MXPA97010459A - Protective device for use with containers that have openings that serve agarrade - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a protective device adapted for use with a container for packing an object wherein the container has an interior space, and a wall that is provided with a grip opening of a selected size and configuration, the protective device functions to preventing the entry of undesirable materials into the interior through the grip opening but allowing a hand to be grasped to grip the grip opening, which comprises: a) a panel part having a peripheral edge and a peripheral margin portion adjacent to the peripheral edge, each piece of panel has a size and configuration to have a larger size than that selected for the grip opening, so that the margin portion is fixed to the wall to place and fix the panel part in a fixed state with the panel part placed over the grip opening b) a first adhesive material disposed on the peripheral margin portion; ica and that functions to fix the panel part and to seal the margin portion to the side wall in a region surrounding the grip opening, and c) a second adhesive material disposed on the peripheral margin portion in a spaced apart relationship with respect to first adhesive material, the second adhesive material being less adhesive than the first, and which serves to removably attach the panel piece to the wall of the container, when the panel piece is fixed, so that a portion of the piece of panel, let go of the wall when sticking your hand through the agar opening

Description

fiSk PROTECTIVE DEVICE FOR USE WITH CONTAINERS THAT HAVE OPENINGS THAT SERVE FROM GRIPPERS The present invention relates generally to the packaging of objects in containers to inhibit contact with the object with dust or other particulate contaminants in the environment, the present invention relates to the packaging of objects in boxes having openings serving as handles formed through the wall thereof so that a user can manually pick up the box by inserting the hands through the handle openings. This invention is then directed to structures that can be mounted over handle openings to prevent entry of contaminants. The use of -different containers, such as boxes, for packing objects to store and / or send them, is As is well known, a large part of these containers have different forms of corrugated paper boxes that provide a relatively inexpensive and disposable means of packing objects. Frequently, such cartons and other containers are provided with a pair of handle openings in the side wall, which facilitates the lifting and handling of the object of the box. In cardboard boxes, those handle openings are typically cut through the side wall of the box and can be either a single opening or alternatively, they can have a hinge opening.

The presence of the handle openings, in which they communicate with the interior of the container, correspondingly reduces the effectiveness of the exclusion of the contaminants from the package to allow the interior to enter. Therefore, since the interior is not sealed, dust and other contaminants may enter from the outside environment into the interior of the container. Therefore, although the handles provide a very useful addition, they are not without disadvantages. The entry of dust and other contaminants into the package containing an object is a major problem when the objects are delicate electronic items, especially by electrostatic charges that may be in the equipment, electrostatic charges can attract dust particles and other contaminants in the form of particles. The nto isolate such electronic equipment is prevalent in the computer industry, but the penetration of dust and other contaminants is a problem in the packaging of stereo equipment, medical equipment and even bicycles, to name only a few products, therefore, It is a frequent practice to put the product in a sealed plastic bag and place the product wrapped in the package. This increases the cost in the form of materials and work, and also increases the amount of material to be discarded, when the object is removed from the package. Therefore, there is a nfor better protective F * devices that can be used in conjunction with a container to pack an object in order to prevent contact of the object with airborne contaminant particles. There is also a nfor a package in combination with a protective device that can accommodate an object in an efficient manner to reduce the likelihood of contamination of the object during storage and shipment. There is a n therefore, for a simplified device that can be used with packages or containers, such as boxes of cardboard, in order to isolate the inside of the box from the environment where the box is provided with a gripping opening. It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel and useful device that protects when mounted on the inside of the package or container over a gripping opening in order to protect the interior against the penetration of contaminating particles. Another object of the present invention is to provide a non-expensive protective structure that can be mounted on the handle opening formed in the side wall of a box or another package to isolate the inside of the box from the outside environment as long as access is allowed. for the hand through the grip opening. It is another object of the present invention to provide a protective device that is mounted over a gripping opening25 in a package and which is cheap and simple in construction and application. Still another object of the present invention is to provide a package or container for the packing of objects containing both gripping openings and protective devices for the container that masks the gripping openings protecting the interior of the container with respect to the external environment. According to the present invention a protective device is provided for use with a container when packing an object, wherein the container has an interior and a wall that is provided with a gripping opening of a selected size and configuration communicating with the interior. The protective device according to the present, works to prevent the entry of undesirable materials _in_the interior through the gripping opening, but allowing to put the hand to grasp the grip opening. Broadly, the present invention includes a panel part having a peripheral peripheral rim and a peripheral margin portion adjacent the peripheral rim. The panel part has a size and is configured to have a size greater than the selected size and configuration of the opening, so that the margin portion is fixable to the container wall, thereby placing the part in a fixed state with the panel placed over the opening. A first adhesive material is arranged in the peripheral margin portion and works to fix the panel part. The adhesive material first seals the margin portion to the wall in an area surrounding the grip opening. This first adhesive is preferably arranged in the peripheral margin portion in a non-interrupted continuous band around the margin portion. A tear-off backing panel may be used to protect the first adhesive material before securing the protective device to the container wall. In its more specific structure, the peripheral margin of the panel part, is formed as a double-fold structure that includes a fin section folded inwardly as a hinge that joins a panel section to a fold line defining the peripheral edge of the panel piece. The wing section as a hinge has a central portal that is positionable over the grip opening when the part has been fixed, the first adhesive is then located over the wing section as a hinge, so that the exclusion panel section can be expanded. moving away from the wing section in a bellows-like manner when the hand reaches through the grip opening in the portal. Thus, the exclusion panel section together with the wing section, create a camera that receives the hand while the camera is isolated from the inside of the box. Whereas, the second adhesive material can be arranged in discontinuous segments around the peripheral edge, preferably it is formed as a continuous band extending around the wing section as a hinge of the margin part. "Without taking into account whether only the first adhesive material is present or whether both the first and the second are present, it is desirable that the backing material be removably attached to the panel part. The back panel works to protect the adhesive materials before the panel part is put in a fixed state. The backup panel, of course, is started before the protective devices are attached to the container wall. In addition, to facilitate In the manufacture of containers, the back panel can be formed as an elongated strip with a plurality of panel pieces attached to this strip for consecutive use. When the device.protectQr_is formed to have a part of double fold margin, the wing section with The hinge terminates at a surrounding terminal edge that is opposite the peripheral edge of the panel part. Thus, the portal is formed as an access opening located centrally and surrounded by the terminal edge. Although the piece can take any desired geometric configuration as long as it has a In the size and configuration for extending over the gripping opening and covering a portion of the surrounding wall with the opening of the panel, it is preferred that the part has a rectangular shape.

The present invention is thus directed to the protective device 25 described above as well as, an improvement to an existing box or package in the form of that protective device functioning to prevent the entry of undesirable materials into the interior of the box, through the opening of grip. Further, the present invention includes a container having a bottom wall, an upper wall and a side wall enclosing an interior, the side wall having at least one but preferably a plurality of gripping openings formed therethrough. A protective device is located in a fixed state on the container, being a protective device for each grip opening. Each protective device is as described. These and other objects of the present invention will become easy to appreciate and understand considering the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments in relation to the drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 is a perspective view representing a prior art container used for packing objects. FIGURE 2a, is a schematic cross-sectional view of the wall of the prior art container shown in Fig. 1, and that is provided with a grip opening. FIGURE 2b is a schematic cross-sectional view of the prior art container having a hinge grip opening. • FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of a first exemplary embodiment of the protective device, according to the present invention. FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view of the side wall of a container having the protective device of FIG. 3, masked to a representative grip opening. FIGURE 5 is a perspective view, partially * 10 interrupted showing a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIGURE 6, is a cross-sectional view taken around lines 6-6, of FIG. FIGURE, is a top plan view showing the protective device of FIGS. 5 and 6, fixed on the container side wall. FIGURE 8a is a cross-sectional side view taken around lines 8-8 of FIG. 7, the protective device being in a collapsed state. FIGURE 8b is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 8a, showing the protective device in an expanded state. FIGURE 9 is a top plan view showing a plurality of protective devices, such as Those shown in Figs. 1 and 5, mounted on an elongated back strap; and FIGURE 10 is a perspective view of another alternative embodiment of the present invention. The present invention is directed to a protective device that is adapted to be used with a container when packaging an object, in order to prevent the entry of undesirable materials into the interior of the container, through the gripping openings formed in a wall thereof. . The present invention is also directed to a container or box provided with gripping openings and to those protective devices. This invention in particular concerns corrugated paper boxes having gripping openings cut by dice, for the purpose of insulating the interior of those boxes, when certain objects, such as electronic, medical equipment, etc., are packaged for shipping and storage. . Therefore, for example, as shown in Fig. 1, a prior art container 10, is presented as a cardboard box having a surrounding wall including a bottom wall that is not shown, a pair of walls end walls, such as a wall 12, and a pair of side walls such as the side wall 14. An upper wall is formed by fins 16 and 18, which can be folded over one another and sealed until the box will be, each of the walls 12, is provided with a gripping opening 20, of an important selected size and configuration that the panel part 32, has a size that is • greater than the selected size, and the configuration of the grip opening in the container on which it is to be fixed. The panel part 32 can be constructed from any suitable material, such as paper, plastic film and the like. A first adhesive material 38 is disposed in the peripheral margin portion 36, and forms a first continuous band extending around the margin portion 36.

The adhesive material 38, is temporarily protected by a back panel 40, tear-off to fix the piece 32, removably to the panel 40, in order to protect the first adhesive before it is placed on the wall 12, of the container 10. The bootable backup panel 40, can simply be removed during the manufacture ~ automatic or manually, if the protective device 30, is manually applied to the wall 12, of container 10. As shown in Fig. 4, the protective device 30, is fixed to the wall 12, here the panel part 32, is in a fixed state where it is placed on the gripping opening 20, so that the adhesive 38, acted to fix and seal the margin portion 36, completely around the opening perimeter 20. Preferably, as shown in FIG. This Fig., the panel part 32, is mounted so as to bulge inwardly into the interior 22 of the container 10. Thus, in a fixed state, the panel part 25 will form a chamber 42, which communicates both with opening 20, to allow introducing the hand to grip the opening 20, as it insulates the interior 22, from the external environment. When the panel part 32 is formed of a plastic film, that film may be stretchable to allow bulging to occur when the hand is inserted through the opening. A more preferred construction of a protective device according to the present invention, is shown in Figs. 5-8, in these, it can be seen that the protective device 50, is formed by a panel part 52, having a peripheral edge 54. , and a peripheral margin 56, located adjacent to the peripheral edge 54. Here, however, the panel part 52 is formed by an exclusion panel section 58, while the margin portion 56 is formed by a structure fold 60, which includes a wing section 62, folded inwardly joining the exclusion panel section 58, to a folded line 64, which defines the peripheral edge 54, of the panel piece 52. The section 58, and the 62, are each preferably formed from a suitable paper material. In addition, they may be separate sheets of paper or the panel piece 52, may be constructed as an integral piece formed by a sheet folded in itself about a peripheral edge portion. The wing section as a hinge 62, extends completely around the peripheral edge 54, and has a portal 66. As shown, the portal 66, is a centrally located opening which is adapted to be placed on the grip opening when the piece of the east panel in the fixed state. Thus, the wing section 62, ends in a terminal edge 68, which is opposite the peripheral edge 54, of the panel piece 5 52. This portal forms a centrally located access opening surrounded by the terminal edge 68. Preferably, this access opening is similar in geometry to the shape of the panel piece 52. A first adhesive 70 is disposed in the section of to 62, and extends completely around the portal 66, as an adjacent continuous band, that is, adjacent the terminal edge 68. The first adhesive 70, completely covers an upper marginal area 57, adjacent the upper peripheral edge 55, and is located between this 55, and an upper portion of portal 66, along the upper terminal edge portion 69. A U-shaped portion 71 of first adhesive material 70 extends along the remainder of terminal edge 68. In addition, a second adhesive 72 is disposed in fin section 12, and extends as a band. continuous in a U shape, located near the edge 54, and spaced from the U-shaped portion, 71, of the first band of the adhesive 70. Thus, a region 74, located between the first adhesive 70, and the second 72, is not adherent. It is desirable that the first adhesive 70, be an adhesive , in order to properly seal the hinge wing section 62, to the wall 12, of the container 2, so as to isolate the interior of the container 10 from the external environment. The adhesive 72, on the other hand, will be weaker as an adhesive than the adhesive 70. Therefore, the adhesive 72 serves to removably join the peripheral edge 54, of the panel part 52, to the wall 12, as it is shown in Fig. 8a. The upper marginal area remains fixed to the wall above the grip opening 20. In the manufacturing process, it is preferred that these adhesives are the same base adhesive, such as an acrylic adhesive with a second adhesive 72, that is sufficiently killed to decrease its adherent capacity, as is known in the art. It is also possible that the region 74 is covered with adhesive, but in that region it is completely "killed", so that it has no adhesive property. In any case, the tear-away backing panel 78 is provided to protect the adhesives before the panel piece 52 is put on the wall 12. With reference to Figs. 8a and 8b, it is seen that the protective device 50, can move from a flattened state shown in Fig. 8a, to an expanded state shown in Fig. 8b, where the exclusion panel 58, expands away from the section of wing 64, as if it were a bellows. This expansion creates a chamber 76, capable of receiving the hand through the gripping opening and the portal 66. Thus, the camera 76 communicates through the portal 66, and the opening 20, with the outside, to insert the hand while the camera 76, remains isolated from interior 22, of • the box 10, thanks to the sealed connection of the section 64, to the wall 12, by the adhesive 70. The expansion like bellows of the device 70, is allowed by the removable nature of the adhesive 72, which holds the device 50, in a flat state, shown in Fig. 8a, but which is removed when the hand is inserted and put into an expanded state, this sticky state of the protective panel 50, in the flat state facilitates the packing of an object ML inside the container, and allows easy introduction of the hand to grab the container. It is to be understood that the adhesive material 72, need not be formed in a continuous band, but the adhesive material 72, may be disposed over the section 62, as a series of discontinuous segments. In addition, the sticky adhesive 72, 15 could also be placed between the wing section 62, and the exclusion panel 58, to glue them together in a flat state before expansion. Now referring to FIG. 9, it can be seen that the back panel 78 can be formed as a continuous elongated strip 20 to which a plurality of the protective device 50 is removably attached. This allows sequential devices to be removed from the backing. band 78, when applied to a container 10, in an automatic manufacturing process. Referring now to Fig. 10, a third exemplary embodiment of the invention is shown, in the form of a protective device 80, which is similar in construction to the * device 50, with the exception that it refers to the portal structure and to the first and second adhesive bands. In Fig. 10, the protective device 80, includes a panel part 82, with a peripheral edge 84, and a margin portion 86, adjacent the edge 84. The portion 86, is formed as a similar double-folded structure. to the double fold structure 60, and includes the hinged wing section 92, which is connected to an exclusion panel (not shown), in a fold line 94, which # 10 defines the peripheral edge 84, a portal 96, is centrally located with respect to and joined by a hinged wing section 92. Here the portal 96, and the hinge structure 92, are formed by a common sheet of a similar material to the paper being the portal 96, formed by a plurality of cuts 98, so that when the hand is inserted through the opening 20, the strips 98 cut off from one another. The first adhesive material 98 is formed as a continuous band around the portal 96, while the second adhesive material 89 extends as an interrupted band. next to the peripheral edge 84, the strip 90 being spaced apart from the adhesive 88, and not connected to any part of the first material 88, this strip of the second material 89 can be continuous if desired, of course any structure of the adhesive strip could be used in any mode without leaving of the scope of the invention.

The present invention is thus directed to the protective device described above, as well as to an improvement of an existing container or box in the form of that protective device, which serves to prevent the entry of undesirable materials into the interior of the box through an opening of grip. Furthermore, the present invention includes the combination of a container having a bottom wall, an upper wall and a side wall that functions to enclose an interior, the side wall having at least one, but preferably a plurality of gripping openings formed in the interior. she. A protective device is located in a fixed state on the container, there being a protective device for each grip opening.

Claims (17)

1. CLAIMS 1.- A protective device adapted to be used with a container for packing an object in which the container has an interior space, and a wall that is provided with a grip opening of a selected size and configuration, the protective device functions to prevent the entry of undesirable materials into the interior through the grip opening but allowing a hand to be grasped to grip the grip opening, which comprises: a) a panel part having a peripheral edge and a peripheral margin portion adjacent to the edge peripheral, each piece of panel has a size and configuration to have a larger size than that selected for the grip opening, so that the margin portion is fixable to the wall to place and fix the panel part in a fixed state with the panel part placed on the gripping opening; b) a first adhesive material disposed on the peripheral margin portion and functioning to fix the panel part and to seal the margin portion to the side wall in an area surrounding the grip opening; and c) a second adhesive material disposed on the peripheral margin portion in a spaced relationship with respect to the first adhesive material, the second adhesive material being less adherent than the first, and which serves to removably attach the panel piece to the wall of the container, when the panel part is fixed, so that a portion of the panel part is released from the wall when the hand is inserted through the grip opening.
2. 2.- A protective device according to the 5 claim 1, wherein the first adhesive material extends as a first uninterrupted continuous band around the margin portion. jf?
3. 3. A protective device according to claim 1, which includes a bootable back panel at 10, which panel piece is removably fixed, this back panel serves to protect the first adhesive before it is placed in a fixed state on the wall, the panel part has a rectangular configuration.
4. 4. A protective device according to claim 3, wherein the back panel is formed by P ^ an elongated strip having a plurality of panel pieces attached to the strip.
5. 5. A protective device adapted for use with a container for packaging an object wherein the container 20 has an interior space, and a wall that is provided with a grip opening of a selected size and configuration, the protective device functions to prevent the entry of undesirable materials into the interior through the gripping opening but permitting the insertion of a hand to grip the gripping opening, which comprises: a) a panel part having a peripheral peripheral rim and a peripheral peripheral rim portion and adjacent to the peripheral edge, the peripheral margin portion formed as a double fold structure includes an inwardly folded wing section attached to an exclusion panel section in a fold line defining the peripheral edge of the piece. panel, the panel part is configured and has a size that is larger than the selected one and the configuration of the to grip, so that the margin portion is fixed to the wall to be placed and fixed, the panel piece remaining is placed on the gripping opening and the hinge wing section having a portal that is placeable on the opening of grip; and b) first adhesive material serving to fix the panel part in a fixed state and to seal the peripheral margin portion to the wall in an area surrounding the grip opening, the adhesive material being first formed as a first band and located over the hinge wing section, so that the panel exclusion section can be expanded away from the hinge wing section when the hand is inserted through the grip and portal opening, which produces a camera that receives the hand, leaving the camera isolated from the interior of the container.
6. 6. A protective device according to claim 5, wherein the panel part is integrally tf 21 formed in a single piece by the material of the panel.
7. 7. A protective device according to claim 5, wherein the first band of the first adhesive material is arranged on the hinged wing section near the portal and includes a second adhesive material on the hinged wing section, the second adhesive material is close to the peripheral edge and spaced from the first band of the first adhesive material and functions to removably attach the peripheral edge of the panel piece to the container wall when the panel part is in the fixed state.
8. 8. A protective device according to claim 7, wherein the second adhesive material is less adherent than the first, so that the peripheral edge is released from the wall when the hand is inserted through the grip opening and the the portal structure.
9. 9. A protective device according to claim 7, wherein the second adhesive is configured as a second continuous band that surrounds the first band in a spaced apart relationship with respect to it.
10. 10. A protective device according to claim 5, wherein the hinge wing section terminates at a surrounding end edge opposing the peripheral edge of the panel part, the portal being formed as a centrally located access opening. and it is surrounded by the terminal edge.
11. 11. - In a container adapted for use in packaging an object wherein the container has an interior space and a wall that is provided with a handle opening of a selected size and configuration, the improvement comprises a protective device that functions to prevent entry of undesirable materials to the interior space, through the handle opening, but allows the hand to be grasped to take hold of the handle, the protective device includes a piece of panel having a surrounding peripheral edge and a 10 peripheral margin portion adjacent the leading edge, the margin portion is formed as a double fold structure including an inwardly folded hinge fin having a portal and is attached to a panel exclusion section in a crease line that defines the peripheral edge 15 of the panel part, and includes a first uninterrupted web of a first adhesive material located in the margin portion, the part has a size and configuration to present a panel size greater than the selected size and configuration of the panel. the grip opening, so As the marginal portion is fixed to the wall by the band of the first adhesive material, giving it position and fixing the panel part in a fixed state with the panel part and the portal placed in copper the grip opening, the first adhesive material is located in the hinge fin section of 25 so that the panel exclusion section can be expanded away from the hinge wing section when the hand is placed through the opening and the portal, thereby producing a camera that can receive the hand entering through the gripping opening, the The first adhesive material causes sealing of the marginal portion to the wall in an area completely surrounding the grip opening so that the chamber is isolated from the interior space of the container.
12. 12. The improvement according to claim 11, wherein the first band of the first adhesive material is disposed on the hinge fin section in the vicinity of the portal and includes a second adhesive material on that fin section, which is eerean disposed to the peripheral edge and spaced apart from the first web of the first adhesive material and functions to removably attach the peripheral edge of the panel part to the wall of the box when the panel part is in a fixed state.
13. 13. The improvement according to claim 12, wherein the second adhesive material is less adherent than the first, so that the peripheral edge will be released from the wall when the hand is inserted through the gripping opening and the structure of the portal , the second adhesive is configured with a second band that surrounds the first band at a certain distance.
14. 14. The improvement according to claim 11, which includes a bootable back panel to which the panel piece is removably attached, the back panel serves to protect the first adhesive material before it is placed in the state fixed on the wall.
15. 15. A container adapted for use in packaging objects, comprising: a) a bottom wall, an upper wall and a surrounding wall that functions to enclose an interior space, the surrounding side wall has a handle opening formed therethrough , opening that has a selected configuration and size; and b) a protective device that includes a panel piece integrally formed of a single piece of panel material and having a peripheral peripheral edge and a peripheral peripheral margin portion adjacent to a peripheral edge, that margin portion is formed as a structure double-fold that includes an inwardly folded hinge fin section attached to an exclusion panel section in a fold line defining the peripheral edge of the panel part, those panel part has a panel size and configuration that are larger than the configuration and size of the grip opening and the hinge fin section has a portal, which is placed above the gripping opening, the panel part being fixed to a part of the side wall that surrounds the opening, in a fixed state, so that the peripheral margin portion is sealed to that part of the wall lateral, and then the protective device will prevent the entry of undesirable materials into the interior by the grip opening, but will allow the introduction of the hand to catch the handle; and c) a first adhesive material located in the 5 peripheral margin portion and formed as a first continuous band around the margin, the first adhesive material is formed as a first band and works to fix ^ W > hermetically the margin portion to a portion of the side wall and is located in the hinged flap section 10 so that the exclusion panel section can be expanded away from the fin section when the hand is placed through the opening and the portal to create a camera that accommodates the hand, the camera being isolated from the interior space.
16. 16. A container according to claim 15, 15 wherein the first web having the first adhesive material is located near the portal and includes a second adhesive material on the hinge fin section, the second adhesive material located in the vicinity of the peripheral edge and spaced apart from the first adhesive material on the outside. first band, 20 serves to removably attach the peripheral edge of the panel part to the side wall.
17. 17. A container according to claim 16, wherein the second adhesive material is less adherent than the first, so that the peripheral edge will be released from the wall At the side when the hand is inserted through the gripping opening and the 2ß structure or arch of the portal, the second adhesive is configured as a second continuous and therefore uninterrupted band that surrounds the first band at a certain distance from it. R E S UM E N A protective device (30) is provided for use with a packaging container (10) having an interior space (22) and a grip opening (20) of a selected size and configuration. The protective device (30) prevents the entry of undesirable materials into the interior space (22) through the opening (20), but allows the introduction of the hand to catch the grip opening (20), and comprises a part of panel (32) having a peripheral peripheral rim (34) and a peripheral peripheral margin portion (36) adjacent the peripheral edge (34). the panel part (34) has a size and configuration to present a panel size greater than the corresponding size and configuration of the grip opening (20) so that a margin portion 936) is fixable to the side wall (12) whereby the panel part (32) is set in position and fixed, remaining above the grip opening (20). A first adhesive material (380) is placed over the margin portion (36) and serves to fix the panel part (32) in a fixed state and to seal the margin portion (36) to the wall (12) in an area surrounding the grip opening (20).