PACKAGING FOR THE COOLED STORAGE OF AT LEAST ONE PRODUCT AND ASSOCIATED CONTAINER

Abstract

The invention relates to packaging (10) for the cooled storage of at least one product (12), with (a) an outer casing (14) that comprises (i) a base (22) and (ii) at least three walls (24), (b) an inner compartment (16) for accommodating the product (12) and (c) a coolant compartment (18) that (i) surrounds the inner compartment (16) on at least three sides and (ii) is water-tight, wherein (d) the outer casing (14) surrounds the coolant compartment (18) and wherein (e) the outer casing (14) and the inner compartment (16) are designed in such a way that the coolant compartment (18) is watertight and can be filled with water such that, after the water freezes, the water cools the products (12) in the inner compartment (16).

Claims

1. Packaging for the cooled storage of at least one product, comprising: an outer casing that comprises (i) a base, and (ii) at least three walls, an inner compartment for accommodating the at least one product, and a coolant compartment which (i) surrounds the inner compartment on at least three sides, and (ii) is fillable with water, permits freezing of water within the coolant compartment, and is water-tight, wherein the outer casing surrounds the coolant compartment, and wherein the outer casing and the inner compartment are designed such that the coolant cooling compartment when filled with water, and after the water freezes, cools the at least one product in the inner compartment.

2. The packaging according to claim 1, further comprising a lid, wherein the at least three walls extend between the base of the outer casing and the lid.

3. The packaging according to claim 1 wherein (a) the outer casing is made of a first sheet by folding, (b) the inner compartment is made of a second sheet by folding, and (c) the first sheet and/or the second sheet are made of a laminated cellulose product that is waterproof.

4. The packaging according to claim 1 wherein the outer casing and/or the inner compartment are made of compostable plastic.

5. The packaging according to claim 1 wherein the outer casing features a filling opening arranged such that water is fillable through the filling opening exclusively into the coolant compartment.

6. The packaging according to claim 1 further comprising a spacer which keeps the inner compartment at a distance from the base of the outer casing.

7. The packaging according to claim 1 further comprising a lid comprising a window with a window cross-sectional area (A.sub.48) that corresponds to an inner compartment cross-sectional area, so that only the inner compartment is visible through the window.

8. The packaging according to claim 1 further comprising a handle, which allows the packaging to be carried using the handle.

9. The packaging according to claim 1 further comprising a lid which has an insulation compartment.

10. The packaging according to claim 1 further comprising a label connected to the outer casing and/or the inner compartment, and which is arranged in the coolant compartment.

11. A container, comprising: a packaging according to claim 1, at least one product accommodated in the inner compartment of the packaging, wherein the coolant compartment of the packaging extends to a coolant compartment height which is at least 0.8-times a product height of the at least one product.

12. The container according to claim 11, wherein the packaging comprises a lid which features at least one recess, and the at least one product extends through the at least one recess and protrudes above the lid.

13. The container according to claim 11, further comprising ice in the coolant compartment.

14. The container according to claim 13, wherein the coolant compartment is at least half-filled with ice.

15. A kit for making a packaging according to claim 6, comprising (a) a first waterproof sheet which is cut and folded in such a way that an outer casing can be created by folding, (b) a second waterproof sheet which is cut and folded in such a way that an inner compartment can be created by folding, and (c) at least a third sheet which is cut and folded in such a way that a spacer can be created by folding.

16. The packaging according to claim 1 wherein the outer casing features an opening separation guide which extends along an edge of a filling opening, wherein the filling opening is formable by separating along the filling separation guide.

17. The packaging according to claim 1 further comprising a lid comprising a window separation guide that extends along an edge of a window cross-sectional area (A.sub.48) so that the window is formed created by separating along the window separation guide.

Description

[0059] FIG. 1 a depicts packaging 10 for the cooled storage of products 12.1 (i=1,2 . . . ). In the present case, the product 12.i refers to small drinks bottles, but this is just an example; other products are possible. For example, the products may be cosmetic products, toiletries, medicines, food products or other products.

[0060] The packaging 10 has an outer casing 14, an inner compartment 16 and a coolant compartment 18.

[0061] The outer casing 14 comprises a lid 20, a base 22 and walls 24.1, 24.2, 24.3, 24.4 that extend between the base 22 and the lid 20. The coolant compartment 18 is the area between the inner compartment 16 on the one side, and the walls 24 and the base 22 on the other. The coolant compartment 18 is confined upwards by the lid 20 when the lid is closed. In the FIG. 1 a, the lid is shown in its opening position.

[0062] The lid 20 comprises two optional side tabs 26.1, 26.2 for placing on the inside of the side walls 24.1, 24.3. The lid 20 also has a front section 28 which, when the lid 20 is in its closed position, extends along a front face 30 of the packaging and therefore along the wall 24.2. The lid 20 can be fixed in its closed position by means of two fixing tabs 32.1, 32.2 that engage in slits 34.1, 34.2 in the side walls 24.1, 24.3.

[0063] According to an alternative embodiment, the front section is folded back in such a way that a double-walled lid is created. The double-walled lid has an insulation compartment filled with air, so that the lid has a particularly strong insulation effect.

[0064] The outer casing 14 features a filling opening 36 (cf. FIG. 2a) through which the coolant compartment 18 can be filled with water through the lid 20. In the present case, the filling opening 36 has been created by splitting the lid along a filling separation guide 38 in the form of a perforation, so that a cover tab 40 has been exposed. The filling opening 36 is exposed by folding back the cover tab 40.

[0065] The entirety of the packaging 10 and the products 12.i form a container 42.

[0066] FIG. 1b depicts the packaging 10 without products 12.i . It can be seen that the packaging 10 comprises a spacer 44, by means of which the inner compartment 16 is kept at a predefined distance from the outer casing 14. As can be seen in FIG. 3c below, the spacer 44 supports the inner compartment 16 in such a way that an inner compartment base 46 is spaced apart from the base 22 of the outer casing 14. If the water is poured through the filling opening 36 into the coolant compartment 18, this water surrounds the inner compartment 16 on five sides.

[0067] In the present case, the packaging is made of cardboard that is laminated on both sides. The lamination renders the cardboard waterproof. This should be understood to mean that, when the coolant compartment 18 is filled with water, after three days no more than one percent of the water can escape by any means other than evaporation.

[0068] FIG. 2a depicts a three-dimensional view of the packaging 10 with the lid 20 in its closed position. It is intended for the lid 20 to have a window 48 that allows a view from the outside of the inner compartment 16 and the products contained within it. The window 48 has a window cross-sectional area A.sub.48. A casement 50 is formed by separating the lid 20 along a window separation guide 52 (cf. FIG. 2b) which runs along an edge of the window cross-sectional area A.sub.48. An operation aid 54 in the form of a punched-out tab renders it possible to grasp with a finger under the resulting casement 50 and thereby separate the lid 20 along the window separation guide 52 to create the casement 50.

[0069] In accordance with the alternative embodiment described above, if the front section is folded back to form a double-walled lid, the window 48 can pass through both layers of the double-walled lid. In this case, each layer has a casement.

[0070] FIG. 2a shows that the lid 20 forms a frame after opening the window 48, said frame covering the coolant compartment 18 (cf. FIG. 1b). Once the window 48 has been opened, the coolant compartment 18 is therefore not visible. However, this is an optional configuration.

[0071] FIG. 2b shows a perspective view of the outer casing 14. FIG. 2c depicts the outer casing 14 in the unfolded state. It can be seen that the inner casing 14 is made of one sheet and produced by folding said sheet.

[0072] FIG. 3a shows a perspective view of the inner compartment 16 and the spacer 44.

[0073] FIG. 3b shows a perspective view of the inner compartment 16 and the spacer 44 in a partially unfolded state.

[0074] FIG. 3c shows that the spacer 44 is composed of two spacer elements 56.1, 56.2, each of which is made of a sheet.

[0075] FIG. 4a depicts the inner compartment 16 in a partially unfolded state. It can be seen that the inner compartment 16 is made from a single sheet of, in this case, double-sided laminated cardboard and is produced by folding it.

[0076] FIG. 4b depicts a spacer element 56 in a partially unfolded state. Both spacer elements 56.1, 56.2 are of the same design.

[0077] FIG. 4c depicts a spacer element 56 in a partially folded state.

[0078] FIG. 3a shows a coolant compartment height h18, which in the present case corresponds to a packaging height of 0.8 to 1.2 times the product height of the product, except for a carton thickness.

[0079] In FIG. 1b, it can be seen that one of the walls, namely wall 24.3 here, features a viewing window 58 that enables a view into the coolant compartment 18. If the coolant compartment 18 is filled with frozen water, it is possible to see through the viewing window 58.

[0080] FIG. 2c shows that the outer casing 14 is made from a single first sheet 60.1 of cardboard laminated with plastic film. FIG. 4a shows that the inner compartment 16 is made from a single second sheet 60.2 of cardboard laminated with plastic film. FIG. 4c shows that the spacer 44 is made from a single third sheet 60.3 of cardboard laminated with plastic film. In the present case, the spacer elements 56.1, 56.2 are each made of a sheet 60.3, 60.4. The sheets 60.i (i=1, . . . , 4) have been separated from a larger sheet, for example punched or cut out, creased if necessary and then folded. The sheets 60.i form a set of sheets according to the invention.

[0081] FIG. 5a depicts a second embodiment of a spacer 44 comprising two types of spacer elements 56.1, 56.2.

[0082] FIGS. 5b and 5c show how the two types of spacer elements 56.1, 56.2 are folded and the spacer 44 is made from two spacer elements of each type.

[0083] FIG. 6a shows a third embodiment of a spacer 44, which has four support tabs 62.j (j=1, . . . , 4). Each of the support tabs 62.j features one recess 64.j.

[0084] In FIG. 6b, the spacer 44 is shown in the folded state. The inner compartment sits on the lower edges of the support tabs 62.j.

[0085] Another alternative for the spacer 44 is depicted in FIGS. 7a, 7b, 7c.

REFERENCE LIST

[0086] 10 packaging

[0087] 12 product

[0088] 14 outer casing

[0089] 16 inner compartment

[0090] 18 coolant compartment

[0091] 20 lid

[0092] 22 base

[0093] 24 wall

[0094] 26 side tab

[0095] 28 front section

[0096] 30 front face

[0097] 32 fixing tab

[0098] 34 slit

[0099] 36 filling opening

[0100] 38 filling separation guide

[0101] 40 cover tab

[0102] 42 container

[0103] 44 spacer

[0104] 46 inner compartment base

[0105] 48 window

[0106] 50 casement

[0107] 52 window separation guide

[0108] 54 operation aid

[0109] 56 spacer element

[0110] 58 viewing window

[0111] 60 sheet

[0112] 62 support tab

[0113] 64 recess

[0114] A.sub.48 window cross-sectional area

[0115] h.sub.18 coolant compartment height

[0116] h.sub.10 packaging height

[0117] h.sub.16 inner compartment height

[0118] h.sub.12 product height