GB2383789A

GB2383789A - A Package Formed from two Blanks

Info

Publication number: GB2383789A
Application number: GB0200182A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Glen Michael Dutton
Original assignee: Field Group PLC
Current assignee: Field Group PLC
Priority date: 2002-01-04
Filing date: 2002-01-04
Publication date: 2003-07-09
Also published as: GB0200182D0

Abstract

A package (2) comprising two blanks (4,6) of a sheet material, each blank having a circumferential length, the circumferential lengths of each blank (4,6) being substantially the same shape and said blanks (4,6) being joined together in a face to face manner along their circumferential lengths, the shape and relative orientation of the blanks (4,6) being such that the package thereby assumes a three dimensional shape. Independent claims are included for the method used to produce the package; and a package formed from two blanks (4,6) where each blank (4,6) is substantially the same shape and are joined at their periphery, at an angular offset from each other.

Description

Packaging The present invention relates to packaging, and in particular to packages made from cardboard, paperboard, or other flexible sheet material.

It is undoubtedly true that the packaging of a product plays an extremely important role in the marketing of the product. It is therefore an ongoing challenge for the packaging designer to create packages which present products to the purchaser in an imaginative and attractive manner, and which at the same time are not overly expensive to produce. The present invention seeks to provide such a package.

From a first aspect, therefore, the invention provides a package comprising two blanks of a sheet material, said blanks each having a circumferential length, the circumferential lengths of each blank being substantially the same and said blanks being joined together in a face to face manner along their circumferential lengths, the shape and relative orientation of the blanks being such that the package thereby assumes a three dimensional shape.

The invention is based on the recognition that if two blanks of sheet material having a common circumferential length are joined together face to face along that length, depending on the shape and relative orientation of the blanks, the shape of the package so produced can be three dimensional. Indeed, this will occur unless identical blanks are joined together in the same orientation. This is because one or both of the blanks will have to deform from its planar configuration in order to allow the blanks to be joined together. The range of package shapes which can be produced in this way is potentially very large.

In a first embodiment of the invention, the blanks

may be of substantially the same shape, but oriented at an angular offset from one another. For example the blanks may be arranged at a 900 or a 1800 offset from each other.

In one particular embodiment, for example, each blank may have a peripheral shape having opposed, curved, ends joined by a straight central portions, and the blanks be arranged at 900 to each other. This produces a package shape in which the respective blanks assume a"saddle"configuration.

In another embodiment, each blank may be generally egg-shaped, and the blanks be arranged at 1800 to each other.

In the preferred embodiment, the blanks are joined together by respective peripheral flanges. The flanges are advantageously defined by crease lines or lines of weakness, e. g. perforations, formed in the blanks.

Most preferably the flanges are bonded together, for example by a suitable adhesive or heat sealing.

The package is made from sheet material, most preferably a cardboard, paperboard or a semi-rigid flexible plastics sheet material. Such materials allow deformation of the package blanks, while at the same time giving a degree of rigidity to the finished package. For liquid containing packages, for example, the material may be plastics or a plastics lined cardboard or paperboard material, which means that the blanks may be heat sealed together.

The package may be provided with an aperture through which product within the package may be dispensed. The aperture may be re-closable. In some embodiments, therefore, a replaceable closure may cover the aperture, for example a plug which fits into the aperture.

In other embodiments, the aperture may be defined by a line of weakness, allowing the aperture to be formed by breaking the line of weakness. The line of

weakness may be such as to leave a flap of material attached to the aperture whereby it may be re-closed.

In other embodiments, the blanks may simply be pulled apart to open the package. In one such preferred embodiment, the respective blanks may be provided with pull tabs which can be gripped by a user to facilitate the pulling apart of the blanks. Preferably the tabs are of the same shape and overlie one another.

Preferably at least one tab is provided with a crease line which allows it to be moved away from the other tab to facilitate gripping.

As an alternative to a tab, an aperture may be provided, for example defined by a line of weakness, in at least one of the blanks to allow a user to push a finger into the package and then pull up on the inside of the blank to separate it from the other. In order to facilitate the separation of the blanks, a line of weakness may be defined around one or both of the blanks.

As mentioned above, the present invention is made possible by virtue of the blanks being deformable so as to allow them to be joined at their periphery. The invention also extends to a method of producing a package which package comprises two blanks of a planar, deformable, sheet material having substantially a common circumferential length comprising the steps of: deforming the respective planar blanks into shapes such that the circumferential lengths of the blanks can be brought into registry along a join line; bringing the blanks together in registry at said join line; and joining the of the blanks along their circumferential lengths.

Preferably the blanks are pre-formed to a desired shape before the blanks are joined together. This is considerably easier than trying to deform the blanks as they are being joined together.

In one embodiment, the respective blanks may be pre-shaped in respective moulds. Preferably the moulds form the shape by vacuum, whereby the mould may also be used to support the blanks as they are being bought together.

The product contained by the package may be positioned in one of the shaped blanks so as to be encapsulated when the blanks are joined. Alternatively the product may be inserted into the formed package through a suitable aperture formed therein.

Some preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 shows a view in the direction along arrow A of the embodiment of Figure 1; Figures 3a and 3b show the two blanks used in the manufacture of the embodiment of Figure 1; Figure 4 illustrates, schematically, the shaping and joining of the blanks of Figure 3a and 3b ; Figure 5 shows a perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention; Figure 6 shows a side view of the embodiment of Figure 5; Figures 7a and 7b show the blanks used in the manufacture of the embodiment of Figure 5; Figure 8 illustrates, schematically the shaping and joining of the blanks of Figures 7a and 7b; Figure 9 shows a perspective view of a further embodiment of the invention; and Figure 10 shows a side view of the package of Figure 9.

With reference to Figures 1 to 4, a first package 2 in accordance with the invention comprises two blanks 4, 6 of cardboard, paperboard or other sheet material.

As can be seen most clearly from Figures 3a and 3b,

both blanks 4,6 have substantially the same shape, each having curved end portions 8 joined by a straight central portion 10. Each blank 4,6 thus has the same circumferential length. The upper blank 4 is provided with a central aperture 12 through which, in use, the contents of the package may be removed. The aperture is closed by a closure, for example a plug, not shown.

Both blanks 4,6 are also formed with a crease line 14 which defines a peripheral flange 16 on each blank 4, 6. As can be seen from Figures 1 and 2, the blanks 4,6 are joined together at their peripheral flanges 16.

However, as illustrated in Figures 3a and 3b, the blanks 4,6 are joined 90 out of registry. This causes the package to assume a three dimensional shape in which each blank 4,6 assumes a saddle like shape.

In fact, the shapes which the blanks 4,6 will assume can be predetermined, and in order to facilitate manufacture, the blanks may be preformed into those shapes. This is shown schematically in Figure 4. The

respective blanks 4, 6 can be suitably shaped in a mould p (not shown) having a forming surface conforming to the desired shape. The mould surface may be provided with vacuum apertures to draw the blanks into the desired shape and also retain them in that position during subsequent handling. Most preferably, the blanks 4,6 remain in their moulds while the blanks 4,6 are moved together for joining.

The blanks 4,6 move together so that their peripheral flanges 16 meet at a join line. In a simple embodiment, the lower blank 6 may remain fixed and the upper blank 4 moves down into registry with the lower blank. This allows a product for packing to be supported on the lower blank 6, with the package 2 effectively being formed around it. The flanges 16 are then bonded together, for example by heat sealing or by adhesive.

Turning now to Figures 5 to 8, a second embodiment

of the invention is described.

In this embodiment too, the package 20 comprises two blanks 22,24 of cardboard, paperboard or other sheet material. As can be seen most clearly from Figures 7a and 7b, both blanks 4,6 are substantially egg shaped. In fact, the blanks are substantially the same shape, except that the upper blank 22 has a tab 26 formed at its broader end and the lower blank 24 has a tab 28 formed at its narrower end.

Each blank 22,24 has a crease line 30 which defines a peripheral flange 32 on each blank 22,24. The flange 32 is the same length on each blank 22,24.

The blanks 22,24 are joined together at their peripheral flanges 32. However, as illustrated in Figures 7a and 7b, the blanks 22,24 are joined 1800 out of registry. This causes the package 20 to assume a three dimensional shape shown in Figure 5, with the tabs 26,28 aligned.

As shown in Figure 8, the two blanks 22,24 may be preformed into shape prior to joining, in the same manner as in the earlier embodiment. In this embodiment, the flanges 32 are bonded together by suitable means, but in order to facilitate subsequent opening of the package 20, the outer parts 34 at least of the tabs 26,28 are not adhered together, allowing them to be separated quite easily. In fact, each tab 26,28 has a crease line 36 which allows the tabs 26,28 to be folded away from another to facilitate gripping.

Turning now to Figures 9 and 10, there is shown a further package 40 embodying the invention.

This package 40 is an adaptation of the package 2 of the first embodiment described above, and is made in the same manner, but it has an alternative opening arrangement.

In this embodiment, the upper blank 42 and lower blank 44 have the same shape as in the first embodiment, and each has a peripheral flange 46 around which the

blanks are joined together. However the crease line 48 defining the flange 46 in the upper blank 42 at least is formed as a frangible line of weakness. Also the upper blank 42 has a further line of weakness 50 which defines a push in tab 52.

When it is desired to open the package 40, a user can push in the tab 52, insert his or her finger under the upper blank 42 and pull upwardly. The upper blank 42 will then separate from the lower blank 44 by tearing along the peripheral line of weakness 48 to allow access to the package contents. The peripheral line of weakness 48 need not extend completely around the package, but can extend over just a part thereof.

As can be seen from Figures 9 and 10, the line of weakness 50, e. g. perforations, extends to the edge of the upper blank 42. In an other embodiment, a similar line of weakness can be provided in the lower blank 44 to define overlying tabs which can be torn away to define an aperture in the edge of the package. This can be used to dispense contents of the package or to facilitate the pulling apart of the two blanks.

It will be appreciated that the above described embodiments are exemplary only and that various modifications may be made to them without departing from the scope of the invention.

For example, the peripheral flange on each blank could have a different shape, for example having an undulating profile. Also, the blanks can have different shapes to those shown. Indeed, the range of package shapes which can be produced in accordance with the invention is extensive.

It will also be appreciated that the term "circumference" as used herein does not necessarily mean the outermost periphery of the blank, but rather the circumferentially extending locus along which the blanks are eventually joined together, which may be displaced inwardly from the peripheral edge of the blank.

Claims

Claims 1. A package comprising two blanks of a sheet material, said blanks each having a circumferential length, the circumferential lengths of each blank being substantially the same and said blanks being joined together in a face to face manner along their circumferential lengths, the shape and relative orientation of the blanks being such that the package thereby assumes a three dimensional shape.
2. A package as claimed in claim 1 wherein the blanks are of substantially the same shape, but oriented at an angular offset from one another.
3. A package as claimed in claim 2 wherein each blank has a peripheral shape having opposed, curved, ends joined by a straight central portions, and the blanks are arranged at 90 to each other.
4. A package as claimed in claims 2 wherein each blank is generally egg-shaped, and the blanks are arranged at 1800 to each other.
5. A package as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the blanks are joined together by respective peripheral flanges.
6. A package as claimed in claim 5 wherein said flanges are defined by crease lines in the blanks.
7. A package as claimed in claim 5 or 6 wherein the flanges are bonded together.
8. A package as claimed in claim 7 wherein the blank

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is made from a plastics lined cardboard or paperboard material, and the flanges are preferably heat sealed together.
9. A package as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the package is provided with an aperture through which product within the package may be dispensed.
10. A package as claimed in claim 9 further comprising a closure for closing the aperture.
11. A package as claimed in claim 9 or 10 wherein the aperture is defined by a line of weakness, allowing the aperture to be formed by breaking the line of weakness.
12. A package as claimed in claim 11 wherein the line of weakness is such as to leave a flap of material attached to the aperture whereby it may be re-closed.
13. A package as claimed in any of claims 1 to 9 comprising tabs or the like which can be gripped by a user to facilitate the pulling apart of the blanks.
14. A package as claimed in claim 13 wherein the tabs are of the same shape and overlie one another.
15. A package as claimed in claim 13 or 14 wherein at least one tab is provided with a crease line which allows it to be moved away from the other tab to facilitate gripping.
16. A package as claimed in any of claims 1 to 9 comprising an aperture provided in at least one of the blanks to allow a user to push a finger into the package and then pull up on the inside of the blank to separate it from the other.

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17. A package as claimed in claim 16 wherein the aperture is defined by a line of weakness.
18. A package as claimed in any preceding claim wherein a line of weakness is defined around at least a part of the periphery of one or both of the blanks.
19. A package as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the blanks are made of a cardboard, paperboard or a semi-rigid flexible plastics sheet material.
20. A method of producing a package, which package comprises two blanks of a planar, deformable, sheet material having substantially a common circumferential length comprising the steps of: deforming the respective planar blanks into shapes such that the circumferential lengths of the blanks can be brought into registry along a join line; bringing the blanks together in registry at said join line ; and joining the of the blanks along their circumferential lengths.
21. A method as claimed in claim 20 wherein the blanks are pre-formed to a desired shape before the blanks are joined together.
22. A method as claimed in claim 21 wherein the blanks are pre-shaped in respective moulds.
23. A method as claimed in claim 22 wherein the mould forms the shape by vacuum, and/or retains the blanks in the mould by vacuum.
24. A method as claimed in any of claims 20 to 23 wherein the product contained by the package is positioned in a shaped blank prior to joining of the

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blanks to form the package.
25. A package comprising two blanks of a sheet material, wherein said blanks each have substantially the same shape, and are joined together at their periphery at an angular offset from each other.