MXPA97010476A - Container with openings for ventilac - Google Patents

Abstract

A ventilated container is described having lower (6), lateral (8) and upper (4) panels. The vented holes (16) extend from the side panels to either the upper or lower panels. The area cut from the portion of the ventilation holes in the upper and lower panels (18) is greater than the area cut from the portion in the side panels (2).

Description

CONTAINER WITH OPENINGS FOR VENTILATION FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to containers particularly adapted for storing and shipping products, and more particularly to a stackable container formed from corrugated cardboard or other rigid, elastic and flexible sheet materials having openings or slits for ventilation .

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Stackable containers are used to store and ship products such as fruits, vegetables and the like. Traditionally, stackable containers were in the form of wooden boxes comprised of spaced wooden strips that define openings therebetween which could easily be packaged with produce either in the field or in the packaging warehouses. The packaged or packaged containers could then be stacked, stored and shipped with the product contained therein.

REF: 26006 Since the product is extremely perishable, product containers must be cooled rapidly just above freezing under high humidity conditions to prevent excessive respiration. The containers are typically stored at temperatures from about -1 to + 1 ° C (31 to 35 ° F) and at a relative humidity of at least 90%. The cooling is generally carried out by recirculating the cooled humid air through the openings formed between the wooden strips of the wooden boxes. Before cooling, product containers should be fumigated to kill insects and the like. The wooden boxes used to store the product are advantageous because the openings between the wooden strips provide adequate ventilation. In addition, the boxes are strong and therefore can be stacked one on top of the other during storage. However, wooden boxes are disadvantageous because they are expensive to manufacture, use non-recyclable materials and because their excessive weight is added to the cost of shipping and handling. Paper materials, such as corrugated cardboard, are lighter, recyclable and cheaper than wood. In recent years, containers made of combinations of flat sheets of cardboard (for example, cardboard for coated / intermediate corrugated folding / cardboard for coating) have been replaced by wooden boxes in some fruit and vegetable packing operations. Such cardboard containers are constructed of flat sheets of cardboard materials, which are appropriately cut and stuck in a one-piece blank or blank, and shipped to the user in a flattened condition. The blank can be folded to form a complete container in the field, without the use of staples, adhesives, and the like. There is still resistance to the use of containers constructed of cardboard materials, because it has been difficult to provide adequate ventilation and strength. As with wooden boxes, cardboard containers should have sufficient ventilation or even provide the necessary strength to protect the contents during storage and shipment. It is customary to provide openings or ventilation slots in the cardboard containers, along each major surface or panel thereof as shown, for example, in J.M. Dun in et al., U.S. Patent No. 3,114,493; J.P. Hamilton, U.S. Patent No. 3,157,346; R. Wiemann, U.S. Patent No. 3,520,468; B.K. Baptist, U.S. Patent No. 4,053,098; W.F. Cornell et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,175,691; and H.D. Muise, U.S. Patent No. 5,002,224, each incorporated by reference herein. Ventilation openings typically have multiple axes of symmetry to facilitate die cutting of blanks or primordia. It is generally preferred to provide ventilation openings along the notched lines defining the adjacent panels of the blank. When the blank is folded around the notched line, a portion of the openings will appear in each of the two adjacent panels. Such arrangements are described in, for example, W.E. Owens, U.S. Patent No. 3,973,723 and C.P. Welmer, U.S. Patent No. 4,770,339, each incorporated by reference herein. As with the ventilation openings mentioned above, the openings in these patents have multiple axes of symmetry. Each opening defines a cut area in which half of the cut area appears in each of the adjacent panels.

The number and size of ventilation openings are determined based on the interests of the competition. On the other hand, it is desirable to have a large cut area, to ensure adequate ventilation for the circulation of the fumigant agents and the cooling medium. On the other hand, the resistance of the container decreases as the surface area of the openings increases. The prior arrangements of the ventilation openings described in the aforementioned patent citations are disadvantageous in that they do not make rapid venting of the product possible, or because the containers are not rigid enough to provide adequate protection of the contents during the storage and boarding. It would therefore be a significant advantage in the technique of manufacturing containers for storage and shipment of products, to provide the containers with an arrangement of ventilation openings which makes possible the rapid and efficient infiltration and circulation of the means of fumigation and of cooling, such as cold air, while minimizing the loss of rigidity of the container. As a result, the product is protected when the containers are stacked one on top of the other.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a stackable container, in which the openings or slots are provided in a single arrangement to maximize the circulation of the fumigating agents and the cooling medium, such as cold air, while retaining sufficient rigidity in the panels of the container to make it possible for the containers to be stacked one on top of the other without deformation. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a container having upper, lower and side panels comprising openings defining cut areas, to allow the passage of vaporized materials (eg, fumigants and cooling medium) through these, at least some of the openings overlap the upper and side panels and / or at least some of the openings overlap the lower and side panels, where the cut area of each of the openings in overlap in the upper and / or panels lower, exceeds the cut area of each of the overlapping openings in the side panels. According to the present invention, the larger cut area in the upper and / or lower panels, provides improved ventilation of the contents of the container, while minimizing the loss of stiffness, so that the containers can be easily stacked and / or embarked.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The following drawings, in which similar reference characters indicate similar parts, are illustrative of the embodiments of the invention, and are not intended to limit the invention as encompassed as the claims forming part of the application.

Figure 1 is a partial schematic view of a blank or blanks to form a container according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the blank in Figure 1, folded into the shape of a container; Figure 3 is a side view of an embodiment of an opening positioned in a folding or notched line for use in the present invention; Figure 4 is a side view of another embodiment of an opening positioned over a folding or notched line for use in the present invention; Figure 5 is a side view of a further embodiment of an aperture positioned on an undercut line for use in the present invention; Figure 6 is a side view of yet another embodiment of an opening positioned on a tucked line, for use in the present invention; Figure 7 is a side view of one more embodiment of an aperture positioned on an undercut line, for use in the present invention; Figure 8 is a side view of yet another embodiment of an aperture positioned on an undercut line for use in the present invention; and Figure 9 is a side view of an opening positioned on a notched line according to the prior art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to stackable containers, especially for the storage and shipping of product such as fruits, vegetables and the like. In a preferred form of the invention, the container is particularly suitable for storing and shipping grapes. Because the contents of the container are highly perishable, efforts should be made to keep the product at cold temperatures of the order of approximately -1 to + 1 ° C (31 to 35 ° F). In addition, the product should be fumigated typically with well known vaporizable fumigants. It is common for the product to be harvested in the field and immediately placed in the container. The containers are taken to a storage facility where they are stacked one on top of the other in columns. As is customary, the stacked containers are fumigated and then cooled with a cooling medium such as cold air, to thereby rid the product of insects and the like, and to reduce the temperature of the product and with this the respiration rate. The containers should have openings of sufficient area so that fumigants and cold air can easily pass through them and between each container, and pass properly between the product contained in them. In addition, the container must possess sufficient structural strength so that the containers can be stacked one on top of the other without deformation. Applicants have discovered that openings placed along the creased or folding lines of adjacent panels of the container (eg, upper and side panels, as well as lower and side panels), provide maximum ventilation, while they minimize the loss of structural integrity, when the cut area of the openings in the upper and / or lower panels is greater than the area cut in the side panels. When the product containers are stacked one on top of the other, the openings in the upper and lower panels are substantially protected from the atmosphere. In this way, it is difficult for the fumigators and / or the cooling medium to pass through the stacked containers, because the product contained therein prevents the flow. The openings in the side panels are thus not restricted, so that the fumigant agents and the cooling medium can easily enter the containers. However, the flow is still impeded by the presence of the product. In this way, the flow of the fumigant agents and of the cooling medium between the stacked containers is decreased, making it difficult to use cardboard-type containers for storage of the product. Some improvement is observed in the ventilation characteristics of the cardboard containers, when the openings appear along the notched lines, so that the portions of a single opening appear in adjacent panels, such as, for example, in the upper panels and lateral When the containers are stacked, the fumigant agents and / or the cooling medium can enter the portion of the opening in the side panel, and immediately rise out of the container through the portion of the top panel. According to the present invention, the portion of the opening in the upper panel or in the lower panel is larger than the portion of the opening in the side panels. When the containers are stacked one on top of the other, the larger opening portions of the upper and lower panels are aligned with each other. When the fumigating agents and the cooling medium enter the side panel portion of the openings, a "chimney effect" is created in which the flow is quickly extracted or pulled through the stacked containers. This is because the largest portion of the openings in the upper and lower panels, offers much less resistance to flow than in previous storage vessels. As a result, there is a more efficient use of the fumigant agents and the cooling medium during the storage process. With reference to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown a one-piece blank 2, made of a rigid but foldable material, such as corrugated board or composite thereof (e.g., coated board / intermediate corrugated fold / cardboard) of coated) and the like. The blank 2 is composed of upper panels 4, a lower panel 6 and side panels 8 and 9. The upper and side panels and the lower and side panels are connected together via the notched lines 10 and 12, respectively. The folding of the panels around the respective notched lines 10, 12, will form the blank 2 in the shape of a container 14, as best shown in Figure 2. In accordance with the present invention, a plurality of openings 16 in spaced relationship along at least one of the notched lines 10 or 12. Although the number of openings along a single notched line may vary, approximately 3 to 5 openings are preferred. A cut area (eg, the surface area) having a first portion 18 in the top panel 4 or the bottom panel 6 is thus formed, depending on whether the opening 14 is placed along the notched line 10. connecting the upper panel 4 and the side panel 8, or along the notched line 12 connecting the lower panel 6 and the side panel 8. A second portion 20 of the cut area, is placed on the side panel 8. According to With the present invention, the cut area of the first portion 18 of the opening 16, is larger than the area of the second portion, which preferably has a proportion of the respective surface areas 18, 20, of up to about 3: 1.

The use of openings that have a larger cut area in the upper and lower panels than in the side panels, improves the circulation of the fumigant agents and the cooling medium, by generating a chimney effect making this easier than the flow travel through and between the containers. As a result, all containers in a stacked column are efficiently fumigated and cooled. The side panels provide the structural strength necessary to support the containers when they are stacked together. Any that reduces the surface area or the structural integrity of the side panels will adversely affect the strength of the container. Accordingly, the cut area of the opening on the side panels is minimized according to the present invention. Thus, the openings 16 employed in the present invention have more than 50% and preferably up to about 75% of the cut area on the side of the notched lines 10 and 12, coinciding with the upper and lower panels 4 and 6, respectively. As shown, for example, in Figures 3-7, the shape of the aperture can vary widely and includes circles, triangles, ellipses, polygons, irregular shapes such as are specifically shown in Figures 6 and 8, combinations thereof. and similar. The openings can therefore have a simple axis of symmetry or multiple axes of symmetry. What is critical to the present invention is that the cut area of the opening portion in the upper and / or lower panels 4, 6, exceeds the cut area of the opening portion that appears in the side panels 8. It will be appreciated that the container of the present invention can also include conventional openings shown in Figures 1 and 2 by the reference number 30, which do not intersect by an undercut line. These openings may appear in the side panels, in the upper panels, in the lower panels or combinations thereof, and are typically of the type used in the patent citations to which reference is made previously. However, it is preferred that the total cut area of the openings does not exceed about 10% of the surface area of the container, more preferably in the range of about 5 to 10%. In a preferred form of the invention, the ratio of the cut area of the first portion 18 to the cut area of the second portion 20 is in the range of about 1: 1 to about 3: 1. The container of the present invention can be manufactured first by forming a blank and then die cutting the openings therein, with appropriate dies.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 1 The blank piece of cardboard having a total of 8 overlapping circular openings (four on each side) along the creased lines as shown in Figure 9, was folded to form a container. The circular openings each had a radius of 18.25 mm and a cut area of approximately 1046 mm2. The cut area of each opening coinciding with the upper and lower panels was therefore approximately 523 mm2, and the cut area of each opening coinciding with the side panels was approximately 523 mm2. The vessel was tested for structural strength in a customary manner, and was found to withstand a pressure of 396.9 kg (875 pounds) before deformation.

EXAMPLE 1 A container was formed in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the blank contained a total of 8 vertically oriented elliptical openings, of the type shown in Figure 5, which have the dimensions of 44 mm x 24 mm and a area cut for each opening of approximately 1050 mm2. The first portion of the cut area for each opening coinciding with the upper and lower panels was approximately 700 mm2, and the cut area of the second portion of each opening coinciding with the side panels was approximately 350 mm2. The container was tested in the same manner as described in Example 1. The container was able to withstand a pressure of 426.4 kg (940 pounds) before deformation.

EXAMPLE 2 A container was formed in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the blank contained a total of 8 triangular openings of the type shown in Figure 4, each having equal longitudinal sides measuring 49 mm. The cut area of each triangular opening was approximately 1040 mm2. The apex of the triangle appeared in the side panels, such that the cut area of each opening for the upper and lower panels was approximately 690 mm2, and the cut area for each opening for the side panels was approximately 350 mm2. The container was tested for structural strength as described in Example 1. The container was able to withstand a pressure of 417.3 kg (920 pounds) before deformation.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 2 A container of the same type described in Example 2 was formed, except that the triangular openings were inverted so that the apex of the triangle appeared in the upper and lower panels. The cut area of each opening for the upper and lower panels was therefore 350 mm2, while the cut area for each portion of each opening in the side panels was 690 mm2. The container was tested for structural strength in the same manner as in Example 1. The container was able to withstand a pressure of 360.6 kg (795 pounds).

As shown by the Examples, the containers employing openings in accordance with the present invention (for example, wherein the overlapping openings have a larger cut-off area in the upper and lower panels than in the side panels), showed greater structural strength that the containers where the side panels had the same or greater cut area than the upper and lower panels. In addition, the present containers provide a more rapid and efficient flow of the fumigant agents and the cooling medium through the containers stacked one on top of the other.

It is noted that in relation to this date, the best method known by the applicant to carry out the aforementioned invention, is the conventional one for the manufacture of the objects to which it relates.

Having described the invention as above, property is claimed as contained in the following:

Claims (11)

1. A container having upper, lower and side panels, characterized in that it comprises openings defining cut areas that allow the passage of vaporized materials through the container, at least some of the openings overlap with the upper and side panels, the lower panels or lateral or both, wherein the cut area of each of the overlapping openings in the upper and lower panels, exceeds the cut area of each of the overlapping openings in the side panels.

2. The container according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the overlapping openings overlaps the upper and side panels or the lower and side panels.

3. The container according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises openings that do not overlap, which appear completely in at least one of the upper, lower or lateral panels.

4. The container according to claim 1, characterized in that the total cut area of all the openings is up to about 10% of the total area of the container.

5. The container according to claim 1, characterized in that the total cut area of all the openings is about 5 to 10% of the total area of the container.

6. The container according to claim 1, characterized in that the ratio of the cut area of each overlapping opening in the upper and lower panels to the cut area of each overlapping opening in the side panels is in the greater than approximately 1: 1 range. up to about 3: 1.

7. The container according to claim 1, characterized in that the overlapping openings are in the form of a polygon.

8. The container according to claim 1, characterized in that the overlapping openings are in the shape of a circle.

9. The container according to claim 1, characterized in that the overlapping openings are in the shape of a triangle.

10. The container according to claim 1, characterized in that the overlapping openings are in the form of an ellipse.

11. The container according to claim 1, characterized in that the overlapping openings have an irregular shape, the area cut in the upper and lower panels have a first shape, and the area cut in the side panels has a second shape, different from the First form.