WO1992004239A1

WO1992004239A1 - Container for transportation and merchandising with releasable front wall

Info

Publication number: WO1992004239A1
Application number: PCT/FI1991/000267
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jouni Suokas; Jussi HILDÉN; Pekka Virtanen
Original assignee: Jospak Oy
Priority date: 1990-08-30
Filing date: 1991-08-30
Publication date: 1992-03-19
Also published as: AU8397391A; FI913335A; FI913335A0

Abstract

The package is formed at the moment of packaging of a blank (1) erected on a bottom (6) and folded along vertical fold lines (2) in a polygonal shape. The batch of articles (7) is packed through the open vertical side so that the articles are formed in layers on top of each other in the package space (10), after which the open vertical side (10a) is closed by a separate front wall (3) and the package is closed by a cover (5). The package is transported to the retail store (E), where the vertical side (10a) of the package space (10) is opened for displaying the articles by removing the separate front wall (3). The blank (1), the front wall (3), the bottom (6) and the cover (5) are returned to the site of packing (A).

Description

Container for transportation and merchandising with releasable front wall.

The object of the invention is the package presented in the introductory part of claim 1 for packaging and display of batches of articles on sale at a retail store.

At retail stores, display packages are now used, in which the articles, such as single items, are packed so that they are ready for sale after opening the package. Packages of this kind are usually placed on the shelves or on the floor of a retail store. A problem with this kind of package and method for packaging has been the use of a relatively complicated package blank as well as the many unnecessary inter¬ mediate stages of packing and preparing the package for sales condition. Furthermore, the package blanks are too complicated for recycling and re-use.

The European Patent Application 353,135 presents a package for display and sale of articles hanging from bars. From a technical point of view, this package does not fulfil the requirements for packages of articles to be stored on top of each other; in addi- tion, the used package can hardly be folded together and recycled after it has become empty.

The German Patent Application 3941111 presents a package constructed for display of articles only, and aspects of simplicity of package, material savings and space utilization are disregarded. In this system, the package space is open on three sides and closed by a cardboard cover which takes a great deal of space when opened and is as such difficult to trans- port. Furthermore, the structure of the package which is at the sales site, open on three sides, always requires separate carriers supporting the articles in the side direction. The invention is intended for improving the techniques of prior art by providing a package which can simplify the packing of products to be placed on top of each other, their transport and preparation for sales condition as well as improve the recycling of package materials. To fulfil this purpose, the package accord¬ ing to the invention is primarily characterized by the features presented in the characterizing part of claim 1. By means of a separate front wall which forms one vertical side of the package, the package can be formed to a package closed in the side direction by mounting the front wall between the edges of the other vertical walls forming the frame of the package. By removing the front wall from the said position, the package can be easily prepared for sales condition as a sales package in which the articles are on top of each other at the open side formed in the place of the front wall.

In the other dependent claims, also some advantageous embodiments of the package are presented. The sides folded from the plane-like blank form most of the vertical sides of the package with a polygonal horizon- tal cross-section so that one vertical side of the package space defined by them is left open, wherein a separate front wall can be attached to the outermost sides of the blank. The articles can thus be inserted to the package space through the open vertical side, after which the front wall can be fixed in place. By opening the vertical side by removing the front wall, the products can be prepared for sale at the retail store. A separate front wall takes little space at the store, the blank supports well the articles displayed, and the package material is easily recycled and compact during transport. The edges of the blank can have edge strips foldable in the direction of the vertical side to be opened and closed for keeping the front wall in place. In addition, the package can be formed in the shape similar to sales shelves by arranging between the layers of articles special sublevels which can be fixed to the sides of the blank advantageously detachably from the blank.

Several advantageous alternatives for the shape of the bottom are possible for placing the lower edges of the walls forming the vertical sides of the package on the bottom. The bottom can also be formed as a pallet, facilitating the transport of the package.

In the following, the invention is explained in more detail with reference to the attached drawings, in which

Figure 1 shows the separate parts of a package according to the invention,

Figure 2 shows the package of Fig. 1 preassembled for transport,

Figure 3 shows the package in sales condition at a retail store.

Figure 4 shows the whole method of packing with its different stages made possible by the form of the package,

Figure 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the bottom of the package.

Figure 6 shows an embodiment of the bottom according to the invention as seen from above,

Figure 7 shows the bottom as seen from the side, Figs 8a-c show the different alternatives for the shape of the side edge of the bottom,

Figure 9 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the package illustrating the possibilities for arranging the sublevels in the package space , and

Figure 10 shows an alternative package, in which the support structure of the package is formed of trays placed on top of another.

Figure 1 shows the main components of a package according to the invention. The package comprises a plane-like blank 1 illustrated in its extended position by broken lines. Folded along the vertical fold lines 2, the blank forms three of the four vertical sides of the package which has a rectangular shape in the horizontal cross-section. These parts of the blank forming the vertical sides have the reference numbers lb, lc and Id, and they form the three sides 10b, 10c and lOd closing the package space 10. Thus the fourth vertical side 10a remains open. In addition, the package comprises a bottom 6 separate from the blank for supporting the erected package blank so that the lower edges of the vertical sides of the blank lean against it. The package further comprises a separate straight front wall 3 with which the open vertical side 10a of the package can be closed, and a cover 5 which can be placed on top of the upper edges of the vertical sides of the blank so that it closes the upper side lOe of the package space.

As shown in Fig. 1, the package blank 1 is placed in folded condition onto the bottom 6 so that one vertical side 10a of the package space 10 remains open. The products are packed through the open side 10a into the package space 10 so that the products will be arranged in layers on top of each other. After this, the vertical side 10a is closed by the front wall 3, whereby its lower edge is placed also on the support of the bottom 6. The front wall 3 is placed behind the edge strips 4 in the outermost blank parts lb, id forming the parallel side walls of the package, the strips bein turned in the direction of the open side 10a, so that the front wall stands straight in between the edges of the outermost blank parts. After this, the cover 5 is placed on the top side lOe so that the edges of the cover extending downwards surround the upper edges of the vertical walls ""b, lc and Id and the front wall 3. Thus a transpo_cable package is formed, as shown in Fig. 2, which has the shape of a quadratic prism.

The packing of the products can be carried out so that the edge strips 4 are first parallel to the side walls lb, Id, whereby the articles can be inserted directly from the side without disturbance by the strips 4.

Figure 3 shows a package made ready for sale at the retail store. The vertical side 10a of the package space 10 is opened by removing cover 5 and by with¬ drawing the front wall 3 upwards out of the place of side wall 10a. The articles on top of each other within the package are thus displayed and easily to be picked up by the purchaser. The figure also shows the horizontal sublevels 8 which make the open package similar to a sales shelf and which are described in detail further on.

Figure 4 illustrates all the stages of the method utilizing the package. The figure shows the order of recycling of the package and its parts as shown in Figs. 1-3. The batch of products formed by the ar¬ ticles 7 placed in layers on top of each other are packed into the package formed by the bottom 6, blank 1, cover 5 and the front wall 3 at the package site A in the manner described above. After this, a transport container is ready for transport e.g. into a wholesale store or another intermediate depot C (arrow B) . From there, the transport container is transported to the store E (arrow D) where it is made ready for sale. After the package has been emptied, at least the blank 1 and the front wall 3 as well as the bottom 6 can be returned to the package site A (arrows F) . The blank, the front wall and the bottom are compact in size and easily recycled, which reduces waste problems. Also the sublevels 8, if they are used, and the cover 5 can be returned to the package site A when desired.

Figure 10 shows an alternative structure of the package. The package space is formed of trays 8 on top of each other making up the shelves supporting the articles 7, whose opposite ends have horizontal support surfaces at the upper and lower edges 8a, 8b for stacking, whereas the ends 8c stacked on top of each other form the two vertical sides 10b, lOd of the package space. On the front side, the trays are open between the ends thus forming an open vertical side and shelf-like support levels. A separate front wall 3 is arranged to be placed between the edges of the vertical sides lOb, 10c so that it covers the side of the open package space situated between these edges and stands upright between the edges. Contrary to the package described above, in this alternative the edge strip 4 at the corner of the separate front wall and the side wall making up the vertical side of the package space is linked to the side edge of the front wall 3 and folded on the side wall. The package can be made ready for sale by removing the front wall and the cover 5, whereby the articles 7 are displayed at the open vertical side. In addition. Figure 10 shows how the package space can be closed also on the opposide side by a similar front wall 3 with its edge strips 4. This is for the case that the trays 8 are similarly open at their back sides as their front sides. The figure also shows the bands 14 which can be wrapped in the hori¬ zontal direc ion around the entire package. The uppermost band can also be used for fastening the cover 5 whose downwards folded edge strips are thus kept towards the upper parts of the walls. Further, the cover can be sealed by the band 14 so that the adjacent edge strips form an opening at the corner, and a corresponding opening is located at the corner of the walls of the package, whereby the band 14 can pass through the openings at the corners of the edge strips of the cover and the openings at the corners of the walls, thus locking the cover onto the package in the vertical direction. This way of locking can of course be applied also to the package shown in Figs. 1-4.

Furthermore, Figure 10 shows how at the package site the separate front wall 3 can be used after it has been removed by attaching it behind the package so that the information on it, such as an advertisement, is visible above the package space. For this purpose, the front wall and/or the hind wall of the package space is fitted with suitable connecting organs. In the case shown in Fig. 10, the front wall can be fitted with tongues which are folded forward and pushed in between the opposite support surfaces 8a, 8b of the ends of two trays on top of each other. In the package shown in Figs. 1-4, the same can be done by means of upwardly directed tongues in the hind wall that supports the wall 3. Figure 5 shows a general form of the bottom 6 used in the package according to the invention. The bottom is arranged in the shape of a pallet, whereby it has longitudinal supports 15 lying on a floor or other support surface, whereby a suitable longitudinal space 16 is left between them for example for a forklift truck or other transport and lift device for easy removal of the transport container.

Figures 6 and 7 show an embodiment of the bottom according to the invention in further detail. In the horizontal plane, the bottom is primarily rectangular and has a middle part 6a and edge areas 6b. As best shown in Figs. 8a-c, the middle part 6a forms in the vertical direction the upper plane G of the bottom which at the edges terminates in the downwards directed walls 13a, the lower ends of which terminate in the bottom surfaces 13c which are at a lower plane I than the upper plane G. By means of this structure, the side wall of the package can be supported against the bottom 6 so that its lower edge is supported by the bottom surface 13c and the surface of the lower edge on the side of the middle part 6a is supported by the wall 13a.

The bottom surface 13c can extend at the same level as far as to the extreme edge of the bottom 6. Thus the position of the walls on the bottom can be secured e.g. by the above-described bands 14 surrounding the package which press the lower edges of the walls against the walls 13a functioning as support surfaces at each side of the bottom. However, the figures show an embodiment in which the position of the lower edges of the walls is further secured so that a wall 13b is located on the other side of the bottom surface 13c opposite the lower part of the walls 13a, whereby a groove 13 is formed at this site in which the lower edge of the side wall of the package can be placed by dropping from above. The width d of the groove can be chosen according to the thickness of the package material to be used, as shown in Figs. 8a-c, and it can be e.g. in the range of 3...8 mm.

As also shown in Figs. 8a-c, the edge area 6b between the wall 13b and the extreme edge of the bottom is at a lower plane H than the plane G of the middle part 6a of the package. Thus the middle part 6a forms in a way a platform rising above the edge areas 6b situated outside the middle part so that at the height of the wall 13a of the middle part, a free space is formed above the plane H extending to the edge of the bottom. Thus the organ supporting the lower edges of the side walls of the package, such as the band 14 surrounding the platform, can be placed in the side direction from the outside onto the side wall in question, whereby it fastens the side wall well against the wall 13a forming the edge of the platform. In Fig. 8a, such a possibility is shown by broken lines, and the side wall of the package is marked with the reference numeral 3. The depth of the groove, i.e. the distance between the planes H and I, may vary for example in the range of 5...12 mm, and the height of the side wall 13a above the groove, i.e. the distance between the planes G and H, may vary for example in the range of 10...20 mm.

The Figures 8a-c further show how the wall 13b of the groove in the side of the edge area 6b turns at its upper end towards the edge of the bottom, for example because the upper end of the wall is rounded. This site guides the lower edge of the side wall of the package better into the groove 13 and thus alleviates its placing on the bottom. As seen from Fig. 6, the wall 13a is situated on each straight side of the bottom. Similarly, the groove 13 surrounds endlessly the middle part 6a, and the enlarged view illustrates how the joining point of different portions of the groove can be rounded at the corners of the bottom. Figure 1 further shows by broken lines the legs 15 which can be of any type used in package bottoms.

The dimensions of the bottom 6 according to the invention can naturally vary. According to the size of the package, for example commonly used bottoms of 600 x 400 mm or 800 x 600 mm may be used. As far as the shaping of the edges of the bottom is concerned, also an alternative with equal height of side edges 13a and 13b of the groove 13 is feasible, whereby the groove is formed at the upper surface of the bottom lying on the same plane, as shown in Fig. 5. Also in this alternative, the wall at the edges of the middle part 6a defined by the groove 13, which wall is the other wall of the groove, is utilized according to the invention. However, this alternative does not have a possibility of using separate organs which would press the side wall of the package against the wall from the outside.

Although the description above has dealt with the use of the bottom 6 primarily as the bottom of the package according to Figs. 1-4, it can also be used under the package shown in Fig. 10. The bottom thus also facil¬ itates the interlocking of the package in the side direction, which is an important advantage of the invention, because the separate front walls 3 can at their lower edges be placed towards the support surface 13a, and the trays 8 can rest on the middle part 6a of the bottom. The bottom can be made of any suitable material. In serial production, for example injection moulding of a plastic material can be used, wherein the mould can be pre-fitted with the shape with which one of the above-mentioned shapes of the edge of the bottom is achieved according to the invention. The grooves can also have a wedgelike, downwards convergent shape. Because of the moulding technique, it is useful to arrange the walls of the grooves to diverge from each other at least slightly from below upwards.

Figure 9 shows the separate sublevels 8 between the layers of articles 7 which can be used as trays of articles in the package as shown in Figs. 1-4. The sublevels can be freely loose in the package space 10, or, as shown in Fig. 9, they can be attached at the edges to the two opposite vertical sides lb and Id of the blank, i.e. to the side walls of the package as viewed from the direction of the open side lOa. The sublevels 8 are detachably connected to the vertical sides lb. Id by the upwards directed tongues 11 formed by the sides lb. Id, whereby the sublevel 8 comprises the edges folded upwards from its plane as well as the holes in the fold line, through which the planes can be inserted onto the support of the tongues 11. Sublevels of this kind are advantageous in the case that the articles 7 are not self-supportive, i.e. they do not remain in uniform layers. Sublevels of this type can be used e.g. for packing upright bags into the package space 10. In addition, the sublevels 8 provide the package with an appearance more similar to that of a display shelf.

Alternatively, the tongue can also be formed so that a support provided with upwards directed tongues 11 is glued to the inner surface of the wall. Thus there is no need for cutting the package material. In practice, this can be performed for example by glueing two strips of e.g. corrugated board on top of each other, the top strip having the tongues mentioned above. This alternative is illustrated in the cross-sectional view of the lower figure of Fig. 9.

The separate planes 8 can, in turn, be used for packing self-supportive articles which stand in layers of very uniform height, such as tins.

In the foregoing, the invention has been described primarily with respect to packages of rectangular shape. Also other shapes of packages than that with a rectangular horizontal cross-section are possible, for example all packages folded along vertical fold lines and having a polygonal horizontal cross-section. However, the rectangular shape is preferable for space utilization.

The blank 1 or the trays 8 on top of each other are made of a sufficiently strong cardboard material, and generally available package cardboard or corrugated board can be used. Similarly, also the cover 5, the front wall 3 and the possible sublevels 8 are ad¬ vantageously made of cardboard.

A suitable size for the package is e.g. 400 x 600 mm in the horizontal cross-section; the height of the package space can be approximately 800 mm. Naturally, also larges packages can be used.

In addition to the possibility of recycling, con¬ siderable savings, in comparison with using methods of prior art, are gained in packaging costs, which are only a fraction for each batch of products by using the package according to the invention.

Claims

Claims :

1. Package for packing and displaying batches of articles to be sold at a retail store, comprising a bottom (6) , a package space (10) placed on the bottom closed from the outside in the side direction by side walls (10a, 10b, 10c, lOd) , and a cover (5) closing the package space at the upper edges of the vertical sides, whereby one vertical side (10a) is arranged to be closed and opened, characterized in that one vertical side (10a) is arranged to be a separate front wall (3) attachable and detachable to and from the other sides (10b, 10c, lOd) .

2. Package according to claim 1, characterized in that in the corner between the vertical side (10a) to be closed and opened and the vertical side (10b, lOd) adjacent to it, in one of said sides there is an edge strip (4) at the edge of the wall forming the side, which strip is folded onto the other side.

3. Package according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it comprises a plane-like blank (1) which, in the vertical position and folded along vertical fold lines (2), forms most (10b, 10c, lOd) of the vertical sides (10a, 10b, 10c, lOd) defining the package space (10) with a polygonal horizontal cross- section, whereby one vertical side (10a) of the package is arranged to be closed and opened in such a way that it is formed of a separate front wall (3) at¬ tachable and detachable to and from the outermost sides (lb, Id) of the blank.

4. Package according to claims 2 and 3, characterized in that the edges of the blank (1) forming the other vertical sides (10b, 10c, lOd) comprise edge strips (4) foldable towards the direction of the vertical side (10a) to be closed and opened, for keeping the front wall (3) in place.

5. Package according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that it comprises sublevels (8) between the layers of articles (7) .

6. Package according to claim 5, characterized in that the sublevels (8) are attached to the sides (lb, Id) of the blank, advantageously detachably from the blank.

7. Package according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the package space (10) is formed of trays (8) stacked on top of each other and forming the shelves supporting the articles (7) , whereby the upper and lower edges (8a, 8b) of the opposite ends of the trays (8) have horizontal support surfaces for stacking on top of each other, and the ends (8c) on top of each other form two vertical sides (10b, lOd) of the package space, whereby the separate front wall (3) is arranged to be attachable and detachable to and from them.

8. Package according to any of the claims above, characterized in that the middle part (6a) of the bottom (6) terminates at the edges in a downwards directed wall (13a) connecting the bottom surface (13c) situated at a lower level (I) than the middle part and the middle part (6a) , which wall (13a) is arranged as a support surface for back surfaces facing the package space (10) at the lower edges of at least some walls (3, lb, lc, Id) forming a vertical side of the package space.

9. Package according to claim 8, characterized in that the middle part (6a) forms a platform rising above the edge areas (6a) of the bottom outside the middle part so that at the height of the said wall (13a) , a free space is formed above the edge areas (6b) which space extends to the edge of the bottom for placing an organ, such as a band (14) , supporting the lower edges of the side walls of the package, in the side direction on the package wall (3, lb, lc, Id) lying against the wall (13a) .

10. Package according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that a wall (13b) extending upwards from the bottom surface (13c) stands between the bottom surface and the edge areas (6b) , whereby the wall (13a) on the side of the middle part, the bottom surface (13c) and the wall (2b) on the side of the edge areas together form a groove (13) for placing the lower edges of the walls (3, lb, lc, Id) of the package.

11. Package according to claim 10, characterized in that the upper end of the wall (13b) of the groove on the side of the edge areas (6b) of the bottom turns towards the edge of the bottom for guiding the lower edges of the walls (3, lb, lc, Id) of the package.

12. Package according to any of the claims 8-11, characterized in that the bottom (6) is formed as a pallet, whereby it has supports (15) known as such for supporting the bottom against a floor or other support surface, whereby passages (16) are left between the supports (15) for inserting transport and lifting organs, such as forks of a forklift, under the bottom.

13. Package according to any of the claims above, characterized in that the bottom (6) and the parts (13a, 13c, 13b, 15) formed therein are made by moulding as one piece, advantageously of a plastic material.