GB2107677A

GB2107677A - Package with added product

Info

Publication number: GB2107677A
Application number: GB08227968A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Roy Vanstone
Original assignee: DRG UK Ltd
Current assignee: DRG UK Ltd
Priority date: 1981-10-09
Filing date: 1982-09-30
Publication date: 1983-05-05
Also published as: GB2107677B

Abstract

A package comprises a set of articles, e.g. bottles 10, enclosed and retained in an open-ended sleeve 12 of sheet material, such as cardboard. A different product 26 is mounted on a separate card 22 which is retained within the sleeve by the articles. The card may have retention apertures or recesses (24) engaging the necks of the bottles or may be disposed transversely of the sleeve between two pairs of bottles. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Package with added product This invention relates to packaged articles to be accompanied by a different product, for example a promotional gift or a product which is to be used in conjunction with the packaged articles.

The inclusion of a promotional item with a pack age is of course well known, but there is often the problem of adequately securing it to the package so that it is not accidentally or deliberately removed before purchase. With closed packages, such as cartons, the item can sometimes be included within the carton, but there is more of a problem with packages which have a more open structure.

According to the present invention there is provided a package comprising a collated set of articles enclosed and retained in an open-ended sleeve of flexible or foldable sheet material, and a different product mounted on a card and enclosed in the sleeve together with said articles and retained in the sleeve by said articles.

The card preferably lies in a plane parallel to a wall of the sleeve which extends over said articles, the card being shaped so as to receive portions of said articles whereby it is retained in a sleeve of foldable sheet material. In one embodiment the articles are bottles with their necks projecting through openings in the top wall of the sleeve, the card having apertures to receive the necks of the bottles. The apertures are preferably at the edges of the card.

In another embodiment the articles are bottles, the top of the sleeve extending over the tops of the bottles, said card having apertures wholly within the card, and portions of the card around the apertures being deflected upwardly by the placing of the card on the necks so as to engage under the caps or enlarged portions at the tops of the bottles.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, various embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of one embodiment of package, Figure 2 shows a perspective view of a card and associated product used with the package of Figure land Figure 3 shows a perspective view of an alterna tire form of card and associated product.

Referring to the drawings, and firstly to Figures 1 and 2; the package comprises a set of six bottles 10 collated into two rows of three and enclosed, in known manner, in an open-ended sleeve 12 (shown in dot-dash lines). The sleeve may be made from foldable carton board, and comprises a top panel 14, a bottom panel 16 and two side panels 18. The bottles rest on the bottom panel 16 and their nests project through apertures 20 in the top panel 14. The bottles are held tightly by the sleeve.

A separate card 22 has a generally rectangular outline, but its edges are cut-away at 24 to provide six cut-outs, four at the corners of the card and two mid-way along the longer sides. Secured to the card is a separate item to be included with a pack. In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, this takes the form of a manually-operable beer head producing device 26. It can be secured to the card by any suitable means, but preferably this is done by a skin packag ing technique in which the product 26 is placed on the card and a heated, softened thermoplastic film is applied over the product and the card so that it drapes around the product and adheres to the surface of the card. This is preferably done while the card is still in a fully rectangular form, and the cut-outs 24 are then made, cutting through both the film and the card layer simultaneously.The card with its attached product is placed, as shown in Figure 1, between the bottles prior to enclosing them in the sleeve 12. The necks of the bottles are received in the cut-outs 24, and the card is thus locked within the package in a plane parallel to that of the top panel 14.

Figure 3 shows an alternative form of card 28 to which the promotional product, in this case a bottle-opener 30, is secured in a similar fashion.

Instead of cut-outs at the edges, however, apertures 32 are cut from within the area of the card to receive the necks of the bottles. The card is provided with two parallel hinge lines 34 defining a pair of lateral strips which can be folded downwardly, as indicated on one side of the card in Figure 3, and tongue-like extensions 36 of each strip extend initially into the cut-outs 32 so that they project upwardly above the surface of the card when the strips 33 are folded downwardly. In this position the tongues 36 can engage under the caps 37 of the bottles 10 to locate the card. In this embodiment the packaging sleeve will wholly surround the bottles, i.e. the necks will not project through apertures in the top panel of the sleeve.

As an alternative method of enclosing a productbearing card within the package, the card may be inserted in a vertical plane transverse to the sleeve between two adjacent pairs of bottles.

The packaging sleeve may instead be made of a flexible film material which may be shrinkable.

1. A package comprising a collated set of articles enclosed and retained in an open-ended sleeve of flexible or foldable sheet material, and a different product mounted on a card and enclosed in the sleeve together with said articles and retained in the sleeve by said article.

2. A package according to claim 1 wherein the card lies in a plane parallel to a wall of the sleeve which extends over said articles, the card being shaped so as to receive portions of said articles whereby it is retained in a sleeve of foldable sheet material.

3. A package according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the articles are bottles with their necks projecting through openings in the top wall of the sleeve, the card having apertures to receive the necks of the bottles.

4. A package according to claim 3 wherein the apertures are at the edges of the card.

5. A package according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the articles are bottles, the top of the sleeve

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

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Package with added product This invention relates to packaged articles to be accompanied by a different product, for example a promotional gift or a product which is to be used in conjunction with the packaged articles. The inclusion of a promotional item with a pack age is of course well known, but there is often the problem of adequately securing it to the package so that it is not accidentally or deliberately removed before purchase. With closed packages, such as cartons, the item can sometimes be included within the carton, but there is more of a problem with packages which have a more open structure. According to the present invention there is provided a package comprising a collated set of articles enclosed and retained in an open-ended sleeve of flexible or foldable sheet material, and a different product mounted on a card and enclosed in the sleeve together with said articles and retained in the sleeve by said articles. The card preferably lies in a plane parallel to a wall of the sleeve which extends over said articles, the card being shaped so as to receive portions of said articles whereby it is retained in a sleeve of foldable sheet material. In one embodiment the articles are bottles with their necks projecting through openings in the top wall of the sleeve, the card having apertures to receive the necks of the bottles. The apertures are preferably at the edges of the card. In another embodiment the articles are bottles, the top of the sleeve extending over the tops of the bottles, said card having apertures wholly within the card, and portions of the card around the apertures being deflected upwardly by the placing of the card on the necks so as to engage under the caps or enlarged portions at the tops of the bottles. In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, various embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of one embodiment of package, Figure 2 shows a perspective view of a card and associated product used with the package of Figure land Figure 3 shows a perspective view of an alterna tire form of card and associated product. Referring to the drawings, and firstly to Figures 1 and 2; the package comprises a set of six bottles 10 collated into two rows of three and enclosed, in known manner, in an open-ended sleeve 12 (shown in dot-dash lines). The sleeve may be made from foldable carton board, and comprises a top panel 14, a bottom panel 16 and two side panels 18. The bottles rest on the bottom panel 16 and their nests project through apertures 20 in the top panel 14. The bottles are held tightly by the sleeve. A separate card 22 has a generally rectangular outline, but its edges are cut-away at 24 to provide six cut-outs, four at the corners of the card and two mid-way along the longer sides. Secured to the card is a separate item to be included with a pack. In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, this takes the form of a manually-operable beer head producing device 26. It can be secured to the card by any suitable means, but preferably this is done by a skin packag ing technique in which the product 26 is placed on the card and a heated, softened thermoplastic film is applied over the product and the card so that it drapes around the product and adheres to the surface of the card. This is preferably done while the card is still in a fully rectangular form, and the cut-outs 24 are then made, cutting through both the film and the card layer simultaneously.The card with its attached product is placed, as shown in Figure 1, between the bottles prior to enclosing them in the sleeve 12. The necks of the bottles are received in the cut-outs 24, and the card is thus locked within the package in a plane parallel to that of the top panel 14. Figure 3 shows an alternative form of card 28 to which the promotional product, in this case a bottle-opener 30, is secured in a similar fashion. Instead of cut-outs at the edges, however, apertures 32 are cut from within the area of the card to receive the necks of the bottles. The card is provided with two parallel hinge lines 34 defining a pair of lateral strips which can be folded downwardly, as indicated on one side of the card in Figure 3, and tongue-like extensions 36 of each strip extend initially into the cut-outs 32 so that they project upwardly above the surface of the card when the strips 33 are folded downwardly. In this position the tongues 36 can engage under the caps 37 of the bottles 10 to locate the card. In this embodiment the packaging sleeve will wholly surround the bottles, i.e. the necks will not project through apertures in the top panel of the sleeve. As an alternative method of enclosing a productbearing card within the package, the card may be inserted in a vertical plane transverse to the sleeve between two adjacent pairs of bottles. The packaging sleeve may instead be made of a flexible film material which may be shrinkable. CLAIMS

5. A package according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the articles are bottles, the top of the sleeve extending over the tops of the bottles, said card having apertures wholly within the card, and portions of the card around the apertures being deflected upwardly by the placing of the card on the necks so as to engage under the caps or enlarged portions at the tops of the bottles.

6. A package substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.