Boxes or cartons for packaging eggs, fruits or other articles

Abstract

 A box or carton for packaging eggs, fruit or other articles, includes a tray part (1) having article receiving pockets (3) surrounded at their upper ends by a peripheral rim (7) of the tray part, and a skirt (10) depending down­wardly from the rim (7) on the outside of the tray part. The tray part may be closed by a lid (2) consisting of an identical part which is inverted over the tray part (1) with the pockets therein aligned with the pockets in the tray part so as to close the open upper ends thereof. These two identical parts may be fastened together to form the box by adhesive tape, optionally printed with advertis­ing matter or other information, adhered to the skirt (10) across the junction between the two parts, at least at opposite sides of the box. Alternatively, the tray part may be closed by a hollow lid fitted onto the tray part and having a rebate which extends about its lower peripheral edge and which terminates in a downwardly depending wall corresponding to and overlapping the outside of the skirt. This hollow lid may be fastened to the tray part by press-­stud fasteners or, alternatively, adhesive tape secured to the rebate wall and skirt.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to boxes or cartons for packaging eggs, fruit or other articles, of the type comprising a tray or base part having article-receiving pockets, and a cover part or lid which, in its closed position, is fitted onto the tray part to close the open upper ends of the pockets therein. The tray part and lid may be formed separately or be hinged together and suitable fastening means is provided for retaining the two parts in their closed position. The parts may be moulded from plastics or paper pulp material. More particularly, the invention relates to a novel construction of tray part for such boxes or cartons.

[0002] Tray parts, for example, of egg boxes, have article-receiving pockets of generally part-egg shape and are otherwise elaborately profiled so as to prevent side contact, one with another, of the eggs contained in a box. Such elaborately shaped parts fail to provide sufficient flat areas for advertising and other information required by suppliers and customers and, hence, the lids of egg boxes have typically been formed with large flat areas for this purpose and these lids have open interiors generally devoid of internal portions which can prevent side contact between adjacent eggs. Another disadvantage of this known configuration is that two different sets of tools are required for moulding the differently profiled tray and lid parts.

[0003] It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel construction of tray part for a box or carton of the abovementioned type which may also serve as a cover part or lid for an identical or similar tray part, and which provides a side surface or area on which may be displayed advertising and other information. Another object is to provide such a tray part which enables the display means also to be used for fastening the tray part and lid of a box or carton in their closed position.

[0004] The invention consists in a tray part for a box or carton for packaging eggs, fruit or other articles, com­prising an array of article receiving pockets surrounded by a peripheral rim of the tray part, and a skirt wall depend­ing downwardly from the rim on the outside of the tray part and extending along at least a part of the rim. The skirt wall is preferably outwardly inclined and should be of sufficient depth to provide an adequate flat area for accepting advertising material or other information or permit the secure attachment of paper, plastics or other flexible strips printed with such information. For example, the skirt wall may extend downwardly from the rim for a distance equal to at least one third of the height of the tray part

[0005] The tray part may be of conventional rectangular shape in plan and comprise mutually parallel rows of arti­cle-receiving pockets. Each article-receiving pocket may be configured to contain approximately one half of an article to be disposed in the pocket.

[0006] Preferably, the article-receiving pockets depend from a generally planar upper surface of the tray part, which surface terminates in a peripheral edge of the tray part defining the rim. Such a tray part may be closed by a similar tray part inverted thereover with the planar sur­faces of the two parts in mutually opposed relation. Hence, the invention enables a box or carton for packaging articles to be assembled from two like tray parts, as described above, one of the tray parts being inverted over the other to serve as the lid of the box. Suitable means is provided for releasably fastening the tray parts togeth­er in the closed position.

[0007] Preferably, the skirt wall extends completely about the rim of the tray part to form an endless skirt about the latter.

[0008] The lower edge of the skirt wall may terminate in a small outwardly projecting stiffening flange. This flange may have an intermittent or continuous channel extending along the flange so that, when two similar tray parts are used to form a box, strips of paper card or other material printed with advertising matter and information may have their upper and lower edges engaged in channels in opposing flanges of the two parts to attach them to the box.

[0009] The means for fastening the two similar tray parts together to form a box may comprise adhesive tape, option­ally printed with information, adhered to the skirt walls of the tray parts across the junction between the two parts. Preferably, the adhesive tape is at least secured to skirt walls on opposite sides of the two parts.

[0010] Additionally, or alternatively, the fastening means may comprise press-stud fasteners in which cooperating studs and sockets are formed on mutually opposing surfaces of the two parts. Such fasteners afford the box a refas­tening ability.

[0011] In another form of box or carton embodying the invention, the tray part is utilised in combination with a hollow lid which is fitted onto the tray part to close the open upper ends of the article-receiving pockets therein, the lower peripheral edge of the lid having a downwardly depending wall portion corresponding to the skirt wall of the tray part and overlapping the outside of the skirt wall of the tray part. The depending wall portion of the lid may extend downwardly substantially parallel to the skirt wall and embrace the latter.

[0012] Preferably, the depending wall portion of the lid extends completely about the lower peripheral edge of the lid to form an endless skirt thereabout which cooperates with an endless skirt wall on the tray part, the skirt on the latter nesting within the cooperating skirt on the lid.

[0013] The tray part and lid may be fastened together by adhesive tape adhered to the skirt wall of the tray part and the wall portion of the lid across the junction between the skirt wall and lid wall portion. Additionally, or alternatively, the fastening means may comprise press-stud fasteners formed on the tray part and lid. Where adhesive tape is utilised as the fastening means, or a part of the fastening means, it may be printed with advertising matter or other information.

[0014] To prevent the lid from being forced too closely into engagement with the tray part, the lower edges of the peripheral walls of the hollow lid may have a downwardly facing rebate comprising an outwardly projecting wall portion for engaging the upper surface of the tray part adjacent the rim and terminating in the downwardly depend­ing wall portion which cooperates with the skirt wall of the tray part.

[0015] In order that the present invention may be more readily understood, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of one form of egg box embodying the invention,

Figure 2 is a side view of the egg box of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a side view of a second form of egg box embodying the invention, and

Figure 4 is a plan view of the tray part of the egg box of Figure 3.

[0016] Referring to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, the egg box comprises two identical parts, one of which serves as the tray 1 of the egg box and the other the lid 2. Each part 1,2 is a one-piece moulding of plastics sheet material. For example, conveniently, it is fluid pressure formed or vacuum formed from high impact polystyrene sheet material. Since the parts 1,2 are identical, only the construction of the tray 1 will be described in detail, it being understood that like reference numerals are used in conjunction with the lid to indicate like parts.

[0017] The tray part 1 is of rectangular shape in plan and comprises an array of twelve egg receiving pockets 3 dis­posed in three mutually parallel rows extending longitudi­nally of the tray. The egg receiving pockets depend from a planar upper surface 4 of the tray. This surface termi­nates in side and end edges 5,6 of the tray which edges define a peripheral rim 7 extending about the part and surrounding the upper ends of the pockets 3. Formed inte­grally with the edges 5,6 are outwardly inclined skirt walls 8,9 which define an endless skirt 10 depending downwardly from the rim 7 on the outside of the tray and extending completely about the tray. The skirt walls 8,9 extend downwardly for at least one-third of the height of the tray and terminate in small outwardly projecting stiffening flanges 11. They are also formed with downward­ly extending stiffening grooves 11a.

[0018] The rows of pockets 3 are defined by hollow posts 12 within the central area of the tray, hollow half posts 13 at the periphery and hollow partitions 14 interconnect­ing the posts and half posts. This arrangement prevents side contact of eggs disposed in the pockets. The walls of the posts 17, half posts 13, and partitions 14 are so shaped that each pocket 3 is of generally half-egg shape. Moulded on the outsides of the pockets are hollow axially extending ribs 15 which serve to stiffen the pocket and act as cushions to protect the eggs against external side shocks or blows. The closed bottom 16 of each pocket is formed with an internal hollow boss which serves as a protective cushion for the bottom of an egg and to stiffen the closed bottom end of the pocket. The posts and half posts 12,13 are of the same height and have flat tops defining the generally planar upper surface 4 of the tray. The lower partitions 14 interconnecting the posts and half posts impart a stiffening effect to the whole structure of the tray.

[0019] The egg-receiving pockets 3 of the tray 1 are closed by inverting the identical lid part 2 over the tray and fitting it onto the top of the tray part. In this closed position, the planar surfaces 4 of the two parts 1,2 are in mutually opposed abutting relation and the egg-­receiving pockets 3 in the lid are aligned with those in the tray so as to house the upper half of the eggs disposed in the tray. The two parts are fastened together by strips 17 of adhesive tape adhered to the skirt walls 8 of the parts at opposite sides and extending across the junction or joint 18 between the two parts. The adhesive tape may be printed with advertising material or other information. By positioning such material on the side of the egg box, it is made readily visible and not obscured when the boxes are stacked one on top of another.

[0020] The egg box illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 includes a tray part 20 of similar construction to the tray 1 of Figures 1 and 2 and the same reference numerals are used in Figures 3 and 4 to identify similar parts. In this embodi­ment, however, the tray part 20 is closed by a hollow lid 21 of rectangular shape in plan and which comprises a top portion 22 having a large flat central area 23 and side and end walls 24,25 extending downwardly from the peripheral edges of the top. The side and end walls 24,25 have deep downwardly extending V-shaped grooves 26 at spaced posi­tions therealong for stiffening purposes. They terminate in a rebate 27 which extends entirely about the lower edge of the lid and which comprises an outwardly projecting wall portion 28 terminating in a downwardly projecting and outwardly inclined wall portion 29. When the lid 21 is fitted onto the tray part 20 to close the latter, the hori­zontal wall portion 28 of the rebate rests on the upper surface 4 of the tray part, adjacent the rim 7, in order to prevent the lid being wedged too far onto the top of the tray part, whilst the wall portion 29 extends downwardly on the outside of the skirt 10 of the tray part, in overlap­ping substantially parallel relation with the skirt.

[0021] In order releasably to fasten the lid 21 to the tray part 20, the two parts are formed with cooperating press-stud fastening devices 30,31. Hence, posts and half posts 12,13 adjacent opposite ends of the tray 20 have small studs 30 projecting upwardly from their top surfaces, each stud having a slightly divergent profile in elevation. Depressions formed in the top 22 of the lid 21 adjacent opposite ends thereof define posts 32 projecting downwardly into the interior of the hollow lid and the bottom ends of these posts, and parts of the horizontal wall portion 28 of the rebate projecting into the grooves 26 at opposite ends of the lid, are formed with sockets 31 arranged to engage with the studs 30 in the tops of the opposing posts and half posts 12,13 when the lid is fitted onto the tray. The press stud fasteners may be of the construction described in EP-A-0 004 441 in which the sockets 31 are in the form of slots, in this case, extending longitudinally of the lid.

[0022] When the lid 21 is fitted onto the tray part 20 to close the latter, it may be sealed to the tray part by adhesive tape (not shown) adhered to the wall portion 29 of the lid and the skirt 10 of the tray part across the junc­tion 33 between the wall portion and skirt. This tape may be secured along opposite sides or ends of the box or, alternatively, may be secured completely about the box. It may also be printed with advertising matter or other infor­mation which, as it is positioned on the sides and/or ends of the box, is readily visible when the boxes are stacked one on top of another.

[0023] Whilst particular embodiments have been described, it will be understood that modifications can be made with­out departing from the scope of the invention, as defined by the appended claims. For example, the two parts 1,2 of the box shown in Figures 1 and 2 may additionally, or alternatively, be secured together by press stud fasteners similar to those utilised in the embodiment of Figures 3 and 4 to provide a refastening facility. In this case, the constructions of the two parts 1,2 will differ slightly in that one part will have studs 30 moulded at the tops of its posts 12 and/or half posts 13, whilst the other part will be moulded with the cooperating sockets 31. Moreover, where such other fastening means is utilised, the adhesive tape fastening 17 may be omitted and the flanges 11 may be formed with channels so that opposite edges of one or more display cards may be engaged in the upper and lower chan­nels provided by opposed flanges 11 to locate the display card(s) at the sides and/or ends of the box.

Claims

1. A tray part (1,20) for a box or carton for packag­ing eggs, fruit or other articles, comprising an array of article-receiving pockets (3) surrounded by a peripheral rim (7) of the tray part, and a skirt wall (8,9) depending downwardly from the rim (7) on the outside of the tray part and extending along at least a part of the rim.

2. A tray part as claimed in claim 1, wherein the article-receiving pockets (3) depend from a generally planar upper surface (4) of the tray part, which surface terminates in a peripheral edge (5,6) of the tray part defining the rim (7).

3. A tray part as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the skirt wall (8,9) extends completely about the rim of the tray part to form an endless skirt (10) about the latter.

4. A tray part as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the lower edge of the skirt wall (8,9) terminates in an outwardly projecting stiffening flange (11).

5. A tray part as claimed in claim 4, wherein the flange (11) is formed with an intermittent or continuous channel extending along the flange and arranged to locate the edge(s) of one or more strips of paper card or other card-like material.

6. A tray part as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, having fastening means (17,30) for engaging with cooperating fastening means (31) formed on a lid (2,21) for the tray part (1) to retain the lid in its closed position on the tray part.

7. A tray part as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, which is of rectangular shape in plan and includes mutually parallel rows of article-receiving pockets (3), each of which is adapted to contain approximately one-half of an article to be disposed in the pocket.

8. A box or carton for packaging eggs, fruit or other articles, comprising, in combination, a tray part (1) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, a lid (2,21) fitting onto the tray part to close the open up ends of the article-receiving pockets (3) therein, and fastening means (17,30,31) releasably fastening the lid in its closed posi­tion on the tray part.

9. A box or carton as claimed in claim 8, wherein the lid (2) also comprises a tray part as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, inverted over the first-mentioned tray part (1), and the fastening means comprises adhesive tape (17) adhered to adjacent skirt walls (8) of the two tray parts (1,2) across the junction (18) between the two parts.

10. A box or carton as claimed in claim 8, wherein the lid (21) has a downwardly depending wall portion (29) along a lower peripheral edge corresponding to the skirt wall (8,9) of the tray part and overlapping the outside of the skirt wall of the tray part.

11. A box or carton as claimed in claim 10, wherein the depending wall portion (29) of the lid (321) extends com­pletely about the lower peripheral edge of the lid to form an endless skirt thereabout which cooperates with an end­less skirt (10) on the tray part, the skirt on the tray part nesting within the cooperating skirt on the lid.

12. A box or carton as claimed in claim 10 or 11, wherein the fastening means comprises adhesive tape adhered to the skirt wall of the tray part (2) and the depending wall portion (29) of the lid (21) across the junction (33) between the skirt wall and wall portion.

13. A box or carton as claimed in claim 10, 11 or 12, wherein the lower peripheral edge of the lid (21) has a downwardly facing rebate (27) comprising an outwardly projecting wall portion (28) for engaging the upper surface (41) of the tray part (1) adjacent the rim (7) thereof and terminating in the downwardly depending wall portion (29) which cooperates with the skirt wall of the tray part.

14. A box or carton as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 13, wherein the fastening means comprises press-stud fastening devices (30,31).

Drawing