WO2001042092A2

WO2001042092A2 - Insulated packaging container

Info

Publication number: WO2001042092A2
Application number: PCT/IB2000/001827
Authority: WO
Inventors: Nicholas Andrew Carpenter
Original assignee: Nicholas Andrew Carpenter
Priority date: 1999-12-08
Filing date: 2000-12-08
Publication date: 2001-06-14
Also published as: WO2001042092A3; AU1722901A

Abstract

A packaging container (1) is provided which is formed by folding a suitably cut and sulcated sheet (4) of material having panels of insulating material (20-25) thereon. The packaging container so formed is fully lined with insulating material.

Description

A PACKAGING CONTAINER

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to packaging and more particularly but not exclusively to packaging for articles requiring thermal insulation.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

A particular circumstance arises in the transport of certain medicines and drugs which require to be kept at temperatures lower than ambient for the period from despatch until use. The transport of these substances will often take sufficient time to allow them to absorb sufficient heat, if not protected, from the ambient surroundings to cause unacceptable damage.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a package which can be easily stored and made ready for use, which will provide insulation and which can be inexpensively manufactured. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with this invention there is provided a packaging container comprising a layer of cut and sulcated sheet material on which are provided panels of insulating material, the sheet material being foldable into a self-supporting container fully lined with insulating material.

Further features of this invention provide for the panels to be of expanded plastics material, for the ends of adjacent panels in the folded container to overlap to provide strength and sealing of the exterior of the container; for the panels to be adhesively secured to the sheet material; alternatively for the panels to be moulded on the sheet material; and for adjacent moulded panels to be interconnected by a web of insulating material.

The invention also provides for the sheet material to be cardboard, for the cutting and sulcating to provide co-operating interengagable extensions to at least some of the sides to secure the assembled package and for the provision of an overlapping strip on the lid to secure the closure of the package.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features of this invention will become apparent from the following description of one example in which reference is made to the accompanying drawing which shows in.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a sheet of material foldable into a package

Figure 2 an oblique view of a partially assembled package DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

As illustrated in Figure 2 a packaging container (1) is made to provide a packing space (2). This space (2) is made to hold snugly different commonly used containers (not shown) for medicines and drugs.

Referring also to Figure 1 , the container (1) consists of an outer layer of cardboard sheet (4) which is suitably cut and sulcated in known manner to enable the container (1) to be folded therefrom. The sheet (4) is rectangular with a rectangular flap (5) extending centrally from one side (7) thereof and is foldable to form the container (1 ) which has sides (10) and (11 ), a front (12) and back (13), bottom (14) and lid (15), the lid being formed by the flap (5).

Panels (20, 21 , 22, 23, 24, 25) of an expanded plastics material, in this embodiment polystyrene, are secured to each of the sides (10, 11), front (12), back (13), bottom (14) and lid (15). The size of these panels (20, 21 , 22, 23, 24, 25) is such that their adjacent ends, shown for example at (30), frictionally engage each other when the container (1) is assembled. This not only provides for good sealing of the container but also provides structural strength.

Extensions (40, 41) to the sides (10, 11) are provided to overlap and interengage to secure the container (1) in the assembled condition. This assembly can be varied in many ways well known to carton manufacturers and requires no detailed description.

A strip (45) of suitable pressure sensitive adhesive is applied to the top outside face of the front (12) of the container (1 ) to secure a folded tongue (46) which extends from the free edge of the lid (15).

The assembled container (1 ) provides a substantially hermetically sealed enclosure with the surrounding material providing a high degree of insulation against both mechanical shocks and thermal conducting. It will be appreciated that the containers (1) can be stored in a folded out flat condition requiring little space and can be easily and quickly assembled as and when required.

It will be further understood that the example described above can be varied without departing from the scope of the invention. The material of and securing of the panels to the cardboard sheet can be different as in fact may the sheet itself. For example, the panels can be moulded on the sheet using an expanded polyurethane. According to this method of manufacture it may be preferable to bevel the edges of the panels to assist in removal from the moulds. Where moulding is used to form the panels it may be desirable for there to be a thin web of material interconnecting adjacent panels, particularly where the edges of the panels are bevelled. Panels interconnected in this manner are not to be considered as being a single panel. Such a method of manufacture is envisaged to be preferable to adhesively securing panels on a cardboard sheet.

Also, as mentioned above, the particular means of retaining the container in the assembled state will also be chosen to best meet particular circumstances.

The invention provides a useful packaging container which will provide means for the transport and limited storage period for materials requiring protection against ambient temperatures.

Claims

1. A packaging container comprising a layer of cut and sulcated sheet material on which are provided panels of insulating material, the sheet material being foldable into a self-supporting container fully lined with insulating material.

2. A packaging container as claimed in claim 1 in which the panels are made of an expanded plastics material.

3. A packaging container as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 in which the ends of adjacent panels in the folded container to overlap to provide strength and sealing of the exterior of the container.

4. A packaging container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the panels are adhesively secured to the sheet material.

5. A packaging container as claimed in claim 4 in which the panels are made of polystyrene.

6. A packaging container as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 in which the panels are moulded on the sheet material.

7. A packaging container as claimed in claim 6 in which adjacent panels on the sheet material are interconnected by a web of insulating material.

8. A packaging container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the sheet material is cardboard.

9. A packaging container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the cutting and sulcating provides co-operating interengagable extensions to at least some of the sides to secure the assembled container.

10. A packaging container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which an overlapping strip is provided on a lid to secure the closure of the package.

11. A packaging container substantially as herein described and as illustrated with reference to Figures 1 and 2.