|
(11) | EP 1 384 679 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
| (54) | Article carrier, blank therefor and method of producing a pack obtained with said blank |
| (57) A precut blank (1), a pack and a packaging method for containers (30) disposed in
rows side by side and having a radially protruding stopper or upper edge (32) are
described. The precut blank comprises a central panel (2) having apertures (5) to
receive the neck of the containers, a pair of side panels (10, 11) connected to the
central panel (2) by means of respective fold lines (3, 4), a cover panel (14) connected
to the side panel (11) by means of a fold line (12), a top inside panel (15) connected
to the side panel (10) by means of a fold line (13) and destined to receive a layer
of glue for fixing to the cover panel (14), and an intermediate panel (17) connected
to the upper inside panel (15) by means of portions of fold line (16) and destined
to be disposed between two side-by-side rows of containers, so as to act as an intermediate
rib and to ensure greater stiffness of the pack |
[0001] The present invention refers to a precut blank for packaging containers. It refers in particular to the field of wrapping/packing in a single pack of bottles, jars or containers with stoppers, mainly used in the food sector for liquid or semi-liquid products such as drinks, yogurt, creams etc.
[0002] In the state of the art there are currently available on the market various types of packages for substantially cylindrical containers of food products provided with stoppers in the upper part or in any case with protruding edges. Said containers are retained inside the pack through locking teeth formed by means of triangular cuts made in the precut blank near the holes for coupling with the upper part of said containers.
[0003] The grouping of these containers largely preferred by the customers in this sector is in two rows side by side, with various configurations (for example 2 x 2, 2 x 3, 2 x 4 containers). Said arrangement in side-by-side rows nonetheless gives rise to a certain instability of the individual containers, which tend to spread out in their lower part, not being retained by the cardboard precut blank.
[0004] The aim of the invention is to reduce said drawback of the prior art as far as possible by providing a precut blank for packaging of containers that is practical, is able to group the containers in side-by-side rows and at the same time is able to secure a certain stability of said containers.
[0005] Another object of the present invention is to provide such a precut blank for packaging of containers that is cheap, easy to make and can be mechanised on an automatic machine.
[0006] These objects are achieved in accordance with the invention with the precut blank according to the characteristics listed in appended independent claim 1.
[0008] The precut blank according to the invention is used for packaging of containers, disposed in rows side by side and provided with a stopper or radially protruding upper edge. The precut blank comprises a central bottom panel provided with side-by-side apertures in a number equal to the number of containers, so as to receive the neck of the containers. A first and a second side panel are connected to the central panel by means of respective fold lines.
[0009] A top outside or cover panel is connected to the second side panel by means of a fold line, whilst a top inside or gluing panel is connected to the first side panel by means of a fold line. The upper inside panel is smaller in size than the cover panel and is destined to receive a layer of glue for fixing to the cover panel.
[0010] The peculiar characteristic of the invention is that an end or intermediate panel - destined to be disposed between two side-by-side rows of containers and between the upper cover panel and the central bottom panel to act as an intermediate rib and to ensure a better stiffness of the pack - is connected to said upper inside panel by means of a fold line.
[0011] Further characteristics of the invention will be made clearer by the detailed description that follows, referring to a purely exemplary and therefore non limiting embodiment thereof, illustrated in the appended drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a top plan view of the flat precut blank according to the invention;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the flat precut blank of Figure 1, disposed above a group of four substantially cylindrical containers;
Figures 3-6 are perspective views, like Figure 1, illustrating three successive stages of preparation of the pack obtained with the precut blank according to the invention;
Figure 7 is a perspective view of the finished pack according to the invention;
Figure 8 is a side view of the pack of figure 7;
Figures 9A and 9B are two perspective views diagrammatically illustrating the various steps in automation of the production cycle of a pack according to the invention.
[0012] The precut blank for packaging containers according to the invention, denoted as a whole with reference numeral 1, is described with the aid of the figures.
[0013] As can be seen from Figure 1, the precut blank, generally made of cardboard and provided by the paper industry in a flat form, comprises a central bottom or lower panel 2, delimited by fold lines or side scoring 3 and 4 parallel to each other and preferably having cuts or incisions to facilitate folding.
[0014] In the central panel 2 there are four apertures 5 and around the perimeter of said apertures 5 retaining teeth 6 are formed by means of radial cuts 7 and cuts or transverse fold lines 8 disposed tangent to a circumferential course around the apertures 5, so that the teeth 6 can bend along said transverse fold lines 8.
[0015] It should be noted that the geometry of these teeth 6 is mainly triangular, but thanks to a different arrangement of the cuts 7, different geometries (almost rectangular) have also been achieved for some teeth 9 that, as will be described below, will serve to create a larger supporting surface and to better stiffening of the final pack. The two rectangular teeth 9 are provided on the two apertures 5 near the fold line 4 (on the left with reference to Figure 1) and face towards the median portion of the central panel 2, that is to say towards the two apertures 5 near the fold line 3 (on the right with reference to Figure 1).
[0016] Beyond the scorings 3 and 4 there extend respectively two side panels 10 and 11 delimited respectively by their fold lines or scorings 13 and 12 substantially parallel to the scorings 3 and 4.
[0017] Beyond the fold lines 12 and 13 two further panels extend, the top outside panel 14 for final closure of the pack and the top inside one 15 for gluing which will receive the glue (during the mechanization process) for sealing with the overlying top panel 14. By way of example, in Figure 1 the portion of the gluing panel 15 that will receive the glue is shown with a dashed line.
[0018] The gluing panel 15 is connected, by means of a fold line 16, to a further end panel 17, hereinunder called intermediate panel 17, because it will have to be disposed between two side-by-side rows of containers. Once the pack is completed, the intermediate panel 17 serves to strengthen the pack and avoid excessive vertical movements of the containers.
[0019] The fold line 16 disposed between the gluing panel 15 and the intermediate panel 17 is interrupted by some shaped cuts 18 which serve to form tongues 19, substantially rectangular or trapezoidal in shape, which remain integral with the intermediate panel 17 thanks to fold lines 20. As a result the fold line 16 comprises three aligned discontinuous portions in the region of the tongues 19.
[0020] The stages which lead to final formation of the pack are described below with reference to Figures 2-7.
[0021] With reference to Figures 2 and 3, the precut blank 1, after being deposited exactly above a predefined group of containers 30 with which it must couple, is forced/pushed beneath the top part 31 of the containers 30 and thanks to the contrast with the stoppers or with any other protruding edge of the containers 30, the retaining teeth 6 of the precut blank will be erected and, thanks to the normal elastic return of the cardboard, will be positioned against the necks 32 of the containers or in any case beneath the upper protruding parts 31 of the containers, effectively retaining said containers.
[0022] As shown in Figure 4, in this subsequent stage the outer side panel 10 and the top inside panel or gluing panel 15 are folded. Then, the intermediate panel 17 is folded and inserted between the two side-by-side rows of containers 30.
[0023] It should be noted that during this folding of the intermediate panel 17, the tongues 19, thanks to the folding and to the bias against the upper part of the containers, rotate slightly along the scoring 20 and are positioned over the plane of the top inside panel 15.
[0024] As shown in Figure 5, in this stage the tongues 19 are pushed and are positioned beneath the upper protruding edges 32 of the containers 30. In particular, on one side the scoring 20 is inserted beneath the edge 32 of the containers of one row, whilst on the opposite side, the outermost part of the tongue 19 is positioned beneath the edge 32 of the containers of the opposite row.
[0025] Lastly, as shown in Figure 6, in this stage the side panel 11 is folded, the glue is applied to the top inside panel 15, the top outside panel 14 is folded and brought under pressure, thus obtaining the final pack, illustrated in Figure 7.
[0026] As shown in Figure 8, the good stiffness and stability of the containers 30 is ensured by the triangular body generated by the tongues 19 which on one side are integral with the intermediate panel 17 which remains inclined and resting on the central panel 2 and at the other end encounter the upper side of the rectangular teeth 9 which is larger in size than the other retaining teeth 6.
[0027] To save on material, the intermediate panel 17 can have a smaller height than that illustrated in the figures. In this case, the free end thereof does not come to rest on the central panel 2. In fact, it must be considered that, in any case, the hold of the pack is ensured by the tongues 19 whose free ends come to be positioned beneath the edges 32 of a row of containers and by the scorings 20 of the tongues 19 which are positioned beneath the edges 32 of the opposite row of containers.
[0028] Obviously, given the high production speeds required by industry in this sector, it is crucial for said proposed packaging solution to be mechanizable with automatic machines, such as multi-pack machines.
[0029] The manufacturing method for the pack obtained with the precut blank 1 according to the invention is described below with reference to Figures 9A and 9B.
[0030] The precut blank 1, in a per se known manner, is obtained from a single piece of cardboard or other suitable material, by shearing and by formation of folding lines.
[0031] With reference to Figure 9A, the flat precut blanks 1 are collected in stacks in a special magazine 21 of an automatic machine which, in view of its prerogative of packaging products in a multiple configuration, is generally called "multi-pack". The multi-pack machine comprises a conveyor or conveyor belt which feeds the containers in an upright position into an accumulation station 22.
[0032] Downstream of the accumulation station a phasing area 23 is provided, where the containers are evenly divided into groups by special phasing means according to the desired configuration (for example, 2x2).
[0033] In a picking station 24, suction or other gripping means pick sequentially from the magazine 21 the individual precut blanks 1 and place them above the groups of containers 30, so that the apertures/holes 5 coincide with the upper part 31 of the containers 30.
[0034] Subsequently, as shown in Figure 9B, the assembly consisting of the precut blank and the respective containers is transported towards a coupling area 25, where a pressure system, for example a perforated contrast plate constrained to a cam or to an upper catenary, pushes the precut blank downwards, causing coupling thereof with the group of containers beneath, which will be gripped and retained by the teeth 6.
[0035] Folding of the side panel 10, of the gluing panel 15 and of the intermediate panel 17 will follow, and in the subsequent steps, thanks to central pressure guides or to other systems (for example chains, belts, etc.) the tongues 19 will be inserted beneath the protruding upper edges 32 of the containers.
[0036] In the final part of the multi-pack machine the stages of folding of the side panel 11 and of the top cover 14 will take place. Then, the glue will be applied to the top inside panel 15. Subsequently the pack will pass in a pressure station wherein the top outside panel 14 is pressed to ensure the glue sticks. After the pressure station the final pack will be discharged, possibly to be sent to other machines, such as tray fillers, shrink wrapping machines, etc., for final storage.
1. A precut blank (1) for packaging of containers (30), disposed in side-by-side rows
and provided with a stopper or with radially protruding upper edge (32), comprising:
- a central bottom panel (2) provided with side-by-side apertures (5) whose number equals that of the containers (30), so that the upper part of the containers can engage in said apertures (5);
- a first and a second side panel (10, 11) connected to the central bottom panel (2) by means of respective fold lines (3, 4);
- a top outside or cover panel (14) connected to the second side panel (11) by means of a fold line (12), and
- a top inside or gluing panel (15) connected to the first side panel (10) by means of a fold line (13), said top inside panel (15) being smaller in size than the cover panel (14) and being designed to receive a layer of glue for fixing to said cover panel (14),
characterised in that an end or intermediate panel (17) - designed to be disposed between two side-by-side rows of containers and substantially between said top cover panel (14) and said central bottom panel (2) to act as an intermediate rib and to ensure a better stiffness of the pack - is connected to said top inside panel (15) by means of a fold line (16),2. A precut blank (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that along said fold line (16) disposed between said top inside panel (15) and said intermediate
panel (17) tongues or tabs (19) are formed, designed to engage beneath the upper protruding
edge (32) of said containers.
3. A precut blank (1) according to claim 2, characterised in that said tongues (19) are substantially rectangular or trapezoidal in shape, each of
said tongues (19) being obtained by means of cuts (18) and of a fold line (20) disposed
on the intermediate panel (17) and substantially parallel to the fold line (16) which
connects the intermediate panel (17) to the top inside panel (15), so that the fold
lines (20) of said tongues (19) abut beneath the upper edge (32) of the containers
of one row and the free ends of said tongues (19) abut beneath the upper edge (32)
of the containers of the opposite row.
4. A precut blank (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that in the central bottom panel (2), around said apertures (5), there are provided a
plurality of retaining teeth (6, 9) which grip beneath the upper protruding edge (32)
of said containers.
5. A precut blank (1) according to claim 4, characterised in that at least some retaining teeth (6) are substantially triangular in shape and are defined
by radial cuts (7) and transverse fold lines (8) disposed tangent to a circumferential
course around said apertures (5).
6. A precut blank (1) according to claim 4 or 5, characterised in that it comprises rectangular retaining teeth (9) disposed on the side-by-side apertures
(5) of one row and facing toward the median part of said central bottom panel (2),
wherein the free end of said rectangular retaining teeth (9) is able to support the
free end of said tongues (19).
7. A pack of containers aligned in at least two rows, made from a precut blank according
to any one of the preceding claims.
8. A procedure for packaging of containers in a precut blank (1) as claimed in any one
of claims 1-6, characterised in that it comprises the following steps:
- feeding of the precut blanks (1) into a multi-pack machine;
- feeding of the containers (30) into said multi-pack machine and phasing of the containers in groups arranged in parallel rows;
- picking up of a precut blank (1) and positioning of the central panel (2) of the precut blank on the top part (31) of a group of containers (30),
- lowering of the central panel (2) of the precut blank so that the upper parts of the containers engage in the apertures (5) of the central panel (2) of the precut blank,
- folding of the first side panel (10), of the top inside panel (15) and of the intermediate panel (17) so that the intermediate panel (17) is disposed between two rows of containers (30), and
- folding of the second side panel (11) and of the top cover panel (14) and gluing of the top inside panel (15) to the top cover panel (14).
9. A method according to claim 8, characterised in that after the folding of said intermediate panel (15), the retaining tongues (19) engaging
beneath the protruding upper edges (32) of said containers (30) are folded.