FR3112129A1 - Packaging device for forming a pack - Google Patents

Abstract

Title: Packaging device to form a pack The invention relates to a device (1) for packaging products, comprising at least a first container (2A) and a second container (2B) each intended to contain a product, the first container (2A) and the second container (2B) being intended to be grouped together to form a pack, each of the first container (2A) and of the second container (2B) being provided with a label (3) forming a sleeve in which the first container (2A) or the second container is received (2B), characterized in that each label (3) has at least one hook face (31) and at least one receiving face, the hook face (31) of the label (3) of the first container (31) being secured to the receiving face of the label (3) of the second container (2B) by frangible connecting means between said attachment face (31) and said receiving face. Figure for abstract: Fig. 1

Description

Conditioning device

The field of the invention is that of the design and manufacture of packaging elements for food products.

More specifically, the invention relates to packaging elements for liquid or semi-liquid products.

When products are sold in bundles, they are usually grouped together as packs.

This is particularly the case for containers of food products, in particular bottles.

Indeed, to facilitate the transport of several bottles simultaneously, these are grouped together in the form of a pack, generally in multiples of 2, then held together by being covered with a plastic film.

In addition, the grouping in the form of a pack remains particularly imperative when the bottles have no laying surface, that is to say when their bottom has for example a hemispherical shape. The plastic film thus makes it possible to group the bottles together and form a common laying plan for all the bottles.

However, the use of such plastic film then causes over-packaging of food products, which contributes to land pollution. This is explained in particular by the fact that when consumers buy these packs, not all of them correctly sort the different packaging, in particular the plastic films which can, in the worst case, be thrown away in the middle of nature.

To limit the amount of overpack material, a plastic net solution has been proposed.

By way of example, certain markets, for example that of can-type containers, may offer nets provided with cells in each of which a can is received.

If this solution indeed makes it possible to reduce the consumption of plastic for the manufacture of the net, it can prove to be much more harmful for the environment than a plastic film.

Indeed, when these nets are thrown in nature, especially in aquatic environments, fish can be trapped inside the cells and die.

To avoid this over-packaging, it is possible to offer the containers individually, the containers then being sold “in bulk” in bins.

However, this method of sale creates several problems.

First of all, when a consumer wishes to acquire several containers, he finds himself limited as regards the handling and/or the transport of several containers, especially when the containers are bulky or of cylindrical shape with a round cross-section, in which case containers can roll over each other.

Consumers can then provide themselves with lockers or reusable bags in which they can store the various containers to be purchased.

However, such lockers, when they are rigid, represent a significant bulk whether in the trunk of a vehicle or in a trolley, or for their storage once emptied of the containers they carry.

Additionally, consumers may make unplanned purchases where they do not have lockers or reusable bags. Consumers must then buy a new locker or reusable bag or risk being limited in the quantity of containers they can carry.

From the point of view of manufacturers, bulk sales also present constraints.

Indeed, when the containers are manufactured and filled, they can no longer be palletized to be transported from their place of production to their place of sale.

Binding directly after production is then necessary but generates a non-negligible cost for manufacturers.

This is explained by the fact that to withstand both the weight of the containers it contains and external aggressions, for example knocks from trolleys in stores or careless movements during their handling, the bins must be made in a resistant material and/or with a substantial thickness.

Such bins are then more difficult to handle and increase the cost of transporting the containers compared to palletizing the containers.

In addition, before they are filled with containers, the empty bins must be stored, which requires manufacturers to have a dedicated space, this dedicated space therefore not being profitable or little.

The object of the invention is in particular to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art.

More specifically, the aim of the invention is to propose a packaging solution for several containers in the form of a pack while avoiding over-packaging of the containers.

The invention also aims to provide such a solution which is simple to implement and does not change the usage habits of consumers.

The invention also aims to provide such a solution which makes it possible to form and modulate a pack according to the desire or demand of consumers.

These objectives, as well as others which will appear subsequently, are achieved thanks to the invention which relates to a device for packaging a product, comprising at least a first container and a second which each contain product, the first container and the second container being grouped together to form a pack, each of the first container and of the second container being provided with a label forming a sleeve in which the first container or the second container is received, characterized in that each label has at least one attachment face and/or at least one receiving face, the attachment face of the label of the first container being secured to the receiving face of the label of the second container by frangible connecting means between said face of grip and said receiving face.

The device according to the invention thus makes it possible to eliminate the existing overwrapping for ordinary packs.

Indeed, the frangible connecting means between the attachment faces and the receiving faces of the labels make it possible to assemble the containers together to form a pack, this without plastic film or without any other means of holding the containers together.

It is also possible to form packs of containers of different sizes since it is sufficient to make the receiving faces and the attachment faces cooperate with each other to ensure the formation of a pack. The size of the pack is thus not constrained by the installation of an overpack, which makes it possible to produce a pack comprising an odd number of containers if necessary.

In addition, manufacturers can change the capacity of their packs to meet specific demand. Indeed, when a pack usually includes six containers, it is possible to modulate the capacity of a pack so that it contains eight or ten containers for example, in order to respond to a promotional offer, for example proposed by a distributor. This is all the more facilitated since it is then not necessary to have to modify the parameters of a filming machine for the formation of the packs, since the packs do not have such a film. This type of pack and the flexibility associated with it are therefore particularly suited to the evolution of manufacturing methods, in particular those imposed by e-commerce.

Furthermore, the device according to the invention makes it easier to use for consumers. Indeed, no plastic film is to be recycled, the pack can be reformed to infinity or almost if the frangible connecting means are of the repositionable type.

Advantageously, each of the first container and of the second container has a body and a bottom of hemispherical type extending the body, and each label extends to an end of the bottom opposite the body, or beyond said end, and forms a laying plan of the first container and of the second container.

The label thus allows the containers to be kept in a vertical position when they are not stable by their intrinsic characteristics.

Labels thus have a triple function.

First, the labels conventionally bear the communication elements linked to the product contained in the containers, for example, the brand of the product, its composition or even a dedicated bar code.

Secondly, the labels allow the containers to be held stable in a vertical position when they cannot rest in this position because of their shape.

Third, the labels allow the formation of a pack of containers without the need for an overwrapping element.

According to an advantageous aspect, each label has a plurality of tabs extending from a free end of the label forming the laying plane, the tabs being foldable on top of each other to form a bottom wall of the label.

The tabs close the bottom of the label. This helps to reinforce the mechanical strength of the label which serves as an installation surface, but also to prevent any intrusion of impurities or insects between the label and the bottom of the containers.

According to another advantageous aspect, the frangible connecting means between the gripping face and the receiving face comprise at least one line of glue or a strip of glue.

This type of frangible connection means is easy to industrialize and allows effective connection of the containers to each other.

In addition, by using a peelable glue, such as that used for bookmarks or sticky notes, it is possible for a user to modulate, undo and reform a pack according to needs or desires.

According to a first embodiment, for each label, the gripping face and the receiving face are flat.

Flat gripping and receiving faces allow good cooperation between the containers and therefore a good hold of the pack once formed.

Still according to the first embodiment, each label has a polygonal section.

Such a section makes it possible to offer, for each container, a plurality of attachment faces and reception faces, which promotes the creation of a pack and its modularity according to need.

According to a second embodiment, for each label, the grip face has a concave shape and the receiving face has a convex shape, or vice versa.

The concave and convex shapes make it possible in particular to stiffen the labels by giving a curve to each of the faces, so that their deformation is difficult, to the benefit of the holding of the label.

According to another aspect, the frangible connecting means between the gripping face and the receiving face are produced by shape cooperation between the concave shape and the convex shape.

The shape cooperation ensures a mechanical attachment of the containers to each other, which can make it possible to avoid having to resort to a frangible connecting means such as glue for example.

Preferably, each label comprises at least one reinforcing rib extending along an axis around which the label is wound.

These reinforcing ribs make it possible to reinforce the rigidity of the label, in particular to improve the holding in vertical position of the containers.

The invention also relates to a container characterized in that it comprises a label having at least one attachment face and/or at least one receiving face, to form a product packaging device as previously described.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly on reading the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention, given by way of illustrative and non-limiting example, and the appended drawings, among which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view from above of a product packaging device, according to a first embodiment;
Figure 2 is a perspective view from below of a product packaging device, according to the first embodiment;
Figure 3 is a perspective view from below of a variant of a label of a product packaging device, according to the first embodiment;
Figure 4 is a top perspective view of a product packaging device, according to a second embodiment;
FIG. 5 is a top view of a product packaging device, according to the second embodiment.

Figure 1 and Figure 4 illustrate a product packaging device 1 according to the invention, according to a first embodiment and a second embodiment respectively.

Commonly, the product packaging device 1 comprises containers 2 and labels 3 associated with the containers 2.

A label 3 is defined as being a sheath surrounding the containers 2 and being able to present indications intended for consumers, such as for example, but not exclusively, a brand, a description of the product contained in the containers, a bar code or even a logo.

Preferably, each label has a cylindrical shape, that is to say that its outline is formed by a straight line which moves parallel to itself following a plane curve. In the present case, the plane curve is drawn in a plane perpendicular to an axis of extension of the containers 2.

The product is advantageously a product of the liquid type such as a drink (water, fruit juice, carbonated drink, etc.) or a semi-liquid product or one having a high viscosity, such as a liquid soap or even detergent.

More particularly, the conditioning device 1 comprises:
- at least a first container 2A and a second container 2B each intended to contain a product, and
- For each of the first container 2A and the second container 2B, a first label 3A forming a sleeve in which the first container 2A is received, and a second label 3B forming a sleeve in which the second container 2B is received.

As explained below, the first container 2A and the second container 2B are grouped together to form all or part of a pack.

The term pack is understood as a group of 2 containers, positioned against each other and held together. The grouping of containers 2 in the form of a pack makes it possible to confer on each container 2 stability in a vertical position, that is to say a position where the axis of extension of the containers 2 is perpendicular to a surface on which rest the containers 2, or almost.

As can be seen in Figure 1, the packaging device 1 comprises six containers 2 and as many labels 3.

More specifically, the packaging device 1 illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 comprises:
- A first container 2A associated with a first label 3A;
- A second container 2B associated with a second label 3B;
- A third container 2C associated with a third label 3C;
- a fourth 2D container associated with a fourth 3D label;
- a fifth 2E container associated with a fifth 3E label, and
- a sixth containing 2F associated with a sixth 3F label.

On the other hand, the packaging device 1 illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 comprises:
- A first container 2A associated with a first label 3A;
- A second container 2B associated with a second label 3B;
- A third container 2C associated with a third label 3C.

As an indication, the containers 2 each contain a liquid or semi-liquid product, such as a drink for example.

To allow the creation of the pack, each label 3 has at least one gripping face 31 and at least one receiving face 32.

The formation of the pack is thus carried out by joining the attachment face 31 of a first label 3 with the receiving face 32 of a second label 3 by frangible connection means between said attachment face 31 and said receiving side 32.

Referring to Figures 1, 2, 4 and 5, the attachment face 31 of the first label 3A secured to the first container 2A is secured to the receiving face 32 of the second label 3b secured to the second container 2b.

According to a first advantageous aspect, the frangible connecting means between the gripping face 31 and the receiving face 32 comprise at least one line of glue or a strip of glue.

Preferably, this line of glue or strip of glue is of the repositionable type, that is to say that it allows detachment and repositioning of the grip face 31 vis-à-vis the reception face 32 .

According to a second advantageous aspect, the frangible connection means between the attachment face 31 and the reception face 32 are produced by shape cooperation. More specifically, as explained in more detail below, the shape cooperation is achieved between a concave shape presented by one of the gripping face 31 and the receiving face 32, and a convex shape presented by the other of the receiving face 32 and the gripping face 31.

According to a third advantageous aspect, the frangible connection means between the attachment face 31 and the reception face 32 are produced by a mechanical adhesive comprising a part with loops carried by the reception face 32 and a part with hooks carried by the grip face 31, or vice versa.

The hooks of the hooked part are intended to grip into the loops of the looped part to ensure adhesion between the gripping face 31 and the receiving face 32.

Such connecting means are known in particular under the term self-gripping strips.

According to another advantageous aspect, each label 3 comprises at least one reinforcing rib 4 extending along an axis A around which the label 3 is wound. The reinforcing ribs 4 are represented in FIG. 1 by dotted lines.

The axis A advantageously coincides with an extension axis (not shown) of the container 2.

Each container 2 has a body 21 and a bottom 22 of the hemispherical type, which extends the body 21.

Such a container 2 thus cannot remain stable on its own when it rests vertically by resting on its bottom 22. For this, the labels 3 are used to ensure the vertical holding of these containers 2.

Each label has a free end 33 opposite the body 21 of the container 2.

Each label 3 extends at least to one end of the bottom 22 opposite the body 21.

Preferably, the label 3 extends beyond said end of the bottom 22.

In other words, the free end 33 of the label 3 is located at the same level as the end of the bottom 22, or beyond said end of the bottom 22.

The free end 33 of the label 3 thus forms a laying plane of the container 2 to which the label 3 is secured.

More particularly, the free end 33 of the label 3 forms a closed contour allowing the label 3 to rest vertically on itself.

According to a first embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 and a variant illustrated in Figure 3, each label 3 has a polygonal section.

Such a section is made in a section plane transverse to the axis of extension of the containers 2, and does not concern the laying plane formed by the label 3.

For this purpose, the gripping face 31 and the receiving face 32 are flat.

According to a variant embodiment of the first embodiment, illustrated in FIG. 3, each label 3 has a plurality of tongues 34 extending from a free end 33 forming the laying plane.

The tabs 34 are foldable on top of each other, as shown by the arrow F, to form a bottom wall 35 of the label 3.

As shown in Figure 3, each tab 34 extends from the free end 33 beyond a center of the bottom wall 35. Alternatively, the tabs 34 may extend a smaller distance at a radius of the bottom wall 35 to allow a hollow space to be left in the bottom of the bottom wall 35.

Such a hollow space then makes it possible to be able to receive the neck of a container 2 and thus allow a superposition of several containers 2, this in a stable manner.

According to an embodiment illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, the grip face 31 has a concave shape and the receiving face 32 has a convex shape. Conversely, although this is not shown, the gripping face 31 could have a convex shape, and the receiving face 32 could have a concave shape.

As illustrated in Figure 5, for the junction between two containers 2, via their respective label 3, each label 3 of a container 2 comprises an adjacent attachment face 31 and a receiving face 32 which respectively cooperate with a reception face 32 and an adjacent grip face 31 of a label 3 of another container 2.

Below, a description is given for a pack comprising a first container 2A, a second container 2B and a third container 2C.

The first container 2A is associated with a first label 3A, the second container 2B is associated with a second label 3B and the third container 2C is associated with a third label 3C.

To form the pack, the first label 3A cooperates with the second label 3B and the third label 3C, the second label 3B cooperates with the first label 3A and the third label 3C, and the third label 3C cooperates with the first label 3A and the second label 3B.

More specifically, to form a pack, the cooperation between the first label 3A, the second label 3B and the third label 3C is carried out as follows:
- A gripping face 31 and a receiving face 32 adjacent to the first label 3A cooperate respectively with a receiving face 32 and a gripping face 31 adjacent to the second label 3B;
- another grip face 31 and another reception face 32 adjacent to the first label 3A cooperate respectively with a reception face 32 and a grip face 31 adjacent to the third label, and
- Another gripping face 31 and another adjacent receiving face 32 of the second label 3B cooperate respectively with another receiving face 32 and another gripping face 31 adjacent to the third label 3C.

Advantageously, the labels 3 are made of cardboard, paper, molded cellulose or else a widely used plastic film for the manufacture of labels affixed to certain containers already on the market. Preferably, the labels 3 have a thickness of 0.1 mm to 4 mm.

Claims (10)

Product packaging device (1), the device (1) comprising at least a first container (2A) and a second container (2B) which each contain product, the first container (2A) and the second container (2B) being grouped together to form a pack, each of the first container (2A) and of the second container (2B) being provided with a label (3) forming a sheath in which the first container (2A) or the second container (2B) is received, characterized in that each label (3) has at least one hook face (31) and/or at least one receiving face (32), the hook face (31) of the label (3) of the first container (31) being secured to the receiving face (32) of the label (3) of the second container (2B) by frangible connecting means between said attachment face (31) and said receiving face (32) . Device (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that each of the first container (2A) and of the second container (2B) has a body (21) and a bottom (22) of the hemispherical type extending the body (21), and in that each label (3) extends to an end of the bottom (22) opposite the body (21), or beyond said end, and forms a laying plane for the first container (2A) and the second container (2B). Device (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that each label (3) has a plurality of tongues (34) extending from a free end (33) of the label (3) forming the laying plane, the tabs (34) being foldable on each other to form a bottom wall (35) of the label (3). Device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the frangible connecting means between the gripping face (31) and the receiving face (32) comprise at least one line of glue or a strip of glue. Device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, for each label (3), the attachment face (31) and the reception face (32) are flat. Device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each label (3) has a polygonal section. Device (1) according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, for each label (3), the gripping face (31) has a concave shape and the receiving face (32) has a convex, or vice versa. Device (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the frangible connection means between the attachment face (31) and the reception face (32) are produced by shape cooperation between the concave shape and the convex shape. Device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each label (3) comprises at least one reinforcing rib (4) extending along an axis (A) around which the label (3) is rolled up. Container (2) characterized in that it comprises a label (3) having at least one attachment face (31) and/or at least one receiving face (32), to form a device (1) for packaging product according to any one of the preceding claims.