GB2331510A

GB2331510A - Package for long products

Info

Publication number: GB2331510A
Application number: GB9825557A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Olivier Gerard; Alain Fischer
Original assignee: Rehau AG and Co
Current assignee: Rehau Automotive SE and Co KG
Priority date: 1997-11-21
Filing date: 1998-11-20
Publication date: 1999-05-26
Also published as: FR2771377A1; GB9825557D0; DE29820530U1; FR2771377B1

Abstract

A package for long products comprises upper and lower sections 4,5, preferably formed from blanks, Fig.5, defining a body 1, ends of which may be opened when the package is generally horizontal by raising a portion 35 of the upper section 4 and removing a part 36 of the lower section 5. Alternatively, with the package in an upright position, a segment 38 of the upper section 4 may be removed for access.

Description

1 PACKAGING SYSTEM WITH TWO OPENINGS FOR LONG PRODUCTS ALLOWING STORAGE IN

EITHER OF TWO POSITIONS FOR DISTRIBUTION 2331510 The present invention relates to a packaging system, in particular in cardboard, for long products.

It allows storage either in the horizontal position or the vertical position.

Long products, particularly those of low light weight such as plastic extrusions for use as skirting boards, moulding strips and others are difficult to store or warehouse without risk of deformation or of making it difficult to grasp them within their packaging.

The bunch or bundle of products needs to be held over its whole length in order to prevent bowing and thus deformation of the long profiled items within it.

Furthermore, grasping the products and removing them from their packaging must be facilitated because of the handling difficulties engendered by their length.

The triple purpose of the invention allows the above-mentioned disadvantages to be remedied.

This involves first obtaining a packaging system for long products allowing storage and grasping of the products either in the horizontal position or the vertical position.

It then involves facilitating the identification and opening of the packaging for the purpose of grasping the products.

It finally involves ensuring the protection of the products when only part of the contents of the packaging is grasped.

To this end, the packaging system for long products according to the invention is characterised by a parallelipipedal body comprising two sections which fit into each other with identical composite extremities transformable into a flap opening used for storage in the horizontal 2 position, the body including a removable frontal opening used as a closing lid for storage in the upright position.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the description which follows, given as an example and accompanied by drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the packaging in the closed horizontal position, with marking of transversal cutting lines; Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the extremity of the packagingI Figure 3 is a perspective view of the extremity of the packaging, showing how the two separated sections fit into each other; Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the two sections brought together, including the extremity of the upper section in the raised position and the extremity of the lower section to be removed shown as a separate piece; - Figure 5 is a plan view of the flat cut-out of the body of the packaging.

- Figures 6 to 11 are perspective views of the extremity of the packaging showing the phases of opening and of grasping a product in the horizontal position; Figures 12 to 16 show illustrative perspective views of the opening phases in the vertical position.

As shown in Figure 1, the packaging according to the invention takes the form of a tubular body 1 which is approximately parallelipipedal. It is preferably made from cardboard, for example from a flat cut-out 2, for example that shown in Figure 5.

Its length is slightly greater than that of the products such as 3 which it contains.

We can quote as an example extruded sections for use as skirting boards or mouldings or any other product.

The tubular body 1 of the packaging is composed of two separatable principal U-sections, an upper section 4 and a lower section 5, which fit into each other. The two sections 4 and 5 each present a central 3 surface 6 and 7 and two side panels 8,8 and 10, 11 along practically the whole length of the central surfaces 6 and 7 respectively. The side panels are articulated to the latter by longitudinal folding lines 12,13 and 14, 15.

The tubular body is terminated by two identical composite extremities each formed from the extremity of one of the sections 4 or 5 fitted into each other, a lower one 16 and an upper one 17.

Sections 4 and 5 have different lengths and widths so as to fit together as already indicated. Since this difference is small, it is not clearly visible on Figure 5. The sections are preferably made from a single cardboard shape, by a single pattern laying operation. The two sections are differentiated on cutting or subsequently.

As shown in Figures 1, 4 and 5, the extremities of each of the sections 4 and 5 are formed by folding back the same gusset and flap end structures as described below.

The extremities of the upper section 4 or lower section 5 are composed of the same articulated structure with side gussets 18 and 19.

They are formed by a central end panel 20 with double flaps 21 with an intermediate folding line 22 between an internal flap 23 and an end flap 24.

The end flap 24 has on its free edge a central tongue 25 which works with a slot 26 in order to lock the structure in the folded position.

The side gussets 18 and 19 are each extended by single fold-in gussets 27 and 28 for folding the structure when closing the extremity.

Longitudinal cut-outs 29 and 30 are made along the edges of the inner flap 23 in order to avoid additional folding and facilitate insertion or withdrawal of the side gussets when folding.

Each of the end structures of the upper section can clear the opening of the tubular body 1 by swinging upwards round a transversal folding line 31 after making transversal cut-outs 32 and 33 (shown in dotted lines in Figure 5) in the side panels 8,9 and 10, 11 as shown in Figures 3 and 4.

4 The inner flap of the extremity is in the central position when the structure is closed. It will covered by an identification label 34 instructing a storage orientation when the horizontal position is used.

One of the two end structures of the same composite extremity of the tubular body 1 forms a piece 35 which can be moved by folding the whole piece upwards in order to clear the extremity designated as on opening for removing the products, whereas the corresponding end structure of the same end of the other section is a piece 36 removable after transversal cutting round the section 4 or 5 concerned to allow full-width opening for easy grasping and removal of the products lying horizontally in the packaging.

In order to simplify description it is accepted that the extremity of the lower section 5 is removable and that the extremity of the upper section 4 can pivot. In a preferred mode of implementation the latter pivots upwards around a transversal folding line 31 after cutting out the side edges as shown in Figures 4 and 5. This end is identified for example by the label 34 shown on its front face indicating the characteristics of the product, its origin and various information or recommendations relating to it.

This movable piece 35 forming a raised end structure uncovers the corresponding end of the lower section which can be removed after cutting the cardboard along the marking or the cutting fines with a view to fully releasing the corresponding end opening of the tubular body 1. The end structure of the lower section comes away with the removable piece 36 which remains complete and re-usable as shown in Figure 4.

It is preferable to allow the possibility of thus opening each extremity by a symmetrical structure of the cut-out as illustrated by Figure 5.

This end opening by a movable pivoting piece 35 in the manner of a flap opening can, of course, be present at one extremity only, thus determining a single storage orientation when the horizontal position is used.

The cut-out lines are shown by a visible mark, for example lines which are printed or pre-cut. Another perimeter mark 37 at a right angle allows the removal of a segment 38 of the upper section of the body 1 at a level situated at approximately 2/3rds from the top to expose an area large enough to allow the products to be grasped when in the vertical storage position.

This segment 38 is totally removable and when replaced in position serves as a protective cover when the products are partially removed.

One notes on the Figures representing storage in the upright position that the long products 3 are kept together by the upper part of the body of the packaging, forming a parallelipipedal receptacle 39. This is the body formed by the raised lower section 5 with formed extremities acting as a receptacle.

The lower section has an identification label 40 for the identification of the packaging and its contents when in the upright storage position.

The various Figures 6 to 11 and 12 to 16 illustrate the two principal ways of opening the packaging according to the invention when used respectively in the horizontal and upright positions.

One notes in the case of the first group of Figures the removable piece 36 which can be returned to its position and the automatic return to the closed position of the moving piece forming a closure flap.

One notes in the case of the second group of Figures the removal of the segment which forms a cover and its replacement to protect the remaining products in the packaging. One also notes the lower or rear section which forms a receptacle.

The invention permits a dual use of the packaging system depending on the desired particularities of storage or use in the work place, with two types of opening each specific to an upright or horizontal storage position.

It is important to note the automatic nature of the opening and 6 closure of the movable piece 35 by pivoting.

In effect by its constitution, its positioning and pivoting away in the upper opening position, this piece closes the opening automatically under the effect of gravity, thus ensuring the protection of the products remaining in the packaging after one of them is removed.

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Claims

1. Packaging system, in particular in cardboard, for long products stored either horizontally or vertically and characterised by a body (1) formed from two sections which fit together to form an upper section (4) and a lower section (5) each having its own extremity which together form a composite extremity (16) and (17)when joined together, each extremity of the body being able to be opened by removing the lower section and raising the upper section for storage in the horizontal position, access to the internal products in the upright position being given by removal of a segment (38) of the upper section (4) which is then used a lid to cover the opening thus made.

2. Packaging system for long products according to Claim 1, characterised by the fact that each extremity of the lower section (5) is a cut-out folding structure for removal when a product is grasped in the horizontal position forming a removable piece (36).

3. Packaging system for long products according to Claim 1, characterised by the fact that each extremity of the upper section (4) is a folding structure which totally pivots upwards after releasing the side surfaces from the body of the upper section (4) forming a moving piece (35) which is raise to clear the opening and folds back under the influence of gravity thus ensuring automatic closure of the end opening after each occasion when products are removed.

Packaging system for long products according to Claim 3, characterised by the fact that each extremity of the upper section (4) includes a transversal perimeter line (37) to be cut out in order to remove the segment (38) of the upper section and thus release the access to the products in the vertical storage position individualising a removable closing piece (36) used a covering lid when only part of the contents is removed.

5. Packaging system for long products according to any of the 8 above Claims, characterised by the fact that the upper (4) and lower (5) sections are reversed.

6. Packaging system for long products according to any of the above Claims, characterised by the fact that the upper (4) and lower (5) sections are identical.

7. Packaging system for long products according to any of the above Claims, characterised by the fact that the upper (4) and lower (5) sections are formed from an articulated structure with side gussets (18) and (19) comprised of a central end panel (20) with two flaps (21) having an intermediate folding fine (22) between in inner flap (23) and an end flap (24), the latter presenting on its free edge a central tongue (25) which works with a slot (26) in order to lock the structure in the folded position, the side gussets (18) and (19) each being extended by a single gusset (27) and (28) for folding the articulated folding structure when constituting the closed extremity, and by the fact that longitudinal cut-outs (29) and (30) are made along the edges of the inner flap (23).

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