PACKAGING AND METHOD OF USE

Abstract

Packaging container having a chamber wherein the chamber comprises a plurality of corresponding products (1) sized such that a number of such products essentially completely fills the chamber, the packaging comprising at least one removable portion (4, 6) dimensioned such that the at least one removable portion (4, 6) can be removed from the packaging, rearranged to adopt an expanded form and placed within the chamber, having the effect of reducing the volume of the chamber available for the products (1) by n times the volume of a contained product (1), where n is an integer, whilst retaining the feature that a number of such products (1) essentially completely fills the chamber.

Claims

1. Packaging container having a chamber wherein the chamber comprises a plurality of corresponding products sized such that a number of such products essentially completely fills the chamber, the packaging comprising at least one removable portion dimensioned such that the at least one removable portion can be removed from the packaging, rearranged to adopt an expanded form and placed within the chamber, having the effect of reducing the volume of the chamber available for the products by n times the volume of a contained product, where n is an integer, whilst retaining the feature that a number of such products essentially completely fills the chamber.

2. Packaging according to claim 1, wherein each removable portion reduces the available volume by from 1 to 30 products, more preferably from 1 to 14 products, most preferably from 2 to 6 products

3. Packaging according to claim 1, wherein the chamber is cuboid.

4. Packaging according to claim 1, wherein the products are cuboid.

5. Packaging according to claim 1 wherein the removal of the removable portion does not alter the available volume of the chamber.

6. Packaging according to claim 1, wherein the removable portions form at least part of one side of the packaging, preferably a top face of the packaging.

7. Packaging according to claim 1, wherein each removable portion is each a flat sheet of cardboard comprising pre-folds.

8. Packaging according to claim 1, wherein the number of removable portions is from 1 to 4, preferably 2.

9. Packaging according to claim 1, wherein each removable portion is attached to the packaging by a weakened region, preferably perforations.

10. Packaging according to claim 1, wherein each removable portion can take the form of more than one expanded form, each expanded form reducing the volume of the chamber by a different amount.

11. Packaging according to claim 1, wherein the chamber is filled with a plurality of corresponding products, preferably all of the same variety.

12. Packaging according to claim 11, wherein the chamber comprises from 4 to 100 products, preferably from 6 to 50, more preferably from 10 to 30.

13. Packaging according to claim 1, wherein the packaging is filled with a combination of a plurality of corresponding products, preferably comprising a number of varieties, and at least one removable portion in its expanded form.

14. Packaging according to claim 1, wherein each corresponding product comprises capsules of a beverage material, preferably tea or coffee, more preferably tea.

15. A method of preparing a package of bespoke products to a consumer who has placed a bespoke order, the method involving a. obtaining a package according to any one of the preceding claims containing a number of products, b. removing a number of products from the package, c. adding a number of varieties of product fewer in number than were removed in step b, to the packaging according to the bespoke order. d. removing at least one removable portion from the packaging, e. rearranging the removed portion to adopt an expanded form and placing it in the packaging so as to take up the difference in volume between the number of products removed and the number of products added.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0038] The invention will now be illustrated by way of example and with reference to the following figures, in which:

[0039] FIG. 1 is an image of a packaging container according to the present invention comprising a plurality of corresponding products.

[0040] FIG. 2 is an image of the packaging container shown in FIG. 1 wherein a panel has been removed.

[0041] FIG. 3 is an image of the packaging shown in FIG. 2 wherein a second panel has been removed.

[0042] FIG. 4 is an image of the packaging container of FIG. 3 with the removed panels nearby.

[0043] FIG. 5 is an image of the packaging container of FIG. 4 wherein the products have been removed and one removed panel has been rearranged.

[0044] FIG. 6 is an image of the packaging container of FIG. 5 wherein the rearranged panel has been placed in the packaging container.

[0045] FIG. 7 is an image of the packaging container of FIG. 6 wherein a plurality of corresponding products have been placed in the packaging container.

[0046] FIG. 8 is an image of the packaging container of FIG. 7 wherein a new cover is added to provide a sealed package.

[0047] FIG. 9 is a schematic representation in plan, of a packaging container containing a plurality of corresponding products.

[0048] FIG. 10 is a schematic representation in plan, of a packaging container containing 16 corresponding products and wherein a rearranged packaging element has been added.

[0049] FIG. 11 is a schematic representation in plan, of two packaging containers containing 12 corresponding products and wherein one or two rearranged packaging elements have been added.

[0050] FIG. 12 is a schematic representation in plan, of a packaging container containing 10 corresponding products and wherein a rearranged packaging element has been added.

[0051] FIG. 13 is a schematic representation in plan, of a packaging container containing 8 corresponding products and wherein two rearranged packaging elements have been added.

[0052] Turning to the figures, as shown in FIG. 1, at a tea factory, capsules containing tea are packaged into cuboid packages 1 or cartons, each containing a number of capsules of tea of the same type. 16 such cuboid cartons are placed within a cuboid packaging 2 or case, according to the present invention, in two adjacent columns of 8 packages. For example, the packaging could contain 16 packages, each of which contains 12 capsules of tea, all 1216 capsules being of the same tea type. As can be seen the 16 packages essentially completely fills the chamber of the packaging, as none of the packages is free to move within the packaging.

[0053] The case lid is closed but not sealed/taped. The case is then placed on a pallet and sent to the packer.

[0054] At the packer the packer removes the case from the pallet and peels off the perforated lid flaps 4, 6 from the case and saves them for later, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4. The case is then placed into the back of the pick-to-light racking, with the product still in the case (saves time and minimises handling of the product).

[0055] When a bespoke order is taken, at the front of the pick-to-light racking, the picker uses an empty case (previously emptied) as shown in FIG. 5 and picks the different flavours of tea according to the consumer order.

[0056] If the consumer orders 16 cartons then no adaptation of the case is required as the case is originally sized for 16 cartons. The consumer can order in multiples of 2 from 8 to 16 cartons e.g. 8, 10, 12, 14, 16.

[0057] To fill the void/space in the case, the picker reuses the previously removed lid flaps 4,6 and folds them along the pre perforated lines and inserts into the case. As shown in FIG. 5 the lid flaps 4,6 have specific perforation so the they can be folded to fill the void of 4 or 2 cartons. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 one flap has been folded to take up the volume of four cartons of tea.

[0058] As shown in FIG. 7, the 12 cartons of the bespoke order fill the remaining volume of the packaging. When the order is finished a new, premium lid is placed over the case as shown in FIG. 8 and is banded together, along with the consumer address label, ready to be sent to the consumer. Thus, the packaging has retained the feature that a number of such products, in this case 12, essentially completely fills the chamber of the packaging.

[0059] According to this arrangement, all possible orders from 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16 can be accommodated. FIG. 9 shown an arrangement where the order is for 16 cartons, FIG. 10 is for 14 cartons, FIG. 11 shows two different possible configurations for 12 cartons, FIG. 12 shows a configuration for 10 cartons and FIG. 13 shows a configuration for 8 cartons. In each case, all of the available volume of the packaging is taken up by a combination of product 1 or expanded flaps 4,6.