FR2835809A1 - Palletizable box, has pouches that are of doypack type placed head-to-tail in boxes that are open at their top, and boxes are obtained by folding with mandrel that has same width and length as boxes - Google Patents

Abstract

The box has pouches (2a, 2b, 2c, 2d) that are arranged flat in relation to the pallet. The pouches are of the doypack type and are placed head-to-tail in the boxes that are open at their top and side. The boxes are obtained by folding with a mandrel that has same width and length as the boxes. An Independent claim is also included for a method of manufacturing a pallet.

Description

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NEW BOX IN PARTICULAR PALLETIZABLE, PALLET
INCLUDING THIS BOX AND THEIR MANUFACTURING METHODS
The subject of the invention is a new box, in particular palletizable, the pallet comprising this box and their manufacturing methods.

 Various packaging are known, such as primary packaging contained in other so-called secondary packaging. It is known, for example, to package in a cardboard box (secondary packaging) units (primary packaging) such as pouches, in particular flexible pouches, of uniform flat type also called 3 or 4 side seals (pillow pouch) or of " doypack ".

 This secondary packaging (box) is put on the shelf directly and sold with the primary packaging (pouches) inside. A so-called “multi-pack” packaging is thus obtained, which can be a single variety or a multiple variety, the different pouches containing different products.

 This type of packaging poses several problems.

 The first problem is the problem of palletizing. To date, there are two standards applied in the profession. In the first case the characteristic dimension of the pallet is 800xl200mm while in the second case the characteristic dimension is 1000xl200mm.

 The number of pouches per box is very variable depending on the type of product and its marketing. We can have 7 bags / box for 1 bag / day. For the same product, the number of bags can also vary, for example during promotions (with 2 additional free bags).

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 In the prior art, the pouches are arranged vertically in the box. Thus, the width of the box is imposed by the size of the bags, which is chosen to be unique. Similarly the height of the box is imposed. However, the length of the box varies depending on the number of pouches in it ("case count"). Problems are therefore necessarily encountered with this type of box for optimizing the palletizing plan, a box of variable length being unable to optimize the occupation of the surface of the pallet for different "case counts". The distribution or scheduling at the layer of boxes on the pallet is necessarily modified when we modify this "case count".

 The second problem encountered is the manufacture of such boxes. These conventionally include side walls, a bottom and a cover, the bottom being integral with the side walls while the cover can be attached. For the manufacture of such boxes, a mandrel (metal preform) is used which forms the material of the box by folding in a cavity. The cavity and the mandrel have the characteristic dimensions of the width and length of the box. However when the length of the box changes, it then becomes necessary to also change the manufacturing tool. This increases the manufacturing difficulties and the final cost.

 The subject of the invention is therefore a secondary packaging containing a plurality of flexible primary packaging or pouches which allows maximum occupation of the surface of the pallet and which is easy to manufacture, whatever the number and type of pouches.

 The invention therefore provides a pallet comprising a plurality of boxes, these boxes containing pouches, characterized in that the pouches are arranged flat relative to the pallet.

 According to one embodiment, the bags are of the doypack type and are placed head to tail in the boxes.

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 According to one embodiment, the boxes have width and length corresponding to sub-multiples of 400x600mm.

 According to one embodiment, the boxes are opening on their top.

 According to one embodiment, the boxes are opening on their side.

 According to one embodiment, the boxes are obtained by folding with the mandrel, the mandrel having the same width and length as the boxes.

 According to one embodiment, the pallet is of dimension 800x1200mm.

 According to one embodiment, the pallet is of dimension lOOOx1200mm.

 The invention also relates to a box containing pouches, having width and length corresponding to sub-multiples of 400x600mm dimensions, the pouches being arranged flat in the plane defining said width and length.

 According to one embodiment, the bags are of the doypack type and are placed head to tail in the box.

 According to one embodiment, the box has an opening on the top.

 According to one embodiment, the box has an opening on the side.

 According to one embodiment, the box is obtained by folding the mandrel, the mandrel having the same width and length as the box.

 The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing a pallet according to the invention, comprising the following steps: (i) supply of boxes containing bags; (ii) orientation of said boxes so as to obtain the pouches flat relative to the pallet; and

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 (iii) palletizing said boxes.

 The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing a box according to the invention, comprising the following steps: (i) supplying an empty box having at least two dimensions corresponding to sub-multiples of 400x600mm; (ii) loading of said box with pouches, the plane of the pouches corresponding to the plane defining said at least two dimensions; and (iii) closing the box.

 According to one embodiment, step (i) comprises a step of folding the mandrel, the mandrel having the same at least two dimensions as the box.

 According to one embodiment, step (ii) comprises loading the bags horizontally.

 The invention also relates to a device for implementing the method of manufacturing a box according to the invention, comprising: (i) a conveyor belt for empty boxes, the boxes being arranged on the carpet in a plane containing said at least two dimensions; (ii) at least one conveyor belt for pouches, arranged substantially perpendicular to the conveyor belt for empty boxes, said pouches being arranged flat on said conveyor belt for pouches; (iii) an arm arranged above said belts and comprising at its end a gripping device, said arm alternating between a position for gripping the pouches and a position for loading the box; and (iv) a device for closing the box.

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 The invention is now described in more detail in the description which follows and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 represents a box according to a first embodiment of the invention; Figures 2a and 2b show a pallet loading plan; Figure 3 shows a sectional view of a box according to the invention; FIG. 4 represents the sheet before folding into the box according to the first embodiment; FIG. 5 represents a device for loading the box according to the invention; FIG. 6 represents a box according to a second embodiment of the invention; FIG. 7 represents the sheet before folding into the box according to the second embodiment.

 Figure 1 describes a package according to a first embodiment. The packaging is a cardboard box 1 containing a plurality of pouches 2a, 2b, 2c, etc. These are arranged horizontally in the box. This therefore has a width and a length which are fixed by the characteristics of the pouch, and therefore remain fixed whatever the number of pouches in the box.

Alternatively, once the dimensions of the box have been chosen, it is possible to adapt those of the pouch. This box can therefore be of dimensions "on the ground" or on identical pallets, which can in particular correspond to sub-multiples of 400x600mm. The dimensions are sub-multiples of 400x600mm when they result from the division of the 400x600mm rectangle. Thus, the following dimensions are submultiples: 300x400mm (division by 2); 200x400mm (division by 3); 200x300mm (division by 4); 130x300mm (division by 6); 200x200mm (division by 6); 150x200mm (division by 8); 100x300mm (division by 8); 130x200mm (division by 9); 130xl50mm (division by 12); 100x200mm (division by 12); 100xl50mm (division by 16).

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These dimensions allow filling of the pallet to the optimized layer, since it is always possible to reconstitute a basic block of 400x600mm. A palletizing plan is represented in FIGS. 2a and 2b, corresponding respectively to 800xl200mm and 1000xl200mm, with a "basic module" of 400x600mm.

 Such a box with pouches flat when palletized therefore offers advantages in terms of palletization. As we saw previously, it is adapted to the two current standards. A variable number of bags only varies the height of the box, but not the floor plan of the pallet or the layer which remains the same. A variation in box height only changes the number of layers (which, moreover, is already variable from one country to another, the maximum admissible pallet heights varying from 2m to 1.60m). Automatic palletizing is thus easy to implement, no adjustment being necessary any more but only programming of the number of layers. Logistics is therefore improved.

 The pouches in the box are of the conventional type. They may be of the uniform flat type or preferably of the "doypack" type (ie a corner pouch having a bottom surface and allowing the pouch to stand upright). Doypack type bags are preferred. Referring to Figure 3, there is described a sectional view of a package according to the invention. The doypacks pouches are always referenced 2a, 2b, 2c, etc. They are arranged alternately, "head to tail". This allows better use of the volume available in the box. Indeed, the at least partial superimposition of the doypack pouches makes it possible to increase the number of pouches per box (uniform flat pouches losing a little useful volume at the level of the four edges) and therefore ultimately the number of pouches per pallet. The partial overlapping of the pouches also allows the adaptation of the box with the length of the pouches, thus making it possible to respect characteristic dimensions for example of 130 × 200 mm (or any other

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 sub-multiple of 400x600mm close to the dimension of the pouch considered). Such a doypack arrangement provides an "interlocking" effect.

 The manufacturing of the box is classic; the box is obtained by folding a cardboard sheet 3, the diagram of which is described in FIG. 4. The box 1 is formed by folding a cardboard sheet 3. The latter has zones corresponding to the different parts of the box. The hatched area is the area which will be pressed by the mandrel (not shown) in the cavity or corresponding cavity (alternatively, the mandrel can also be surrounded with the sheet). This zone here corresponds to the bottom 11 of the box.

It is flanked on both sides 12 and 13. Both the bottom 11 and the sides 12 and 13 are provided with flaps 11a and 11br 12a and 12b and 13a and 13b, respectively. These flaps are glued together to form the box, the flaps 11a, 12a and 13a on the one hand and 11b, 12b and 13b on the other hand then forming the third and fourth sides 14 and 15 respectively.

The box is then loaded into pouches by an appropriate machine, the pouches generally being loaded flat. The cover 16 (attached before or after loading) is then closed. It is also possible to form the cover integrally with the other faces of the box, the cover 16 then being in the extension of one of the flaps 11a or 11b.

 FIG. 5 represents a device for loading the box according to the first embodiment. It includes for example a conveyor belt 21 for empty boxes and perpendicularly two conveyor belts 22 and 23 for pouches (flat). The bags are opposite on the carpets in order to obtain a head-to-tail arrangement in the box, according to a preferred variant. The device further comprises a rotary arm 24 above the box and pouches. The gripping of the bags is done for example using suction cups 25a and 25b arranged at the end of the arm. The arm then alternately loads the pouches from one mat and then from the other into the box. A device for closing the

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 box, not shown, is also used conventionally.

 FIG. 6 describes a package according to a second embodiment. The packaging is a cardboard box 1 containing a plurality of pouches 2a, 2b, 2c, etc. These are arranged horizontally in the box. Unlike the first embodiment, the opening is made by one face of the box. Alternatively, it is possible to turn the box over a quarter of a turn so that the opening is done from the top, the pouches then being arranged vertically (this variant of opening is preferred for the second embodiment). The dimensions of the box remain given for the pouches arranged flat. In the second embodiment, the box is used (preferred variant) in a direction other than that followed for palletizing, unlike the first embodiment. In the second embodiment, the pouches can bear signs on their edges, which facilitates their identification by the consumer, in particular in the case of multi-pack with multiple variety.

 The manufacture of the box according to the second embodiment is conventional; the box is obtained by folding a cardboard sheet 4, the diagram of which is described in FIG. 7. The box 1 is formed by folding a cardboard sheet 4. The latter has zones corresponding to the different parts of the box. The hatched area is the area which will be pressed by the mandrel (not shown) into the corresponding cavity or cavity. This zone here corresponds to the bottom 11 of the box. It is flanked on both sides 12 and 13, the latter also being flanked by the upper part 16. Both the bottom 11 and the side 13 and the top 16 are provided with flaps 11a and 11b, 13a and 13b and 16a and 16b, respectively. . These flaps are glued together to form the box, the flaps 11a, 13a and 16a on the one hand and 11b, 13b and 16b on the other hand then forming the third and fourth sides 14 and 15 respectively. The

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 the box is then loaded into pouches by an appropriate machine. The box is loaded from the opening side (here 12), the bags being this time introduced vertically (for example from above, the box being turned). In this case, the opening side is closed after filling and no longer the top as for the first embodiment.

 The loading of these boxes according to the second embodiment is carried out as for the boxes according to the first embodiment, the device described with reference to Figure 5 is also suitable.

 The cardboard box can be replaced by a box made of another rigid material, such as polymeric materials. "Box" refers in the invention to any packaging capable of being stacked on a (rigid) pallet. In general, these boxes are of substantially parallelepiped shape. Other shapes, distinct from the rectangle, are also appropriate, provided that they allow paving of the plane of the palette. The boxes also have the classic characteristics of such secondary packaging.

 The pouches can contain various types of product, and in particular pasty, granules, liquids, food or not. Preferably, these are moist foods. The pouches also have the classic characteristics of such primary packaging.

 The invention is not limited to the embodiments described, but is capable of numerous variants easily accessible to those skilled in the art.

Claims (18)

CLAIMS 1. Pallet comprising a plurality of boxes (1), these boxes containing pouches (2a, 2b, 2c, 2d), characterized in that the pouches are arranged flat relative to the pallet. 2. Pallet according to claim 1, in which the bags are of the doypack type and are placed head to tail in the boxes. 3. Pallet according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the boxes have width and length corresponding to sub-multiples of 400x600mm dimensions. 4. Pallet according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the boxes are opening on their top. 5. Pallet according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the boxes are opening on their side. 6. Pallet according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the boxes are obtained by folding the mandrel, the mandrel having the same width and length as the boxes. 7. Pallet according to one of claims 1 to 6, of dimension 800x1200mm. 8. Pallet according to one of claims 1 to 6, of dimension 1000x1200mm. 9. Box (1) containing pouches (2a, 2b, 2c, 2d), having width and length corresponding to sub-multiples of 400x600mm, the <Desc / Clms Page number 11>  pouches being arranged flat in the plane defining said width and length. 10. Box according to claim 9, wherein the pouches are of the doypack type and are placed head to tail in the box. 11. Box according to claim 9 or 10, opening on the top. 12. Box according to claim 9 or 10, opening on the side. 13. Box according to one of claims 9 to 12, obtained by folding the mandrel, the mandrel having the same width and length as the box. 14. A method of manufacturing a pallet according to any one of claims 1 to 8, comprising the following steps: (i) supply of boxes containing bags; (ii) orientation of said boxes so as to obtain the pouches flat relative to the pallet; and (iii) palletizing said boxes. 15. A method of manufacturing a box according to any one of claims 9 to 13, comprising the following steps: (i) providing an empty box having at least two dimensions corresponding to sub-multiples of 400x600mm; (ii) loading of said box with pouches, the plane of the pouches corresponding to the plane defining said at least two dimensions; and (iii) closing the box. <Desc / Clms Page number 12> 16. The method of claim 15, wherein step (i) comprises a step of folding the mandrel, the mandrel having the same at least two dimensions as the box. 17. The method of claim 15 or 16, wherein step (ii) comprises loading the bags horizontally. 18. Device for implementing the method according to claim 17, comprising (i) a belt (21) for supplying empty boxes, the boxes being arranged on the carpet in a plane containing said at least two dimensions; (ii) at least one conveyor belt (22,23) for feeding bags, arranged substantially perpendicular to the conveyor belt (21) for empty boxes, said bags being arranged flat on said carpet (22,23); (iii) an arm (24) disposed above said belts and comprising at its end a gripping device (25a, 25b), said arm alternating between a position for gripping the pouches and a position for loading the box; and (iv) a device for closing the box.