WO2004080798A2

WO2004080798A2 - Raisable packaging item

Info

Publication number: WO2004080798A2
Application number: PCT/DK2004/000164
Authority: WO
Inventors: Henning Hansen; Jan Christensen
Original assignee: Schur Pack Scandinavia A/S
Priority date: 2003-03-14
Filing date: 2004-03-12
Publication date: 2004-09-23
Also published as: WO2004080798A3

Abstract

A packaging item formed from a unitary foldable sheet material as well as a blank for manufacturing a packaging item and further the use of a packaging item is disclosed. The invention provides a solution to the problem of how to provide a packaging item which in its collapsed state only takes up a minimum space and can be raised manually, without the use of space-requiring equipment.

Description

Raisable packaging item

Background of the invention

The present invention relates to a packaging item formed from a unitary foldable sheet material as well as a blank for manufacturing a packaging item and further the use of a packaging item as will be described below.

In the art of packaging items there exists a number of packaging items made especially from cardboard material or paper, which is folded from a blank into a square or rec- tangular box shape.

A problem associated with providing packaging items having a box shape is that during manufacturing, storage and transport the box shape requires a rather large volume in comparison to the number of items stored, respectively transported. Different solu- tions have therefore been developed in order to provide a collapsed packaging item which can be raised in connection with the filling of the packaging item. In order to provide a packaging item which can be raised just prior to filling the packaging item it is often necessary to provide some kind of pre-glued connection between what will be the sides of the packaging item as well as provide folding lines around which a side can be folded or raised in relation to an adjoining side.

Most packaging items of the type described above are assembled and raised in immediate connection with a packaging installation, where the goods to be contained in the packaging items are placed immediately after raising the packaging item. In order to carry out this process it is necessary to have a rather large facility which will be able to fold and raise and perhaps glue the packaging items and at the same time place the goods to be placed in the packaging item and thereafter close the packaging item and often stack them on pallets or the like.

For a number of uses the number of packaging items needed or the frequency with which these packaging items are needed makes the use of a facility as described above prohibitive either from an economic point of view or from a practical point of view. Brief Summery of the Invention

This invention relates to a packaging item which is special in that it is made from a unitary foldable sheet of material in such a way that by folding the material on itself, a double wall thickness on all sides except the bottom and the top is provided.

The invention thereby provides a solution to the problem of how to provide a packaging item which in its collapsed state only takes up a minimum space and can be raised manually, i.e. without the use of expensive and space-requiring equipment without compromising the quality of the packaging item itself, in fact a very rigid, stable and useful packaging item is provided.

According to the invention this is achieved by the packaging item as disclosed in claim 1, wherein said item is being formed from a unitary foldable sheet of material, said item comprising first and third sides determining the width and the height of the item, second and fourth sides defining the thickness and the height of the item, said item comprising:

- top and bottom closing arrangements integrally formed in the unitary foldable sheet; - eight side panels, separated by folding lines, such that when the item is assembled all sides of the item will have a double material thickness;

- that only the material layers of only one side of the item are connected, for example by an adhesive, staple, weld or the like.

With this inventive construction of a packaging item a very rigid packaging item is achieved and at the same time by merely connecting two layers of material that constitute one side of the packaging item, for example by the use of an adhesive, the packaging item is sufficiently flexible such that when raised the item has a very stable, strong and rigid character, and at the same time only takes up a minimum of space since it only has a thickness corresponding to four material layers when it is in its collapsed state. Furthermore, it can be raised by hand. Other pre-glued packaging items cannot be raised by hand in that connections on more that one side will create a high degree of tension and rigidity in the item which will make it impossible to raise the packaging item without deforming it at the same time. Furthermore, by providing suitable closing arrangements it is possible to maintain the packaging item in its raised position.

With a packaging item according to claim 1 it becomes possible for shops or busi- nesses to have a limited storage and packaging space to keep a stack of these packaging items for packaging of items on an ad hoc basis.

In a further preferred embodiment the packaging item has

- the width of the first side panel corresponds to the interior thickness of the finished packaging item, and that the height is limited by at least one folding line defining the bottom level of the packaging item adjacent which a flap is arranged;

- the width of the second side panel adjacent and connected to the first side panel by a folding line corresponds to the interior width of the packaging item, and that the height is limited by a folding line adjacent which, part of the bottom closing ar- rangement is connected;

- the configuration of the third side panel may be equivalent to the first side panel, said third panel being connected to the second panel by a folding line;

- the configuration of the fourth side panel may be equivalent to the second side panel, said fourth panel being connected to the third panel by a folding line; - the width of the fifth side panel corresponds to the exterior thickness of the finished packaging item, and is connected to the fourth panel by a folding line, and the height is limited by at least one folding line defining the top level of the packaging item adjacent which a flap is arranged;

- the width of the sixth side panel adjacent and connected to the fifth side panel by a folding line corresponds to the exterior width of the packaging item, and the height is limited by a folding line adjacent which, part of the top closing arrangement is connected;

- the configuration of the seventh side panel may be equivalent to the fifth side panel, said seventh panel being connected to the sixth panel by a folding line; - the width of the eight side panel adjacent and connected to the seventh side panel by a folding line corresponds to the exterior width of the packaging item, and the height of the panel is limited by a folding line adjacent which, part of the top closing arrangement is connected. In this configuration a strong double-layered packaging item is attained and by coupling of two material layers only on one of the sides of the packaging item made of two panels is achieved that the rigidity of the packaging item is maintained along with the possibility of collapsing the packaging item as described above.

Furthermore, the folding lines will aid in raising the packaging item as well as the relative dimensions between the different panels are such that in fact two concentric boxes inside the packaging items are created, one within the other for extra strength and stability.

A problem associated with these types of packaging items is the fact that when they are raised, the designs or text matter which have been printed onto the flaps of the blank may be off-set in relation to the secondary material layer such that a confused or altogether misleading impression may be presented, where the designs or text matter printed on the blanks is supposed to be visible, for example through a cut-out in the front part of the material. By adapting the special technique of applying adhesives to only particular panels, namely the side panels as mentioned above and as will be discussed below, it is possible to assure that no tensions are introduced into the packaging item which will result in misfits when the packaging item is raised into a box such that print on the inner part of the box is off-set in relation to print on the outside of the box. This facilitates that quite complicated patterns may be printed on a box as well as perforated areas may be removed from the outer section in order to allow presentation of text or picture material on the secondary layer when it may be assured that the print is in its correct position due to the inventive process of applying adhesives to only certain panels of the blank. These aspects will be further described in the detailed description below.

The closing arrangement for the ends of the packaging item, whether or not it is the top and/or bottom, may consist of - two sets of pre-glued flaps, i.e. flaps connected to adjacent panels by folding lines are assembled, - and that the zone where the flaps are assembled is limited by a folding line; - and that the free edges of the flaps being connected to the wider panels have a straight section at an angle not perpendicular to the edge of the panel, and a arched section, such that when the pre-glued packaging item is raised the arched section on one flap will slidingly engage the arched section on the facing flap, and thereby create a closing arrangement.

This embodiment makes it possible to create an closed bottom, respectively top, at the same time as the packaging item is raised from the collapsed position.

In certain situations it is desirable that the goods packed in a packaging item cannot be accessed once the packaging item is closed without damaging or leaving visible marks indicating that the packaging item has been opened or tampered with.

This aspect is useful in a number of areas. When for example ordering prints from a film developer, the prints can, as they leave the developing machine, be placed directly in a packaging item according to the invention. Once the packaging item is closed it is necessary to tear or otherwise damage the packaging item in order to gain access to the contents. This can also be useful when packaging items such as CD-ROMs, DVDs etc. in that the buyer of goods packed in a packaging item according to the invention is assured that the packaging item has not been tampered with since leaving the manufacturer's installation.

In order to provide an opening which can be re-closed and at the same time provide easy access to the contents, the invention in a preferred embodiment has been provided with a first perforation line across the fifth panel slanting at an angle different from 90 to the adjacent folding line dividing the fifth and fourth panels, and that a second perforation across the sixth panel is continued and connected to the first perforation at an angle of substantially 90 with respect to the separating folding line, and that a third perforation is provided on the seventh panel as a mirror image of the first perforation line across the fifth panel and optionally that a folding line is provided in the sixth panel connecting the perforations in the fifth respectively seventh panels. In this embodiment in order to gain access to the contents inside the packaging items the user will break the perforation along the perforation lines, which together will form a flip top, i.e. a part of the packaging item which after the breakage of the perforation will be able to pivot about a optional folding line provided in the fourth and/or eighth panels. As the perforations are only provided in the fifth, sixth and seventh panels, when pivoting the flip top into the open position will expose the second panel. This means that, due to the double- walled construction of the packaging item, a firm re-closing arrangement is provided and therefore the packaging item can also be used for storage of the items which have been bought packed in the packaging item. The exterior surface of the packaging item can have an area where the goods inside the package can be identified according to the private needs of the user.

When the packaging item is provided with a closure as suggested above, it can be advantageous to provide the packaging item with a different closure in the opposite end, as the closure described above automatically will be activated once the packaging item is raised. If this closure mechanism was provided in both ends of the packaging item, it would be difficult to insert the goods to be contained in the packaging item as this packaging item is closed once it is raised.

It will therefore be advantageous to provide a closure mechanism consisting of

- a two part flap, wherein the first section of this flap is connected via a folding line to the sixth panel and that the flap may have a width equal to or less than the width of the sixth panel, and a second flap section connected to the first flap section by a folding line, the free edges of the second flap section may optionally be rounded or otherwise trimmed, and further that a slit may be provided in a central portion of the folding line dividing the two flap sections;

- an insertion tap arranged in the eight panel at the same end as the two part flap is arranged at on the sixth panel, where the insertion tap is formed by two parallel cuts in the top end of the eight panel, perpendicular to the top edge, where the distance between the two parallel cuts is equal to or less the length of the slit provided in the two part flap, and further that an arrow section is connected by a folding line to the section between the two parallel cuts, said folding line may optionally be provided below the top edge of the eight panel, and that the widest section of the arrow sec- tion is wider than the section between the parallel cuts and the length of the slit in the two part flap.

By making the slit in the two-part flap attached to the sixth panel slightly or substan- tially smaller that the widest section of the arrow section, it is achieved that once the arrow section is inserted through the slit, the arrow section cannot be removed without damaging either the arrow section or the attached section between the two parallel cuts in the eighth panel. In this manner it is possible to provide an opening which after the packaging item is raised into its box shaped structure will allow access into the interior for the placing of goods. After the goods have been placed the two-part flap on the sixth panel can be folded and inserted with the outmost section of the two-part flap adjacent and parallel to the fourth and eighth panels and the arrow section of the insertion tap can be inserted into the slit and thereby lock the two-part flap in its position, whereby the packaging item is closed.

This type of closing arrangement is also known as a crash lock.

For some applications, especially when the packaging item is used for example in connection with the print process of photos from digital medias, it can be advanta- geous to provide a holder for the smart cart on which the digital images are stored.

Due to the double-walled character of the package, such a holder can advantageous be formed by utilising this structure.

This can advantageously be done in a further embodiment of the invention in that a cut-out may be provided along a part of the perforation arranged in the sixth panel and/or a holder may optionally be provided in the eight panel or in the fourth panel, said holder having a rectangular shape wherein a T-shaped section has been cut away such that the top bar in the T adjoins a side in the rectangle, and the remaining three sections inside the rectangle are limited by folding lines against the rest of the panel, and further that the bottom of the T and the two closest corners to the bottom of the T are connected by two cuts. By cutting out a section of the panel corresponding to a T-shape, where the top bar of the T is slightly larger than the width of the smart card, which is intended to be stored, and making the cuts at the bottom of the T, three small flaps are created. By bending these flaps out of the plane of the panel very slightly, a pocket is formed where the three flaps constitute one side of the pocket and the panel behind constitutes the back of the pocket. It is now possible to slide in the smart card in the hole created in the top panel by the removed material corresponding to the top bar of the T.

This pocket can be provided in the packaging item either on an exterior surface or on an interior surface.

In some instances it is desirable to be able to store and hold an item inside the packaging item, for example a lighter, film roll etc. For this purpose the invention provides a holder in a packaging item, which holder is constructed by a flap with a width less than the width of the fourth panel, said flap having six sections each being divided by perforations is attached to the fourth panel, and separated by a folding line, and that the first and last section on the flap may be connected for example by an adhesive, in order to provide a rectangular open cylinder for example for holding a lighter, film cassette, or another object.

The sections on each flap, where each section is separated from the next by a folding line, can have a length corresponding to the desired size of the holder, which hereby is created.

When the packaging item is used for storing or transporting photographic prints, the second panel which is the interior panel in the double-wall, wherein the openable structure as described above is placed, a preferably rectangular- or trapezoidal shaped cut-out section is provided in the upper part of the second panel, where a long side or the longest side is in line with the top edge of the panel, and further that converging cuts extends downwardly from the bottom corners of the cut-out section, a distance at least corresponding to the shorter sides of the cut-out section. By providing such a cut-out section it becomes easy to gain access to the goods stored inside the packaging item, whether it is a CD-Rom, DVD, playing cards, photographic prints or the like. Obviously the cut-out section can have any desired shape and size.

By further prolonging the converging cuts, which extend downwardly for a certain distance, it is in this way possible to create a holder inside the packaging item wherein in CD-Rom, CD, DVD or the like can be stored. For example when ordering photographic prints it is sometimes in addition to the paper prints desirable to be able to deliver a CD-Rom where the pictures are stored in electronic form. Also in the case of computer games and the like where the game itself is stored on a CD-Rom, the manual can be arranged inside the packaging item.

One of the fundamental advantages of the packaging item according to the invention and as discussed above is the fact that during transport and storage the packaging item is in a collapsed condition, so that the thickness of the item corresponds to the thick- ness of four material layers, and that when the item is raised the bottom closure arrangement is engaged and maintains the item in its raised position.

Although the other advantages as discussed above with the packaging item according to the present invention in itself make the inventive packaging item particularly useful in a number of instances, the fact that the packaging item can be collapsed, whereby the space requirements during storage and transport of the collapsed item corresponds to the thickness of four material layers in conjunction with the advantages as discussed above provides the present invention with added advantages. Furthermore, as the package is raised due to the structure of the closing arrangements as discussed above, the packaging item will be maintained in its raised position, whereby a user easily can place the goods to be stored in the packaging item without having to maintain the packaging item in its raised position.

Furthermore, the invention also discloses a blank for manufacturing a packaging item as described above, wherein said blank is made from cardboard paper, a polymer based material or any other suitable material sheet. Persons skilled in the art will choose the material for the production of the packaging item according to the relevant circumstances such that the most optimal material is chosen with respect to price, durability, hygiene or other factors according to the circumstances.

Also another basic feature with the invention as discussed above is the fact that the packaging item is made from one material with the optional addition of an adhesive. The packaging item therefore can be classified as an easily reusable item which for example is important when considering the disposal of said packaging item after use.

The present invention also discloses the use of the packaging item according to any of the embodiments described above, wherein the item is used for storing, delivering and/or packaging of CD-ROM media, music CDs or tapes, DVDs, toys, product samples, manuals or other books, pictures or prints, film, cards, tickets, cigars, candy, video tapes, other electronic data carriers, smart cards or storage mediums and the like.

Brief description of the drawings

The invention will now be described in further detail with respect to the accompanying drawing, wherein

fig. 1 illustrates a blank for an embodiment of the invention, fig. 2 illustrates further details of the invention, fig. 3 illustrates further details of the invention, fig. 4 illustrates still further details of the invention, fig. 5 illustrates centring of print on an blank.

Detailed description of the embodiments

In fig. 1 is illustrated a blank for use when wanting to create a packaging item accord- ing to the invention. In the illustrated example the blank has eight panels (1-8). The panels are divided by folding lines (9-15). By first turning panel 1 around folding line 9 into a perpendicular position with respect to panel 2 and thereafter folding panel 2 along folding line 10 into a perpendicular position with respect to panel 3 etc., a dou- ble- walled cylinder will be created. The double- walls will consist of panel 1 folded on panel 5, panel 2 on panel 6, panel 3 on panel 7, panel 4 on panel 8.

The eight panels making up the double-walled cylinder need to have a width relation- ship which is as follows: The width of the first panel 1 and the third panel 3 shall be slightly less than the width of the fifth panel 5 and the seventh panel 7 as well as the width of the second panel 2 and the fourth panel 4 shall be less than the width of the sixth panel 6 and the eighth panel 8. In this manner it will be possible to fold the panels along respective folding lines such that the first, second, third and fourth panel will constitute the interior panels of the double- walled cylinder and due to the slightly larger size of the fifth, seventh and eighth panel these will be able to create the exterior.

The cylinder will be kept together for example by strips containing an adhesive 16 applied on panel 4 which will maintain panel 4 in close contact to panel 8.

At the bottom of panels 1, 2, 3 and 4 are provided flaps 17-20. When the double- walled cylinder is created, these flaps will in the collapsed position be glued together in the areas illustrated by 21-22, 23-24. When the packaging item is raised prior to the filling with goods to be stored, the connection between the flaps will make the two larger flaps 18, 20 slide and engage and thereby create a closed bottom arrangement.

This closure arrangement is created due to the arched sections 25, 26 which will slide along the straight, non-perpendicular sections 27, 28 until the two arch sections 25, 26 engage, which will happen once the packaging item is fully raised, i.e. once the cylinder has the double-sided walls standing at 90° to each other. By the engagement of the arched sections 25, 26 the packaging item will maintain its raised position.

If it is desired at this point to collapse the packaging item again, this can be done by firmly pressing on the engagement point between the arched sections 25, 26, whereby they become unengaged and the packaging item, i.e. the cylinder, can be folded back into its collapsed shape.

The ability to be able to collapse or raise the carton as desired is achieved due to the fact that only one panel from the outer panels (5-8) is provided with an adhesive such that this one panel will adhere to one panel on the interior cylinder. Thereby it is achieved that the box may be collapsed and that, when it is raised, no tension built up will occur in the cylinders.

In order to be able to open the closed packaging item a special opening/closing arrangement can be provided at the opposite end to the closing arrangement as described above. This arrangement comprises a first perforation line 29, a second perforation line 30 and a third perforation line 31 being a mirror image of the first perforation line 29. By breaking the perforation it becomes possible to pivot the top part 32 of the sixth panel and thereby create an opening into the inside of the packaging item.

If desired the opening of the packaging item by pivoting the top section 32 of the sixth panel along with the side panels limited by the perforation lines 29 and 31, folding lines 33 can be provided in the fourth and eighth panel respectively. Hereby the top section 32 will pivot about this folding line 33. The folding line 33 should be placed so that it will connect with the first and third perforations 29, 31.

In order to provide a closable access to the newly raised packaging item a flap arrangement with a crash lock can be arranged at the opposite end of the closing ar- rangement as discussed above.

Such a closing arrangement can be made by providing a two part flap 34, 35 where the flap 34 is separated from the panel 6 by a folding line 36. The flap sections 34, 35 are separated by a folding line 37. Part of the folding line 37 is in the shape of a slit, i.e. a cut through 38.

Furthermore, in panel 8 is provided two parallel cuts 39 where the distance between these cuts 39 is equal to or slightly less than the length of the slit 38 provided in the folding line 37. Connecting the tap limited between the two parallel cuts 39 is an arrow shaped section 40 which extends past the parallel cuts 39. Together the section between the parallel cuts and the arrow shaped section 40 constitutes an insertion tap such that when the outermost section 35 of the two-part flap is inserted adjacent the double-sided wall created by the fourth and the eighth panels, the arrow shaped section 40 of the insertion tap can be inserted into the slit 38 provided in the folding line 37. Since the arrow shaped section 40 is wider than the length of the slit 38, the arrow shaped section will be locked to the two part flap such that if attempts are made to withdraw the insertion tap from the slit 38 provided in the folding line 37, the thin flap sections 41 of the arrow section 40 will tear off and it will be easy to detect that the packaging item has been tampered with.

In order to make it easier to break the perforation 29, 30, 31 a cut-out 42 may be provided such that it is easy to insert for example a finger and get hold of the openable section 32 of the packaging item.

In some embodiments of the invention a holder, for example for smart cards, is desired. Within the scope of the present invention this holder can easily be provided either internally or externally in the packaging item. In the illustrated example the holder will be provided on the outside of the packaging item. The holder 43 is created by forming a cut-out in the shape of a T 44. The cut-out is only made in the eighth panel such that the fourth panel will be the back wall of the holder 43. By further providing cuts 45 from the bottom of the T to the corners of the rectangle corresponding to the size of the smart card, three small flaps 46 are provided. By slightly bending these small flaps 46 out of the plane of the eighth panel, a smart card can be inserted in the direction of the arrow A and maintained in an secure position between the back wall 4 and the small sections 46.

For convenience the second panel can be provided with a rectangular or trapezoidal shaped cut-out section 47. When the openable section 32 of the sixth panel is flipped open by pivoting about the folding line 33, the cut-out section 47 in the second panel will ease the access to the contents of the packaging item, for example paper prints of photographic film.

Turning to fig. 2 the blank illustrated substantially corresponds to the blank illustrated in fig. 1. By folding the different panels along the separating folding lines as described above with reference to fig. 1, a packaging item can be created. The embodiment illustrated in fig. 2 differs from the embodiment described with respect to fig. 1 in that the rectangular or trapezoidal shaped cut-out section is a part of a holder 48 for example for a CD or other like storage medium. The holder 48 is created by extending the cuts 49, 50 such that a flap corresponding to the holder 48 is created. When the packaging item is raised, this holder 48 will be arranged inside the packaging items such that a CD or the like can be placed between the eighth panel 8 and the flap 48.

Turning now to fig. 3 an additional feature of the inventive packaging item is illus- trated. In this embodiment the fourth panel 4 is provided with a flap 51 having six sections. By connecting the outermost sections of the flap 51, i.e. for example gluing section 52 to 53, a cylindrical holder is provided, which holder for example can hold a lighter, a film cassette or the like. The dimension of the holder, i.e. the width of the sections making up the flap 51, should be determined so that the holder can be con- tained within the packaging item once this is raised into its raised position and be comprised within the interior of the packaging item once the closure arrangement have been closed.

It should be mentioned that the closure arrangement described above with reference to a crash lock can obviously be used in either end or in both ends of the cylinder created by folding the eighth panel on itself.

In fig. 4 is illustrated a further embodiment of the invention. The packaging item in this embodiment is provided with a number of special features, which alone or in combination can be incorporated in a packaging item according to the invention.

In order to hold a CD-Rom or a similar item, the second panel is equipped with only one cut 51. The CD can be slit in such that it will fit and be maintained in position between the second panel and the sixth panel.

Especially for applications where the packaging item according to the invention is used for packaging of developed film, i.e. paper pictures, negatives and CD-Rom media, further features can be provided. In order to maintain the negatives in a fixed pocket, the arrangement 52 is provided. The arrangement 52 comprises a cut-out section 53, whereby a flap 54 is created. Further folding lines 55, 56 are equipped such that when the packaging item is raised as described above, the folding lines and the flap 54 will create a pocket and a distance keeper such that the paper pictures placed in the packaging item will not be able to shift from side to side and at the same time negatives placed inside the arrangement 52 will be maintained within this pocket.

Some developers of film provide an index print. An index print is a print comprising small scale thumbs of each picture on the film. These index prints are used in order to give the customer an overview of which pictures are contained in the box. In order to facilitate this feature for the user, an index print holder is provided. The index print holder comprises two flaps 57, 58. When the box is raised, these two flaps will fold along the folding line 59 such that they will intersect the space between the second panel 52 and the sixth panel 6. The index copy can thereafter be slit into the space between the second panel 2 and the sixth panel 6 and be kept in place by the flaps 57, 58. Furthermore, a perforation 60 can be provided in the sixth panel 6. By removing the area of the panel inside the perforation 60, a window is created through which the thumbs on the index copy can be viewed directly. It is therefore not necessary to open the box and take the pictures out in order to identify the subject matter of the pictures contained in the packaging.

In cases where it is desirable to maintain the pictures firmly in the box such that they cannot slide from side to side, a distance keeper 61 can be provided inside the packaging item. When the packaging item is raised, the folding lines 62, 63, 64 will create an insert that will effectively hold the items stored in the packaging items such that they will not be able to move in the box. In order for the holding arrangement 61 to be able to fold when the box is raised, cut-out sections 65, 66 are provided at either end of the folding line 63.

In fig. 5 a blank, i.e. a packaging item before it is folded into the packaging item is illustrated. This is the shape that the packaging item will have when information, designs, colours etc. are printed on the surfaces of the box. For certain embodiments of the invention it might be desirable to have part of the illustrations printed on the inside cylinder such that when the box is raised this part of the illustration or the entire illustration is visible through a cut-out section of the outer cylinder. In order to make sure that this is achieved, it is important to print the information on the blank such that when the packaging item is raised as described above, the relative translation of the two panels, in this case 2 and 6, will be such that illustrations 71 is visible through the cut-out section 72. For this purpose fix points are provided as illustrated with reference to the arrows 70 such that, as the packaging item is raised, the two fix points illustrated by the arrows 70 will overlap whereby the illustration 71 will be perfectly placed in relation to the cut-out section 72. This is even more important where the illustration 71 must fit into a pattern printed on the outer surface of the panel 6. Furthermore, as the box is raised, the panels 2 and 6 will move slightly in relation to each other. If the box was glued in more than one panel-to-panel connection, tension would be built into the system such that one or more of the interior or exterior panels would bend and make printing accuracy completely unattainable. By gluing only one panel to the corresponding panel it is achieved that tension does not occur due to the relative size dimensions of the different panels constituting the cylindrical box.

Claims

1. A packaging item, said item being formed from a unitary foldable sheet of material, said item comprising first and third sides determining the width and the height of the item, second and fourth sides defining the thickness and the height of the item, said item comprising :

- top and bottom closing arrangements integrally formed in the unitary foldable sheet;

- eight side panels, separated by folding lines, such that when the item is assembled all sides of the item will have a double material thickness;

2. A packaging item according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that: - the width of the first side panel corresponds to the interior thickness of the finished packaging item, and that the height is limited by at least one folding line defining the bottom level of the packaging item adjacent which a flap is arranged;

- the width of the second side panel adjacent and connected to the first side panel by a folding line corresponds to the interior width of the packaging item, and that the height is limited by a folding line adjacent which, part of the bottom closing arrangement is connected;

- the configuration of the fourth side panel may be equivalent to the second side panel, said fourth panel being connected to the third panel by a folding line;

- the width of the fifth side panel corresponds to the exterior thickness of the finished packaging item, and is connected to the fourth panel by a folding line, and the height is limited by at least one folding line defining the top level of the packaging item adjacent which a flap is arranged; - the width of the sixth side panel adjacent and connected to the fifth side panel by a folding line corresponds to the exterior width of the packaging item, and the height is limited by a folding line adjacent which, part of the top closing arrangement is connected;

- the configuration of the seventh side panel may be equivalent to the fifth side panel, said seventh panel being connected to the sixth panel by a folding line; - the width of the eight side panel adjacent and connected to the seventh side panel by a folding line corresponds to the exterior width of the packaging item, and the height of the panel is limited by a folding line adjacent which, part of the top closing arrangement is connected.

3. A packaging item according to claim 2, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the top and/or bottom closing arrangement consists of:

- two sets of pre-glued flaps, i.e. flaps connected to adjacent panels by folding lines are assembled,

- and that the zone where the flaps are assembled is limited by a folding line; - and that the free edges of the flaps being connected to the wider panels have a straight section at an angle not perpendicular to the edge of the panel, and a arched section, such that when the pre-glued packaging item is raised the arched section on one flap will slidingly engage the arched section on the facing flap, and thereby create a closing arrangement.

4. A packaging item according to claim 2 or 3, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that a first perforation line is provided across the fifth panel slanting at an angle different from 90 to the adjacent folding line dividing the fifth and fourth panels, and that a second perforation across the sixth panel is continued and connected to the first perforation at an angle of substantially 90 with respect to the separating folding line, and that a third perforation is provided on the seventh panel as a mirror image of the first perforation line across the fifth panel and optionally that a folding line is provided in the sixth panel connecting the perforations in the fifth respectively seventh panels.

5. A packaging item according to any of claims 2 to 4, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the top closing arrangement consists of :

- a two part flap, wherein the first section of this flap is connected via a folding line to the sixth panel and that the flap may have a width equal to or less than the width of the sixth panel, and a second flap section connected to the first flap section by a folding line, the free edges of the second flap section may optionally be rounded or otherwise trimmed, and further that a slit may be provided in a central portion of the folding line dividing the two flap sections; - an insertion tap arranged in the eight panel at the same end as the two part flap is arranged at on the sixth panel, where the insertion tap is formed by two parallel cuts in the top end of the eight panel, perpendicular to the top edge, where the distance between the two parallel cuts is equal to or less the length of the slit provided in the two part flap, and further that an arrow section is connected by a folding line to the section between the two parallel cuts, said folding line may optionally be provided below the top edge of the eight panel, and that the widest section of the arrow section is wider than the section between the parallel cuts and the length of the slit in the two part flap.

6. A packaging item according to any of claims 2 to 5, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that a cut-out may be provided along a part of the perforation arranged in the sixth panel and/or a holder may optionally be provided in the eight panel or in the fourth panel, said holder having a rectangular shape wherein a T-shaped section has been cut away such that the top bar in the T adjoins a side in the rectangle, and the remaining three sections inside the rectangle are limited by folding lines against the rest of the panel, and further that the bottom of the T and the two closest corners to the bottom of the T are connected by two cuts.

7. A packaging item according to any of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that a flap with a width less than the width of the fourth panel, said flap having six sections each being divided by perforations is attached to the fourth panel, and separated by a folding line, and that the first and last section on the flap may be connected for example by an adhesive, in order to provide a rectangular open cylinder for example for holding a lighter, film cassette, or another object.

8. A packaging item according to any of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that a preferably rectangular- or trapezoidal shaped cut-out section is provided in the upper part of the second panel, where a long side or the longest side is in line with the top edge of the panel, and further that converging cuts extends downwardly from the bottom corners of the cut-out section, a distance at least corresponding to the shorter sides of the cut-out section.

9. A packaging item according to any of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that during transport and storage the packaging item is in a collapsed condition, so that the thickness of the item corresponds to the thickness of four material layers, and that when the item is raised the bottom closure arrangement is engaged and maintains the item in its raised position.

10. A blank for manufacturing a packaging item according to any of claims 1 to 9, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that it is made from cardboard, paper, a polymer based material or any other suitable material sheet.

11. Use of a packaging item according to any of claims 1 to 9 wherein the item is used for storing, delivering and/or packaging of CD-ROM media, music CDs or tapes, DVDs, toys, product samples, manuals or other books, pictures or prints, film, cards, tickets, cigars, candy, video tapes, other electronic data carriers, smart cards or storage mediums and the like.