Protective packaging for delicate articles

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a packing base. The invention particularly relates to a packing base according to the characterizing portion of claim 1 for receiving and storing delicate articles, such as confectionary.

[0002] Delicate articles, such as confectionary, incandescent lamps, etc., are usually packed on packing bases for transportation and storage. Document DE 860203841 for example discloses a packing base according to the preamble of claim 1. The packages are typically deeply recessed bases of a plastic mixture, which are equipped with pits to receive the articles. When storing delicate articles, a packing base by itself does not, however, provide sufficient protection. Thus, the packing bases are usually packed in a cardboard box, which protects the articles stored in the pits in the packing base. Thus, the packages, which comprise both the packing base and the protective cardboard box, use a considerable amount of material to store the articles, which is not particularly economical. In addition, the protective cardboard box requires a separate packing stage and apparatus when packing the articles.

[0003] The present invention is intended to create a package for the protective storage of delicate articles, using the least possible amount of packing material.

[0004] The aim of the invention is achieved by means of a new type of packing base, which comprises a group of consecutive reception elements combined by folding and equipped with recesses receiving the articles. The packing base according to the invention can be arranged in a spread-open position, in which the packing base's group of parallel reception elements is arranged to receive the articles in the visible recesses, and to be closed into a position, in which the reception elements are bent to protect the recesses surrounding the packing base, in order to form a closed package. The reception elements have a first side and a second side, which sides are farther from each other at one end than at the other end, where they are connected by an end ridge, in which recesses are arranged to receive the said articles.

[0005] More specifically, the packing base according to the invention is characterized by what is stated in the characterizing portion of Claim 1.

[0006] Considerable advantages are achieved with the aid of the invention. Because the packing base can be folded into a closed position, the packing base itself forms a package protecting delicate articles, so that a separate protective structure, such as a cardboard box, is not required. By means of the construction according to the invention, significant savings are achieved, thanks to the reduced need for packing material. In other words, using less packing material a sufficiently sturdy package is achieved for storing delicate articles.

[0007] In the following, embodiments of the invention are examined in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a spread-open package according to one embodiment,

Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the package of Figure 1 in the closed position,

Figure 3 shows a detailed view of one protrusion of the package according to Figure 1,

Figure 4 shows a detailed view of the protrusion of Figure 3, which is equipped with locking claws,

Figure 5 shows a top view of a blank for the manufacture of a package according to Figure 1, and

Figure 6 shows a perspective view of a package according to a second embodiment, in the closed position.

[0008] As can be seen from Figure 1, the packing base 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises six consecutive combined reception elements 10a ... 10f equipped with recesses 14 receiving an article. In Figure 1, the packing base 1 is shown in the spread-open position, in which the reception elements 10a ... 10f are parallel to each other, in such a way that the recesses 14 for receiving delicate articles are visible. The shaping of the recesses 14 is dealt with in greater detail later. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the packing base 1 comprises a sheet-like base 20 and six parallel reception elements 10a ... 10f protruding from this. Thus, the base 20 has a first surface, from which the reception elements 10 are arranged to protrude, and a second surface forming the outer jacket of the package when the packing base 1 is in the closed position, which is also dealt with in greater detail later. The sheet-like base 20 is preferably a cardboard sheet, which is cut into a rectangular shape.

[0009] Each of the protruding reception elements 10a ... 10f comprises a first side 11 and a second side 12. The said sides 11, 12 are farther from each other at the base 20 end than at the free end, where they join to form an end ridge 13. The end ridge 13 is equipped with the said recesses 14 for receiving articles. The reception elements 10a ... 10f are linked in such a way that the end next to the base 20 of the second side 12 of the preceding reception element 10a is linked bendably to the corresponding end of the first side 11 of the following reception element 10b. In other words, the reception elements 10a ... 10f are formed on the base 20 in such a way that the packing base 1 can be bent at the joints between the reception elements 10a ... 10f.

[0010] The chain of reception elements is preferably manufactured from a separate sheet, which is shaped to form protruding ridges. The sheet to be shaped can be manufactured from, for example, card, or it can be deep-drawn from a thin polymer blank. The joint 15 between the reception elements 10a ... 10f is preferably creased or otherwise scored, in order to promote bending. Once the sheet has been shaped, it can be attached to the base 20, for example by gluing, particularly by hot, cold, or self-adhesive gluing. Alternatively, the sheet can be attached to the base 20 by seaming. Other known attachment methods, such as ultrasound joints, are also possible.

[0011] The wedge-like reception elements 10 formed by bending on the base 20 permit the packing base 1 to be bent into a closed position. As can be seen from Figure 2, in the closed position the reception elements 10 of the packing base 1 are bent to protect the recesses 14. The closed position is created by bending the packing base 10 in such a way that the end next to the base 20, of the first side 11 of the first reception element 10a, is brought next to the corresponding-side end of the second side 12 of the last reception element 10f, so that the end ridges 13 point towards each other. The recesses 14 are then surrounded by the packing base 1, so that the packing base 1 forms a closed package, which can be locked into the closed position, for example, by taping or by fitting a sleeve, or a corresponding belt (not shown) preserving the closed shape, around the package. Alternatively, the first reception element 10a and last reception element 10f of the packing base 1 are equipped with locking shapes (not shown) connecting to each other, which connect to each other when the packing base 1 is bent into the closed position, when the package will remain closed. In the closed position, the outer jacket of the package is formed by the under surface of the base 20 of the packing base. Because the packing base 1 comprises, according to the embodiment shown in Figure 1, six parallel reception elements 10a ... 10f, the closed package has a hexagonal shape when viewed from the end. As is stated later, other cross-sectional shapes are also possible by altering the shape of the reception elements 10. In the closed position, the sides 11, 12 of the reception elements 10 support each other as a chain, so that the package becomes considerably sturdy.

[0012] Figure 3 shows in greater detail an end ridge 13 and a recess 14. The recess 14 is thus an opening formed in the end ridge 13, i.e. in the free end opposite to the base 20 of the wedge-like reception element 10, which is shaped to receive a corresponding delicate article, such as a piece of confectionary, or a small incandescent lamp. The recess 14 can be formed, for example, by stamping a groove open from the base, in the ridge 13. The recesses 14 can be formed alternatively by deep drawing, cutting, or perforation. Other ways too are possible.

[0013] According to the embodiment shown in Figure 4, locking claws 16, which extend over the recess 14 parallel to the end ridge in such a way that they lock in place the article (not shown) embedded in the recess 14, are arranged in the end ridge. Other forms of locking are also possible. As shown in Figure 5, the articles can be locked into the recesses 14, for example, by arranging a locking strip 17 on top of the end ridge 13. The locking strip 17 can be attached to the end ridge 13, for example, by gluing, in which case the articles remain pressed between the recess 14 and the locking strip 17. According to one further embodiment, the packing base 1 is equipped with both locking claws 16 and locking strips 17.

[0014] Figure 5 shows, in addition, one way to locate the recesses 14 in the end ridges 13 of the reception elements 10. According to the embodiment depicted, the recesses of every second reception element 10 are mutually aligned and the recesses 14 of consecutive reception elements 10a, 10b are staggered relative to each other in the direction of the end ridge 13. The staggering between the consecutive reception elements 10a, 10b creates a situation, in which, in the closed position, the articles embedded in the recesses 14 are not in line with each other, so that no excessive compression acts on them. Indeed, the packing base 1 is preferably dimensioned in such a way that an article in a recess 14 of the previous reception element 10a is supported on the end ridge 13 of the next reception element 10b, when the packing base 1 is bent into the closed position (Figure 2). The depth of the recess 14 and the distance of the end ridge 13 from the base 20 are then dimensioned in such a way that, in the closed position, the distance from the bottom of the recess 14 of the previous reception element 10a of the packing base 1 to the end ridge 13 of the following reception element 10b corresponds to the dimension in the direction of the recess 14 of the article being stored.

[0015] Figure 5 further shows a blank for manufacturing a package according to Figure 1, in which blank six reception elements 10 are made. As stated, the desired number of parallel reception elements can be made in the packing base 1, which will dictate the shape of the package's cross-section in the closed position. According to one embodiment, the packing base 1 comprises eight reception elements 10, in which case the cross-section of the package will be an octagon (Figure 6). In practice, the packing base 1 preferably comprises from three to twelve reception elements, preferably six reception elements. The number of reception elements affects the angle between the sides 11, 12 (Figure 1), i.e. the opening angle of the wedge-like reception elements.

Table 1: Reference-number list.

number	part
1	package
10	protrusion
11	first side
12	second side
13	ridge
14	recess
15	fold
16	locking claw
17	locking strip
20	base

Claims

1. Packing base (1) for receiving and storing delicate articles, which:

- packing base (1) comprises a group of consecutive bendably combined reception elements (10) equipped with recesses (14) for receiving an article, and that

- the packing base (1) is confgured to be arranged in a spread-open position, in which the packing base's (1) group of parallel reception elements (10) is arranged to receive the articles in the visible recesses (14), and in a closed position, in which the reception elements (10) are bent to protect the recesses (14), in order to form a closed package surrounded by the packing base (1),

characterized in that the reception elements (10) have a first side (11) and a second side (12), which sides (11, 12) are farther from each other at one end than at the other end, where they are joined by an end ridge (13), in which the recesses (14) are arranged in order to receive the said articles.

2. Packing base (1) according to claim 1, wherein the reception elements (10) are arranged consecutively in a first direction and a group of recesses (14) is arranged in each reception elements (10) in a second direction, which is essentially transverse to the first direction.

3. Packing base (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the parallel reception elements (10) are linked as a chain, in such a way that the first end of the second side (12) of the previous reception element (10a) is linked bendably to the first end of the first side (11) of the following reception element, in such a way that the packing base (1) can be bent at the joints between the reception elements (10) into a closed position, in which case the joining of the first and last reception element (10) of the packing base (1) closes the packing base (1) in such a way that the joining of the sides (11, 12) of the parallel reception elements (10) closes the packing base (1) in such a way that the side (11, 12) of the parallel reception elements (10a, 10b) support each other and the recesses (14) remain inside the closed packing base (1).

4. Packing base (1) according to claim 1, wherein the packing base (1) comprises a sheet-like base (20), from the first surface of which reception elements (10) are arranged to protrude, in which case the second surface of the base (20) forms the outer jacket of the package when the packing base (1) is in the closed position.

5. Packing base (1) according to any of the above claims, wherein the recesses (14) of the consecutive reception elements (10a, 10b) are staggered relative to each other in the direction of the end ridge (13).

6. Packing base (1) according to claim 5, wherein the recesses (14) of every second reception element (10) are in line with each other.

7. Packing base (1) according to any of the above claims, wherein locking claws (16) are arranged in the end ridges (13), which claws extend parallel to the end ridge (13) over a recess (14), in such a way that they are arranged to lock in place an article embedded in the recess (14).

8. Packing base (1) according to any of the above claims, wherein a locking strip (17) is arranged on top of the end ridge (13), in order to lock articles between the recess (14) and the locking strip (17).

9. Packing base (1) according to any of the above claims, wherein the packing base (1) comprises six or eight parallel reception elements (10a ... 10f), in such a way that, when the closed package is viewed from the end, it has a hexagonal or octagonal shape, respectively.

Ansprüche

1. Verpackungsboden (1) zur Aufnahme und Aufbewahrung empfindlicher Artikel, wobei der Verpackungsboden (1) eine Gruppe aufeinander folgender, biegsam kombinierter Aufnahmeelemente (10) mit Ausnehmungen (14) zur Aufnahme eines Artikels aufweist und wobei der Verpackungsboden (1) zur Anordnung in einer aufgespreizten Stellung gestaltet ist, in der die Gruppe paralleler Aufnahmeelemente (10) des Verpackungsbodens (1) zur Aufnahme der Artikel in den sichtbaren Ausnehmungen angeordnet ist, und in einer geschlossenen Stellung, in der die Aufnahmeelemente (10) zum Schutz der Ausnehmungen (14) gebogen sind, um eine geschlossene, von dem Verpackungsboden (1) umgebene Verpackung zu bilden, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Aufnahmeelemente (10) eine erste Seite (11) und eine zweite Seite (12) aufweisen, wobei die Seiten (11, 12) an einem Ende einen größeren Abstand voneinander aufweisen als an dem anderen Ende, wo sie durch einen Endsteg (13) verbunden sind, in dem die Ausnehmungen (14) zur Aufnahme der Artikel angeordnet sind.

2. Verpackungsboden (1) nach Anspruch 1, bei dem die Aufnahmeelemente (10) aufeinander folgend in einer ersten Richtung angeordnet sind und eine Gruppe der Ausnehmungen (14) in jedem der Aufnahmeelemente (10) in einer zweiten, im Wesentlichen senkrecht zu der ersten Richtung verlaufenden Richtung angeordnet ist.

3. Verpackungsboden (1) nach Anspruch 1 oder 2, bei dem die parallelen Aufnahmeelemente (10) derart miteinander verkettet sind, dass das erste Ende der zweiten Seite (12) des vorangehenden Aufnahmeelements (10a) biegbar mit dem ersten Ende der ersten Seite (11) des folgenden Aufnahmeelements verbunden ist, derart dass der Verpackungsboden (1) an den Verbindungsstellen zwischen den Aufnahmeelementen (10) in eine geschlossene Stellung biegbar ist, in welchem Fall die Zusammenführung des ersten und des letzten Aufnahmeelements (10) des Verpackungsbodens (1) den Verpackungsboden (1) derart schließt, dass die Zusammenführung der Seiten (11, 12) der parallelen Aufnahmeelemente (10) den Verpackungsboden (1) derart schließt, dass die Seiten (11, 12) der parallelen Aufnahmeelemente (10a, 10b) einander stützen und die Ausnehmungen (14) im Inneren des geschlossenen Verpackungsbodens (1) verbleiben.

4. Verpackungsboden nach Anspruch 1, bei dem der Verpackungsboden (1) einen blattartigen Boden (20) aufweist, von dessen erster Oberfläche die Aufnahmeelemente (10) hervorragen, in welchem Fall die zweite Oberfläche des Bodens (20) die äußere Hülle der Verpackung bildet, wenn sich der Verpackungsboden (1) in seiner geschlossenen Stellung befindet.

5. Verpackungsboden (1) nach einem der vorangehenden Ansprüche, bei dem die Ausnehmungen (14) der aufeinander folgenden Aufnahmeelemente (10a, 10b) in der Richtung des Endstegs (13) relativ zu einander versetzt angeordnet sind.

6. Verpackungsboden (1) nach Anspruch 5, bei dem die Ausnehmungen (14) jedes zweiten Aufnahmeelements (10) miteinander fluchten.

7. Verpackungsboden (1) nach einem der vorangehenden Ansprüche, bei dem Sperrklauen (16) in den Endstegen (13) angeordnet sind, welche Klauen sich parallel zum Endsteg (13) über eine Ausnehmung (14) erstrecken, derart dass sie einen in der Ausnehmung (14) angeordneten Artikel an seinem Ort fixieren.

8. Verpackungsboden (1) nach einem der vorangehenden Ansprüche, bei dem ein Verschlussstreifen (17) oben auf dem Endsteg (13) angeordnet ist, um Artikel zwischen der Ausnehmung (14) und dem Verschlussstreifen (17) einzuschließen.

9. Verpackungsboden (1) nach einem der vorangehenden Ansprüche, bei dem der Verpackungsboden (1) sechs oder acht parallele Aufnahmeelemente (10a...10f) aufweist, derart dass wenn die geschlossene Verpackung stirnseitig betrachtet wird, sie eine sechseckige oder achteckige Form aufweist.

Revendications

1. Base d'emballage (1) pour recevoir et stocker des articles délicats, laquelle :

- base d'emballage (1) comprend un groupe d'éléments de réception consécutifs assemblés de façon flexible (10) équipés d'évidements (14) pour recevoir un article, et que

- la base d'emballage (1) est configurée pour être agencée dans une position ouverte de façon étalée, dans laquelle le groupe d'éléments de réception parallèles (10) de la base d'emballage (1) est agencé pour recevoir les articles dans les évidements visibles (14), et dans une position fermée, dans laquelle les éléments de réception (10) sont pliés pour protéger les évidements (14), afin de former un emballage fermé entouré par la base d'emballage (1), caractérisée en ce que les éléments de réception (10) possèdent un premier côté (11) et un second côté (12), lesquels côtés (11, 12) sont plus éloignés l'un de l'autre à une extrémité qu'à l'autre extrémité, où ils sont joints par une strie d'extrémité (13), dans laquelle les évidements (14) sont agencés afin de recevoir lesdits articles.

2. Base d'emballage (1) selon la revendication 1, dans laquelle les éléments de réception (10) sont agencés consécutivement dans une première direction et un groupe d'évidements (14) est agencé dans chaque élément de réception (10) dans une seconde direction, qui est essentiellement transversale à la première direction.

3. Base d'emballage (1) selon la revendication 1 ou 2, dans laquelle les éléments de réception parallèles (10) sont liés sous forme de chaîne, de manière telle que la première extrémité du second côté (12) de l'élément de réception précédent (10a) soit liée de façon flexible à la première extrémité du premier côté (11) de l'élément de réception suivant, de manière telle que la base d'emballage (1) puisse être pliée aux joints entre les éléments de réception (10) dans une position fermée, auquel cas la jonction des premier et dernier éléments de réception (10) de la base d'emballage (1) ferme la base d'emballage (1) de manière telle que la jonction des côtés (11, 12) des éléments de réception parallèles (10) ferme la base d'emballage (1) de manière telle que le côté (11, 12) des éléments de réception parallèles (10a, 10b) se supportent et les évidements (14) restent à l'intérieur de la base d'emballage fermée (1).

4. Base d'emballage (1) selon la revendication 1, dans laquelle la base d'emballage (1) comprend une base en feuille (20), à partir de la première surface de laquelle des éléments de réception (10) sont agencés pour faire saillie, auquel cas la seconde surface de la base (20) forme l'enveloppe extérieure de l'emballage lorsque la base d'emballage (1) est dans la position fermée.

5. Base d'emballage (1) selon une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans laquelle les évidements (14) des éléments de réception consécutifs (10a, 10b) sont décalés les uns par rapport aux autres dans la direction de la strie d'extrémité (13).

6. Base d'emballage (1) selon la revendication 5, dans laquelle les évidements (14) de chaque second élément de réception (10) sont alignés les uns avec les autres.

7. Base d'emballage (1) selon une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans laquelle des griffes de verrouillage (16) sont agencées dans les stries d'extrémité (13), lesquelles griffes s'étendent parallèlement à la strie d'extrémité (13) par-dessus un évidement (14), de manière telle qu'elles soient agencées pour verrouiller en place un article inséré dans l'évidement (14).

8. Base d'emballage (1) selon une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans laquelle une bande de verrouillage (17) est agencée par-dessus la strie d'extrémité (13), afin de verrouiller des articles entre l'évidement (14) et la bande de verrouillage (17).

9. Base d'emballage (1) selon une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans laquelle la base d'emballage (1) comprend six ou huit éléments de réception parallèles (10a ... 10f), de manière telle que, lorsque l'emballage fermé est vu à partir de l'extrémité, il présente une forme hexagonale ou octogonale, respectivement.

Drawing