Package and method for grouping articles

Abstract

 A package for two or more grouped articles, in particular bottles, includes two close-loop strips (3,4) of extendible elastic plastic material, wrapped around grouped articles (1) and laying in planes oriented in different ways. The length of each strip (3,4) is smaller than the perimeter of the grouped articles (1) along which it is wrapped.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a package of two or more grouped articles, in particular bottles.

[0002] There are many methods used in the packaging field for producing packages of grouped articles, in particular bottles or other containers for e.g. liquid products.

[0003] Reference will be made hereinbelow to bottles, but is clearly understood that the described and claimed package can be used also for containers of different type and/or shape, packaged in similar way.

[0004] According to one of the known methods, the group of bottles is wound within a tubular wrapping of plastic heat-shrinkable material and passes in a heating tunnel, also called retraction tunnel.

[0005] Inside the tunnel, the wrapping of heat-shrinkable material retracts around the group of articles.

[0006] At the end of the tunnel, the heat-shrinkable material is cooled and thus forms a well stretched wrapping, which holds the bottles and gives necessary stability and compactness to the package, thus allowing it to be transported and piled up.

[0007] The drawback of this method derives from the fact that it is necessary to equip the packaging machines with heating tunnel, which increases the machine dimensions and raises the power consumption.

[0008] According to a known solution, a ring-like strip of extendable plastic elastic material is applied around the grouped bottles.

[0009] The length of the strip is smaller than the whole perimeter of the group of bottles, thus the strip holds the bottles together due to its elastic reaction.

[0010] This method avoids the necessity of the heating tunnel, but the obtained package is not stable and compact enough to allow its easy transport and safe piling up.

[0011] The object of the present invention is to propose a package for two or more grouped articles, in particular bottles, which is obtained without using a heating tunnel and which is stable and compact enough to allow easy transportation and safe piling up.

[0012] Another object of the present invention is to propose a method for obtaining the above mentioned package.

[0013] A further object of the present invention is to propose a package for two or more grouped articles, in particular bottles, and a method for obtaining it, which are simple and cheap.

[0014] According to the- invention, the package and the method- for obtaining it are defined in the main claims concerning the product and the method, respectively, while the preferred characteristic features are defined in the dependent claims.

[0015] The invention is described in a more detailed way with reference to particular not limitative embodiments, and with reference to the enclosed drawings, in which:

• Figure 1 is a prospective view of the proposed package;
• Figure 2 is a top view of the same package;
• Figure 3 is a view of the package with a handle applied thereto;
• Figure 4 is a view of a detail of the package of Figure 3.

[0016] With reference to the above-mentioned figures, the reference numeral 2 indicates a package of two or more grouped articles 1, in particular bottles, which is obtained according to the present invention and by carrying out the method described later on.

[0017] Reference will be made in the following to bottles, but it goes without saying that the described and claimed package can be used also for other containers of different type and/or shape, packaged in similar ways.

[0018] In the shown example, the package includes a certain number of bottles, let us say six. However, it will be evident that the package can be used with a different number of bottles.

[0019] In order to give the necessary compactness and stability to the package, the so formed group of bottles is wrapped with two annular, loop-like strips 3, 4 of extendable plastic, elastic material, so as to form a tubular half wrapping.

[0020] The strips 3, 4 are wrapped around the articles while laying in planes oriented in different ways.

[0021] In the shown example, the strips are wrapped around the bottles 1 along ring-like closed lines laying in perpendicular planes.

[0022] In this case, two strips 3, 4 have been used, but more than two strips can be used each time in relation to different needs.

[0023] The length of each of the strips 3, 4 is smaller than the whole perimeter of the grouped articles 1 along which the strip is wrapped.

[0024] Thus, each loop-like strip is elastically expanded, then the package is introduced therein, and consequently, due to the elastic reaction of the material, the strip holds the bottles 1 together.

[0025] Therefore, the two strips form an orderly wrapping which wraps completely and stably the group of bottles, or any other articles.

[0026] A handle 5 can be applied to any one of the strips 3, 4, preferably to the one which remains in the outer position, as well seen in Figures 3 and 4.

[0027] The handle 5 can be applied by any one of the techniques well known in the art, e.g. heat-welding, gluing, etc.

[0028] Consequently, the method for obtaining a package includes the following steps:

widening and applying a first loop-like strip 3 of plastic elastic extendible material, around the grouped bottles 1;

widening and applying a second loop-like closed strip 4 of plastic elastic extendible material, around the grouped bottles 1, oriented in a different way with respect to the first loop-like strip 3.

[0029] In particular, the two strips 3, 4 are laying in planes perpendicular to each other.

[0030] Then, according to the method, a handle can be optionally applied to any one of the strips 3, 4.

[0031] It is pretty evident that all the objects mentioned in the preamble have been obtained.

[0032] The so obtained package is stable and compact due to the combined action of the two elastic strips wrapped around the grouped articles and perpendicular to each other.

[0033] Therefore, the packages can be easily transported and advantageously piled up, further packaged and palletized.

[0034] The simplicity and low cost of the package derive from the fact that cheap materials are used and the method does not require any heating.

[0035] The machines carrying out the method do not have to be equipped with heating tunnels, but with a simple section operated mechanically in known way in order to apply the elastic strips.

[0036] Moreover, the economic and functional advantages deriving from the use of the described package and from the carrying out of the proposed method are obvious.

Claims

1. Package for two or more grouped articles, in particular bottles, characterized in that it includes at least two annular loop-like strips (3,4) of an extendible elastic plastic material, wrapped around said grouped articles (1) and laying in planes oriented differently, with each strip (3,4) having a length smaller than the perimeter of the grouped articles (1) around which it is wrapped.

2. Package, according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes at least two loop-like strips (3,4) of an extendible elastic plastic material, wrapped around said grouped articles (1) and laying in planes perpendicular to each other.

3. Package, according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes two said strips (3,4).

4. Package, according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of said strips is equipped with a handle (5).

5. Method for obtaining a package for two or more grouped articles, in particular bottles, includes the following steps:

application of a first loop-like strip (3) of extendible elastic plastic material, around said grouped bottles (1), with the length of said first strip (3) smaller than the perimeter of the grouped articles (1) around which it is wrapped;

application of at least one second loop-like strip (4) of extendible elastic plastic material, around said grouped bottles (1), with the length of said second strip (4) smaller than the perimeter of the grouped articles (1) around which it is wrapped and oriented in a different way with respect to said first strip (3).

6. Method, according to claim 5, characterized in that the strips (3,4) are applied laying in perpendicular planes.

7. Method, according to claim 5, characterized in that a handle (5) is applied to at least one of said strips (3,4).

Drawing