ITBO20100442A1 - CONTAINER FOR PRODUCTS - Google Patents

Description

"CONTAINER FOR PRODUCTS".

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a container for products.

More particularly, the present invention relates to a container for displaying products for example in supermarkets, points of sale, or other points of interest.

STATE OF THE PRIOR ART

In modern supermarkets, points of sale, or in any other place where commercial activities take place, or even simply in public places of exhibition, such as fairs and the like, certain products to be exhibited to the public, for example mainly objects of medium-small size, they are placed in lots of trays or boxes, single or even stacked vertically, side by side to form groups, etc.

Inside these trays or boxes, buyers and / or visitors can freely observe these objects or products and possibly, if interested, take them for purchase.

By way of example only, for a better understanding, think of the trays or boxes positioned in certain areas of the points of sale to display products on offer, new products never previously displayed, or the like.

Such trays or boxes are often made of corrugated cardboard type material to limit the production cost and also the empty weight; moreover, they are generally of a disposable type, that is to say they have printed some very specific indications and / or images relating to the products contained and displayed inside them.

The visibility and accessibility of the products inside such trays or boxes is however rather limited and in some cases unsatisfactory, for the following reasons.

First of all, due to the fact that the cost of these trays or boxes must be reduced to a minimum - as they are often, as mentioned, disposable objects - they are rather essential in their characteristics, and therefore do not require particular technical devices that facilitate visibility and Accessibility.

This design choice, rather penalizing for the function of these objects, is also motivated by the fact that such trays or boxes must be packaged and transported in the simplest and most economical way possible: in other words, they cannot have particularly elaborate shapes or geometries or complex, that is, they must preferably have the minimum bulk and a shape that is as regular as possible.

It must also be taken into account that, since these are objects usually produced in corrugated cardboard, the realization of particular or elaborate shapes could create weakening or breaking points, for example at corners, notches, and the like, due to of impacts, incorrect handling, or other accidental events.

AIMS OF THE INVENTION

The technical task of the present invention is therefore to obviate the aforementioned drawback, by developing a container that allows products and objects to be displayed in such a way that they are easily visible and accessible by any user, in any place the container.

Within this technical task, it is an object of the present invention to provide a container for products which can be easily stacked while preserving the characteristic of easy visibility and accessibility of the products housed therein.

Another object of the present invention is that of realizing a container for products which can be packaged and transported in a practical and economical way, guaranteeing its integrity in every situation.

This aim and these objects are achieved by the container for products according to the attached claim 1.

The container according to the invention comprises means for mobile coupling of the front wall to the side walls, so that said front wall can be manually and selectively movable between at least one closed position, advantageous for transport, and at least one open position: in the latter position, the view of the products and / or access to them are considerably improved and facilitated.

Further advantageous characteristics are described in the dependent claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.

The characteristics of the invention will be better understood by all skilled in the art from the following description and from the attached drawing tables, given as a non-limiting example, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the container with the front wall in the closed position;

- figure 2 is a perspective view of the container with the front wall in the open position;

- figure 3 is a side view of the container with the front wall in the closed position;

- figure 4 is a side view of the container with the front wall in the open position;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a stack of containers according to the invention, with the respective front walls in the closed position;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the stack of containers of Figure 6, with the respective front walls in the open position;

- figure 7 is a plan view of the punched laminar element from which the container according to the invention is obtained.

FORMS OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INVENTION.

With reference to the attached figure 1, the reference numeral 1 generally indicates a container for products according to the present invention.

The container according to the invention is particularly, but not exclusively, indicated for the display of products for sale in supermarkets, shops, other points of sale, and the like; it is naturally also suitable for display in other types of places where the product is not necessarily sold, such as places intended for trade fairs, public offices, or other.

The container 1 for products, as visible in particular in Figures 1 and 2, comprising a bottom surface 2, a rear wall 3, two side walls 4 and a front wall 5 which define a housing, open at the top, and indicated with 6, for products on display. The front wall 5, in particular, is lowered in the central area to facilitate access to the housing 6. The products are not shown in the figures, but can obviously be of any nature, size, etc.

The container 1 according to the invention comprises mobile coupling means, indicated as a whole with 7, of the front wall 5 to the side walls 4.

More in detail, the front wall 5 is movable between at least one closing position - illustrated in Figures 1 and 3 - and at least one opening position - illustrated in Figures 2 and 4. The open position, in particular, facilitates the view of the products and / or access to them, as will become clearer below.

Reference is now made to figure 7, where a laminar element is shown in plan, indicated as a whole with 8, from which the container 1 according to the invention is obtained.

The laminar element 8 is made, for example, of a material such as corrugated cardboard; alternatively it can be made of plastic-like material, or any other material with characteristics - for example specific weight and compliance - similar to those of corrugated cardboard.

The laminar element 8 is defined by a die-cutting contour, indicated as a whole with 9. The laminar element 8 also comprises a plurality of creases that define the bottom surface 2, the rear wall 3, the side walls 4 and the wall front 5.

More in detail, as shown in Figure 7, four central creases 10,11,12,13, mutually orthogonal to each other, define the bottom surface 2, connecting the latter to the rear wall 3 to the side walls 4, and to the wall respectively front 5.

Each of the side walls 4, in turn, comprises a flap 14 and a counter flap 15, separated by a respective side creasing 16.

The rear wall 3 extends, on both sides, respectively with two flaps 17 and respective counter-edges 18; the flaps 17 and the respective counter-edges 18 are separated from each other and from the rear wall 3 by respective rear creases 19.

The bottom surface 2, the rear wall 3 and the side walls 4 comprise reciprocal fastening means, indicated as a whole with 20. Thanks to the presence of these reciprocal fastening means 20, the bottom surface 2, the rear wall 3 and the walls lateral 4 can be folded along the said central creases 10,11,12,13, lateral 16 and rear 19, and can be locked with respect to each other to form the housing 6.

The aforementioned mutual fastening means 20 comprise, in more detail, first tabs 21, provided in each of the counter-elements 18 and in each of the counter-flaps 15, intended to engage in respective first windows 22 provided in the rear wall 3, once each counter-element 18 has been folded. on the respective flap 17 along the rear creasing 19, and each counter-flap 15 on the respective flap 14. The mutual fastening means 20 further comprise a pair of second tabs 23, respectively provided in each flap 17 and counter-edge 18, intended to engage in respective second windows 24 provided along the lateral creases 16, once the rear wall 3 has been folded with respect to the bottom surface 2.

The reciprocal fastening means 20 also comprise third tabs 25, provided in the counter-lugs 15, intended to engage in respective third windows 26 provided in the bottom surface 2, once the counter-lugs 15 have been folded onto the respective flaps 14. To make the container 1 in the box-like conformation in which it appears, starting from the laminar element 8, it is therefore necessary to first fold the counter-elements 18 on the respective flaps 17, and then fold the whole by 90 ° so as to engage the first tabs 21 in the respective first windows 22. Subsequently, it is necessary to fold the flaps 14 by 90 ° with respect to the bottom surface 2, and fold the rear wall 3 with respect to the bottom surface 2 itself by 90 °, so as to insert the second tabs 23 in the second windows 24. Finally, It is necessary to bend the counter flaps 15 by 180 ° with respect to the flaps 14 and around the flaps 17 and counter flaps 18, so as to engage the third tabs 25 in the third flaps windows 26.

The front wall 5, as better clarified below, is pivoting around a horizontal transversal axis defined by one of the aforementioned central creases 10, ie the one provided at the front.

The mobile coupling means 7 of the front wall 5 to the side walls 4 comprise a pair of side wings 27 of the front wall 5 itself, separated from the front wall 5 by front creases 28.

The mobile coupling means 7 further comprise a pair of seats 29, provided in the side walls 4, in which the side wings 27 are slidingly engaged, so that the front wall 5 can be freely rotated, around the central creasing 10, from the closed position - figures 1,3 - to the open position - figures 2,4 - and vice versa.

More specifically, each of the seats 29 is identified between the flap 14 and the counter-flap 15 of the respective side wall 4, between which the flap 14 and the counter-flap 15 an interstice of sufficient width is defined for the insertion of the respective side flap 27. .

Each of the side flaps 27 is substantially shaped like a circular sector so that, once inserted in the respective seat 29, it allows the front wall 5 to rotate around the axis defined by the corresponding central creasing 10. Each of the side flaps 27 is made from an area of the laminar element 8 inscribed within an ideal rectangle of maximum encumbrance of the element 8 itself. It is therefore not necessary to provide external portions or appendages to make said fins 27, which are therefore obtained with a laminar element 8 which is entirely similar to a traditional one, ie suitable for making a box-like structure without a front wall 5 pivoting.

Each side flap 27 further comprises a respective tooth 30, which acts as a limit switch stop for the rotation of the front wall 5 in the opening direction. When designing the container 1, this tooth 30 can be provided at any point of the arc of circumference of the side flap 27, so as to establish, as desired, the maximum opening of the front wall 5.

Further windows can also be provided along the central creases 11, 12, ie adjacent to the second windows 24, intended to receive the respective tooth 30 in such a way as to act as a limit switch for the front wall 5 in the open position.

Alternatively, lateral fins 27 can be made with a rounded edge of the curved edge not in an arc of circumference, but with an oval or elliptical radius, i.e. with two radii or foci, of which the one furthest from the front wall 5 being greater than the other .

In this way, following the opening of the front wall 5, each side flap 27 meets with its curved edge, in correspondence with the major radius, the side creases 16, stopping in its own rotation.

The container 1 according to the invention comprises means for joining to a further container 1 directly superimposed and / or directly subjected, indicated as a whole with 31.

Said joining means 31 comprise, in more detail, a pair of slots 32 made in the bottom surface 2 near the central creases 11, 12, ie near the side walls 4.

The joining means 31 further comprise terminal portions 33 of the second tabs 23, terminal portions 33 which extend from the upper edge of the container 1 and which are intended to engage in the slots 32 of a container 1 directly subjected; similarly, the end portions 33 of the second tabs 23 can be engaged in the slots 32 of a container 1 directly superimposed.

The joining means 31 also comprise recesses 34, provided in the counter-flaps 15, in the flaps 17 and in the counter-joins 18 which allow the insertion of the end portions 33 in the respective slots 32.

â € ¢ The slots 32 can be made with a length slightly greater than that of the end portions 33 of the second tabs 23, so that there may be the possibility of slightly moving one container with respect to the other in front-to-back direction, in relation to specific application needs.

Figures 5,6 show a stack 35 of containers 1 according to the present invention. The stack 35 of containers 1 is made using the joining means 31 described above.

More in detail, in Figure 5 the containers 1 are all with their respective front walls 5 in the closed position, while in Figure 6 the containers 1 are all with their respective front walls 5 in the open position.

As can be clearly seen in figure 5, with the front walls 5 in the closed position, the accessibility of the products and their visibility are rather poor: in this configuration, however, the containers 1 are easily packaged and transportable, either one by one. one that together make up the entire pile 35.

In figure 6, on the other hand, with the front walls 5 in their respective open positions, the visibility of the products and their accessibility are optimal from any position.

The method of use of the container for products according to the present invention is, in the light of what has been described, completely intuitive.

Each container 1, after being freed from the respective transport packaging, is positioned in the selected point for display. The front wall 5 of the container 1 is simply and manually rotated around the axis constituted by the front creasing 10, so as to be brought from the closed position to the open position. In this latter position the products - possibly already present in the housing 6, or inserted in the same when the container is positioned at the point of display - enjoy maximum visibility and accessibility by the persons concerned.

The containers 1 can then be superimposed on each other to form a more or less elevated stack 35, as illustrated in figures 4,6: evidently, it is precisely in this stacked arrangement that the improved visibility and accessibility of the container 1 according to the invention they guarantee the optimal result.

The invention thus conceived allows to obtain important technical advantages.

In fact, the container 1 according to the invention is, first of all, transportable in an easy and economical way, since, with the front wall 5 in the closed position, it has characteristics of minimum bulk, without protruding parts.

At the same time, once positioned at the product display point, and once the front wall 5 has been brought from the closed position to the open position, the container 1, both single and in the form of a stack 35, guarantees the best visibility and accessibility. from various observation points, even decentralized and not in the immediate vicinity, as the front area is widely open.

Furthermore, the container 1 is extremely versatile, as it can be used, with the front wall 5 in the closed position, as a traditional container. The front wall 5, in fact, is held in a stable manner in the aforesaid closing position by superficial friction of the lateral fins 27 inside the respective seats 29, without the risk of accidental opening except by exercising a certain amount of manual traction.

The container 1 also makes it possible to create piles 34 which can be customized in relation to specific needs, for example by opening for display only some of the containers 1 present in the same pile 35, while maintaining the others, for example, to act as spare warehouses.

The container 1, despite the presence of a pivoting and free front wall 5 - which therefore substantially does not contribute to the strength of the container itself - is of solid and sturdy conformation even in the condition of maximum load, and also in the case in which it is made in corrugated cardboard of a rather yielding type.

In fact, the structure of the container 1 is particularly reinforced in the side and rear area, since both the rear wall 3 and the side wall 4 respectively comprise flaps and counter-edges 17,18, and flaps and counter-flaps 14,15 folded and mutually connected. to define a solid and rigid structure.

As mentioned, then, when the front wall 5 is in the closed position, its precise coupling with the side walls 4 contributes to the creation of a resistant and non-deformable structure even during transport.

Last but not least, the container 1 according to the invention can be easily and quickly assembled starting from a laminar element 8 which can be produced at extremely low costs.

It has thus been seen how the invention achieves the proposed aims.

The present invention has been described according to preferred embodiments, but equivalent variants can be conceived without departing from the scope of protection offered by the following claims.

Claims (10)

CLAIMS 1. Container for products, comprising at least a bottom surface (2), a rear wall (3), two side walls (4) and a front wall (5) which define a housing (6), open at the top, for products in display, characterized in that it comprises mobile coupling means (7) of said front wall (5) to said side walls (4) between at least one closed position and at least one open position to facilitate the view of the products and / or access to them. Container according to claim 1, comprising a laminar element (8) in which a die-cutting contour (9) and a plurality of creases (10,11,12,13,16,19,28) define said bottom surface ( 2), said rear wall (3), said side walls (4) and said front wall (5). 3. Container according to the preceding claim, wherein said bottom surface (2), said rear wall (3) and said side walls (4) comprise mutual fixing means (20), so as to be foldable along said creases (10 , 11,12,13,16,19,28) and lockable with respect to each other to make said housing (6) open at the top. Container according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said front wall (5) is pivoting around a transverse horizontal axis defined by a central creasing (10) of said laminar element (8). 5. Container according to one of the preceding claims, in which said mobile coupling means (7) comprise a pair of lateral wings (27) of said front wall (5), separated from said front wall by front creases (28), and a respective pair of seats (29), provided in said side walls (4), in which said side flaps (27) are slidingly engaged. 6. Container according to one of the preceding claims, in which each of said seats (29) is comprised between a flap (14) separated from said bottom surface by a central creasing (11,12), and a respective counter flap (15) , folded on said flap (14) and separated from the latter by a respective lateral creasing (16). 7. Container according to one of the preceding claims, in which said side flaps (27) are substantially shaped like a circular sector. Container according to one of the preceding claims, comprising means for joining (31) to a further container directly superimposed and / or to a further container directly subjected, so as to create a stack (35) of containers (1). Container according to the preceding claim, wherein said joining means (31) comprise end portions (33) which extend from the upper edge of the container and respective slots (32) provided in said bottom surface (2), within which are intended to engage said end portions (33). Container according to claim 5 or 7, wherein each of said lateral fins (27) comprises a respective notch (30) for the rotation of said front wall (5) in the opening direction.