GB2189222A

GB2189222A - A two part container e.g. for eggs

Info

Publication number: GB2189222A
Application number: GB08609557A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Andrew Brand Grant
Original assignee: Omni Pac UK Ltd
Current assignee: Omni Pac UK Ltd
Priority date: 1986-04-18
Filing date: 1986-04-18
Publication date: 1987-10-21
Also published as: GB8609557D0; GB2189222B

Abstract

A container base 10 and cover 20 both have pockets 11, 21 and posts 12, 22 arranged to be in register. The base 10 and cover 20 may be locked together by engagement of opposed channel section extensions 50 on the cover 20 with peripheral portions 60 of the base 10. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A two part produce container This invention relates to a two part produce container.

Containers for produce, such as eggs, conventionally take the form of either stackable trays or of boxes with lids. The trays are usually formed such that when empty they nest one within another and when loaded with produce they stack one upon another. Likewise, the boxes have a configuration such that when empty they nest one within another, the lid being hinged such that the lid of an empty box for stacking purposes may be arranged laterally of the base. Such lids usually have the configuration of a cover without pockets, i.e. the surface of the lids which in use extends over the contents, usually have a plane configuration.

As an alternative to the box with a hinged lid, there have been proposals for a two part container, wherein the base is formed with pockets which receive the contents, such as eggs, and a cover is provided which has a cover portion with no pockets (i.e. a planar surface covering the contents) and side walls which merely sits on the periphery of the base.

According to one such proposal, the posts of the base are extended upwardly so as to give additional support to the cover portion by direct contact therewith. These known proposals relate to a base formed from plastics material and a cover formed from card or paper board. In some instances, the container with the produce therein is wrapped in an outer film cover, e.g. by shrink wrapping, in order to make the package secure.

In another example, the cover formed of card or paper board has cut-outs which are engaged by projections on the base. These projections have been located either at the upper extremities of the upstanding posts or on the major portion of the base to a level at, or above, the location of engagement (in use) between the card cover and plastics base.

Both techniques for ensuring a secure package are labour intensive and expensive.

Wrapping requires careful manipulation. Furthermore, the presence of the projections in the base complicates the tooling and gives rise to nesting problems.

The present invention seeks to avoid these disadvantages and to provide a two part produce container which is easily used at the packing station, whilst affording satisfactory characteristics to the consumer in terms of customer acceptance and security of the loaded package.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a two part container for produce, comprising a base with pockets and posts, a lid with pockets and posts, the base posts and lid posts being in register; each of the said lid and base parts having a pair of laterally spaced side walls, the lid being adapted to overlie the base with said lid posts resting on said base posts, wherein engagement means is provided on only one of said base and said lid for securing said base to said lid, said engagement means being disposed at each of said laterally spaced side walls of that part and forming an extension of its respective side wall, said extension being arranged to engage with the said other part to secure said lid and base together. In a preferred embodiment there is no additional load bearing contact between the lid and the base at the marginal portions thereof.

In a preferred embodiment, the base is formed from pulp material and the lid is formed from plastics material. The engagement means comprises a pair of downward extensions, one of said extensions being arranged to extend along at least part of each said side of the lid, each said extension presenting an abutment surface to engage under a corresponding peripheral portion of the base.

In an embodiment, the extension has a channel section which is so directed as to engage under said base peripheral portion such that an upwardly directed face of the channel section provides said abutment surface and, in use, abuts the underside of the said base peripheral portion.

It is a preferred feature that the engagement means is adapted to flex laterally outwardly during the placement of the cover on the base, and is sufficiently resilient to return to a position in which it retains the cover by engagement below said base peripheral portion.

It is a preferred feature that the spacing between the abutment suface of the engagement means and a contact suface of the lid posts is such that, when the lid is in situ on the base, said abutment surface is in pressure exerting contact with the base peripheral portion.

When, as is usual, the lid and base, as seen in plan, have a generally rectangular configuration, the engagement means extend along one pair of sides. They may run the whole length of these sides.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a cover for a two-part container for produce, comprising a lid adapted for use with a base, the lid having pockets and posts, the posts being intended to rest on corresponding posts in the base, engagement means on each of a pair of op posed lid side walls and depending therefrom below the remainder of the lid, said engage ment means being adapted to engage the base and retain the lid on said base.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a section taken laterally through a two-part container; Figure 2 is a fragmentary view of part of the base of Fig. 1; and Figure 3 is a fragmentary view of part of the lid of Fig. 1.

In the drawings, there is shown a two-part container for produce, comprising a base (10) formed from pulp and having pockets (11) and posts (12), a lid (20) formed from plastics materials, having pockets (21) and posts (22).

The base posts (12) and lid posts (22) are in register.

The base (10) and lid (20) have a pair of laterally spaced side walls, (30) and (40) respectively. The lid (20) is adapted to overlie the base (10) with the lid posts (22) resting on said base posts (12) and without further load bearing contact. Engagement means (50) are provided on the lid (20) for securing the lid (20) to said base (10). These engagement means (50) are disposed at each of said laterally spaced side walls (40) and form a downward extension thereof. As can be seen from the drawing, this extension (50) is arranged to engage with the base (10) thereby securing the lid (20) and base (10) together.

Each engagement means (50) comprises an extension which is arranged to extend along the whole length of its side wall (40).

The extension (50) has a channel section which is so directed as to engage under a base peripheral portion (60). The arrangement is such that an upwardly directed face (51) of the channel section (50) provides an abutment surface. Abutment surface (51), in use, abuts the underside (61) of the said base peripheral portion (60).

In this embodiment, the engagement means (50) are each capable of flexing laterally outwardly during the placement of the lid (20) on the base (10). Furthermore, the material of the lid (20) is sufficiently resilient that once surface (51) passes below underside (61), the engagement means (50) returns to a position in which it retains the lid (20) be engagement below said base peripheral portion (60).

The spacing (a) between the abutment surface (51) of the engagement means (50) and a contact surface (23) of the lid posts (22) is such that, when the lid (20) is in situ on the base (10), the abutment surface (51) is in pressure exerting contact with the underside (61) of the base peripheral portion (60).

The lid and base, as seen in plan, have a generally rectangular configuration. The engagement means (50) extends wholly along the sides (40).

It will be appreciated that the moulded pulp tray or base (10) is relatively rigid as compared with the relatively flexible lid (20) of plastics material. Indeed, the lid (20) is relatively thin. This allows the engagement means (50) to flex outwardly, whilst the resilience of the lid (20) causes the means (50) to 'snapback' under peripheral base portion (60). The spacing (a) coupled with the flexible nature of the lid (20) ensures that abutment surface (51) presses against underside 61 and retains the lid (20) secure on the base (10). This two part container serves to package eggs. The tray or base (10) has the de-nesting features (not shown) required by egg packing stations.

The configuration of the lids (20) is such that they are readily stacked for supply to packing stations. Thus, this two part container exhibits the characteristics of ease of handling at packing stations, whilst the two parts, when placed together, form a secure package. The combination of plastics lid (20) and pulp base (10) adds to the customer acceptability of the container, since it gives visual inspection of contents, whilst maintaining the advantages of a pulp base.

Claims

1. A two part container for produce, comprising a base with pockets and posts, a lid with pockets and posts, the base posts and lid posts being in register; each of the said lid and base parts having a pair of laterally spaced side walls, the lid being adapted to overlie the base with said lid posts resting on said base posts, wherein engagement means is provided on only one of said base and said lid for securing said base to said lid, said engagement means being disposed at each of said laterally spaced side walls of that part and forming an extension of its respective side wall, said extension being arranged to engage with the said other part to secure said lid and base together.

2. A container as claimed in Claim 1, wherein there is no additional load bearing contact between the lid and the base at the marginal portions thereof.

3. A container as claimed in either Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the base is formed from pulp material and the lid is formed from plastics material.

4. A container as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the engagement means comprises a pair of downward extensions, one of said extensions being arranged to extend along at least part of each said side of the lid, each said extension presenting an abutment surface to engage under a corresponding peripheral portion of the base.

5. A container as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the extension has a channel section which is so directed as to engage under said base peripheral portion such that an upwardly directed face of the channel section provides said abutment surface and, in use, abuts the underside of the said base peripheral portion.

6. A container as claimed in either Claim 4 or Claim 5, wherein the engagement means is adapted to flex laterally outwardly during the placement of the cover on the base, and is sufficiently resilient to return to a position in which it retains the cover by engagement below said base peripheral portion.

7. A container as claimed in any one of Claims 3 to 6, wherein the spacing between the abutment suface of the engagement means and a contact suface of the lid posts is such that, when the lid is in situ on the base, said abutment surface is in pressure exerting contact with the base peripheral portion.

8. A container as claimed in any one of Claims 3 to 7, wherein the lid and base, as seen in plan, have a generally rectangular configuration, and the engagement means extend along one pair of sides.

9. A container as claimed in Claim 8, wherein the engagement means extend along the whole length of these sides.

10. A cover for a two-part container for produce, comprising a lid adapted for use with a base, the lid having pockets and posts, the posts being intended to rest on corresponding posts in the base, engagement means on each of a pair of opposed lid side walls and depending therefrom below the remainder of the lid, said engagement means being adapted to engage the base and retain the lid on said base.

11. A two-part container for produce, arranged, constructed and adapted to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings.

12. A cover for a two-part container for produce, arranged, constructed and adapted to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings.