Packaging element constructed from folded blank

Abstract

A packaging element for accommodating at least one product includes a blank which has a number of portions connected to one another by folding lines. The portions include an accommodating portion having at least one receptacle, the shape of which is matched to the shape of a product to be accommodated, a first side-wall portion, a first cover-wall portion, a second side-wall portion, and a second cover-wall portion. The first cover-wall portion may have at least one hollow, and the second cover-wall portion may have at least one protrusion with a shape and position complementary to the hollow.

Claims

1. A packaging element for accommodating at least one product, comprising: a blank which has the following portions connected to one another by folding lines: an accommodating portion having a flat part and having at least one receptacle formed therein that protrudes from the flat part, the at least one receptacle having a shape which is matched to a shape of a product to be accommodated; a first side-wall portion; a first cover-wall portion; a second side-wall portion; and a second cover-wall portion, wherein the first cover-wall portion has at least one hollow that is a depression within the first cover-wall portion defining a three-dimensional space that extends into an interior space formed by joining the portions, and the second cover-wall portion has at least one protrusion that is extendable into the hollow of the first cover-wall portion of an other packaging element formed by joining portions of the other packaging element, the at least one protrusion having a shape and position complementary to the hollow.

2. The packaging element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the accommodating portion is enveloped by the two side-wall portions and the two cover-wall portions by folding along the folding lines.

3. The packaging element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first cover-wall portion and the second cover-wall portion extend in mutually parallel planes.

4. The packaging element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one protrusion and the at least one hollow have complementary shapes and are provided at mutually corresponding positions, so that the underside of a second identically shaped packaging element can be laid flush on the upper side of a packaging element, and wherein the protrusion on the upper side of the lower packaging element projects into the complementarily shaped hollow on the underside of the upper packaging element.

5. The packaging element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the packaging element has at least one of the following features: the at least one protrusion has the shape of a symbol; and the at least one protrusion has the shape of a product accommodated in the container.

6. The packaging element as claimed in claim 5, wherein the shape of a symbol or the shape of a product is-corresponds to a logo, a number or a letter.

7. The packaging element as claimed in claim 1, wherein a portion at the first end of the blank and a portion at the second end of the blank have a connecting element, with which the portions can be connected.

8. The packaging element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the accommodating portion and the cover-wall portion resting thereon have a connecting element, with which the accommodating portion and the cover-wall portion resting thereon can be connected.

9. The packaging element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the packaging element consists of pulp fibers.

10. The packaging element as claimed in claim 9, wherein the packaging element is produced in accordance with one of the following methods: in the molded pulp process; by deep-drawing board or paper.

11. The packaging element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the packaging element has at least one additional accommodating portion with at least one receptacle.

12. The packaging element as claimed in claim 11, wherein at least one folding line extends between the accommodating portion and the additional accommodating portion.

13. The packaging element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the packaging element has at least one additional accommodating portion that rests on the accommodating portion with at least one receptacle.

14. The packaging element as claimed in claim 13, wherein the additional accommodating portion has at least one receptacle.

15. The packaging element as claimed in claim 13, wherein at least one folding line extends between the accommodating portion and the additional accommodating portion.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) In the following description, illustrative embodiments of the packaging container according to the system described herein will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a three-dimensional plan view of a blank which can be folded to form a packaging element, according to some embodiments of the system described herein,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a side view of the blank from FIG. 1, according to some embodiments of the system described herein,

(4) FIG. 3 shows a side view of the blank folded to form a packaging element, according to some embodiments of the system described herein,

(5) FIG. 4 shows the packaging element from FIG. 3 when it is inserted into a box-like holding carton with a lid, wherein holding carton and lid are sectioned in the center, according to some embodiments of the system described herein,

(6) FIG. 5 shows a three-dimensional view of an alternative embodiment of a packaging element, according to some embodiments of the system described herein,

(7) FIG. 6 shows a side view of the packaging element from FIG. 5, according to some embodiments of the system described herein, and

(8) FIG. 7 shows a side view of the packaging element from FIG. 6 when pulled apart, according to some embodiments of the system described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS EMBODIMENTS

(9) FIGS. 1-4 show a blank 401 which forms a packaging element 419 having multiple receptacles for products to be inserted therein. The blank 401 is made of, e.g., consists of, pulp and has an accommodating portion 402. The accommodating portion 402 has multiple receptacles 403-407, which can each accommodate a product to be inserted. Each of the receptacles 403-407 is formed as a shell-like depression, into which the products can be laid. The receptacles 403-407 merge partly into one another. It is important that the walls of the receptacles 403-407 fix the product to be inserted therein in at least a point-by-point manner. The receptacle 403 is intended for a mobile phone, for example. The receptacle 404 can be intended for the power unit of the mobile phone. The receptacle 405 can be intended for a headset or power plug. The same is true of the receptacle 406. The receptacle 407 can be intended for a power cable. The shape and arrangement of the receptacles 403-407 can be matched in any desired way to the purpose of the respective packaging. It should be noted that the contours of the receptacles 403-407 do not have to correspond exactly to the contours of the products to be accommodated. Widened regions 408, 409, which make it easier to grip and remove the accommodated products, can be seen in FIG. 1.

(10) The accommodating portion 402 is connected via a first folding line 410 to a first side-wall portion 411. Via a second folding line 412, a first cover-wall portion 413, in the center of which a hollow 420 in the shape of a bitten pear is formed, adjoins the first side-wall portion 411. The first cover-wall portion 413 merges via a third folding line 414 into the second side-wall portion 415. A fourth folding line 416 and a second cover-wall portion 417 adjoin the second side-wall portion 415. The second cover-wall portion 417 has the protrusion 423, which has a shape complementary to the hollow 420.

(11) In some embodiments, all the folding lines extend parallel to one another. At all the folding lines, the adjacent wall portions are folded through 90° toward one another, so that when folded along all the folding lines, the cube-like packaging element 419 that can be seen in FIG. 3 is produced. As mentioned above, however, embodiments are also possible in which the folding angle differs from 90° and the packaging element that is produced can have the cross section of a flat trapezoid or a flat parallelogram.

(12) The packaging element 419 illustrated in FIG. 3 is cube-like. A connecting element 429, in the present case a two-sided adhesive strip, is arranged between the second cover-wall portion 417 and the accommodating portion 402 parallel thereto and connects these two portions to each other. It should be noted that other connecting elements, for example magnetic connecting elements or flaps of the blank, can be used in order to connect these two portions 417 and 402 to each other.

(13) Alternatively or additionally, the packaging element 419 can be inserted into a box-like holding carton 422, the lower wall of which has a hole 421 which is matched to the hollow 420 and the contour of which corresponds to the contour of the hollow 420. In the bottom view, the hole has the same position as the hollow 420. The packaging element 417 inserted into the holding carton 422 can be seen in FIG. 4. Both the holding carton 422 and the lid 425 are illustrated as sectioned in the center, so that the packaging element 419 is visible. The lid 425, in the upper side 427 of which there is formed a hole 424, the contour of which substantially corresponds to the contour of the protrusion 423, is put on from above. The holding carton 422 also has a hole 426 on the underside 428, which in contour and position corresponds to the contour and position of the hollow 420. The lid 425 and the holding carton 422 form the outer side of the packaging container 400 from FIG. 4, except in the region of the protrusion 423 and the hollow 420.

(14) In FIGS. 2-4 it can be seen that a curved relieving portion 418, with which dimensional inaccuracies of the blank 401 can be compensated, is arranged close to the fourth folding line 416.

(15) In practice, the blank can be formed from molded pulp, as mentioned.

(16) FIGS. 5-7 show an alternative embodiment of a packaging element 519 according to the system described herein. An important difference from the version described above resides in the fact that the packaging element 519 has an additional accommodating portion 532, which rests on the first accommodating portion 502. The two accommodating portions 502 and 532 adjoin each other via two folding lines 530, 531, so that they can be folded over through 180° relative to each other until they rest substantially on each other.

(17) In a way similar to the embodiment described above, the first accommodating portion 502 has two shell-like depressions 503, 504, which each form a receptacle for accessories, for example a power unit or a headset. A first side-wall portion 511 adjoins the first accommodating portion 502 via a first folding line 510. It can be seen in FIG. 5 that the first side-wall portion 511 extends over only part of the height of the packaging element 519. A first cover-wall portion 513, in which the hollow 520 is formed, adjoins the first side-wall portion 511 via a second folding line 512. The second side-wall portion 515, which has a similarly wide extent to the first side-wall portion 511, adjoins via a further folding line 514. A first marginal web 505 adjoins the second side-wall portion 515 via a further folding line 516.

(18) The second, additional accommodating portion 532 has on its underside a circumferential spacer rib 518, so that a certain distance prevails between the two main planes of the two accommodating portions 502 and 532.

(19) As can be seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, the second accommodating portion 532 has a receptacle 533, which is formed as a protrusion projecting upward. The object 534 to be accommodated, in this case a digital wristwatch, is pushed onto the outer side of this protrusion 533. The additional accommodating portion 532 and the second cover-wall portion 517, extending above the accommodating portion 532 and parallel thereto, each have a fixing rib 524 and 525, which fix the object 534 to be accommodated in the folded-together position of the packaging element 519 that is illustrated in FIG. 6.

(20) The additional accommodating portion 532 is adjoined via a folding line 535 by a further side-wall portion 536, which extends in the same vertical plane above the side-wall portion 511. The second cover-wall portion 517, in which the protrusion 523 is formed, which is formed so as to be substantially complementary to the hollow 520 of the first, lower cover-wall portion 513, adjoins via a folding line 537. In the folded-together state of the packaging element 519, illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, the protrusion 523 is located on the upper side 527 and the hollow 520 on the underside 528. In this way, a second identical packaging element 519 can be laid on the upper cover-wall portion 517 of a lower packaging element 519, the protrusion 523 on the upper side 527 of the lower packaging element 519 projecting into the hollow 520 on the underside 528 of the upper packaging element 519. The objects packaged in this way can be stacked on this side so as to be secure against displacement. It can be seen, in particular in FIG. 5, that the protrusion 523 has the shape of the packaged object 534. In this way, the packaging is enhanced visually and the object 534 packaged therein is presented attractively.

(21) A further side-wall portion 539 adjoins via a further folding line 538, once more a marginal web 541 at the end of this side-wall portion 539 likewise adjoining via a folding line 540.

(22) In some embodiments, all the portions of the packaging element 519 are formed from a one-piece molded pulp blank 501, the different protrusions and hollows being formed in the molding. This packaging element can also be inserted into a carton, the upper side and underside of which each have a hole, the contour of which corresponds to the contour of the protrusion and of the hollow.

(23) It is readily possible to insert further accommodating portions into the packaging, so that the packaging can be folded open substantially like an accordion with accommodating portions folded onto one another. In the embodiment described here, the side-wall portions 515, 539 located at the end of the blank each extend over only part of the height of the packaging element 519. Alternatively, one of these two side-wall portions 515, 539 can extend over the entire height of the packaging element 519. The second side-wall portion can then be omitted or, for example, folded back underneath the upper cover-wall portion 517.

(24) The features of the system described herein disclosed in the present description, in the drawings and in the claims can be important both on their own and in any desired combinations for the implementation of the system described herein in its various embodiments. The invention is not restricted to the embodiments described. It can be varied within the context of the claims and whilst taking into account the knowledge of the appropriate person skilled in the art. Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of the specification and/or an attempt to put into practice the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as illustrative only, with the true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims.