STACKABLE PACKAGING CONTAINER

Abstract

The invention relates to a packaging container (1) having a top side (2), a bottom side (5) extending parallel to the top side, and at least one side wall (6) extending between the top side and the bottom side. The top side has at least one protrusion, and the opposite side extending parallel has at least one recess (4), into which a protrusion of an identically shaped packaging container can be inserted. The problem addressed by the invention is that of producing such a packaging container in an economical and environmentally friendly manner. This problem is solved in that holes (24) are punched in the top side (2) and in the bottom side (5) and in that the protrusions (3) and the recesses (4) are attached in inserts (22, 23), which are inserted into the packaging container (1).

Claims

1. A packaging container (1, 101, 400) having a top side (2, 102, 202, 302, 427), an underside (5, 105) extending parallel thereto, and at least one side wall (6) extending from the top side to the underside, wherein the top side (2, 102, 202, 302, 427) or the underside (5, 105) is provided with at least one protrusion (3, 113-119, 203, 303) and the opposite side extending parallel thereto is provided with at least one recess (4, 123-129), wherein a protrusion (3, 113-119, 203, 303) on a second identically shaped packaging container (1′) is able to be plugged into the recess (4, 123-129) of a first packaging container, and wherein preferably the at least one protrusion (3, 113-119, 203, 303) is arranged on the top side (2, 102, 202, 302, 427) and the at least one recess (4, 123-129) is arranged on the underside (5, 105), characterized in that holes (24, 224, 324) have been punched in the top side (2, 102, 202, 302, 427) and in the underside (5, 105, 428), and the protrusions (3, 113-119, 203, 303) and the recesses (4, 123-129) have been applied to inserts (22, 23, 122, 223, 323) which have been inserted into the packaging container (1, 101, 400).

2. The packaging container (1) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that at least one side wall (6) of the packaging container (1) is entirely or largely able to be folded open.

3. The packaging container as claimed in either of the preceding claims, characterized in that a drawer (7) is arranged on the underside (5), said drawer (7) being able to be extended with the side wall (6) open.

4. The packaging container as claimed in claim 2 or 3, characterized in that that part of the side wall (6) that is able to be folded open is connected to the remaining part of the side wall (6) via a perforation (11) extending in the vicinity of and parallel to the upper horizontal side edge (8) and in the vicinity of and parallel to the two vertical side edges (9, 10).

5. The packaging container as claimed in claim 4, characterized by a tear-off perforation strip (12) formed by two parallel perforation lines.

6. The packaging container as claimed in claim 4 or 5, characterized in that a weakening line (14) has been embossed in the vicinity of and parallel to the lower side edge (13).

7. The packaging container as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has been provided on its top side (2) with four, six or eight conical protrusions (3) and on its underside (5) with the same number of, namely four, six or eight, receiving recesses (4).

8. The packaging container as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the top side (2), the underside (5) and the at least one side wall (6) of the packaging container (1) are formed from at least one paperboard blank (25) in which the protrusions (3) and recesses (4) have been embossed.

9. The packaging container as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that holes (24, 224, 324) have been punched into the top side (2, 102, 202, 302, 427) and into the underside (5, 105, 428), and the protrusions (3, 113-119, 203, 303) and the recesses (4, 123-129) have been applied to inserts (22, 23, 122, 223, 323) which have been fastened to the top side (2, 102, 202, 302, 427) and the underside (5, 105, 428).

10. The packaging container as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that the inserts (22, 23, 122, 223, 323) consist of plastic.

11. The packaging container as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that the inserts (22, 23, 122, 223, 323) consist of a biodegradable fiber material.

12. The packaging container as claimed in one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that it is made up of a lower part (20) and an upper part (21, 221, 321) that engages around the lower part (20), wherein an insert (22, 122) having recesses (4, 123-129) has been inserted into the lower part (20) and an insert (23, 223, 323) having protrusions (3, 113-119, 203, 303) has been inserted into the upper part (21, 221, 321).

13. The packaging container as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that a window (26) has been punched out of the longitudinal side of the lower part (20), said longitudinal side coming to rest against the longitudinal wall (6) of the upper part (21), said window (26) corresponding, after the upper part (21) has been put on, to that part of the side wall (6) that is able to be folded open.

14. The packaging container (400) as claimed in one of claims 9 to 13, characterized in that the inserts have, on the side remote from the top side (427) and underside (428), respectively, receptacles for products to be received in the container.

15. The packaging container (400) as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the two inserts are constituent parts of a cardboard blank (401) which has the following portions that are connected together via bending lines: a receiving portion (401) with at least one receptacle (403-407), the shape of which matches the shape of a product to be received in the container; a first side-wall portion (411); a first cover-wall portion (413), which has at least one recess (420); a second side-wall portion (415); a second cover-wall portion (417), which has at least one protrusion (423) with a shape and position complementary to the recess (420).

16. The packaging container (400) as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one protrusion (423) and the at least one recess (420) have complementary shapes and are applied at mutually corresponding positions, such that the underside of a second identically shaped packaging container (400) is able to be placed in a flush manner on the top side of a packaging container (400), wherein the protrusion (423) on the top side (427) projects into the recess (420) of complementary shape on the underside (428).

17. The packaging container (1, 400) as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has at least one of the following features: the at least one protrusion (113-119, 203, 423) on the top side (102, 202, 427) has the shape of a symbol, in particular a number or a letter; the at least one protrusion (303) has the shape of a product received in the container.

Description

[0028] In the following description, exemplary embodiments of the packaging container according to the invention are described in more detail with reference to the drawings, in which

[0029] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view, obliquely from above, of the packaging container with the side wall open,

[0030] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view, obliquely from below, of the packaging container with the side wall closed,

[0031] FIG. 3 shows a view of a rack made up of packaging containers according to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2,

[0032] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a packaging container consisting of an upper part and a lower part,

[0033] FIG. 5 shows a sectional view of a further embodiment of the packaging container,

[0034] FIG. 6 shows a paperboard blank for a packaging container,

[0035] FIG. 7 shows a perspective plan view of another embodiment of a packaging container,

[0036] FIG. 8 shows a perspective bottom view of the packaging container from FIG. 7,

[0037] FIG. 9 shows a perspective plan view of the lower part of the packaging container from FIGS. 7 and 8,

[0038] FIG. 10 shows a perspective plan view of the top side of another embodiment of the packaging container,

[0039] FIG. 11 shows a plan view of an insert for the packaging container from FIG. 10,

[0040] FIG. 12 shows a sectional side view of the upper part of the packaging container from FIG. 10 with the insert from FIG. 11,

[0041] FIG. 13 shows a plan view of a cardboard blank for an upper part of another embodiment of the packaging container,

[0042] FIG. 14 shows a sectional side view of the upper part, assembled from the cardboard blank from FIG. 13, with an insert,

[0043] FIG. 15 shows a three-dimensional plan view of a cardboard blank which can be bent to form a packaging element which forms the inserts,

[0044] FIG. 16 shows a side view of the cardboard blank from FIG. 15,

[0045] FIG. 17 shows a side view of the cardboard blank bent to form a packaging element, and

[0046] FIG. 18 shows the packaging element from FIG. 17 when it has been inserted into the box-like receiving carton with a lid, wherein the receiving carton and lid have been cut in the middle.

[0047] The packaging container 1 according to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 is cuboidal and has, on its top side 2, conical protrusions 3 and, in its underside 5, complementary, conical recesses 4 into which protrusions 3 arranged on the top side 2 of a second identically shaped packaging container 1′ are able to be plugged. The front side wall 6 of the packaging container 1 is able to be folded open entirely or largely apart from narrow rims. Arranged on the base 5 of the container 1 is a drawer 7 which is able to be extended with the side wall 6 open and in the process slides on the recesses 5 embossed in the base 5. The drawer 7 is guided between the recessed grips 15 provided in the transverse walls 17, 18. The conical protrusions 3 can of course also be arranged on the underside 5 and the recesses 4 in the top side 2 of the packaging container 1.

[0048] Six conical protrusions 3 are integrally formed in the top side 2 and six receiving recesses 4 are integrally formed in the underside. With this packaging container 1, a stable rack can be built—as shown in FIG. 3. Depending on the desired size of the packaging containers 1, ones with four or eight conical protrusions 3 and receiving recesses 4 are also possible, which correspond to the containers with six protrusions 3 and recesses 4.

[0049] FIG. 4 shows an exemplary embodiment in which the packaging container 1 is made up of a lower part 20 and an upper part 21 engaging around the lower part 20. The conical protrusions 3 have been embossed in the top side of the upper part 21 and the recesses 4 have been embossed in the underside 5. In the lower part 20, a window 25 has been cut out of the side wall 6′, said window 25 corresponding to that part of the side wall 6 of the upper part 21 that is able to be folded open.

[0050] The packaging container according to FIG. 5 is also made up of a lower part 20 and an engaging upper part 21. In this case, the protrusions 3 and recesses 4 are not integrally formed in the top side 2 of the upper part 21 and in the underside 5 of the lower part 20, but rather, round holes 24 have been punched out, the diameter of which is the same as or slightly greater than the largest diameter of the protrusions 3 and of the recesses 4. An insert 22 having recesses 4 which are located above the holes 24 has been inserted into the lower part 20. An insert 23 having conical protrusions 3 which pass through the holes 24 has been inserted into the upper part 21. This embodiment has the advantage that the walls of the packaging container 1 can consist of a material that has low deformability but is readily able to be folded up, while the inserts can consist of a more dimensionally rigid material, for example plastic, or of a biodegradable fiber molding material.

[0051] As FIG. 6 shows, the six walls 2, 5, 6, 16, 17 and 18 of the packaging container 1 shown here are formed from a paperboard blank 26. The container receives its stability via tabs 19, which are bent at right angles during the erection of the container 1 and are fastened to the adjacent walls by adhesive bonding or stitching.

[0052] The conical protrusions 3, the receiving recesses 4 and the perforation 11 and a folding line 14 for that part of the side wall 6 that is able to be folded open can have been embossed or punched into the paperboard or cardboard blank 26. Depending on the deformability of the walls, consisting of cardboard, paperboard, pressboard, hot-pressed fiber material provided with binders, or the like, of the packaging container 1, the protrusions 3 and the recesses 4 can have been embossed into the top side 2 and into the base 5 of the packaging container 1 by the cold pressing or hot pressing method.

[0053] FIG. 7 shows an alternative embodiment of the packaging container 101 described here. It is configured more like a conventional shoebox with a separate lid 103 and a box-like receiving carton 104. The cover wall of the lid 103 forms the top side 102 of the container. The base of the box-like receiving carton 104 forms the underside 105 of the packaging container 101. Both the lid 103 and the box-like receiving carton 104 are each manufactured in a known manner from a cardboard blank. Seven protrusions 113 to 119 are located on the top side 102. The protrusion 113 has the shape of the letter P, the protrusion 114 the shape of the letter A, the protrusion 115 the shape of the letter P, the protrusion 116 the shape of the letter A, the protrusion 117 the shape of the letter C, the protrusion 118 the shape of the letter K, and the protrusion 119 the shape of the letter S. The protrusions 113 to 119 read together reveal the company name of the applicant company.

[0054] FIG. 8 shows that the underside 105 of the packaging container 101 has recesses 123-129 of complementary shape. The dimensions of the recesses 123-129 are at least as large as the dimensions of the protrusions 113-119, preferably slightly larger, such that the protrusions 113-119 on the top side 102 of a first packaging container 101 are insertable with slight play into the recesses 123-129 on the underside 105 of a second identically shaped packaging container 101 when the containers are stacked one on the other. The protrusions 113-119 projecting into the recesses 123-129 secure two containers 101 stacked one on the other against slipping laterally.

[0055] As described above, the recesses 123-129 and the protrusions 113-119 are formed by inserts. The insert 122 with recesses 123-129 can be seen on the inner side of the base 105 of the box-like receiving carton 104 in FIG. 9. It can likewise be seen that both the top side 102 and the underside 105 of the packaging container 101 have punched holes, the contours of which correspond to the contours of the recesses and protrusions, respectively. Accordingly, the insert with the protrusions 113-119 is adhesively bonded to the inner side of the lid 103.

[0056] FIG. 10 shows the plan view of an alternative embodiment of a top side 202 of a packaging container of the type described here. It can be seen that a hole 224 has been punched into the top side 202. FIG. 11 shows an insert 223 with a protrusion 203. The protrusion 203 is in this case illustrated for example in the form of a pear which has been bitten into. The protrusion 203 can adopt any desired shape which the user of the packaging selects in order to decorate the packaging. Around the protrusion 203, the insert 223 has a peripheral web 206 by way of which the insert 223 is able to be stuck into a top part 221. The peripheral web should be at least a few millimeters wide, but can also extend to the periphery of the top side or underside to which it is intended to be adhesively bonded. The lower part of this packaging with the recess shaped in a complementary manner to the protrusion 203 is not illustrated.

[0057] FIGS. 13 and 14 show a cardboard blank 326 for a further top part 321 of a packaging carton described here. FIG. 13 shows the plan view of the cardboard blank 326 from which the top part 321 is conventionally produced by folding and adhesive bonding, said top part 321 being shown in a sectional illustration in FIG. 14. In that portion of the cardboard blank 326 which forms the top side 302 of the container, a hole 324 has again been punched. The hole 324 substantially has a contour which corresponds to the contour of a smartphone. The protrusion 303 of the insert 323 substantially has the shape of a smartphone. In this case, contour lines can have been molded as screen boundaries and operating switches on the top side of the protrusion 303. The shape of the protrusion 303 can be as desired, depending on the choice of the product to be packaged. The shape can correspond to the shape of the packaged product or have some other product reference, a reference to the producer or to the brand or a logo of the producer. Any desired other shapes are selectable.

[0058] Here again, the lower part of the container with a recess formed in a complementary manner to the protrusion 303 has not been illustrated. However, it is clearly apparent that when the containers are placed one another, wherein the recess in the underside surrounds the protrusion 303 with little play, lateral slipping of the identically shaped containers stacked one on the other is prevented.

[0059] The inserts 223, 323 can have a further technical function. On the side remote from the top side and underside, respectively, of the packaging container, the inserts can have receptacles for the products to be received in the container. The receptacles can be formed by simple webs that project out of the inserts. The receptacles can also be formed in a more complex manner, however, and have a surface complementary to the surface of the received product when the inserts are made into any desired shapes for example using molded-pulp methods.

[0060] FIG. 15 shows a cardboard blank 401 which forms the two inserts, and the receptacles for products to be introduced into the container. The cardboard blank 401 consists of a receiving portion 402. The receiving portion 402 has a plurality of receptacles 403-407 which can each receive a product to be introduced into the packaging. Each of the receptacles 403-407 is configured as a tray-like depression into which the products can be inserted. The receptacles 403-407 merge partially into one another. What is important is that the walls of the receptacles 403-407 fix the product to be inserted into them at least in a punctiform manner. The receptacle 403 is intended for example for a mobile telephone. The receptacle 404 can be intended for the power supply unit of the mobile telephone. The receptacle 405 can be intended for headphones or a power plug. The same goes for the receptacle 406. The receptacle 407 can be intended for a power supply cable. The shape and arrangement of the receptacles 403-407 can be matched as desired to the purpose of the respective packaging. It should be noted that the contours of the receptacles 403-407 do not have to correspond exactly to the contours of the products to be received. In FIG. 15, widened regions 408, 409 are provided which make it easier to grasp and remove the received products.

[0061] Such inserts made of different materials, in particular including cardboard or fiber material, are known from the prior art. In the context of the packaging described here, the receiving portion is connected, as a constituent part of a cardboard blank, to the inserts. For this purpose, the receiving portion 402 is connected to a first side-wall portion 411 via a first bending line 410. Via a second bending line 412, the first side-wall portion is adjoined by a first cover-wall portion 413, in the middle of which a recess 420 in the form of a pear which has been bitten into is formed. The first cover-wall portion 413 merges via a third bending line 414 into the second side-wall portion 415. The second side-wall portion 415 is adjoined by a fourth bending line 416 and a second cover-wall portion 417. The second cover-wall portion 417 has the protrusion 423, which has a shape complementary to the recess 420.

[0062] All of the bending lines extend parallel to one another. At all of the bending lines, the mutually adjoining wall portions are bent through 90 degrees with respect to one another, such that bending along all of the bending lines produces the cuboidal packaging element 419 that can be seen in FIG. 17.

[0063] The packaging element 419 is cuboidal and can consequently be inserted into a box-like receiving carton 422, the lower wall of which has a hole 421 that matches the recess 420, the contour of said hole 421 corresponding to the contour of the recess 420 and said hole 421 having the same position as the recess 420 in bottom view. The packaging element 417 inserted into the receiving carton 422 can be seen in FIG. 18. In this case, both the receiving carton 422 and the lid 425 have been cut in the middle, such that the packaging element 419 is visible. The lid 425 has been placed on from above, a hole 424, the contour of which corresponds substantially to the contour of the protrusion 423, being formed in the top side 427 of said lid 425. The receiving carton 422 also has on its underside 428 a hole 426, which corresponds in contour and position to the contour and position of the recess 420. The lid 425 and the receiving carton 422 form, apart from in the region of the protrusion 423 and of the recess 420, the outer side of the packaging container 400 from FIG. 18.

[0064] FIGS. 16, 17 and 18 reveal that, in the vicinity of the fourth bending line 416, a curved relief portion 418 is arranged, with which dimensional inaccuracies of the cardboard blank 401 can be compensated.

[0065] In practice, the cardboard blank can be formed from molded pulp. Molded pulp is an environmentally friendly material made of pulp fibers which can be obtained from renewable and biodegradable raw materials and also from waste paper. Usually, packaging inserts, but also beer mats and egg boxes, are manufactured from molded pulp. Molded pulp is particularly suitable for manufacturing complex shapes from pulp fibers in a cost-effective manner.

[0066] The features of the invention which are disclosed in the present description, in the drawings and in the claims can be essential both individually and in any desired combinations for the realization of the invention in its various embodiments. The invention is not limited to the described embodiments. It can be varied within the scope of the claims and taking the knowledge of a competent person skilled in the art into account.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0067] 1 Packaging container [0068] 2 Top side [0069] 3 Protrusions [0070] 4 Recesses [0071] 5 Base/underside [0072] 6 Side wall [0073] 7 Drawer [0074] 8 Upper, horizontal side edge [0075] 9 Vertical side edge [0076] 10 Vertical side edge [0077] 11 Perforation [0078] 12 Perforation strip [0079] 13 Lower, horizontal side edge [0080] 14 Folding line [0081] 15 Recessed grip [0082] 16 Rear side wall [0083] 17 Transverse side [0084] 18 Transverse side [0085] 19 Tabs [0086] 20 Lower part [0087] 21 Upper part [0088] 22 Insert with recesses (4) [0089] 23 Insert with protrusions (3) [0090] 24 Round holes [0091] 25 Window [0092] 26 Paperboard blank [0093] 101 Packaging container [0094] 102 Cover wall/top side [0095] 103 Lid [0096] 104 Box-like receiving carton [0097] 105 Base/underside [0098] 113-119 Protrusion [0099] 122 Insert with recesses [0100] 123-129 Recess [0101] 202 Top side [0102] 203 Protrusion [0103] 206 Peripheral web [0104] 221 Upper part [0105] 223 Insert with protrusion [0106] 224 Hole [0107] 302 Top side [0108] 303 Protrusion [0109] 306 Peripheral web [0110] 321 Upper part [0111] 323 Insert with protrusion [0112] 324 Hole [0113] 326 Cardboard blank [0114] 400 Packaging container [0115] 401 Cardboard blank [0116] 402 Receiving portion [0117] 403-407 Receptacle, tray-like depression [0118] 408 Widened region [0119] 409 Widened region [0120] 410 First bending line [0121] 411 First side-wall portion [0122] 412 Second bending line [0123] 413 First cover-wall portion, lower insert [0124] 414 Third bending line [0125] 415 Second side-wall portion [0126] 416 Fourth bending line [0127] 417 Second cover-wall portion, upper insert [0128] 418 Relief portion [0129] 419 Packaging element [0130] 420 Recess [0131] 421 Hole [0132] 422 Box-like receiving carton [0133] 423 Protrusion [0134] 424 Hole [0135] 425 Lid [0136] 426 Hole [0137] 427 Top side [0138] 428 Underside