Blank sheet and box with information element

Abstract

 In a blank sheet (1) made of a single piece for forming a box, comprising a plurality of flaps (2-5) which can be folded and connected to form a tubular box body (12), a portion of one of the end flaps of the box body is partially dinked and glued to the other end flap. At least one tab provided with indications on the contents of the box, extends from the flap provided with the gluig portion and from the opposite flap there extends at least one tab provided with means for reversible attaching to the side of the box.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a blank sheet for forming a box or packet, in particular for drugs and OTC products, having an element for informative use.

[0002] Boxes for drugs and OTC products, provided with additional portions, besides the ones necessary for the formation of the box are known.

[0003] Patent No. EP-B-0430013 in the name of the present applicant describes a box provided with at least one additional flap, which projects from one of the closed sides of the box and carries information normally provided on the accompanying leaflet generally present inside the box.

[0004] Patent No. IT-B-1299599 describes a blank sheet for forming boxes for products such as drugs and the like, said card being provided with an additional detachable tab, which extends from one of the sides of the blank sheet in an area corresponding to an opening of the box and is normally folded into the box. Said tab is removed by the purchaser and kept or otherwise used.

[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide a blank sheet made of a single piece, which, by means of additional flaps, will provide a device on the box for giving information in order to enable consultation of the illustrative leaflet without having to open the box and which will be inexpensive to produce and usable on high-speed packaging lines.

[0006] Said object is achieved by means of the present invention, which relates to a blank sheet made of a single piece for box or similar packaging, comprising a plurality of flaps which can be folded to form a box body having a first end flap and a second end flap glued one to the other, said blank sheet being characterized in that it comprises at least one tab extending from a first flap of said end flaps, and that said end flaps are glued to one another by means of a portion of said first end flap.

[0007] According to a preferred embodiment, there is further provided at least one further tab extending from the second end flap to overlap, with the box formed and closed, the tab that extends from the first end flap.

[0008] According to a further embodiment of the invention, the second end flap has three tabs arranged to form an L shape, and one of the tabs has means for engaging in a reversible way a side of the box and keeping all the tabs adherent to the box.

[0009] On the tab or tabs that extend from the first or second end flap there is provided information regarding the contents of the box, in particular the information required by the doctor or by the pharmacist for deciding if the prescription of the product contained in the box according to the invention is appropriate.

[0010] A further subject of the invention is the box, as obtainable from the blank sheet described above.

[0011] The present invention presents numerous advantages. In fact, the box is cheap and is provided with means, i.e. the tabs, that make available to the specialist all the information that he may require, without him having to open the box. The tabs can then be brought back to adhere to the body of the box thanks to one of said tabs which has means for adhering to one of the sides of said box.

[0012] In this way, the physician, pharmacist or specialist in general can verify the characteristics of the product without opening the box so as not to impair its sale subsequently, if the product, after checking, proves not to be indicated for the use initially considered.

[0013] The above and further advantages will emerge clearly from the following detailed description of the invention, with reference to the annexed drawings, which are provided by way of illustrative and non-limiting example, and in which:

• Figure 1 is a plan view of a blank sheet according to the invention;
• Figure 2 is a plan view of the blank sheet of Figure 1 partially folded and provided with gluing points;
• Figure 3 is a plan view of the blank sheet of the foregoing figures in a further step of the process of folding;
• Figure 4 is a plan view of the blank sheet further folded and glued;
• Figure 5 is a perspective view of the box when the tabs carrying the information are accessible for reading; and
• Figure 6 is a partial plan view of a further embodiment of the blank sheet according to the present invention.

[0014] With reference to Figure 1, the blank sheet 1 according to the invention comprises a plurality of flaps 2-5 which can be folded along lines of folding to form a tubular box body 12 (Figure 4) after having joined the end flaps 2 and 5a to one another. There are moreover present a plurality of tabs 3a-5a for closing the box by gluing.

[0015] According to the invention, the first end flap 2 further comprises at least one tab 6, which extends from the first flap 2 and is joined thereto by means of a folding line 6a. The flap 2 further comprises a punching line 10, which, together with part of the folding line 6a, defines a portion 11 of the flap 2 that is foldable along the folding line 6a and can be attached in a known way, for example by gluing or slotting, with the second end flap 5. The reference 13 designates the area of application of the glue for attaching the portion 11 of the flap 2.

[0016] In other words, what in a traditional embodiment is the so-called "gluing flap", in the embodiment according to the present invention becomes the tab 6 and is provided with one or more areas 14 bearing at least part of the information required. The area 14 can also be present on both of the sides of the tab 6. The portion 11 of the flap 2 performs the function of gluing flap.

[0017] Figure 6 illustrates an embodiment in which there extend from the flap 2 two tabs in succession, namely, the tabs 6 and 6', which bear said information on the product that will be packaged in the box obtained with the blank sheet according to the invention.

[0018] Moreover, from the second flap 5 at least one further tab extends, that has means for being linked in a reversible way, i.e., in a detachable way, to one of the sides of the box for keeping the tab 6 adherent against it.

[0019] In the shown embodiment, there are present a first tab 7, which extends from the second end flap 5, a second tab 9, which extends from the tab 7 along the longitudinal axis A-A of the blank sheet, and a third tab 8, which also extends from the tab 7 but is set staggered with respect to said axis A-A of the blank sheet to form an L shape. As may be seen from the figures, the tab 8 is set in line with the tabs 2a-5a for closing the box, and this too is provided with an area which carries information on the product contained in the box. This area 15 can be present on both of the sides of the tab 8. Figure 3 illustrates an area 15a on the printing side of the blank sheet in addition to the area 15 on the "inner" side of the blank sheet, i.e., on the side visible in the figures.

[0020] Further areas printed with information can be present on the printing side of the flap 2 (area 21), and on the inner side of the tab 7 (area 22), as illustrated in Figure 5 (in the remaining figures, for greater simplicity and clarity of the drawings, not all the possible areas with printed information have been illustrated).

[0021] The tab 9 is provided with means for attaching it in a reversible way to the side of the box, once the latter has been formed. In the embodiment illustrated, said means comprise a pair of pre-set tearing lines 17, which define two corner portions 18 of the tab 9, and a punching curved line, which defines a tab 19. Said tab co-operates with a, slot, i.e. notch, 20 present on the flap 3 in a position corresponding to the one that the tab occupies on the closed box.

[0022] Operation of the portions of blank sheet described above will be evident from the ensuing description of the process of folding of the blank sheet to form a box according to the invention.

[0023] Initially, glue is applied in the area 13 of the end flap 5 of the blank sheet, as shown in Figure 1. Then the blank sheet is folded in a position corresponding to the folding line between the flap 3 and the flap 4, so as to overlap the portion 11 of the first end flap 2 in the area provided with glue 13 of the second end flap 5. The tab 6 now overlaps the tab 7. Glue is then applied in the areas 16 of the printing side of the flap 3.

[0024] The next step (Figure 3) provides folding the tab 8 over the tab 7. Then (Figure 4), the tabs 7 and 9 are folded along the folding line between tab 7 and flap 5 so as to overlap the corner portions 18 of the tab 9 in the area of gluing 16 and thus secure the tab 9 to the side of the box.

[0025] The blank sheet is kept folded and glued up to the moment of packaging of the product, when the box is erected and closed by gluing of the tabs 2a-5a.

[0026] Figure 5 shows the box obtained from the blank sheet described above during its use but before being opened.

[0027] In fact, by removing the tab 9 from the side 3 of the box, an operation which can be performed by tearing the flap along the pair of pre-set tearing lines 17, access can be gained (without opening the box 12 for taking out the illustrative leaflet) to the tabs 6 and 8 provided with the information on the product contained in box 12. If the information leads to the choice of not to use the product contained in box 12, the latter can in any case be brought back into its original position with the flaps adherent to the box body 12, using for the purpose the tab 19 and engaging it with the slit 20 on the flap 3.

Claims

1. A blank sheet made of a single piece for forming a box or similar packaging, comprising a plurality of flaps, which can be folded to form a box body having a first end flap and a second end flap attached to each other, characterized in that it further comprises at least one tab extending from a first flap of said end flaps, and in that said end flaps are attached to each other by means of a portion of said first end flap.

2. The blank sheet according to Claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises at least one further tab extending from said second end flap.

3. The blank sheet according to Claim 2, characterized in that said second flap has three tabs arranged in an L shape.

4. The blank sheet according to Claim 2 or Claim 3, characterized in that one of said tabs that extend from said second end flap has means for adhering to one of the sides of said box.

5. The blank sheet according to Claim 4, characterized in that said means comprise a tab and at least one pre-set tearing line arranged on said tab of the second end flap, and a slit, which is located on one of the sides of the box and can be engaged by said tab.

6. The blank sheet according to any one of the previous claims, characterized in that at least one of said tabs bears information on the contents of the box that can be made from the blank sheet.

7. A box as obtainable from a blank sheet according to any of the previous claims.

Drawing