CONTAINER BODY AND RECYCLABLE TRUNCATED- CONE - SHAPED DRUM

Abstract

A truncated-cone-shaped container body for a truncated-cone-shaped drum for packaging has an upper edge delimiting an upper inlet mouth. The upper edge has a first folded portion projecting outwardly with respect to a lateral wall of the truncated-cone-shaped container body. The first folded portion is in one piece with the lateral wall. The first folded portion serves as a support for a lid and allows stackability of a plurality of drums one inside the other. The truncated-cone-shaped container body is made of kraft fibre. A truncated-cone-shaped packaging drum has the truncated-cone-shaped container body, a bottom, a lid, and a clamping collar for fastening the lid to the truncated-cone-shaped container body.

Claims

1. A truncated-cone-shaped container body for a truncated-cone-shaped drum for packaging, the truncated-cone-shaped container body developing along and around a development axis with a lateral wall that defines an internal volume extending between an upper inlet mouth delimited by an upper edge and a lower opening, wherein the upper edge comprises a first folded portion which projects outwardly with respect to the lateral wall, on an opposite side with respect to the development axis the first folded portion being in one piece with the lateral wall and suitable for acting as a stop for supporting a lid.

2. The truncated-cone-shaped container body of claim 1, wherein the first folded portion is made of a same material as the lateral wall.

3. The truncated-cone-shaped container body of claim 1, wherein the lateral wall is uniform and free of discontinuities.

4. The truncated-cone-shaped container body of claim 1, wherein the upper inlet mouth defines a larger base of the truncated-cone-shaped container body delimited by the lateral wall, and the lower opening defines a smaller base of the truncated-cone-shaped container body.

5. The truncated-cone-shaped container body of claim 1, comprising a lower edge that delimits the lower opening, the lower edge comprising a second folded portion which projects inwardly with respect to the lateral wall, that is, facing the development axis.

6. The truncated-cone-shaped container body of claim 5, wherein the second folded portion is suitable for acting as a stop for supporting a disc-shaped bottom and for generating an interlocking together with the lateral wall to stably fasten the disc-shaped bottom to close the lower opening.

7. The truncated-cone-shaped container body of claim 5, wherein the second folded portion is in one piece with the lateral wall.

8. The truncated-cone-shaped container body of claim 5, wherein the second folded portion is made a same material as the lateral wall.

9. A truncated-cone-shaped drum for packaging comprising: a truncated-cone-shaped container body developing along and around a development axis with a lateral wall that defines an internal volume extending between an upper inlet mouth delimited by an upper edge and a lower opening, wherein the upper edge comprises a first folded portion which projects outwardly with respect to the lateral wall, on an opposite side with respect to the development axis, the first folded portion being in one piece with the lateral wall and suitable for acting as a stop for supporting a lid; a bottom applied at the lower opening of the truncated-cone-shaped container body; a lid applied at the upper inlet mouth of the truncated-cone-shaped container body, resting on the first folded portion; and a clamping collar suitable for fastening the lid to the truncated-cone-shaped container body.

10. The truncated-cone-shaped drum of claim 9, wherein the bottom is disc-shaped.

11. The truncated-cone-shaped drum of claim 9, wherein the bottom is made of wood or cardboard.

12. The truncated-cone-shaped drum of claim 9, wherein the lid is disc-shaped.

13. The truncated-cone-shaped drum of claim 9, wherein the lid is made of wood or cardboard.

14. The truncated-cone-shaped drum of claim 9, wherein the clamping collar comprises an annular element suitable for surrounding the upper edge of the truncated-cone-shaped container body and an opening and closing means for bringing the clamping collar into an open configuration in which the annular element is widened and allows a separation of the lid from the truncated-cone-shaped container body, and into a closed configuration in which the annular element is tightened around the lid resting on the first folded portion and generates a clamping of the upper inlet mouth.

15. The truncated-cone-shaped drum of claim 14, wherein the annular element has a C-shaped cross-section and is suitable for peripherally overlapping the first folded portion and the lid resting on the first folded portion, and to contain both the first folded portion and the lid within its thickness to generate the clamping of the upper inlet mouth.

16. The truncated-cone-shaped container body of claim 1, wherein the truncated-cone-shaped container body is made of kraft fibre.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] The features and advantages of the container body and of the truncated-cone-shaped drum will nevertheless be evident from the following description of some preferred embodiments, given by way of example and not limitation, with reference to the accompanying figures, wherein:

[0016] FIG. 1 shows a truncated-cone-shaped drum in an embodiment of the invention, in an exploded view;

[0017] FIG. 2 shows a container body in an embodiment of the invention, in a perspective view;

[0018] FIG. 3 shows a truncated-cone-shaped drum in an embodiment of the invention, in a perspective view;

[0019] FIG. 4 shows a partial section of a truncated-cone-shaped drum in an embodiment of the invention; and

[0020] FIG. 5 shows a stack of container bodies according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] With reference to the above figures, reference number 1 denotes overall a truncated-cone-shaped drum 1 for packaging.

[0022] The truncated-cone-shaped drum 1 comprises a truncated-cone-shaped container body 2, preferably made of a biodegradable material such as paper, cardboard, preferably kraft fibre, even more preferably consisting of a plurality of overlapping and glued layers of kraft fibre.

[0023] The container body 2 extends along and around a development axis Z with a lateral wall 200 that defines an internal volume extending between an upper inlet mouth 20 and a lower opening.

[0024] The upper inlet mouth 20 defines the larger base of the truncated cone delimited by the lateral wall 200, and the lower opening defines its smaller base.

[0025] The truncated-cone-shaped drum 1 further comprises a bottom 6 applied at the lower opening of the container body 2. Preferably, the bottom is a disc-shaped element, flat or shaped, preferably made of wood or cardboard.

[0026] The truncated-cone-shaped drum 1 further comprises a lid 4, preferably in the form of a disc-shaped element made of wood or cardboard, applied at the upper inlet mouth 20 of the container body.

[0027] The truncated-cone-shaped drum 1 further comprises a clamping collar 5 suitable for fastening the lid 4 to the upper inlet mouth 20.

[0028] According to the present invention, the container body 2 comprises an upper edge 30 that delimits the upper inlet mouth 20. Said upper edge 30 is folded outwards, i.e. it comprises a first folded portion 300, namely a first curl, which projects outwardly with respect to the lateral wall 200, that is, on the opposite side with respect to the development axis Z.

[0029] The first folded portion 300 is suitable for serving as a stop for supporting a preferably disc-shaped lid 4.

[0030] The first folded portion 300 is in one piece with the lateral wall 200.

[0031] The first folded portion 300 is made of the same material as the lateral wall 200, preferably kraft fibre.

[0032] In one embodiment, the lateral wall 200 is uniform and free of discontinuities.

[0033] In one embodiment, the container body 2 comprises a lower edge 31 that delimits the lower opening. Said lower edge 31 is folded inwardly, that is, it comprises a second folded portion 310, namely a second curl, which projects inwardly with respect to the lateral wall 200, that is, facing the development axis Z.

[0034] The second folded portion 310 is suitable for acting as a stop for supporting a disc-shaped bottom 6 and to generate its interlocking together with the lateral wall 200 in order to stably fasten it to close the lower opening in the container drum 1.

[0035] The second folded portion 310 is in one piece with the lateral wall 200.

[0036] The second folded portion 310 is made of the same material as the lateral wall 200, preferably kraft fibre.

[0037] In the present discussion, folded portion means a portion folded back and extending with a small thickness beyond the lateral wall. For example, the first and/or second folded portion extends radially for a thickness between 3 mm and 2 cm from the lateral wall 200.

[0038] In an alternative embodiment, not shown in the figures, the lower edge 31 is folded inwardly by means of a press and has an annular lip in the shape of a circular crown to which the bottom could be applied, for example by gluing. Said lip extends inwardly for a radial thickness between 2 and 6 cm, preferably for a radial thickness of 3 cm.

[0039] In one embodiment, the clamping collar 5 comprises an annular element 52 suitable for surrounding the upper edge 30 of the container body 2 and an opening and closing means 50, for example a handle or a lever 50, suitable for bringing the clamping collar 5 into an open configuration in which the annular element 52 is widened and allows the separation of the lid 4 from the container body 2, and into a closed configuration in which the annular element 52 is tightened around the lid 4 resting on the first folded portion 300 and generates the clamping of the upper inlet mouth 20.

[0040] In other words, the clamping collar 5 can be opened and closed so as to allow the application and removal of the lid 4.

[0041] In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the annular element 52 has a substantially C-shaped cross-section and is suitable for peripherally overlapping the first folded portion 300 and the lid 4 resting thereon, and to contain both within its own thickness to generate the clamping of the drum 1.

[0042] In one embodiment, for example with reference to FIG. 5, the clamping collar 5 is applied to the lateral wall 200 of the container body 2 when the latter must be stacked, preferably at about three quarters () of its height H, and is suitable for acting as an anti-locking stop element that prevents interlocking of container bodies 2 stacked on one another during transport or storage. Indeed, in this case, the annular element 52 acts as a stop for the upper edge 30 of an underlying container body 2.

[0043] That is, as shown in FIG. 5, the containers stacked into each other are exposed with their lateral wall for a height H2 equal to about one quarter () of the height H of the container body.

[0044] In a stack of container bodies 2 as shown in FIG. 5, the topmost container body may instead comprise the clamping collar 5 applied to the upper edge 30.

[0045] Innovatively, the present invention solves the drawbacks of truncated-cone-shaped drums typical of the known art.

[0046] Advantageously, the truncated-cone-shaped drum according to the present invention is of simple construction.

[0047] According to a further advantage, the truncated-cone-shaped drum is easily recyclable and environmentally friendly. In fact, such a truncated-cone-shaped drum comprises elements that are easily separable for convenient recycling.

[0048] According to a further advantage, the container body is lighter than the truncated-cone-shaped container bodies typical of the known art. Advantageously, this feature makes the drum more manageable and allows for a reduction in the loads on the means for the transport thereof.

[0049] According to a yet further advantage, the truncated-cone-shaped drum allows for stackability with other truncated-cone-shaped drums and for the easy extraction of one drum from a stack of underlying drums.

[0050] The stackability clearly facilitates storage and optimizes space utilization, resulting in cost savings and a reduction in the number of means of transport required to handle the same number of drums.

[0051] Advantageously, moreover, the container body of the invention, while not comprising metal elements directly fastened to the drum, presents appropriate characteristics of mechanical strength, also thanks to the presence of the fold at the upper edge.

[0052] It is clear that, to the embodiments of the aforementioned truncated-cone-shaped drum, a person skilled in the art, in order to meet specific requirements, could make modifications or substitutions of elements with other functionally equivalent ones.

[0053] Such variants are also included within the scope of protection as defined by the following claims. Furthermore, each variant described as belonging to a possible embodiment can be implemented independently of the other described variants.