FR3052751A1 - STACKABLE TRAY ELEMENT. - Google Patents

Abstract

A stackable tray member with walls (13, 14, 15) flared relative to the bottom (11), and at least one wall (12) perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the bottom, thereby allowing standing.

Description

Stackable tray element. The invention relates to a stackable tray element, made of rigid or semi-rigid material such as cardboard or corrugated cardboard, this tray element being intended to receive a content, for example a food product, and to be closed by an element. cover, for example a transparent plastic sheet. The invention further relates to a blank for forming such a tray member as well as the package comprising the stackable tray member and the lid member.

Stackable tray elements are commonly used commercially for packaging, including fresh or reheated food products, for example salads, fresh fruits or vegetables, elaborate products such as sushi, bakery and pastry products. as for example of the prefou, shares of pies, pastries or other. The tray element comprises a bottom and flared walls forming a belt. Classically empty trays are stacked and transported in the form of a stack. Each tray is depilated, a food content is deposited and then closed by means of the lid element, for example a stretch film, a thermoformed film or a film of a closed plastic bag in which the whole container more content is received. The invention is therefore not limited to a particular lid element even if it finds a particularly advantageous application in the case of transparent lid elements allowing the consumer to see the contents of the tray.

The packages thus obtained are conventionally installed flat on the displays.

We try to make the contents of the packaging more visible to the consumer.

It has been envisaged to replace the tray element of cardboard or corrugated cardboard with a transparent plastic tray element.

It has also been envisaged to install in the display stands supports so that the packaging can be installed vertically.

There is a need for packaging to reconcile visibility in a display and ecology.

There is provided a stackable tray member of rigid or semi-rigid material such as cardboard or corrugated cardboard for receiving a content, for example a food product, held in place by a lid member, for example a lid member transparent. This tray element comprises a bottom and a belt of at least three walls articulated each with respect to the bottom by means of a fold line, and secured to each other at their lateral ends, this wall belt comprising: first waist portion comprising at least one wall and - a second waist portion comprising at least one wall.

The walls, if any, of each belt portion are adjacent to one another, i.e., if a belt portion comprises a plurality of walls, these walls are adjacent to one another.

Each wall of the first waist portion is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the bottom, and each wall of the second waist portion is flared relative to the bottom, so that two tray members can be stacked one inside the other.

Thus by providing one or more walls perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the bottom, rather than walls all flared, it can be provided to install the package not with the bottom resting on the display, but standing on the edge, resting on a wall of the first portion of the belt. The contents of the packaging, or in the case of an opaque lid element, the image and / or the text printed on this lid element, may thus be relatively visible ( s), which can encourage a purchase from the consumer, while allowing a realization of the tray element in a recyclable material such as cardboard.

This frustoconical tray element with an asymmetry of the angles between the different walls and the bottom can be stored in the form of a battery and while being stable when installed on the edge.

By avoiding an alternation between flared walls and walls perpendicular to the bottom, that is to say having the (if any) flared walls adjacent to each other, and the (if any) walls perpendicular to the bottom adjacent to each other, Tray element can make it possible to catch a lateral offset induced by the normal wall (s) bottom (s) when several tray elements are superimposed one in the other, thus making the stack possible.

In addition, in the case of a flexible lid element, this arrangement on the edge of the packaging can make it possible to avoid the problems of compression of the contents when several packages are placed on one another horizontally, especially when storage and / or transport.

When tracking the shelves, the packaging on a display can be advanced as and when sales, especially when the cardboard used for transport is all or part of the display stand (ready to sell).

Per perpendicular or substantially perpendicular means that the angle between a wall of the first belt portion and the bottom is sufficiently close to 90 ° so that given the height of this wall, the dimensions of the bottom, the material of the Tray element and the weight of the expected content, the filled package is relatively stable when erected on the edge.

For example, it is possible to provide an angle between a wall of the first belt portion and the bottom, inside the tray between 88 ° and 95 °, advantageously between 89 ° and 93 °, advantageously between 89.5 ° and 92 °, advantageously between 89.8 ° and 91 °, advantageously 90 ° to the functional game near.

In this application, unless expressly stated otherwise, the boundaries of a range are considered to be included in the range.

Advantageously, each wall of the wall belt can define a free edge opposite the fold line articulating the wall at the bottom. In other words, the tray element can be devoid of hinged lid to one of the walls.

In one embodiment, the wall belt may comprise four walls, but alternatively may be provided a tray element with three walls, five walls, six walls, eight walls or other.

In the case of a four-walled container element, one or two walls perpendicular (s) or substantially perpendicular (s) to the bottom can advantageously be provided, especially if the fold lines articulating these walls at the bottom are perpendicular to each other. Alternatively, one could provide a single flared wall, especially if the two walls at the ends of the first belt portion are not parallel to each other.

In the case of a tray element with three walls, one or two walls may be provided perpendicular (s) or substantially perpendicular (s) to the bottom.

Advantageously, the tray member may be made of a cardboard material covered with a protective film for example paraffin wax, polyethylene, or other. The tray element may for example have dimensions of the order of a few tens of centimeters for the bottom and a few centimeters for the height of the walls, or other.

The walls of the wall belt may advantageously be secured to each other by gluing, for example by means of shutters hinged to walls and fixed by gluing to the adjacent walls.

The flaps can be glued on the outer faces of the corresponding adjacent walls, or on the inner faces of these walls.

A wall can be articulated to zero, one or two flaps, the invention is not limited to a particular architecture. For example, it can be provided that in the case of a three-sided tray element, each wall is hinged to a single flap.

Advantageously, the walls can be secured to each other by means of flaps hinged at their ends.

Each wall may be articulated to the bottom along the entire length or only part of its length, that is to say that the tray element may comprise cut edges.

The walls of the second belt portion may form with the bottom of the package angles on the interior side of the tray member further apart by more than 6 degrees from the right angle, for example a angle of 100 °, 120 °, or other.

Advantageously, the angle of the side of the interior of the tray element between a wall of the second belt portion and the bottom may be between 106 ° and 150 °, preferably between 108 ° and 120 °.

Advantageously, at least one wall of the second belt portion, facing at least one wall of the first belt portion, defines with the bottom, on the inside of the tray member, an angle of between 110 ° and 120 °, advantageously between 114 ° and 118 °, for example 115 °. These relatively high values can compensate for the induced lateral offset when two tray elements are stacked one inside the other.

In the case of a package with walls of the second belt portion perpendicular to a wall of the first belt portion, for example, in the case of a four-wall package, the walls adjacent to a normal wall at the bottom these perpendicular walls may form with the bottom a lower angle than that or those formed (s) by the other walls of the second belt portion, for example an angle of the inner side of the tray element between 106 ° and 115 °, advantageously between 108 ° and 112 °, for example 110 °. These walls do not have to compensate for lateral offset when two tray elements are stacked, and can therefore be less flared than others.

It is further proposed a blank of a rigid and semi rigid material such as cardboard or corrugated cardboard for the realization of a stackable tray element. The blank comprises a bottom, an assembly of at least three walls, each wall being articulated with respect to the bottom by a fold line, this set of at least three walls being shaped to form after joining the walls in pairs at the floor. lateral ends of the walls a closed wall belt. This set of walls comprises a first set of at least one wall and a second set of at least one wall, the walls where appropriate of a set being adjacent to each other. The blank is shaped so that after setting volume the wall (s) of the first set is (are) perpendicular (s) or substantially perpendicular (s) relative to the bottom and the wall (s) walls of the second game is flare (s) in relation to the bottom.

Advantageously, for each wall of the first game, the lateral ends of the adjacent walls cooperating with this wall end either at an end edge perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the fold line between this adjacent wall and the bottom, or in a flap intended to be glued to the wall of the first game, this flap being hinged to the corresponding adjacent wall by a fold line perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the fold line between the adjacent wall and the bottom.

There is further provided a package comprising a stackable tray member as described above as well as a lid member. The cover member may advantageously be all or part transparent. The cover member may for example comprise a plastic film covering the stackable tray member, a thermoformed film, a resealable plastic package in which the tray member and the contents, or any other means of maintaining the contents are received. inside the tray, for example paper tape and / or adhesive, a net, or other.

By "stackable tray element" is meant in the present application that in case of stacking, the bottom of the tray element of the top is received inside the tray element underneath, it is that is, the bottom is lower than a plane defined by the upper edges of the walls. The invention will be better understood with reference to the figures which relate to embodiments given by way of example and not limiting.

Figure 1 shows an example of a blank according to a first embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a top view of two tray elements from the blank of Figure 1 when stacked one in the other.

Figure 3 is a side view of two tray members from the blank of Figure 1 when stacked one inside the other.

FIG. 4 represents an exemplary blank according to a second embodiment of the invention.

Figure 5 is a top view showing two tray elements each from the blank example of Figure 4 when stacked one in the other.

Figure 6 is a side view showing two tray elements each from the blank example of Figure 4 when stacked one in the other.

Figure 7 shows an example of a blank according to a third embodiment of the invention.

Figure 8 is a top view showing two tray elements each from the blank example of Figure 7 when stacked one in the other.

Figure 9 is a side view showing two tray elements each from the blank example of Figure 8 when stacked one inside the other.

Figure 10 shows an example of a blank according to a fourth embodiment of the invention.

Identical or similar elements in their form or function may be designated by identical references from one figure to another.

Referring to Figure 1, a blank 10 is derived from a sheet of compact cardboard or corrugated cardboard, for example with E or F flutes, the sheet may be covered with a plastic film or paraffin wax.

This blank 10 comprises a bottom 11 and walls 12, 13, 14, 15. Each wall 12, 13, 14, 15 is hinged to the bottom 11 by a corresponding fold line 22, 23, 24, 25. After setting volume , the walls 12 to 15 form a closed belt of walls.

The walls 12 and 14 are articulated by fold lines 32, 42, 34, 44 to lateral end flaps 16, 17, 18, 19.

These end flaps 18 and 19 are intended to be glued to the outer face of the wall 15 and the end flaps 16 and 17 are intended to be bonded to the outer face of the wall 13. The fold lines 34 and 44 form respectively with the fold lines 25 and 23 an angle greater than that formed by the fold lines 32 and 42.

The edges 33, 35 intended to come against the wall 12 are, when the blank is flat, in the continuity of the fold line 22, while the edges 43 and 45 form an angle with respect to the fold line 24.

When after a point of glue has been deposited on each of the flaps 16, 17, 18, 19, the walls 13, 15 and then the walls 12, 14 are first raised, the wall 12 is pushed until the fold line 42 abuts against the lateral edge 33 of the wall 13, and until the fold line 32 abuts against the lateral edge 35 of the wall 15. In the same way the edge of the folding line 44 is pushed to abut against the lateral edge 43 of the wall 13 and the fold line 34 is pushed to abut against the lateral edge 45 of the wall 15.

Because of the shapes chosen for these edges 33, 43, 35, 45, when the blank 10 is set in volume, the wall 12 is normal to the plane of the bottom 11 while the wall 14, like the walls 13 and 15, is flared. compared to the bottom 11.

In this example the tray element from the blank 10 comprises a single wall 12 normal to the bottom 11 and three walls 13, 14, 15 flared by the bottom 11.

It may further be noted that the edges 43, 45 form a greater angle, close to 15 °, with the direction attached to the fold line 24, than the angles between the lines 42, 44, 32, 34 and the lines. fold 23, 25 respectively: when the blank 10 is set in volume, the wall 14, opposite the wall 12 perpendicular to the bottom, is more flared than the walls 13, 15.

It can be seen from FIGS. 2 and 3 that this tray element is stackable: as can be seen in FIG. 3, the stack induces, in particular because of the thickness of the corrugated board, a height offset which is added to due to the presence of a wall 12 normal to the bottom 11, a lateral shift towards the more flared wall 14.

It is advantageous for no flap to be bonded to the normal wall 12 at the bottom, in this sense that the induced lateral offset thus remains relatively small, but it would be possible, in an alternative and non-marked embodiment, to glue an or two flaps on the inner face or the outer face of this wall 12.

Once these items of trays stacked, we can arrange a transport and delivery.

During packaging, the tray elements are stripped and then each receive a content, for example a bakery product, fruit or other, and then a plastic film is arranged to ensure the maintenance of the content, for example a stretch film. The resulting packaging can stand on a slice allowing new opportunities for presentations to consumers.

Figure 4 shows another embodiment, this time with three walls. Triangular type trays can be used for the packaging of pie parts in particular.

The blank 110 comprises a triangular bottom 111 and three walls 112, 113, 114.

The walls are secured to each other via flaps 132, 133, 134.

The end edge 152 cooperating with the wall 113 defines an angle with the normal to the fold line 122, of about 10-15 °, and similarly, the fold line 144 defines the same angle with the normal to fold line 114.

On the other hand, the fold lines 142, 143 are normal to the fold lines 122, 123, respectively, and the edges 153, 154 are normal to the fold lines 124, 123.

When this blank is placed in volume, the walls 112 and 114 are perpendicular to the bottom 111 and the wall 113 is flared.

Lateral offsets caused by the perpendicular nature of the walls 112 and 114 are caught up by the wall 113 as is apparent from FIGS. 5 and 6.

With reference to FIGS. 7, 8, 9, there can be provided a blank 210 with a bottom 211 and five walls 212, 213, 214, 215, 216. In this example, the walls 215 and 216 are perpendicular to the bottom when the blank 210 is set in volume, while the walls 212, 213, 214 form a belt portion of flared walls.

FIG. 10 shows another embodiment of the invention, in which the packaging also comprises a four-walled tray element, of which only one 12 'perpendicular to the bottom 11'.

In this example, as in that of Figure 1, two of Spares are hinged to two flaps each, while the other two walls are flapless.

This wall 12 'and the opposite wall 14' define anti-hand cut nets.

Claims (8)

A stackable tray member (10 ') of rigid or semi-rigid material such as cardboard or corrugated board for receiving a content held in place by a cover member, comprising a bottom (11) and a seat belt at least three walls (12, 13, 14, 15) articulated each with respect to the bottom by means of a corresponding fold line (22, 23, 24, 25), and secured to each other at their lateral ends, this belt of walls comprising: - a first belt portion comprising at least one wall (12) and - a second belt portion comprising at least one wall (13, 14, 15), in which the walls, if any, of each portion of belt are adjacent to each other, each wall (12) of the first belt portion is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the bottom, and each wall of the second belt portion is flared relative to the bottom, so that two tray elements can to be stacked one in the other. A stackable tray member (10 ') according to claim 1, wherein, for each wall of the second waistband portion, this wall forms with the bottom an angle of between 106 ° and 150 °. Stackable tray member (10 ') according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the second waist portion comprises a plurality of walls (13, 14, 15; 212, 213, 214), characterized in that at least one wall (14; 213) of the second belt portion facing at least one wall (12; 215, 216) of the first belt portion is flared with respect to the bottom than at least one other wall (13, 15, 212, 214) of the second waistband portion. Stackable tray member (10 ') according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising flaps (16, 17, 18, 19, 132, 133, 134) articulated by fold lines (42, 44, 34, 32, 142, 143, 144) at the lateral ends of the walls for securing the walls to one another. Stackable tray member (10 ') according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising four walls (12, 13, 14, 15), one (12) perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the bottom (11). A package comprising a stackable tray member (10 ') according to any one of claims 1 to 5, as well as a lid member. Flan (10) made of a rigid and semi-rigid material such as cardboard or corrugated cardboard for producing a stackable tray element, said blank comprising a bottom (11), a set of at least three walls ( 12, 13, 14, 15), each wall being articulated with respect to the bottom by a fold line (22, 23, 24, 25), this set of at least three walls being shaped to form after joining the two walls to two at the side ends of the walls a closed wall belt, wherein the wall assembly comprises a first set of at least one wall (12) and a second set of at least one wall (13, 14, 15 ), the walls, if any of a clearance being adjacent to each other, the blank is shaped so that after setting volume the wall (s) of the first set is (are) perpendicular (s) or substantially perpendicular ( s) in relation to the bottom and the wall or wall (s) of the second set is (are) flared by t at the bottom, so as to allow a stack of several tray elements set volume. 8. Flan (10) according to claim 7, wherein, for each wall (12) of the first game, the lateral ends of the adjacent walls (13, 15) cooperating with this wall end either at an end edge (33). , 35) perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the fold line (23, 25) between this adjacent wall and the bottom (11), or in a flap intended to be bonded to the wall of the first play, this flap being hinged to the wall corresponding adjacent by a fold line perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the fold line between the adjacent wall and the bottom.