GB2251599A

GB2251599A - Packaging

Info

Publication number: GB2251599A
Application number: GB9122846A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Bryan Islip
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1991-01-04
Filing date: 1991-10-28
Publication date: 1992-07-15
Anticipated expiration: 2011-10-28
Also published as: GB9100176D0; GB2251599B; GB9122846D0

Abstract

A package includes a tray 1 and a number of containers 4 made in one piece. The containers 4 may be separated from the tray 1 to define apertures 3 within which the separated containers may be relocated. <IMAGE>

Description

PACKAGING AND METHODS OF MAKING PACKAGING This invention relates to packaging and methods of making packaging.

Embodiments of the invention to be described below enable materials to be used in an economical way, the number of manufacturing operations required to be kept as small as possible, and the costs of filling and distributing the packages to be minimised.

A known arrangement will now be described, together with embodiments of the invention, which are described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figs. 1 and 2 are perspective and diagrammatic cross-sectional views respectively of a known arrangement, Figs. 3, 4, and 5 show a perspective and two crosssectional views of an arrangement in accordance with the invention, Figs. 6 and 7 are diagrammatic plan and enlarged perspective views respectively of a part of another arrangement, Figs. 8 and 9 are cross-sectional views of two furthur arrangements respectively, and Figs. 10 to 13 illustrate, by means of crosssectional views, steps in yet another method of making packaging.

Similar items are referred to by the same reference numerals.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, there is shown a tray I in which depressions 2 have been formed in order to receive containers 4, which have been made separately.

It will be understood that, in this known arrangement, a separate manufacturing operation is necessary to make the tray 1, from that required for making the containers 4. Such trays and containers are commonly used to transport food, the food being placed in the containers 4, the tops of which are usually sealed. The food may be introduced into the containers 4 whilst the containers 3 and 4 are in the tray 1. Alternatively, the containers 4 may first be filled and then placed in the tray 1.

It will be appreciated that the references in this specification to food being the contents of the containers 4 is merely illustrative of a particular application. The containers and the trays described may be used to accommodate and convey other materials than food.

Referring now to Figs. 3, 4 and 5, a tray 1 is formed in one piece with containers 4. The containers 4 constitute depressions 2 in the tray 1, but they also incorporate a lip portion 6 which raises their tops above the general level of the tray 1 and provide means by which they are attached, at 5, to the main web of the tray 1.

In order to remove the containers 4 from the tray 1, in this embodiment, a cut is made along the line of attachment 5 between a tray and a container 4, thereby leaving an aperture 3 in the tray 1 and enabling the container 4 to be lifted from the tray 1, in the way shown in Figs. 3 and 5. In forming the tray 1 and the containers 4 in one operation in this embodiment, it is possible to provide attachment webs 5 only over discrete arcs around the lip portions 6, thereby enabling the separation of a container 4 from the tray 1 to be made more easily.It is, of course, alternatively possible to form the attachment means as a continuous web throughout its length and subsequently to cut the attachment means 5, either by means of perforations or over comparatively large arcs, thereby leaving a container 4 attached to the tray 1 over comparatively small regions, and enabling it to be broken away and removed from the tray 1 comparatively easily.

The lip 6 may be so designed that, after the separation of a container from the tray 1, at least a part, and preferably a number of portions of the lip 6, spring out, as indicated at 7, beyond the circumference of the aperture 3, and prevent the container 4 from passing through the aperature 3.

In Figs. 6 and 7, there are shown views of containers 4 having lips 6 which are attached to the web of a tray 1 at 5 by attachment means in the form of bridges, there being curved portions between the attachment means 5 which have been cut to provide the edge of the aperture 3 The containers 4, which constitute primary packages and which have been formed with the tray 1 are thus almost entirely cut-away from the tray 1, except for the small bridges at 5. The bridges at 5 are designed to hold the containers 4, or primary packages, in position whilst they are filled and lids are placed on the containers 4. However, the bridges which are provided at 5 are designed to be weak enough to allow the containers 4 eventually to be detached from the tray 1 comparatively easily.

In Figs. 8 and 9, there are shown containers 4 having lips 6 with an indentation 8 which is of a smaller diameter than both an upper outer edge of the lip 6 and the aperture 3. The main purpose of the indentation 8 is to provide means for locating a lid 10 seen in Fig. 9.

The lid 10 has an indentation 8a in its depending rim which cooperates with the indentation 8 in the lip 6.

The lid 10 is a firm interference fit on the top of the container 4 where it is held by the flange formed by the indentation 8 in the lip 6 sufficiently securely to enable the outer edge 11 of the lid 10, which edge 11 which extends over the edge of the aperture 3 and rests on the tray 1, to carry the weight of the filled container 4, which has ben detached from the tray 1, and to prevent the detached container 4 from falling through the aperture 3. The container 4 may be automatically detached from the tray 1 by the action of forcing the lid 10 on to the lip 6, the internal diameter of the indentation 8a in the rim of the lid 10 being smaller than the external diameter of the indentation 8 in the lip 6.

Referring to Figs. 10, 11, 12 and 13, there are illustrated sequentially the steps in the formation of an assembly which enables containers 4 to be formed with, and then separated from, a tray 1 in such a way that the containers 4 are not able to pass down through the apertures 3 after separation. The arrangements shown in Figs. 10-13, which it will be appreciated are not to scale, illustrate only that which is necessary for an understanding of the method. A portion of the tray web 1 between two containers 4 is formed with a depression 12. The two containers 4 shown in Fig. 10 are fully cut from the tray 1 resulting in two apertures 3 being formed in the tray 1, as best seen in Fig. 11, where the containers 4 have been lifted free of the tray 1.

In Fig. 12, the depression 12 has been made more shallow, by, for example, the application of heat and pressure, reducing the diameters of the apertures 3, whereby, when the containers 4 are dropped back into their original positions, the edges 13 of the lips 6 overlap the reduced diameter apertures 3 in the tray 1, so that the containers 4 are supported loosely in the tray 1.

Although the invention has been described, by way of example, with reference to the particular embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, variations and modifications employing the inventive arrangement may be made.

For example, the depressions in the tray that become the containers or primary packages 4 may be of any horizontal cross-section, and not simply circular as illustrated.

It is also possible for the apertures 3 left in the web of the tray 1 when the primary packages 4 have been detached to be reduced in size so as to suspend the primary packages 4 by means other than those described.

It is also possible, as has been indicated, that the edges 13 of the lips 6, or at least parts of them, may be caused alternatively or additionally to extend beyond the edges of the apertures 3.

It will be understood that, by means of the embodiments described, it is possible to replace the previously used separate tray and, for example, six containers or primary packages by a one-piece tray which incorporates both containers and the means for carrying the containers. This single assembly, which may be made in one operation, may be used throughout any manufacturing or filling operation and may then carry the goods or products with which the containers are filled to the end user.

The containers or impressions in the tray are desig ned, in one embodiment, to be held to the main body of the tray by means, such as webs, which are easily broken by the end user, thereby enabling the end user, for example a customer, to remove an individual container from a tray.

In another embodiment, the application of a lid 10 to a container upon the completion of filling causes the container to be detached from the body of the tray and provides means which prevents the container from falling through the resulting hole in the main body of the tray.

The lid 10 may be so designed that, instead of the outer edge 11 of the lid providing the sole support for a detached container 4 upon the tray 1, the lid causes the mouth of the container 4 and the lip 6 to be distorted so that it is slightly out of circular, for example, in plan view, whereby the detached container 4 is supported on the tray 1 by portions of the lip 6 which have been pushed out beyond the circumference of the aperture 3.

In yet another embodiment, heat or pressure is used to reduce the size of the aperture 3 so that a container 4, which has been detached from the tray 1, is supported within the aperture 3 by the main body or web of the tray 1. In such an arrangement, it is possible, instead of providing depressions 12, as shown in Fig. 12, to provide regions of increased thickness in the web or tray 1 next to the apertures 3, so that material from these thicker regions may be caused, by the use of heat and pressure and a forming tool, to project into the apertures 3 and support the containers 4 within the apertures 3.

It is possible for the apertures 3 to be made with edges that are not circular. The edges of the apertures 3 may be made with lug portions that project from the lip portions 6 at intervals of, for example, 60 around the apertures 3, so that, when the containers 4 are detached from the tray 1, slight lifting and rotation of the containers 4 causes each of the lug portions to be positioned above a portion of the tray at which the lugs overlap the edge of the aperture 3 in the tray, thereby enabling the containers 4 to be supported by the lug portions on the tray 1.It will be understood that, in addition to the introduction of irregularities or eccentricities in the shape of the apertures 3, the tray 1 and containers 4 may be formed in such a way that circularlyextending ridges may be provided around the part 1 the edge 11 and the lip 6 on either side of the aperture 3 and that these ridges may assist in locating a detached container 4.

It is also possible to form portions on either side of the aperture 3 and in the lid 10 in a wavy or wrinkled manner, so that radially-extending troughs and hills are able to provide resistance to unwanted relative rotation between a detached container 4 and the tray 1.

With reference to the embodiment shown in Figs. 10 to 12, it will be appreciated that a depression, such as that shown at 12 may extend either only partially or completely around an aperture 3.

In yet a further way of carrying out the invention, where the apertures 3 are the result of making simple circular cut-outs, of the sort shown in Fig. 5, the effective size of the apertures is reduced by using a tape or strip that is applied to the surface of the tray 1 in such a way that it extends over a part of the circumference of each of the apertures 3. In a particular embodiment, a single tape is caused to adhere to the surface of the tray 1, after the containers have been removed, in such a way that it extends between two rows of apertures, the opposite long- itudinal edges of the tape each extending over a part of the circumference of the apertures 3 in one of the respective rows. Information may be printed on the tape or strip.

It will also be appreciated that a hinged lid, which covers the whole of the tray 1, may be formed in one piece, at the time that the containers 4 are formed, with the tray 1. The lid being hinged to the tray 1 along one edge of the tray.

Instead of a single tape, each edge of which extends over the edges of apertures in a respective, adjacent row, it is possible to employ short strips of tape or other material, one of which is used to extend over a part of a respective aperture only.

Claims

1. A packaging arrangement including a tray and a container, the container and the tray having been made in one piece in such a way that the container may be separated from the tray leaving an aperture in the tray and the arrangement including means whereby the container when replaced in the aperture is supported by the tray.

2. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 in which when the tray and the container are made the container is attached to the tray by webs extending over only discrete arcs.

3. An arrangement as claimed in either claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the container has a lip, a part of which lip springs out after separation from the tray to provide the means whereby the container is supported by the tray when replaced in the aperature.

4. An arrangement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims including a container having a lip with an indentation therein, and a lid for the container having an indentation in its rim which cooperates with the identation in the lip to provide a firm fit for the lid upon the container, the rim extending for at least a part of its circumference over the edge of the aperture to provide the means for supporting the container when it is replaced in the aperture.

5. An arrangement as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 including a depression in the tray next to a container.

6. An arrangement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the means whereby a container is supported in an aperture includes a tape or strip applied to the surface of the tray in such a way that it extends over a part of the aperture.

7. An arrangement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims including a lid hinged to the tray along one edge.

8. A method of making a packaging arrangement including the steps of forming a tray and a container in one piece, the container being attached to the tray in such a way that it may easily be separated from the tray to leave an aperture in the tray and be replaced in the aperture and supported by the tray.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8 in which the container and tray are formed with webs which extend over only discrete arcs and which join the container to the tray.

10. A method as claimed in claim 8 including the step of forming a lip on the container, at least a part of the lip being designed to spring out after separation from the tray to provide means for preventing the container from passing through the aperture.

11. A method as claimed in claim 8 including the steps of forming a lip on the container, the lip having an indentation therein, and placing a lid having a rim on the container, the rim incorporating an indentation which cooperates with the indentation in the lip to locate the lid, and the rim extending over the edge of the aperture to provide support for the container on the tray when the container is replaced in the aperture.

12. A method as claimed in claim 8 including the step of forming a lid for the container of a shape which differs in plan view from the shape of the mouth of the container, whereby when the lid is placed on the container, the shape of the mouth of the container is distorted sufficiently to prevent the container, when replaced in the aperture, from passing through the aperture.

13. A method as claimed in claim 8 which includes the step of distorting the shape of the aperture after the container has been separated from the tray, by means including heat or pressure, sufficiently to prevent the container from passing through the aperture when replaced therein.

14. A method as claimed in claim 8 which includes the step of forming the aperture with inwardly extending lug portions which cooperate, upon the removal of the container from the aperture and its rotation, with corresponding outwardly extending lugs on the container to support the container in the aperture.

15. A method as claimed in claim 8 which includes the steps of forming circularly extending or radially extending ridges in the rim of a lid for the container and forming corresponding ridges in the region surrounding the aperture, whereby the container may be better located in the aperture when replaced therein.

16. A method as claimed in claim 8 including the steps of providing a depression in the tray adjacent to an aperture and applying heat and pressure to the tray to render the depression more shallow and cause the aperture to be reduced in size thereby providing support for the container when it is replaced in the aperture.

17. A method as claimed in claim 8 which includes the step of applying a tape or strip to the surface of the tray, after the removal of the container, in such a way that it extends over a part of the circumference of the aperture thereby to reduce the size of the aperture and provide support for the container when it is replaced in the aperture.

18. A method as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 17 in which the container is removed from the tray by breaking webs by which the container is attached to the tray.

19. A method as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 17 which includes the step of cutting the container from the tray.