WO1998022365A1

WO1998022365A1 - Divider panel

Info

Publication number: WO1998022365A1
Application number: PCT/US1997/021701
Authority: WO
Inventors: James R. Oliff
Original assignee: The Mead Corporation
Priority date: 1996-11-20
Filing date: 1997-11-19
Publication date: 1998-05-28
Also published as: AU5459598A

Abstract

A divider panel (10, 12) for separating tiers of articles (5) wherein the articles (5) have substantially circular tops and bases has a sheet (12, 22) with undulating, or sinusoidal-shaped, perimeter edges (14, 24) whose peaks (16, 26) are arc-like segments that correspond to the bases and tops of the articles (5) and whose troughs, or valleys (18, 28) are inverted substantially identically images of the peaks (16, 26).

Description

DIVIDER PANEL

Background of the Invention

The invention relates generally to divider panels for separating tiers of articles, and more particularly to nesting divider panels for articles having substantially circular tops and bases .

Divider panels serve as buffers between adjacent tiers of stacked articles such as cans. Examples of divider panels are shown in U.S. patents Nos . 5,437,143 and 5,395,044. When manufacturing divider panels from sheets of material, it is desirable to minimize the material used to form the divider panels . It is also desirable to minimize the scrap material that remains when panels are formed from webs of material. So-called "nesting" is a technique useful to minimize scrap.

When a rectilinear panel is used to separate tiers of articles having substantially circular bases and tops (such as cylindrical cans) , the material lying between adjacent articles in a tier generally does not contribute to buffering. It would be useful and desirable to reduce the amount of material used to form a divider panel and to minimize scrap from the manufacturing process, and to use non-essential portions of the divider panel to do so.

Summary of the Invention

In accordance with one preferred embodiment, the invention provides a divider panel for separating adjacent tiers of stacked articles having substantially circular tops and bases wherein at least one portion of the perimeter thereof has an undulating, or sinusoidal, configuration. The undulating configuration may be rectilinear or curvilinear. Brief Description of the Drawings

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a divider panel according to a preferred embodiment of the invention shown disposed over an array of articles having circular tops .

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a group of the divider panels of FIG. 1 in a nested configuration.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a divider panel according to another preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 is an isometric illustration of the panel of FIG. 3 disposed for use between two tiers of articles having circular tops and bases .

FIG.5 is a plan view of a divider panel according to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a divider panel according to still another preferred embodiment of the invention.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

The teachings of the invention are directed to separating adjacent tiers of stacked articles wherein the articles have substantially circular tops and bases. The description which follows describes the teachings of the invention in conjunction with articles having circular tops and bases. However, substantially circular shapes such as octagons and ovals are considered to be within the scope of the invention. Throughout the drawings, the same reference numerals are used to refer to identical features .

Referring first to FIG. 1, therein is shown in plan view a divider panel 10 for separating tiers of arrays of articles having substantially circular tops and bases according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. The divider panel 10 is shown disposed over an array of containers 5 having a circular top and base, such as a can. The panel 10 is formed from a sheet 12 of material such as paperboard. An optional flap 13 for manipulation of the panel 10 and securement of the panel 10 in a carton forms one of the ends of the panel 10. The unattached edge of the flap may serve as an edge of the panel 10. Two opposing side edges 14 of the panel 10 have what may be described as an undulating or sinusoidal configuration. Each undulating, or sinusoidal, edge 14 is formed by a series of adjoining substantially identical alternating inverted arc-like segments 16, 18. Each peak segment 16 is a substantial inverted mirror image of a trough, or valley, arc-like segment 18. The arc-like segments 16, 18 correspond to the curvilinear configuration of an article 5, such as a can, having a substantially circular top and base. The peak arc-like segments 16 overlie can 5 tops while the valley arc-like segments 18 correspond to the spaces in between the article 5 tops .

Referring now also to FIG. 2 therein is illustrated how edges 14 of the panels 10 are nestable with one another with the peak 16 of the edge 14 of one panel engaging the valley, or trough, 18 of another divider panel 10.

Referring now to FIG. 3, therein is illustrated a divider panel 20 according to another preferred embodiment of the invention. Similar to the panel 10 of FIGS. 1 and 2, the panel 20 of the preferred embodiment of FIG. 3 likewise is formed from a sheet 22 with a securement flap 23 and also has an undulating, or sinusoidal, edge 24. Referring briefly to FIGS . 1 and 2 , the undulating/sinusoidal edges 14 of the divider panel 10 of the first preferred embodiment is rectilinear, being formed of substantially straight segments. Each arc-like segment 16, 18 being substantially straight flanked by oblique portions. Referring now again to FIG. 3, the edges 24 of the divider panel 20 of the second preferred embodiment are curvilinear with the arc-like segments 26, 28 being curved rather than substantially straight.

Referring now to FIG. 4, therein is illustrated, from a three-dimensional vantage point, utilizing the divider panel 20 of FIG. 3, the manner in which the divider panels 10, 20 of the subject invention interrelate with and separate adjacent tiers of arrays of articles 5.

Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, therein are illustrated the options of further increasing the nestability of divider panels by providing 3 or 4 edges of the panel with an undulating/sinusoidal configuration. When the configurations of FIG. 5 or 6 are used, additional amounts of non-buffering material are eliminated without impairing the effectiveness of the panel and further enhancing nestability. Although the configuration of additional edges with the undulating/sinusoidal pattern is only illustrated in use with the curvilinear panel, these features are also applicable to the rectilinear model of FIGS. 1 and 2.

Modifications in addition to those described above may be made in the foregoing without departing from the scope and spirit of the claimed invention.

Claims

1. A divider panel for separating tiers of articles having substantially circular tops and bases, the divider panel comprising a sheet having perimeter edges at least one of said perimeter edges having a sinusoidal configuration.

2. The divider panel of claim 1, wherein said perimeter edges include opposing side edges having a sinusoidal configuration.

3. The divider panel of claim 2, wherein said perimeter edges include opposing end edges at least of said opposing end edges having a sinusoidal configuration.

4. A divider panel for separating tiers of articles having substantially circular tops and bases, the divider panel comprising a sheet having perimeter edges at least one of said perimeter edges formed by a series of substantially identical alternating inverted arc-like segments .

5. The divider panel of claim 4, wherein said arc-like segments are rectilinear having substantially parallel segments adjoined by oblique edges.

6. The divider panel of claim 4, wherein said arc-like segments are curvilinear.

7. A package comprising: at least two tiers of articles having substantially circular tops and bases, said at least two tiers stacked one upon the other having interposed therebetween a divider panel having at least one sinusoidally-shaped perimeter edge wherein peaks thereof correspond to and overlie outer perimeter segments of tops of said cans of a lower one of said tiers.

8. The package of claim 7 wherein said substantially circular tops and bases are circular.

9. A divider panel for separating tiers of articles, the articles having substantially circular tops and bases, the divider panel comprising a sheet having perimeter edges at least one of said perimeter edges having substantially parallel segments adjoined by edges which are substantially oblique with respect to said substantially parallel segments .

10. A package comprising: at least two tiers of articles having substantially circular tops and bases, said at least two tiers stacked one upon the other and having interposed therebetween a divider panel, said divider panel having at least one perimeter edge having substantially parallel segments adjoined by edges which are substantially oblique with respect to said substantially parallel segments wherein outermost disposed ones of said substantially parallel segments and said edges which are substantially oblique overlie outer perimeter segments of said substantially circular tops of said articles of a lower one of said tiers .