US20120097695A1

US20120097695A1 - Packaging box for storing and dispensing z-folded precut wiping material with a horizontal outlet

Info

Publication number: US20120097695A1
Application number: US13/120,306
Authority: US
Inventors: Maurice Granger
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-09-23
Filing date: 2009-08-07
Publication date: 2012-04-26
Also published as: EP2331431A1; EP2331431B1; FR2936233A1; WO2010034914A1

Abstract

Packaging box for storing and dispensing pre-cut wipe materials of the type having an ultimately parallelepiped shape and made from a one-piece body having a plurality of flanks that are articulated relative to each other by fold lines is distinctive in that the body (1) comprises a front face (1.1) with lateral flanks (1 b) consisting of two parts (1 b 1-1 b 2) in order to constitute a flap after folding, the folded part being offset in height relative to the upper end of the part (1 b 1), the outer lateral flanks being higher than the front and rear flanks, and in that the front wall (1 a) and the perfectly flat upper flank (1 c) are designed along their fold line with a rectangular cut-out (1 d) that defines an end cut at 45° and in that the front wall has, with the bottom face (1 d), a second rectangular cut-out (1 r) defining an end cut at 45°, said cut ends making it possible to grasp the strip of material upstream from tabs forming a limit stop (1 n) for separating pieces of material.

Description

The invention relates to the technical field of dispensing machines for wipe materials of the hand wipe, general-purpose wipe, tissues and similar types of products.
The invention also relates to the packaging of wipe and hygiene materials.
The use of cardboard to make boxes in which wipe and/or hygiene materials are placed is known; these boxes are designed with a cut-out which makes it possible to grasp pieces of strips of material in a pre-cut, folded or interleaved state.
The problem encountered is the extremely inadequate capacity of this type of pack in terms of the volume and quantity of materials to be dispensed. In addition, such packs have parallelepiped configurations and stacking several packs is hardly practical because access to the opening for removing material is prevented or, often, the packs are misaligned relative to each other.
The Applicant's approach was therefore to attempt to devise a new design for packaging boxes which enables the user to easily grasp a more ample volume of wipe materials and also ensures correct arrangement of the packaging boxes relative to each other.
The solution devised by the Applicant fulfils these various objectives and is simple to implement.
According to a first aspect of the invention, the packaging box for storing and dispensing pre-cut wipe materials of the type having an ultimately parallelepiped shape is made from a one-piece body having a plurality of flanks that are articulated relative to each other by fold lines and is distinctive in that the body comprises a front face with two-part lateral flanks in order to constitute a flap after folding, the folded part being offset in height relative to the upper end of the part, the outer lateral flanks being higher than the front and rear flanks, and in that the front wall and the perfectly flat upper flank are designed along their fold line with a rectangular cut-out that defines an end cut at 45° and in that the front wall has, with the bottom face, a second rectangular cut-out defining an end cut at 45°, said cut ends making it possible to grasp the strip of material upstream from tabs forming a limit stop for separating pieces of material placed on an upper panel of the box.
These aspects and others will become apparent from the following description.

The object of the present invention is described, merely by way of example, in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a three-quarter perspective view showing two stacked packaging boxes according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 where both boxes are placed in a storage cabinet.

FIG. 3 is a three-quarter perspective view of the packaging box according to the invention in its unfolded state.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are views of the packaging box as in FIG. 3 showing successive folding operations.

FIG. 6 is a view of the packaging box in its folded state.

In order that the object of the invention may more readily be understood, the following description is given, merely by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings.
The packaging box according to the invention is referred to in its entirety by (B). It has an ultimately parallelepiped shape and is preferably made of cardboard. It is capable of internally accommodating a wipe material (M) in a pre-cut accordion-pleated state which is intended to emerge from each of the boxes by the user pulling and tearing off a piece.
The box thus produced comprises a one-piece body made of cardboard having a plurality of flanks that are articulated relative to each other by fold lines.
The body (1) comprises a front face (1.1) having a square or rectangular configuration on which there is a plurality of flanks. Lateral flanks (1 b) consisting of two parts (1 b 1-1 b 2) are designed to form the lateral walls of the pack after they have been folded one over the other. There is a space between said parts (1 b 1-1 b 2) after folding which makes it possible to insert tabs (1 c 1) that form a sector of a circle and are located at the ends of upper flank (1 c) which, after folding, constitutes a horizontal plane.
Also and according to one important feature of the invention, folded part (1 b 2) is slightly offset in height relative to the upper end of part (1 b 1). A space of the order of 2 to 5 mm is left in order to support the weight of the box or boxes above without exerting pressure on the surfaces over which the strip of material moves. The lateral walls are thus higher than the front and rear walls of the packaging box.
Between front wall (1 a) and flank (1 c) there is, along the fold line in the central part, a rectangular cut-out (1 d), the ends of which are configured as slanting ends. Thus, when flank (1 c) is folded horizontally, this defines an end (1 e) that is cut at 45° in order to make it easier to grasp the material upstream from tabs (1 n) for separating pieces placed on upper flat panel (1 m) of the box.
The front flank also has slits (1 f) that are pre-cut on three sides and make it possible to fix elastic-type quick-release fasteners (3). The lower part of the flank has an inspection and viewing opening in order to check the level of the available stack of material in the box.
To ensure retention of the lateral flaps, there are slots (1 f) close to the fold lines of the front wall with the lateral walls in order to allow insertion of the ends of the folded parts (1 b 2).
The lower part of flank (1 a) continues as bottom wall (1 g) which itself extends as return wall (1 h) designed to close the pack. This wall (1 h) extends as panel (1 m), the ends of which have two tabs (1 n) designed to secure the above-mentioned elastic fasteners. This perfectly flat panel (1 m) sits on top of perfectly flat horizontal upper flank (1 c) of the pack leaving room for the strip of material from inside the box to pass through. These two surfaces (1 m) and (1 c) between which the wipe material passes are perfectly flat and slightly elastically compressed by fasteners (3) in order to discourage and prevent any creasing until the material emerges where the pieces are separated by tabs (1 n).
It should be noted that the slightest creasing makes it impossible to separate pieces of strips of materials. The solution provided by the two perfectly flat, smooth and slightly compressed surfaces (1 m) and (1 c) makes creasing completely impossible. Tabs (1 n) are located very close (approximately 2 to 5 mm) to where the perforated line of the material emerges. Thus, when the inner edges of tabs (1 n) are in contact with the edges of the strip of wipe material, adjacent pieces of the strip of material are separated as the perforated line passes through. Also, elastic fasteners (3) on the tabs for separating the pieces absorb the difference in thickness of the cutting points, which allows more material to pass through.
Tabs (1 n) also have notches or slots (1 p) which make it possible to secure elastic fasteners (3).
Also, in the lower part of the box between the front face and the lower face, a similar opening is provided to facilitate grasping of the material upstream from the separation tabs. This opening is defined by cut-out (1 r) which has a rectangular configuration with slanting ends. At the back, the box may have openings (1 s) through which any levers in a frame which accommodates one or more boxes may pass.
Thus, the box as produced makes it possible to stack several boxes one on top of the other. As it emerges, the strip of material is deformed by passing through the relatively confined space in the outlet between the above-mentioned lateral tabs. It should also be noted that the upper panel of the box has an end edge with a curved configuration in order to facilitate movement and guiding of the strip of material. The panel is perfectly flat.
The packaging box is disposable once the wipe material has been consumed.
The advantages are readily apparent from the description. Features such as the simplicity of this pack, its practical usefulness, easy access by the user in order to grasp the emerging strip of material and stacking which allows tidy storage and makes it possible to offer the user at least two boxes, thereby providing a greater volume of material, are all emphasised.
The above-mentioned packaging boxes can be stored one on top of the other in a container (4) which includes, for two boxes, two windows (4 a-4 b) designed to be opposite outlets for strips of materials. The boxes rest on laterally protruding parts so as not to exert any force on walls (1 m) and (1 c). One of the advantages of the container is the fact that the packaging box located underneath and placed at an appropriate height for dispensing will be emptied first. There will still be wipe material left in the box located underneath. When the box underneath has been removed, the box above will drop down due to gravity and make it possible to install another box.
Outside container (4), the boxes on their own can dispense pieces of material.

Claims

1. Packaging box for storing and dispensing pre-cut wipe materials of the type having an ultimately parallelepiped shape and made from a one-piece body having a plurality of flanks that are articulated relative to each other by fold lines is distinctive in that the body (1) comprises a front face (1.1) with lateral flanks (1 b) consisting of two parts (1 b 1-1 b 2) in order to constitute a flap after folding, the folded part being offset in height relative to the upper end of the part (1 b 1), the outer lateral flanks being higher than the front and rear flanks, and in that the front wall (1 a) and the perfectly flat upper flank (1 c) are designed along their fold line with a rectangular cut-out (1 d) that defines an end cut at 45° and in that the front wall has, with the bottom face (1 d), a second rectangular cut-out (1 r) defining an end cut at 45°, said cut ends making it possible to grasp the strip of material upstream from tabs forming a limit stop (1 n) for separating pieces of material.

2. Packaging box as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that front wall (1 a) continues as a bottom face (1 g) which itself extends as return wall (1 h) designed to close the pack, said wall (1 h) extending as perfectly plat panel (1 m), the ends of which have two tabs (1 n) designed to secure elastic fasteners (3) which are positioned in slits cut out on the front flank of the box.

3. Packaging box as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that the elastic fasteners on the two tabs (1 n) for separating the pieces absorb the difference in thickness of the cutting points, which allows more material to pass through.