GB1589273A

GB1589273A - Pack comprising an elongate article and a container envoloping it

Info

Publication number: GB1589273A
Application number: GB4202276A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: CROFTON Ltd
Current assignee: CROFTON Ltd
Priority date: 1977-09-09
Filing date: 1977-09-09
Publication date: 1981-05-07

Description

(54) PACK COMPRISING AN ELONGATE ARTICLE AND A CONTAINER ENVELOPING IT (71) We, CROFTON LIMITED, a British Company, of Crofton House, 159/161 Tower Bridge Road, London SE1 3LR, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to a pack comprising an elongate article of varying width and a container enveloping it, the container being made from sheet plastics material, and holding, for example, a pair of scissors.

According to the present invention there is provided a pack comprising an elongate article of varying width and a container enveloping that article, the container having a front layer and a back layer of flexible sheet plastics material together forming an elongate bag, the bag being welded along its periphery, the two layers being additionally welded together at spaced locations remote from the transverse ends of the container to form a passage for a narrower part of the article and an abutment for a wider part of the article, the narrower part of the article extending through the passage at the said locations and the additional welds at those locations forming an abutment for the wider part of the article. Preferably the additional welds extend lengthwise from the said locations to form an elongate receiving region within the container for the narrower part of the article.The welds may extend sideways from the said locations to form a cradle - region for receiving the wider part of the article.

In a preferred form of the invention the container is rectangular in outline. For ready access to the container a widthwise slit is preferably provided in one of the layers between the said locations and an end of the container. The slit is preferably provided in the back layer and has an overlapping edge.

Furthermore the container may he provided with means by which to suspend it, for example from a display rack.

The back and front layers of the container may be made from the same or from different sheet plastics material, for example the back layer may be opaque and the front layer may be transparent. A preferred material for both layers is flexible polyvinyl chloride sheeting. - Preferably the centre of gravity of the pack lies along the centre line of the container so that when suspended from a point along the centre line it hangs straight.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: Fig. 1 shows a pack comprising a container and a pair of scissors packed therein; and Figs. 2a and 2b depict other configurations of the additional welds.

The pack shown in Fig. 1 includes a container having a front layer 10 of clear transparent P.V.C. sheeting and a back layer 12 of black (and hence opaque) PVC sheeting, both being rectangular, soft and flexible and about 0.010 inch in thickness. They are welded together by high frequency electric welding along the transverse top end 14, the bottom end 16 and the long sides 18 effectively to form an elongate bag welded along its periphery. The back 12 is in two parts, viz an upper part 20 and a lower part 22, overlapping slightly as shown at 24 to leave a slit between them.

The back and front are additionally welded together at spaced locations 26, which form a passage 27 between them, remote from the sides 18, and remote from both ends 14 and 16, but so that the slit at 24 lies between those locations and the top end 14. The additional welds extend length wise from the spaced locations 26 towards the bottom end 16 to form a long receiving region 28, and they extend sideways from those locations somewhat towards the top end 14 to form a cradle region 30.

The container also includes an extension flap 32 integral with the top and bottom layers, welded at the sides so as to be open at the top (to receive a card 34 bearing printed matter) and having a suspension hole 36 centrally near the top of the flap (i.e. along a central axis 38 bisecting the top and bottom ends).

The scissors 40 are wholly enveloped within the container. Their blades extend through the passage 27 and lie within the receiving region 28. The handles, where they widen from the blades, abut against the additional welds at the locations 26, and more generally they lie within the cradle region 30.

The scissors are readily packed in the container by simply inserting their blades through the slit and guiding them through the passage 27 between the additional welds into the long receiving region 28. In the result the scissors have little freedom of movement. Because of abutment of their wider part against the additional welds at the locations 26, the narrower part cannot move towards the bottom end 16 of the pack and the points of the scissors cannot pierce that end. Moreover because the blades are within the region 28 they cannot move from side to side. This leads to several important advantages. Firstly, when the pack is suspended for display at the point of sale, the points do not damage the bottom end. Secondly, the centre of gravity of the pack remains fixed with respect to the hole 36 so that a stack of such packs stay aligned when suspended from a common peg.

Thirdly, during transit, risk of damage due to movement of the scissors within the pack, is eliminated or at least greatly reduced (not only the risk of piercing of the bottom end by the points of the scissors but also scratching of the pack from within which would spoil the transparency of the front layer and make it look untidy).

Referring again to Fig. 1 it will be seen that the scissors are not symmetrical, the handles extending further to the left of the blades than to the right. It will also be seen that the passage 27 is offset to the right with respect to the central axis 38. The offset is dimensioned so that the centre of gravity of the combination pack lies on the axis 38 and the pack when suspended hangs straight.

It will be appreciated that the additional welds follow closely the entire outline of the article. But the pack would be as effective or nearly so if the cradle region 30 of the additional welds were omitted. Indeed the receiving region 28 might also be omitted though this would entail loss of some of the advantages. Alternatively a couple of spot welds near the lower part of the receiving region might suffice to define that region.

The additional welds might join below the receiving region so as to form a single continuous weld (the duality then being notional).

Thus, Fig. 2a illustrates a configuration of additional welds (for a container for symmetrical scissors) in which the lengthwise extensions of the welds are sub-divided as indicated at 42 and 44. And in Fig. 2b which depicts a configuration of asymmetrical additional welds (for a container for sidebent shears), the welds 46 and 48 are disposed at different locations along the length of the container and only one of them, the weld 46, serves to define a limit to one side of a cradle region.

The pack might typically range in size from 1" wide by 5" long to 5" wide by 18" in length, and by way of example, for a pair of 8" secateurs, it would be 3" wide by 9-2" long (plus perhaps an additional 2" for the flap 32).

The invention is equally applicable to elongate articles of varying width other than scissors or shears, e.g. secateurs, screwdrivers, other small tools, Krooklocks (Registered Trade Mark), etc.

The advantages of the invention stand out particularly in the packaging of articles that are pointed, or have a blade much thinner than the handle or are heavy, although of course not limited to the foregoing.

It will readily be appreciated that many modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. Thus, for example, the invention is applicable to packs other than rectangular, e.g. curved, and can be used whether or not the pack has a slit at the back for insertion of the article to be packed.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: - 1. A pack comprising an elongate article of varying width and a container enveloping that article, the container having a front layer and a back layer of flexible sheet plastics material together forming an elongate bag, the bag being welded along its periphery, the two layers being addiffonally welded together at spaced locations remote from the transverse ends of the container to form a passage for a narrower part of the article and an abutment for a wider part of the article, the narrower part of the article extending through the passage at the said locations and the additional welds at those locations forming an abutment for the wider part of the article.

2. A pack according to claim 1 wherein the welds extend lengthwise from the said locations to form an elongate receiving region within the container for the narrower part of the article.

3. A pack according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the welds extend sideways from the said locations to form a cradle region for receiving the wider part of the article.

4. A pack according to any preceding

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. at the top (to receive a card 34 bearing printed matter) and having a suspension hole 36 centrally near the top of the flap (i.e. along a central axis 38 bisecting the top and bottom ends). The scissors 40 are wholly enveloped within the container. Their blades extend through the passage 27 and lie within the receiving region 28. The handles, where they widen from the blades, abut against the additional welds at the locations 26, and more generally they lie within the cradle region 30. The scissors are readily packed in the container by simply inserting their blades through the slit and guiding them through the passage 27 between the additional welds into the long receiving region 28. In the result the scissors have little freedom of movement. Because of abutment of their wider part against the additional welds at the locations 26, the narrower part cannot move towards the bottom end 16 of the pack and the points of the scissors cannot pierce that end. Moreover because the blades are within the region 28 they cannot move from side to side. This leads to several important advantages. Firstly, when the pack is suspended for display at the point of sale, the points do not damage the bottom end. Secondly, the centre of gravity of the pack remains fixed with respect to the hole 36 so that a stack of such packs stay aligned when suspended from a common peg. Thirdly, during transit, risk of damage due to movement of the scissors within the pack, is eliminated or at least greatly reduced (not only the risk of piercing of the bottom end by the points of the scissors but also scratching of the pack from within which would spoil the transparency of the front layer and make it look untidy). Referring again to Fig. 1 it will be seen that the scissors are not symmetrical, the handles extending further to the left of the blades than to the right. It will also be seen that the passage 27 is offset to the right with respect to the central axis 38. The offset is dimensioned so that the centre of gravity of the combination pack lies on the axis 38 and the pack when suspended hangs straight. It will be appreciated that the additional welds follow closely the entire outline of the article. But the pack would be as effective or nearly so if the cradle region 30 of the additional welds were omitted. Indeed the receiving region 28 might also be omitted though this would entail loss of some of the advantages. Alternatively a couple of spot welds near the lower part of the receiving region might suffice to define that region. The additional welds might join below the receiving region so as to form a single continuous weld (the duality then being notional). Thus, Fig. 2a illustrates a configuration of additional welds (for a container for symmetrical scissors) in which the lengthwise extensions of the welds are sub-divided as indicated at 42 and 44. And in Fig. 2b which depicts a configuration of asymmetrical additional welds (for a container for sidebent shears), the welds 46 and 48 are disposed at different locations along the length of the container and only one of them, the weld 46, serves to define a limit to one side of a cradle region. The pack might typically range in size from 1" wide by 5" long to 5" wide by 18" in length, and by way of example, for a pair of 8" secateurs, it would be 3" wide by 9-2" long (plus perhaps an additional 2" for the flap 32). The invention is equally applicable to elongate articles of varying width other than scissors or shears, e.g. secateurs, screwdrivers, other small tools, Krooklocks (Registered Trade Mark), etc. The advantages of the invention stand out particularly in the packaging of articles that are pointed, or have a blade much thinner than the handle or are heavy, although of course not limited to the foregoing. It will readily be appreciated that many modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. Thus, for example, the invention is applicable to packs other than rectangular, e.g. curved, and can be used whether or not the pack has a slit at the back for insertion of the article to be packed. WHAT WE CLAIM IS: -

1. A pack comprising an elongate article of varying width and a container enveloping that article, the container having a front layer and a back layer of flexible sheet plastics material together forming an elongate bag, the bag being welded along its periphery, the two layers being addiffonally welded together at spaced locations remote from the transverse ends of the container to form a passage for a narrower part of the article and an abutment for a wider part of the article, the narrower part of the article extending through the passage at the said locations and the additional welds at those locations forming an abutment for the wider part of the article.

4. A pack according to any preceding

claim wherein the container is rectangular in outline.

5. A pack according to any preceding claim wherein a widthwise slit is provided in one of the layers between the said locations and an end of the container.

6. A pack according to claim 5 wherein the slit is provided in the back layer and has an overlapping edge.

7. A pack according to any preceding claim wherein the layers of sheet plastics material are made from polyvinyl chloride sheeting.

8. A pack comprising an elongate article of varying width and a container enveloping that article, the container being substantially as shown in and hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

9. A pack according to any preceding claim wherein the container has means by which to suspend it from a display rack, the elongate article is asymmetrical, and both the suspension means and the centre 6f gravity of the pack lie along the centre line of the container so that when suspended by the suspension means it hangs straight.

10. A pack comprising a pair of scissors and a container enveloping them, substantially as shown in and hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.