FR2669301A1 - Package for fruit and vegetables - Google Patents

Abstract

Package for fruit and vegetables characterised in that each transverse panel or flap (9, 10) is extended at each of its ends by surfaces (A, B, C) in such a way that the surfaces (A, B) stick to one another parallel with the ends of the longitudinal sides (4, 5) on the inside of the latter whilst the surface C forming the third flap sticks on the transverse sides (9, 10) internally, close to the corners of the tray covered by the upper strips (13, 14) thus constituting rigid corners with double and triple thickness allowing the stacking and maintaining of loaded trays one upon the other during the time in which they are palletised.

Description

 It is known to package fruits and various vegetables in cardboard packaging, in particular corrugated cardboard, of the trays or trays type, which are designed for transport, preservation or temporary storage as well as for presentation at the places of distribution.

 These packages consist of blanks pre-cut in the factory and delivered flat to the places of production or packaging where they are mounted by folding on a machine ensuring the nesting and self-locking of certain constituent parts generally forming the transverse sides.

 These well-known packages have many advantages because they are light and can be delivered flat, which facilitates transport and, because the interior parts of these packages are coated with a protective layer, ensure sufficient tightness even in humid areas. to prevent rotting or deterioration of packaged products.

 However, these packages are not entirely satisfactory with regard to the handling and stacking operations which are absolutely necessary since these filled trays are palletized to be then transported either by road, by rail or by air.

 This is due to the fact that the nested and self-locking constituent parts cannot withstand average relative spacing forces without being at least partially separated, which then destroys the cleanness as well as the mechanical strength of the packaging.

 The trays, as solid as they are, fit together, causing the deterioration of the packaged products and the collapse of the palletized stacks.

We have already sought to remedy this major drawback by creating fruit and vegetable trays comprising splitting of the longitudinal sides and of the transverse sides, but then the mounting is much more difficult.
The quantity of cardboard used is greater and it has occurred, despite this longitudinal and transverse duplication, that however certain elements give way under the load thereby causing the same drawbacks (see in particular FR-A-2,186,403).

 It should also be considered that the pre-cut blanks must be studied and drawn to avoid unusable falls of cardboard, which necessarily causes an increase in the cost price of the packaging.

 In addition, due to the palletization, these packages must meet the standards imposed and have no projecting part which is likely to catch on, causing local deterioration of the packaging which collapses, but also these overflows require space. additional on pallets that are misused, therefore causing a significant loss of transport volume costing expensive especially when it comes to ultra-fast transport by road or air.

 The present invention overcomes these major drawbacks by creating a packaging for fruit and vegetables, each blank of which makes maximum use of the surface of the original flat cardboard, thereby limiting falls.

 These blanks, delivered flat, can be mounted quickly at the time of their use on a simple machine and comprising members allowing, during assembly, self-locking, nesting and gluing of the angles of the longitudinal and transverse sides of packaging.

 Various other characteristics of the invention will also emerge from the detailed description which follows.

 An embodiment of the object of the invention is shown, without limitation, in the accompanying drawings.

 Fig. 1 is a plan view of a blank cut according to the invention.

 Fig. 2 is a partial perspective view of a mounted package.

 In fig. 1, there is shown a flat blank 7. of a packaging for fruit and vegetables according to the invention, which has a rectangular bottom 1 bordered on its longitudinal sides 1a, 1b by a fold line 2, 3.

The longitudinal sides of the bottom 1 are extended by flaps 4, 5 which each have, in their central part, a cutout 6 intended to allow the passage of air in the packaging.

 In addition, the cutouts 6 are bordered by steps which externally have clearances 8.

 Normally the flaps 4 and 5 are straightened vertically, as can be seen in fig. 2.

 Transversally the bottom 1 is bordered by transverse flaps 9, 10. These flaps are separated from the bottom 1 by fold lines lc, ld.

 I1 is provided, in the longitudinal axis of the bottom 1 centered with respect to the fold lines lc, îd of the openings 11, 12 whose role will be explained later.

 Externally, the transverse flaps 9, 10 are extended by strips 13, 14 having extensions 13a, 13b, 14a, 14b.

 15, 16 denote the fold lines separating the transverse flaps of the strips 13, 14 and there are provided, in the longitudinal axis of the bottom 1 in the middle of the fold lines 15, 16, cutouts forming heels 113, 114.

 Finally, we note that the transverse flaps 9, 10 are extended laterally by strips 17, 18, 19, 20.

 Each strip 17, 18, 19, 20 is separated from one of the transverse flaps 9, 10 by a first fold line 117, 118, 119, 120, each of these strips 17 to 20 having a double fold line 25 and a fold line 26.

 There are thus obtained on each strip 17 to 20, three surfaces A, B, C, the surfaces A, B comprising, in their external junction zone, each a step 30.

Finally, it should be noted
That between the longitudinal flaps 4, 5 and the strips 17, 18, 19, 20 is provided a groove 31 substantially triangular.

When mounting the packaging, first straighten the transverse flaps 9, 10 vertically and then fold the surfaces A, B, C so that the surfaces
A, B stick to each other and the surface C is placed behind the transverse flaps 9, 10 (see fig. 2).

 In general, the flap C is glued beforehand or fixed by stapling.

 The strips 13, 14 are then made to pivot by 900 so as to bring them to the horizontal then the extensions 13a, 13b are lowered against the outside of the surfaces A, these extensions 13a, 13b, 14a, 14b being either pre-glued or pre-stapled.

 Finally, the longitudinal sides 4, 5 are straightened vertically, which are fixed by gluing or stapling to the outer face of the surface A, as shown in FIG. 2.

 At this time, the openings 11, 12 form clearances intended to receive, when the trays are stacked, the cutouts 113, 114 forming the heel.

 By virtue of its constitution, the tray, which receives by stacking another tray previously filled, easily supports the weight of several filled trays since the load is distributed over the two strips 13, 14 and over the three thicknesses of cardboard constituted by the surfaces A, B and the steps 7 of the longitudinal sides 4, 5.

 The clearances 8 provided in the longitudinal sides allow the establishment of extensions 13a, 13b, 14a, 14b forming attachment points and, therefore, each fruit or vegetable tray has well defined sides since, in width, the outer face of the longitudinal sides 4, 5 form the outer limits and that no other element exceeds this limit, which makes it possible to comply with the usual standards of fruit or vegetable trays by placing on a pallet for loading on truck or plane to ensure rapid transportation.

 The fruit and vegetable tray is shown in fig. 2 in single corrugated cardboard, but it could be made in double or double double corrugated cardboard. The internal face of the elements constituting the blank is, in general coated, with a material making the corrugated cardboard impermeable just as the outside is impregnated to resist a humid atmosphere which can be encountered during the passage in refrigeration.

 Finally, it is possible to print the exterior faces of the longitudinal flaps 4, 5 and the transverse flaps 9, 10 beforehand.

Claims (1)

 CLAIM  Packaging for fruit and vegetables consisting of a bottom (1) bordered, on the one hand, by longitudinal sides (4, 5) extending the bottom (1), laterally on the other hand, by transverse sides or flaps (9, 10) extending the bottom longitudinally (1) and delimiting a head band (13, 14) folded parallel to the bottom (1) and bordered by folded lateral tabs (13a, 13b, 14a, 14b) fixed at least on the sides longitudinal exteriors (4, 5), characterized in that each transverse panel or flap (9, 10) is extended at each of its ends by surfaces (A, B, C) so that the surfaces (A, B) are glue one R the other parallel to the ends of the longitudinal sides (4, 5) inside these while the surface C forming the third flap sticks to the transverse sides (9, 10) internally, near angles of the plate covered by the upper bands (13, 14) thereby constituting rigid corners with double and triple thickness allowing the stacking and the maintenance of the trays loaded one on the other during the time or these are palletized.