IT202000025369A1 - GROUP OF DRINK CONTAINERS PACKED IN A SECONDARY PACKAGING AND PACKAGING PROCESS - Google Patents

Description

Description of the invention entitled:

"A GROUP OF DRINK CONTAINERS PACKAGED IN A SECONDARY PACKAGING AND PACKAGING PROCESS"

FIELD OF APPLICATION

Embodiments described herein relate to a group of beverage containers packaged in a secondary package. The group of containers of the present invention ? suitable to be distributed to the end customer and allows you to significantly limit the quantity? of material necessary for its packaging.

STATE OF THE ART

Containers for beverages, such as for example fruit juices, but not only, are known and are commonly called ?bricks?.

Generally, the containers of the prior art are parallelepiped-shaped. In particular, these containers develop mainly in the sense of height from a back wall to a top wall. opposite. To these bottom and top walls? four side walls are connected in a single body, facing each other in pairs. Two of the four side walls, called front walls, have a greater surface area than the other two side walls, called side walls.

Normally, groups of three or six containers are sold to the end customer, and these groups are wrapped in a suitable secondary packaging to ensure transportability. making the containers integral with each other.

Referring to f?g. 1, in the configuration of three, the group comprises three containers placed side by side, with the side walls contiguous. Instead, referring to Fig. 2, the configuration of six provides a group comprising two parallel rows each of three side-by-side containers as in the aforementioned configuration of three. In general, the secondary packaging comprises a sheet of cardboard suitable for being folded following the edges of the group of containers to be packaged and for wrapping the group of containers by contacting the front, bottom and top walls. of the same.

A drawback of the prior art? that the arrangement of the beverage containers of the group to be packaged, in one or the other of the aforementioned configurations, is? such as to require an?excessive quantity? of secondary packaging.

For example, in the configuration of three, the surface of the secondary packaging exceeds 85% of the total area of the group of containers. Instead, in the six-pack configuration, the packaging surface exceeds 80% of the total surface area of the group of containers.

By declining these data for containers of the type pi? widespread, i.e. having a height of about 8 cm, a width of about 6 cm and a depth of of about 4 cm, in the configuration of three, about 144 cm<2 > of secondary packaging are destined for each container, while in the configuration of six, this figure ? of about 96 cm<2>/secondary packing container.

Is there therefore a need? to improve a set of beverage containers packaged in a secondary package which can overcome at least one of the drawbacks of the prior art.

In particular, an object of the present invention ? to produce a group of beverage containers packaged in a secondary packaging that limits the use of secondary packaging.

Another object of the present invention ? that of perfecting a process for packaging a group of beverage containers which limits the material required for packaging.

To obviate the drawbacks of the prior art and to obtain these and other objects and advantages, the Applicant has studied, tested and implemented the present invention.

DISCOVERY DISPLAY

The present found ? expressed and characterized in the independent claims. The dependent claims disclose other characteristics of the present invention or variants of the idea of the main solution.

In accordance with the above purposes, a group of beverage containers packaged in a secondary packaging is described which overcomes the limits of the prior art and eliminates the defects present therein.

The group of beverage containers packaged in a secondary packaging of the present invention extends along a development direction and comprises a plurality of of beverage containers. Said containers each include a top wall and a back wall connected in a single body by four side walls, two of which have a greater area and are called front walls, and the other two are of a smaller area and are called side walls.

Said plurality? of containers ? wrapped, at least partially, in a secondary packaging.

According to one aspect of the invention, at least three of said containers are arranged in succession along the direction of development of the group, with the front walls facing each other and contiguous. In other words, a front wall of a container ? facing, and contacting, a front wall of the next (or previous) container.

In preferred embodiments, the group comprises at least one row of three or more? containers arranged in succession along said direction of development, two by two facing each other and with the front walls contiguous.

The present invention also refers to a process for packaging beverage containers which provides for:

- provide a group of containers comprising at least one row of three or more? containers arranged in succession along the direction of development of the group, and with the front walls facing and contiguous;

- wrap, at least partially, these containers with a secondary packaging.

In one embodiment, the method provides for providing a group comprising two parallel rows of three or more? containers each, said containers being arranged in succession along said front development direction.

ILLUSTRATION OF THE DESIGNS

These and other aspects, characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the following description of embodiments, provided by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

- figs. 1 and 2 are schematic representations of groups of beverage containers packed in secondary packaging according to the prior art; - figs. 3-3a, 4-4a, 5-5a, 6-6a are schematic representations of respective groups of beverage containers packaged in secondary packaging according to respective embodiments of the present invention.

For ease of understanding, identical reference numerals have been used wherever possible to identify identical commonalities in the figures. It should be understood that elements and features of one embodiment may be conveniently combined or incorporated into other embodiments without further specification.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Will it be done? now reference in detail to the possible embodiments of the invention, of which one or more? examples are illustrated in the attached figures by way of non-limiting example. Even the phraseology and terminology used here? for non-limiting example purposes.

With reference to Figs. from 3 to 6a, the numeral 10 indicates a group of beverage containers packaged in a secondary package according to embodiments of the present invention. In the following, group 10 refers to the group of beverage containers packaged in a secondary packaging.

The number 18 indicates a disposable container for beverages, hereinafter container 18, suitable for containing beverages such as, for example, fruit juice, tea, milk, milk-based beverages, but also wine, wine-based beverages and others. Said container 18 comprises a plurality of walls 11a, 11b, 12a, 12b, 13a, 13b, adapted to define in cooperation with each other a container volume for the drink. In particular, the container 18 can include a top wall? 13a and a bottom wall 13b which are parallel and have a substantially equal surface area. These top walls? 13a and the bottom 13b are connected to each other in a single body by four side walls 11a, 11b, 12a, 12b which are also arranged in parallel pairs. Two of these side walls 11a, 11b, 12a, 12b are called front walls 11a, 11b, ie of greater area than the other two side walls of smaller area, called side walls 12a, 12b.

In accordance with further embodiments, the container 18 further comprises a straw 20 which can be used as a straw. be contained in a package 21, suitable for wrapping it, partially or completely, to ensure its hygienic conditions. Packaging 21 can? be glued to one of the walls 11a, 11b, 12a, 12b, 13a, 13b of the container 18. For example, the packaging 21 can? be glued to the top wall? 13a or to one of the side walls 12a, 12b.

Furthermore, on at least one of the walls 11a, 11b, 12a, 12b, 13a, 13b ? a pierceable portion 14 is arranged, suitable for facilitating the insertion of the straw 20, in the containment volume of the drink. In particular, the pierceable portion 14 constitutes a weakened portion of the wall on which it is located. arranged thus allowing the straw 20 to pierce it easily.

The unit 10 of the present invention comprises a plurality of containers 18 and a secondary packaging 50 which wraps them at least partially. Secondary packaging 50 ? suitable to ensure portability? of the group 10 making the containers 18 integral with each other. In fact, the secondary packaging 50 can? include a sheet of cardboard in a single body that can? be folded and associated with some walls of each container 18, for example by gluing.

The unit 10 has an X development direction and at least three containers 18 are arranged in succession along this X development direction, with the front walls 11a, 11b facing each other and contiguous in pairs, i.e. with a front wall 11a, 11b of one facing, and contacting, a front wall 11a, 11b of another.

In preferred embodiments, with reference to Figs. 3 - 4a, group 10 comprises a row of three or more? containers 18 arranged in succession along this development direction X, with the front walls 11a, 11b facing and contiguous in pairs. In these embodiments, both side walls 12a, 12b of the containers 18 are free, i.e. do not contact other containers 18. In this case, the secondary packaging 50 can? be wrapped around said containers 18 so as to contact them at their side walls 12a, 12b and at the bottom 13b and top walls? 13a (fig. 3 and 3a). Advantageously, for this conformation, adopted for three containers 18 of the type pi? common area as previously defined, the necessary secondary packing area 50 ? more than 20% lower than that used in the prior art.

Alternatively, the secondary packaging 50 can? be wrapped around said containers 18 so as to contact them at their side walls 12a, 12b and to contact the two containers 18 at the ends? of group 10 at one of their front walls 11a, 11b (figs. 4 and 4a). Advantageously, in this conformation, adopted for three containers 18 of the type pi? common, the necessary secondary packing area 50 ? more than 30% lower than that used in the prior art.

In a further alternative embodiment (not shown), the secondary packaging 50 can be wrapped around said containers 18 so as to contact them all at their top walls? 13a and bottom 13b and to contact the two at the ends? of group 10 at one of their front walls 11a, 11b.

In accordance with other embodiments, group 10 can? include two parallel rows of three or more? containers 18 each. In one embodiment, represented in Figs. 5 - 6a, the rows can be of four containers 18 each. The containers 18 of each row can be arranged in succession along the development direction X of the group 10, with the front walls 11a, 11b in pairs facing and contiguous. For example, a container 18 of one of the two rows contacts a front wall 11a, 11b, a front wall 11a, 11b of the next (or previous) container 18 of the same row, and, with a side wall 12a, 12b, a side wall 12a, 12b of a container 18 of the other row. In this way, each container 18 has a side wall 12a, 12b in contact with another container 18 and at least one free side wall 12a, 12b which does not contact any container 18.

In this case, with reference to figures 5 and 5a, the secondary packaging 50 can be wrapped around said containers 18 so as to contact them at the free side walls 12a, 12b and at the bottom 13b and top walls? 13a. Advantageously, for this conformation, adopted for rows of four containers 18 of the type pi? common, the secondary packaging area 50 required for each container ? of more than 15% lower than that required in the configuration pi? advantage of the prior art.

Alternatively, the secondary packaging 50 can? be wrapped around said containers 18 so as to contact them in correspondence with the free side walls 12a, 12b and to contact the four containers 18 at the ends? of group 10 in correspondence with at least one of their front walls 11a, 11b (figs. 6 and 6a). Advantageously, for this conformation, adopted for rows of four containers 18 of the type pi? common, the secondary packaging area 50 required for each container ? of more than 40% lower than that required in the configuration pi? advantage of the prior art.

In a further alternative embodiment (not shown), the secondary packaging 50 can be wrapped around said containers 18 so as to contact them all at their top walls? 13a and bottom 13b and to contact the four at the ends? of group 10 at at least one of their front walls 11a, 11b.

According to further alternative embodiments (not shown), group 10 can understand one or more rows of containers 18 arranged along the development direction X. Two of said containers 18 can be arranged with the front walls 11a, 11b facing each other and are transverse with respect to the other containers 18 of the group which are arranged with the respective front walls 11a, 11b a two by two facing each other and contiguous. In other words, the two transversely disposed containers 18 contact the top walls? 13a and/or bottom 13b at least one front wall 11a, 11b of at least one other container 18 of group 10.

In this case, in one embodiment, the secondary packaging 50 can contact the containers 18 at least at their side walls 12a, 12b.

Furthermore, the secondary packaging 50 can? contact at least two of said containers 18 at the top walls? 13a and bottom 13b.

Alternatively, or additionally, does the secondary packaging 50 contact at least one end container 18? of group 10 at a front wall 11a, 11b.

In a further variant embodiment (not shown) the secondary packing 50 contacts an end container 18 which is of the group 10 at a front wall 11a, 11b and at least two containers 18 at the top walls? 13a and/or bottom 13b.

In some embodiments, each container 18 comprises a pierceable portion 14 arranged on a side wall 11a, 11b, 12a, 12b thereof. Advantageously, this configuration allows the container 18 to be provided with a straw 20 of reduced dimensions. There? entails considerable advantages, allowing savings on the production costs of the containers 18 and enjoying a reduced environmental impact. In particular, in said embodiments the pierceable portion 14 can be arranged on one of the front walls 11a, 11b of the container 18. This conformation makes it possible to significantly limit the length required for the straw 20 to reach the side wall opposite to that provided with the pierceable portion 14. Indeed, in this case, the container 18 needs of a straw 20 of a length necessary to travel through the container 18 only in the direction of the depth.

The present invention also refers to a method for packaging a group 10 of containers 18 for beverages which provides for the supply of a group 10 comprising at least three containers 18 arranged in succession along the development direction X of the group 10, with the front walls 11a, 11b in pairs facing each other and contiguous. Furthermore, the method provides for wrapping, at least partially, said containers 18 with a secondary packaging 50.

In other embodiment variants, the method provides for providing a group 10 comprising two parallel rows of three or more? containers 18 each. The containers 18 of each row can be arranged in succession along the development direction X of the group 10, with the front walls 11a, 11b in pairs facing and contiguous. For example, a container 18 of one of the two rows contacts with a front wall 11a, 11b, a front wall 11a, 11b of the next (or previous) container 18 of its same row, and with a side wall 12a, 12b, a side wall 12a, 12b of a container 18 belonging to the other row. In this way, each container 18 has a side wall 12a, 12b in contact with another container 18 and at least one free side wall 12a, 12b which does not contact any container 18.

In embodiments, the secondary packaging 50 may be wrapped so as to contact the containers 18 at least at the free side walls 12a, 12b.

In addition or alternatively, the secondary packaging 50 can? be wrapped so as to contact at least one container 18 at one end? of group 10 at a front wall 11a, 11b.

In addition or alternatively, the secondary packaging 50 can? be wrapped so as to contact said containers 18 corresponding to the top walls? 13a and bottom 13b.

? it is clear that modifications and/or additions of parts or phases can be made to the group of beverage containers packaged in a secondary packaging 10 and to the packaging method described up to now, without thereby departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the claims .

In the claims that follow, the references in brackets have the sole purpose of facilitating the reading and must not be considered as limiting factors as regards the scope of protection implied in the specific claims.

Claims (10)

1. Group of beverage containers (10) packaged in a secondary packaging (50) and extending along a development direction (X), comprising a plurality of containers (18) each with a top wall? (13a) and a back wall (13b) connected in a single body by four side walls (11a, 11b, 12a, 12b), two of which are frontal (11a, 11b), of greater area, and the other two on the side (12a, 12b), of smaller area, characterized by the fact that it includes three or more? containers (18) arranged in succession, along said development direction (X), with the front walls (11a, 11b) facing and contiguous in pairs. 2. Group (10) as in claim 1 characterized in that it comprises two parallel rows of three or more? containers (18) each, wherein the containers (18) of each row are arranged in succession along said development direction (X) and with the front walls (11a, 11b) facing each other and contiguous. 3. Unit (10) as in any one of the preceding claims and in which each container (18) has at least one free side wall (12a, 12b) which does not contact another container (18), characterized in that said secondary packaging (50) contacts said containers (18) at least in correspondence with said free side walls (12, 12b). 4. Unit (10) as in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said secondary packaging (50) contacts at least one container (18) at one end of the packaging. of the unit (10) at a front wall (11a, 11b). 5. Unit (10) as in one or the other of claims 3 and 4, characterized in that said secondary packing (50) contacts said containers (18) in correspondence with the top walls? (13a) and bottom (13b). 6. Process for packaging disposable beverage containers (18) which provides for: - providing a group (10) of containers (18) comprising three or more? containers (18) arranged in succession, along the development direction (X) of the unit (10) and with the front walls (11a, 11b) facing each other and contiguous; - wrapping, at least partially, said containers (18) with a secondary packing (50). 7. Process as in claim 6, characterized in that it provides for the supply of a group (10) comprising two parallel rows of three or more? containers (18) each, wherein the containers (18) of each row are arranged in succession along said development direction (X), with the front walls (11a, 11b) facing each other and contiguous. 8. Process as in any one of claims 6 and 7 and in which each container (18) has at least one free side wall (12a, 12b) which does not contact another container (18), characterized in that said secondary packaging ( 50) ? wound so as to contact said containers (18) at least in correspondence with said free side walls (12, 12b). 9. Process as in any one of claims from 6 to 8, characterized in that said secondary packaging (50) is wrapped so as to contact at least one container ( 1) at one? end? of the unit (10) at a front wall (11a, 11b). 10. Process as in one or the other of claims 8 and 9, characterized in that said secondary packaging (50) is wound so as to contact said containers (18) at the walls