WO2009024618A1

WO2009024618A1 - Packaging unit

Info

Publication number: WO2009024618A1
Application number: PCT/EP2008/061049
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gerd Unni Kvam
Original assignee: Elopak Systems Ag
Priority date: 2007-08-23
Filing date: 2008-08-22
Publication date: 2009-02-26
Also published as: GB0716443D0

Abstract

A packaging unit (2) comprising a plurality of articles (4) grouped together in a desired array, an article retaining device (6) for retaining the plurality of articles in the array, and a handle for use in carrying the unit, the handle (12) being disposed in the region of a bottom leading edge of the array. Also disclosed are containers (20, 120, 220) for containing a plurality of such packaging units (2) or similar packaging units, openable in such a way so as to allow access to such or similar units.

Description

PACKAGING UNIT

The present invention relates to a packaging unit comprising a plurality of articles and methods related thereto.

US-A-3023892 discloses a can band for holding a plurality of cans in a unitary pack using a minimum of paperboard and comprises front, top, rear and bottom panels which surround the cans. A handle panel is attached to a top panel of the band.

FR-A-2737196 discloses an arrangement of a batch of carton packages of the brick-type with a pour spout fitment, the arrangement comprising an element of U-shaped cross- section of a semi-rigid material such as corrugated card, a first face of this element corresponding to a first branch of the U-shape and being intended to lie against the upper surface of the carton packages, the first face including openings the same shape as the pour spout fitments, each carton package interlocking and lodging itself between the two branches of the U-shaped element, a second face of the element, corresponding to a second branch of the U-shape, is substantially parallel to the first face, and a handle being adjacent to first or second face.

US-A-3315803 discloses container packages which incorporate punch-out handles for packaged individual beverage cans stored in the container package, one handle for each individual can, each punch-out handle being attached directly to its respective can.

FR-A-2669893 discloses a package made of semi-rigid material, having the general shape of a rectangular parallelepiped, in which the packaged objects are disposed head-to-tail perpendicular to two parallel faces. This package has, on a third face perpendicular to the two parallel faces, a folding line which is equidistant from these two faces and perpendicular to the packaged objects, whilst a fourth face, parallel to the third face, and the faces parallel to the objects, have cut-outs or fracture starts defining an opening whose shape and dimensions are such that the package is divided into two substantially equal sections capable of pivoting freely with respect to each other with the objects they contain about the folding line, in order to separate the objects into two distinct batches.

US-A-2003/0092649 discloses a combination shipping and dispensing carton for carrying individual pouches which can be converted into side-by-side dispensers for dispensing the individual pouches in their upright position on the shelves of stores. The carton has a bottom panel, top panel and adjoining side panels and flaps for closing the ends of the carton. The carton has a pair of tear lines extending through one side panel and a fold line extending in the other side panel which are interconnected so that when the tear lines are torn the carton can be formed into side-by-side dispensers by folding the fold line. This shipping carton carries the pouches in two rows with the tops of the pouches in each row meeting near the center of the carton and overlapping so that the length of the carton is less than two times the length of a pouch. The length of the carton can be from approximately the length of a pouch to one and half times the length of a pouch, depending upon the configuration of the pouches and how full they are filled.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a packaging unit comprising a plurality of articles grouped together in a desired array, an article retaining device for retaining said plurality of articles in said array, and a handle for use in carrying said unit, characterised in that said handle is disposed in the region of a bottom leading edge of said array.

Owing to this aspect of the invention, the handle is conveniently disposed for easy carriage of the packaging unit by a consumer. Moreover it is possible to arrange that the handle is turned out by a shop assistant so that the handle hangs down over the front edge of a display shelf, when the handle can carry advertising and/or price information; moreover, the consumer can seize the handle and easily pull the unit forward off the shelf.

Preferably, the articles are plastics-coated paperboard cartons and the article retaining device is a sheet material tray and/or a retaining band or tape, grouping the cartons in the desired array into a multipack unit (i.e. a packaging unit comprising two or more cartons in a desired array) .

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided A container including a loop of side wall panels and a base panel and for containing a package, the arrangement being such that one side wall panel of said loop has a first portion extending between respective opposite lateral edges of said one side wall panel and a retained, second portion attached to said package, said second portion comprising a handle movable between a position which it occupies when said container is transported and a position for use in removing said package from said container, characterised in that said first portion is readily removable .

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method comprising providing a container including a loop of side wall panels and a base panel and containing a package, removing a readily removable portion of one side wall panel of said loop, which removable portion extends between respective opposite lateral edges of said one side wall panel, and leaving attached, to said package, a retained portion, thereby allowing access to said package for removal thereof from said container by way of a handle provided by said retained portion.

Owing to these two aspects of the invention, a handle provided by a portion of a container containing a package is usable for withdrawing the package from the container and carrying of the package by the consumer, and the handle can be formed simply by removal from a transport position of the readily removable portion.

Advantageously, the package is one of a plurality of identical packages connected to each other in an array, i.e. a multipack, and there are a plurality of identical multipacks in the container, each with its own handle provided by such a retained portion of the container.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a container including a loop of first, second, third and fourth side wall panels and a base panel and for containing a plurality of articles, the first side wall panel being opposite the third side wall panel and the second side wall panel being opposite the fourth side wall panel, the second and fourth side wall panels including respective first and second lines of weakness extending from respective top edge zones thereof to end points at respective bottom edge zones thereof, said base panel including a third line of weakness joining said end points of said first and second lines of weakness, said container being divisible by way of the first, second and third lines of weakness, into sub-containers substantially corresponding to each other.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method comprising providing a container including a loop of first, second, third and fourth side wall panels and a base panel and containing a plurality of articles, the first side wall panel being opposite the third side wall panel and the second side wall panel being opposite the fourth side wall panel, and separating, by way of first, second and third tear lines, said container into sub- containers substantially corresponding to each other, thereby allowing access to said plurality of articles, the first and second tear lines extending from respective top edge zones of the second and fourth side wall panels to end points at respective bottom edge zones thereof, and the third tear line joining said end points of said first and second tear lines.

Owing to these two aspects of the invention, the sub- containers can form ready-to-use, on-the-shelf, display units . Preferably, the articles are a plurality of plastics- coated paperboard cartons grouped together in multipack formats, the first, second and third lines of weakness advantageously being lines of perforation allowing the outer container to be divided into two substantially identical sub- containers which can be placed directly onto retail shelves. The multipacks of cartons are then extracted from the sub- containers preferably by way of handles disposed on the fronts of the multipacks.

In order that the invention can be clearly and completely disclosed, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which: -

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a carton multipack unit,

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, but of a second embodiment of the carton multipack unit,

Figure 3 is a perspective view of two multipack units of Figure 1 arranged base-to-base for carrying,

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the multipack of Figure 1 with a carton in a condition for separation from the remainder of the multipack,

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 1, but of a third embodiment of the carton multipack unit,

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5, but of a fourth embodiment of the carton multipack unit, Figure 7 shows a perspective view of two stacked outer containers each holding a plurality of carton multipack units,

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a fifth embodiment of the carton multipack unit, Figures 9a and 9b show stages of the opening of an outer container containing a plurality of carton multipack units, Figures 10a to 10c show progressive stages of opening of a further outer container of a plurality of carton multipack units, Figure 11 is a view from above of a tray blank for forming a carton multipack tray similar to that shown in Figure 1,

Figure 12 is a view from above of an outer container blank for forming an outer container similar to that shown in Figure 9a, and

Figure 13 is a view from above of a blank for a further outer container for forming a further outer container similar to that shown in Figure 10a.

Referring to Figure 1, a packaging unit 2 comprises three articles or packages in the form of gable-top, plastics-coated paperboard cartons 4. The cartons 4 are grouped together in a desired array, i.e. in a single row of three, on an article-retaining device in the form of a tray 6 of sheet cardboard material. The unit 2 makes up a multipack of cartons for purchasing by a consumer. The tray 6 comprises a base panel (not seen) which extends substantially the length of the unit 2 and two side wall portions 8 extending from the base panel on respective opposite lateral sides thereof. The base of the cartons 4 are attached to the upper surface of the base panel of the tray 6 by any suitable means, such as gluing. In addition, the side wall portions 8 are folded upwardly about respective lines of weakness at respective longitudinal borders of the base panel and attached to lower end zones of the side panels 10 of the cartons 4, again by any suitable means such as gluing. Extending from the front edge of the base panel of the tray and thus disposed at a region of the bottom leading edge of the front carton 4 of the array of unit 2 is a handle portion 12 separated from the base panel by a line of weakness. The handle portion 12 has a cut-away region 14 to accommodate a consumer's finger. The cut-away region may, initially, include an occluding piece of the sheet cardboard material of which the tray 6 is composed and which extends co-planar with the remainder of the handle portion 12, and remaining joined to the handle portion 12 only along one edge of the cut-away region by a line of weakness spaced forwards from the front edge of the base panel of the tray 6. In this way, when a consumer selects the unit 2, he pushes the occluding piece of material occupying the cut-away region with his index finger, folding that piece about that line of weakness so as to be face-to-face with the forward region of the handle portion 12. As a result, the occluding piece provides an extra layer of the sheet material of the tray 6 at the location where the weight of the unit 2 bears upon the consumer' s finger, which is particularly advantageous for carrying a multipack unit 2 of larger size cartons.

Referring to Figure 2, the article retaining device, instead of being the tray 6 of Figure 1, is in the form of a band or tape 14 surrounding the cartons 4 and retaining them in the single row of three array. The handle portion 12, in this embodiment, may be attached to a piece of sheet material similar to the base panel of the tray 6 of Figure 1 which extends substantially the length of the unit 2, or it may simply be attached to the bottom edge region of the leading carton 4 by way of one or more tabs to be attached to the underside and/or the front side panel of the leading carton 4.

One advantage of the handle portion 12 being disposed at the region of the bottom leading edge of the leading carton of the array is that two such units 2 can be readily carried in a base-to-base arrangement, as shown in Figure 3. In this case, handle portions each with the aforementioned occluding piece would be advantageous .

Referring to Figure 4, when the cartons 4 are attached to a base panel (shown as 16 in Figure 4) , the base panel 16 and the side wall portions 8 may comprise perforated lines 18 which defined areas 20 of the base panel 16 which substantially correspond to the footprint area of the cartons 4. In this way, individual cartons can readily be separated from the multipack unit 2 by tearing along the perforated lines 18.

Referring to Figures 5 and 6, the multipack units 2 are similar to those of Figures 1 and 2 respectively, except that there are groups of four cartons 4 arranged in a 2x2 array. Clearly, other suitable arrays are possible.

Figure 7 shows a plurality of multipack units 2 having a single row of three array, and packed into an outer container 20 (two of which are shown) in which the multipack units 2 are transported. The outer container 20 may have one or more readily removable portions to form a ready-to-use, on-the- shelf, display unit, whereby the consumer pulls on the handle portion 12 of one of the multipack units 2 to remove that multipack unit from the outer container 20. In any case, the upper surfaces of the handle portions 12 create an advertising platform on which text and/or images can be printed.

Referring to Figure 8, the multipack unit 2' is similar to that of Figure 1, but the cartons 4' have a substantially circular base portion, attached to the tray 6' , and a substantially rectangular top portion. In this embodiment, it is preferable, when separating the cartons 4' from the multipack unit 2', to have pairs of perforated lines 18' defining sections 22 of the tray 6' which overlap a rear portion of the base area of one of the cartons 4' and a forward portion of the base area of the carton 4' located immediately behind in the array; two such sections 22 are shown in Figure 8. When the forward section 22 is removed by tearing along the respective pair of score lines 18', the front carton 4' becomes separated from the remainder of the multipack unit 2' . Referring to Figure 9a, an outer container 120 contains a plurality of multipack units 102 (Figure 9b) and comprises a base panel (not shown), a loop of side wall panels 122, 124, 126 and 128 and a roof panel 130. Perforated lines 132 define respective readily removable portions 130' and 122' of the roof panel 130 and the side wall panel 122. With reference to Figure 9b, and in respect of the side wall panel 122, portions 122'' are retained on the front side panels of the leading cartons 104 of the multipack units 102. The retained portions 122'' are attached thereto by any suitable means such as gluing. The retained portions 122'' are not attached to the cartons 104 over the entire contact area, and a substantially U-shaped section 112 remains unattached to the carton 104. The U-shaped section 112 can be folded outwardly from the front side wall panel of the carton 104 to form a handle usable by a consumer for removing a multipack unit 102 from the outer container 120 and carrying the unit 102. A pair of substantially horizontal scorelines 134 assist in the outward folding of the U-shaped portion 112. Each multipack unit 102 may comprise a tray and/or a band to retain the cartons 104 in the desired array, similar to those units shown in Figures 1 and 2.

The retained portions 122'' are separated from each other and the respective opposite lateral side edges of the outer container 120 by way of further lines of perforation which are readily broken.

Referring to Figures 10a to 10c, an outer container 220 contains a plurality of multipack units 202 (Figure 10c, in which only one such unit 202 is shown) and comprises a loop of side wall panels 222, 224, 226 and 228, a base panel 230, and a roof panel 232 opposite the base panel 230. Perforated lines 234 define a readily removable portion 232' of the roof panel 232 (Figure 10b) . The side wall panels 224 and 228 include respective perforated lines 236 and 240 which extend from respective upper edge zones to respective end points at bottom end zones adjacent the base panel 230 (the container windows shown in the side wall panels 224 and 228 are entirely optional) . The base panel 230 includes a further perforated line 238 joining the respective end points of the perforated lines 236 and 240. Thus, in the example shown, the perforated lines 236, 238 and 240 extend in a substantially vertical plane bisecting the outer container 220.

Once the removable portion 232' has been removed (Figure 10b) , the end points thereof coinciding with the upper end points of the perforated lines 236 and 240, the perforated lines 236 and 240 of the side wall panels 224 and 228 can be broken. Subsequently the perforated line 238 of the base panel 230 can be broken so as to produce two substantially corresponding sub-containers 220a and 220b, which form ready- to-use, on-the-shelf, display units.

The multipack units 202 are arranged each side of the aforementioned substantially vertical plane of the outer container 220 so that the handle portions 12 are in a face- to-face relationship. As a result, when the outer container 220 is separated into sub-containers 220a and 220b, the handle portions 12 face outwardly for grasping by the consumer (Figure 10c) . In this way, the multipack unit 202 can be removed from the outer container without obstacle, i.e. there being no part of the outer container 220 present in front of the multipack unit 202. The multipack unit 202 shown is a group of four cartons 4 in a 2x2 array, similar to that shown in Figure 5, but, clearly, the outer container can be of a size to occupy groups of cartons in other arrays.

Referring to Figures 11, 12 and 13, respective tray and outer container blanks are shown for forming the tray and outer containers similar to those of Figures 1, 9a and 10a. Corresponding respective reference numerals have been used in these Figures for ease of reference.

Claims

1. A packaging unit comprising a plurality of articles grouped together in a desired array, an article retaining device for retaining said plurality of articles in said array, and a handle for use in carrying said unit, characterised in that said handle is disposed in the region of a bottom leading edge of said array.

2. A packaging unit according to claim 1, wherein said articles are plastics-coated paperboard cartons.

3. A packaging unit according to claim 2, wherein said cartons are gable-top cartons.

4. A packaging unit according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said article retaining device is a sheet material tray.

5. A packaging unit according to claim 4, wherein said tray comprises a base panel extending substantially the length of said unit and two side wall portions extending from the base panel on respective opposite lateral sides thereof .

6. A packaging unit according claim 5, wherein said side wall portions are folded upwardly about respective lines of weakness at respective longitudinal borders of said base panel and attached to lower end zones of said articles .

7. A packaging unit according to any preceding claim, wherein said handle has a cut-away region which includes an occluding piece extending co-planar with said handle and joined to said handle along one edge of said cut- away region by a line of weakness spaced forwards from said leading edge of said array.

8. A packaging unit according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein said base panel and said side wall portions further comprise perforated lines which are co-extensive with each other.

9. A packaging unit according to any preceding claim, wherein said upper surfaces of said handle are an advertising platform on which text and/or images can be printed.

10. A packaging unit according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said article retaining device is in the form of a band or tape surrounding said plurality of articles.

11. A packaging unit according claim 9, wherein said handle is attached to a bottom edge region of the leading article (s) in said array.

12. A packaging unit according to any preceding claim, wherein a plurality of the unit are surrounded by a container including a loop of first, second, third and fourth side wall panels and a base panel, the first side wall panel being opposite the third side wall panel and the second side wall panel being opposite the fourth side wall panel, the second and fourth side wall panels including respective first and second lines of weakness extending from respective top edge zones thereof to end points at respective bottom edge zones thereof, said base panel including a third line of weakness joining said end points of said first and second lines of weakness, said container being divisible by way of the first, second and third lines of weakness, into sub- containers substantially corresponding to each other.

13. A packaging unit according to claim 12, wherein the units are removable from the sub-containers without obstacle .

14. A container including a loop of side wall panels and a base panel and for containing a package, the arrangement being such that one side wall panel of said loop has a first portion extending between respective opposite lateral edges of said one side wall panel and a retained, second portion attached to said package, said second portion comprising a handle movable between a position which it occupies when said container is transported and a position for use in removing said package from said container, characterised in that said first portion is readily removable.

15. A container according to claim 14, wherein said package is one of a plurality of identical packages connected to each other in a desired array.

16. A container according to claim 15, wherein there are a plurality of identical such arrays in the container.

17. A container according to claim 16, wherein each such array has its own handle provided by a portion of said second portion.

18. A container according to any one of claims 14 to 17, and further comprising perforated lines defining said readily removable portion and said second portion.

19. A container according to any one of claims 15 to 18, wherein said second portion is retained on the front of the leading package of each of said array.

20. A Container according to claim 19, wherein said second portion is not attached to the leading package over the entire contact area, and a substantially U-shaped section remains unattached to said leading package.

21. A container according to any one of claims 16 to 20, wherein said second portion includes further lines of perforation defining separation lines for each said array.

22. A method comprising providing a container including a loop of side wall panels and a base panel and containing a package, removing a readily removable portion of one side wall panel of said loop, which removable portion extends between respective opposite lateral edges of said one side wall panel, and leaving attached, to said package, a retained portion, thereby allowing access to said package for removal thereof from said container by way of a handle provided by said retained portion.

23. A container including a loop of first, second, third and fourth side wall panels and a base panel and for containing a plurality of multipack units, the first side wall panel being opposite the third side wall panel and the second side wall panel being opposite the fourth side wall panel, the second and fourth side wall panels including respective first and second lines of weakness extending from respective top edge zones thereof to end points at respective bottom edge zones thereof, said base panel including a third line of weakness joining said end points of said first and second lines of weakness, said container being divisible by way of the first, second and third lines of weakness, into sub- containers substantially corresponding to each other, said multipack units being removable from the sub- containers without obstacle.

24. A container according to claim 23, wherein said multipack units are a plurality of plastics-coated paperboard cartons grouped together in a desired array and include an article retaining device for retaining said plurality of cartons in said array and a handle disposed in the region of a bottom leading edge of each array.

25. A container according to claim 23 or 24, wherein said first, second and third lines of weakness are lines of perforation .

2 6 . A container according to any one of claims 23 to 25 , and further comprising a roof panel opposite said base panel and including perforated l ines def ining a removable portion of said roof panel .

27. A container according to any one of claims 23 to 26, wherein said first, second and third lines of weakness extend in a substantially vertical plane bisecting the container .

28. A container according to claim 27 as appended to claim 24, wherein said multipack units are arranged each side of said substantially vertical plane so that the handles are in a face-to-face relationship.

29. A method comprising providing a container including a loop of first, second, third and fourth side wall panels and a base panel and containing a plurality of multipack units, the first side wall panel being opposite the third side wall panel and the second side wall panel being opposite the fourth side wall panel, and separating, by way of first, second and third tear lines, said container into sub-containers substantially corresponding to each other, thereby allowing access to said multipack units, the first and second tear lines extending from respective top edge zones of the second and fourth side wall panels to end points at respective bottom edge zones thereof, and the third tear line joining said end points of said first and second tear lines, said multipack units being removable from the sub-containers without obstacle.