GB2145695A

GB2145695A - Divisible article tray

Info

Publication number: GB2145695A
Application number: GB08323458A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Rolf Muller
Original assignee: Mead Corp
Current assignee: Mead Corp
Priority date: 1983-09-01
Filing date: 1983-09-01
Publication date: 1985-04-03
Also published as: GB2145695B; DE3432008A1; GB8323458D0

Abstract

A blank (10) for forming a tray comprising two juxtaposed sleeves which can be separated into two self-contained sections each containing a respective plurality of articles comprises two halves, each for forming a respective sleeve, the halves being joined along a dividing line (12). A plurality of tabs (15) are formed out of one bottom wall section (14) and hingedly connected to the other bottom wall section (13) for securing to a sidewall (17) atone edge of the blank (10) to form a sleeve. A flange (20a) is provided on a sidewall (20) at the opposite edge of the blank for securing to the associated bottom wall section (14) of the blank adjacent the dividing line (12), to form the second sleeve. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Article tray and a blank therefor This invention relates to an article tray for the packaging of a number of containers for storage, transport and eventual display and sale.

It is known, for example from US Patent No 4,053,099, to provide a tray in the form of a flat carton with opening in the top into which containers inserted so that they stand upright on the bottom of the tray and project above the tray. The trays disclosed in US Patent No 4,053,099 take the form of a sleeve of foldable sheet material, comprising top and bottom walls hingedly joined by a pair of opposite side walls, the sleeve being closed at its ends by panels hinged to the top and bottom walls to form end walls of the tray. One of the end walls panels at each end of the tray includes a series of tabs which are disposed in overlapping abutting engagement with the topside of the tray to hold the sleeve in its tray-like configuration.

Another known type of tray is described in UK Patent Specification 2, (8102357 - D-7145) in which the end walls of the tray which are hinged to the top panel include integral locking tabs which are received in cooperating openings formed in the bottom wall of the tray.

In the packaging industry, it is usual to run the production lines with twenty cups per tray. The retail trade requires packages which are not only readily suitable for price-labelling, and from which the protective covers used during distribution can be simply removed, but also trays which are suitable for stacking on the shop shelves. The available shelf is generally such that twenty unit packages are not suitable as a result of the large variety of different products to be displaced. A ten unit package has been found to be better for this purpose so that the trays can be disposed in rows across the shelf with their end walls facing the front of the shelf thereby allowing a larger range of products to be displayed on a given shelf space.

The invention seeks to provide a tray which is of a type suitable to be used on existing production lines whilst meeting the above-mentioned requirements of the retail trade.

The invention provides a one-piece blank for forming a tray comprising a pair of separable, juxtaposed sleeves, the blank being made of sheet material and being formed with sections to provide, for each sleeve, a bottom wall with a pair of integral end walls, a top wall having a plurality of apertures for receiving articles, and a pair of side walls, one side wall hingedly connecting said top and said bottom walls and the other side being hingedly connected to the opposite edge of the top wall; wherein the sections of the blank for forming said bottom walls and their integral end walls are provided by a common panel section weakened along a dividing line to allow subsequent separation of the sleeves formed from the blank and wherein the blank is formed with means for fastening said other side walls with respect to the corresponding bottom walls to form said pair of sleeves.

Said fastening means may include means hingedly connected to a first one of said bottom walls along said dividing line and struck out of the second bottom wall for securing to said other side wall of the first top wall to form one of said sleeves. Said fastening means may further include flange means on said other side wall of the second top wall for securing to said second bottom wall adjacent said dividing line to form the second sleeve.

The invention also includes a tray formed from a blank as aforesaid.

An advantage of the invention is that it makes it possible to provide a tray which can be used on existing production lines and thereafter separated into two self-contained packages which can be provided with individual covers for distribution and use on shop shelves. Moreover an undivided tray made from a blank according to the invention can be provided with a cover to complete present outstanding orders. After prelabelling and removal of the cover, the package can be separated into two units to meet the requirements of retailers.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an underplan view of a blankfor making an article carrying tray in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a cross-section through a tray formed from the blank of Figure 1, shown partially erected.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the tray filled with sealed cartons, which is being divided into two self contained tray sections.

Figure 4 is a plan view of a cover for one section of the tray after it has been divided.

Figure 5 is a plan view of a cover for the tray when undivided.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, there is shown a one-piece blank (10) made of a foldable sheet material such as paperboard. The blank (10) comprises a central section (11) which is weakened along a dividing line (12) to allow subsequent separation of two self-contained sleeves formed from the blank as described below. The central section (11) provides bottom walls (13, 14) for the sleeves, one on each side of the dividing line (12). A series of tabs (15) are struck out of bottom wall (14) and are hingedly connected to the bottom wall (13) along the dividing line (12).

The bottom wall (13) is hingedly connected to a sidewall (15), which in turn is hingedly connected to a tip wall (16), which is hingedly connected to another side wall (17). The hinge connections between these walls are formed by score-lines formed in the material of the blank. Similarly, bottom wall (14) is hingedly connected to a side wall (18), a top wall (19) and a side wall (20). Additionally, a glueing -edge (20a) is hingedly connected to the free edge of the side wall (20).

Internal end walls (21a; 21b) are formed along each end ofthe bottom walls (13, 14) respectively.

These end walls are joined by weakened areas, formed by perforations, extending along the dividing line (12).

The top walls (16, 19) are each formed with two rows of five apertures (20) for receiving containers.

In each top wall, the apertures (20) in one row are formed with inwardly projecting support struts (31) having hinged glueing portions (22).

On top wall (13), two bars (23) with glueing glaps (24) are formed to extend across a pair of apertures (20) and are hingedly connected to the side wall (17).

These bars could also be formed in the top wall (14) to be hingedly connected to the side wall (20).

External end walls or flaps (25,26) are hingedly connected at opposite ends of the top walls (16, 19) respectively. These flaps are formed with a pair of cut-outs (27) to receive a pair of tabs (28) projecting from the internal end walls (21 a, 21 b) to form a mechanical locking of the tray when erected. The flaps (25, 26) are further formed with a pair of "arrow-head" locking tabs (30) for engagement and retention in slots (29) formed in end walls (21a,21b) to complete the mechanical locking of the erected tray.

In ordertoform thetrayfrom the blank (10) the tabs (15) are lifted out of the plane of the central section (11) of the blank and bent over at 180 . The blank is folded at 180 along the lines between the side wall (15) and the top wall (16), and the line between the top wall (16) and the side wall (17).The blank is preglued in the shaded areas shown in Figure 1 so that the side wall (17) is only glued at the areas which are contacted by the tabs (15) and which become glued thereto. The glued portions (22) of support struts (31) also become glued to portions of the bottom wall (13).

The blank is then folded at 180 along the line between the bottom wall (14) and the side wall (18), and the line between the top wall (19) and the side wall (20). The glueing-edge (20a) becomes glued to the preglued areas (shown shaded in Figure 1) along the cooperating edge of bottom wall (14) and the glued portions (22) of the supporting struts (31) become glued to portions of the bottom wall (14).

The folded and glued blank can then be erected from its flat condition by applying inward forced along opposite edges of the blank. Figure 2 illustrates a partially erected condition of the blank. The erected blank is then mechanically locked in this condition as described over using locking tabs (28 and 30) to form a tray composed of two selfcontained sleeves joined together by the perforated areas between the internal end walls (21 a and 21 b).

The two sleeves (35, 36) can be readily separated to form two self-contained tray sections each holding ten cartons or other containers, e.g. by placing these perforated area over a convenient edge and applying pressure.

The two tray sections thus formed are visually and functionally identical. However, the construction which is symmetrical in this respect.

Figure 4 illustrates a lid (40) for use in covering one section of the tray when it is divided into two separate sections. The lid (40) also made of a foldable sheet material such as paperboard and comprises a rectangular central panel (41) with a point of side panels (42, 43) which can be folded downwardly along longitudinal fold lines. The cen tral panel has two rows of apertures (44,45) to register with two rows of containers located in the tray section with which the lid cooperates. The lid is located on the tray section by pairs of "arrow-head" locking tabs (46) provided at the free edges of the side panels (42, 43) respectively. The locking tabs (46) are engaged in apertures (50) formed the side walls (15 and 17; to 18 and 20) ofthe cooperating tray section.

Figure 5 illustrates a lid (60) similar two lid (40) except that it has a wider central panel (61) formed with four rows of apertures. This lid is for use on a tray according to the invention before it is divided into two sections. In this case the locking tabs (62) locate in the apertures (50) in the side walls (15 and 18) of the tray. The above described bars (23) of the tray (10), which in the erected tray, project upwardly therefrom, are used only for securing a lid (60) to an undivided tray with the flaps (24), at the ends of the bars (23), glued to the underside of the central panel (61) of the lid (60).

Claims

1. A one-piece blank for forming a tray comprising a pair of separable, juxtaposed sleeves, the blank being made of sheet material and being formed sections to provide, for each sleeve, a bottom wall with a pair of integral end walls, a top wall having a plurality of apertures for receiving articles, and a pair of side walls, one side wall hingedly connecting said top and said bottom walls, and the other side wall being hingedly connected to the opposite edge of the top wall; wherein the sections of the blank for forming said bottom walls and their integral end walls are provided by a common panel section weakened along a dividing line to allow subsequent separation of the sleeves formed from the blank, and wherein the blank is formed with means for fastening said other side with respect to the corresponding bottom walls to form said pair of sleeves.

2. A blank as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fastening means include means hingedly connected to a first one of said bottom walls along said dividing line and struck out of the second bottom wall for securing to said other side wall of the first top wall to form one of said sleeves.

3. A blank as claimed in claim 2, wherein said fastening means include flange means on said other side wall of the second top wall for securing to said second bottom wall adjacent said dividing line to form the second sleeve.