FI83064B - Cluster packaging - Google Patents

Description

1 83064

Group packaging -Gruppförpackning

The invention relates to a group package for shop use, comprising a film substantially surrounding the packages 5 to be provided to the consumer, having a package for opening the packages or a perforated opening blank substantially formed on the group package and extending over at least one vertical side of the group package.

10

In particular, the invention relates to a store-ready group package packed in a shrink film. According to the state of the art, such multipacks are formed by placing the multipacks on a cardboard substrate and bonding the package and the subassembly together into a multipack with a shrink film. Typical group packages are those containing fresh juices, beverages, bottles, etc.

20

The group package packed for the tray has the following disadvantages: The retailer has to tear off the shrink film before placing the group package on the store shelf. The cardboard tray is an expensive part of the packaging, which is likely to increase the price of the packaging. Placing a tray in a group package requires an additional function on the packaging machine.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a multipack 30 which does not require the above-mentioned cardboard substrate and which, either as such, is ready to be placed on a store shelf available to consumers or can be easily prepared for the consumer. In order to meet the above requirements, the packages contained in a group-35 package require 2 83064 to be of regular shape. In this case, they form a solid group package when compressed by means of a shrink film into a uniform combination.

5

In order to achieve the above object, the group package according to the invention is mainly characterized in that the opening or the opening provided by perforation is at least the size of the horizontal section of the packages. The placement of the opening or blank in the multipack and its size must, of course, be chosen so that the multipack remains a uniform combination during processing, from the packing factory to the shelf, from which consumers can remove the packagings if necessary.

It is preferred that the opening or opening blank be placed substantially on the package so that it is positioned over at least one package contained in the group package and corresponds in size to the cross-sectional area of the package against which the package is removed from the group package. It is preferred that the opening or opening blank extends at least to some extent to at least one of the vertical sides of the group package.

This suitably widens the opening or its blank while facilitating the removal of the packages. However, it does not affect the size of the group package during its handling.

30

The invention is illustrated in the following description with reference to the accompanying embodiment. The drawing shows a multipack comprising ten packs, the packs being arranged in two parallel rows of five packs.

3,83064

The packages 1 are surrounded by a shrink film 2. The shrink film 2 is made with an arcuate perforation 3 forming an opening blank on top of the group package. The perforation 3 delimits the hatch 4 of the opening 5 in the film 2, which is connected to the film 2 by the base 4a. When the hatch 4 is opened along the perforation 3, the packages 1 can be removed from the group package, starting from where the hatch 4 is opened. All packages can be removed through the opening formed in hatch 4.

In some cases, it is advantageous to extend the perforation 3 to at least one vertical side of the group package. This solution makes it easier to start unpacking from -15.

In some cases, the group package can, of course, be formed by pre-forming the opening in the film 2 already in the group package forming step.

In other respects, the film 2 of the group package is formed by a known technique. It may be completely closed at the end or it may have an opening 5.

25

The perforation 3 can, of course, be in the form of a closed arc, such as a circle or the like, whereby the door 4 can be completely detached from the top of the group package.

30 Such a multipack has several advantages: when introducing a multipack, the trader only needs to tear off the door 4 or he can even leave the door in place, allowing the customer to tear off the door 4. This is possible in particular if the multipack is equipped with an opening guide.

Claims (3)

1. A retail package useful in stores which does not include a consumer-prohibitive packaging 5 (1) substantially protective foil (2) having an opening or the like for the purpose of the packaging, perforated (3) blank (4) for opening, which is substantially formed above the group package, and extends to at least one of the vertical sides of the group package, characterized in that the aperture or aperture formed by the perforation (3) has the size which is at least equal to the horizontal section of the packages (1). Group package according to claim 1, characterized in that the perforation (3) is a beak-shaped door (4) which is connected to the foil (2) by means of a nose (4a). Group package according to claim 1, characterized in that the perforation (3) is closed.