WO2005035393A1

WO2005035393A1 - Package with means for limiting the maximum opening angle of its cover part relative to its bottom part

Info

Publication number: WO2005035393A1
Application number: PCT/IB2004/051785
Authority: WO
Inventors: Nick Buckley
Original assignee: Brødrene Hartmann A/S
Priority date: 2003-10-08
Filing date: 2004-09-17
Publication date: 2005-04-21

Abstract

The invention relates to angle-limiting means for limiting the opening angle between the bottom part and the cover part of a package, such as an egg-tray, said bottom part and cover part being connected along a hinge, where the limiting means comprises first and second abutment surfaces placed on or in such a position relative to the bottom part and the cover part, respectively, that when the cover part is opened, abutment between said surfaces is attained when said opening angle reaches a given maximum value. According to the invention the angle-limiting means are also used in connection with moulded packages for instance made of pulp to facilitate the correct formation of the hinge between the bottom part and the cover part of the package, the angle-limiting means during moulding of the package forming a bridge over the region in which the hinge shall be formed, said means being provided with an indentation which upon a pivotal movement of the cover part relative to the bottom part gives rise to a notch effect facilitating the proper definition of the hinge in the region between the cover part and the bottom part.

Description

PACKAGE WITH MEANS FOR LIMITING THE MAXIMUM OPENING ANGLE OF ITS COVER PART RELATIVE TO ITS BOTTOM PART

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to packages formed by suction moulding of a fibrous material for frangible products and more particularly to means for limiting the opening angle of a cover part relative to the bottom part of such packages.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The following problem constitutes at least an important part of the background of the present invention. When a series of packages, such as egg trays, formed for instance by suction moulding of a fibrous material and comprising a bottom part for accommodating frangible objects, such as eggs and a cover part hingedly connected to the bottom part, are moved in an open state on a movable transport means, for instance a conveyor belt, in a given direction and the motion of a given package for some reason is impeded, the subsequent package or packages may be unintentionally tilted due to the portion of the cover part opposite the hinge between the bottom and cover parts of the this or these packages being pushed forward by a subsequent package. This tilting of packages may cause damage to the eggs in the package and may prevent the operation of the production line. In principle it would be possible to provide the transport means themselves with retainment members for preventing the individual packages from tilting, but in many cases this is not an acceptable possibility and it would hence be desirable to provide the packages themselves with means for preventing this unintentional tilting of packages. The situation described above is shown in Figure 1 of the description and described in more detail in connection herewith.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION In the light of the above background, it is an object of the present invention to provide a solution to the above-mentioned problems occasionally occurring during handling of packages on a conveyor belt or the like, for instance during loading of the bottom part of the packages with articles, such as eggs.

The above object is attained with a package according to claim 1 and the use of angle-limiting means according to claim 11.

According to the present invention there is thus in the hinge region between the cover part and the bottom part of a package, for instance an egg tray, provided opening angle-limiting means which limit the maximum opening angle of the cover part of the package relative to the bottom part hereof. According to the invention these means comprise mutually corresponding abutment surfaces, one of which is located on the bottom part of the package at an appropriate place in the hinge region hereof and the other one is located at a corresponding place on the cover part of the package. When these abutment surfaces during opening of the cover part come into contact with each other, a further opening of the cover part is prevented.

Many embodiments of this principle are possible and a few of these are described in the detailed description of the invention. A presently preferred embodiment of the invention, however, comprises one or more substantially mirror symmetrically shaped protrusions placed coaxialfy relative to the longitudinal axis through the hinge on either side of the hinge region, each of these protrusions being provided with abutment surfaces as described above facing each other. Initially, i.e. immediately after moulding of the package, the package will be in an open state, the two protrusions forming one single moulded piece bridging the region between the cover part and the bottom part and provided with an indentation extending radially inward towards the longitudinal axis through the hinge, the indentation being for instance in the shape of a V pointing towards the hinge. When the package is subsequently closed, said bridging piece separates at the V-shaped indentation thus forming the two separate protrusions with the corresponding abutment surfaces. The V-shaped indentation will during the above closing operation give rise to a notch effect facilitating the formation of a well-defined hinge portion between the cover part and the bottom part of the package. Other shapes than the described V-shape may also be used leading to the same effect. According to the present invention the initially described problems on a conveyor belt or the like are thus solved and the additional beneficial effect of providing a more well-defined hinge portion during manufacturing of the packages can be attained, at least by the application of those embodiments of the invention giving rise to the said notch effect in the hinge region.

Thus, according to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method as defined by claim 19 for facilitating the proper formation of a hinge between the bottom part and the cover part of a package during production of such packages. The method is well suited for packages made from for instance moulded pulp, although the method need not necessarily be limited to this specific material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

Figure 1 is a schematic representation of prior art packages placed on a conveyer belt, the representation used to explain a problem with prior art packages;

Figure 2 is a representation corresponding to Figure 1 but with packages according to the present invention,

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of an embodiment of a package showing the principle of the limiting means for the opening angle according to the present invention;

Figure 4 shows an embodiment of a package with limiting means according to the present invention,

Figure 5 shows a perspective view of a portion of a package seen from below in an open state and comprising an embodiment of the opening angle-limiting means according to the present invention; and Figure 6 shows an enlarged side elevational view of an embodiment of the angle- limiting means according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the following, a detailed description of an embodiment of the invention is given including a presently preferred embodiment of the angle-limiting means according to the invention.

As described under the background of the invention Figure 1 shows a problematic situation for instance occurring on a moving conveyer belt when packages of the present kind are not provided with angle-limiting means. When a package is filled (as an example specifically with eggs as shown in Figures 1 and 2) the imbalance of the weight distribution between the bottom part and the cover part of the package may lead to the situation depicted, where the cover part of a package is pushed towards the bottom part to such an extent that the bottom part tilts, whereby the eggs contained herein may become damaged or even fall out of the package and the operation of the production system may be prevented. This problem is solved by the provision of angle-limiting means according to the invention, limiting the angle α shown in Figure 1 to a given, predetermined maximum value as shown in Figure 2 of the drawing.

Referring now to Figure 3, there is shown a side elevational view of a package provided with angle-limiting means embodying the principle of the invention, although not necessarily in a manner which will normally be desirable in practice. According to this embodiment, there is provided an angle-limiting means in the form of a protrusion 7 extending from the cover part 5 towards the bottom part 3 and to a certain extent bridging the region underneath (as seen in Figure 3) the hinge 6. Two corresponding abutment surfaces S1 (on the distal end of the protrusion 7) and S2 (on the side of the bottom part 3 facing the cover part) are thus formed, and it is immediately apparent that means are thereby provided, limiting the maximum opening angle of the cover part 5 relative to the bottom part 3, A more realistic embodiment of angle-limiting means according to the present invention is shown in Figure 4. As will be explained below, this specific embodiment provides further advantages apart from the angle-limiting properties hereof.

Thus referring to Figure 4, there is shown a perspective view of a package comprising a bottom part 3 and a cover part 5 connected via a hinge member 6. The shown package is made as one piece from moulded pulp. In the hinge region there are provided two angle-limiting means shown encircled at I and II in the figure. Each of these means comprises first and second parts 8, 9, these parts being substantially symmetrical about a plane containing the longitudinal axis through the hinge 6. The two co-operating abutment surfaces S1 and S2 are formed on the end face of each of these parts 8 and 9, respectively. When the cover part is opened, as shown for instance in Figures 2, 5 and 6, engagement between the abutment surfaces S1 and S2 limit the maximum opening angle of the cover part 5.

Now with reference to Figures 5 and 6, another advantageous effect of the angle- limiting means according to this - or equivalent - embodiments will be explained, it being assumed that the package is made of moulded pulp or a similar material.

At the end of the moulding process, the packages will be located in an open state, i.e. practically in the state shown in Figure 2, but upside down relative to the position shown in Figure 2. The angle-limiting means 7 will at this stage of the production process be moulded as one unitary piece, i.e. the subsequent first and second parts 8 and 9 have not yet been separated. However, during the moulding process, a small indentation or notch 10 is formed about the plane (which according to the Figures shown in this description substantially equals the symmetry plane) between the subsequent first and second parts 8 and 9 of the angle-limiting means 7. After sufficient curing of the moulded package, the cover part is being closed upon the bottom part, whereby the hinge is formed in the region joining the cover part and bottom part. In order to attain a satisfactory end product it is important that this hinge, i.e. the fold line constituting the hinge, be formed and positioned correctly in a well defined manner in the region between the cover part and the bottom part. This is facilitated by the notch effect originating from said indentation, when the initially open cover part is closed upon the bottom part at this stage of the production. In order to attain the desired notch effect, the indentation should have the shape of a narrow slit, for instance - although not necessarily - in the shape of a "V" or a narrow rectangular shape. Such indentations are shown in Figures 5 and 6, indicated by reference numeral 10.

Although various embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described in the preceding parts of the detailed description, it is understood that a person skilled in the art may conceive other embodiments of the invention without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims. Thus, it may for instance be desirable to limit the angle α not only for the reasons described in connection with Figures 1 and 2 and to other maximum values than in this connection. Also the angle-limiting means may not necessarily be provided as one or more relatively narrow members but can extend as a unified body over larger portions of the hinge region or even over the entire length hereof. The different parts of the angle-limiting means may furthermore not necessarily be symmetrical, but one abutment surface could for instance be placed closer to the corresponding part of the package than the other.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

1. Packages

2. Conveyer belt 3, Bottom part of package

4,. Pocket

5. Cover part of package

6. Hinge

7. Angle-limiting means 8. First part of angle-limiting means

9. Second part of angle-limiting means

10. Indentation

11. Upper rim portion of bottom part Si First abutment surface S₂ Second abutment surface α Opening angle between bottom part and cover part

Claims

1. A package comprising a bottom part (3), a cover part (5) and a hinge (6) connecting the bottom part and the cover part, said hinge (6) being positioned above the level of an upper rim portion (11) of the bottom part (3), characterised in that said package is provided with angle-limiting means (7) comprising first and second abutment surfaces (S1, S2) placed on, or in such a position relative to, the bottom part (3) and the cover part (5), respectively, that when the cover part (5) is opened, abutment between said surfaces (S1, S2) is attained, when said opening angle (α) reaches a given maximum value.

2. A package according to claim 1, characterised in that said angle-limiting means (7) comprises a first part (8) and a second part (9) located on either side of the hinge (6), said first part (8) being provided with said first abutment surface (S1) and said second part (9) being provided with said second abutment surface (S2).

3. A package according to claim 2, characterised in that said first and second parts (8, 9) are substantially symmetrical around a plane containing the hinge (6).

4. A package according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that said angle-limiting means extends over a limited distance along the longitudinal extension of the hinge (6).

5. A package according to any of the preceding claims 1, 2 or 3, characterised in that said angle-limiting means extends over substantially the entire longitudinal extension of the hinge (6).

6. A package according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the shape of the angle-limiting means (7) is such that an indentation (10) is formed between the first and second parts (8, 9) hereof, when the two abutment surfaces (S1, S2) are in contact with each other.

7. A package according to claim 6, characterised in that said indentation (10) points towards the hinge (6).

8. A package according to claim 6 or 7, characterised in that said indentation (10) has the form of a V or of a narrow slit.

9. A package according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the package is an egg tray.

10. A package according to claim 8 or 9, characterised in that the package is made of moulded pulp.

1 1. The use of means for limiting the opening angle between the bottom part and the cover part of a package, where the bottom part and the cover part are connected along a hinge positioned above the level of an upper rim portion (11) of the bottom part (2) to prevent tilting of said package, characterised in that said angle-limiting means (7) comprises first and second abutment surfaces (S1, S2) placed on or in such a position relative to the bottom part (3) and the cover part (5), respectively, that when the cover part (5) is opened, abutment between said surfaces (S1, S2) is attained when said opening angle (α) reaches a given maximum value.

12. Use according to claim 11, characterised in that said angle-limiting means (7) comprises a first part (8) and a second part (9) located on either side of the hinge (6), said first part (8) being provided with said first abutment surface (S1) and said second part (9) being provided with said second abutment surface (S2).

13. Use according to claim 12, characterised in that said first and second parts (8, 9) are substantially symmetrical around a plane containing the hinge (6).

14. Use according to claim 11, 12 or 13, characterised in that said angle-limiting means extends over a limited distance along the longitudinal extension of the hinge (6).

15. Use according to the claim 11, 12 or 13, characterised in that said angle-limiting means extends over substantially the entire longitudinal extension of the hinge (6).

16. Use according to any of the preceding claims 11 to 15, characterised in that the shape of the angle-limiting means (7) is such that an indentation (10) is formed between the first and second parts (8, 9) hereof when the two abutment surfaces (S1 , S2) are in contact with each other.

17. Use according to claim 16, characterised in that said indentation (10) points towards the hinge (6).

18. Use according to claim 16 or 17, characterised in that said indentation (10) has the form of a V or of a narrow slit

19. A method for facilitating the correct formation of a hinge between sections of a package, such as the bottom part and the cover part of a package, where said package is made by moulding of a suitable material, such as pulp, characterised in that means (7) during moulding of the package is formed bridging the region or part of the region in which the hinge shall be formed, said means (7) being provided with an indentation (10), which indentation (10) upon relative movement of said sections gives rise to a notch effect facilitating the proper definition of the hinge in the region between said sections.

20. A method according to claim 20, characterised in that said indentation (10) points towards the position at which said hinge (6) shall be formed.