GB1593095A

GB1593095A - Packages

Info

Publication number: GB1593095A
Application number: GB4372677A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Colgate Palmolive Co
Current assignee: Colgate Palmolive Co
Priority date: 1976-10-22
Filing date: 1977-10-20
Publication date: 1981-07-15
Also published as: MY8300096A; IT1090042B; CA1133435A; DE2746928A1; FR2368408A1; FR2368408B1

Description

(54) PACKAGES (71) We, COLGATE-PALMOLIVE COM- PANY, a Corporation organised under the laws of the State of Delaware, United States of America, of 300 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022, United States of America, 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 packages, particularly packages comprising containers in open-ended cartons that permit inspection of the containers while preventing accidental or other premature withdrawal of the containers from the cartons.

According to the present invention a package comprises a sealed closed liquid filled container having axially aligned top and bottom recesses, and a surrounding openended carton having top and bottom walls integrally formed with annular ribs projecting toward each other from the inner surfaces of said top and bottom walls and defining aligned opposed internally open wells extending peripherally around receiving and confining the top and bottom respectively of said container, and said carton being formed from a single elongated strip of relatively stiff sheet material having a succession of carton wall sections joined by transverse hinge regions.

The invention is of particular utility in the packaging of potentially dangerous fluids, such as capsules of liquid detergent concentrates to be used for refills in mixer-dispenser units. The packaging may be practically child-proof since the carton must be destroyed in order to remove the capsule.

The capsule is mounted in a carton of simple construction that permits inspection of the capsule through open ends of the carton but that secures the capsule within it so as to prevent accidental or other premature removal of the capsule from the carton.

Preferably the top and bottom walls each have a post projecting coaxially of the respective annular rib and each of the said posts is preferably of greater height than the associated annular rib.

One of the said wells may comprise a depressed region of the said bottom wall.

The upper one of the said wells is preferably defined by overlapping wall members one of which is formed with an opening extending over the associated container recess and the other of which contains the upper one of the said posts which extends with a snap fit through the said opening into the associated recess.

In a preferred form of the invention a package consists essentially of an upright stiff side wall sealed closed liquid containing capsule mounted in an open-ended carton, the said capsule having parallel flat external top and bottom surfaces and a central through inner tubular wall open at top and bottom through the said surfaces, and the said carton being formed from a single sheet of stiff material having a succession of wall sections joined by transverse hinge regions and providing substantially parallel top and bottom walls integrally formed with annular hollow ribs defining oppositely facing internally open wells snugly receiving and peripherally externally confining the top and bottom respectively of the said capsule, there being internally projecting integral central posts within the said wells extending with a snug fit into the opposite ends of the said tubular wall.

The said top wall preferably comprises overlapping wall panels, one of which is formed with an opening and the other of which is formed with a post which is a snap fit in the said opening, for holding the carton erected.

The said capsule bottom wall is preferably a frangible sheet and the bottom of the well in the carton bottom wall is preferably shouldered at its outer periphery whereby the capsule is supported in said bottom wall with the said frangible sheet spaced from the said carton bottom wall within the well.

The invention may be performed in various ways, and some embodiments will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a package embodying the invention; Figure 2 is a section on line 2 2 of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a plan view showing the inner side of the formed carton blank prior to wrapping it about a capsule; Figure 4 is a plan view showing the outer side of the formed carton blank of Figure 3; Figure 5 is a side elevation of a modified package; Figure 6 is a side elevation of a further embodiment; Figure 7 is a section on line 7-7 of Figure 6; Figure 7A is a fragmentary view in section of the embodiment of Figures 6 and 7 showing the snap fit of upper carton wall members; Figure 8 is a bottom plan view of package carton of Figures 6, 7 and 7A;; Figure 9 is a plan view showing the inner side of the carton blank of the Figures 6-8 embodiment prior to folding it about the capsule; Figure 10 is a plan view showing the outer side of the carbon blank of Figure 9; and Figure Il is a plan view of the casing blank of the Figures 6-9 embodiment prior to wrapping it about the folded carton blank.

Referring to Figures 1 to 4, these show a package comprising a concentrate container or capsule 11 mounted in an open-ended carton 12. The capsule 11 is symmetrical about a vertical axis A A and has a lower cylindrical portion 13 and an upper portion 14 that tapers to a top wall 15. The lower portion 13 has a smooth outer cylindrical surface 16, and the top wall 15 has an annular flat upper surface 17 lying in a plane perpendicular to the axis A A.

The lower end of capsule I I is closed by a frangible annular bottom wall 18 that is preferably a sheet of thin synthetic plastics material bonded peripherally around the lower edges of the cylindrical portion 13. The wall 18 is flat and parallel to the flat top wall surface 17 and perpendicular to the vertical axis A-A. The capsule walls 13, 14 and 15 are stiff and resistant to collapse, and may be integrally bonded synthetic plastics elements.

The wall 18, on the other hand, is readily puncturable, as by projections in a dispenser.

The capsule side wall 13, 14 is considerably thicker and more rigid than the frangible bottom wall 18. Preferably the capsule side wall is an integral stiff annulus of polyethylene or a plastics material of similar properties. It is longitudinally non-deformable and substantially non-deformable laterally, and is hard enough to be considerably resistant to puncturing even by a sharp point.

The capsule is capable of retaining its original shape under all operative conditions including the condition wherein it may be contacted by a rotating closure cap in a dispenser and forced toward projections that may rupture the bottom wall. The bottom wall 18 is preferably a flexible sheet of substantially film thickness polyethylene or a plastics material of similar properties so as to be readily punctured and torn but strong enough not to sag appreciably due to the weight of the contents of the capsule.

A shallow well is formed centrally in capsule wall 15 and comprises a cylindrical collar 19 depending from a central circular opening 21 in the wall 15 and an internal annular ledge 22. A small uniform diameter tube 23 extends vertically from an open upper end at the ledge 22 down through the centre of the capsule to terminate in sealed contact with the inner periphery of the bottom wall 18, leaving the bottom of the tube 23 open. The collar 19 and the tube 23 are preferably of the same stiff plastics material as the side walls 13, 14 and the top wall 15, and may be integral with them.

Within the well in the capsule three rigid radial projections 24 are provided, extending for the depth of the well but not projecting above the wall 15. The inner ends of these projections lie on a notional circle having a diameter at least as large as the internal diameter of the tube 23.

The capsule is uniform about the indicated vertical centre line, and it encloses an annular chamber which may be filled, for example, with a detergent concentrate that is to be combined with water or other liquid in the body of a mixer-dispenser container when the capsule is mounted in assembly with that container.

The carton for the capsule 11 consists of the preformed generally rectangular blank 25 shown in Figures 3 and 4, having transverse hinge or fold regions whereby it may be wrapped around the capsule to the conformation illustrated in Figure 1.

Referring to Figure 1, the carton comprises a bottom wall 26 connected by hinge regions 27 and 28 to front and rear upright side walls 29 and 31 respectively. and a top wall 32 generally parallel to the bottom wall 26 and connected by a hinge region 33 to the side wall 29. The side wall 3 1 has a vertical panel 34 extending above the level of the top wall 32 in backing relation to a vertical display panel 35 connected by a hinge region 36 to the top wall 32. The panels 34 and 35 are preferably permanently surface-bonded to gether during assembly to hold the package together and also to prevent premature opening of the package to extract the capsule. The panel 35 may be printed with a trade mark, directions for use and other material.

In the package the capsule bottom and top are seated within snugly fitting coaxial lower and upper shallow wells 37 and 38 respectively, as shown in Fig. 2. The lower well 37 is formed by an upstanding hollow annular integral ridge formation 39 the inner surface 41 of which is of slightly greater diameter than cylindrical surface 16 of the capsule, so that the capsule may be snugly slidably inserted into the well from above. The inner well surface 41 may be cylindrical or slightly frusto-conical as shown for ease of entry of the capsule.

As shown in Figure 2, the well 37 has a flat annular bottom 42 with a central hollow post 43 projecting upwardly on the axis A-A.

The post 43 is of about the same diameter as the interior of the tube 23 so as to fit snugly into the tube. The post 43 may be cylindrical or slightly frusto-conical as shown for ease of entry into the tube 23. Concentric with the post 43, the bottom of the well 37 is formed with coplanar concentric narrow upwardly facing flat annular ledges 44 and 45. These ledges, as can be seen in Figure 2, are spaced a small distance above the well bottom 42 and act as seats for the inner and outer peripheries of the capsule so as to provide an annular air space or cushion between the frangible bottom wall 18 of the capsule and the well bottom 42. Thus the capsule wall 18 is protectively spaced above the carton wall in the package.

The vertical height of the post 43 is greater than the vertical height of the ridge 39 so that when a capsule is seated in the well 37 it is restrained against both lateral movement and tilting.

The upper well 38 is similarly formed by a downwardly extending hollow annular integral ridge 46 the inner surface 47 of which is sized to receive snugly the top of the capsule II, being preferably of slightly greater diameter than the capsule top wall 15. The well 38 has a flat annular surface 48 adapted to seat firmly and flat on the top surface 17 of the capsule.

In the centre of the well 38 is an integral depending hollow post 49 that in the package extends coaxially of the post 43 and fits snugly into the upper end of the tube 23. The post 49 may be cylindrical, or slightly frustoconical as shown, to facilitate entry into and fitting with the capsule. The post 49 is of greater height than the ridge 46 whereby in the assembly both wells and the associated posts cooperate to resist lateral movement and tilting of the capsule.

The carton is preferably formed from a blank of stiff plastics material thermo-preformed to provide the wells, the posts and the transverse hinge or fold regions above described. Preferably the blank is formed also with a plurality of side wall ribs 51 and top wall ribs 52 for preventing buckling of those walls during formation of the package and in handling and storage.

In making the package, the blank is preformed, the filled capsule is seated in the well 37 with the post 43 inserted in tube 23, the side walls 28 and 29 are bent up about the hinge regions 27 and 28, the top wall is bent over at the hinge region 33 to lie flat on the top of the capsule and to insert the post 49 into the top of the tube 23, and the panel 35 is turned up about the hinge region 36 to lie in flat surface engagement with the panel 34, to which it is adhesively or thermally bonded.

The resultant package is self-sustaining in that the stiff carton side walls and the longitudinally stiff capsule contribute mutually to resist deformation under pressure, and the capsule (which may contain a caustic or other potentially injurious concentrate) is securely locked within the package while being clearly visible through the open ends.

When the capsule is to be used, the package must be destroyed, as by tearing on a score line 53 along the hinge region 36.

Figure 5 illustrates a modification wherein the panel 35 is bent over at right angles to lie flush upon and to be bonded to the outer side of the top wall 32. The panel 34 may be omitted, or may be bent over to overlie the panel 35 to which it is bonded as shown. The package assembly further includes a rectangular-section sleeve 54 slipped endwise thereover to extend over the top, side and bottom carton walls while leaving the ends open.

This sleeve may be a rectangular blank folded to shape about the carton and includes a vertical extension panel 55 which, like the panel 35 in Figure 1, may be printed with appropriate material.

Referring now to Figures 6 it, the package, similarly to the Figure 5 embodiment, comprises an open ended carton 56 and a surrounding sleeve 57.

The carbon 56 presents a generally cubical appearance and comprises a bottom wall 58, side walls 59 and 61, and a top wall structure consisting of an inner wall 62 and an overlapped outer wall 63. These walls are joined by transverse parallel hinge regions 64 (Figures 9 and 10) enabling a preformed blank to be folded to the condition of Figure 6.

As shown in Figures 9 and 10 the walls are all formed with parallel internal ribs 65 that in the package assembly extend for the length of each wall at opposite ends of the carton, except for interruptions at the hinge regions 64, and since the blank is moulded from a sheet of stiff plastics material, forma tion of the ribs 65 results in the formation of corresponding parallel recesses 66 facing externally of the carton.

The bottom wall 58 is formed with a shallow depending cylindrical well 67 having a flat bottom 68 parallel to the wall 58. The well bottom is formed around its outer periphery with an annular ledge 69 joining the bottom to the cylindrical side of the well, and this ledge is spaced by a small distance above the bottom 68 for the same purposes as the ledge 45 in Figure 2.

Upstanding from the centre of the well bottom 68 is an integral hollow generally conical post 71 surrounded at its base by an annular ledge 72 of the same height as the ledge 69 and for the same purpose as the ledge 44 in Figure 2.

The parallel side walls 59 and 61 are preferably solid and blank in the carton.

In the composite top wall structure, the inner wall 62 is formed with an upper well 73 defined partly by an internally projecting annular hollow ridge 74 similar to the ridge 46 of Figure 2. The bottom of the well 73 is an annular central part 70 of the wall 62 and is provided with a circular aperture 75. The outer wall 63 is similarly formed with a depending circular hollow ridge 76 sized and concentrically located in the carton to fit (Figure 7A) snugly in the outwardly facing recess 77 defined by the interior of the ridge 74, and the bottom 78 of the well defined by the ridge 76 is an annular central portion 78 of the wall 63. A hollow generally conical post 79 extends integrally from the outer well portion 78, and in the folded carton assembly the post 79 is fitted with a snap fit into the aperture 75.An annular locking recess 81 (Figure 7A) may be provided at the base of the post 79 so that the post 79, which may be slightly oversize with respect to the aperture 75, may have a snap lock fit with the fully inserted post to retain the folded carton 56 in the assembled condition on the capsule.

In the carton the ribs 65 of outer top wall 63 nest snugly into the recesses 66 of the inner top wall 62 (Figure 7), the ridge 76 nests into the recess 77, and the flat portions of the walls 62 and 63 are in full surface contact. Adhesive may be provided between the walls 62 and 63.

In the package as shown in Figure 7 the capsule 11 is seated on its bottom within the well 67 with the post 71 extending with a friction fit up into the lower end of the tube 23. The smaller diameter upper end of the capsule II fits snugly into the well 73 with the flat well bottom 70 flush with the top wall 15 of the capsule and the aperture 75 in coaxial alignment with the upper end of the tube 23. When the outer wall 63 is folded over it lies flush on the wall 62 with the post 79 projecting through the aperture 75 into frictional fit in the upper end of the tube 23.

As hereinbefore noted, the post 79 may make locking engagement with the aperture 75 for holding the carton in the assembled condition on the capsule.

As in the first embodiment, the frangible bottom wall of the capsule is protectively spaced by the ledges 69 and 72 above the bottom of the well 67.

The blank for the sleeve 57 is shown in Figure 11. It comprises a rectangular cardboard sheet having consecutive panels 82-87 joined by parallel transverse hinge or fold regions 88 93. The panel 84 is formed with a central aperture 94 sized to fit slidably over the bottom well 67 so that in the package the panel 84 will lie flush with the bottom wall 58 of the carton. The panels 83 and 85 are folded upwardly to lie flush with the carton side walls 59 and 61, and the panel 86 is folded to overlie the upper top wall 63.

The end panel 87 is folded to extend vertically flush with the other end panel 82, and the two end panels are adhesively secured together as shown in Figure 6, thus securing the folded blank in the sleeve-forming position and holding it to the erected carton 56.

As in the previously described embodiments, the upright panels of the sleeve may bear advertising or like material.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A package comprising a sealed closed liquid filled container having axially aligned top and bottom recesses, and a surrounding open-ended carton having top and bottom walls integrally formed with annular ribs projecting toward each other from the inner surfaces of the said top and bottom walls and defining aligned opposed internally open wells extending peripherally around receiving and confining the top and bottom respectively of the said container, and the said carton being formed from a single elongated strip of stiff sheet material having a succession of carton wall sections joined by transverse hinge regions.

2. A package as claimed in Claim I in which the top and bottom walls each have a post projecting coaxially of the respective annular rib and each of the said posts is of greater height than the associated annular rib.

3. A package as claimed in Claim I or Claim 2 in which one of the said wells comprises a depressed region of the said bottom wall.

4. A package as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 3 in which the upper one of the said wells is defined by overlapping wall members one of which is formed with an opening extending over the associated container recess and the other of which contains the upper one of the said posts which extends with a snap fit through the said opening into the associated recess.

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

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. tion of the ribs 65 results in the formation of corresponding parallel recesses 66 facing externally of the carton. The bottom wall 58 is formed with a shallow depending cylindrical well 67 having a flat bottom 68 parallel to the wall 58. The well bottom is formed around its outer periphery with an annular ledge 69 joining the bottom to the cylindrical side of the well, and this ledge is spaced by a small distance above the bottom 68 for the same purposes as the ledge 45 in Figure 2. Upstanding from the centre of the well bottom 68 is an integral hollow generally conical post 71 surrounded at its base by an annular ledge 72 of the same height as the ledge 69 and for the same purpose as the ledge 44 in Figure 2. The parallel side walls 59 and 61 are preferably solid and blank in the carton. In the composite top wall structure, the inner wall 62 is formed with an upper well 73 defined partly by an internally projecting annular hollow ridge 74 similar to the ridge 46 of Figure 2. The bottom of the well 73 is an annular central part 70 of the wall 62 and is provided with a circular aperture 75. The outer wall 63 is similarly formed with a depending circular hollow ridge 76 sized and concentrically located in the carton to fit (Figure 7A) snugly in the outwardly facing recess 77 defined by the interior of the ridge 74, and the bottom 78 of the well defined by the ridge 76 is an annular central portion 78 of the wall 63. A hollow generally conical post 79 extends integrally from the outer well portion 78, and in the folded carton assembly the post 79 is fitted with a snap fit into the aperture 75.An annular locking recess 81 (Figure 7A) may be provided at the base of the post 79 so that the post 79, which may be slightly oversize with respect to the aperture 75, may have a snap lock fit with the fully inserted post to retain the folded carton 56 in the assembled condition on the capsule. In the carton the ribs 65 of outer top wall 63 nest snugly into the recesses 66 of the inner top wall 62 (Figure 7), the ridge 76 nests into the recess 77, and the flat portions of the walls 62 and 63 are in full surface contact. Adhesive may be provided between the walls 62 and 63. In the package as shown in Figure 7 the capsule 11 is seated on its bottom within the well 67 with the post 71 extending with a friction fit up into the lower end of the tube 23. The smaller diameter upper end of the capsule II fits snugly into the well 73 with the flat well bottom 70 flush with the top wall 15 of the capsule and the aperture 75 in coaxial alignment with the upper end of the tube 23. When the outer wall 63 is folded over it lies flush on the wall 62 with the post 79 projecting through the aperture 75 into frictional fit in the upper end of the tube 23. As hereinbefore noted, the post 79 may make locking engagement with the aperture 75 for holding the carton in the assembled condition on the capsule. As in the first embodiment, the frangible bottom wall of the capsule is protectively spaced by the ledges 69 and 72 above the bottom of the well 67. The blank for the sleeve 57 is shown in Figure 11. It comprises a rectangular cardboard sheet having consecutive panels 82-87 joined by parallel transverse hinge or fold regions 88 93. The panel 84 is formed with a central aperture 94 sized to fit slidably over the bottom well 67 so that in the package the panel 84 will lie flush with the bottom wall 58 of the carton. The panels 83 and 85 are folded upwardly to lie flush with the carton side walls 59 and 61, and the panel 86 is folded to overlie the upper top wall 63. The end panel 87 is folded to extend vertically flush with the other end panel 82, and the two end panels are adhesively secured together as shown in Figure 6, thus securing the folded blank in the sleeve-forming position and holding it to the erected carton 56. As in the previously described embodiments, the upright panels of the sleeve may bear advertising or like material. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A package comprising a sealed closed liquid filled container having axially aligned top and bottom recesses, and a surrounding open-ended carton having top and bottom walls integrally formed with annular ribs projecting toward each other from the inner surfaces of the said top and bottom walls and defining aligned opposed internally open wells extending peripherally around receiving and confining the top and bottom respectively of the said container, and the said carton being formed from a single elongated strip of stiff sheet material having a succession of carton wall sections joined by transverse hinge regions.

5. A package consisting essentially of an

upright stiff side wall sealed closed liquid containing capsule mounted in an openended carton, the said capsule having parallel flat external top and bottom surfaces and a central through inner tubular wall open at top and bottom through the said surfaces, and the said carton being formed from a single sheet of stiff material having a succession of wall sections joined by transverse hinge regions and providing substantially parallel top and bottom walls integrally formed with annular hollow ribs defining oppositely facing internally open wells snugly receiving and peripherally externally confining the top and bottom respectively of the said capsule, there being internally projecting integral central posts within the said wells extending with a snug fit into the opposite ends of the said tubular wall.

6. A package as claimed in Claim 5 in which the said top wall comprises overlapping wall panels, one of which is formed with an opening and the other of which is formed with a post which is a snap fit in the said opening for holding the carton erected.

7. A package as claimed in Claim 5 or Claim 6 in which the said capsule bottom wall is a frangible sheet and the bottom of the well in the carton bottom wall is shouldered at its outer periphery whereby the capsule is supported in the said bottom wall with the said frangible sheet spaced from the said carton bottom wall within the well.

8. A package substantially as described with reference to Figures 1 to 4, or Figure 5, or Figures 6 to 11, of the accompanying drawings.