GB2347920A

GB2347920A - Insert for use with crate

Info

Publication number: GB2347920A
Application number: GB9926936A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alan Murfitt; Andrew Peter Lock
Original assignee: Mondi Packaging UK Ltd
Current assignee: Mondi Packaging UK Ltd
Priority date: 1999-03-13
Filing date: 1999-11-16
Publication date: 2000-09-20
Also published as: GB9905706D0; GB9926936D0

Abstract

An insert, preferably constructed from a blank, for use with a crate for containing goods comprises a first portion adapted to extend downwardly into the crate and a second portion adapted to provide a visible display surface. The insert may be adapted to be placed along inner walls or at the corners of a crate.

Description

Title : INSERT FOR USE WITH CRATE Description of Invention This invention relates to an insert for use with a plastics crate or tray (herein called a crate) in which goods can be transported and set out for sale, the insert providing a display surface on which, for example, descriptive or advertising matter may be applied, e. g. printed.

The invention has been devised in relation to the distribution of fruit to retailers packed in plastics crates and the placing on sale of such fruit while still occupying the crates. In supermarkets for example fruit packed in an orderly manner in a relative shallow crate presents an attractive appearance and selfservice by a customer is easy. After use, the plastics crates are returned to the supplier and may be re-used repeatedly. Before such use of plastics crates became widespread, crates or trays made of corrugated cardboard were generally used in the same manner except that they were used once only and not recycled. Despite the disadvantage, however, of such wastage of material which nowadays is looked on with disfavour, crates of corrugated cardboard did have an advantage in that descriptive and/or advertising matter could readily be printed thereon which could be of great assistance to the retailer in displaying the goods for sale. In particular many cardboard trays had a flange part overlying part of the interior of the tray, and presenting an upwardly-facing surface visible when several such trays were placed alongside one another; such surface was ideal for being provided with descriptive matter or the like. A plastics crate does not have such a flange part, and even if it did it might be used for several different types of goods in the course of its life, and thus the permanent or semi-permanent application of descriptive or advertising matter thereto is undesirable.

It is broadly the object of the present invention to address this problem arising from the use of plastics crates.

According to one aspect of the invention, we provide an insert for use with a crate for containing goods, the insert comprising a first portion adapted to extend downwardly into the crate, and a second portion adapted to provide a visible display surface.

Preferably the second portion of the insert extends transversely relative to the first portion so as to overlie, in use, part of the interior space of the crate, and affords an upwardly facing visible display surface. In so doing, the second portion of the insert corresponds to the above-described"flange" characteristically found on some types of corrugated cardboard crates or trays and which often has been used to have printed thereon or applied thereto advertising or descriptive matter for example.

The first portion of the insert may include respective parts adapted to lie against the internal surface of respective upwardly-extending walls of the crate at a corner thereof.

The first portion of the insert may include a first part which is adapted to lie against the internal surface of an upwardly-extending wall of the crate, and respective second parts which extend generally perpendicular to the first part and are adapted to lie against respective upwardly extending walls of the crate lying generally transverse to the first said wall thereof.

The dimensions of the first and second parts of the first portion of the insert may be such that they lie against a side wall and opposed end walls, respectively, of a particular crate with which the insert is intended to be used.

However, it will be appreciated that the first part of the first portion may be intended to lie against an end wall of a particular crate and the second parts of the insert to lie against opposed side walls of the crate.

In referring to side walls and end walls of a crate, it will be appreciated that the usual form of such crates is rectangular in plan view, with what we have here referred to as the side walls being the longer walls thereof and the end walls being the shorter walls thereof.

Preferably the insert is of corrugated cardboard material, with said portions thereof being integral with one another and erected from an appropriately cut and otherwise formed flat blank of such material.

The second parts of the first portion of the insert may mechanically interfit with the first part thereof, to retain them in said generally perpendicular relative orientation.

The insert may include one or more formations for interfitting with one or more formations of the crate, for retaining the insert in relation to the crate.

According to another aspect of the invention, we provide a combination of a plastics crate and at least one insert therefor, the insert comprising a first portion extending downwardly into the crate and a second portion affording an upwardly facing visible display surface over a part of the interior of the crate.

Crates for carrying fruit or vegetables commonly have ventilation openings, e. g. slots, provided in their side and/or end walls to permit access of air to the contents of the crate. An insert in accordance with the invention preferably has an opening or openings in its first portion, adapted to register with at least one opening in a crate wall or walls so that the presence of the insert does not impede ventilation.

According to another aspect of the invention, we provide a blank for forming an insert according to the first aspect of the invention, the blank being of cardboard material and including said first and second portions and adapted to be folded so said first and second portions extend generally transversely of one another.

Preferably the blank further comprises a first part and respective second parts of said first portion, said parts having formations mechanically interfitting with one another to retain them in an erected condition.

The blank may be printed with descriptive and/or advertising matter required to be displayed on said display surface of the second portion thereof.

Alternatively or in addition, a label or labels may be applied, e. g. adhesively, to said display surface (and any other required surfaces of the insert) before or after erection of the insert from the blank.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a crate and two inserts in accordance with the invention, one insert being positioned in the crate and the other being shown separately above the crate; Figure 2 is a plan view of part of a blank of material from which the insert is made; Figure 3 is a perspective view of part of a crate and a further embodiment of insert in accordance with the invention; Figure 4 illustrates the blank from which an insert as shown in Figure 3 may be erected; Figure 5 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of insert in accordance with the invention.

Referring firstly to Figure 1 of the drawings, this shows a plastics crate or tray indicated generally at 10 and having a base 11 and opposed side walls 12 and opposed end walls 13 extending upwardly from the base. The side walls 12 have openings in the form of vertically extending slots in two spaced groups 14, and although the base 11 is illustrated as not having any perforations or openings in practice it may have such openings, e. g. a pattern of slots such as those shown in the side walls 12. The end walls 13 of the crate may also have openings of these or any other form, so that when the crate is used to carry fruit or vegetables and the crates are stacked one on top of another ready access of air to the contents of the crates is possible.

Further shown in Figure 1 is an outwardly extending peripheral flange structure 15 around the upper edge of the crate at the top of the walls 12,13 thereof, the flange structure 15 including, at each end of the crate, mounting formations 16 for pivotable support bars 17. The pivotable support bars 17 can be moved from the positions in which they are illustrated in which they overlie the flange structure 15 to positions in which they extend across the top of the crate spaced inwardly from the end walls 13 thereof to support another similar crate stacked on top of the illustrated crate.

Positioned within the crate 10 is an insert 20 in accordance with the invention and a further such insert is shown displaced above the crate at the opposite side thereof. Each insert 20 comprises a first portion 21 having a wall part 22 which extends downwardly into the crate and lies against the interior surface of the side wall 12 thereof. The first portion of the insert further comprises parts as 23 which extend downwardly into the crate and lie against the internal surfaces of parts of the end walls 13 adjacent the side wall 12. The insert further comprises a second portion 24 which extends transversely to the first portion 21 and overlies part of the interior of the crate, affording an upwardly facing display surface 25.

The insert 20 is preferably made of a corrugated cardboard material, and all the parts thereof are integral with one another being erected by bending and interfitting as described hereafter from a flat blank thereof which is shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2 shows half of such a blank, the other half being mirror-image identical to the illustrated half. It comprises the wall part 22 and the portion 24 joined thereto along a fold line 30. At the end of the portion 24 there is part 23, joined at a fold line 31. Joined to the part 23 at three converging fold lines indicated together at 32 there is a flap 26. Extending into the flap 26 from the edge thereof opposite the part 23 there is an inclined cut 33 so that separate corner parts 27,28 of the flat are defined. The part 22 has, near its end and running from the fold line 30, a V-shaped cut 34 having parts 34a, 34b inclined to one another. The fold lines 30,31,32 may be scored or impressed to facilitate folding or bending of the corrugated cardboard material along these lines.

To erect the insert from a blank as shown in Figure 2, firstly the portion 24 is folded along the line 30 to extend more or less perpendicular to the part 22. Then each flap 26 is folded relative to the part 23 along the fold lines 32 to extend substantially perpendicular thereto. Folding of the part 23 relative to the portion 24 along the fold line 31 enables the corner 27 of the flap 26 to be passed through the cut 34 until the cut 33 reaches the part 34b of cut 34. This locks the flap 26 in the position thus reached. Figure 1 shows part of the corner 27 of the flap 26 having reached such position and thus being visible in the drawing.

The portion 22 has slots 29 which line up with some (or all) of the slots 14, so that the presence of the insert does not inhibit ventilation of the interior of the crate when crates are stacked one upon another.

The converging fold lines 32 provide for the parts 22,23 of the insert not being exactly perpendicular to one another, to allow for the fact that the side and end walls and base of a plastics crate typically will not be exactly perpendicular to one another but instead will diverge slightly to allow for manufacture of the crate by injection moulding and to permit empty crates to be nested one in another.

The invention thus provides a removable insert which can be placed in a plastics crate and affords a display surface 25 on which descriptive or advertising matter for example may be applied, e. g. by printing or adhesion.

When set out for display and sale of the goods contained in the crate, the insert presents an attractive appearance and yet after use may be discarded without great waste of material while the plastics crate is further used.

Referring now to Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings, Figure 3 shows a plastics crate 40 having a base 41, side walls one of which is indicated at 42 extending upwardly from the base, and opposed end walls parts of which are seen at 43 also extending upwardly from the base and, in plan view, perpendicular to the side walls as 42. Although not illustrated, the base and walls may have openings as described above in relation to Figure 1. There is a peripheral flange structure 45 and pivotable support bars 47 all generally as described above in relation to Figure 1. An insert 50 is shown in relation to the crate 40, which insert has a first portion part of which is seen at 51, but which is described more fully in relation to Figure 4 of the drawings, and a second portion 54 which overlies part of the interior of the crate, extending between the end walls 43 adjacent the side wall 42 of the crate. Two tongues 60 extend from each end of the insert in continuation of the second portion 54 thereof, and engage in slot-like apertures 61 in the end walls 43 of the crate. Tongues 62 extend from the edge of the second portion 54 which lies adjacent the side wall 42 of the crate, and engage in slot-like openings 63 in the wall 42. The edge of the portion 54 opposite the tongues 62 is curved, e. g. arcuate, as indicated at 64.

In manufacturing a succession of blanks to form inserts 50 from a flat sheet of cardboard, adjacent inserts 50 fit to one another as shown in Figure 4.

At the ends of each insert blank, parts 51 of the first portion of the insert are shown, joined to the second portion 54 at fold lines indicated by broken lines and scored or perforated for example to enable the parts 51 to be folded downwardly out of the plane of the second portion 54 leaving the tongues 60 protruding, the cardboard having been completely cut through in the vicinity of the tongues. Adjacent the arcuate edge 64 of the insert the adjacent insert has a flap 55 which is joined to the adjacent insert along a fold line 56 enabling the flap 55, forming a further part of the first portion of the insert, to be folded downwardly out of the plane of the second portion 54 so as to be able to lie against the side wall 42 of the crate when the insert is fitted in the crate. Such folding downwardly of the flap 55 leaves the tongues 62 protruding, the cardboard having been cut through completely in the vicinity of such tongues.

The existence of the parts 51, 55 of the first portion of the insert 50, which parts are folded downwardly out of the plane of the second portion 54 of the insert, makes the insert more rigid and shape-retaining, although if it were considered to be satisfactory in these respects without such parts it would be possible for the user to remove them by tearing along the fold lines by which they are connected to the second portion 54 of the insert. If removed, the insert is still able to be secured to the crate by engagement of the tongues 60,62 thereof.

Referring finally now to Figure 5 of the drawings, this shows, in a perspective view, a further embodiment of insert in accordance with the invention. The insert, indicated generally at 80, comprises two parts 81,82 which constitute a first portion of the insert adapted to extend downwardly into a crate, the parts 81, 82 being joined by a second portion 83. The insert 80 is made from a flat blank of cardboard material which blank is generally of L-shape, the parts 81,82 being folded downwardly from the part 83 about respective fold lines 84,85 which lie at right angles to one another. The insert 80 is intended to be placed at the corner of a crate with the parts 81,82 lying against the internal surface of upwardly extending side/end walls of the crate at such corner, with the portion 83 overlying a part of the interior of the crate at the corner. Required descriptive and/or advertising matter is applied to the upwardly presented display surface of the portion 83. Respective such inserts may be placed at two or more corner, possibly all four corner, of a crate.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. An insert for use with a crate for containing goods, the insert comprising a first portion adapted to extend downwardly into the crate and a second portion adapted to provide a visible display surface.
2. An insert according to Claim 1 wherein said second portion thereof extends transversely relative to said first portion thereof so as to overlie, in use, part of the interior space of the crate and afford an upwardly facing visible display surface.
3. An insert according to Claim 2 wherein the first portion thereof includes respective parts adapted to lie against the internal surface of respective upwardly extending walls of the crate at a comer thereof.
4. An insert according to Claim 3 wherein said first portion of the insert includes a part adapted to lie against the internal surface of an upwardly extending wall of the crate, and respective second parts which extend generally perpendicular to the first part and are adapted to lie against the respective upwardly extending walls of the crate lying generally transverse to the first said wall thereof.
5. An insert according to Claim 4 wherein the dimensions of the first and second parts of the first portion of the insert are such that they lie against a side wall and opposed end walls, respectively, of a particular crate with which the insert is intended to be used.
6. An insert according to any one of the preceding claims which is of corrugated cardboard material, with said portions being integral with one another and erected from an appropriately cut and otherwise formed flat blank of said material.
7. An insert according to Claim 6 as appendant to Claim 4 wherein said second parts of the first portion of the insert interfit mechanically with said first part thereof, to retain them in said generally perpendicular relative orientation.
8. An insert according to any one of the preceding claims including one or more formations for interfitting with one or more formations of the crate, for retaining the insert in relation to the crate.
9. The combination of a plastics crate and at least one insert therefor, the insert being as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and the first portion thereof extending downwardly into the crate and the second portion thereof affording an upwardly facing visible display surface over a part of the interior of the crate.
10. The combination according to Claim 9 wherein the or each insert is as claimed in Claim 3 and said respective parts of the first portion of the insert lie against the internal surface of respective upwardly extending walls of the crate at one or more corners thereof.
11. The combination according to Claim 9 wherein the or each insert is as claimed in Claim 4 or Claim 5, a first part of the first portion of the insert lying against the internal surface of an upwardly extending wall of the crate and respective second parts of the first portion lying against respective upwardly extending walls of the crate lying generally transverse to the first said wall thereof.
12. The combination according to Claim 9 wherein the or each insert is as claimed in Claim 8, said one or more formations of the insert interfitting with said one or more formations of the crate to retain the insert in relation to the crate.
13. The combination according to any one of Claims 9 to 12 wherein the or each insert has an opening or openings in its first portion, registering with at least one opening in a crate wall for ventilation of the interior of the crate.
14. A blank for forming an insert according to any one of Claims 1 to 8, said blank being of cardboard material and including said first and second portions and adapted to be folded so that said first and second portions extend generally transversely of each other.
15. A blank according to Claim 14 wherein said first portion thereof comprises a first part and respective second parts having formations mechanically interfitting with one another to retain them relative to one another when the blank is erected to form an insert.
16. A blank according to Claim 14 or Claim 15 or an insert according to any one of Claims 1 to 8, wherein said display surface of the second portion thereof has descriptive and/or advertising matter applied thereto.
17. An insert, the combination of a crate and at least one insert, or a blank for making an insert, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
18. Any novel feature or novel combination of features described herein and/or in the accompanying drawings.