Shrink packaging

Abstract

The invention relates to shrink packaging for packing a series of containers. The packaging is characterized in that at least one incision line is provided in a first zone, said incision line including a series of perforations forming at least one partially detachable section arranged to allow the extraction of at least one container in a direction extending substantially from the lower part of the container to the upper part thereof, said partially detachable packaging section being larger than the cross-section of the at least one container to be extracted. Moreover, the partially detachable section is located on the periphery of the first zone.

Claims

1. A shrink packaging provided for packing a plurality of containers arranged in parallel rows, said shrink packaging comprising: an upper portion; a lower portion opposite to said upper portion; at least one first area confined to a top side of said upper portion and arranged to cover an upper portion of said containers, in particular at their opening, said first area comprising a central area surrounded by a peripheral area; at least one incision line comprising a series of perforations forming at least one partly detachable packaging section arranged for extracting in a direction from said lower portion to said upper portion, each of said at least one incision line entirely within said first area, said partly detachable packaging section having a size greater than or equal to a cross-sectional size of at least one container to accommodate extraction of said at least one container, said at least partly detachable packaging section being localized at a periphery of said central area of said first area, said at least partly detachable part completely exposed on a top of said at least one first area.

2. The packaging according to claim 1, wherein said partly detachable packaging section is totally detachable.

3. The packaging according to claim 1, wherein said peripheral area of said first area covers at least one row of containers on either side of said central area.

4. The packaging according to claim 1, wherein said incision line at the periphery of said central area of said first area comprises an initiating portion arranged for facilitating the initiation of said partly detachable packaging section.

5. The packaging according to claim 1, wherein said incision line has a circular, oval, linear, circular arc, square shape with rounded apices, a rectangular shape with rounded apices, a hexagonal shape with rounded apices or further a finite curved line of irregular shape, allowing extraction of said container out of said partly detachable packaging section.

6. The packaging according to claim 1, wherein said containers are selected from the group consisting of cans, food cans, glass jars, cardboard boxes of the carton or Tetrapack? type.

7. The packaging according to claim 1, wherein a row of containers contains at least two containers.

8. A shrink packaging blank provided for packing a plurality of containers arranged in parallel rows, said shrink packaging comprising: an upper portion; a lower portion opposite to said upper portion; at least one first area confined to a top side of said upper portion and arranged to cover an upper portion of said containers, in particular at their opening, said first area comprising a central area surrounded by a peripheral area; at least one incision line comprising a series of perforations forming at least one partly detachable packaging section arranged for extracting in a direction from said lower portion to said upper portion, each of said at least one incision line entirely within said first area, said partly detachable packaging section having a size greater than or equal to a cross-sectional size of at least one container to accommodate extraction of said at least one container, said at least one partly detachable packaging section being localized at a periphery of said central area of said first area, said at least one partly detachable packaging section completely exposed on a top of said at least one first area.

9. The packaging blank according to claim 8, wherein said partly detachable packaging section is totally detachable.

10. The packaging blank according to claim 8, wherein said incision line at the periphery of said central area of said first area comprises an initiating portion arranged for facilitating initiation of the film.

11. The packaging blank according to claim 8, wherein said incision line has a circular, oval, linear, circular arc, square shape with rounded apices, a rectangular shape with rounded apices, a hexagonal shape with rounded apices or further a finite curved line of irregular shape, allowing extraction from said container out of said partly detachable packaging section.

12. The packaging plank according to claim 8, wherein said containers are selected from the group consisting of cans, food cans, glass jars, cardboard boxes of the carton or Tetrapack? type.

13. The packaging blank according to claim 8, wherein a row of containers contains at least two containers.

14. An assembly comprising a shrink packaging according to claim 1 and a series of containers arranged in rows parallel with each other.

Description

(1) Other features, details and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description given hereafter, as non-limiting and with reference to the appended drawings.

(2) FIG. 1 is a top view of a shrink packaging comprising 12 cans.

(3) FIG. 2 is a top view of a shrink packaging comprising 24 cans.

(4) FIG. 3 is a schematic top view illustrating a packaging blank comprising an incision line at the periphery of said central area.

(5) In the figures, identical or similar elements bear the same references.

(6) FIG. 1 illustrates a shrink packaging 1 comprising twelve cans 2 and a first area 3 located at the opening of said cans. Said first area has a central area and a peripheral area located around said central area. The shrink packaging 1 comprises at the periphery of said central base of said first area 3 an incision line containing a series of perforations which form a partly detachable packaging section 4.

(7) In the sense of the present invention, the incision line comprises, as mentioned earlier, a series of preparations of similar or different shape. The incisions may be of a round, oval, . . . or further rectangular shape, in the form of small bars or any combinations of the latter. Further, said incision line may be a slot for further facilitating extraction of a container.

(8) The preparation of a partly detachable packaging section 4 allows easy access to the cans 2. Next, the remainder of the packaging 1 retains its rigidity since a small amount of plastic material has been broken at the periphery of said central area of said first area 3 of said packaging 1 giving the possibility of carefully preserving the remainder of the cans 2 by means of a lateral support.

(9) By placing the incision line at the periphery of said central area of said packaging 1, it is possible to reduce the risks of breakage at said incisions which may occur during handling (hook, nails present on the shelf, placement on the shelf, palletization, conveyance, . . . ).

(10) FIG. 2 illustrates the same elements as those described in FIG. 1 except that the packaging 1 contains 24 cans.

(11) After breaking the incision line containing a series of preparations defining a partly detachable packaging section 4, the peripheral area subsists around said broken central area. Preservation of said peripheral area gives the packaging sufficient rigidity for handling the remainder of the containers with ease by lateral support of the cans 2.

(12) FIG. 3 illustrates a packaging blank according to the invention comprising an incision line comprising a series of perforations forming a partly detachable section 4 located at the periphery of said central area of said first area 3.

(13) The manufacturing of the packaging blank comprises unrolling of a shrink film on a conveyer belt. The shrink film is partly cut beforehand, by means of a patterned roulette, by means of a cutter, or by a laser, in order to delimit a partly detachable packaging section 4 which is localized at the periphery of said central area on the first area 3. Said partly detachable section has a size greater than or equal to the section of a container 2. Next, the containers 2 are positioned in rows parallel with each other on the conveyer belt in order to proceed with their packing. The packing of said containers may be achieved by means of a shrink-wrapper which allows winding of said shrink film perforated beforehand (an incision according to FIG. 3) thereby forming a shrink film section 4 around said containers on the first area 3. Finally, the assembly comprising the packaging and the containers passes through a heating area, for example an oven, in order to proceed with shrinkage of said film around the containers.

(14) Of course the present invention is by no means limited to the embodiments described above and many modifications may be brought thereto without departing from the scope of the appended claims.