FR2758530A1 - Insulating and retaining box for bottles during transportation - Google Patents

Abstract

The box comprises peripheral zones (6,7) deformable inside its lateral walls (3) enabling variation of the box length. This length variation enables the bottle to be introduced without play or to be held in position at a distance from the walls. The deformable concertina zone is constituted by peripheral re-entrant folds the edges (6a, 7a) of which come into contact with the bottle in the retracted configuration. The upper fold (6) has a deformation amplitude greater than the lower fold.

Description

 The present invention relates to an isolation and holding box for a bottle or the like and a protective packaging comprising an external packaging in which is housed at least one such box.

 We already know a lot of cardboard packaging to protect a bottle or a bottle from external shocks during transport. In particular, when shipped by post, the packaging must be able to withstand a fall from a height of three meters, without damaging its content. It is therefore necessary to keep the bottle firmly in place in its packaging and to absorb any impact that may cause the bottle to deform or break, whether it is made of glass, metal or other fragile material.

 For this purpose, crepe tissue paper or corrugated cardboard is generally introduced into the packaging to protect and keep the bottle in the packaging.

 When the packaging is intended to contain several bottles, centering braces or preformed pallets are used to protect the bottles from external shocks and prevent them from knocking together during transport.

 However, all of these solutions require significant labor and cannot be economically adapted to the different shapes of bottles or flasks.

 The present invention therefore aims to eliminate the aforementioned drawbacks and to provide an isolation and holding box for a bottle or the like which is suitable for the different shapes of bottles to be packaged.

 To this end, the invention relates to an isolation and holding box for a bottle or the like, characterized in that it comprises at least one peripheral zone deformable towards the inside of its side walls varying the length of the box so that it can take an elongated configuration in which the bottle can be introduced into the box with play and a retracted configuration in which the deformed area of the box comes into contact with the bottle to maintain it in position and away from the side walls.

The presence of at least one deformable zone between the bottle and the side walls of the box makes it possible to effectively absorb any shocks. This deformable zone also adapts to different bottles whatever their shape.

 In a preferred embodiment, the aforementioned deformable zone consists of at least one peripheral re-entrant fold whose edge comes into contact with the bottle in the retracted configuration. In a variant, the box can have an accordion shape with at least two parallel folds in zones corresponding respectively to the upper part and to the lower part of the bottle, in the retracted configuration. Preferably, these two zones correspond substantially to the neck and to the body of the bottle.

 According to another characteristic, the upper fold has a greater amplitude of deformation than the lower fold.

 We can predict that in the retracted configuration, the edge of each fold applies pressure on the bottle to keep it firmly in the box and away from the side walls of the box.

 According to yet another characteristic, peripherally spaced openings are cut over the height of each fold to allow the radial expansion of the fold inward. These openings can be shaped and positioned so that an edge of each opening serves as a limit stop for an edge portion of the corresponding fold in order to limit the axial deformation of the box.

 In a particular embodiment, the bolte consists of a single piece cut from a cardboard blank, said piece comprising a succession of adjacent flaps separated by longitudinal parallel fold lines to form the side walls of the box and give it a prismatic shape, all of the flaps comprising parallel transverse fold lines to form at least one re-entrant peripheral fold.

 In this case, the aforementioned openings can define folds in the shape of a re-entering trapezoidal dihedral, rectangle or other. When the folds have a trapezoidal dihedral shape, the edge of the fold is formed by the small bases of the trapezoids.

 According to yet another characteristic, at least one of the abovementioned components has at its lower end a foldable tab to form the base of the box, said tab having a foldable tab to form a stiffening rib under the bottom of the box.

 The box of the invention can be associated with a compression means to compress it from its elongated configuration to its retracted configuration. This means could be an external strap.

 The invention also relates to a protective packaging comprising an external packaging in which is housed at least one box as defined above. The external packaging gives the box resistance to buckling.

 In this case, provision can be made for the internal box to be stressed in the retracted configuration when the lid of the external packaging is closed. Advantageously, the box can have in elongated configuration of rest a length greater than that of the external packaging so that when the latter is closed, its cover compresses the box towards its retracted configuration.

The invention will be better understood, and other objects, details, advantages and characteristics thereof will appear more clearly during the explanatory description which will follow of a particular currently preferred embodiment of the invention, given only by way of illustration and not limitation, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, in which
- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the protective packaging of the invention in an open state
- Figure 2 is a perspective view of the internal box alone in which is housed a bottle
- Figure 3 is an axial sectional view of Figure 2 in the elongated configuration of the box;
- Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3, but showing the box in its retracted configuration inside a closed external packaging; and
- Figures 5 and 6 are plan views of an element cut from a sheet of cardboard, showing the developed form respectively of the outer packaging and the inner box.

 According to the embodiment shown in the drawings, the protective packaging of the invention comprises an outer packaging envelope or bolte 1 and an inner isolation box 2.

 The box 2 which is better represented in FIGS. 2 and 3 here has a general parallelepiped shape, although it can have any straight or cylindrical prismatic shape. The box 2 has four orthogonal side walls 3 and a bottom or base 4 on which the base of a bottle B rests. The bottom 4 is raised relative to the lower ends of the side walls 3 and has a diagonal stiffening rib 4a under the bottom 4. The upper ends of the side walls 3 include notches 5 in a U whose purpose will be explained later in connection with the external packaging 1.

 The side walls 3 of the box respectively have at their upper part and their lower part peripheral re-entrant folds 6 and 7. The upper fold 6 is positioned substantially at the level of the neck G of a bottle B and has a radial deformation amplitude inwardly superior to that of the lower fold 7 which is positioned substantially at the level of the body C of the bottle B, preferably at the base thereof. The box 1 thus has a generally accordion-like general shape which can have one, two or more folds.

The folds 6 and 7 are intended to come into contact with the bottle B by means of their respective edges 6a and 7a, as visible in FIG. 4. Openings 8, 9 are respectively cut in the folds 6 and 9 over all their height to allow the radial deformation of these, as visible in Figure 6. The shape and position of these openings and their functions will be detailed later.

 The external packaging 1 in which the box 2 is housed can be of a configuration known per se. The side walls of the box 2 coming to bear against those of the external packaging 1, any twisting or buckling of the box 2 is thus avoided at the level of the folding zones 6 and 7.

 The external packaging 1 comprises at the upper end of its side walls 10 a cover 11 provided with a locking tab 12 and a plurality of flaps' 3 all foldable on top of the packaging. The locking tab 12 which is provided at the free end of the cover 11 is intended to pass through the flaps 13 through notches 13a cut out adequately in each of the flaps, to protrude under the flaps 13 and engage in the inside the internal box 2, so that the retaining lugs 12a of the locking tab 12 can deploy inside the internal box 2 and thus permanently lock the cover in place. The notches 5 at the upper end of the internal box 2 are provided to allow passage of the locking tab 12 whatever the mounting position of the box 2 in the external packaging 1.

 In this case, it can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 5 that an external tongue 14 has been precut in a side wall 10 of the external packaging 1, said tongue 14 being associated with a plastic tape 15 extending peripherally on the internal surface of the side walls 10 of the packaging envelope, to allow quick and easy opening of the entire packaging by simply tearing off the tongue 14.

 We will now briefly describe an advantageous manufacturing process for the external packaging envelope 1 and the internal isolation box 2, with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6.

 The outer packaging 1 as well as the inner box 2 are each advantageously formed from a single piece element cut from a cardboard sheet.

 In the case of external packaging 1, the cardboard blank is cut at its upper end with its cover 11 and its flaps 13, on a lateral side with a covering tab 16 for gluing on the opposite side, and at its lower end with a plurality of legs and associated bonding tabs 17 to form the bottom of the package.

 Then, the pre-cut cardboard sheet is creased along vertical fold lines to form a plurality of side flaps and along horizontal fold lines to make the cover 11, the flaps 13 and the bottom tabs 17 foldable.

 Then, the pre-cut and pre-cut cardboard sheet is glued to form the outer packaging 1.

 Similarly, for the inner box 2, a sheet of cardboard is cut with notches 5 at the upper end, covering tabs 16 on one side for gluing on the opposite side and with tabs 4 to constitute the bottom and the stiffening rib 4a at the lower end.

 Then, the cardboard sheet is creased vertically to form a plurality of side flaps 3 constituting the side walls of the box and horizontally to constitute the folds 6 and 7 and make the tabs 4 foldable.

 The openings 8 can be cut before or after the creasing step of the cardboard sheet.

 It is more clearly seen in FIGS. 3, 4 and 6 that the bottom 4 of the box 2 consists of two legs at the lower end of two opposite side walls 3, said legs being folded substantially in a U inside the box, with the U open to the outside.

 As can be seen in FIG. 6, the openings 8 and 9 are substantially triangular so as to define, on adjacent side walls 3, respectively, a fold in the form of a rectangular dihedral and a fold in the form of a trapezoidal dihedral, the small bases of the trapezoids of which form the edge 6a, 7a.

One edge of the triangular opening extends over the entire height of the fold along a vertical edge of the side walls and the vertex of the triangle opposite this edge is aligned with the edge 6a of the fold. Thus, when the box 2 is biased in the retracted position, the edge 6a of the fold on a side wall 3 can come into end-of-travel abutment against the edge opposite the associated opening on the adjacent side wall . Thus, the axial compression of the box 1 is limited to avoid any crushing of the bottle contained in the box 1 following a vertical impact. The end stop position is visible in Figure 2.

 We will now briefly describe the operation of the assembly with reference to Figures 1 to 4.

 First of all, the box 2 is inserted into the external packaging 1 in an elongated rest configuration in which the box 2 protrudes from the top of the packaging 1, as visible in FIG. 1. Of course, an external packaging 1 could be provided capable of receiving several internal isolation boxes 2 which would thus be arranged side by side.

 Then, the bottle B is introduced through the open upper end of the box 2, with the cover 11 of the external packaging 1 in the open position until the base of the bottle rests on the bottom 4 of the internal box. It is clearly seen in FIG. 3 that in the elongated configuration of the box 2, the bottle B is housed therein with a certain peripheral clearance "d" between the body C of the bottle and the edges 6a, 7a of the folds, folds 6 and 7 absolutely not interfering with the introduction of bottle B for a wide range of dimensions thereof.

 Then, the flaps 13 are successively folded over the top of the external packaging 1 while simultaneously compressing down the internal box 2, which has the effect of deforming radially inwards the folds 6 and 7 which come into contact with the bottle. B. The difference in length between the internal box 2 and the external packaging 1 is calculated so that for the smallest bottle, the plies 6 and 7 always come at least into contact with this bottle. For larger bottles, folds 6 and 7 will not only come into contact with the bottle but will exert pressure on it by slightly deforming, which contributes to further improving the retention of the bottle in the packaging.

 Finally, the cover 11 is also folded down by inserting the locking tab 12 through the flaps 13, as shown in FIG. 4. In this position, the retaining lugs 12a preventing any inadvertent opening of the cover 11, the fastest way and the easiest way to open the packaging after its transport or handling is to tear the external packaging by pulling on the tear-off tab 14.

 It will be noted that the bottle B is kept at a distance in its position illustrated in FIG. 4, both from the side walls 3 and 10 of the internal box and of the external packaging, of the bottom 17 of the external packaging and of the flaps 13 and of the cover. 11 of the external packaging. In this way, the packaging of the invention can absorb and absorb shocks in all directions without damaging its content.

 It will also be noted that the upper 6 and lower 7 folds preferably come into concomitant contact with the neck and the body of the bottle.

 Although the invention has been described in connection with a particular embodiment, it is obvious that it is in no way limited thereto and that it includes all the technical equivalents of the technical means described as well as their combinations if these these are within the scope of the invention.

Claims (15)

RESELL I CAT ION S  1. Isolation and holding box for a bottle (B) or the like, characterized in that it comprises at least one peripheral zone (6, 7) deformable towards the inside of its side walls (3) varying the length of the box (2) so that it can take an elongated configuration in which the bottle can be introduced into the box with play (d) and a retracted configuration in which the deformed area of the box comes into contact with the bottle to keep it in position and away from the side walls.  2. Box according to claim 1, characterized in that the deformable zone consists of at least one peripheral re-entrant fold (6, 7) whose edge (6a, 7a) comes into contact with the bottle in the retracted configuration.  3. Box according to claim 2, characterized in that it has an accordion shape with at least two parallel folds (6, 7) in areas corresponding respectively to the upper part and to the lower part of the bottle, in configuration retracted.  4. Box according to claim 3, characterized in that the upper fold (6) has an amplitude of deformation greater than the lower fold (7).  5. Box according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the edge of each fold comes, in the retracted configuration, to apply pressure to the bottle to keep it firmly in the box and away from the side walls of the box.  6. Box according to one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that peripherally spaced openings (8, 9) are cut on the height of each fold (6, 7) to allow the expansion of the fold inward .  7. Box according to claim 6, characterized in that said openings (8, 9) are shaped and positioned so that an edge of each opening serves as a limit stop for an edge portion of the corresponding fold in order to limit the axial deformation of the box.  8. Bolte according to one of claims 2 to 7, characterized in that it consists of an element in one piece cut from a cardboard blank, said element comprising a succession of adjacent flaps separated by lines of longitudinal parallel folding to form the side walls (3) of the box and give it a prismatic shape, the set of flaps comprising transverse parallel folding lines to form at least one peripheral re-entrant fold (6, 7).  9. Box according to claims 6 and 8, characterized in that the aforementioned openings define folds in the form of a dihedral re-entering trapezoidal, rectangle or other.  10. Box according to claim 9, characterized in that the folds which have a shape of a trapezoidal dihedral, have their edge formed by the small bases of the trapezoids.  11. Box according to one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in at least one of the abovementioned flaps (3) has at its lower end a foldable tab (4) to form the base of the bolte, said tab having a foldable tongue (4a) to form a stiffening rib under the raised bottom of the box.  12. Box according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a compression means (1) for compressing it from its elongated configuration to its retracted configuration.  13. Protective packaging comprising an external packaging (1) in which is housed at least one box (2) according to one of the preceding claims.  14. Packaging according to claim 13, characterized in that the internal box (2) is biased in the retracted configuration when the cover (ll) of the external packaging (1) is closed.  15. Packaging according to claim 14, characterized in that the internal box (2) has in elongated configuration of rest a length greater than that of the external packaging (1) so that when the latter is closed, its cover (11 ) compresses the box to its retracted configuration.