GB2104483A - Moulded packaging for confectionery - Google Patents

Abstract

An insert 10, preferably of vacuum formed plastics material suitable for use in confectionery boxes or the like, comprises a confectionery holding portion 12 and a cover portion 14 hingedly connected to one another such that the cover portion 14 may be moved about the hinge 16 between a position substantially to cover confectionery located in the holding portion 12 and a position to allow access thereto. The hinge 16 is preferably a dead hinge arrangement whereby the cover portion 14 under its own weight adapts either a substantially fully open or a substantially fully closed position. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Confectionery packaging This application relates to confectionery packaging and especially to inserts or liners suitable for use in boxes of confectionery products, the inserts or liners being intended, for example, for location of confectionery pieces within a box in positions relative to themselves and to the box, and to protect the confectionery pieces to ensure they reach the consumer in an undamaged condition.

For the purposes of the present specification the term "confectionery" will be used to encompass sweets, candies, chocolates, biscuits, cakes, and the like, be they sugar or flour based.

It is conventional for certain confectionery products to be sold in boxes or similar presentation packs with individual confectionery pieces located in an insert such as a tray made for example of vacuum formed plastics material, the insert or tray being constructed to fit snuggly into a box and having recesses in it to accept the confectionery pieces, the recesses being of a shape and size corresponding to that of the confectionery piece it is intended to receive. Where chocolate and/or candy assortments are concerned the insert or tray is normally provided with recesses corresponding in shape and size to each of the varying shaped and sized pieces of chocolate or candy thus enabling the chocolate or candy pieces to be presented attractively and protected from damage by contact one with another.

It is likewise conventional to produce boxes of such confectionery products having more than one layer of pieces and in such cases to avoid any possibility of damage to confectionery pieces in a lower layer by the next overlying insert or tray it is conventional to place between the inserts or trays a liner sheet, usually made of corrugated paper. Even with boxes carrying a single layer of confectionery product, or for that matter with the uppermost tray of a multi-layer arrangement, it is conventional to cover the product contained in the recesses with a liner sheet, again usually of paper.

Where Easter eggs or similar large fragile (usually hollow) confectionery objects are concerned the object is held in two portions of vacuum formed film which between them define a recess in which the object is a close fit. The portions have flat flanges surrounding the recess and the object is placed in the recess and the flanges glued or stapled together and the assembly inserted in the box, the flanges spacing the object from the box and providing cushioning. Eggs whilst symmetrical about one plane are assymmetrical end to end. Thus during packing the two film portions have to be correctly arranged as well as requiring delicate holding together before they are secured.

As will be seen in more detail below there are significant manufacturing and other practical disadvantages presented by this arrangement and it is an object of the present invention to produce an insert and liner sheet arrangement or package which substantially avoids the disadvantages of the conventional arrangements described above and which has further practical advantages some of which will become apparent below.

According to one aspect of the present invention a package e.g. an insert suitable for use in confectionery boxes or the like is made from film material and comprises a first or holding portion e.g. for confectionery and a second or covering portion, the first and second portions between them defining one or more recesses for location therein of one or more items, the first and second portions being connected by an integral dead hinge arrangement (as herein defined), the whole being pressure differential molded from a single piece of film material and being of such material and conformation as to be self-supporting in its three dimensionally conformed shape.

A dead arrangement hinge is an arrangement such that the first and second portions when closed with one portion resting on the other under gravity has substantially no ability to move the portions apart to their open position. This has the advantage of obviating the need to provide securing means to hold the two portions closed during the filling and assembly of the inserts into boxes, in order to prevent them opening under their own volition, though if desired such securing means could be provided e.g. as integral moulded cooperating structures on the two portions.

According to another aspect of the present invention an insert suitable for use in confectionery boxes or the like is made from film material and comprises a first or confectionery holding portion and a second or cover portion, provided with a plurality of conformations imparting stiffness thereto, the cover and the confectionery hold portions being hingedly connected to one another such that the cover portion may be moved about the hinge between a position substantially to cover confectionery located in the holding portion and a position to allow access to the said confectionery, the confectionery holding portion being provided with spaced lands extending up to the region of the underside of the cover in its closed position, the said lands and the said conformation in the cover being such to enable at least such filled insert to be supported on the closed cover of another filled insert without the confectionery therein being damaged, the arrangement preferably being a dead hinge arrangement.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided an insert for a confectionery box which insert has been vacuum formed from plastics film, preferably having a thickness of about 75 microns to about 125 microns especially 100 to 125 microns, preferably a weight per square metre of abouti30to200grams/sq. metre especially iSOto 180 grams/sq. metre, and preferably a stiffness factor (as herein defined) of less than 6 and preferably greater than 0.5 and especiallygreaterthan 1, into a plurality of individual confectionery holding recesses, for example 1 to 3, 4, 5 or 6 cms across and 1 to 2 or3 cms deep, and a cushioning cover portion adapted to overly said tray characterised by the said cushioning cover portion being vacuum formed from the said plastics film and being integral with the said tray and being integrally hinged thereto, the hinge being such that when the tray is held horizontally the cover portion adopts either a fully open or a fully closed position under its own weight.

The stiffness factor is measured as follows. A strip 21 cms long by 1 cm wide is cut with a fresh razor biade from the material parallel to the machine direction of the film.

The strip is arranged with 9 cms extending free over a right angle edge of a flat horizontally disposed perspex (RTM) surface, the strip extending horizontally and being perpendicular to the said edge. It is taped to the edge by an overlying adhesive paper strip 1 cm wide extending along the edge of the perspex (RTM) sheet. The strip droops downwardly under its own weight and the vertical distance in centimetres (measured at 25"C after 1 hour) of the free end of the strip below the plane of the surface to which it is taped is the stiffness factor; a low value means that the material is very stiff, and the value cannot be greater than 9 since this is the value for a material which hangs straight down from the edge failing to support itself at all.

The holding portion is preferably a tray corresponding in its external dimensions either to the box into which it is to fit or to the part of the box into which it is to fit and the periphery of other similar inserts. The holding portion preferably has recesses of shape and size corresponding to individual pieces of confectionery whereby said individual pieces of confectionery, which may be alike or different to one another, may be located in the appropriate recess or recesses, the wall or walls of the recesses preventing the confectionery pieces contacting one another and thereby causing damage to one another.

The cover portion preferably conforms in planar view to substantially the planar dimensions of the holding portion such that all the confectionery pieces located within the holding portion may be covered by it. The cover portion, when provided with stiffening conformations, may have these provided by corrugations extending substantially parallel to the hinge connecting the cover portion to the tray portion and may further have corrugations substantially normal thereto. The cover portion may in further embodiments have relief or similar patterns pressed or formed in it present both for their decorative or indeed information conveying ability and for their ability to provide a required degree of stiffness to the cover portion.For example the cover portion may have impressed or formed into it decorative advertising material or a decoratively arranged description of the confectionery pieces contained by the box, these being arranged in patterns to provide a desired rigidity to the cover portion.

The holding portion, cover portion and connecting hinge are preferably formed integrally for example of plastics material by a vacuum forming technique using a suitable plastics material such as non-toxic and non-plasticised polyvinyl chloride packaging film.

The thickness and stiffness of the plastics film which is to be used will depend on the size of the tray which is to be produced. However we have found that unplasticised non-toxic food grade polyvinyl chloride having a thickness of 100 microns and a stiffness factor of 3.5 and a weight of about 160 gramsísq. metre is suitable for smaller tray sizes such as 15 cms by 10 cms by 2 cms up to 30 cms by 16 cms by 2 cms whilst thicker material 125 microns thick having a stiffness factor of 3.0 and a weight of about 170 grams/sq. metre is more suitable for larger tray sizes such as 29 cms by 20 cms by 2 cms to 39 cms by 22 cms by 2 cms.

It will be appreciated that the vacuum forming process thins the film especially in the recessed areas, any thinning is however less marked in the corrugations which are only 1 or 2 to 3 or 4 mms deep.

The hinge connecting the holding and cover portions to one another is preferably disposed along an edge of the insert which will in position in a box fall adjacent a wall thereof. However in further forms of the invention a plurality of cover portions may be involved each of which may individually be of planar area corresponding to that of the holding portion or of a planar area less than that of the holding portion.

Where the latter is the case the plurality of cover portions preferably possess in aggregate substantially the planar area of the holding portion. Where a plurality of cover portions are present the hinges joining each to the holding portion are preferably disposed each adjacent an edge of the holding portion. As an example of an arrangement using a plurality of cover portions, a rectangular holding portion may be provided with four cover portions one hingedly connected to each of its edges, each of the cover portions being substantially triangular in shape and of an area in aggregate substantially the planar area of the holding portion.As a further example of an arrangement having a plurality of cover portions there may be two cover portions each having a planar area substantially half that of the holding portion and each being connected to the cover portion through a hinge extending substantially along opposite edges of the holding portions. It will be appreciated that other arrangements similar in concept could be arrived at with rectilinear or curvilinear shapes of cover portion indeed with degrees of overlap of cover portion one with another.

Care is necessary to produce a cover portion having sufficient stiffness if required to support a further layer or layers of inserts containing confectinery. The cover portion need not necessarily be stiff enough to bridge the holding portion from side to side without any support from underneath and then support a further layer. Thus support may be provided from inside the holding portion by the provision of lands or portions between the candy receiving recesses extending up to and adjacent the plane of the top surface of the holding portion.

The cover portion may thus be considered as fulfilling a cushioning function between the lands located in or provided by the walls between candy compartments in its own holding portion and the underside of the holding portio of a superposed insert. The extent to which the cover portion functions as a cushion and as a support depends on the number, size and spacing of the supporting lands in its holding portion.

The material from which the insert or cover portion is made may desirably also be such as to produce a hinge or hinges which, in conjunction with the nature of the material used permits the cover portion to overlie the holding portion without the ability under its own action to return to the position allowing access to the confectionery by virture for example of its plastic memory.

A hinge arrangement comprising two corrugations between the adjacent edge of the holding tray and any stiffening for example impressed or formed in the cover portion has been found suitable. As an example of this, where the cover portion is stiffened by having impressed or formed in zit a plurality of corrugations parallel and transverse, e.g. normal, to the hinge, the corrugations forming a lattice, the parallel corrugations extend right up to the adjacent edge of the holding portion but the transverse corrugations stop short thereof, e.g. short of the second or even the third corrugation from the adjacent edge of the holding portion. With the cover portion in position substantially covering the confectionery located in the holding portion this provides a double balanced hinge which has been found particularly satisfactory.The transverse corrugations may have their solid surface defining portions either the inside face or the outside face of the cover portion and preferably some define one face and some the other. A particular arrangement has the transverse corrugations arranged in pairs one corrugation having its solid surface defining the inside and the other the outside face of the cover portion.

By leaving the two corrugation depressions adjacent the edge of the holding portion free of lateral interruptions a complex double folding hinge may be formed. The hinge is comprised of two layers of material at all faces when the cover portion is in the closed position and opens from there by pivoting about either or both of the two outermost corners.

The hinge so produced is referred to as a double balanced hinge.

The corrugations are preferably generally square or rectilinear in section, but desirably have at least one pair of corners, e.g. the top or the bottom corners chamfered, at least one of the chamfers being pronounced. Alternatively the through-walls of the corrugation may be inclined.

The cross section of the corrugations affording the hinge need not be the same as that of any corrugations affording the stiffening.

Thus in one form of the invention the corrugations are such that the solid portions defining the inside face of the cover portion are wider in a transverse direction than the solid portions defining the outside face of the cover portion, e.g. being from 110 to 300% or 150 to 250% of the width of the outer solid portions (the term inner and outer being used as of the cover portion in the closed position relative to the holding portion).

The through-walls of these corrugations extending through the thickness of the cover portion and joining the inside face portions to the outside face portions may be chamfered or rounded adjacent the inside or outside face portions or may be inclined from on to the other, e.g. at an angle of 5 to 20 , e.g.

about 10 . One form involves a chamfer of about 10 to 400 to the perpendicular to the plane of the cover portion extending inwards from each side of each inside face portion towards the outside face portions bya distance of at least 10% of the thickness of the cover portion and preferably 20% to 70% especially 30 to 60% of said thickness.

The corrugations forming the double balanced hinge are preferably deeper than any forming the stiffening and for example may be 100% to 250% the depth of the said stiffening corrugations, e.g. 110% to 220% or 150% to 200%.

As mentioned above the corrugations affording the double balanced hinge also need not have the same cross-section as those affording the stiffening.

Thus in one form of the invention the corrugations are asymmetrical in cross-section but are arranged back to back. The corrugation affording the inside face portion of the cover portion at the hinge may have the same shape, proportions and chamfering as the inside face portions of the stiffening corrugations but it has arranged on either side of its corrugations the outside face defining portions of which are different to the outside face defining portions of the stiffening corrugations but the same as each other or similar to each other.

Thus the two outside face defining portions of the hinge corrugations instead of being parallel to the plane of the cover portion may extend outwards from the plane of the outer surface of the cover portion and towards each other at an angle of about 100 to 70 , e.g. 20 to 60 and especially about 30 to the said plane, and then each join each through-wall of the inside face defining portion of the hinge at a sharp corner, e.g. a right angle or slightly rounded or chamfered right angle.Alternatively each such outside face defining portion of the hinge may terminate in a horizontal or rounded outer surface of small extent, e.g. less than 80%, e.g. 5% to 70% of the inside face defining portion of the hinge which then each join each through-wall of the inside face defining portion of the hinge at a sharp corner, e.g. a right angle or slightly rounded or chamfered right angle.

In moving from the open to the closed position it is observed that hinging occurs at each end of each of these inclined portions of the outside face defining portions of the hinge.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided an insert for a confectionery box which insert have been vacuum formed from plastics film, having a thickness of not more than 125 microns, preferably a weight per square metre of about 130 to 200 grams/sq. metre especially 150 to 180 grams/sq. metre, and preferably a stiffness factor (as herein defined) of less than 6 and preferably greater than 1, into a plurality of individual confectionery holding recesses, for example 1 to 3, 4,5 or 6 cms across and 1 to 2 or 3 cms deep, and a cushioning cover portion adapted to overly said tray, the said cushioning cover portion being vacuum formed from the said plastics film and being integral with the said tray and being integrally hinged thereto, the hinge being afforded by two asymmet rical corrugations, preferably of substantially rectilinear shape in cross-section, disposed symmetrically on either side of a symmetrical corrugation, preferably also of substantially rectilinear shape in cross section, the ratio of the depth of each symmetrical corrugation to the thickness of the plastics film prior to forming the hinge being at least 5::1 and preferably at least 10:1, especially in the range 15:1 to 40:1 or 50:1, alternatively or in addition each asymmetrical corrugation affording a hinge line in its wall disposed away from the symmetrical corrugation, the hinge line being disposed parallel to the corrugation and intermediate the top and bottom of the corrugation.

In further forms of the insert of the invention the cover portion or portions may be provided with fixing points by which they may be attached releasably to complimentary formations either on the holding portion or on one or more other cover portions when a plurality of cover portions are present. The formations to form these fixing points are preferably formed integrally with the holding and cover portions although in alternative forms subsequently applied adhesive materials may prove to be suitable. The fixing points may be pressed or formed in the material of the holding and/or cover portions or may simply be comprised by appropriate shaping or contouring of the edges of the holding and cover portions to form an interlock.

However in the simplest and preferred form of the invention such fixing points are not needed. Thus in this form of the invention the form of the hinge and the nature of the material are such that the cover portion has two stable positions in which it will tend to rest under its own weight one being a fully closed position in which the cover portion overlies and rests against the top of the holding portion and the other being a fully open position in which the cover portion lies back and slopes down away from the top of the holding portion, the angle between the inside of the cover portion and the top of the holding portion being greater than 180 , e.g. in the range 190 to 260 or 200 to 250 .

This characteristic of the hinge is of great benefit to the intended use of the insert because it facilitates automatic packing of the inserts with candies. Thus in the open position the cover portion does not interfere with placement of candies in the holding portion yet the insert can be easily and reliably closed merely by displacing the cover portion beyond the 90 position after which it will shut under its own weight. Such displacement can be achieved mechanically as by a guide positioned in the path of the cover portion, e.g. alongside a path along which the filled insert is conveyed or pneumatically, e.g. by one or more air jets, arranged to impinge on the cover portion.

In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention a method of filling boxes or the like with confectionery pieces comprises depositing the confectionery in the holding portion of an insert as described above, moving the cover portion of the insert about its hinge to a position substantially to cover the confectionery located in the holding portion and inserting the insert into the box or the like.

The movement of the cover portion may be achieved by mechanical means, e.g. by passing the insert past a plate appropriately located, or by use of an air or similar gas jet effectively to blow the cover portion into its covering or closed position.

In a further form of this aspect of the invention a plurality of inserts into which confectionery has been deposited are inserted into the box or the like this being effected either sequentially, one insert following another or by arranging the plurality of loaded inserts one on top of another and then inserting the layered or stacked inserts into the box or the like.

In all cases the or each cover portion should be of a shape or size not to obscure matter printed on the inner surface of the lid of a box into which the inserts are to be placed or should alternatively be arranged such that it opens to give access to the confectionery away from that lid.

The invention also extends to a confectionery box in which (A) the confectionery tray has been vacuum formed from plastics film, e.g. having a thickness of less than 200 microns or less than 150 microns e.g.

from 50 to 200 microns or 60 to 150 microns and preferably having a thickness of about 75 microns to about 125 microns especially 100 to 125 microns and a weight per square metre of preferably no more than 300 gr/sq. metre e.g. from 50 to 300 or 100 to 250 and desirably about 130 to 200 grams/sq. metre especially 150 to 180 grams,sq. metre, and prefer ablv a stiffness factor (as herein defined) of less than 6 and preferably greater than 1, into a plurality of individual confectionery holding recesses, (B) a plurality of individual confectionery items located in said recesses and (C) a cushioning cover portion overlying the said tray and the confectionery items contained therein, characterised by the said cushioning cover portion being vacuum formed from the said plastics film and being integral with the said tray and being integrally hinged thereto, preferably the hinge being such that when the tray is held horizontally the cover portion adopts either a substantially open desirably a fully open or a substantially closed desirably a fully closed position under its own weight.

The present 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 plan view of an insert according to the first aspect of the present invention; Figure 2 is a section along the line 2-2 of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a sectional view corresponding to that of Figure 2 but with the cover portion of the insert in a position substantially covering the confectionery holding recesses of the holding portion of the insert.

Figure 3A is an enlarged view of the hinge of the insert of Figures 1 to 3 in its open, as moulded, position; Figure 3B is an enlarged view of the hinge shown in Figures 1 to 3 in its closed position; Figure 4 is a plan view of an alternate form of insert embodying the first aspect of the present invention; Figure 4A is a plan view of the insert of Figure 4 but with the two covering portions thereof substantially covering the confectionery holding recesses of the holding portion of Figure 4; Figures 5 and 5A are views corresponding to those of Figures 4 and 4A of a further insert embodying the first aspect of the present invention;; Figures 6and 7are plan and diagrammatic perspective views of the insert shown in Figure 1 provided to show in more detail the stiffening of the cover portion, it being appreciated that the holding portion has only been shown in outline not in detail and that in Figure 7 the cover portion is in an artificial position which it would not adopt unless supported against gravity (as it is by means unshown); Figures 8, 9 and 10 are digrammatic views on an enlarged scale of a further embodiment of an insert in accordance with the invention; Figure 8 is a scrap end elevation showing part of the holding portion, part of the cover portion and the integral hinge joining these two portions in its vacuum formed shape, i.e. reflecting the shape of the mould or former on which it was produced;; Figure 9 is a similar view to Figure 8 but shows the cover portion in the position it adopts under its own weightwhen left to hang unsupported, the holding portion being held in a horizontal plane; and Figure 10 is a part scrap cross-sectional view of the insert shown in Figures 8 and 9 with the cover portion in the closed position and the holding portion partly cut away to show its internal structure in cross-section.

Figures 11, 12 and 13 show a further modification of the hinge all on an enlarged scale, Figure 11 being a transverse cross-section showing the shape of the moulding tool and the vacuum formed sheet drawn down into the mould, Figure 12 is a diagrammatic transverse view of the hinge of Figure 11 in the partly closed position, and Figure 13 is a view analogous to Figure 10 but on a larger scale, it shows the cover portion in a slightly displaced position relative to the holding portion, Figure 14 is a diagrammatic underneath plan view showing how the stiffness of the cover portion is tested to measure its transverse loaded stiffness factor, Figures 15 and 16 show a modification which is applicable to any of the embodiments of Figures 1-7, 8 to 10 or 11 to 13, in which extra cushioning is provided integrally in the base of the holding portion, Figures 17, 18 and 19 show a further modification in which the novel hinge of the present invention is applied to a container for a single large confectionery article, in this case an Easter egg, Figure 17 being a plan view of half of an linerfor an Easter egg box, Figure 18 being a cross-section view on the line 18-18 of Figure 17 showing the liner fully open ready to receive the Easter egg, and Figure 19 being the same cross-section as in Figure 18 but showing the liner in the closed position with a hollow chocolate Easter egg nested and protected therein.

Referring to Figures 1 to 5 of the drawings, Figure 1 shows an insert 10 for holding confectionery within a confectionery box comprising a confectionery holding portion 12 and a cover portion 14 connected to one another by a hinge 16. The insert 10 is made of unplasticised polyvinyl chloride packaging material by differential pressure moulding e.g. vacuum moulding to form the holding portion 12, covering portion 14 and hinge 16 integrally.

The holding portion 12 is provided with recesses such as 24 which have shapes and sizes corresponding to those of the confectionery items they are to carry. The cover portion 14 is formed with longitudinal corrugations 26 running substantially parallel to the hinge 16 and lateral corrugations 27 and 28 extending substantially normal to the hinge. These corrugations enable a light but acceptably stiff cover portion 14 to be obtained. The corrugations are square or rectilinear in cross-section.

It will be noted that the corrugations 27 and 28 extending normal to the hinge are arranged in opposite senses, the corrugations 27 having their solid face defining surfaces on the inside of the covered portion (in its closed position) and the corrugations 28 having their solid face defining portions on the outside of the cover portion. The corrugations 27 and 28 also leave two corrugations 26 without lateral interruption extending the full longitudinal dimension of the insert and being next to and integral with the top side edge of the holding portion. These two uninterrupted corrugations form the hinge 16. This can be seen in Figures 1 and 6.It can be seen from Figures 3A and 3B that the two corrugations 26 forming the hinge 16 in effect fold back on themselves as indicated in Figure 3A to form a double balanced hinge which has for the purposes of this aspect of the invention been found to be particularly satisfactory.

Figure 3 shows in chain lines how a further insert 10' would be placed in a box 11' over the first filled insert 10.

Figure 4 shows an insert 110 comprising a confectionery holding portion 112 corresponding substantially to the holding portion 12 of insert 10, the insert 110 differing from the insert 10 in that it has two cover portions 114 each connected to the holding portion 112 by a hinge 116 the hinges being substantially as the hinge 16 of insert 10. Figure 4A shows the insert 110 in the closed position with the covering portions 114 substantially covering the confectionery holding recesses 124 of the holding portion 112.

Figure 5 shows a further form of insert 210 comprising a confectionery holding portion 212 substantially corresponding to the holding portion 12 of insert 10 but having four covering portions, these being comprised of two triangular covering portions 214connected to the holding portion 212 by hinges 216 and two covering portions 215 connected to the holding portion 212 by two further hinges 217.

All four covering portions 214 and 215 are triangular in shape and together substantially cover the confectionery holding recesses of holding portion 212aswill be seen from Figures.

The way in which the inserts of the invention may be used will now be described in relation to the insert 10 of Figures 1 to 3B, 6 and 7.

The cover portion is moved to its fully open position and the inserts are charged with confectionery pieces, each piece of confectionery being placed in the recess 24 which it fits. When the holding portion 12 is fully charged the insert 10 is carried past a closing location where the cover portion 14 is moved about the hinge 16 to its other stable position, namely the fully closed position, to cover the recesses 24 and the confectionery pieces they contain.This movement of the cover portion 14 may be achieved by an appropriately positioned mechanical obstruction or by provision of means to blow the cover portion 14 about the hinge with a small jet of air or other compressed gas, it being appreciated that once the angle between the plane of the cover portion and the plane of the holding portion is much less than 90 , the cover portion will fall under its own weight to fit closely over the top of the holding portion (assuming that this has been in a horizontal plane whilst this operation is occurring).

Thereafter the insert 10 containing the confectionery pieces is passed to a further station where it is deposited into a decorative confectionery box which box is thereafter closed and wrapped in a wrapping film such as Cellophane (Registered Trade Mark) to produce the boxed product in its final presentation form for display and purchase.

In the boxes which are to contain two layers of chocolates the above described method may be used with the exception that a second insert 10 (see insert 10' of Figure 3) is deposited in the box on top of the first insert 10 before the box is closed and moved on for subsequent treatment. In a modification of this method means can be provided between the station where the covering portion 14 is moved to cover the confectionery held within the holding portion 12 such that two inserts 10 or 10' are stacked one above another, both inserts then being deposited together into the box to carry them.

Referring now to Figures 8 to 10 this shows an embodiment of the invention having a modified cover portion and hinge and gives further details of the interior structure of the holding portion.

In this embodiment the cross-section of the corrugations affording the hinge are not the same as that ofthe corrugations affording the stiffening.

Thus the stiffening corrugations 26 are such that the solid portions 261 defining the inside face 141 of the cover portion 14 are wider in a transverse direction than the solid portions 262 defining the outside face 142 of the cover portion, e.g. being about 150 to 170% of the width of the outer solid portions (the term inner and outer being used as of the cover portion in the closed position relative to the holding portion).

The transverse stiffening of the cover portion assists in the cover portion acting on the hinge such as to cause the cover portion to adopt a substantially closed position under its own weight by concentrating the flexing of the material in the hinge rather than allowing any significant bowing to occur transverse to the cover portion.

The stiffened cover portion shown in Figures 8 and 9 when made from 100 micron thick unplasticized PVC had a transverse loaded stiffness factor of less than 1, namely about 0.2. The transverse loaded stiffness factor was measured as shown in Figure 14.

Figure 14 is a plan view from below of the moulded insert shown in Figure 11. The insert is taped top surface down in its open position on a thick flat perspex sheet with its central longitudinal stiffening rib 26 above the edge 300 of the perspex sheet. A flat perspex (RTM) strip weighing 27.6 grams and extending from the line 300 to the line 297 (the edge of the asymmetrical corrugation 263) is laid over the inboard half of the cover portion and a rigid metal slab weighing 388 grams extending over the same transverse width and between the lines 305 and 306 is laid over the perspex (RTM) strip to clamp the supported half of the cover portion and prevent it bowing out of a flat plane when the unsupported half is loaded as next described.A 5 gram weight is then suspended by a wire hook which engages a small depression formed by the hook in the top surface of the cover portion at the point 302 and then extends out over the edge 307 so that the weight is free to adopt a position below the point 302 hanging as a point pivoted pendelum. The downwards vertical displacement of the point 302 below the upper surface of the perspex (RTM) sheet when the sheet has been so loaded at 25 C for 1 hour is than observed visually in centimetres and this is the transverse loaded stiffness factor (0.2 in the case just described and shown in Figure 14which is full scale).

The point 302 is half way between the transverse corrugations and at the centre of the outermost corrugation 26.

The unsupported portion of the cover portion when under load in the above test remains substantially planar ratherthan bowed unlike the sheet material in the stiffness factor test described earlier.

The through-walls 143 of these corrugations extending through the thickness of the cover portion and joining the inside face portions to the outside face portions are provided with a chamfer 147 of about 20 to 30 to the perpendicular to the plane of the cover portion extending inwards from each side of each inside face portion 141 towards the outside face portions 142 by a distance of about 40 to 60% of the thickness of the cover portion.

The corrugations 263 and 264 forming the double balanced hinge are deeper than any forming the stiffening and are about 170 to 190% the depth of the said stiffening corrugations 26.

In this embodiment the corrugations affording the double balanced hinge do not have the same cross-section as those affording the stiffening.

The corrugations 263 and 264 are asymmetrical in cross-section but are arranged back to back. The corrugation affording the inside face portion 144 of the cover portion at the hinge has the same shape, proportions and chamfering as the inside face portions 141 of the stiffening corrugations but it has arranged on either side of it corrugations 263 and 264, the outside face defining portions 265, 266 and 267, 268 of which are different to the outside face defining portion 142 of the stiffening corrugations 26 but the same as each other or similar to each other.

Thus the two outside face defining portions 265 and 267 of the hinge corrugations instead of being parallel to the plane of the cover portion extend outwards from the plane of the outer surface of the cover portion (defined by the portions 142) from points 271 and 272 (which define intermediate hinge lines) and towards each other at an angle of about 500 to 600 and terminate in a horizontal or rounded outer surface 266, 268 of small extent, e.g. about 40 to 50% of the inside face defining portion 144 of the hinge, which then each joins each through-wall 145, 146 respectively of the inside face defining portion of the hinge at a sharp corner 269, 270 respectively, e.g.

a right angle or slightly rounded or chamfered right angle. It will be understood that the asymmetrical corrugation 263 is made up of outside walls 280, 281, 265 and 266 and inside walls 145 and 282 and the asymmetrical corrugation 264 is made up of outside walls 283,267 and 268 and inside walls 146 and 284 whilst the symmetrical corrugation 144 is made up of walls 145,282,285,284 and 146.

In moving from the open to the closed position it is observed that hinging occurs at each end of each of these inclined portions of the outside face defining portions of the hinge, i.e. at or adjacent points 271, 269,270 and 272.

This can be seen clearly in Figure 9 which shows a typical insert made from 100 micron thick film with the holding portion held horizontally and the cover portion allowed to hinge down under its own weight.

This film prior to vacuum forming had a stiffness factor of about 3.5 to 4 and weighed about 100 grams per square metre.

It can be seen that the plane of the cover portion (as defined by the flat surfaces 141 or 142) makes an angle D, in excess of 50 with the horizontal namely about 60 . It is preferred that this angle D should not be in excess of about 70".

Referring now to Figure 10, the hinge can be seen in its completely closed form, hinging again having occured about the hinge lines (defined in crosssection by the points 271,269,270 and 272).

Figure 10 also shows howthe inside face of the cover portion defined by the solid portions 141 are supported by raised lands 285 located between the recesses 24.

The recesses are provided as is conventional with reinforcing fluting (indicated by the lines 286) in their side walls and dimpling 287 in their base 288 or false bases 289.

Figures 11, 12 and 13 show a modified form of a hinge in which the through walls 143 of the corrugations are replaced by a single inclined wall 290 which in asymmetrical corrugation 263 replaces walls 280 and 281 of the Figure 8 arrangement. (A similar modification may be made to the through walls of the reinforcing corrugations of the cover portion).

The wall 290 is inclined at about 10" to the vertical. A similar inclined wall 291 is provided in asymmetrical corrugation 264. Similar modifications are made to extend the chamfers 282 and 284 of the symmetrical corrugation 144 down to the plane of the outside of the coxer portion.

Portions 266 and 268 of the Figure 8 arrangement are disposed of and the inclined walls 265 and 267 are inclined at about 30 to the plane of the outside surface of the cover portion.

Figure 11 shows the mould shape and a film about 100 microns thick moulded in it. The rounding off of the moulded film at the lowest point of the mould will be observed.

The film in each asymmetrical corrugation is quite deeply drawn, the draw factor in the arrangement shown in Figure 11 being 2.4.

The draw factor is defined as the value of the ratio of the length of the perimeter of a cross-section at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the corrugation namely for say corrugation 264 the length of the surfaces 284,146,267 and 291 to the width of the corrugation namely the distance between the points 295 and 296.

More broadly the draw factor is desirably at least 1.9 and particularly at least 2, e.g. in the range 2.1 to 3.

We have found that in order to achieve the desired hinge action in which the cover portion will adopt a substantially closed position under its own weight, it is important that corners 269 and 270 should have a small radius of curvature. The external radius of curvature as a percentage of the width of the asymmetrical corrugation is preferably less than 25% e.g. less than 20% and especially less than 15%.

In the arrangement shown in Figure 11 it is 7.5%.

Figure 12 shows the position which can be achieved merely by hinging around the lines 269 and 270.

Figure 13 shows diagrammatically (and enlarged) the position adopted by the moulded film in the closed position of the cover portion.

The ratio of the film thickness prior to moulding to the depth ofthe asymmetrical corrugation is 1:33 with 100 micron thick film and 1:27 with 125 micron film.

The invention also extends to a mould for pressure differential forming of plastics sheet material preferably not more than 125 microns thick whereby a hinge which has little or no plastic memory and will adopt and maintain a closed position merely under the weight of one of the parts connected by the hinge, can be made comprises two asymmetrical corrugations disposed in symmetrical relationship on either side of a symmetrical corrugation, the asymmetrical corrugations affording A) a hinge line the included angle of which is less than 80 , desirably less than 75o, or B) the cross-section of the asymmetrical corrugation desirably being rectilinear, or C) the draw factor (as defined herein) of each asymmetrical corrugation being greater than 1.9 desirably greater than 2.0 and preferably in the range 2.1 to 3 or A) and B) or A) and C) or C) and B) or A), B) and C).

Referring now to Figures 15 and 16, Figure 16 is a view analogous to Figure 10 and shows protruberances 320 extending parallel to the length of the insert (see Figure 15) and integrally formed in the bottom 288 or false bottom 289 of the individual confectionery holding recesses 24. This enables a corrugated bottom liner in the bottom of the box to be dispensed with thus saving materials and provides further cushioning between super-posed inserts in a box. These partial corrugations 320 if desired could be formed transverse to the length of the tray or at any other angle desired.

Referring now to Figures 17to 19 the insert here illustrated embodies a hinge 16 formed in the same way as shown for Figures 11 to 13. The hinge 16 shown in Figures 18 and 19 has had its central corrugation 144 slightly distorted but it still operated effect;vely to enable the two halves of the liner to close and remain closed undertheir own weight.

This form of liner is moulded from a single sheet of polyvinyl chloride as for the earlier embodiments and the first and second portions which are hinged together are substantially identical in shape and in corrugation (which is largely decorative) rather than being of quite different shapes as in the earlier embodiments. Thus since the two portions are enclosing between them a single item of symmetrical shape each portion defines a recess 330, 331 symmetrically disposed around a plane of symmetry through the Easter egg.

Clearly if the item to be housed did not have a plane of symmetry the recesses in the two portions would be different.

The two portions thus do not functionally have a holding function and covering function though pro cedurallythe egg will be placed into one of the recesses e.g. 331 (convenientiy when the flange 332 surrounding the recess 331 is in a horizontal plane) which will then be functioning as a holding portion and the other flange 333 and recess 330 portion will be displaced about the hinge to cover the other half of the egg 340 (see Figure 19).

The corners of the flanges 332 and 333 are conveniently chamfered as at 335 and 336, the blanks being cut to this shape priorto pressure differential moulding e.g. vacuum forming.

Each recess is provided with a network of interconnected corrugations 337, only some of which have been shown in recess 331. There corrugations are about 2 to 3 mms across and 0.5 to 1 mm deep and largely have a decorative function though they may also perform some reinforcing function.

The unplasticized PVC from which this embodiment is somewhat thicker, (250 microns e.g. 200 to 300 microns), stiffer (a stiffness factor of 1.5 e.g. 1.2 to 1.7 or 1 to 2 and heavier (345 e.g. 250-400 grams per square metre) than that used in the earlier embodiments but the hinge has the same shape and characteristics as that described for Figures 11 to 13.

Easter eggs range in size but this single recess embodiment will be suitable for packaging those having maximum transverse diameters of about 10 cms e.g. 2,3 or 4 to 12, 15 or 20 cms and lengths of about 15 cms e.g. 4,6 or 10 to 20, 25 or 30 cms.

Smaller eggs can be packaged in boxes using the multi-recess inserts of Figures 1 to 13.

The insert of the present invention enables substantial savings to be made in production in that less operatives or machinery between the stages of inserting confectionery into the recesses of the holding portion 12 and closing the box containing one or more inserts 10 are necessary in comparison with the conventional method where separate trays and liners are employed. Moreover it is anticipated that a more attractive and convenient packaging can be produced using the inserts of the invention, the inserts themselves being more easily manufactured and handled. As a further advantage it may be that increased hygiene of product can result in view of the tendency with the conventional tray/liner arrangement for the liner to be thrown away immediately on opening the box whereupon the confectionery container therein may be entirely open to the atmosphere should the box itself not be closed.

Claims (35)

1. An article made from film material comprising a first portion and a second portion connected by an integral dead hinge arrangement (as herein defined), the whole being pressure differential moulded from a single piece of film material and being of such material and conformation as to be self-supporting in its three-dimensionally conformed shape.

2. An article as claimed in Claim 1 in which the film material before forming is not more than 300 and preferably not more than 125 microns thick.

3. An article as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 in which the film material before forming has a stiffness factor (as herein defined) of less than 6.

4. An article as claimed in Claim 3 in which the film material has a stiffness factor of more than 0.5.

5. An article as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 4 in the form of a package in which the first and second portions between them define one or more recesses for location therein of one or more items.

6. An insert suitable for use in confectionery boxes or the like which is made from film material and comprises a confectionery holding portion and a cover portion, provided with a plurality of conformations imparting stiffness thereto, the cover and the holding portion being hingedly connected to one another such that the cover portion may be moved about the hinge between a position substantially to cover confectionery located in the holding portion and a position to allow access to the said confectionery, the confectionery holding portion being provided with spaced lands extending up to the region of the underside of the cover in its closed position, the said lands and the said conformations in the cover being such to enable at least such filled insert to be supported on the closed cover of another filled insert without the confectionery therein being damaged.

7. An insert as claimed in Claim 6 in which the holding portion, cover portion and connecting hinge are formed integrally.

8. An insert as claimed in Claim 6 or Claim 7 wherein the insert is formed of plastics material in a vacuum forming technique.

9. An insert as claimed in any of the preceding Claims 6 to 8 comprising a single cover portion.

10. An insert as claimed in any of Claims 6 to 8 comprising a plurality of cover portions.

11. An insert as claimed in Claim 10 in which one or more of the plurality of cover portions is affixed to spaced apart edges of the cover portion, t)ne plurality of cover portions possessing in aggregate an area at least that of the planar area of the holding portion.

12. An insert as claimed in any of the preceding Claims 6 to 16 wherein the hinge between the or each cover portion and the holding portion comprise the double balanced hinge as herein defined.

13. An insert for a confectionery or candy box which insert has been vacuum formed from plastics film into a plurality of individual confectionery holding recesses, and one or more cushioning cover portions adapted to overlie the said tray, the said cushioning cover portions being formed by pressure differential moulding from the said plastics film and being integral with the said tray and being integrally hinged thereto.

14. An insert as claimed in Claim 13 in which the plastics film has a thickness of less than 125 microns and a weight per square metre of about 130 to 200 grams/sq. metre and a stiffness factor (as herein defined) of less than 6.

15. An insert as claimed in Claim 13 or Claim 14 in which the hinge is such that when the tray is held horizontally the cover portion adopts either a substantially fully open or a substantially fully closed position under its own weight.

16. A package as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 15 in which the hinge is afforded by two assymmetrical rectilinear corrugations disposed symmetrically on either side of an oppositely disposed symmetrical corrugation.

17. A package as claimed in Claim 16 in which the depth of each assymmetrical corrugation to the thickness of the plastics film prior to forming the hinge is at least 5:1.

18. A package as claimed in Claim 16 or Claim 17 in which each assymmetrical corrugation affords a hinge line in its wall disposed away from the symmetrical corrugation, the hinge line being disposed parallel to the corrugation and intermediate the top and bottom of the corrugation.

19. An insert for a confectionery box which insert has been formed by pressure differential moulding from plastics film, having a thickness of not more than 125 microns, a weight per square metre of about 130 to 200 grams/sq. metre especially 150 to 180 grams/sq. metre, and a stiffness factor (as herein defined) of less than 6 and greater than 1, into a plurality of individual confectionery holding recesses, each 1 to 6 cms across and 1 to 3 cms deep, and a cushioning cover portion adapted to overlie said tray, the said cushioning cover portion being formed by pressure differential moulding from the said plastics film and being integral with the said tray and being integrally hinged thereto, the hinge being afforded by two assymetrical corrugations disposed symmetrically on either side of a symmetrical corrugation, the ratio of the depth of each assymmetrical corrugation to the thickness of the plastics film prior to forming the hinge being at least 5:1 and each assymmetrical corrugation affording a hinge line in its wall disposed away from the symmetrical corrugation and intermediate the top and bottom of the corrugation.

20. An insert for a confectionery box suitable for enclosing individual confectionery items such as Easter eggs which insert has been formed by pressure differential moulding from plastics film, having a thickness of not more than 300 microns, a weight per square metre of about 250 to 400 grams/sq. metre especially 320 to 360 grams/sq.

metre, and a stiffness factor (as herein defined) of less than 6 and greaterthan 1,to afford an individual confectionery holding recess, to 20 cms across and 4to 30 cms long, afforded between a first and second portion, the said first and second portions being integrally hinged to each other, the hinge being afforded by two assymmetrical corrugations disposed symmetrically on either side of a symmetrical corrugation, the ratio of the depth of each asymmetrical corrugation to the thickness of the plastics film prior to forming the hinge being at least 5:1 and each assymmetrical corrugation affording a hinge line in its wall disposed away from the symmetrical corrugation and intermediate the top and bottom of the corrugation.

21. An insert suitable for use in confectionery boxes or the like substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 1 to 6 or 1 to 6 and 7 to 10 or 11 to 13 or as modified by Figures 15 and 16 or with reference to Figures 17 to 19 of the accompanying drawings.

22. A candy or confectionery box in which (A) the confectionery tray has been formed by pressure differential moulding from plastics film, preferably having a thickness of about 75 microns to about 125 microns and preferably a weight per square metre of 130 to 200 grams/sq. metre and preferably a stiffness factor (as herein defined) of less than 6 into a plurality of individual confectionery holding recesses (B), a plurality of individual confectionery items located in said recesses and (C) one or more cushioning cover portions overlying the said tray and the confectionery items contained therein, characterised by the said cushioning cover portions being formed by pressure differential moulding from the said plastics film and being integral with the said tray and being integrally hinged thereto.

23. A method of filling boxes or the like with confectionery pieces comprises depositing the confectionery in the recess or recesses of an insert as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 21, moving the or each cover portion of the insert or portion not containing confectionery about its hinge to a position substantially to cover the confectionery located in the holding or other portion and inserting the insert into the box or the like.

24. A method as claimed in Claim 23 wherein the movement of the cover portion is achieved by mechanical means.

25. A method as claimed in Claim 23 wherein the movement of the cover portion is achieved by the use of an air or similar gas jet.

26. A method as claimed in any of the preceding Claims 23 to 25 wherein a plurality of inserts into which confectionery has been deposited are inserted into the box or the like.

27. A method as claimed in Claim 26 wherein the plurality of inserts are inserted into the box or the like sequentially.

28. A method as claimed in Claim 27 wherein the plurality of inserts are layered or stacked prior to insertion together into the box or the like.

29. A method of filling boxes or the like with confectionery pieces substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

30. A box containing one or more confectionery items located in an article, package or insert as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 21.

31. A mould for pressure differential forming of plastics sheet material preferably not more than 300 and especially not more than 125 microns thick whereby a hinge, which has little or no plastics memory and will adopt and maintain a closed position merely under the weight of one of the portions of plastics sheet material connected by the hinge, can be made which comprises two male members adapted to define two assymmetrical corrugations which are rectilinear in cross-section disposed on either side of an oppositely disposed symmetrical corrugation.

32. A mould as claimed in Claim 31 in which each assymmetrical corrugation affords two or more hinge lines.

33. A mould as claimed in Claim 32 in which the included angle of one of the hinge lines is less than 80 .

34. A mould as claimed in any one of Claims 31 to 33 in which the draw factor (as defined herein) of each assymmetrical corrugation isgreaterthan 1.9.

35. A mould as claimed in Claim 31 substantially as specifically described herein with reference to Figure 11 of the accompanying drawings.