GB2187439A

GB2187439A - Packages

Info

Publication number: GB2187439A
Application number: GB08605460A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Maurice Douglas Kirkpatrick
Original assignee: Mailway; Mailway Northern Ltd
Current assignee: Mailway; Mailway Northern Ltd
Priority date: 1986-03-05
Filing date: 1986-03-05
Publication date: 1987-09-09
Also published as: GB8605460D0

Abstract

A hollow package comprises at least one boundary wall (13) extending around an axis, and at least one end wall (14) extending transversely of the axis. The package is formed by manufacturing the boundary wall (13) with the end wall (14) or parts thereof upstanding therefrom and then deforming the boundary wall around said axis to bring the end wall or parts thereof into engagement with the boundary wall and/or each other to close the end of the package. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Packaging The invention relates to packaging and particularly to packages in the form of hollow packs into which goods may be placed.

It is known for example to produce hollow cylindrical packages, for example to display handkerchiefs for merchandising.

At present, in order to produce a hollow pack such as a cylindrical pack, it is necessary to form a cylindrical tube by bending a sheet of plastics material into a cylindrical shape and joining it at a seam, and it is then necessaryto fit two end caps to close the cylinder. This obviously involves a number of operations and is time consuming and expensive.

We have developed a package that can be manufactured in a single operation with considerable consequent savings.

According to the invention a hollow package comprises at least one boundary wall extending around an axis (e.g. a cylindrical wall) and at least one end wall extending transversely of the axis, the package being formed by manufacturing the said boundary wall with the end wall or parts thereof upstanding therefrom and then deforming the boundarywall around said axis to bring the end wall or parts thereof into engagement with the boundary wall and/or each other to close the end of the package.

According to one embodiment, the package may be formed as a plurality of sections interconnected by hinges, each section forming part of the boundary wall with partofthe end wall upstanding therefrom such thatwhen the sections are deformed around the axis byfolding about the hinges, the parts of the boundary wall combine to form the entire boundary wall and the parts ofthe end wall combinetoform the entire end wall.

There may be three sections.

At least the two end sections may be arranged to clip together to secure the package in its final assembled position.

One or more labels may be provided to seal the package and give an indication as to whether or not the package has been tampered with.

The package may be formed by a single operation such as vacuum forming of clear rigid PVC. Alternatively the package could be vacuum formed from clear polystyrene.

By way of example, specific embodiments of the invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure lisa perspective view of a package according to one embodiment ofthe invention, immediately after moulding; Figure2 is an end view ofthe package formed by deforming into its finished shapethe package shown in Figure 1; Figure3isaviewsimilarto Figure 1,butillustrat- ing a second embodiment; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the finished package of Figure 3; Figure 5is a perspective view of a third embodiment of package; Figure 6 is an end view of the package of FigureS; Figure 7is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment; and Figure 8 is a side view of a fifth embodiment.

The package shown in Figure 1 is vacuum formed from a sheet of clear rigid PVC or clear polystyrene.

The package comprises essentially three sections 10, 11 and 12. Each section defines a third 14ofa cylindr- ical boundary wall and also defines, at each end of the section, a sector 14 comprising a third of a circular end wall. The sections are surrounded by flanges 15 and, at the ends of the package, spaced outwardly from the wall sections 14 in the axial direction, the flanges are interconnected by triangular webs 16. The right-hand section as viewed in Figure 1 is provided with two projecting ribs 17 moulded into the flanges and the left-hand section as viewed in Figure 1 is provided with two grooves 18 moulded into the flanges. The portions of plastics sheet material between the sections are provided to form hinges 19.

The package can be moulded as shown in Figure 1 in just a single operation. Once the package has been moulded it can be formed into a cylindrical hollow package, closed at both ends, as shown in Figure 2, by simplyfolding the sections of the package about the hinges 19 until the ribs 17 snap into the grooves 18. The grooves 18 are slightly undercut and the ribs 17 are slightly enlarged at their free ends to assist this snap-in action.

Once the package has been assembled as shown in Figure 2, containing whatever contents are desired, the package can be sealed, for example by sticking a triangular label (not shown) on to the triangular surface which is formed by the three adjacent webs 16.

Turning nowto Figures3and4,anembodimentof the invention is illustrated which is substantially identical in principle to that shown in Figures 1 and 2, except that a square package results, rather than a cylindrical package. The initial moulding has four sections 21,22,23 and 24 which each define a quarter 20 of a boundary wall, and, at each end of the section, a quarter 25 of a square end wall. The sections are surrounded byflanges similar to flanges 15, and two of these flanges bear ribs 26 which are arranged to snap into corresponding grooves which are notvisible in Figures 3 and 4.

Turning nowto Figures Sand 6, afurtherembodi- ment is shown, which is moulded with three sections substantially in the manner illustrated in Figure 1,ex- cept that the finished package has a boundary wall which is cylindrical for most of its area, but has a flat 27 thereon so that the package can be placed so that it lies in a stable manner own a horizontal supportsurface, with the longitudinal axis of the package also horizontal.

In addition, where the two edges ofthe boundary wall meet,there is a firstflange 28 and a second much widerflange 29. The package can be sealed by placing an adhesive label over both flanges, but the large flange 29 enables a large display label to be used, and a slot 30 may be provided in the flange 29 so that the package can be hung up jf it is preferred to display the package in this manner,ratherthan have the package free standing.

Figure 7 illustrates yet another embodiment arranged to provide a triangular cross-section package. In addition, Figure 7 illustrates another important featurewhich is equally applicableto all the embodi- ments of the invention. In the embodiment shown in Figure 7 the end walls are moulded to provide locations 31 and 32 designed to engage and hold in position a specific product, for example a bottle.

Figure 8 shows a furthervariation ofthe embodiment shown in Figure 7, in which the package is arranged to hold a perfume bottle and the boundary wall is profiled at 33 to mate with the shape ofthe perfume bottle 34.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiments. For instance the finished package may be any desired polygonal or other shape.

Instead of using ribs and grooves to hold the sec tionsofthe package together, other shapes of snap fitting may be used, for example round ortriangular snap fittings.

Claims

1. A hollow package comprising at least one boundary wall extending around an axis and at least one end wall extending transversely of the axis, the package being formed by manufacturing thesaid boundary wall with the end wall or parts thereof upstanding therefrom and then deforming the boundary wall around said axis to bring the end wall or parts thereof into engagementwith the boundary wall and/or each otherto close the end of the package.

2. A hollow package as claimed in Claim 1, in which the boundary wall is a cylindrical wall.

3. A hollow package as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2,formed as a plurality of sections interconnected by hinges, each section forming part of the boundary with part of the end wall upstanding therefrom such that when the sections are deformed around the axis by folding about the hinges, the parts of the boundary wall combine to form the entire boundary wall and the parts of the end wall combine to form the entire endwall.

4. Ahollowpackage as claimed in Claim 3, in which there are three sections.

5. A hollow package as claimed in Claim 3 or Claim 4, in which at least the two end sections are arranged to clip together to secure the package in its final assembled position.

6. A hollow package as claimed in any one ofthe preceding claims, in which one or more labels are provided to seal the package and given an indication as to whether our not the package has been tampered with.

7. Ahollow package as claimed in anyofthethe preceding claims, formed by a single operation.

8. A hollow package as claimed in Claim 7, formed by vacuum forming clear rigid PVC.

9. A hollow package as claimed in Claim 7, formed by vacuum forming clear polystyrene.

10. A hollow package constructed and arranged substantially as herein described, with reference to Figures 1 and 2, or Figures 3 and 4, or Figures 5 and 6, or Figure 7 or Figure 8 ofthe accompanying drawings.