GB2280884A - A packaging sleeve for containers - Google Patents

Abstract

A sleeve for holding containers in side by side relationship, and its blank (11), each comprises a central panel (12) to seat against the tops of the containers, side panels (13 - 16) connected to the central panel (12) through fold lines (17) and shaped recesses (18 and 19) located in the fold lines (17) to receive outer portions of the containers, locking flaps (21) located in the central panel (12) to engage with inner portions of the containers to hold them to the central panel. Adjacent ends of the side panels (13 - 16) are secured together by end flaps (30) on adjacent side panels to give a very strong pack. The flaps (30) are preferably joined by locking tabs (33) in the shape of a trapezium engaging in holes (32) in the flap of the adjacent panel. <IMAGE>

Description

A Packaging Sleeve This invention relates to sleeve or holder for retaining together a plurality of containers.

It is known to hold together a plurality of frustoconical pots of for example, Yoghurt or desserts by the use of cardboard sleeves that encircle a number of pots arranged in a line. Yet another arrangement is for a cardboard sleeve or retainer to wrap around and grip diametrically opposite sides of the tops of a number of pots arranged in a line so that the pot in effect dangles from the sleeve.

Because of the shape of the frustoconical pots it is difficult to pack the pots in pairs with for example four pots being arranged in a square formation. One means of achieving this is for the four pots to be manufactured with the tops of the pots joined by a break-line for subsequent separation.

In British patent 2259 071 in the name of the present applicant there is disclosed a sleeve that allows frustoconical pots to be packaged side by side in pairs and which is extremely economical in its use of cardboard.

The sleeve disclosed in the above document comprises a rectangular central panel which in use seats against the tops of the containers, side panels connected to each side of the central panel through fold lines for folding around the upper side portions of the containers, shaped recesses located in the fold lines to receive respective portions of the containers, and at least one locking flap located in the central panel and which is connected to the central panel by fold lines and is foldable to engage a portion of at last one container to hold said one container to the central panel.

Such a sleeve with the containers held therein is very rigid.

Some food manufacturers and/or supermarket stores utilize a drop test in which the sleeves and containers must be capable of withstanding a drop from a height of 1 metre without bursting of the sleeve. Whilst the above sleeve is capable of withstanding such a test it does not have a 100% pass rate.

Present invention provides an improved sleeve with improved drop test characteristics.

According to the invention there is provided a sleeve for holding a plurality of containers in side by side relationship, said sleeve comprising a rectangular central panel which in use seats against the tops of the containers, side panels connected to each side of the central panel through fold lines for folding around the upper side portions of the containers, shaped recesses located in the fold lines to receive respective outer portions of the containers, at last one locking flap located in the central panel and which is engagable with an inner portion of at least one container to hold said one container to the central panel, and the adjacent ends of the side panels are secured together by end flaps on one side panel being secured to an adjacent side panel.

Preferably there are a plurality of locking flaps and conveniently each locking flap retains two side by side containers to the central panel.

Preferably the central panel is square and the sleeve is for holding four containers in assembly together.

Preferably the opposed side panels have end flaps foldably connected at each end thereof for connection with an end portion of an adjacent side panel.

Conveniently the end flaps mechanically lock to the respective adjacent side panel.

There is also provided a package comprising a plurality of pairs of containers held together by a sleeve as described above.

Preferably the containers are sealed frustoconical pots each having radially outward projecting flange at the sealed open end thereof, said flange locating in the shaped recesses and being held by the locking flaps.

Conveniently the flanges of adjacent pots overlap.

Also according to the invention there is provided a blank for a sleeve for packaging containers, said blank comprising a central rectangular panel having side panels foldably connected to each side of the central panel through fold lines, shaped recesses located along the fold lines for receiving respective' outer portions of the containers, locking flaps in a centre portion of the central panel also for engaging an inner portion of the containers, wherein two opposed side panels have end flaps foldably connected to each end thereof.

Preferably said end flaps are foldably connected to the centre portion of the central panel by spaced parallel folds, and are separated by a mutual cut line.

The holes and flaps can be any mutually interlocking shape but are preferably square holes, and the locking flaps are in the shape of a trapezium which is foldably connected to the respective side panel by its shorter parallel side.

The invention will be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a plan view of a blank according to the invention, Fig. 2 is an isometric view of a sleeve holding containers therein, and and Fig. 3 is an isometric view of the containers as held by the sleeve.

With reference now to Fig. 1, there is illustrated a cardboard blank 11 for a packaging sleeve. The preferred material is 500 microns solidboard , but other materials such a corrugated paper, or plastics material may be used. The blank comprises a central rectangular panel 12 which is square for a four container sleeve but would be rectangular for a two carton sleeve or a six carton sleeve. There are four side panels 13, 14, 15 & 16 joined to each side of the central panel 12 through a respective fold line 17 so that each side is foldable relative to the central panel 12.

The sleeve is in use to hold pairs of containers (30) side by side (See Fig. 3) so that the end side panels 13 and 15 have two recesses 18 therein located along the fold lines 17, and the other side panels 14 and 16 have one recess 19 per pair of containers located along their respective fold lines 17a. In this case with only four containers there are only two recesses 19 but if there were six containers there would be three recesses 19 along each fold line 17a.

In the mid portion of the central panel 12, there are located two locking flaps 21. Each flap is rectangular and is cut from the central panel 12 to which it is connected only along the mid portion 20 of one log side by a fold line 22 allowing each flap to be folded out of the plane of the central panel 12. The fold lines 22 are parallel and spaced apart with a mutual line cut 25 separating the two flaps 21. There is a curved cut 23 each side of the fold line 22 to provide a gap between the respective flap and the central panel 12 after folding.

The recesses 18 and 19 are each shaped inwards of the resp,ective fold line in use to receive a portion of a container and also to form an upraised tongue 27 which in use grips a respective container. There is a split line 28 in each tongue.

The two opposed end side panels 13 and 15 each have an end flap 30 at each end thereof connected thereto by a fold line 31. Each end flap 30 has a rectangular aperture 32 therein which forms part of a mechanical lock for locking each end sidewall 13 and 15 to the adjacent end portions of the other two side panels 14 and 16.

Each end portion of the side panels 14 and 16 has a locking tab 33 in the shape of a trapezium formed therein. The locking tabs are connected to the respective side panel 14 and 16 along a shorter parallel side 34. The shorter side 34 is approximately the same length as the longer side of the aperture 32 and the longer side of the tab 33 has a longer length so that it forms a detent with the aperture 32.

With reference to Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 there is illustrated the sleeve in use forming a four container assembly. The containers 30 are frustoconical pots, preferably made from plastics material, which have a radially outwardly projecting flange 31 at the open end thereof. The pots 30 are sealed and are assembled as two side by side pairs with the tops against the central panel 12. The four side panels 13, 14, 15, 7, 16 are folded to enclose the upper portion of the pots 30 and the outer portions of the flange 31 of each pot extends through the adjacent recesses 18 and 19. The term outer is used in respect of the panel 12. the tongues 17 of each recess lock under the flanges 31 to hold the side panels in position. Preferably the flanges 31 of adjacent pots overlap.

The inner portions of the flanges 31 (that is inner relative to the panel 12) are held in position against the underside of the central panel by the locking flaps 21 which are folded down and the end portions of each flap engage a respective flange 31. The end portions may also be folded back across a respective flange which is accommodated in the respective slot 23.

The end flaps 30 are folded normal to the end side walls 13, and 15, so that they lie adjacent a respective one of the other pair of opposed sidewalls 14 and 16. The locking tabs 33 are then each pushed through the adjacent rectangular aperture 32 in the end flaps. The trapezium shaped tabs 33 act as a detent securing the side walls 14, 16 to the end flaps 30 thus securing the sidewalls 13, 14, 15, 16, in a square configuration substantially normal to the panel 12. The tabs 33 may have a slit 36 in at least one edge for locking with the edge of a respective aperture 32 to more securely lock the sidewalls 13,14,15,16 together. The whole package in which the pots are held on their outer edges by the use of four side panels, the flanges of adjacent pots overlap, the flanges are further secured on their innermost edges, and in which the side walls 13 - 16 are locked together, provides an extremely rigid package which uses a minimum of card board material.

Such packages can be dropped from a height of one meter without bursting of the sleeve. Because the sealed top of each container lies against the central panel this helps prevent tampering with the contents of the pots.

Claims (15)

Claims

1. A sleeve for holding a plurality of containers in side by side relationship, said sleeve comprising a rectangular central panel which in use seats against the tops of the containers, side panels connected to each side of the central panel through fold lines for folding around the upper side portions of the containers, shaped recesses located in the fold lines to receive respective outer portions of the containers, at last one locking flap located in the central panel and which is engagable with an inner portion of at least one container to hold said one container to the central panel, and the adjacent ends of the side panels are secured together by end flaps on one side panel being secured to an adjacent side panel.

2. A sleeve as claimed in Claim 1, wherein there are a plurality of locking flaps each of which is foldably connected to the central panel and engages at least one container.

3. A sleeve as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein each locking flap engages two side by side containers to hold them to the central panel.

4. A sleeve as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein two opposed side panels have end flaps foldably connected at each end thereof for connection with an end portion of an adjacent side panel.

5. A sleeve as claimed in Claim 4, wherein each end flap is mechanically locked to the respective end portion of the adjacent panel.

6. A sleeve as claimed in Claim 5, wherein said end flaps have an aperture formed therein, and the other opposed side panels have locking flaps formed in the end portions thereof for engagement in said holes.

7. A sleeve as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the central panel is square and the sleeve is for holding four containers in assembly together.

8. A package comprising a plurality of pairs of containers held together side by side by a sleeve as claimed in any one of Claims 4 to 7.

9. A package as claimed in Claim 8, wherein the containers are sealed frustoconical pots each having radially outward projecting flange at the sealed open end thereof, said flanges each locating in a pair of shaped recesses and being held by a respective locking flap.

10. A blank for a sleeve for packaging containers, said blank comprising a central rectangular panel having side panels foldably connected to each side of the central panel through fold lines, shaped recesses located along the fold lines for receiving respective outer portions of the containers, locking flaps in a centre portion of the central panel also for engaging an inner portion of the containers, wherein two opposed side panels have end flaps foldably connected to each end thereof.

11. A blank as claimed in Claim 10, wherein there are two sets of locking flaps each set of which in use engages portions of a pair of side by side containers.

12. A blank as claimed in claim 11 wherein each set of locking flaps comprises a single flap the opposite end portions of each engage a container.

13. A blank as claimed in Claim 11, or Claim 12, wherein the two locking flaps are foldably connected to the centre portion of the central panel by spaced parallel folds, and are separated by a mutual cut line.

14. A blank as claimed in any one of Claims 10 to 13, wherein said end flaps have holes therein and the other opposed side panels have locking tabs formed in each portion thereof for engagement in said holes.

15. A blank as claimed in Claim 14, wherein said holes are square and the locking tabs are in the shape of a trapezium which is foldably connected by its shorter parallel side to the respective side panel.