GB2378937A

GB2378937A - A Container for Chillable Article(s)

Info

Publication number: GB2378937A
Application number: GB0120325A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stephen Walker; Angelo Clarke
Original assignee: Field Group PLC
Current assignee: Field Group PLC
Priority date: 2001-08-21
Filing date: 2001-08-21
Publication date: 2003-02-26
Anticipated expiration: 2021-08-21
Also published as: GB2378937B; GB0120325D0

Abstract

A container for a chillable article or articles, such as a bottle of wine comprises a number of walls 6, 8, 10, 12 which are moveable between a first, closed, position in which the walls enclose the article(s) and a second, open, position in which the walls open out for receiving ice to cool the article(s). Arrays of gusset panels 14 join the walls 6, 8, 10, 12. Closure panels 16, 20 hold the container walls in the closed position around the article(s). The container is made from a one piece blank of coated paperboard or the like.

Description

Container The present invention relates to containers, and in particular to containers for consumable items which, ideally, should be served chilled. Such items include beverages, for example bottles of champagne or other wines, or cans or bottles of beer or lager.

It is sometimes desirable to pack beverages in a container, for example for convenience of handling or for presentation purposes. It is also desirable to be able to chill the beverage before serving. The beverage may be removed from its container and placed in a refrigerator or in an ice bucket or the like. However, not every drinker has an ice bucket, nor in all circumstances, easy access to a refrigerator.

The present invention seeks to overcome the above problem and from a first aspect, the invention provides a container for a chillable article or articles, said container having walls which are moveable between a first, closed, position in which the walls enclose the article (s) and a second, open, position in which the walls open out for receiving ice to cool the article (s), and a closure for holding the container walls in the closed position around the article (s).

Thus in accordance with the invention the container performs a dual function, namely enclosing one or more article (s), for example for display or transportation purposes, and also acting as a receptacle for ice to cool the article (s) after the container has been opened.

The container is preferably waterproof or water resistant so as to avoid leakage of melted ice.

Accordingly the container may be made of a plastics material. Preferably, however, it is made from cardboard, paperboard or similar cellulosic sheet material. The container may be provided with a waterproof liner to protect the board, but preferably the board material is coated on its inner surface with a waterproofing coating such as polyethylene. Such coated boards are known for use, for example, in liquid detergent cartons.

Preferably the walls of the container are connected by gusset panels which allow the walls to move outwardly once released.

Preferably the gusset panels are arranged such that the container cannot open out into a fully planar configuration, thereby avoiding loss of ice.

Preferably the closure comprises one or more tabs or flaps attached to a wall of the container. The tabs or flaps may be form interlocking or merely glued to effect the closure. The closure flaps may be removable to effect the opening. This may be for ease of opening or indeed desirable for aesthetic purposes.

The particular shape of the container will be largely determined by the shape of the article (s) it receives, and preferably the container closely surrounds the article (s) in its closed condition.

Accordingly where the container is for a bottle, preferably it comprises opposed front and rear walls which converge towards their upper end. This gives the container an upwardly converging appearance, which, to some extent, imitates the shape of the bottle.

To facilitate the convergence of the front and rear

walls, preferably the container comprises a pair of side walls which each comprise a panel, which is preferably rectangular, provided with upwardly converging hinge lines.

Most preferably each side wall comprises a rectangular lower portion, with the converging hinge lines extending upwardly from the upper end of the rectangular portion.

Most preferably the upper end of the rectangular portion is defined by a horizontal extending hinge line. This arrangement helps in maintaining the bottom section of the container generally rectangular in section, with the tapering of the container commencing part way up the container.

Preferably both of the front and rear walls comprises closure means, most preferably closure flaps attached to their upper edges. In the preferred embodiment at least one closure flap extends into a retaining slot which is formed in the opposing wall, preferably between two layers of container material. That flap may also be provided with a locking slot to receive a locking tab provided on the other flap.

Preferably the front and rear walls are multi-layered.

In one embodiment, a said wall may comprise a wall panel having a pair of gusset panels hingedly attached to respective edges thereof, a first panel of a first pair of panels being folded back over the internal surface of the external wall panel, the second panel of said first pair being folded back to cover the first panel of the pair, the first panel of said second pair being folded over the second panel of the first pair and the second panel of the second pair being folded back over the first panel of that pair.

The various panels may be glued into position, but

preferably the first panel of the first pair of gusset panels is provided with a locking tab at its upper end which is received in a slot provided on the second panel of the second pair of gusset panels.

To facilitate the insertion of the locking tab in the slot, a hinge or part cut line, most preferably arcuate in shape, is provided above the locking tab.

In another, simpler embodiment, suitable for containing a cuboidal shape, e. g. a pack of beer or lager, the container may comprise four generally rectangular or trapezoidal side wall panels joined at their edges by gusset panels.

Preferably closure flaps are attached to the upper edges of a pair of opposed side wall panels. The flaps may be glued closed, or more preferably they are provided with form locking means.

In the preferred embodiment, one of the closure flaps is provided with two locking tabs, the first of which is formed at an intermediate hinge line and the other of which is formed at the free end of the flap such that the first tab can be inserted into a first slot when end of the flap is hinged about the intermediate hinge line, and the second tab introduced into a second slot to retain the free end when the flap is hinged back about the intermediate hinge line.

Preferably a container in accordance with the invention is made from a one-piece blank of material with the various panels suitably defined on the blank.

Accordingly, a further aspect of the invention provides a one-piece blank for making a container in accordance with the invention.

Two preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a container in accordance with the assembly in a closed condition ; Figure 2 shows the container of Figure 1 in an open condition ; Figures 3 to 10 show stages in the erection of the container of Figure 1 ; Figure 11 shows a second embodiment of the invention in a closed condition ; Figure 12 shows the container of Figure 11 in an open condition ; and Figures 13 to 22 show stages in the erection of the container of Figure 11.

Figures 1 and 2 show a container 2 which is intended to contain a bottle 4 of champagne or other beverage.

The container comprises a front wall 5 having an front wall panel 6, a rear wall 7 having a rear wall panel 8 and side wall panels 10,12. The front and rear wall panels 6,8 are connected to the side wall panels 10,12 by respective arrays of gusset panels 14a, 14b, 14c, 14d which, as shown in Figure 1, are hidden from view when the container is closed.

In addition, the front wall panel 6 has a closure flap 16 hingedly attached to its upper end. A locking tab 18 is formed on the end of the closure flap 16. Similarly the rear wall panel 8 comprises a closure flap 20 hingedly attached to its upper end. A locking tab 22 is provided on the end of the flap 20. A slot 24 to receive the locking tab 18 is also formed at the base of the closure flap 20.

As can be seen from Figure 1, in the closed condition the container 2 conforms closely to the shape of the bottle. This is facilitated by the configuration of the side wall panels 10,12. In particular it will be seen that each side wall panel 10,12 comprise a lower, rectangular section 26 with hinge lines 28 extending upwardly and inwardly from the upper edge 30 of the rectangular section 26. This allows the front and rear walls 5 and 7 to conform to the shape of the bottle, with panels 32 defined by the hinge lines 28 lying generally parallel to the respective front and rear walls panels. The top part of each side wall panel 6,8 is also cut away so as to be able more easily to engage around the top of the bottle 4.

When it is desired to open the container 2, the closure flaps 16,20 are opened and the front and rear walls panels 6,8 pulled apart so that the container can expand to expose the bottle 4. Due to the arrays of gusset panels 14a.... 14d, the container can expand to the extent that it can now receive ice around the bottle allowing it to chill. As the container is made from coated paperboard, and has no external seams, any melted ice will be retained within the opened container.

The construction of the container of Figures 1 and 2 will now be described in more detail with reference to Figures 3 to 10.

As can be seen in Figure 3, the container 2 of the invention is produced from a one-piece blank 40 of paperboard or similar lightweight foldable sheet material. The inner face 42 of the blank is coated with a waterproof material such as polyethylene, so as to protect the board material from melting ice.

The various walls of the container 2 are defined by

various panels separated by hinge lines as shown. The detail of the arrays of gusset panels 14 is also more readily seen in Figure 3. The arrays 14a, 14b are symmetrical and include four panels, namely a first panel 50 adjacent the side wall panel 12, a second panel 52 adjacent the front and rear side wall panels 6,8 and two intermediate panels 54, 56. The second panels 52 are each provided with a flap 58 having a locking tab 60 for a purpose which will be described further below.

The arrays 14c and 14d are also symmetrical, each array comprising a first panel 62 adjacent the side wall panel 10, a second panel 64 adjacent the front and rear wall panels 6,8 respectively and two intermediate panels 66, 68. Each intermediate panel 68 is provided with a slot 70 to receive the locking tab 60 provided on the second panels 52 of the gusset panel arrays 14a, 14b.

Erection of the container from the blank 40 will now be described. Firstly, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, the main fold lines 72,74, 76,78 on either side of the front and rear panels 6,8, 10,12 are weakened by folding the blank 40 about these hinge lines as shown.

It is then possible to start erecting the panels.

The first step is to form the front and rear walls 5,7 of the container. Figures 6 to 9 illustrate the formation of the front wall 8.

Each of the front and rear walls 5,7 comprise the front or rear wall panel 6,8 and two pairs of gusset panels 52,56 and 64,68. The first step is to weaken the hinge lines 82,84 between the gusset panels 50,52, 54 and 56 of array 14b and the hinge lines 86,88 and 90 between the gusset panels 62,64, 66 and 68 of the array 14c. This can be done by folding the panels back and forth across the respective hinge lines.

Once the hinge lines have been weakened, the panel 52 is rotated 1800 about the hinge line 76 so that it lies flat against back of the front wall panel 8, as shown in Figure 7. The intermediate panel 56 is then folded back through 1800 about hinge line 80 so that it lies in face to face contact with the first panel 52. Then, the second panel 64 is folded about the hinge line 78 such that it overlaps and lies flat against the back of the front wall panel 8 and the intermediate gusset panel 56.

The intermediate panel 68 is then folded back 1800 around hinge line 86 so that, as shown in Figure 8, it lies flat against the second panel 64.

It will be seen that the panels 52, 56 of the array 14b are trapped between the panels 64,68 of the array 14c and the front wall panel 8. In order to retain the flaps in this position, the locking tab 60 provided on first gusset panel 52 is inserted into the slot 70 on panel 68. This locks the various panels together so as to form a multi-thickness wall section.

The gusset panels 62,66, 50,54 can then be folded against the various overlapped panels, as shown in Figure 10, so as to produce a half erected carton. The other wall of the container may then be erected in a similar manner, the bottle inserted and the closure flaps 20,16 closed. The closure tongue 22 on the closure flap 20 is inserted into the space defined between the rear wall panel 6 and the innermost gusset panel 52, and the tongue 18 engages in the slot 24 provided at the base of the closure flap 20.

Turning now to Figures 11 to 22, these illustrate a second embodiment of the invention which is intended to hold, for example, a number of cans or bottles of beer.

The container 100 comprises front and rear wall panels 102,104 and side wall panels 106,108. Closure flaps 110 and 112 are hingedly connected to the front and rear walls panels 102,104 via perforated hinge lines 114, 116. The front and rear wall panels 102,104 are also provided with push-in hand-hole tabs 118.

The front walls 102,104 are joined to the side wall panels 106,108 by respective arrays of gusset panels 120a, 120b, 120c, 120d, which can be seen most clearly in Figure 12.

The container 100 is made from a one-piece blank of coated board material 122 as shown in Figure 13. As can be seen most more clearly in this Figure, the closure panel 10 attached to the wall panel 104 is formed with a intermediate hinge line 124 having a central cut through portion 126 which defines a locking tongue 134. The free end 128 of the panel 110 is provided with a locking tab 130. The other closure flap 112 is provided with two locking slots. The first locking slot 132 is for receiving the locking tongue tab 134 and the second slot 136 is for receiving the locking tongue 130.

Each of the side wall panels 106 is provided with a dust flap 138 hingedly attached to its upper edge.

Each array 120 of gusset panels comprises four panels, namely a front or rear wall adjoining panel 140, a side wall adjoining panel 142 and two intermediate panels 144,146.

In order to erect the container from the blank 122 the following steps are taken. Firstly, the side wall panel 106 and its adjacent arrays of gusset panels 120a, 120d, are folded about hinge line 150 as shown in Figure 14, and the respective front and rear wall adjoining gusset

panels 140 then glued to the front and rear wall panels 102,104 respectively. The other side panel 108 and its adjoining arrays of gusset panels 120b, 120c are then folded about the hinge line 152 as shown, and the respective front and rear wall adjoining gusset panels 140 glued down onto the front and rear wall panels 102, 104. The partially constructed container may then be despatched to a customer in the state as shown in Figure 15.

In order to erect the carton, the side panels 106,108 are pulled upwardly and outwardly. By virtue of the gusset panel 140 of each array being glued to the respective front or rear wall panel, this acts to draw the front and rear panels 104,106 inwardly about hinge lines 154,156, as illustrated schematically in Figure 16. When the side wall panels 106,108 are pulled fully outwardly as shown in Figure 17, the end walls 102,104 may be pushed fully inwardly and the gusset panel arrays 120a to 120d pushed into their final position. Each intermediate gusset panel 144 will hinge about hinge line 158 so as to lie adjacent the front or rear wall 102,104, and the gusset panels 142,146 will move in to registry over the panels 140,144, as shown in Figure 19.

With the gusset panels 140,142, 144,146 held in this position, the container may be filled e. g. with cans or bottles of beverage and then the container closed as illustrated in Figures 20 to 22.

During closure, the dust flaps 138 on the tops of side walls 106,108 are first folded inwardly through 900.

Secondly, the closure flap 112 is hinged around perforated hinge line 116 to overlie the flaps 138 as shown in Figure 20.

The end 128 of the closure flap 110 is then bent backwardly around hinge line 124 so as to release the locking tongue 134. The panel 110 is then hinged around perforated hinge line 114 as shown in Figure 21 such that the locking tongue 134 enters the slot 132 in the flap 112. The tab 134 is fully inserted into the slot 132 and the end 128 of the closure flap 110 then hinged back about hinge line 124. The locking tab 130 is then bent down through 90 and pushed into the second locking slot 136 to lock the top of the container.

The only way in which the container can easily be opened thereafter is by a user slipping his or her fingers under the edges of the flaps 110,112 above the dust flaps 138 and tearing off the panels 110, 112 about the perforated hinge lines 114,116. Accordingly, this form of container effectively incorporates a tamper evident feature.

It will be appreciated that various modifications may be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the closure of each container may be effected by gluing rather than by using locking tabs. Similarly the construction of the front and rear walls of the first embodiment may be by way of gluing rather than by the use of locking tabs.

It should be appreciated that the terms front, rear and side are used merely for ease of reference and should not be construed as imposing any particular orientation

on the sides of the container. Furthermore, the invention may apply to other shapes of container than those illustrated.

Claims

Claims 1. A container for a chillable article or articles, said container having walls which are moveable between a first, closed, position in which the walls enclose the article (s) and a second, open, position in which the walls open out for receiving ice to cool the article (s), and a closure for holding the container walls in the closed position around the article (s).
2. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein the container is waterproof or water resistant.
3. A container as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the container is made from cardboard, paperboard or similar cellulosic sheet material.
4. A container as claimed in claim 3 wherein the container is provided with a waterproof liner.
5. A container as claimed in claim 3 wherein the container is coated on its inner surface with a waterproofing coating
6. A container as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the walls of the container are connected by gusset panels which allow the walls to move outwardly once released.
7. A container as claimed in claim 6 wherein the gusset panels are arranged such that the container cannot open out into a fully planar configuration.
8. A container as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the closure comprises one or more closure flaps attached to one or more walls of the container.

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9. A container as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the container is shaped so as closely to surrounds the article (s) in its closed condition.
10. A container as claimed in any preceding claim comprising opposed front and rear walls which converge towards their upper end.
11. A container as claimed in claim 10 wherein the container comprises a pair of side walls which each comprise a panel provided with upwardly converging hinge lines.
12. A container as claimed in claim 11 wherein each side wall comprises a rectangular lower portion, with the converging hinge lines extending upwardly from the upper end of the rectangular portion.
13. A container as claimed in any of claims 10 to 12 wherein both the front and rear walls are provided with closure flaps attached to their upper edges.
14. A container as claimed in claim 13 wherein one closure flap engages with the opposing wall and is provided with a locking slot to receive a locking tab provided on the other flap.
15. A container as claimed in any of claims 10 to 14 wherein the front and rear walls are multi-layered.
16. A container as claimed in claim 15 wherein a said wall comprises a wall panel having a pair of gusset panels hingedly attached to respective edges thereof, a first panel of a first pair of panels being folded back over the internal surface of the external wall panel, the second panel of said first pair being folded back to cover the first panel of the pair, the first panel of

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said second pair being folded over the second panel of the first pair and the second panel of the second pair being folded back over the first panel of that pair.
17. A container as claimed in claim 16 wherein the first panel of the first pair of gusset panels is provided with a locking tab at its upper end which is received in a slot provided on the second panel of the second pair of gusset panels.
18. A container as claimed in claim 17 wherein a hinge or part cut line, most preferably arcuate in shape, is provided above the locking tab.
19. A container as claimed in any of claims 1 to 10 wherein the container comprises four generally rectangular or trapezoidal side wall panels joined at their edges by gusset panels.
20. A container as claimed in claim 19 wherein closure flaps are attached to the upper edges of a pair of opposed side wall panels.
21. A container as claimed in claim 20 where the flaps are provided with form locking means.
22. A container as claimed in claim 21 wherein one of the closure flaps is provided with two locking tabs, the first of which is formed at an intermediate hinge line and the other of which is formed at the free end of the flap such that the first tab can be inserted into a first slot when end of the flap is hinged about the intermediate hinge line, and the second tab introduced into a second slot to retain the free end when the flap is hinged back about the intermediate hinge line.
23. A container as claimed in any preceding claim made

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from a one piece blank of material.

24 A one-piece blank for making a container as claimed in any preceding claim.