IE48668B1 - Egg box - Google Patents

Abstract

The egg tray comprises a thermoformed container 1 and a flat cardboard lid 2. On its two longitudinal edges the container has projections 12 open at the bottom, and side flanges 35 on the lid are bonded to all the outer side faces 15 of the projecting sections 12 on the same side. The egg tray thus produced has great rigidity, so that a relatively thin film material can be used to manufacture it.

Description

The present invention relates to a body of plastics material, optionally transparent, for an egg box, of the type formed by a generally rectangular planar sheet from which downwardly project at least two longitudinal rows of upwardly open convergent cups and upwardly project downwardly open central spigots located between these two rows and downwardly open lateral spigots located alongside each longitudinal edge of the sheet in positions corresponding to the central spigots. These boxes are relatively cheap and provide two large lateral easily-printed surfaces on the flanges of the cover.

In a known box of this type disclosed in French patent 2,098,626, the downwardly open lateral projections form a channel provided with hooking nose portions whereby it is possible to clip a lateral flange of the cover, whereas the other flange adheres to the outer wall of a second upwardly open channel provided on the other longitudinal edge of the sheet forming the body.

An object of the invention is to provide an egg box the same type which is more rigid and consequently permits an economy of cardboard.

According to the invention, there is provided a body of plastics material, of the aforementioned type, characterised in that each lateral spigot has the shape of a pyramid the outer lateral face of which is formed by a planar inclined face, and in that all the outer lateral faces located on a same side are coplanar.

For extracting the eggs, in a third embodiment, a lateral flange comprises a horizontal tearing strip.

In another -ei lines which are judiciously placed on the cover.

Another object of the invention is to provide a body of plastics material which is for example transparent and adapted to form part of an egg box such as defined hereinbefore. This body, of the type formed by a generally rectangular planar sheet from which project downwardly at least two longitudinal rows of convergent cups which are upwardly open and, in the upper part, downwardly open spigots located between said two rows and downwardly open projecting lateral portions located aldfigioid-e a longitudinal edge of the sheet, wherein the sheet has on both sides downwardly open lateral projection portions each of which has a planar outer lateral face, all the outer lateral faces located on the same side being coplanar.

Further features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the ensuing description which is given solely by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a plan view, with a part cut away, of an egg box according to one embodiment of the invention ; Fig. 2 is a partial end elevational view of this box, to an enlarged scale, in the direction of arrow 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a plan view, to full scale, of a strip of cardboard for constructing the cover of the box of Figs. and 2 ; Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, to a reduced scale, of a strip of cardboard for constructing the cover of another embodiment of an egg box according to the invention.

The egg box shown in Figs. 1 and 2 consists of two parts : a thermoformed body 1 of transparent or translucent plastics material and a cover 2 of cardboard.

The body 1, formed for example frcm PVC or shock-resisting polystyrene, comprises a rectangulai/planar sheet 3 which interconnects six cups 4 by their large bases, each cup having the general shape of a truncated right pyramid having regular orthogonal bases. Each cup is connected to the sheet 3 by a short vertical wall 5 which extends upwardly and on each face of which inwardly projects a small part-spherical dome 6 for positioning an egg. The bottom 7 of each cup is inwardly curved in the form a part-spherical dome with a planar marginal region 8.

The cups 4 are symmetrically arranged,relative to a longitudinal plane of symmetry P of the box, in two rows of three cups. This plane P is also a plane of symmetry for a plurality of upwardly projecting portions, - 5 two end spigots or posts 9, two centre spigots or posts 10, and eight lateral spigots or posts )2.

The spigots 9 and 10 have the shape of truncated upwardly convergent right pyramids and a height which is roughly equal to the height of the cup 4. The horizontal section of the spigot 9 is roughly triangular, and that of the spigots 10 is square. When viewed in plan, the large base of the spigots 9 is formed by an end edge of the sheet 3 and by one side of the two end cups 4, the base of the spigots lOby one side of each group of four adjacent cups. The small bases 13 and 14 of the spigots 9 and 10 are planar and contained in a common horizontal plane Q.

The spigots 12 are located in alignment with the spigots 9 and 10 and have the shape of pyramids having a triangular base. The base of the end spigots 12 is formed by two sides of the sheet 3 and by one side of an end cup 4 and is therefore a right triangle. The base of the intermediate spigots 12 is an isosceles triangle formed by a longitudinal edge portion of the sheet 3 and by one side of an end cup 4 and a median cup 4. The points of the spigots 12 are all located at a level lower than the plane Q and their outer faces 15 extending from the longitudinal edges of the sheet 1 define two inclined planes P^ (Fig. 2) the intersection line of which is horizontal and contained in the plane P.

Likewise, the outer faces 16 of the spigots 9 and 12 extending from the transverse edges of the sheet 3 define two inclined planes the intersection line of which is - 6 horizontal and perpendicular to the plane P.

As the body 1 is thermoformed in a single operation from a planar sheet of plastics material, it will be clear that the large base of the spigots 9 and 10 and the base of the spigots 12 is not physically formed,as opposed to the small bases 13 and 14 of the spigots 9 and 10. In other words, access is possible from the base up to the top of all the spigots 9, 10 and 12. The two centre spigots 10 each have at their top a small cylindrical stud loa which projects upwardly.

Provided in the second narrow planar region 17 between the cups 4 are small cylindrical portions 17a which have a vertical axis and serve to maintain a given spacing between the sheets 3 when the bodies 1 alone are stacked.

The cover 2 is formed from a rectangular sheet 18 which is cut out between two successive transverse lines 40,which are weakened or partially cut,of a strip of flat cardboard 9 (Fig. 3). Weakened line is intended to mean a pretearing line which may be easily torn by hand and is for example formed by a series of small holes. This rectangle comprises two longitudinal fold lines 41 roughly located halfway between the longitudinal edges 42 and the longitudinal axis X-X, and two longitudinal fold lines 41a in the vicinity of the edges 42. The lines 41 terminate at a small distance from the lines 40 and are extended by slightly divergent cut segments 43. The ends of the lines 41 are interconnected by two transverse fold lines 44 and are connected to the respective corners of the rectangle 18 by other fold lines - 7 45. The two segments 43 define with the lines 40 and 41 an end centre flap 46 of trapezoid shape, whereas the lines 40, 45 and 43 define two end lateral flaps 47. The lateral flanges 35 of the cover 2 are defined by the lines 41, 42 and 45 and have a trapezoid shape.

A flange 35 has a longitudinal tearing band 48 which extends between the two corresponding lines 45, roughly halfway between the associated lines 41 and 41a. The strip 48 is formed by two generally parallel and symmetrical series of bent slits 49 which have successively in the direction of the tear a slightly divergent, portion 50 and a portion 51 which is parallel to the axis X-X. In the vicinity of one end of the strip 48 is provided a holding means 52 defined by a cut 53 in the shape of an anchor which defines two tongue portions 54. The slits 49 extend in both directions from the means 52 as shown by the arrows carried by this means.

The other flange 35 of the cover 2 has,throughout its length and roughly at the same distance from the edge 42 as the strip 43, a fold line 55 which is parallel to the axis X-X. The line 55 is extended from each line 45 up to the adjacent line 40 by a cut segment 56 which is also parallel to the axis X-X.

Provided on the axis X-X roughly at each third of the length of the centre part of the cover between the lines 41 and 44 ,is an aperture 57. This aperture has the shape of an equilateral triangle whose inscribed circle has a diameter slightly smaller than the projecting portion 10a of the - 3 body 1.

To provide the body 1 with the cover 2,the rectangle 18 is placed thereon in such manner that the projecting portions 10a extend through the apertures 57 by the application of a slight force. The two flanges 35 are then folded over and adhered to the lateral spigots 12 in the regions thereof located below the strip 48 and the line 55 respectively; For the purpose of this adhesion, supports of suitable shape are introduced in the spigots 9, 10 and 12. This brings the folding means 52 in the vicinity of an end lateral spigot 12 but to one side of the latter. Moreover, at each end, the flap 46 is folded over against the outer face of the adjacent spigot 9 and the flaps 47 are folded over in such manner that their upper ends cover the lateral ends of the flap 46.

These ends are adhered to each other. It will be understood that the regions of the rectangle 18 adapted to be adhered may be previously provided with thermosealing lacquer or any type of adhesive, for example an adhesive which adheres in the cold state by a mere application of pressire. The free edge portions of the flanges 35 are lastly folded inwardly around the lines 4la which are located in the plane of the sheet 3. All these operations are carried out/automatically by means of conventional machines.

In order to open the box constructed in this way, a tongue portion 44 is pushed slightly with a nail of a finger so as to seize the cither tongue portion 54 and £i pull is exerted on the corresponding side so as to tear away a part of the strip 43, then the same procedure is adopted for the other side by taking hold of the other tongue portion 54. it is now possible to take hold of,from below,the remaining upper portion of the thus cut-out flange 35 and, in urging, it upwardly, the cover is opened about the fold line 55 located on the other side, the studs 10a moving out of the apertures 57.

In order to avoid the tearing away (which is not very disadvantageous) of the lower points of the flaps 47 of the open side of the box, the slits 49 may be extended in the rectangle 13 up to the lines 40.

If less than six eggs have bean withdrawn from the box, it is possible to again close the cover and maintain it in the closed position with a certain rigidity by causing the studs 10a to enter again the apertures 57.

It will be understood that by way of a modification, the tear strip 48 may be formed in different ways.

It may be a wire incorporated in the cardboard or a narrow strip of strong material which is capable of cutting the cardboard when a pull is exerted on the end thereof,for example such as the commercially available strip known under the trademark TIRECEL.

The egg box constructed in this way is very rigid and its cover 2 has no tendency to become separated from the body 1. Moreover, the cover may be constructed from a thin and cheap cardboard.

The printed stock, formed by strip cardboard, is of small size and the same is true of the stock of the body 1. Further, the absence of cardboard on the small end faces of the box provides a good airing of the eggs which is facilitated by the shape of the cups which support the eggs only by points.

By way of a modification, and in order to reduce slightly the use of plastics material, the ends of the flanges of the cover may be thermowelded to inverted V-shaped small projecting portions provided on the longitudinal edge portions of the sheet 3. However, in this case, the lateral support of the eggs provided by the spigot 12 is lost, which constitutes another advantage of the box of the invention,and it would be necessary to use a thicker cardboard to form the cover 2.

In the embodiment shown in Fig.4, the rectangle 18^ comprises again the lines 41, 41a, 43 and 45 defined hereinbore except that the lines 43 converge toward the axis of synmetry X-X. The apertures 57 are dispensed with,as are the studs 10a of the body 1. Provided in the same faces in the longitudinal direction are two weakened lines 58 which are perpendicular to the axis XX. These lines extend beyond the lines 41 to roughly one third of the distance between these lines 41 and the edges 42. Extending symmetrically from each end of each line 58 are two weakened lines 59 which are slightly outwardly inclined relative to the axis X-X.

All of the lines 59 in this way define on each side of the axis X-X, a weakened broken line 60 which extends iron one line 40 to the other and has three bends, namely one at its intersection with each line 58 and one halfway between the two lines 58.

Apart from the clipping of the studs 10a, the rectangle 18° is placed on the body 1 in a manner identical to that described hereinbefore with reference to Figs. 1 to 3, the adhesion of the flanges 35^ being effected on the lateral spigots 12 below the line 60. Access is had to the two end eggs by tearing the portions of the two lines 60 between the corresponding end of the cover and the first line 58 encountered and this line. Access is had thereafter in a similar way to the following two eggs, etc.. By way of a modification, the axis X-X could moreover be embodied by a weakened line so as to permit uncovering only one egg at a time.

Claims (10)

CLAIMS :

1. Body of plastics material, optionally transparent, for an egg box, of the type formed by a generally rectangular planar sheet from which downwardly project at least two longitudinal rows of upwardly open convergent cups and upwardly project downwardly open central spigots located between these two rows and downwardly open lateral spigots located alongside each longitudinal edge of the sheet in positions corresponding to the central spigots, this body being characterized in that each lateral spigot has the shape of a pyramid the outer lateral face of which is formed by a planar inclined face, and in that all the outer lateral faces located on a same side are coplanar.

2. Egg box, of the type comprising on the one hand a body of plastics material, optionally transparent, formed by a generally rectangular planar sheet from which downwardly project at least two longitudinal rows of upwardly open convergent cups and upwardly project downwardly open central spigots located between these two rows and downwardly open lateral spigots located alongside each longitudinal edge of the sheet in positions corresponding to the central spigots, and a cover of flat cardboard the centre part of which is supported by the central spigots and is bordered by two downwardly inclined lateral flanges the free ends of which are fixed to lateral portions of said sheet, at least one of the flanges being fixed by adherence, this box being characterized in that the body is as claimed in claim 1 and in that the free end of each lateral flange of the cover adheres to all the outer lateral faces of the lateral spigots located on the same side.

3. Egg box as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that a lateral flange comprises a horizontal tear strip.

4. Egg box as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the tear strip comprises a holding member located between two lateral spigots of said sheet. 13 4-8 6 68

5. Egg box as claimed in claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the other lateral flange of the cover has a horizontal fold line.

6. Egg box as claimed in any one of the claims 3 to 5, 5 characterized in that the centre part of the cover has, in positions corresponding to at least some central spigots, apertures in which are capable of being engaged, by application of force, studs which upwardly project from the top of these spigots. 10

7. Egg box as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that each end edge of the cover has three downwardly folded flaps, an end portion of the two lateral flaps being superimposed on end portions of the centre flap and being adhered thereto.

8. Egg box as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that 15 the cover has weakened lines arranged for permitting successive access to the eggs contained in the box.

9. Egg box as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the cover has transverse weakened lines located in positions corresponding to each intermediate main spigot and extending 20 from each side to an intermediate place of the lateral flanges, the ends of these weakened lines being interconnected by a roughly horizontal weakened line which extends from one end to the other of the cover.

10. Egg box as claimed in claim 9 having two rows of cups, 25 characterized in that the cover also has a centre longitudinal waa^ienflrd line.