Secondary packaging comprising a plurality of articles or containers and method for producing such a package

Abstract

A pack including at least two articles or PET containers combined with each other, which are held together by means of a strip-like or ribbon-like compact strapping and said strapping being stretched around an outer surface of the articles or PET containers in a horizontal manner. The strapping is made of one, two or more similar or different plastic strapping band or bands made of a composite material with overlapping ends each whereby a single part or multi part contact point is formed by gluing and/or welding. The strapping forms a relief loop at the contact site or apart from the contact site.

Claims

1. A pack comprising: at least two articles combined with each other, whereby the articles are held together by a strapping, the strapping spun or stretched around an outer surface of the articles in a horizontal manner, the strapping being made of at least one plastic band, ends of the band overlapping and forming a single part or multi part contact site by gluing and/or welding the band together, the strapping forming a relief loop at the contact site or apart from the contact site, the relief loop including a pretensioned part of the strapping and a relief flap connected at a first joint of the relief loop to the pretensioned part and at a second joint of the relief loop to the pretensioned part, the relief flap being releasable at least one of the first and second joints, the pretensioned part after release losing tension and the distance of the first and second joints of the relief flap after release gets larger; wherein the relief loop arranged between the first and second joints points towards the the inside of the pack, so that the relief flap is inwards of the pretensioned part.

2. The pack as recited in claim 1 wherein the at least one band of the strapping has the relief loop arranged between the first and second joints at the contact site between the ends of the band.

3. The pack as recited in claim 1 wherein the relief flap being less tensioned than the pretensioned part prior to release.

4. The pack as recited in claim 1 wherein the relief flap being not tensioned prior to release.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a pack in a diagonal arrangement, wherein said pack is provided with a horizontal strapping and a carrier handle.

(2) FIGS. 2a and 2b show two representations of a first variation of the strapping.

(3) FIG. 3 shows a second variation of the strapping.

(4) FIGS. 4a and 4b show two representations of a third variation of the strapping.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(5) The following detailed descriptions of the drawings of possible embodiments according to the invention are only examples and shall not be regarded as limiting the invention. Same elements refer to same reference numbers throughout the various figures. Furthermore, only reference numbers which are necessary for the description of the respective figures are shown in the various figures for the sake of clarity.

(6) The packs or sales units described subsequently unite several articles, especially beverage containers. The packs are formed by providing the containers with a strapping made of flexible plastic bands or bands of another material, especially PP or PET. With the type of connection shown here, which is referred to as container strapping, all thinkable geometric arrangements of the containers are possible: linear matrix arrangement in a n times m-arrangement of lines and columns connecting round or rectangular, cubic or other containers as well as, for example, spherical packing with an angle of approximately 30 and 60 degrees respectively with round containers in any number. The arrangement of the packs or containers depends on the feeding of the containers to a so called container divider and the division of the containers by the container divider.

(7) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of such a pack 10. As for the pack formations, containers 12 are arranged next to each other in a so called longitudinal formation 14. In the represented example the pack 10 consists of six PET containers 12 connected with each other. The containers 12 are held together by means of a ribbon-like or strip-like compact strapping 18, which is spun or stretched around the outer surface 16 of the PET containers 12 in a horizontal manner. The strapping 18 is spun or stretched around the containers 12. The free overlapping ends of the strapping 18 are fixed to each other while a pre-stress is applied. In the present context this connection is generally referred to as contact site 22. The strapping 18 is fixed at the contact site 22 by means of a material integrated bond, for example in the form of at least one welded bond or glued bond. Optionally a loop-like handle 24 can be provided, which overstretches the top sides of the pack 10 in a slant or diagonal manner. In the shown embodiment the strapping 18 is stretched around an upper section of the containers 12. In this upper section the containers 12 show a so called waisted design with a so called recessed grip 13. The strapping 18 is located in this recessed grip 13.

(8) A first embodiment of the strapping 18 according to the invention is shown in FIGS. 2a and 2b. This first embodiment can also partly be seen in FIG. 1. The embodiment represented in FIG. 2 shows a strapping 18, which comprises a relief loop 30 or a so called compensator in the strapping band 20. The relief loop 30 relieves the pre-stress from the strapping 18 or the strapping band 20, when the strapping 18 or the strapping band 20 is removed from the containers 12. This relief loop 30 or relief flap 36 or compensator is formed at a contact site 22. The contact site 22 comprises two joints 32 and 34. At the joints 32 and 34 the abutting and overlapping band ends are joined respectively, especially where the abutting or overlapping ends of the strapping band 20 are welded together. The two joints 32 and 34 of the two overlapping ends of the strapping band 20 are spaced apart from each other and can especially be formed by welding. The two joints 32 and 34 are formed in a way that the ends of the strapping band 20 between the two joints 32 and 34 are not arranged concisely beside each other. Instead one of the ends is slightly too long, especially protruding. In this way a sort of flap 36 is formed, whereby the two sections of the strapping 18 superimposed on each other are slightly lifted off each other. If the strapping 18 or the strapping band 20 is removed by peeling off one protruding end 40, first the welding site or joint 32 is split open at this protruding end 40. Due to this fact, the strapping band 20, which is in a high pre-stress condition, slackens first about a slight amount. The amount required for the slackening is provided by the compensator. Only afterwards the now slackened strapping 18 is completely opened and removed by splitting open the second welding site or joint 34. Since the strapping bands 20 are normally applied with a relatively high pre-stress, their removal is frequently connected with a sudden loosening, which is regarded as inconvenient by many users, since the strapping band 20 can also sometimes spring off the pack in a whip-like manner, due to its sudden relaxation. This can be reliably prevented by a first embodiment of the relief loop 30 (compensator) according to FIG. 2.

(9) The two described joints 32 and 34 are preferably welding sites, whereby the releasing force for opening and separating the first welding site or joint 32 is smaller than the releasing force for opening and separating the second joint 34. In this way the welding at the contact site 22 can be gradually separated, whereby the contact area of the joint 32 (shown on the left in FIGS. 2a and 2b) is detached first. The flap 36 is used as band reservoir for removing the pre-stress from the strapping 18. The second joint 34 can only then be removed by further pulling at the pulling flap 40, thereby separating the contact site 22 completely.

(10) The schematic representation of FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of the relief loop 30 in the strapping band 20. The right end of the band 20 is folded outwardly at the contact site 22 thereby forming the relief loop 30 or a more or less big flap 36. This folded section is first only held in the arrangement but not yet joined, glued or welded. If the need arises, the folded section 42 can be fixed by a so called auxiliary very weak bond or weld. This very weak bond or weld only resists very small forces. Therefore it can be removed easily. The other unfolded end 46 of the strapping band 20 is superimposed on the folded end 42 of the strapping band 20. The overlapping end 40 protruding over the contact site 22 has to have a certain length that allows the production of two joints or welding sites 43 and 44. In the shown embodiment according to FIG. 3 a third joint 43 is produced between the back side of the folded section or the folded end 42 of the strapping band 20 and the unfolded end 46 of the strapping band 20. The third joint 43 is produced in a sufficient distance to the loop 30 thereby forming a relief flap 36 of sufficient size. As represented in the detailed drawing of FIG. 3, the fourth joint 44 is produced at a distance to the third joint 43 between the unfolded end 46 of the strapping band 20 and the right end of the strapping band 20, whereby the fourth joint 44 and the folded end 42 of the strapping band 20 show at least a small distance in between. The section of the band 20 protruding over the fourth joint 44 forms a pulling flap or handle 40 that is required for the manual separation of the strapping 20.

(11) The two joints 43 and 44 are preferably welding sites. The releasing force for opening and separating the fourth joint 44 or welding site is smaller than the releasing force for opening and separating the third joint 43. In this way the welding at the contact site 22 can be gradually separated, whereby the contact area of the fourth joint 44 (shown on the right in the figure) is detached first. The flap 36 is used as band reservoir for removing the pre-stress from the strapping 18. Only then the third joint 43 is removed in the section of the folded end 42 of the strapping band 20 by further pulling at the pulling flap 40 thereby separating the contact site 22 completely.

(12) Both representations of FIGS. 4a and 4b show a third embodiment of a strapping 18. In this embodiment the overlapping ends of the strapping band 20 are not used to form a relief loop 30 at the first contact site 22 (in the top part of FIGS. 4a and 4b). The relief loop 30 is formed by loops 50 and 52 instead, whereby the loops 50 and 52 are produced by folding the strapping band 20 twice and superimposing the folded sections over each other. This is shown in FIGS. 4a and 4b on the lower side of the strapping band 20. The common welding 54 at this second contact site 23, whereby the welding 54 comprises three sections of strapping band 20 superimposed onto each other and fixed to each other, also fixes the thereby created loops 50 and 52. The outer loop 52 forms the pulling flap 40 for opening and separating the strapping band 20. The welding 54 is partially loosened at the second contact site 23 by the pulling force, whereby the inner loop 50 is released and pre-stress of the strapping band 20 is removed. The strapping band 20 can now be removed without any problems, either by separation at the first contact site 22 or by lifting off the whole band 20 from the pack 10.

(13) Not shown in the drawings is the application device for the production of the relief flap during joining the ends of the strapping band. Such an application device can for instance comprise one or more clamps for the fixation of the strapping bands during the formation of the loop by lifting a rocking lever. The production of mechanically strong contact sites by welding the strapping bands together can be done with a heating thorn or the like, whereby the heating thorn is inserted at the proper place. Furthermore cam wheels can be used for moving the movable punches and the swiveling lever. The application device can be used for the formation of the contact site 22, thereby applying the pre-stress to the strapping 18. The application device can also be used for the making of the relief loop. The application device comprises several retaining means or lifting means or a tilting lever which are coupled to each other. Basically any desired variation of a relief loop can be produced and introduced into the strapping with these means. The fixation of the relief loop can for instance be done by the heating thorn that is heated shortly and pressed with a defined force to the strapping and to the loop. Thereby the strapping band is welded at the contact site. At the same time the desired fixation for the making of the relief loop or compensator takes place. The application device can for instance comprise three or more retaining means or lifting means arranged beside each other for the fixation, welding and/or adhesion of the ends of the strapping band, for the formation of the loops and/or relief flaps or tear off flaps.

(14) Since in the compensator a protruding end 40 of the strapping band 20 forms a handle, it might be advantageous, if at least the contact site facing the protruding end 40 comprises a structured adhesion site and/or welding site, whereby the structured adhesion site and/or welding site influences and/or facilitates the detachment process. The structured adhesion site and/or welding site is not described here in detail. The welding or bonding can show suitable structures, interruptions and/or other suitable designs that require only a relatively small and uniform releasing force from the user. The contact site can for instance show a glue bonding or welding in a strip-like, parabolic manner. When removing this bonding or welding the separation is done starting from the rounded tip and continuing along the two parabolic edges. Other suitable contours can be used, for instance a meandering course or a plurality of locally limited adhesive spots and/or welding spots that are distanced from each other.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

(15) 10 pack 12 article, PET-container 13 recessed grip 16 outside 18 strapping 20 strapping band 22 contact site, first contact site 23 second contact site 24 handle 30 loop, relief loop 32 first joint 34 second joint 36 relief flap 40 end, pulling flap, pulling handle 42 folded end 43 third joint 44 fourth joint 46 unfolded end 50 inner loop 52 outer loop 54 welding