Blank and packaging produced therefrom

Abstract

The invention relates to a precut blank (1) consisting of a foldable material such as corrugated cardboard, paperboard or carton for producing automatically erectable packaging, in particular, a tray. The precut blank has a bottom (3) and hinged to it, two lateral panels (4), a rear panel (6) and a front panel (5), as well as two connecting flaps (7, 8) hinged to the front panel (5) and two hinged to the rear panel (6). According to the invention, an unstressed elastic element (15) is fastened at the connecting flaps (7) that are hinged to the front panel. Further, the invention relates to packaging erected from the precut blank (1).

Claims

1. A precut blank comprising a foldable material for producing automatically erectable packaging, whereby the precut blank has a bottom and hinged to it, two lateral panels, a rear panel and a front panel, as well as two connecting flaps hinged to the front panel and two to the rear panel for connecting the lateral panels with the front panel and the rear panel, wherein an unstressed elastic element is fastened at the connecting flaps that are hinged to the front panel; and the unstressed elastic element comprises an elastic band having free ends facing away from each other with the unstressed elastic band being placed onto the two connecting flaps and the front panel as a liner strip in a flat transport condition of the blank.

2. The precut blank as recited in claim 1, wherein the elastic element comprises a band comprising a reversibly stretchable material that has two free ends that are respectively fastened to one of the two connecting flaps that covers the front panel at least partially.

3. The precut blank of claim 2, wherein the reversibly stretchable material comprises a rubber.

4. The precut blank of claim 2, wherein the reversibly stretchable material comprises a latex.

5. The precut blank as recited in claim 1, wherein a removal opening is formed in the front panel, whereby the elastic element covers the removal opening at least partially.

6. The precut blank as recited in claim 1, wherein at the rear panel a detaining flap is hinged at the edge facing away from the bottom, the width of which is delineated by free edges or groove lines or bending lines and is smaller than the width of the bottom between the lateral panels that are opposite to each other.

7. The precut blank as recited in claim 6, wherein fold-over flaps are hinged to the detaining flap at opposite edges.

8. The precut blank as recited in claim 1, wherein in the bottom, a locking flap is formed by cuts or cutouts that is unilaterally hinged to bottom.

9. The precut blank as recited in claim 8, wherein a free edge of the locking flap is set back by at least one the thickness of the material from the edge of the bottom that is hinged to the rear panel.

10. The precut blank as recited in claim 9, wherein snap means are provided at the detaining flap and/or the locking flap.

11. A packaging that is erected automatically from a precut blank as recited in claim 1 from a flat transport condition into an unfolded usable condition wherein the elastic element is fastened between the connecting flaps hinged to the front panel and the lateral panels.

12. The packaging as recited in claim 11, that additionally comprises a cover having a surface opposite to the bottom and hinged to it, circumferential panels that at least partially cover the lateral panels, the rear panel and/or the front panel, whereby a tear-off strip that is delineated by a weakened line is provided in the surface.

13. The precut blank of claim 11, wherein the packaging comprises a tray.

14. The precut blank as recited in claim 13, wherein in the bottom, a locking flap is formed by cuts or cutouts that is unilaterally hinged to bottom, and wherein a free edge of the locking flap is set back by at least one, in particular, by at least twice the thickness of the material from the edge of the bottom that is hinged to the rear panel.

15. The precut blank of claim 1, wherein the automatically erectable packaging comprises a tray.

16. The precut blank of claim 1, wherein the foldable material comprises a corrugated cardboard for producing automatically erectable packaging.

17. The precut blank of claim 1, wherein the foldable material comprises a paperboard for producing automatically erectable packaging.

18. The precut blank of claim 1, wherein the foldable material comprises a carton for producing automatically erectable packaging.

19. A precut blank comprising a foldable material for producing automatically erectable packaging whereby the precut blank has a bottom and hinged to it, two lateral panels, a rear panel and a front panel, as well as two connecting flaps hinged to the front panel and two to the rear panel for connecting the lateral panels with the front panel and the rear panel, wherein an unstressed elastic element is fastened at the connecting flaps that are hinged to the front panel, and wherein at the rear panel a detaining flap is hinged at the edge facing away from the bottom, the width of which is delineated by free edges or groove lines or bending lines and is smaller than the width of the bottom between the lateral panels that are opposite to each other.

20. The precut blank as recited in claim 19, wherein fold-over flaps are hinged to the detaining flap at opposite edges.

Description

(1) In the following, the invention is described in further detail with the help of exemplary embodiments and by referring to the drawing. Schematically shown are:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a precut blank according to a first embodiment of the invention.

(3) FIG. 2 shows a packaging erected from a precut blank according to FIG. 1 with an unstressed elastic element.

(4) FIG. 3 shows the packaging according to FIG. 2 with a tensioned elastic element.

(5) FIG. 4 shows the packaging according to FIG. 2 with a tensioned and locked elastic element.

(6) FIG. 5 shows a station for tensioning the elastic element in lateral view.

(7) FIG. 6 shows a front view of the station according to FIG. 5.

(8) FIG. 7 shows a top view of the station according to FIG. 5,

(9) FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of the station according to FIG. 5,

(10) FIG. 9 shows a precut blank according to a second embodiment of the invention.

(11) FIG. 10 shows a packaging erected from a precut blank according to FIG. 9, and

(12) FIG. 11 shows a precut blank according to a third embodiment of the invention.

(13) FIG. 12 shows an alternative design of the front panel 5 with a smaller removal opening 14 such that the pieces extending on both sides of the removal opening 14 are connected with each other by a piece of the front panel adjacent groove or banding line 2b.

(14) FIG. 1 shows a precut blank 1 in its flat transport condition. Precut blank 1 is provided with several groove or bending lines 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g, by means of which a bottom 3, lateral panels 4, a front panel 5, a rear panel 6, connecting flaps 7 and 8, a detaining flap 9 and fold-over flaps 10 are defined.

(15) As shown in FIG. 1, bottom 3 in the embodiment shown, is designed rectangular, as the groove or bending lines 2a, 2b, 2c that define bottom 3 extend perpendicular to each other. On the right and on the left side of bottom 3 in FIG. 1, the substantially rectangular lateral panels 4 are hinged in deflectable manner. Therefore, lateral panels 4 are integrally connected with bottom 3. Front panel 5 is hinged to the lower side of bottom 3 in FIG. 1, whose lateral edges are likewise defined by groove or bending lines 2d, by which connecting flaps 7 are hinged to front panel 5. Even front panel 5 with connecting flaps 7 is thus integrally connected with bottom 3. The upper side of bottom 3 in FIG. 1 is hinged to rear panel 6 by a groove or bending line. The lateral edges of rear panel 6 are in turn defined by groove or bending lines 2e, by means of which connecting flaps 8 are hinged to rear panel 6. To the upper side of rear panel 6 in FIG. 1, detaining flap 9 is hinged via a double groove or bending line 2f that is in turn connected with fold-over flaps 10 by lateral groove or bending lines 2g. In this way, rear panel 6, connecting flaps 8, detaining flap 9 and fold-over flap 10 are likewise integrally connected with bottom 3.

(16) In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, groove or bending lines 2d, 2e that connect connecting flaps 7 and 8 with front panel 5 and/or rear panel 6 are located offset outward with respect to groove or bending lines 2a that connect bottom with lateral panels 4 by approximately one thickness of the material.

(17) This has the effect that while erecting precut blank 1 into a packaging, connecting flaps 7 can be fastened on the outside of lateral panels 4 without causing any warping of the packaging.

(18) In the embodiment shown, a locking flap 11 is formed in bottom 3 by providing a recess 12 in the area of groove or bending line 2c that connects bottom 3 with rear panel 6and relative to itcuts 13 extending substantially rectangular are formed in bottom 3. Via a further groove or bending line 2h, locking flap 11 is connected with bottom 3 in deflectable manner.

(19) In the embodiment shown, a removal opening 14 is provided in front panel 5 that extends slightly beyond grove and bending line 2 connecting bottom 3 and the front panel into the area of bottom 3. Removal opening 14 is provided in the middle of front panel 5 in the embodiment shown, so that crosspieces of front panel 5 extend on both sides of removal opening 14.

(20) FIG. 12 shows an alternative design of the front panel 5 with a smaller removal opening 14 such that the pieces extending on both sides of the removal opening 14 are connected with each other by a piece of the front panel adjacent groove or banding line 2b.

(21) Precut blank 1 according to the invention is provided with an elastic element 15 that is a strip or a band consisting of latex in the embodiment shown. Essentially, plastic band 15 has the width of front panel 5, including connecting flaps 7, so that the elastic band 15 can be placed onto connecting flaps 7 and front panel 5, whereby the free ends of elastic band 5 come to lie approximately near the free lateral edges of connecting flaps 7. In the embodiment shown, elastic band 15 is glued to the two connecting flaps 7, so that a middle section of elastic band 15 that partially covers the front panel and removal opening 14, lies loosely on precut blank 1, fastened only at both ends.

(22) In the following, erecting a packaging according to the invention from the precut blank according to FIG. 1 will be explained in further detail. For this, first lateral panels 4 and front panel 5, as well as rear panel 6 are deflected by approximately 90 relative to bottom 3. Subsequently, connecting flaps 7 and 8 are likewise deflected by approximately 90 and fastened from the outside on erected lateral panels 4. Advantageously, this can be accomplished by adhesion. Alternatively, this can be accomplished by means of clamps, for example. In this way, the lateral ends of elastic band 15 are clamped between connecting flap 7 and the outer side of lateral panels 4 and connected with the respective connecting flap 7, as well as with the respective lateral panel 4. Elastic band 15 thus extends in sections along erected lateral panels 4 and lies inside parallel to front panel 5, however, without being firmly connected with it. This condition is illustrated in FIG. 2.

(23) Elastic band 15 can now be tensioned. Hereby, it has been shown to be advantageous that the packaging has already been erected completely and the lateral panels are connected with front panel 5 and rear panel 6 so that the packaging has sufficient stability. As described in further detail below, the elastic band is tensioned in such a way thatas shown in FIG. 3it extends lying inside approximately parallel to the lateral panels and parallel to rear panel 6. In this condition, detaining flap 9 can be deflected inward by 180 so that it clamps elastic band 15 between itself and rear panel 6. Previously, the fold-over flaps 10 have been folded onto detaining flap 9 so that the fold-over flaps 10 abut at elastic band 15.

(24) In this position, detaining flap 9 can be locked against the tension of elastic band 15 by slightly deflecting locking flap 11 upward out of the plane of bottom 3. Hereby, the free edge of locking flap 11 that faces rear panel 6 pushes against the lower side of detaining flap 9 at close to a right angleFIG. 4and thus prevents that detaining flap 9 is deflected forward or upward by the reset force of elastic band 15 in FIG. 4.

(25) In the condition of the packaging shown in FIG. 4, it can be filled. As a result of filling the packaging, the products exert pressure on locking flap 11 so that it is pushed back into its initial position in which it extends at the level of the bottom 3. Thus, by means of the filling process, the locking of detaining flap 9 by locking flap 10 is released again. Elastic band 15 thus presses products contained in the packaging toward the front panel and the removal opening 14 via detaining flap 9.

(26) When individual products are now removed through the removal opening, or upward out of the packaging, the elastic band 15 first presses the products still remaining in the packaging further toward front panel 5 via detaining flap 9. After some products have been removed from the packaging, detaining flap 9 is deflected to such a degree due to the reset force of elastic band 15 that it extends, for example, approximately parallel to bottom 3. Shortly before reaching this condition, elastic band 15 slides off detaining flap 9 and exerts a tensile force directly upon the products still remaining in the packaging toward front panel 5. Elastic band 15 thus surrounds the products remaining in the packaging laterally and from the rear. Hereby, it is prevented that the products, for example, bar-like products tip over in the packaging and are thereby more difficult to identify or to remove by a consumer through removal opening 14.

(27) In FIG. 2 through 4, the packaging erected out of precut blank 1 is shown in the form of an open tray (chute). After filling, the tray can be closed by a cover that has a surface opposite to bottom 3 and circumferential panels hinged to it. The circumferential panels can, for example, abut outside on lateral panels 4 and rear panel 6. A further circumferential panel can be inserted into the packaging so that it abuts inside at the front panel and thus closes removal opening 14. Alternatively, it is also possible to locate this additional circumferential panel lying outside on the front panel. Preferably, at least one section of the covering surface and/or the circumferential panel associated with the front panel of the cover is designed to be ripped open or torn off so that the packaging provided with the cover can be opened easily.

(28) The process of tensioning elastic band 15 and locking elastic band 15 by means of detaining flap 9 and locking flap 11 will be explained in further detailed in the following by referring to FIG. 5 through 8. These Figures show a station in which, the erected packaging as shown in FIG. 2 is inserted and converted into the condition shown in FIG. 4

(29) For this purpose, station 20 first of all has an adapter for the packaging that is formed by a bottom 21, lateral walls 22 and a rear wall 23. Thus the adapter in FIG. 5 is open on the right side so that the packaging can be inserted into the adapter. In the embodiment shown, four openings are provided in bottom 21, through which suction elements 24 can retain bottom 3 of the packaging within the adapter.

(30) A plate 25 having two guide plates 26 is provided above the adapter. In the embodiment shown, guide plates 26 are shown as an opening or slot that is approximately S-shaped in which a plate 27 can be guided displaceable. Plates 27 can be displaced from the position on the right shown as dotted lines into the position on the left that is shown as solid lines in FIG. 5 by means of a drive that is not shown in further detail. In FIG. 7, the two bearings of plates 27 are also shown by two dotted lines or two solidly outlined circles in the various positions of the plates respectively.

(31) Guide plates 26 in plate 25 are designed in such a way that plates 27 can enter through removal opening 14 in front panel 5 into the packaging. Hereby, elastic band 15 comes to abut with thein FIG. 5left edge of the respective plate 27. Thus, plates 27 serve as manipulators that push the elastic band into the corners of lateral panels 4 with rear panel 6, as plates 27 are moved to the left in FIG. 5, along guide plate 26. In this way, elastic band 15 is tensioned. Plates 27 are preferably designed thin so that plates 27in their position to the left in FIG. 5abut as closely as possible inside at lateral panels 4 without thereby impeding the folding over of detaining flap 9.

(32) For this, an angle 28 is provided in station 20 whose widthas shown in FIG. 8approximately corresponds to that of detaining flap 9. Angle 28 can be deflected clockwise from its position shown in FIG. 5 via a drive that is not shown in further detail, so that the longer, perpendicular leg of angle 28 in FIG. 5 contacts detaining flap 9 and folds it onto rear panel 6. In other words, in operation, angle 28 brings detaining flap 9 out of the position shown in FIG. 3 into the position shown in FIG. 4.

(33) Further, a cylinder unit 29 is provided in station 20, whose plunger can act upon locking flap 11 of the packaging through an additional opening in bottom 21. After the folding over of detaining flap 9, cylinder unit 29 is activated and thereby slightly deflects locking flap 11 out of its position lying at the level of bottom 3 into the interior space of the packaging, so that the free edge of the locking flap 11 comes in contact with the lower side of detaining flap 9. Alternative to the free edge, a serration can be provided as shown in FIGS. 9 through 11. This prevents that the detaining flap 9 is deflected back due to the force of elastic band 15 when angle 28 returns to its initial position shown in FIG. 5 and plates 27 are returned again to the position shown on the right in FIG. 5. Thus, the packaging is in a condition according to FIG. 4 in which the packaging can be filled.

(34) Differing from the embodiment of precut blank 1 described above and station 20 it is alternatively also possible to dispense with detaining flap 9, fold-over flaps 10 and/or locking flaps 11. In this case, elastic band 15 is tensioned by plates 27 as described above and the packaging must then be filled while plates 27 hold elastic band 15 tensed. Thereby, elastic band 15 acts directly upon the products after filling as soon as plates 27 no longer engage band 15.

(35) Station 20 can also have an additional station upstreamnot shown in the Figuresin which the packaging is erected from precut blank 1 and glued. This upstream station can, for example, be designed as described in the as of yet unpublished international patent application PCT/GB2013/051755.

(36) Elastic band 15 can be placed on precut blank 1 in a unit upstream of station 20. This can be accomplished thereby, for example, that from a coil that has a width corresponding approximately to the distance of the free lateral edges of connecting flaps 7, elastic band material is uncoiled and placed on the substrate. This substrate is preferably connected with a suction unit so that the uncoiled material is retained on the substrate. On this substrate, the uncoiled material can then be cut into strips having a height that is suitable for advancing the products in the packaging. This custom-cut strip can then be fed to precut blank 1 and together with it, glued to connecting flaps 7.

(37) FIGS. 9 and 10 show a second embodiment having a structure that is very similar to the first embodiment. However, on the upper side of detaining flap 9 in FIG. 9, cutouts 30a are provided. Corresponding cutouts 30b are also provided at the free edge of the locking flap 6 that faces rear panel 6. As shown in FIG. 10, in which elastic band 15 was omitted for reasons of clarity, these cutouts 30a, 30b have the effect of a serration that preventsin the erected condition of locking flap 11that it can be pushed out of the position locking detaining flap 9 due to the force of elastic band 15. In other words, locking flaps 11 and detaining flap 9 snap into each other in order to secure elastic element 15 via detaining flap 9.

(38) A modification of this embodiment is shown in FIG. 11. Hereby, first of all, the groove or bending line 2h by means of which locking flap 11 is connected with bottom 3 is designed curved. This increases the reset force. Additionally, cuts 13 are formed slanted. Regardless of that, rear panel 6 is designed shortened compared with the other embodiments.

(39) Correspondingly, the height of fold-over flaps 10 is also lower. In order to avoid a sharp edge with connecting flaps 8, the double groove or bending line 2f therefore does not extend over the entire width of rear panel 6 and starting from the ends of double groove or bending line 2f, slanted cuts extend to the respective edges of connecting flaps 8.

REFERENCE NUMBERS:

(40) 1 Precut blank 2a-h Groove or bending line 3 Bottom 4 Lateral panel 5 Front panel 6 Rear panel 7 Connecting flap 8 Connecting flap 9 Detaining flap 10 Fold-over flap 11 Locking flap 12 Recess 13 Cut 14 Removal opening 15 Elastic element (band) 20 Station 21 Bottom 22 Lateral wall 23 Rear wall 24 Suction element 25 Platte 26 Guide plate 27 Plate (manipulator) 28 Angle 29 Cylinder unit 30a,b Cutout