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(11) | EP 0 169 692 A2 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | A carton |
| (57) A container for continuous stationery which is of parallel- piped form and has a
slot, or means for forming a slot, through which the stationery can be drawn and extends
parallel to and adjacent to one edge of the container. |
[0001] This invention relates to a container and is more particularly concerned with a container for continuous stationery.
[0002] Continuous stationery is used in office machinery in general and also in computers with print out facilities and consists of sheets of paper or sets of sheets of paper (herein referred to also as sheets) arranged to be detachably connected by their edges and stored in fan-fold form.
[0003] According to the present invention a container for continuous stationery is of parallelepiped form and has a slot, or means for forming a slot, through which the stationery can be drawn and which extends parallel and adjacent to one edge of the container.
[0004] The means for forming a slot may comprise a readily detachable portion, such as a tear-off strip, which is removable to form the slot. Alternatively a container may comprise a closure member hinged to a first wall of the container at an upper edge thereof so as to be movable to define a slot with the upper edge of a second wall parallel to the first wall. In the closed position the closure member may form an upper wall of the container.
[0005] Preferably the closure member has sides which in the open position act as guides for the edges of the continuous stationery. The guides may conveniently lie within the container in the closed position. In one construction the guides may be in the form of arcuate members respectively hinged to the opposite edges of the closure member.
[0006] The slot, or the means of forming the slot, may extend over substantially the whole width of the container, and conveniently the ends of the slot or the means for forming the slot may be spaced from the edges of a container by gussets.
[0008] The slot or the means for forming the slot may also extend into an an adjacent side of the container extending at right angles to the edge of the container.
[0009] Preferably also the container is provided with means for supporting the centre of a stack of continuous stationery. Conveniently, the supporting means may be in the form of a raised portion or element inserted in the base of the container.
[0010] The invention also includes within its scope a container as set forth including continuous stationery. In a particular embodiment the leading edge of the first sheet of continuous stationery is adhered to a portion of the container which is removable, optionally to form the slot. With such an arrangement, the first sheet can be readily withdrawn from the container as the removable portion is detached.
[0011] Preferably the means securing the sheet to the removable portion comprises two cooperable films of cohesive adhesive provided on the removable portion and on the leading edge of the sheet. Cohesive adhesives are well known and do not themselves form part of this invention. They are generally based on rubber latices and have the characteristic when applied as a film of only being adherent to a similar film of the same adhesive.
[0012] In one construction the removable portion is provided with a sprocket hole or holes at each side in register with a similar sprocket hole provided in the detachable edge stnps of the continuous stationery adhered thereto. This ensures that the leading edge of the continuous stationery is maintained in a transversly rigid condition as it is fed through the sprocket mechanism. The removable portion can then be detached and discarded.
[0013] The container preferably also includes means for viewing the quantity of stationery remaining therein, and in one arrangement such viewing means may comprise a vertical tear-out strip. Alternatively such viewing means may be constituted by an aperture covered with a glassine paper, or a plastics film, to form a window.
[0014] The invention may be performed in various ways and some embodiments will now be described by ways of an example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a first container according to the present invention.
Figure 2 is a similar view to figure 1 showing the continuous stationery in the process of being removed from the container.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of a second container according to the present invention.
Figure 4 is a view of the container according to figure 3 taken from the front.
Figure 5 is a side view of the container of figures 3 and 4.
Figure 6 is a view similar to figure 4 but of a third container.
Figure 7 is a somewhat diagrammatic plan view of a fourth container according to the invention in the form of a carton prior to erection with continuous stationery therein.
Figure 8 is a view on the line VIII-VIII of figure 7.
Figure 9 is a cross section through the upper part of the carton of figures 7 and 8 after erection.
Figure 10 is a view similar to figure 9 showing a sheet in the course of being extracted from the carton.
Figure 11 is a view on the line XI-XI of figure 10.
Figure 12 is a view similar to figure 10, but showing the slot in a different position and
Figure 13 is a view of a modification which may be incorporated in container of the present invention.
[0015] In the Figures the container is of parallelepiped shape and formed from cardboard or other similar material, having a top wall 1, opposite parallel side walls 2 (one only being shown), and a front wall 3, a rear and a -base (neither of which are shown).
[0016] The container is provided with a tear-off strip 4, which, when removed, will provide a slot in the front 3 and which extends down the front. The lower edge of the slot is indicated at 6 while the upper edge is defined by corner 5 joining the top wall 1 to the front wall 3.
[0018] Figure 2 shows the slot after opening by tearing out the strip 4 and during removal of a sheet of continuous stationery 10 therethrough.
[0019] The slot as described above extends down the front wall 3. Alternatively it could be arranged to extend along the top wall 1 by providing a tear-off strip 11 with an edge 12 and sides 13. As a further alternative tear off strips as described may be provided in both the top wall 1 and the side wall 3. Moreover, a suitable thumb push portion 14 may be provided to assist in removal of the tear off strip or strips.
[0020] The container of figure 3 is of generally parallelepiped form and has a top wall 20, side walls 21, a rear wall 22 and an inner front wall 23. The front wall 23 defines narrow gaps 35 with the side walls 21 and extends upwardly from the base to a position spaced below the top of the container, at which it has a bendable flat 30 (figure 5) extending therefrom. A slot 24 is formed between the flap 30 and the edge of the top wall 20, when the latter is opened, as described below. The continuous stationery can then be extracted through the gap, as shown in figure 5.
[0021] The slot 24 is closable by a closure member 25 connected to the edge of the top wall 20. The closure member 15 is in the form of a rectangular member 26 with arcuate end flaps 27 joined thereto. The flaps 27 are, in the closed position, designed to slide through the gap 35 to lie inside the side walls 21 of the container so that the member 26 then forms an outer front wall of a container.
[0022] When it is desired to open the container to withdraw continuous stationery the member 25 is first pulled open. Figure 3 shows the member 25 after the sides 27 has disengaged from the gap 35. As can been seen the member 25 hinges about about a line 28 contiguous with the top edge of the container 20. As an alternative the member 25 can also be hinged about the line 29 if a larger gap for withdrawal of stationery is required.
[0023] As is shown more clearly in figure 5 the flap 26 can also act as a guide member for the paper being withdrawn. The bendable flap 30, which hinges downwards, will also assist the flow of the stationery when it is drawn directly over the flap (to the right as shown in the drawing). Since the flap 30 has a smooth edge, it presents no rough portions, such as can occur with tear-out perforated strips, and which may catch on the sprocket holes punched in the continuous stationery to cause distortion or tearing of the paper.
[0024] Figure 5 also shows diagrammatically continuous stationery 31 being extracted from the container and being guided by the flaps 27.
[0025] Figure 5 and 6 also show an insert 32 set in the bottom the container. The insert 32 consists of a raised portion running along the base of the container and parallel to the sides of the continuous stationery which will be guided by the flaps 26.
[0026] In an alternative construction the insert may be of convex form as shown in figure 6 at 33. The convex curve will correspond to the concavity which would be obtained from the stack if free standing. The insert may be supported internally by resilient means, such as corrugated cardboard as shown diagrammatically at 34. This insert 32 or 33 is required to compensate for the two tear-off strips adjacent either side of the continuous stationery which are of greater thickness than the centre portion. This results from the additional layers of adhesive materials present in multi-part stationery sets and the punched sprocket holes which are burred about the eoges also to cause a slight increase in thickness. In a stack of continuous stationery the edge thickening causes a centre portion to sag. The provision of an insert, such as shown at 32 or 33 at the base of the stack ensures that the upper surface of the stack remains relatively flat and facilitates the withdrawal of the stationery through the gap.
[0027] In the arrangement of figure 7 there is shown a carton containing continuous stationery prior to erection. The carton comprises a base portion shown on the right hand side at 41 and having flaps 42, 43 and 44 extending therefrom. A stack of fan folded edge punched continuous stationery is located on base 41 as indicated at 45. The top of a carton is indicated at 46 and has flaps 47, 48 and 49 adapated to cooperate with the flaps 42, 43 and 44 to form the side and end walls of the carton when erected. As can be seen at the right hand side of figure 7 the stack of fan folded stationery has the leading edge of the first sheet provided with a film of cohesive adhesive as shown at 50. The carton is also provided with a film of cohesive adhesive as shown at 51. The films 50 and 51 are adhered together immediately prior to erection of the carton.
[0028] The cohesive adhesive film on the carton 51 is applied to a portion 52 of the carton intended for removal to form a slot, for example by cutting with a knife. Alternatively, the portion 52 may be defined by perforations so as to form a tear-off strip. When the portion 52 is removed the leading edge of the first sheet of fan folded stationery will be simultaneously drawn out of the carton. This avoids any difficulty which might otherwise occur in trying to grip the first sheet with the fingers for withdrawal.
[0029] Figure 8 shows a view of the cohesive adhesive on line VIII-VIII of strip 52. Figure 9 shows the arrangement in the upper portion of the carton and it will be seen that the upper sheet adheres at its end indicated at 53 to the strip 52.
[0030] Once a strip is removed the sheet readily unfolds as can be seen more clearly in figure 10 and this can be fed into the apparatus with which the stationery is to be used.
[0031] Figure 11 shows a modification for use with continuous stationery having detachable edge strips as shown at 54 and 55, provided with sprocket holes 56 to enable the stationery to be fed through the tractor mechanism of a continuous printer. Where the carton is to be loaded with such stationery, a strip 52 is also provided with holes 56. This conveniently confers rigidity on the leading edge of the first sheet as it is fed through the tractor mechanism, the leading edge may be transversly perforated as at 59 so that it can then be torn-off and discarded.
[0032] An alternative arrangement is shown in figure 12 in which the removable portion is located across the centre of the carton as indicated at 61.
[0033] A further feature is shown in Figure 13 in which a detachable strip 62 is arranged to extend down at least one side. With this arrangement the level of the stationery remaining in the carton can be readily determined by tearing off the strip 62 to form a vertical window 60. Alternatively the window may be formed by a plastics film or glassine paper.
1. A container for continuous stationery which is of parallelepiped form and has a
slot, or means for forming a slot, through which the stationery can be drawn and extends
parallel to and adjacent to one edge of the container.
2. A container as claimed in claim 1 in which the slot or the means for forming the
slot extends over substantially the whole width of the container.
3. A container as claimed in claim 2 in which the ends of the slot or the means for
forming the slot is spaced from the edges of the container by gussets.
4. A container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the slot or
means for forming the slot extends into an adjacent right angled side of the container.
5. A container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the slot is
adapted to be closed by a closure mamber which is hinged to a wall of the container
parallel to the slot.
6. A container as claimed in claim 5 in which the closure member in the closed position
forms an outer wall of the container.
7. A container as claimed in claim 5 or claim 6 in which the closure member has sides
which in the open position act as guides for the edges of the continuous stationery.
8. A container as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 7 in which the guides lie within
the container in the closed position.
9. A container as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 8 in which the guides are in the
form of arcuate members respectively hinged to the opposite edges of the closure member.
10. A container as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 9 which is provided with means
for supporting the centre portion of a stack of continuous stationery.
11. A container as claimed in claim 10 in which the supporting means is in the form
of a raised portion in the base of the container.
12. A container as claimed in claim 11 in which the support is of generally convex
form.
13. A container as claimed in claim 1 in which the means for forming a slot comprises
a removable portion and in which means are provided securing the leading sheet of
continuous stationery to the removable portion.
14. A Container containing continuous stationery as claimed in claim 13 in which the
means securing the sheet to the removable portion comprises a film of a cohesive adhesive
on each of the removable portion and the sheet.
15. A container containing continuous stationery as claimed in claim 13 or claim 14,
in which the removable portion includes a sprocket feed hole or holes adjacent to
each of its opposite edges.
16. A container containing continuous stationery as claimed in claim 15 in whcih the
hole or holes are located on parts of the removable portion which themselves can be
torn-off.
17. A container containing continuous stationery as claimed in any one of the preceding
claims including means for viewing the quantity of stationery remaining therein.
18. A container as claimed in claim 17 in which the viewing means comprises a vertical
tear-out strip.
19. A Container containing continuous stationery as claimed in claim 17 in which the
viewing means are constituted by a window covered with glassine paper or a plastics
film.