An independent claim is also included for a blank for forming a plate, comprising an octagonal or rectangular central panel.

Description

IMBRICABLE TRAY IN CARTON AND FLAN SHEET MATERIAL FOR THE PRODUCTION OF SUCH A TRAY

The present invention relates to a nestable tray 5 made of cardboard sheet material. It also relates to a blank for obtaining such a tray. It finds a particularly important application although not exclusive in the field of 10 prepared dishes such as pizzas to take away or to deliver. More generally, it is advantageously applicable to fragile thin products, such as pies or pastry products. We already know flat boxes for pizzas. They are formed of a rectangular bottom, vertical walls and a lid foldable capable to form a homogeneous closed box. Such boxes have drawbacks. In particular they need to be formed at the last moment, that is to say at the time of filling, because they are difficult to store. Such boxes are more difficult to stack once filled before delivery, and may slip on top of each other. The present invention aims to provide a pizza box that responds better than those previously known to the requirements of the practice, in particular in that it allows the boxes to be formed in advance without storage problems, then store the pizzas ones on the others and deliver them thus stored without needing to provide a cover, if it is not for the last box of the battery. Indeed, the trays according to the invention are partially embeddable, which allows easy storage, stable and effective without risk of slipping or falling, and with the products inside while allowing easy handling and transport in all security. Also known are stackable trays (FR-A-2,584,375), provided with multiple support points, some walls have a double thickness and reinforced corners. But such trays if they are very solid, are not built-in, do not allow optimized stacking, are bulky to store, have particular and necessarily a total packing height greater than about 10 cm, and generate a large consumption of cardboard. The object of the present invention is in particular to overcome all these drawbacks. For this purpose, the invention essentially proposes a nestable tray made of a cardboard sheet material, characterized in that it comprises a belt with side walls slanted towards the bottom, of which at least two opposite side walls, called first shutters, connected in upper part by first fold lines, double, to first flaps folded towards the inside of the tray opposite the inner face of the corresponding side wall 30, and in that said side walls or the first flaps comprise intermediate stop means of the top tray on the bottom tray in a partial embedding position of the top tray in the tray below. Thus, the tray according to the invention, with conicity reversed to the outside, and provided with means allowing stable stacking by interleaving while leaving a volume between two stacked trays, allows stacking and compact storage trays pre-filled by pizzas or products to take away, without risk of falling during transport.

In advantageous embodiments, one and / or the other of the following provisions is also used. - The plate has four side walls comprising the first two opposite flaps and two second opposed flaps cooperating with said first flaps by second flaps; the tray is of overall height less than 8 cm; - It has eight side walls including four first flaps opposite two by two, and four second flaps opposite two by two, cooperating with said first flaps adjacent by second flaps; the second flaps are connected laterally to the end of the second flaps by second fold lines angled outwards, from the bottom or plate, and the first flaps are connected to the bottom of said plate by third fold lines of greater length and centered with respect to the first fold lines; - The second flaps extend over a width sufficient to be plated and maintained on the inner face of the first flaps by the first flaps. Such an arrangement will allow easy manual assembly of the tray; the intermediate abutment means are formed by third flaps connected on either side of each of the first flaps by a fourth fold line, perpendicular to the first corresponding fold lines, over a length less than the height of said first flap and at a distance from said first fold line, so that said third flaps form corner pillars by folding lower than the height of the walls. This allows a particularly stable stacking by nesting, while ensuring a very good rigidity plateau; - The intermediate abutment means are formed by protruding lugs on the lower side portions of the first flaps arranged to repcser on the upper edge of the wall opposite the bottom tray; - Each first flap comprises at least a portion or stud embedded in at least one corresponding slot of the bottom facing, to form locking means of the first flap on the bottom of the plate. This, combined with the insertion of the second flaps under the first flanged flap, allows an even simpler manual assembly quick and efficient; - The plate further comprises a removable cover formed by a blank of complementary shape to the horizontal section of the plate for example at intermediate stop means.

The periphery of the lid is advantageously provided with locking lugs in said plate at this level; - The plate further comprises a lid flap connected to the peripheral edge of one of the second flaps by a fifth fold line. Such nestable tray when its lid is raised, can serve as a tray of the top of the stack for transport for example. The invention also provides a blank for forming a tray as described above. It also proposes a blank for the constitution of a tray, comprising a rectangular or octagonal central panel, characterized in that it is provided on each side with a trapezoidal shutter, namely at least two opposite first shaped shutters. trapezoidal surface converging towards the outside of the blank and at least two opposite second flaps of divergent trapezoidal shape towards the outside of the blank, said first flaps being connected on their respective longitudinal edge by first fold lines, double, to first substantially rectangular flaps adapted to be folded towards the inside of the tray along the corresponding first flap, and in that said first flaps or said first flaps comprise intermediate stop means in a partial embedding position between the top tray and bottom tray 30 when said trays are each formed from such a blank.

In advantageous embodiments the blank furthermore has one and / or the other of the following provisions. it comprises second flaps connected laterally to the second flaps by the second folding lines sloping outwards, from the bottom of the plate, the first flaps being connected to the bottom of said plate by third fold lines of greater length and centered with respect to the first fold lines; - the central panel is octagonal; said intermediate abutment means are formed by third flaps connected on either side of each of the first flaps by a fourth fold line, perpendicular to the first corresponding fold lines, over a length less than the height of said first flap and remote from said first fold line so that said third flaps are adapted to form fold angle pillars during manual tray formation; - The intermediate abutment means are formed by protruding lugs on the lower side portions of the first flaps arranged to rest on the upper edge of the wall facing the bottom tray; - Each first flap comp :: end at least a portion or pin arranged to be embedded in at least one corresponding slot of the bottom facing, 30 to form locking means of the first flap on the bottom of the tray when it is formed ; the second flaps extend over a width that is sufficient to be plated and held on the internal face of the first flaps by the first flaps during the manual formation of the plate; - It further comprises a cover flap connected to the peripheral edge of one of the second flaps by a fifth fold line. The invention will be better understood on reading the following description of embodiments given as non-limiting examples. The description refers to the accompanying drawings in which: - Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the formation of a tray according to a first embodiment of the invention, obtained from a blank according to the mode embodiment more particularly described. FIGS. 2 and 3 are perspective views of a stack of recessed trays = one inside the other, according to the invention, FIG. 3 showing the stack completed by an upper box provided with a lid according to a embodiment of the invention. FIG. 4 gives a plan view of the blank making it possible to obtain the plate of FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is a plan view of an exemplary lid that can be used according to one embodiment of the invention. FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of a blank in plan, making it possible to obtain a plate of the type of that of FIG. 1. FIGS. 7A and 7B give two examples of blank for tray cover, according to FIG. other embodiments of the invention. - Figure 8 shows in plan blanks blanks according to the embodiment of Figure 6, from a cardboard lèse. Fig. 9 is a plan view of a blank according to another embodiment of the invention with a lid. FIGS. 10A and 10B show in perspective the plate obtained with the blank of FIG. 9 respectively with lid open vertically 10 and with a closed lid. FIGS. 11, 12 and 13 show another embodiment of the invention with an octagonal bottom, FIG. 11 giving a plan view of the blank, FIG. 12, the plate formed with such a blank and FIG. , a stack of two trays nested one inside the other, the last of which has a removable cover. FIG. 14 shows a blank according to another embodiment of the invention, again with an octagonal bottom. FIG. 15 shows in perspective the plate obtained with the blank of FIG. 14. FIG. 16 shows an embodiment of a cover plate that can be used for the octagonal boxes of the stack shown in FIG. 1 shows the formation of a tray from a blank 1 consisting of a substantially flat rectangular corrugated cardboard cut for example 2 to 3 mm thick. More specifically, the blank 1 comprises a rectangular central panel 2 provided on each side with a trapezoidal shutter, namely two opposing first flaps 3 of trapezoidal shape converging towards the outside of the blank and two opposite second flaps 4 of trapezoidal shape. diverging towards the outside of the blank. The first flaps 3 are connected on their respective extreme longitudinal edge, by first double fold lines 5, to first substantially rectangular flaps 6 adapted to be folded towards the inside of the tray around said first fold lines, towards the inner face of the first corresponding section. The second flaps 4 comprise in turn second flaps 7 connected to each of the sides of said second flaps by second fold lines 8 sloping outwards.

The first flaps 6 comprise third flaps 9 connected on either side of each of the first flaps by fourth fold lines 10, perpendicular to the corresponding first fold lines 5, over a length less than the height of said first flap, and at a distance from said first fold line so that it forms a pan resting on the bottom of the package but of height less than the height of the walls during the formation of the plate.

They are also of sufficient length to form angled corner pillars by folding. More specifically, and with reference to FIG. 1, the second flaps 4 and their end flaps 7 are folded (step 11) and then (step 12) the first flaps 3 are folded substantially vertically against the outer face of the second flaps 7. said second flaps extending over a width 1 sufficient to cooperate with one of the corresponding outer lateral ends of a first flap 3 facing each other. The first flaps 6 are then folded around the first fold lines 5, double, on the inner face of the corresponding first flaps 3 and on the ends 14 of the second flaps 7, so as to form a rim of this wall of the tray during the formation of the latter. Clipping means 6 of the flap 6 on the bottom 2 of the plate blocks this reposition in position as will be defined later. The third flaps 9 are angled in the corners to form 15 support pillars of height h less than the height H corresponding first and second flaps. It is thus formed intermediate abutment means 16 of the top plate on the bottom plate, when the top plate is embedded in the bottom plate as shown with reference to Figures 2 and 3. Given the trapezoidal shapes of the first flaps and second flaps, the lower box or tray 13 is wider at the top, than at the bottom. The upper box 13 'identical will thus be able to fit into the box 13 and up to the abutment means which will serve to support said upper box 13'. This can also, for example, comprise a removable cover 17 of the type described with reference to FIG. 5. FIG. 3 shows a stack of the two boxes 13, 13 'with a third box 18 formed by a plate similar to the plate 13 , which comprises a lid 19 connected by a fold line 20 to the upper edge of one of the second flaps 4. Thereafter the same reference numerals will be used to designate identical or similar elements. FIG. 4 shows enlarged and in plan view the blank 1 of FIG. 1 thus making it possible to obtain the box 13 of FIGS. 2 and 3. It comprises the rectangular base 2 of support of the product. This bottom 2 is connected by the fold lines 21 to the first flaps 3 trapezoidal shape converging towards the outside of the blank, that is to say that it has a base corresponding to said fold line 21, greater than their On the other hand, corresponding to the first double fold line 5. In the embodiment more particularly described here, and in the vicinity of the connecting line 21 between the bottom and the first flaps, notches are provided. 22 (for example two times two) arranged to cooperate with lugs 23 located on the outer peripheral edge 24 of the first flaps 6, which allows a coupling with each other during the manual formation of the plate 13. The first flaps 6 connected by the double fold line 5 to the corresponding first flaps 3 also have on their lateral ends 25, the third flaps 9 connected to said first 30 flaps by the fourth lines of 10 in the embodiment more particularly described here, at the first fold lines 5 corresponding.

As indicated above the third flaps 9 extend over a greater length than the existing distance between the fourth fold line 10 and the fold line 21 'connecting the second flaps 4 to the bottom 2, so that when the first flap will be folded to come back on the inner face of the first flap, the third flap takes an angled position at an angle to form the abutment abutment intermediate.

In the embodiment described with reference to FIG. 4, the height h of the third flap 9 is smaller than the height H of the first flap 6 equivalent to that of the first flap 3 facing it, so that an offset 26 exists after folding and riming, offset the height of which will be the height of installation of the top tray in the lower tray for example between 1/3 and 1/5 H. The peripheral extreme edges 27 of the third flaps 9 which bear on the inner face of the second adjacent flap 4 when the plate is formed, are also slightly oblique so that, when the plate is formed, they come to fitly cooperate with the second flaps themselves inclined at an angle towards the bottom. More specifically and as already indicated, the second flaps 4 are of trapezoidal shape diverging towards the outside of the blank and are connected by the second folding lines 8 to the second flaps 7. These second flaps are of sufficient width 1 to cooperate with the internal face of the first flap in opposite and each comprise at their lower periphery a lug 28 arranged to cooperate with the slots 22, further improving by snapping the strength and rigidity of the tray once formed. They have an isosceles trapezoidal shape and have, blank flat, their end edges 29 in contact with the inner peripheral edges of the third flaps, as shown in FIG. 4. The first flaps 6 further include slots 31 arranged to when the first flap is folded down on the flap, come into alignment with the inner peripheral edges 30 of the third flaps 7 which will support the top tray. These slots 31 allow the embedding of the plate 32 of Figure 5 arranged to serve as a removable cover. More specifically, it is formed of a blank of complementary shape to the horizontal section of the plate at the intermediate abutment means, that is to say the upper part of the peripheral edges 30 of the third flaps, once the latter folded and positioned at an angle inside the tray. Lugs 33 locking in the slots 31 of the inner face of the first flaps of the plate are provided.

Quarter circles 34 are made on the four corner corners of the plate 32 to facilitate removal of the recessed cover. FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of a blank 37 according to the invention.

The latter comprises first shutters 3 of the same type as those described with reference to FIG. 4, second shutters 4 which this time comprise on their outer peripheral edges 38 a trapezoidal shaped notch 39 and second flaps 7 'of different shape of the second flaps 7 of the blank 1 of Figure 4. The second flaps 7 'have an inner edge 40 having a recess 41 which allows the embedding of the third flap 9', which further limits the drop cardboard and allows a greater contact area between the second flap and the inner face of the first flaps and second flaps.

FIGS. 7A and 7B show two other embodiments 41 and 42 of cover plates or blanks. Angle recesses 43, of the type described at 34 are provided. The blank 42 further includes a fold line 44 diagonally to facilitate removal of the lid by folding. Figure 8 is a plan view of a board plate 45. The cutouts 37, identical to those described with reference to FIG. 6, are arranged side by side and optimized to limit the cardboard falls, the lugs and the peripheral edges 24 of the first, second and third flaps cooperating with each other , the lugs on one side constituting the recessed portions of the other, the perforations 22 being offset thereby between the fold line 21 'of attachment of the first flap with the bottom of a first blank and the fold line 21 "of attachment of the first component with the bottom of the adjacent blank.

FIG. 9 shows a blank 37 'identical to the blank of FIG. 6, but which also comprises a rectangular lid flap 46 connected by a fold line 47 to the upper peripheral edge 38 of the second flap 4 having the withdrawal 39 In FIGS. 10A and 10B, it can thus be seen that, when the package is formed as previously described with reference to FIG. 1, the lid 46 will be able to be folded down and come to fit inside the upper part of the tray (as shown in Figure 10B), the fold line 47 being located at a lower level than the upper peripheral corner edge 48 of the tray. The lateral edges located on the side of the folding line 47 of recess embedding.

Advantageously a planned to allow cover once this 46, are then in 49) to allow

half circle in orifice 50 is the hooking and the opening of the last closed. Cover (arrow) The tray embodiments according to the invention having eight sides will now be described with reference to the following figures: Fig. 11 shows a first blank 51 for an eight-sided tray The blank 51 comprises an octagonal bottom 52 provided with of four trapezoidal first flaps 53 converging towards the outside and four trapezoidal flaps 54 of divergent shape towards the outside of the blank, each of the first flaps 53 is provided with a first flap 55 connected to said first flap by first folding lines 56, double, parallel to the fold lines 57 connecting the first flaps 53 to the bottom 52. Each of the first flaps 55 is provided on its lateral sides with third flaps 58 connected to said first flaps by the third lines of bending 59 perpendicular to the first double fold lines 56. These third flaps extend from the outer peripheral edge 60 of the first flap. r a distance h less than the height H of said first flap, which will allow the offset allowing the embedment of a tray in the other. These third flaps are substantially rectangular or square in shape. The second flaps 54 disposed between the first flaps 53 to which they are adjacent comprise second flaps 61 of sufficient width to bear within the first flap when the flap is folded. Second flaps 61 have a substantially trapezoidal shape and are for example provided with an outer peripheral edge, directed towards the outside of the blank in the extension of the outer peripheral edge 62 of the second flap 54. The latter flap 62 further comprises identical to the blank of Figure 6, a recess 63, centered on the flap for example trapezoidal or rectangular. Each of the first flaps comprises on its outer periphery 64 a lug or protrusion 65 arranged to engage in a slot 66 corresponding to the bottom 52 of the blank. This slot 66 is slightly offset to allow rib stacks between the different thicknesses of cartons during successive folding, the second flaps 61 thus coming to be interposed between the inner face of the first flap 53 and the inner face of the corresponding first flap 55 . FIGS. 12 and 13 show the packings obtained with the blank 51 of FIG. 11, namely in FIG. 12 the plate 68 provided with the pillars 69 obtained by folding the third flaps which thus come obliquely into the corners of the tray as shown in the figure, the width L of said third flaps 58 being greater than the length x of first flap remaining between the end edge of the first fold line 56, and the second fold line 61 'between second flap 54 and second flap 61. FIG. 13 shows the stacking of two trays 68 and 68 'according to FIG. 12, the upper tray 68' comprising, in turn, and moreover a cover blank 69 'provided with protrusion 66, arranged to cooperate with the recesses 63 of the upper edges 62 of the second flaps 54, a semicircular orifice 67 being provided to allow easy removal of the lid by introduction of a finger. FIG. 14 shows another embodiment of a blank 70 for an octagonal plate according to the invention.

This differs from the preceding blank in that the intermediate abutment means are not here made by the third flaps 58 but by protrusions 71 on the lateral portions 72 of the first flaps 73 at a distance e from the fold lines 74. joining the first flaps 73 and the octagonal bottom 75 of the package, corresponding substantially, aax thicknesses of carton close to the height of installation of a tray in the other.

Thus, when (see FIG. 15) the plate 77 is formed, appears on the outer face 78 of the first flaps 73, recesses 79 which will cooperate with the upper peripheral edge 80 of the second flap 81 adjacent, as shown in Figure 17 which shows a stack of two such packages 77 and 77 'nested one inside the other. Referring again to Figure 14, the second component 81 comprises for its second flaps 82 of triangular shape connected to the latter by second fold lines 83 at an angle. The first flaps 76 in turn have ends 84 arranged to engage (see Figure 15) in the recesses 85 made in the bottom of the tray. FIG. 16 shows an octagonal flank 86 capable of forming the removable cover shown on the stack of the plate of FIG. 17. It is of complementary shape, that is to say octagonal to the horizontal section of the plate at the level necessary to allow embedding. from one tray to the other without preventing the load-lowering of the side walls of the top tray on the side walls of the tray below for good resistance to compression, through the recesses 79. The blank 86 comprises excrescences 87 adapted to fit into the recesses 88 made on the upper peripheral edges 80 without interfering with the embedding, the protrusions 79 can always bear against the highest peripheral edges of the second flaps.

As goes without saying and as it follows from the foregoing, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments more particularly described. On the contrary, it encompasses all the variants and in particular those for which the conicity of the plate is between 3 degrees and 25 degrees and for example and advantageously 10 degrees. 10

Claims (18)

REVENDICATIONS1. Tray (13, 13 ', 18; 68, 68'; 77, 77 ') nestable in cardboard sheet material, characterized in that it comprises a sidewall belt sloping towards the bottom, of which at least two side walls opposed said first flaps (3, 53, 73), connected in the upper part by first fold lines (5, 56), double, to first Io flaps (6, 55, 76) folded towards the inside of the tray with respect to the inner side of the corresponding side wall, and in that said side walls or the first flaps comprise intermediate stop means (15, 69, 79) of the top plate on the bottom plate in a position partial embedding of the top tray in the tray below. 2. Tray according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises four side walls 20 comprising said two first flaps (3) opposite and two second flaps (4) opposite cooperating with said first flaps by second flaps (7) - 3. Tray according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises eight side walls including four first flaps (53, 73) opposite two by two, and four second flaps (54, 81) opposite two by two, cooperating with said first adjacent shutters by second discounts. 30 4. Tray according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second flaps are connected laterally to the end of the second flaps by second fold lines (8, 61 ', 83) outwardly biased, to from the bottom of the plate, and in that the first flaps are connected to the bottom of said plate by third lines I fold (10, 59) of greater length and centered with respect to the first fold lines. 5. Tray according to claim 4, characterized in that the second flaps extend over a width sufficient to be plated and held on the inner face of the first flaps by the first flaps. 6. Tray according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the intermediate abutment means are formed by third flaps (9, 58) connected on either side of each of the first flaps by a fourth fold line perpendicular to the first corresponding fold lines, over a length less than the height of said first flap and at a distance from said first fold line so that said third flaps form corner pillars by folding lower than the height of the walls . 7. Tray according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the intermediate abutment means are formed by lugs (71) protruding on the lower side portions of the first flaps arranged to rest on the upper edge (80). ) of the wall facing the bottom plate. 3o 8. Tray according to any one of the preceding claims, charac-rized in that each first flap comprises at least a recessed portion or pin (23, 65, 81) in at least one fentecorrespondante background opposite, to form locking means of the first flap on the bottom of the tray. 9. Tray according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it further comprises a removable cover 32, 41, 42, 69) formed of a blank of complementary shape to the horizontal section of said plate at the level of the means of Intermediate abutment, provided with pins Io locking in said plate at this level. 10. Tray according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it further comprises a cover flap (46) connected to the peripheral edge of one of the second flaps by a fifth fold line (47) . 11. Flan (1) for the constitution of a tray, comprising a rectangular or octagonal central panel, characterized in that it is provided on each side with a trapezoidal flap, namely at least two first vclets (3 , 53, 73) opposite trapezoidal converging towards the outside of the blank and at least two second flaps (4, 54, 81) opposite, of trapezoidal shape diverging towards the outside of the blank, said first flaps 25 being connected on their respective longitudinal edge by first fold lines (5, 56), double, with first substantially rectangular flaps adapted to be folded towards the inside of the plate along the corresponding first flap, and in that said first flaps or said first flaps comprise intermediate stop means (15, 69, 79) in a partial embedding position between the top tray and the bottom tray when said trays are formed from such a blank. 12. blank according to claim 11, characterized in that it comprises second flaps connected laterally to the second flaps oar second fold lines (8, 61 ', 83) biased outwardly from the bottom of the tray, and in that the first flaps are connected to the bottom of said plate by third fold lines (10, 59) of greater length and centered with respect to the first fold lines. 13. Blank according to any one of claims 11 and 12, characterized in that the central panel (75) is octagonal. 14. Blank according to any one of claims 11 to 13, characterized in that said intermediate abutment means are formed by third flaps (9, 58) connected on either side of each of the first flaps by a fourth line of folding, perpendicular to the corresponding first fold lines, over a length less than the height of said first flap and at a distance from said first fold line so that said third flaps are adapted to form angle pillars by folding during the manual training of the board. 15. blank according to any one of claims 11 to 13, characterized in that the intermediate abutment means are formed by pins (71) protruding on the lower side portions of the first flaps arranged to rest on the upper edge of the wall opposite the tray of the desscus. 16. Blank according to any one of claims 11 to 15, characterized in that each first flap comprises at least a portion or pin (23, 65, 81) arranged to be embedded in at least one corresponding slot of the screw bottom to screw, to form locking means of the first flap on the bottom of the tray when it is formed. 17. blank according to any one of claims 11 to 16, characterized in that the second flaps extend over a width sufficient to be plated and maintained on the inner face of the first flaps by the first flaps during the manual formation of the tray. 18. Blank according to any one of claims 11 to 17, characterized in that it further comprises a cover flap (32, 41, 42, 69 ') connected to the peripheral edge of one of the second flaps by a fifth line folding.