IE920912A1 - Multipack for recording media in tape form wound onto hubs - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a single-part or multi-part cuboid packaging container for tape-type recording media which are stacked one above the other and are wound onto cores provided with inner bores (3). The packaging container consists of a bottom part (1), a top part (2) and side parts (19) which are connected to one another via moulded-on film hinges (25), a core support (11) being insertable through the inner bores of the winding cores (13). <IMAGE>

Description

Multi-pack for recording media in tape form wound onto hubs This invention relates to a one-part or multi-part parallelepipedal packaging container for recording tape wound onto hubs provided with internal bores to form pancakes which are stacked one on top of the other to enable a hub support to be pushed through the internal bores of the hubs, the container comprising a bottom part, a top part and side parts, which are joined to one another by hinges, e.g. moulded-on film hinges.

Large quantities of what are known as pancake packs are sold worldwide by magnetic tape producers. In these packs, the magnetic tape is wound up onto hubs, for example flangeless hubs, either of the type known as NAB hubs or stackable hubs according to US 4,081,151 or other hubs. At present, these pancakes are packed either individually or in multipacks and covered with a shrink film or held by various types of cardboard box.

The disadvantage of the individual pack is that a great deal of packaging material has to be used.

Magnetic tape multipacks are disclosed in the publications US 3,543,922, US 4,708,246, US 4,955,471, EP 0,320,751, US 4,988,709 and EP 0,424,763. These packs either consist of relatively voluminous Styropor, which means that for transport they are bulky to no useful effect and have to be disposed of once the contents have been unpacked, or are held together by plastic pallets and sleeves, the sleeves being of a relatively complicated design and the side parts of the packed product in some cases being inadequately protected since they are covered only by a film shrink-fitted over the pack. Therefore, these known packs have additionally to be placed into an outer case for transport.

Pancake packagings which avoid the use of Styropor and - 2 which are reusable or recyclable are described in DEU9,Oil,867 and DE-40,25,906. However, these packaging containers are of multi-part construction and in some cases offer inadequate protection of the contents both during transport and from dust.

Therefore, it is an aim of the present invention to find a pack for pancakes of the generic type mentioned above which at the same time meets the following conditions: minimising of the amount of packaging materials 10 which will need to be disposed of simple design protection of the pancakes both during transit and from dust simple to assemble and unpack 15 - not bulky in return transport reusable no additional outer packaging necessary.

We have found that this aim is achieved by a one-part or multi-part parallelepipedal packaging container for recording media in tape form which are wound up onto hubs provided with internal bores and are stacked one on top of the other, comprising a bottom part, a top part and side parts, which are joined to one another by means of mouldedon film hinges and it being possible for a hub support to be pushed through the internal bores of the hubs, which container has recesses in each case in the geometrical centre of the inside of the bottom part and of the top part, there protruding from the recesses individual projections, between which the end faces of the hub support can be fitted unrotatably a part-annular shoulder on the end face of the hub support engaging into the bottom part, for supporting the hubs \t 92A2 a U-shaped carrying handle, provided with two locked positions, for drawing the hub support with the pancakes out of the pack in the foldedopen state, the two uprights of the carrying handle being inserted into recesses close to the outside of the end face engaging into the top part and the handle joining the two uprights not protruding beyond the end face in the lower locked position and the hub support having in the centre of the end face a recess as gripping depression for the carrying handle sealing strips on the outer edges of the side parts, and/or of the top part, which strips engage in complementary grooves of the top part and/or of the side parts when folding together the packaging container.

According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a one-part or multi-part parallel packaging container according to claim 1. Further developments of the invention are apparent from the subclaims, the drawings and the description.

The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a one-part packaging container in a 25 completely un-folded state; Figure 2 shows the same container in a partially assembled state; Figure 3 shows details of a hub support of the packaging container shown in Figures 1 and 2 and of its anchorage in a bottom part of the container; Figures 4 and 5 show two embodiments of a two-part packaging; - 4 Figure 6 shows the stacking of several packaging containers one on top of the other; and Figure 7 shows the fixing of the completely foldedopen container part against slipping during return transport.

In a suitable form, the packaging container is made in one part from plastics material and, as Figure 1 shows, comprises a flat part, bottom part (1), top part (2) and the four side parts (19) which are held together by what are known as film hinges (24), i.e. foldable joining tabs. The parts can be set at an angle, so that a parallelepipedal container is produced, as Figure 2 shows. With the aid of a strap (not shown), which is laid around a recess (25) running around the folded-together container, the latter is secured for transport. In addition, the strap may contain a carrying handle. Alternatively, instead of the carrying handle, the outside of the pack may be provided with a gripping depression. With the exception of the strap, all the parts of the pack according to the invention can be used frequently and are suitable for return transport.

To open the container, the strap, which consists of a material such as that used for securing pallets, is severed. The top part (2) is raised and the side parts (19) are simply folded back to reveal the freely accessible packed pancakes. The pancakes wound up onto hubs (13) are stacked one on top of the other on a specially made hub support (11), still to be described in detail. The hub support has an integrated handle (14), with which the support with the pancakes can be lifted comfortably out of the pack and subsequently brought to the place for processing, which is usually located in a clean room. The pack itself does not produce any dust, as cardboard packs do for example, and could also be brought as a unit into a clean room. In addition, at two opposite corners of the inside of the bottom part, there are gripping depressions (21) for facilitating lifting out of the pancakes.

IE 920912 Once laid flat again, the pack can, with the aid of integrated stacking aids, be stacked in a convenient and space-saving manner on a pallet and thus prepared for return transport to the producer. By virtue of the flat form, without protruding corners and edges, the pack can be cleaned easily and advantageously. The provision of flow channels assists drying of a washed pack. There are no corners in which cleaning liquid can accumulate. Subsequently, a new packing cycle, as already described, can begin.

The design of the pack will now be described in detail. To ensure the protection of the pack contents against dust and moisture, the folded-open container is provided on the outer edges of the side parts, the bottom part or the top part, with sealing strips (18) which engage in complementarily shaped grooves (20) of the corresponding parts when the container is erected. By appropriate technical measures, these strips and grooves can be designed so as to snap in place upon insertion. However, there may also be corresponding notches in the hinge region of the bottom (1) and of the side walls (19).

In the erected, folded-together state, the hub support (11) is connected rotationally securely, i.e. against rotation, in the packaging container to the bottom part and top part (1,2). For this purpose, the bottom part and top part each have, in the geometrical centre of their inside, recesses (3,4), from which individual projections (5,6,7,8) protrude. The end faces (9,10) of the part-cylindrically shaped hub support are formed in such a way that they can be fitted unrotatably into the recesses of the bottom part and top part.

Furthermore, as Figure 3 reveals, the hub support has on its lower end face (10), which is assigned to the bottom part (1), a shoulder (12), on which the lowermost hub (13) can support itself with its underside adjacent to the internal bore. On the upper side (9), the hub support has vE 9209^ a U-shaped carrying handle (14), which in a preferred design is provided with two locked positions. In the upper locked position, the handle is suitable for carrying the complete pancake stack and in the lower position the handle is sunk in the hub support, for transporting the closed pack. For this purpose, the two uprights (15,16) of the handle can be fitted into recesses of the hub support.

The two uprights (15,16) of the carrying handle (14) expediently have detents (not shown), which lock the handle in its extended and retracted states. Should the pack be too heavy, the carrying handle can also be designed in one piece with the hub support. In this case, gripping by the gripping depression (17) provided underneath the handle is possible .

To make it easy for individual pancakes to be taken off, the hub support has over its entire height two diametrically opposed concave depressions (25,26) each being of circular segmental cross-section.

On one of the outer surfaces of the pack, there may be provided a recessed label panel (28), which additionally has gripping depressions for removing or exchanging a label.

Instead of the one-part design described, the container according to the invention may also be made in two or more parts. Figures 4 and 5 show two possible embodiments, in which in one embodiment each of the bottom part and top part is joined to a different pair of side parts and in the other embodiment the bottom part is joined to four side parts onto which the separate top part is placed.

For transporting several packaging containers together in the folded-open state, the container blanks are expediently provided along the outer edges of the bottom part or top part with grooves (23), which engage in corresponding complementarily shaped strips (18) of the folded-open side parts (19) and thus make it possible for - 7 several containers to be securely stacked one on top of the other so as to be secure from slipping during transport (see Figure 6). In addition, each container may be provided on its outer surfaces with a studded structure, as is described for example in EP 0,217,254. Further, the packaging container may be equipped on its underside with standing feet and recesses for better stacking on a pallet.

Figure 7 shows how two (or more) completely folded-out packs or blanks are stacked one on top of the other for return transport, projections (5) on the inside of the bottom part engaging in corresponding recesses on the outside of the upper part.

In the case of a two-part form of pack, the top part may be offset, in order to make different pack heights possible. In addition, the peripheral sealing strip may be unsymmetrical, to enable packs of different heights, depending on use, to be formed.

The shape of the hub support makes it possible for several hub supports to be stacked one on top of the other.

Expediently, the hub support is hollow, so that it can be fitted onto an auxiliary mandrel in the production process.

In a preferred configuration, the packaging container consists of rigid plastics material, such as polypropylene or acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer. It is preferably made with two walls, either by an injectionmolding process or by extrusion blow moulding. This additionally provides the container with outstanding protection against impact and climatic effects.

Claims (5)

1. A one-part or multi-part parallelepipedal packaging container for recording tape wound onto hubs provided with internal bores to form pancakes of recording 5 tape, the pancakes being stacked one on top of the other to enable a hub support to be pushed through the internal bores of the hubs, the container being erectable from an unfolded condition and comprising a bottom part, a top part and side parts, which are joined to one another by hinge means, e.g. 10 film hinges, and having a separate recess geometrically centrally positioned on the inside of each of the bottom part and the top part, projections protruding inwardly from the recesses between which first and second ends of a hub support can be fitted unrotatably, a part-annular shoulder 15 at the first end of the hub support engaging in the bottom part for supporting the hubs, a U-shaped carrying handle, having extended and retracted locked positions, for drawing the hub support with the pancakes out of the container when the latter is in a folded-open state, the handle having two 20 uprights inserted into recesses adjacent the outside of the second end of the hub support engaging into the top part and a bridging handle part joining the two uprights and not protruding beyond the second end in the retracted locked position of the handle, the hub support having, in a central 25 region of its second end face, a recess providing a gripping depression for the carrying handle, and sealing strips on the outer edges of the side parts, and/or of the top part, which strips engage in complementary grooves of the top part and/or of the side parts when folding together the packaging 30 container.

2. A packaging container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outer surfaces of the packaging container have a first recess extending around the container for receiving a strap and a second recess for receiving a label. 35

3. A packaging container as claimed in claim 2, wherein the second recess is provided with at least one - 9 gripping depression for facilitating detachment of the label.

4. A packaging container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bottom part has, on its inside, gripping 5 depressions at at least two opposite corners, for facilitating lifting out of pancakes contained therein. 5. A packaging container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sealing strips engage in complementary grooves on the corresponding edges of the outside of the bottom part 10 and/or in the grooves (20) of the top part, for securely stacking without slipping several packaging containers one on top of the other. 6. A packaging container as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least the outsides of the bottom part and of the 15 top part are provided with a studded structure. 7. A packaging container as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the hub support has over its entire height two mutually opposite concave depressions for facilitating removal of individual pancakes. 20 8. A packaging container as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in the folded-out flat, stacked one on top of the other, state of several containers, projections on the inside of each bottom part engage in corresponding recesses on the outside of the next-lying bottom part. 25 9. A packaging container as claimed in any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the container consists of rigid plastics material, such as polypropylene or acrylonitrilebutadiene-styrene copolymer. 10 A packaging container as claimed in any of 30 claims 1 to 8, wherein the bottom part, side parts and top part are shaped with two walls by extrusion blow moulding. 11. A foldable packaging blank constructed and arranged substantially as herein described with reference to, and as illustrated in, Figures 1, 2, 3, 6 and 7 of the accompany drawings. 5 12. A packaging container, constructed and arranged substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings . 13. A one-part or multi-part parallelepipedal packaging container for recording media in tape form which 10 are wound onto hubs provided with internal bores and are stacked one on top of the other, comprising a bottom part, a top part and side parts, which are joined to one another by means of moulded-on film hinges and it being possible for a hub support to be pushed through the internal bores of the 15 hubs, which container has recesses (3,4) in each case in the geometrical centre of the inside of the bottom part (1) and of the top part (2), there protruding from the recesses individual projections (5,6,7,8), between which the 20 end faces (9,10) of the hub support (11) can be fitted unrotatably, a part-annular shoulder (12) on the end face (10) of the hub support (11) engaging into the bottom part (1) for supporting the hubs (13), 25 a U-shaped carrying handle (14), provided with two locked positions, for drawing the hub support with the pancakes out of the pack in the folded-open state, the two uprights (15,16) of the carrying handle (14) being inserted into recesses close to the 30 outside of the end face (9) engaging into the top part (2) and the handle (27) joining the two uprights not protruding beyond the end face (9) in the lower locked position and the hub support having in the centre of the end face (9) a recess (17) as gripping IE 9209^ 2 - 11 depression for the carrying handle (14) and sealing strips (18) on the outer edges of the side parts (19), and/or of the top part (2), which strips engage in complementary grooves (20) of the top part

5. (2) and/or of the side parts (19) when folding together the packaging container.