(19) |
 |
|
(11) |
EP 0 835 210 B1 |
(12) |
EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION |
(45) |
Mention of the grant of the patent: |
|
28.07.1999 Bulletin 1999/30 |
(22) |
Date of filing: 17.05.1996 |
|
(51) |
International Patent Classification (IPC)6: B65D 5/468 |
(86) |
International application number: |
|
PCT/GB9601/178 |
(87) |
International publication number: |
|
WO 9636/539 (21.11.1996 Gazette 1996/51) |
|
(54) |
HANDLE FOR PAPERBOARD CONTAINERS
HANDGRIFF FÜR KARTONVERPACKUNGEN
POIGNEE POUR EMBALLAGES EN CARTON
|
(84) |
Designated Contracting States: |
|
BE CH DE DK FR GB IT LI NL SE |
(30) |
Priority: |
17.05.1995 GB 9509960
|
(43) |
Date of publication of application: |
|
15.04.1998 Bulletin 1998/16 |
(73) |
Proprietor: AssiDomän Holdings UK Limited |
|
Basildon,
Essex SS15 6TH (GB) |
|
(72) |
Inventor: |
|
- MEYHOFF, Henry,
AssiDomän Packaging Dev. Ltd
Basildon,
Essex SS15 6TH (GB)
|
(74) |
Representative: Hammler, Martin Franz et al |
|
Phillips & Leigh
7 Staple Inn
Holborn London WC1V 7QF London WC1V 7QF (GB) |
(56) |
References cited: :
DE-U- 7 901 421 US-A- 4 405 078
|
US-A- 2 662 684
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European
patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to
the European patent
granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall
not be deemed to
have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent
Convention).
|
[0001] This invention concerns packaging provided with reinforced handles. Although not
limited to such use, the invention has particular advantage in packaging formed from
corrugated board incorporating a reinforcing tape.
[0002] In previously known corrugated packaging the tape is usually applied on the corrugator
during board manufacture, between the fluting and outer liner and usually consists
of uniaxially oriented plastics material approximately 11 mm wide. Blanks are die
cut from the board so formed in such a way that the tape runs around the periphery
of the resulting packs, passing longitudinally through the pack handle, down the pack
sides and into the pack base.
[0003] It has generally been thought necessary to provide a relatively lengthy anchorage
portion of the tape in the material of the blank on either side of the handle. Otherwise,
with conventional handle designs, the tape-to-board bond is liable to fail, particularly
under shock loads, allowing the tape to pull out of the blank material and the handle
to rupture. The need for lengthy tape anchorage portions has hitherto proved a limiting
factor in the design of packaging incorporating reinforced handles.
[0004] We have discovered that by suitable design of the handle and adjacent blank panels,
it is possible to produce a reinforced handle, sufficiently strong for practical purposes,
which does not require lengthy reinforcement anchorage portions.
[0005] For a significant proportion of the handle load to be transferred into the non-reinforced
handle end and non-reinforced panel material, it is necessary that the non-reinforced
material does not rupture at the junction between the handle end and panel. For this
purpose stress concentrations must be avoided that would otherwise tend to initiate
and propagate tearing.
[0006] In previously known handle designs, the junction between the panel and the handle
is smoothly radiussed to avoid stress concentrations. In some pack designs, the handle
end has edges formed by cuts running into the panel and terminating some distance
from the panel upper edge. Such handle ends are used for example when the rest of
the handle is cut from an upper panel of the package and in use is pulled upwardly
out of the plane of the upper panel, hinging the handle ends inwardly. In known pack
handle designs of this type, for example as shown in DE-U-7901421, the ends of the
cuts are smoothly radiussed and divergent to avoid stress concentrations. This approach
is satisfactory when a relatively long reinforcement anchorage portion is used, which
will tend to relieve the cut ends of transverse or shear loading. However, where only
short anchorage portions are provided, there will be significant transverse and shear
loading of the cut ends which serve to concentrate the applied stress locally at the
cut tips, leading to tearing. An alternative approach to the relief of stress concentrations
is therefore required.
[0007] The present invention accordingly provides a reinforced handle having an end portion
joined directly to a pack panel in which the reinforcement terminates, the end portion
having edges formed by a pair of divergent cuts running into the panel, thereby allowing
a substantial proportion of a load applied to the handle to be transferred from the
reinforcement to the non-reinforced material of the end portion; characterised in
that the cuts terminate in stress relieving apertures formed in the panel. Such apertures
are less vulnerable to tearing on transverse and shear loading. The divergent cuts
ensure that loading of the handle tends to wedge the end edges against the panel,
permitting load transmission between the panel and the end edges. In this way the
load carrying capacity of the handle is increased.
[0008] To restrain the panel from spreading under the wedging action of the end edges, the
panel may be fastened (for example by gluing) to an overlying side of the pack at
regions adjacent to the end edges. Such an overlying side may additionally or alternatively
be fastened to the panel at regions beyond the ends of the cuts forming the end edges,
for load transmission from the pack side into the panel and handle. The panel may
therefore constitute a relatively short gluing flap attached to a top panel in the
pack. Such an arrangement has not been thought possible previously, as it was considered
to provide insufficient reinforcement anchorage length. To provide a greater length
of handle for transfer of load from the reinforcement to the non-reinforced handle
material, the handle end edges may converge outwardly of the panel boundary.
[0009] The invention is further explained with reference to illustrative embodiments shown
in the drawings, in which:-
Fig. 1 shows details of a pack blank;
Fig. 2 shows details of the blank of Fig. 1 erected; and
Fig. 3 shows another blank in its entirety.
[0010] In Fig. 1 there is shown a handle 10 divided from an end gluing flap 12 and top panel
14 of a pack blank 16 by cuts 18, 20. A reinforcing tape 22 of conventional material
is incorporated into the board in the usual manner, but is oriented so as to run through
the top panel 14 and gluing panels or flaps 12, rather than through the top panel
14, side panels 24, and a base panel (not shown) as would be the usual arrangement
to provide adequate tape end anchorage. The handle 10 has a portion of uniform width
defined by parallel parts 18a, 20a of the cuts and a portion of increasing width defined
between divergent parts 18b, 20b of the cuts. The widened handle portion lies partly
in the top panel 14 and partly in the end gluing flap 12.
[0011] The blank has end panels 26 which on erection are folded to overlie the end gluing
flap 12, as shown in Fig. 2. These end panels 26 are joined to the side panels 24
by panels 28 which form chamfered corners in the erected pack. However the form of
the pack corners is not critical; they could equally be square (not shown) or multi-faceted
or rounded (as illustrated in Fig. 3 and further described below). Glue beads or strings
30, 32, 34 are applied to the end gluing flap 12 for securing it to the abutted end
panels 26. A small gap is formed in the centre of glue strings 30 and 32, to prevent
unsightly glue extrusion between the meeting edges of the panels 26.
[0012] The cuts 18, 20 terminate in stress relieving apertures 38, 40 formed in the end
gluing flap 12. The glue string 30 is applied to the flap 12 slightly above the apertures
38, 40 so as to cross the cuts 18, 20. The outer portions of the glue string 30 serve
to brace the parts of the flap 12 to which they are applied against spreading under
the wedging action of the widened portion of the handle 10, by securing those parts
to the overlying end panels 26. The glue strings 32 are positioned below the apertures
38, 40 to transfer applied loads from the end gluing flap 12 into the end panels 26,
and also to prevent the end panels 26 from being spread apart under the wedging action
just discussed.
[0013] When the handle 10 is raised from the upper panel 14, those handle parts located
in the end gluing flaps 12 will tend to swing inwardly of the pack. Under high shock
loading the bond formed by the inner portions of the glue strings 30 could break.
However in that case the opposing sides of each of the cuts 18b, 20b adjacent to the
apertures 38, 40 will still remain sufficiently coplanar to interfere with one another
and provide the necessary wedging action with associated load transfer between the
handle and end gluing flaps 12.
[0014] The glue strings 34 serve mainly to tack the upper corners of the end panels 26 to
the end glue flap 12.
[0015] Fig. 3 shows a blank for a 3 x 2 multipack designed to hold six 1 litre soft drink
bottles. Upon erection, end panels 26 are folded and secured by glue strings (not
shown) to overlie the end gluing flaps 12, forming sloping shoulders conforming to
the bottle necks inside the pack. Further end panels 26' are foldably attached to
the end panels 26 and side panels 24 and have multiple vertical scores at 41 to form
multiple facets conforming to the corner quadrants of the bottles. A base panel 42
is also provided. The handle reinforcement (not shown) is incorporated in the blank
material and runs over the distance marked a-a in Fig. 3. It can be seen that this
distance is much shorter than the distance b-b over which the reinforcement tape is
conventionally provided. However, tests have shown that a handle generally as shown
in Fig. 1 has a static breaking strength of 60 kg (approx. 600 N); the handle being
25 mm wide at its central portion, 50 mm wide between the centres of apertures 38
and 40, having a length of 50 mm in the end gluing flap 12 and a tapering length of
40 mm in the top panel 14, the end gluing flap being a minimum size of 90 mm x 90
mm, and the board composition being 140 g/m
2 kraftliner, 112 g/m
2 fluting (E), 125 g/m
2 kraftliner. The pack is designed for 6 x 33 cl beer bottles, weighing approximately
2 kg (20 N) in total, and so the handle strength is clearly adequate, even under the
shock loads normally experienced when the pack is being carried. A similar static
breaking strength can be achieved with the handle and blank of Fig. 3, again adequate
to resist the anticipated static load of around 6 kg (60 N) and shock loads due to
carrying.
1. A reinforced handle (10) having an end portion joined directly to a pack panel (12)
in which the reinforcement (22) terminates, the end portion having edges formed by
a pair of divergent cuts (18, 20) running into the panel (12), thereby allowing a
substantial proportion of a load applied to the handle (10) to be transferred from
the reinforcement (22) to the non-reinforced material of the end portion; characterised
in that the cuts (18, 20) terminate in stress relieving apertures (38, 40) formed
in the panel (12).
2. The handle of claim 1 wherein a side (26) of the pack overlies and is fastened to
the panel (12) at regions adjacent to the end portion edges (18, 20), whereby the
pack side (26) restrains the panel (12) from spreading under the wedging action of
the end portion edges (18, 20).
3. The handle of claim 1 or 2 wherein the end portion edges (18, 20) converge outwards
of the panel (12) boundary.
4. The handle of any preceding claim wherein a side (26) of the pack overlies and is
fastened to the panel (12) at regions beyond the ends of the cuts for load transmission
from the pack side (26) into the panel (12) and handle (10).
5. A pack comprising a reinforced handle (10) as claimed in any preceding claim.
6. A blank erectable to form the pack of claim 5.
1. Verstärkter Handgriff (10), welcher einen Endabschnitt aufweist, welcher direkt an
eine Paketplatte (12) angefügt ist, in welcher die Verstärkung (22) endet, wobei der
Endabschnitt Ränder aufweist, die durch ein Paar divergenter Schnitte (18, 20) gebildet
sind, welche in die Platte (12) hineinlaufen, wodurch ermöglicht wird, daß ein wesentlicher
Anteil einer auf den Handgriff (10) angewendeten Last von der Verstärkung (22) an
das nicht-verstärkte Material des Endabschnitts übertragen wird; dadurch gekennzeichnet,
daß die Schnitte (18, 20) in in der Platte (12) gebildeten, Belastungs-entlastenden
Öffnungen (38, 40) enden.
2. Handgriff gemäß Anspruch 1, bei welchem eine Seite (26) des Pakets an Bereichen benachbart
zu den Endabschnitträndern (18, 20) die Platte (12) überlagert und an ihr befestigt
ist, wodurch die Paketseite (26) die Platte (12) daran hemmt, unter der Klemmwirkung
der Endabschnittränder (18, 20) einzureißen.
3. Handgriff gemäß Anspruch 1 oder 2, bei welchem die Endabschnittsränder (18, 20) außerhalb
der Platten-Abgrenzung (12) konvergieren.
4. Handgriff gemäß einem der vorherigen Ansprüche, bei welchem eine Seite (26) des Pakets
an Bereichen jenseits der Enden der Schnitte zur Lastübertragung von der Paketseite
(26) in die Platte (12) und den Griff (10) hinein die Platte (12) überlagert und an
ihr befestigt ist.
5. Paket, welches einen gemäß einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche verstärkten Handgriff
(10) aufweist.
6. Ein zusammenbaubarer Zuschnitt, um das Paket nach Anspruch 5 zu bilden.
1. Poignée renforcée (10) ayant une partie d'extrémité jointe directement à un panneau
d'emballage (12) dans lequel le renforcement (22) se termine, la partie d'extrémité
ayant des bords formés par une paire d'entailles divergentes (18, 20) qui entrent
dans le panneau (12), pour permettre la transmission d'une proportion importante d'une
charge appliquée à la poignée (10) du renforcement (22) à la matière non renforcée
de la partie d'extrémité; caractérisée par le fait que les entailles (18, 20) se terminent
dans des ouvertures de relaxation (38, 40) formées dans le panneau (12).
2. Poignée selon la revendication 1, dans laquelle une face (26) de l'emballage couvre
le panneau (12) et est fixée à celui-ci dans des régions adjacentes aux bords (18,
20) de la partie d'extrémité, de sorte que la face (26) de l'emballage empêche le
panneau (12) de s'étendre sous l'action de coin des bords (18, 20) de la partie d'extrémité.
3. Poignée selon l'une des revendications 1 et 2, dans laquelle les bords (18, 20) de
la partie d'extrémité convergent vers l'extérieur de la limite du panneau (12).
4. Poignée selon l'une des revendications précédentes, dans laquelle une face (26) de
l'emballage couvre le panneau (12) et est fixée à celui-ci dans des régions situées
au delà des extrémités des entailles pour la transmission de la charge de la face
(26) de l'emballage au panneau (12) et à la poignée (10).
5. Emballage comprenant une poignée renforcée (10) selon l'une des revendications précédentes.
6. Flan pouvant être dressé pour la formation de l'emballage de la revendication 5.