GB2113169A - A process of packing objects in a heat shrinkable sheath and a package so formed - Google Patents

Abstract

A packing process, particularly for the purpose of promotional sales, comprises introducing at least two objects of identical or different shapes and dimensions into a sleeve of heat shrinkable plastics film, the sleeve being subdivided in advance into a plurality of compartments for individual objects by welding or sticking the film together along a generatrix of the sleeve. The compartments may be identical or different in volume. Furthermore, at least one of the compartments thus produced may be made shorter than the other or others by cutting along the corresponding cross section of the sheath.

Description

SPECIFICATION Process for packaging objects in a heat shrinkable sheath and a package so formed The present invention relates to the packing of objects in a heat-shrinking plastic film, particularly in cases in which a number of objects, whether of identical or of different shapes, are to be grouped in one and the same lot. It relates to a packing method ensuring that various objects will each retain their individual nature while at the same time forming part of a unitary packet.

The presentation of a number of objects combined in one and the same packing, consisting of a drawn plastic film (e.g. of polyvinyl chloride) which after heat shrinking matches the shapes of the individual objects, has for a long time been known in commerce. For sales promotion purposes, in particular, it is customary to group together in one and the same lot at least two articles of the same or a different nature, their dimensions possibly being different, such as: an aperitif bottle and its measuring plug, a bottle of toilet water and a reduction voucher, or two identically similar sprays, two bottles of shampoo, etc.

When use is made, in a manner now well known, of pieces of sheathing or sleeves of a heatshrinking plastic, bearing impressions and/or designs, for the purpose of enclosing articles in one and the same packing, the printed or decorated parts of the sheath are frequently found to have suffered deformation, owing to the empty space created between the articles during the heat shrinkage or, again, because these articles, such as a receptacle and a reduction voucher, for example, have a totally different conformation.

The purpose of the invention is to remedy these drawbacks and to propose a solution to the technical problem of grouping the objects such as those mentioned above and of which there are at least two, identical or different in shape, in one and the same packing, in a casing of heatshrinkable plastic, in such a way that the text and designs printed on the transparent plastic film undergo no deformation. It applies in particular to those cases, which are frequent in practice, in which the articles are not entirely enclosed in the thermoplastic sheath, such as receptacles combined in pairs or with another object included for publicity purposes, for which a printed casing of heat-shrinking plastic functions both as a label and as a packing means.

In the process covered by the invention, before the piece of sheathing or sleeve is placed on the objects to be contained in the plastic sheath and then subjected to the heat shrinkage, the said sheathing or sleeve, intended as a packing means, is subdivided into a number of compartments, e.g.

two or more, by welding or sticking the film together along a generatrix of the sleeve.

In practice the compartments thus produced may be of equal volume or differ in volume. For example, where it is desired to place a sleeve on two bottles of approximately the same height, the sheath is welded together approximately along its median line between the bottom and the top. A process of this kind offers a number of advantages in various applications: for example, where it is desired to provide a sleeve for oval bottles the invention enables them to be arranged side by side, thus doubling the volume of the lot where the visual impression is concerned; in the already known technique, on the other hand, with the use of one single packing, these oval bottles have to be positioned one behind the other, in order to avoid the tensions accompanying the heat shrinkage and thus deformation of the impressions on the film as well as to prevent one packing from sliding against the other.

Where the purpose is the presentation of objects of approximately equal height but of distinctly different diameter or cross section the initial plastic sheath is subdivided into compartments having cross sections corresponding to the sizes of the articles.

Finally, in a variant of the process, it is possible, after welding the sheath together at the required places, to cut across the diameter and over part of the height of one of the compartments, along the line followed by the weld. This results in a sheath consisting of "pockets" of different heights, enabling the articles to be encased in heterogeneous lots without allowing the imprints to suffer any deformation following the final heat shrinkage.

1. A packing process, particularly with a view to promotional sales, for at least two objects of identical or different shapes and sizes, by their introduction into a piece of sheathing or sleeve of plastics film drawn in at least one direction, followed by heating for the purpose of thermally shrinking the film around the objects, the process being characterized by the fact that the sleeve is sub-divided in advance into at least two compartments by welding or sticking the film together along a generatrix of the sleeve.

2. A process in accordance with Claim 1 in which the compartments are of the same height and of either the same or different volumes.

3. A process in accordance with Claim 1, in which after the welding or sticking operation one of the compartments is cut along its diameter and over part of its height, along the line of the aforementioned weld or joint, in such a way as to provide a packing for objects of distinctly varying height.

4. A process of packing a plurality of objects together substantially as described herein.

5. A package formed by the process of any of Claims 1 to 4.

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

Claims (5)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Process for packaging objects in a heat shrinkable sheath and a package so formed The present invention relates to the packing of objects in a heat-shrinking plastic film, particularly in cases in which a number of objects, whether of identical or of different shapes, are to be grouped in one and the same lot. It relates to a packing method ensuring that various objects will each retain their individual nature while at the same time forming part of a unitary packet. The presentation of a number of objects combined in one and the same packing, consisting of a drawn plastic film (e.g. of polyvinyl chloride) which after heat shrinking matches the shapes of the individual objects, has for a long time been known in commerce. For sales promotion purposes, in particular, it is customary to group together in one and the same lot at least two articles of the same or a different nature, their dimensions possibly being different, such as: an aperitif bottle and its measuring plug, a bottle of toilet water and a reduction voucher, or two identically similar sprays, two bottles of shampoo, etc. When use is made, in a manner now well known, of pieces of sheathing or sleeves of a heatshrinking plastic, bearing impressions and/or designs, for the purpose of enclosing articles in one and the same packing, the printed or decorated parts of the sheath are frequently found to have suffered deformation, owing to the empty space created between the articles during the heat shrinkage or, again, because these articles, such as a receptacle and a reduction voucher, for example, have a totally different conformation. The purpose of the invention is to remedy these drawbacks and to propose a solution to the technical problem of grouping the objects such as those mentioned above and of which there are at least two, identical or different in shape, in one and the same packing, in a casing of heatshrinkable plastic, in such a way that the text and designs printed on the transparent plastic film undergo no deformation. It applies in particular to those cases, which are frequent in practice, in which the articles are not entirely enclosed in the thermoplastic sheath, such as receptacles combined in pairs or with another object included for publicity purposes, for which a printed casing of heat-shrinking plastic functions both as a label and as a packing means. In the process covered by the invention, before the piece of sheathing or sleeve is placed on the objects to be contained in the plastic sheath and then subjected to the heat shrinkage, the said sheathing or sleeve, intended as a packing means, is subdivided into a number of compartments, e.g. two or more, by welding or sticking the film together along a generatrix of the sleeve. In practice the compartments thus produced may be of equal volume or differ in volume. For example, where it is desired to place a sleeve on two bottles of approximately the same height, the sheath is welded together approximately along its median line between the bottom and the top. A process of this kind offers a number of advantages in various applications: for example, where it is desired to provide a sleeve for oval bottles the invention enables them to be arranged side by side, thus doubling the volume of the lot where the visual impression is concerned; in the already known technique, on the other hand, with the use of one single packing, these oval bottles have to be positioned one behind the other, in order to avoid the tensions accompanying the heat shrinkage and thus deformation of the impressions on the film as well as to prevent one packing from sliding against the other. Where the purpose is the presentation of objects of approximately equal height but of distinctly different diameter or cross section the initial plastic sheath is subdivided into compartments having cross sections corresponding to the sizes of the articles. Finally, in a variant of the process, it is possible, after welding the sheath together at the required places, to cut across the diameter and over part of the height of one of the compartments, along the line followed by the weld. This results in a sheath consisting of "pockets" of different heights, enabling the articles to be encased in heterogeneous lots without allowing the imprints to suffer any deformation following the final heat shrinkage. CLAIMS

1. A packing process, particularly with a view to promotional sales, for at least two objects of identical or different shapes and sizes, by their introduction into a piece of sheathing or sleeve of plastics film drawn in at least one direction, followed by heating for the purpose of thermally shrinking the film around the objects, the process being characterized by the fact that the sleeve is sub-divided in advance into at least two compartments by welding or sticking the film together along a generatrix of the sleeve.

2. A process in accordance with Claim 1 in which the compartments are of the same height and of either the same or different volumes.

3. A process in accordance with Claim 1, in which after the welding or sticking operation one of the compartments is cut along its diameter and over part of its height, along the line of the aforementioned weld or joint, in such a way as to provide a packing for objects of distinctly varying height.

4. A process of packing a plurality of objects together substantially as described herein.

5. A package formed by the process of any of Claims 1 to 4.