GB2296007A - Package for articles - Google Patents

Abstract

Packaging for two or more articles, such as a drinks bottle 30 and a glass 29, comprises a plurality of article supports 12 within a container. Means 13 - 15 are provided so that displacement of the supported articles outwardly of the container can be effected. <IMAGE>

Description

PACKAGE FOR ARTICLES This invention relates to a package for articles.

It is known to package a miniature bottle of champagne or other drinks and a glass as a gift or promotion. This would normally be done in a box with a lid.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved package for articles to provide a more interesting display or presentation on opening.

According to a first aspect of the invention therefore there is provided packaging for two or more articles comprising a plurality of article supports within a container and means operable to effect displacement of the supported articles outwardly of the container.

There may be two article supports which can be used to support a bottle and a glass respectively. In this way a bottle and a glass can be displayed in the same packaging. Alternatively, other articles may be supported and a container with more than two article supports may be used.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the first aspect of the invention the article supports are displaced outwardly of the container on opposite sides thereof. With this arrangement the supported articles move outwards in an interesting way when the packaging is opened.

The said means for displacing the supported articles outwards, thereby opening the container, may be used in the opposite sense to allow the container to be closed.

Preferably the article supports are tilted outwardly of the container by the displacement means.

Thus, and in accordance with a second aspect of the invention there is provided packaging for one or more articles comprising one or more articles supports within a container and means operable to effect tilting of the supported article or articles outwardly of the container.

With this tilting arrangement the article or articles can be presented in a still more interesting way when the container is opened.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the second aspect of the invention the said outward tilting is provided by rotation of the article support or supports about a fixed axis or fixed axes.

The or each fixed axis may be provided by a pivot connecting the article support or supports to the container in the vicinity of the base of the container. Preferably the article support or supports are integral with the container.

The said means for tilting the supported article or articles outwards may be used in the opposite sense, thereby allowing the container to be closed.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the second aspect of the invention the said means for tilting the supported article or articles outwards comprises a handle connected to a block by a connecting member. The block and connecting member may be an integral one piece element.

Applying a force on the handle causes the block to exert a turning moment on the or each article support about the or each said fixed axis. With this arrangement the handle can be used to open the container by tilting the or each article supports outwardly. The handle may also be used to close the container.

The said connecting member may project through an aperture in the top surface of the container with the handle being disposed above said top surface.

As with the first aspect of the invention, preferably the article supports which can be used to support a bottle and a glass respectively.

Alternatively other articles may be supported and a container with any number of article supports may be used.

In the case of two or more article supports, preferably the articles supports are tilted outwardly of the container on opposite sides thereof. In this way the packaging can be opened to present the supported articles in an interesting and intriguing way.

The following features apply to both aspects of the present invention.

The or each article support may be of open design, allowing the or each supported article to be displayed to maximum effect.

Preferably the container is wholly or partially closed so that prior to opening the packaging the or each supported article is concealed from view.

This provides an element of surprise on opening.

The or each articles may be held in the or each article support by any suitable means. For example a glass and a bottle may be held around the stem and the neck respectively by a supporting member, both also being supported from below. The said supporting means enables the or each article to be maintained in its desired position within the packaging for display purposes.

The outward displacement of the or each article support from the container is preferably halted by stopping means to define the open configuration of the container. This stopping means may be provided by a stopping member connected to the container which engages the or each article support to prevent further tilting.

The entire packaging may be made of cardboard, though any material or combinations of materials can be used as appropriate. In the case of cardboard the majority of the packaging is preferably formed from a blank from a single sheet of cardboard.

However in certain embodiments of the invention it may be preferable to form the packaging from more than one cardboard blanks. This may be the case with packaging for supporting more than two articles for example.

The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an open package for two articles showing first one article support for clarity, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional front view of a closed package for a bottle and glass; and Fig. 3 is a sectional front view of an open package for a bottle and glass.

The packaging 10 comprises a container 11, article supports 12 which can pivot outwards from the container 11 by means of handle 13 connected to a block 14 by way of a connecting member 15.

The container 11 and main body of the article supports 12 are formed as one from a blank from a single sheet of cardboard.

The container 11 essentially consists of a box with a top surface 16, a bottom surface 17, a front surface 18 and a back surface 19. The sides 20 of the container 11 are open to allow the article supports 12 to pivot outwards through the sides 20 when desired.

Each article support 12 comprises a front surface 22, a back surface 23, an inner side surface 24, an outer side surface 25 and a base 26. Each article support 12 is integral with the container 11 and connected thereto by a pivot joint 27 along the edge defined by the outer surface 25 of each article support and the base 17 of the container. The article supports 12 locate within the boundaries of the container 11 of the packaging 10, to define a closed configuration. The corresponding open configuration is achieved when the article supports swing outwards through opposite sides of the container 11 on the said pivot joints 27. The outward pivotal displacement of the article supports 12 is restricted by stops 28 on the top surface 16 of the container. The stops 28 are provided by flaps which fold down from the top surface of the container. Thus in the open configuration, the top of the inner side surface 24 of each article support rests against the stop 28 and part of each article support projects through the open sides of the container 11.

The article supports 12 are adapted to accommodate a glass 29 and a bottle 30 as shown in Figures 2 and 3. The base 26 supports the glass 29 and the bottle 30 in the article support in both cases. The glass is secured by a locating member 32 around its stem and the bottle is secured by a holding means 33. The locating member 32 is provided by a folding flap in the inner side surface 24 as shown in Figure 3. Additional or alternative means for securing the glass or bottle may be used as appropriate.

Below the base 26 of each article support 12 there is a block receptacle 31 for accepting the block 14. The block receptacle 31 may be secured by glue for example to the base 26 of each article support or it may form an integral part with each article support.

The front surface 22 and the back surface 23 of the article support can be partially cut away as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 by the defining boundary 34. When in the open configuration, the said cut away surfaces help facilitate the removal of the glass and bottle from the article supports.

Alternatively the article supports may be of closed or substantially open design.

In the closed configuration the glass and bottle are concealed from view. On opening the packaging the glass and bottle become suddenly visible, providing an element of surprise.

The means by which the packaging is operated between the closed and open configurations comprises a handle 13 in the form of a circular disc connected to a block 14 by way of a connecting member 15. The handle 13 is above the top surface 16 of the container. From the handle 13 the connecting member 15 passes through an aperture (not shown) in the top surface 16 of the container and runs down between the two article supports to the block 14 as shown in Figures 2 and 3. The block 14 and connecting member 15 are formed as one from the same piece of cardboard. The block 14 projects into a space 35 between the base 26 and block receptacle 31 of each article support via an aperture 36 as shown.

In the closed configuration of the packaging the handle 13 rests against the top surface 16 of the container and the block 14 rests against the internal surface of the base of each block receptacle 31. To operate the packaging in order to achieve the open configuration the handle 13 is pulled upwards. The block 14 therefore leaves the internal surface of the base of each block receptacle 31 and engages with the bottom surface of the base 26 of each article support 12. Consequently an upward force applied to the handle 13 causes a turning moment about the pivot point 27 to act on each article support 12. This in turn causes the article supports to rotate outwards through opposite sides of the container 11 about the pivot points 27.

The outward displacement of the article supports 12 is halted by the stops 28.

In the opposite sense, the packaging is operated from open to closed configurations by applying a downward force on the handle 13.

In addition to the glass and bottle of the above description the packaging may be adapted to accommodate any other articles as desired.

Figures 1, 2 and 3 show a package with two article supports.

Alternatively the present invention relates to packages with other numbers of articles supports, and to packages with articles supports that can accommodate more than one article.

In the above description the container and main body of the article supports are formed as one from a blank from a single sheet of cardboard.

Alternatively for packaging with more than two article supports it may be more appropriate to use more than one cardboard blanks.

It is of course to be understood that the invention is not intended to be restricted to the details of the above embodiment and many modifications are possible.

Claims (15)

1. Packaging for two or more articles comprising a plurality of article supports within a container and means operable to effect displacement of the supported articles outwardly of the container.

2. Packaging as claimed in claim 1 wherein the article supports are displaced outwardly of the container on opposite sides thereof.

3. Packaging as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the article supports are tilted outwardly of the container by the displacement means.

4. Packaging for one or more articles comprising one or more article supports within a container and means operable to effect tilting of the supported article or articles outwardly of the container.

5. Packaging as claimed in claim 4 wherein the said outward tilting is provided by rotation of the article support or supports about a fixed axis or fixed axes.

6. Packaging as claimed in claim 5 wherein the or each fixed axis is provided by a pivot connecting the article support or supports to the container in the vicinity of the base of the container.

7. Packaging as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the article support or supports are integral with the container.

8. Packaging as claimed in claim 4 or any claim dependent thereon wherein the said means for tilting the supported article or articles outwards comprises a handle connected to a block by a connecting member.

9. Packaging as claimed in claim 8 wherein the block and connecting member are an integral one piece element.

10. Packaging as claimed in claim 8 or claim 9 wherein said connecting member projects through an aperture in the top surface of the container with the handle being disposed above said top surface.

11. Packaging as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the or each article support is of open design.

12. Packaging as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the container is wholly or partially closed so that prior to opening the packaging the or each supported article is concealed from view.

13. Packaging as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the outward displacement of the or each article support from the container is preferably halted by stopping means to define the open configuration of the container.

14. Packaging as claimed in claim 13 wherein the stopping means is provided by a stopping member connected to the container which engages the or each article support to prevent further tilting.

15. Packaging substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.