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 water-tight 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: a first single sheet, arranged in a configuration comprising folds and forming an outer casing that comprises (i) a base, (ii) a wall extending upward to a packaging height above the base; (iii) a lid, flexibly connected with the wall at the wall's packaging height, and extending from the wall to a lid edge, in a configuration enabling manually actuated movement of the lid, moving the lid edge in an arcuate path about a rotation axis aligned with the flexible connection to the wall with extending along the flexible connection, to and from a closing position and an opening position, (iv) at least two additional walls, each extending upward from the base to a respective upper edge at the packaging height above the base; a second single sheet, arranged in another configuration, which comprises folds and forms an inner compartment within the outer casing, the inner compartment having least three sides and enclosing an interior volume for accommodating the at least one product, wherein the outer casing and the inner compartment form, in combination, a coolant compartment which (i) is separated from an interior of the inner compartment and surrounds the inner compartment on the at least three sides, (ii) is fillable with water and is water-tight, and (iii) when filled with water permits freezing of the water within the coolant compartment, wherein the first single sheet, or the second single sheet, or both, comprise a laminated cellulose product, wherein the laminated cellulose product comprises waterproof lamination which faces the coolant compartment, wherein the lid is further configured to perform, in the closing position, a confining of an upper portion of the coolant compartment, and in the open position, no confining of the upper portion of the coolant compartment.

2. The packaging according to claim 1 wherein the outer casing features a filling opening, arranged in the lid, and configured to receive a flow of water and to route the water entering the filling opening exclusively into the coolant compartment.

3. The packaging according to claim 1 further comprising a spacer made of at least one single third sheet of laminated cellulose product, wherein the spacer is arranged between the outer casing formed by the first single sheet and the inner compartment formed by the second single sheet, in a configuration maintaining the inner compartment at a distance from the base of the outer casing.

4. The packaging according to claim 1 wherein the inner compartment has a cross-sectional area, and the lid is further configured with a window having a cross-sectional area having a correspondence to the cross-sectional area of the inner compartment providing only the inner compartment to be visible through the window.

5. The packaging according to claim 1 further comprising a handle that is attached to the packaging and configured for carrying the packaging using the handle.

6. The packaging according to claim 1, wherein the configuration of the first single sheet further comprises the lid having a double wall configuration that encloses an insulation compartment.

7. The packaging according to claim 1 further comprising: a label and a web, configured to perform a connecting of the label to the outer casing while in the coolant compartment, wherein the web connecting comprises concurrently maintaining the label, in response to a liquid water filled state of the coolant compartment, at a spacing from an inner surface of the outer casing a spacing from an outer surface of the inner compartment, and in response to a freezing of the water in the coolant compartment, followed by a removing of the outer casing while the water is frozen, causing the label to maintain in the ice, by causing a tearing of the label in response to a removing of the outer casing.

8. A container, comprising: a packaging according to claim 1, and 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.

9. The container according to claim 8, wherein the first single sheet is further configured to form the lid with a configuration that includes at least one through passage, and the at least one product extends through the at least one through passage and protrudes above the lid.

10. The container according to claim 8, further comprising ice in the coolant compartment.

11. The container according to claim 10, wherein the ice at least half-fills the coolant compartment.

12. A kit for making a packaging for the cooled storage of at least one product, comprising a first waterproof sheet formed to a first configuration, wherein the first configuration comprises a first arrangement of creases, cuts, and partial folds, that provides a physical ability to transform, via a sequence of folding actions, the first waterproof sheet from the first configuration to an outer casing that comprises (i) a base, (ii) a wall extending upward to a packaging height above the base; (iii) a lid, flexibly connected with the wall at the wall's packaging height, and extending from the wall to a lid edge, in a configuration enabling manually actuated movement of the lid, moving the lid edge in an arcuate path about a rotation axis aligned with the flexible connection to the wall with extending along the flexible connection, to and from a closing position and an opening position, (iv) at least two additional walls, each extending upward from the base to a respective upper edge at the packaging height above the base; a second waterproof sheet formed to a second configuration, comprising a second arrangement of creases, cuts, and partial folds, enabling through another sequence of folding actions, a transforming of the second waterproof sheet from the second configuration to an inner compartment within the outer casing, the inner compartment having least three sides and enclosing an interior volume for accommodating the at least one product, and at least a third sheet, formed to an at least third configuration, comprising a third arrangement of creases, cuts, and partial folds, enabling through still another sequence of folding actions, a transforming of the third sheet from the at least third configuration to a spacer made of laminated cellulose product and arranged between the outer casing and the inner compartment in a configuration maintaining the inner compartment at the distance from the base of the outer casing, wherein the outer casing and the inner compartment form, in combination, a coolant compartment which (i) is separated from an interior of the inner compartment and surrounds the inner compartment on the at least three sides, (ii) is fillable with water and is water-tight, and (iii) when filled with water permits freezing of the water within the coolant compartment, wherein the first single sheet, or the second single sheet, or both, comprise a laminated cellulose product, wherein the laminated cellulose product comprises waterproof lamination which faces the coolant compartment, wherein the lid is further configured to perform, in the closing position, a confining of an upper portion of the coolant compartment, and in the open position, no confining of the upper portion of the coolant compartment.

13. The packaging according to claim 1 wherein the lid of the outer casing includes a cover removably secured in the lid by an opening separation guide, which extends along an edge of a filling opening, in a configuration wherein the filling opening is formed by separating along the opening separation guide.

14. The packaging according to claim 1, wherein the lid further comprises a window separation guide that extends along an edge of a window cross-sectional area and enables a removing of a portion of the lid within the window separation guide from an exterior portion of the lid.

15. The packaging according to claim 1, wherein the lid comprises a laminated cellulose product.

16. Packaging for the cooled storage of at least one product, comprising: a first single sheet, arranged in a configuration comprising folds and forming an outer casing that comprises (i) a base, (ii) a wall extending upward to a packaging height above the base; (iii) a lid, flexibly connected with the wall at the wall's packaging height, extending from the wall to a lid edge, in a configuration enabling manually actuated movement of the lid, moving the lid edge in an arcuate path about a rotation axis aligned with the flexible connection to the wall with extending along the flexible connection, to and from a closing position and an opening position, (iv) at least three additional walls, each extending upward from the base to a respective upper edge at the packaging height above the base, and (v) the wall and at least three additional walls are connected with one another in a joint-free manner; a second single sheet, arranged in another configuration, which comprises folds and forms an inner compartment within the outer casing, the inner compartment having least three sides and enclosing an interior volume for accommodating the at least one product, wherein the outer casing and the inner compartment form, in combination, a coolant compartment which (i) is separated from an interior of the inner compartment and surrounds the inner compartment on the at least three sides, (ii) is fillable with water and is water-tight, and (iii) when filled with water permits freezing of the water within the coolant compartment, wherein the first single sheet, or the second single sheet, or both, comprise a laminated cellulose product, wherein the laminated cellulose product comprises waterproof lamination which faces the coolant compartment, wherein the lid is further configured to perform, in the closing position, a confining of an upper portion of the coolant compartment, and in the open position, no confining of the upper portion of the coolant compartment.

17. The packaging of claim 16, wherein the inner compartment formed from the second single sheet comprises at least four sides including the at least three sides, and wherein the at least four sides are connected with one another in a joint-free manner.

18. The packaging of claim 16, wherein the first single sheet has folded-in noses which are held in place (i) by a flap of the first single sheet extending along a side wall or (ii) by the second single sheet or (iii) by a spacer arranged between the outer casing formed by the first single sheet and the inner compartment formed by the second single sheet in a configuration maintaining the inner compartment at a distance from the base of the outer casing.

Description

(1) FIG. 1a a container according to the invention with the lid in its opening position,

(2) FIG. 1b packaging according to the invention in a three-dimensional view from the side,

(3) FIG. 2a a three-dimensional view of the packaging according to the invention with a closed lid,

(4) FIG. 2b the outer casing of the packaging according to FIG. 1b,

(5) FIG. 2c the outer casing in the unfolded state,

(6) FIG. 3a the inner compartment and the spacer of the packaging according to FIG. 1b,

(7) FIG. 3b the inner compartment and the spacer that is partially unfolded,

(8) FIG. 3c the inner compartment and the spacer, which is made of two supporting elements,

(9) FIG. 4a the inner compartment in the partially unfolded state,

(10) FIG. 4b a spacer element according to FIG. 3c in the partially unfolded state, and

(11) FIG. 4c the spacer element according to FIG. 4b in the fully unfolded state. The

(12) FIGS. 5a, 5b, 5c show an alternative spacer element for packaging according to the invention, the

(13) FIGS. 6a, 6b show a further alternative spacer element for packaging according to the invention, and the

(14) FIGS. 7a, 7b, 7c show another alternative spacer element for packaging according to the invention.

(15) FIG. 1a depicts packaging 10 for the cooled storage of products 12.1 (i=1, 2 . . . ). In the present case, the products 12.i refer 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.

(16) The packaging 10 has an outer casing 14, an inner compartment 16 and a coolant compartment 18.

(17) 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 volume 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. 1a, the lid 20 is shown in its opening position.

(18) 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 10 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.

(19) 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.

(20) 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.

(21) The filling opening 36 is exposed by folding back the cover tab 40.

(22) The entirety of the packaging 10 and the products 12.i form a container 42.

(23) 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.

(24) In the present case, the packaging 10 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 evapo-ration.

(25) 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.

(26) 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.

(27) 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.

(28) 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.

(29) 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 outer imer casing 14 is made of one sheet 60.1 and produced by folding said sheet. Referring to FIG. 2c, it is seen that crease lines extend across the sheet 60.1, laterally along the respective bases of walls 24.1, 24.2, and 24.3 (collectively walls 24) extending from the outer casing base 22. A similar lateral crease line extends across the base end of the lid 20. As also visible, each wall 24 has two additional lateral crease lines, each parallel to the lateral crease line at the walls 24 base. As visible in FIG. 2c, the second or middle of wall 24 lateral crease lines approximately bifurcates the distance from the wall 24 base crease line to their outermost lateral crease line. Viewing FIGS. 2c and 1 b, the distance of the wall 24 first or base lateral crease line to its second lateral crease line can be approximately one half the complete wall height.

(30) As visible FIG. 2c, an end portion 25 of the walls 24 extends beyond the third lateral crease line. As visible in FIGS. 2b and 2c, the wall 24 end portion 25 extending from the third crease line is foldable to a configuration attachable to the base 22.

(31) As seen in FIG. 2b, the one sheet 60.1 includes four regions configured as continuous corner sheets 29. As visible, two of the continuous corner sheets 29 span, in a rotational distance manner, from a lateral portion of one of the walls 24 to a lateral portion of another of the walls 24. Another two of the four continuous corner sheets 29 span from a lateral portion of one of the walls 24 and one lateral portion of the lid 24. As visible in FIG. 2c, the one sheet 60.1 includes, for each portion forming a continuous corner sheet 29, a radially bifurcating, i.e., center crease line. As understood from FIGS. 2b and 2c, raising walls 24 and the lid 24 toward vertical alignment with the base 22 rotates the walls 24 and the lid 20 about their first base or lateral crease line. It is seen from FIG. 2c that this movement of the walls 24 and lid 20 in-ward folds of the continuous corner sheets 29. As visible in FIGS. 2a-2c, the folding configuration can form the outer casing 14 by continuous sheet, without wall edge to wall edge spaces.

(32) FIG. 3a shows a perspective view of the inner compartment 16 and the spacer 44.

(33) FIG. 3b shows a perspective view of the inner compartment 16 and the spacer 44 in a partially unfolded state.

(34) 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.

(35) 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, dou-ble-sided laminated cardboard and is produced by folding it.

(36) FIG. 4b depicts a spacer element 56.1 in a partially unfolded state. Both spacer elements 56.1, 56.2 are of the same design.

(37) FIG. 4c depicts a spacer element 56.1 in a partially folded state.

(38) FIG. 3a shows a coolant compartment height h.sub.18, 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.

(39) 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.

(40) 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 element 56.1 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.

(41) FIG. 5a depicts a second embodiment of a spacer 44 comprising two types of spacer elements 56.1, 56.2.

(42) 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.

(43) 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.

(44) In FIG. 6b, the spacer 44 is shown in the folded state. The inner compartment 16 sits on the lower edges of the support tabs 62.j.

(45) Another alternative for the spacer 44 is depicted in FIGS. 7a, 7b, 7c.

REFERENCE LIST

(46) 10 packaging 12 product 14 outer casing 16 inner compartment 18 coolant compartment 20 lid 22 base 24 wall 26 side tab 28 front section 30 front face 32 fixing tab 34 slit 36 filling opening 38 filling separation guide 40 cover tab 42 container 44 spacer 46 inner compartment base 48 window 50 casement 52 window separation guide 54 operation aid 56 spacer element 58 viewing window 60 sheet 62 support tab 64 recess A.sub.48 window cross-sectional area h.sub.18 coolant compartment height h.sub.10 packaging height h.sub.16 inner compartment height h.sub.12 product height