Recyclable Container Blank and Method of Forming a Shipping Pack Having Articles Secured Therein

Abstract

A container blank (1) of the RSC type having a material web (2) attached thereto to retain an article within a container formed from the blank (1). The web material (2) is selected from one or more materials having substantially identical recycling characteristics to the material from which the blank (1) is formed. The web material is coated in a cohesive film and can be stacked and handled without tack.

Claims

1. A container blank which comprises: a series of four segments, each having a side wall portion to which there is attached, along respective fold lines, a base element and a lid element, the segments being joined to at least one other segment by a side wall fold line; and a web of material adapted to line the blank and, in an erected configuration, is tensioned to retain an article within the container, wherein the material web is secured to each of the segments so that, in the erected configuration, adhesive carrying portions of the material web overlie one another and are tensioned intimately against one or more articles to secure said articles therewithin, the web being selected from one or more materials having substantially identical recycling characteristics to the material from which the blank is formed, and wherein the blank has a substantially regular elongate rectangular profile which is configurable as a flat stackable lined blank.

2. A container blank according to claim 1, in which the web material is sized and shaped so as not to extend beyond the periphery of the profile of the blank, thereby minimising snagging and facilitating increased throughput.

3. A container blank according to claim 1, in which the container blank is configured as a regular slotted container (RSC) type container blank in which the web of material is secured thereto over at least part of the side wall forming portions and is folded such that extending over at least a major part of the lid forming elements of each segment.

4. A container blank according to claim 3, wherein the material web is detachably secured to each of the lid forming elements of each segment.

5. A container blank according to claim 1, in which the material adapted to retain an article within the container formed from the blank is a card or paper web.

6. A container blank according to claim 1, in which the material web forms an article retaining profile, around the article, the material web then being closed and tensioned to secure the article against the base of the container.

7. A container blank according to claim 1, in which the material web has cohesive portions thereon, the portions being brought together so that the cohesive regions bond across their entire free area until the bonded section abuts the upper surface of the or each article held therein, thereby creating the constraining tension to the article(s).

8. A container blank according to claim 7, in which the cohesive portion includes an adhesive adapted to adhere only to surfaces having like adhesive thereon.

9. A container blank according to claim 7, in which the cohesive portions are spray coated with a cold-seal adhesive.

10. A container blank according to claim 1, in which an adhesive strip is applied to the blank and the material web is adhered to the blank by the strip.

11. A container blank according to claim 1, in which an adhesive strip is formed on the material web.

12. A method of forming a shipping pack from a container blank of the type claimed in claim 1 having attached thereto a material web adapted to retain an article within a container formed from the blank, the material web being selected from one or more materials having substantially identical recycling characteristics to the material from which the blank is formed, the method comprising: assembling an open-mouthed container from a container blank by folding two opposed base forming regions inwardly and subsequently folding the remaining two opposed base forming regions inwardly and securing said remaining regions in position to form a base portion; placing one or more articles onto the base portion of the open-mouthed container; bringing together the free ends of the material web so that cohesive regions of the web are brought together across their free surfaces and sufficient force is applied thereto to activate the adhesive and secure the or each article within the article retaining web; closing the lid portions in an overlying relationship and sealing the lid.

13. A method of forming a shipping pack as claimed in claim 12, in which pre-applied pressure-sensitive adhesive is used to bond the base forming regions and the lid forming regions respectively together.

14. A method of forming a shipping pack according to claim 12, the material web having cohesive regions and being cut along its fold lines, the free ends of two opposed web segments are brought together to overlie the or each article before the remaining cohesive regions are brought together and tension applied.

15. An apparatus for forming a shipping pack from a container blank of the type claimed in claim 1 having attached thereto a material web adapted to retain an article within a container formed from the blank, the material web being selected from one or more materials having substantially identical recycling characteristics to the material from which the blank is formed, the apparatus comprising: a magazine from which unlined container material is fed; an adhesive application station; a material web feeding mechanism; an application station where the web material is adhered to the container material to form a container blank; a conveyor means; and a folding station where free end segments of the blank are folded along their respective fold lines and are secured together by a fixing tab.

16. An apparatus for forming a shipping pack according to claim 15, in which means are provided to fold the end segments inwardly over their respective fold lines to overlie inner segments of the blank, the end segments being secured together in a flattened configuration by adhesive present on said fixing tab.

17. An apparatus for forming a shipping pack according to claim 15, in which there is provided means for forming an open-mouthed container from a lined container blank including means for bringing together opposed base forming regions and subsequently folding the two remaining opposed base forming regions inwardly and securing said remaining regions in position to form a base.

18. An apparatus for forming a shipping pack according to claim 17, in which there is provided means for closing and sealing the lid forming portions subsequent to the placement of one or more articles onto the base portion of the open-mouthed container and to the bringing together of the free ends of the material web so that cohesive regions of the web are brought together across their free surfaces and sufficient force is applied thereto to activate the adhesive and secure the or each article within the article retaining web.

19. A container blank according to claim 1, wherein the material web is secured to the base element of each segment and is detachably secured to the lid element of each segment.

20. A method of forming a shipping pack as claimed in claim 12, further comprising the step of folding the container blank so that the material web is not exposed prior to assembling the open-mouthed container.

21. A method of forming a shipping pack according to claim 12, wherein free end segments of the container blank are folded inwardly to overlie corresponding inner segments, thereby presenting a substantially flat stackable blank, for storage or subsequent container assembly.

22. A method of forming a shipping pack according to claim 12, wherein free end segments are secured together to present a rectangular tube having the material web lining the inner surface thereof, the tube being then flattened to provide a stackable lined blank for handling or conveying.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0056] The invention will now be described more particularly with reference to the accompanying drawings which show, by way of example only, one embodiment of container blank and method of forming a shipping pack from a container blank in accordance with the invention. In the drawings:

[0057] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a standard RSC container blank having a cohesive web of material provided thereon;

[0058] FIGS. 2a and 2b are perspective views of a container blank illustrating a first method of securing a material web to the RSC blank;

[0059] FIGS. 3a and 3b are perspective views of a container blank illustrating a second method of securing a material web to the RSC blank;

[0060] FIGS. 4a and 4b are perspective views of a lined container blank illustrating one method of folding to protect the cohesive material web during handling or conveying;

[0061] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an open-mouthed container formed from the blank having articles for dispatch therein;

[0062] FIG. 6 is a perspective view similar to that of FIG. 5 where the web material has been tensioned over the articles and is now ready for closing and sealing of the lid portions; and

[0063] FIG. 7 is a perspective elevation of a container blank forming part of the apparatus of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0064] Referring to the drawings and initially to FIGS. 1 to 3, a RSC type container blank 1 is cut from craft card or cardboard and includes a flexible card or paper web 2 which is secured by adhesive to side wall forming portions 4a,4b,4c,4d and overlying lid forming elements 5a,5b,5c,5d. As will be seen from FIGS. 2 and 3, the material web is bonded to the container blank along a line closely adjacent a fold line B joining base forming elements 6a,6b,6c,6d to the corresponding side wall forming portions 4a,4b,4c,4d. The lid forming elements 5a,5b,5c,5d join the sidewall forming portions along a fold line L and each side wall portion is joined to at least one other adjacent side wall portion along a fold line S. A tab 7 is provided on one of the free end side wall portions 4d to facilitate securing the two free end side wall portions 4a,4d together.

[0065] Referring particularly to FIGS. 2a and 2b, the card or paper web 2 may be secured to the container blank by providing a glue line 9 either on one side of the paper web 2 or in a line or track on the side wall forming regions 4a,4b,4c,4d of the container blank 1 adjacent said base fold lines B. In either case, the material web is pressed into contact with the RSC style container blank and pressure applied equally across the entire glue line 9 to secure the web in place.

[0066] Referring now to FIGS. 3a and 3b, in a similar arrangement to that shown in FIGS. 2a and 2b, a line of adhesive 9 may be applied either directly to the container blank or to the paper web 2, before the web is brought into contact with the container blank. In this arrangement, the web is rolled onto the container blank 1 and a downward force may be applied along the adhesive region by a pressure roller.

[0067] The container blank is most easily described as a series of four segments, each having a side wall portion 4a,4b,4c,4d to which there is attached along respective fold lines B,L, a base element 6a,6b,6c,6d and a lid element 5a,5b,5c,5d. Each segment is joined to at least one adjacent segment by a side wall fold line S, and at one end there is provided a fixing tab 7 for securing the free end segments together to present a rectangular tube, which will have the material web 2 lining the inner surface thereof.

[0068] Although the container blanks may be handled or conveyed in an open configuration, it is ideally folded so that the material web 2 is not exposed prior to being assembled into an open-mouthed container. As shown in FIGS. 4a and 4b, the free end segments 4a,5a,6a; 4d,5d,6d can be folded inwardly over their respective fold lines S to overlie the inner segments 4b,5b,6b; 4c,5c,6c, thereby presenting a substantially flat blank in the form illustrated in FIG. 4b. Alternatively, the rectangular tube configuration described hereinabove may be formed and the tube may then be flattened to provide a lined blank similar to that shown in FIG. 4b for subsequent handling or conveying.

[0069] With reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, an open-mouthed container may be formed from the container blank 1 by folding two opposed base forming elements 6a,6c inwardly (normally this would be the shorter base elements corresponding to the shorter sides, where applicable) and subsequently folding the remaining two opposed base forming elements 6b,6d inwardly and securing said elements in position to form a base portion. The open-mouthed container may then be used to place and secure an article A onto the base portion by bringing together the free ends of the material web so that cohesive regions of the web are brought together across their free surfaces and sufficient forces applied thereto to active the adhesive. The material may be either folded and pressed into position or scrunched to provide tension across the articles retained within the container. In a similar manner to how the base portion was formed, the two shorter opposing lid forming elements 5a,5c are closed inwardly over the retained articles A before the remaining lid elements 5b,5d are folded and secured. Both the base portion and the lid portion may be secured using adhesive tape or pre-applied pressure-sensitive adhesive is used to bond the elements together.

[0070] It will be appreciated by the skilled addressee that the use of flexible card or paper as the material web provides the major advantage of the present invention, in that the container is entirely recyclable rather than extra costs being incurred in packaging levies and recycling costs which is now predominant with packaging using multiple material types or materials which can not be recycled at the same time or same process.

[0071] Finally with reference to FIG. 7 of the accompanying drawings, an apparatus for forming 10a shipping pack from a container blank comprises: [0072] a magazine 10 from which unlined container material 12 is fed; [0073] an adhesive application station 15; [0074] a material web feeding mechanism 20 including a paper reel 22 and an accumulator 23; [0075] an application station 25 where the web material is adhered to the container material 12 to form a container blank; [0076] a conveyor means 27; and [0077] a folding station where free end segments of the blank are folded along their respective fold lines and are secured together by a fixing tab.

[0078] Cardboard container stock 12 is loaded onto a bottom feed magazine 10 where it is gripped by a vacuum belt and introduced via a nip roller feeder to the adhesive application station 15 where a glue gun applies a predetermined pattern of adhesive to the cardboard stock. A web of light card or paper is drawn from a paper reel into an accumulator from where, under process control, it is aligned with the container stock. At the application station 25, the paper is adhered to the stock material and cut to length to form a container blank of the invention.

[0079] Drive belts convey the container blank either to a de-stacker (as shown) for storage or placing into a magazine or directly to a folding or folding and forming station. In one arrangement, the free end segments of the container blank are brought together to form a tube when the fixing tab 7 is secured to the opposite free segment and from this profile an open-mouthed container is formed by engaging means for bringing together opposed base forming regions and subsequently folding the two remaining opposed base forming regions inwardly and securing said remaining regions in position to form a base.

[0080] Alternatively, the end segments are folded inwardly over their respective fold lines to overlie inner segments of the blank and are secured together in a flattened configuration by the fixing tab for subsequent sale or storage for later use.

[0081] As will be familiar to the skilled addressee, means are provided for closing and sealing the lid forming portions subsequent to the placement of one or more articles onto the base portion of the open-mouthed container and to the bringing together of the free ends of the material web so that cohesive regions of the web are brought together across their free surfaces and sufficient force is applied thereto to activate the adhesive and secure the or each article within the article retaining web.

[0082] It will of course be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific details described herein, which are given by way of example only, and that various modifications and alterations are possible within the scope of the appended claims.