GB2187714A - A packaging container - Google Patents

Abstract

A packaging container for detachably storing and displaying e.g. a hand tool comprises a transparent compression moulded part forming an upwardly open cavity (25). The packaged article is retained by respective packaging parts (28,28') which are relatively easy to deform elastically when subjected to a downwardly acting force, but more difficult to deform elastically when subjected to an upwardly directed force. A cardboard stiffening strip may be located on the underside of the moulded part. The container enables an article to be packaged with the aid of an automated machine, and further permits the article to be readily removed from and replaced in the container without damaging the container. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A packaging container The present invention relates to a packaging containerfordetachablystoring and displacing an article, more specifically, but not exclusively, an elongated article, such as a hand tool, comprising a compression-molded transparent container part which forms an upwardly open cavity, and a plate or sheetwhich co-acts with the undersurfaceofthe compression molded part, and further comprising meanswhich are effective to hold the article in the containerwhen handling the same and/orplacing the container on display.

Packaging containers ofthis kind are known to the art in various forms. The purpose of all such containers is to provide as cheaply as possible a con tainerwhichwill presentthe article or goods sat- isfactorilyto a presumtive consumerwhile protecting the article or goods against misappropriation to the best possible extent under prevailing circumstances. One example of such commercially availablecontainersorpacs is the so-called blister pack, with which the article presented for sale is en cased in a transparent plastic blister. Packages ofthis kind, however, do not promote sales, because although the goods contained therein can be seen they cannot be taken outforinspection.

Another known packaging container of this kind includes a base plate against which the article is held firmly with the aid ofthread ties or the like attached at various positions along the article. The base plate may, or may not, have a cavity that conforms in shape with the shape ofthe article presented. Packs of this kind are expensive to produce. Furthermore the articles concerned must be inserted manually thereinto, which further adds to the retail price ofthe article.

There is taught in US Specification 4373628 a container device for packaging chisels. This known container device presents a chisel accommodating cavity which is defined by four wall sections. The blade of the chisel lies free within a cut-out in the bottom ofthe pack. A cover member is fastened to the pack with the aid of glue, metal fasteners orthe like, with a part ofthe cover member overlappingthe rear flat surface of the chisel, so as to preventthe chisel from falling inadvertantly from the pack.

This known packaging device is not thought to be intended for sales purposes, and is also expensive to produce, since the cover member is attached separatelyto the remainder of the pack in a separate working operation. Itwould seem that the main purpose ofthis packaging device is to protect the outwardly projecting blade ofthe chisel. The chisel can also be removed much too easily from the container, and the container is unsuitable with respect to possible misappropriation ofthe article contained therein.A primary object ofthe present invention is to provide a packaging container of the kind described in the introduction which is constructed in a manner which will enable an article two be packaged therein with the aid of automated machines, and to provide a packaging container which while affording some protection against misappropriation will enable the article to be readily removed from and replaced in the container without damaging the container.To this end the packaging container according to the invention is characterized in that each ofthe mutually opposing ends ofthe compression molded part ofthe container is provided with an elastic packaging part or keeper which extends transversely to, or substanti allytransversely to the longitudinal axis ofthecom- pression molded part and which is adapted to overlap a portion of respective end parts of the packaged article in a manner such that the respective packaging parts can be elastically deformed when subjected to a vertically acting force, and which forms a gap between the end parts of the packaged article and the undersurface of respective elastic packaging parts.

Afurtherobject isto provide a packagaing con taineroftheaforesaid kind which can be readily stacked and also readily identified. This object is achieved in accordance with a further aspect ofthe invention, in that the upper side of preferably both of the mutually opposing end parts ofthe compression molded container part present outwarly projecting portions which extend transversely to, orsubstanti- allytransverselytothe longitudinal access of the packaging container and which when stacking a plurality of such containers one upon the othercoact with window-flaps provided in the base plate of the over-lying container.When stacking the containers one upon the other, the outwardly projecting packaging partor parts will force up one or both window-flaps and enter a recess orwindowtherebehind, thereby to hold the containers in register with one another. In addition to the packages being held together against lateral displacement, one or both flaps may be provided with a number our similar identification reference which identifies the packaged article and which can be seen visuallywithout needing to move or even touch the stack of containers.

Other embodiments of packaging containers constructed in accordance with the basic concept of the invention are set forth in the remaining Claims attached hereto.

The present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to selected embodiments thereof and also with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure lisa top plan view of a first packaging containeraccordingtotheinvention; Figure2 is a cross sectional view taken on the line il-ll in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the linelll-lll in Figure 1; Figure 4 is a side view of the pack illustrated in Figure 1; Figure5is a top plan view a second embodiment of a packaging container according to the invention; Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line lV-lVin Figure 5; Figure 7is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the lineVII-VII in Figure 5;; Figure 8 is a side view of the packaging container illustrated in Figure 5; and Figure9illustratesthe packaging shown in Figure 1 or Figure 5 reinforced with a sheet of board material.

The packaging container illustrated in Figure 1 comprises an elongated, rectangular and substantially plate-like part shown generally at 10, which has formed in the proximity of one end 11 thereof a perforating slot 12 which is located approximately on the centre of said end part 11 and which has a semispherical notch or indent 13 formed therein.

The plate-like part 10 is made of a transparent plastics material of suitable thickness. In this regard a thin or relatively thin plastic is preferred, for reasons of cost and manufacture. The plate-like part 10 has extending circumferentiallytherearound downwardly extending wall sections 1 4which are terminated with a horizontal part 15, the longitudinal extension of which is shorter than the vertical extension ofthe wall sections 14. The plate-like part 10, the wall sections 14 and the horizontal part 15 present an approximate Z-shape when seen in cross-section.

Thewall section 14 may have parts 16, or indents pressed therein, as will best be seen from Figure 3. In the illustrated embodiment, there are three such indents 16 in each long side and one such indent in each short side. The space defined on the underside ofthe part 10 by the walls 14 is intended to receive detachably a sheet or strip 17 made of cardboard for example, which is held in position bythe inwardly pressed parts or indents 16. The cardboard strip 17 is intended to have a stiffening effect on the plate-like part 10. The packaging container and its front and rear side may have applied thereto information concerning the packaged article.

The cardboard strip 17 suitably hasa shapewhich iscomplementarytotheshapeofthe plate-like part 10 and, as will be seen from Figure 9, presents component parts which correspond to the slot 12 and the notch 13 ofthe plate-like part 10, i.e. a slot 18 and a notch or recess which, when the two parts are joined together, coincide with the slot 12 and the notch 13, thereby enabling the packaging container to be hung vertically. The cardboard strip 17 is also provided with cut-outswhich form window-flaps 20, the purpose of which is described hereinafter.

When seen from beneath, the plate-like part 10 presents an inwardly pressed part, indicated generally at 22, which has a shape that corresponds substanti allytotheshapeofthearticleorgoodsto be packaged in the resultant packaging container. The packaging container of the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1 is intended for storing and displaying an adjustable spanner of conventional design, indica- ted at 50, although it will be understood that the inwardly pressed part 22 may have any desired configuration.

It will be seen from Figures 3 and 4thatwhen seen in side view, the inwardly pressed partpresentsa first upwardly directed end part 23, the rear wall of which coincides essentially with the end ofthe platelike part 10, and a second upwardly directed end part 24 which terminates short ofthe end of the plate-like part 10. When seen from above there is formed an upwardly facing and essentially open cavity 25, the two long sides of which extending between the ends parts 23 and 24 are delimited by upwardly directed walls intheform of an innerwall 26 and an outerwall 26'. There is thus formed between the wall sections 26 and 26' a narrowgap 26"which stiffensthe pack- aging container.

The end parts 23 and 24 are also formed with double-walls in the aforesaid manner, although with the difflerencethatthe gap between the wall sections and said end parts 23 and 24 is much greater than the gap 26". This can best be seen from Figure 3, which shows that the end part 24 presents a first wall section 27 which extends transversely across the packaging container, and a second parallel wall section 27', and a gap or space 27" defined by the wall section 27 and 27', said gap being, for example, from two to six times greaterthan the gap 26". This arrangement also stiffens the packaging container.An elastically deformable part 28' extends from the upper side ofthewall section 27 ' facing inwardlytowards the cavity 25, transversely across or obliquely across said cavity 25 and projects slightly thereinto. The outer end of the elastically deformable part 28' is consequently displaced towards the cavity 25 in relation to the inner walk section 27", which forms an abutment surface for the article to be displaced and stored.

Similarly, the first upwardly directed end part 23 has the form of a double-wall, the two walls ofwhich are also referenced 27 and 27' forthe sake ofsim- plicity, and the space defined therebetween is also referenced 27". This arrangement stiffens the packaging container, which meansthatthewholeofthe cavity 25 is encircled by stiffening parts, thereby enablingthe plate-like member 10to be madefromthin or very thin material. As beforementioned, the cardboard strip 17 also contributes towards stiffening the packaging container.As with the end part 24, there is also provided here an elastically deformable part 28, which projects in the form of an overhang from the upper edge of the end part 23 inwardly and overa small part ofthe cavity 25. The innerwall ofthe end part 23 also forms a delimiting surface in this case.

In the illustrated embodiments, the upper surface ofthe first end part 23 is provided with an upstanding rectangular part 29 which extends transversely across the packaging container. Correspondinglythe outerend part 24 of the container has an upstanding circular peg which is also referenced 29.

The plate-like part10formsthe bottom partofthe cavity 25 in which the article to be packaged displaced is placed. To this end, the end parts 23 and 24 have an extension between the bottom part and respective elastically deformable parts 28,28' which is greaterthan the thickness or height dimension of the article to be packaged/displayed at its corresponding and opposing end parts.

In accordance with the invention, the long sides or walls 26,26' defining the cavity 25 have a heightdimension which equals suitably halfthe height orthickness dimension of the article stored/displayed in the packaging container. The purpose ofthis arrangement is to enable a prospective customer to grasp the displayed article and to form an opinion of its suitability orfunction. The walls 26,26' thus extend parallel along a part of the length ofthe article in a horizontal plane which is beloworfar below the height extension ofthe end parts 23 and 24, which end parts may have mutually different heights, depending on the configuration ofthe article to be stored/displayed in the packaging container.

When placing the article into the packaging container, either mechanically or manually, one end part of the article is first inserted into a corresponding end part of the container. The other end partofthe articlewillthen lieagainsttheuppersideof,forinst- ance, the horizontal part 28.Due to the relatively wide width ofthe gap 27" defined between the wall sections 27,27' and the thinness ofthe material, however, the packaging material in this region of the container is relatively pliant, and hence only a slight vertical pressure need be exerted on the upper sidle ofthe article in order to elastically deform the part 28 and the wall sections 27,27', therewith causing the end partofthe articletofall down intothespace beneath the elastic part. Together with the wall sections 26,26', the horizontal parts 28,28' of respective end partsofthepackagingcontainerwill nowensurethat the stored article is held in the cavity 25.Because the long sides ofthe article are exposed to about 50% of its height, due to the configuration ofthe container wall sections 26,26' in this region, a would be purchaser is ableto grasp and feel the greater part ofthe packaged articlewithoutdisturbing the position of the article in the container.

The wide space 27" and the outwardly projecting elastic part 28,28' at respective ends ofthe container render it difficu It to release the article from the container, despite the factthat a greater part ofthe longitudinal sides ofthe article are exposed, sincere- spective elastic parts 28,28' together with the wall section 27,27' and the cardboard strip 17 form are latively rigid unit which will resist attempts to bendup the parts 28,28'.

In orderto enable the aforedescribed packaged article to be both stored and displayed in a horizontal position, without requiring excessive space for this purpose, the inventive packaging container is provided with means which facilitates this requirement.

The previously mentioned means 29, i.e. the upstanding rectangular part of the end part 23 and the cylindrical peg ofthe end part 24, are adapted to coact with the undersurface ofthe cardboard strip 17 of an overlying packaging container in a mannerto enable a plurality of such packaging containers to be stacked one upon the other. This is illustrated in Figure 9, in which the cardboard strip 17 is shown to present window-flaps 20,21 which are com plementaryto respective means 29.These windowflaps have been pre-punched in the cardboard strip 17, and when the carboard strip is placed in position on the rearside ofthe packaging container,the window-flaps 20,21 will coincide with the cor- responding outwardly projecting devices 29 on the respective end parts 23,24 ofthe underlying packag ing container. Aslight downward pressure on the overlying packaging containerwill cause the projecting devices 29 to push the window flaps to one side and enter respective spaces or window 27' in respective end parts 23,24. This arrangement prevents the packagaing containers from being displaced horizontally relative to one another when placed in a stack.

Another advantage afforded with this arrange ment is that the window-flaps 20, 21, which areforced to take a vertical position when the containers are stacked, can be provided with sometype of identifying means.

These identifying means can readily be seen on the mutually stacked packages, without needing to touch the packages.

The packaging container illustrated in Figures 5-8 is intended for storing a pair of pliers 50' having insulated handles, this packaging container having the same characteristics as that aforedescribed. Consequently, the same reference numerals are used to identify similar parts of the packaging container.

Certain differences are to be found, however. In this embodiment, one end of the article to be packaged/displayed is much higher or pronounced than the other end, which means that the end parts 23 and 24 are located in mutually different horizontal planes. In addition, the packaging container ofthis embodiment is provided with a step-like shoulder 30.

With this embodiment there is a marked junction between the wall sections 27, 27' ofthe end part 24and the longitudinally extending wall sections 26, 26'.

Itwill be obvious to one skilled in this artthatthe deformable parts 28, 28' can extend to any preferred distance into the cavity 25. l However, for optimal handling purposes, pa rticularly with regard to placing the article in the container, the axial extension should be approximatelythat illustrated in the drawings.

Claims (9)

1. A packaging container for detachably storing and displaying an article, more specifically, but not exclusively, an elongated article, for example a hand tool, said packaging container comprising atrans- parent plate-like part having a compression molded partwhich is defined by walls and presents an upwardly open cavity for receiving the article and a plate which cooperates with the undersurface of the plate-like part and which further comprises means which are effective to hold the article firmly in the packaging container when handling and/or displaying said container wherein each ofthe mutuallyopposing ends of the storage cavity are formed with an elastically deformable part which is spaced from the bottom ofthe storage cavity; and wherein the two parts are intended to overlap a part ofthe respective end parts of the packaged article.

2. A packaging container according to Claim 1 wherein, the end parts ofthe compression molded part have a height dimension which isgreaterthan the height of dimension of respective ends of the articleto be packaged; and in that included in the axial extension between said end parts ofthecompression molded partarewall sections, the heightdimension of which is smallerthanthe height dimension of any of said end parts.

3. A packaging container according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein, the compression molded part in corporates double walls so constructed thatthe gap formed between the double-walls of respective end parts is greaterthan, orsubstantially greaterthanthe gap formed by remaining wall sections incorporated in the compression molded part.

4. A packaging container according to one or more ofthe preceding Claims, wherein, the innermostwall of respective end parts presents a horizontal extension which forms said eleastic packaging part and which is directed in towards the cavity formed by the compression molded part.

5. A packaging container according to Claim 4, wherein, the distance between the outer edges ofthe elastic packaging parts is smallerthan the total length ofthe article to be stored.

6. A packaging container according to Claim 1, wherein, the bottom plate is provided peripherally therearound with a downwardly extending Z-shape termination, the vertical leg ofwhich presents inwardly directed flanges which serve as an abutment surfacefor a stiffening sheet made of, e.g., card board,theuppersurface and/orundersurfaceof which may have an identification medium printed thereon.

7. A packaging container according to Claim 6, wherein, the upper side of preferably both mutually opposing ends ofthe compression molded part pre sent upwardly directed parts which extend transversely or substantially transversely to the long itudinal direction of the packaging container and which when stacking packaged articles one upon the other co-act with window-flap parts in the plate on the overlying packaging container.

8. A packaging container according to Claim 7, wherein, the upwardly directed parts include a pin like member at one end ofthe compression molded part and a rectangular device at the other end.

9. A packaging container substantially as here it before described with reference to eras shown in the accompanying drawings.