EP3159281B1

EP3159281B1 - Protective wedge for the transport of a bottle

Info

Publication number: EP3159281B1
Application number: EP15382521.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Catherine Clavaud; Christelle Brunet
Original assignee: SAICA Pack SL
Current assignee: SAICA Pack SL
Priority date: 2015-10-23
Filing date: 2015-10-23
Publication date: 2018-01-10
Anticipated expiration: 2035-10-23
Also published as: EP3159281A1; ES2657421T3

Description

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to protective wedge for the transport of a bottle or any other fragile object oblong in shape close to a tapered end such as a flask, a coil of wire or film wrapped round a mandrel, etc.
For a clearer understanding the following description is based the application of the invention to a bottle, without prejudice to other applications to fragile products that could replace it.
After enveloping the object to be protected, the wedge or its multiples is/are intended to be packed singly or in groups in closed and enveloping transport and/or presentation packaging of the box or case type, or of any other form, to constitute a shipping container that enables it to be transported to the recipient.
The protective wedge is designed to be multipurpose and usable for several types or sizes of objects, such as wine bottles of the Bordeaux, Bourguignon, Champagne or Alsace type ... and their close volumetric and dimensional variants, according to their thickness, weight reduction or capacity. The most demanding application is the dispatch of a bottle (bottles) via the postal or mail circuit addressed to companies, distributors or private individuals.
The wedge constituting the object of this invention is constructed as a simple component die-cut from a sheet material such as cardboard or corrugated cardboard, folded in on itself after preferably being partially glued in advance.
The objectives sought are:

to immobilise the content inside the packaging, whatever its variants in terms of dimensions or shape, with dimensional limits of variation which are most commonly of more or less four centimetres in length/width and seven centimetres in height,,
to envelope it to protect it from shocks,
to separate its most fragile sections from the walls of the transport packaging in order to create deformation zones of the wedge and the packaging that absorb shocks before transmitting their residual impact to the content,
to receive repetitive shocks in different positions of the impact zones in order to resist the realities of goods transport of simple, non-palletised containers handled manually or mechanically,
to achieve rapid containment and use comprehensible to those uninitiated in the area of packing and packaging, which the employees of the postal services or consumers are.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are numerous patents with applications dedicated to bottles or other oblong objects such as light bulbs or certain glass flasks.
Among these patents, that of SMURFIT FR 2847228 of 19.11.2001 presents devices for blocking the neck of a bottle in "X" shaped section, as can be seen in Figures 6 and 7. However, these devices are not directly supported on the edges of the envelope / packaging of the wedge and are not connected to panels directly supported on the neck or bottom, which renders the devices fragile and insufficiently effective.
Devices are presented which are designed to keep the content separate from the walls of the packaging, in the upper and lower sections of the wedge, by creating empty zones, and to protect this content by doubling the walls folded in the manner of an accordion, in the patent of BRITANIA FOLDING BOX GB365078 of 14.08.1931. However, these devices do not combine, in the upper or lower sections of the blockages, supplementary dampers with of "X" section perpendicularly to the plane of support of the bulb of the ampoule at the top and of the cap at the bottom. Moreover, the doubling of the lateral walls is carried out on the inside of the wedge and not on the outside, making it impossible to separate the content from the walls of the packaging.
Another patent of KEITH US 3329346 of 22.06.1967 , whose telescopic device enables the lateral walls to be partially tripled with an accordion fold, see Figures 1, 5, 6, and 9 to 11 primarily. However, there is no creation of a protective "empty" zone in the lower and upper sections simultaneously with a wedge blocking the content. This is merely a simple improved closing device close to the top of the packaging.
Among the patents which describe neck blocking devices, the patent of MAPAC FR 2758530 of 17.01.97 relates to the prior art principles of accordion or bellows folds in an attempt to block the displacement of the neck without any panel opening or that of the bottom by folding back a nest of panels at the base to create a reinforced "empty" zone.
However, these rudimentary devices of prior art, described notably in the patent of CHIPPERFIELD GB 2194773 of 05.09.1986 , do not allow effective blocking of the displacement of the content since the bellows are not supported on any protuberance of the bottle and since the abutments at the bottom are merely limiting folds to be installed. It should also be noted that all the bellows fold in the same direction, towards the inside of the wedge.
The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the wedges or packaging materials cited.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is established and characterised in the independent claims, while the dependent claims describe additional characteristics thereof.
The bellows or accordion folds fold in twos in perpendicular directions, on the one hand inwards to block the content, and this with a wall perpendicular to the major axis of revolution (R-R) of the content, and hence to the lateral walls of the wedge and/or the packaging, and on the other outwards in a direction perpendicular to the preceding direction, in order to constitute excess damping pad thicknesses that also contribute to separating the content from the walls of the packaging.
The inner upper bellows is provided with an opening that prevents the neck of a bottle, whose diameter progressively increases towards the shoulder of the barrel, from being displaced beyond a suitable diameter without deforming the material, i.e. without benefiting from damping in the case of a shock.
Each of the top and bottom bellows is connected to an assembly of essentially square section, both sides of which are "X" re-entrants but whose lateral edges are all supported on those of the packaging and whose side panels are aligned with the panels of the bellows by means of articulations and not of cuts.
All the panels at the base are supplemented by a bottom panel and by simple locks that are pushed inwards.
It is principally by connecting and articulating the different panels constituting the wedge between them that fast assembly and the cohesion required for shock absorption are achieved.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present document is complemented with a set of drawings as an example for illustrating the preferred embodiment, and which in no way limits the invention.

Figure 1 is a flat view of the packaging constituting the object of the invention, after die-cutting, as produced by the manufacturer before the gluing and folding operations and before packing for use.
Figure 2 is a perspective lateral three-quarter view of the packaging constituting the object of the invention after die-cutting, gluing and folding by the manufacturer, and after packing by the packager-packer using it. The bottle or the object to be wedged is not shown.
Figure 3 is an elevation of the packaging constituting the object of the invention after packing by the packager-packer, without showing the bottle or the object to be wedged.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

As shown in Figures 1 and 2 the packaging constituting the object of the invention initially consists of a succession of four side panels (1, 2, 3, 4) that are essentially rectangular, the two pairs being identical (1-3 and 2-4), articulated to each other and to a fifth assembly panel (5) more commonly called an assembly tab. Connection and articulation folds interconnect these successive side panels, a fold (6) connects the first side panel (1) to the second (2), a fold (7) connects the second side panel (2) to the third (3), a fold (8) connects the third side panel (3) to the fourth (4) and a fold (9) connects the fourth side panel (4) to the assembly tab (5).
Each side panel is extended at various points in a direction parallel with the articulation folds (6, 7, 8, 9) previous described.
In a first direction towards the straight section of the content / neck of the bottle, for example, the side panels of a first pair (2 and 4) are extended by guide and blocking panels (10) allowing maintenance of the object contained by its smallest section, a bottle by its neck, for example. Each guide and blocking panel (10) is connected to the side panel which it extends by an articulation fold (11), which is itself extended by a centring panel (12) to which it is connected by a preferably double articulation fold (13).
Each guide and blocking panel (10) shares, with the centring panel (12) which it extends, an opening (14) through which the neck of the bottle for example passes, on the one hand, and a fractionated collar (15) consisting of radiating sections (16) and folds (17), on the other hand, allowing an adaptation to several diameters of the straight section of the content, of diameters and shapes of different bottle necks, for example.
In the same direction, the side panels of a second pair (1 and 3) are extended by doubling panels (18) to which they are connected by articulation folds (19) .
The centring panels (12) are themselves then extended by simple spacing panels (20) to which they are connected by articulation folds (21) and the doubling panels (18) are themselves extended by complex spacing panels (22) to which they are connected by preferably double articulation folds (23).
Each complex spacing panel (22) is divided into three parts: a triangular part (22-1), which is the part directly articulated on its large base by the fold (23) to the doubling panel (18), and two symmetrical trapezoidal parts (22-2), themselves connected to the other two sides of the triangular part (22-1) by preferably double articulation folds (24) and interconnected by preferably double articulation folds (25) .
The simple spacing panels (20) are connected to the trapezoidal parts (22-2) of the complex spacing panels (22) by articulation folds (26) to form a new continuous succession of panels which is extended at one of its ends by a panel or assembly tab (27) which is superimposed, after gluing and folding, at the opposite end on the last trapezoidal part (22-2) of the last complex spacing panel.
The assembly tab (27) is connected to the nearest simple spacing panel (20) by an articulation fold (28).
In the same direction as previously, a direction parallel with the articulation folds of the side panels (1, 2, 3, 4), but in a second direction towards the wide section part of the content / neck of the bottle, for example, the side panels of a first pair (2 and 4) are extended by blocking panels (29) to which they are connected by articulation folds (30). These blocking panels (29) are divided into two parts (29-1 and 29-2) by a double articulation fold (31) so that they can be doubled when they are superimposed.
In the same direction, the side panels of a second pair (1 and 3) are extended by doubling panels (32) to which they are connected by articulation folds (33) .
The blocking panels (29-2) are themselves then extended by simple spacing panels (34) to which they are connected by articulation folds (35) and the doubling panels (32) are themselves extended by complex spacing panels (36) to which they are connected by preferably double articulation folds (37).
Each complex spacing panel (36) is divided into three parts: a triangular part (36-1), which is the part directly articulated on its large base by the fold (37) to the redoubling panel (32), and two symmetrical trapezoidal parts (36-2), themselves connected to the other two sides of the triangular part (36-1) by preferably double articulation folds (38), and interconnected by preferably double articulation folds (39) .
The simple spacing panels (34) are connected to the trapezoidal parts (36-2) of the complex spacing panels (36) by articulation folds (40) to form a new continuous succession of panels which is extended at one of its ends by a panel or assembly tab (41) which is superimposed, after gluing and folding, at the other end to the last trapezoidal part (36-2) of the last complex spacing panel.
The assembly tab (41) is connected to the nearest simple spacing panel (34) by an articulation fold (42).
In order to maintain the blocking half-panels (29-1 and 29-2) in contact, a manual mechanical lock is arranged for its male parts (43) in the simple spacing panels (34), and for its female parts (44) in the side panels of the first pair (2 and 4).
In order to stiffen and maintain the succession of simple (34) and complex spacing panels (36-1 and 36-2) in volume, one of the simple spacing panels (34) is extended by a classic closure of the lid type (45), which is itself extended by a locking tab (46-1) the complement of which (46-2) is located in the extension of the other opposite simple spacing panel.
After gluing of the assembly tabs (5, 27, 41) or the opposing corresponding contact zones (1, 22-2, 36-2), the wedge is folded in on itself along the folds (6 and 8) interconnecting the side panels (1-2 and 3-4) by the manufacturer of the wedge before delivery to the packer-packager or to the distributor.
According to Figure 1, for a clearer understanding of the possibilities of applying glue to the wedge, the gluing is shown on the assembly tabs (27, 41) for the ends, and on the first opposite side panel (1) for the central part.
The glue will preferably be applied to all the assembly tabs (5, 27, 41) or, on the contrary, to all the corresponding opposing zones in contact after folding (1, 22-2, 36-2) to enable a single glue application device, a gun or roller, to be used.
The user of the wedge, the professional or private packer-packager, will fit the wedge by pressing laterally (movement M1) on the folds (6 and 8) previously used to fold and assembly the wedge on itself, thereby conferring on it a generally parallelepipedic shape and an essentially square cross-section perpendicularly to the axis of revolution (R-R) of the oblong object to be packed and wedged.
He will insert the object to be wedged, a bottle for example, into the parallelepiped thus formed. He will then press (movement M2) on the free ends at various points of the wedge to bring together the spacing panels of the two ends. Finally he will lock the base of the wedge by rotating (movement 3) the tabs (43) and locking them inside the openings (44).
At the end of this operation the wedge consists of three main volumes. At each end there is a volume demarcated by the peripheral spacing panels.
These volumes constitute deformable zones designed to absorb all or some of the energy in the event of a shock, whether on the straight side (neck of a bottle, for example) or the width side (end of a bottle, for example) at the opposite end. In order to stiffen these volumes and crate a perimetric section essentially in the shape of an X, as shown in Figure 3, the triangular parts (22-1 and 36-1) of the complex spacing panels push the articulations (25 and 29) between the panels of the trapezoidal parts (22-2 and 36-2) towards the inside, whilst maintaining the articulation folds (26 and 28, 40 and 42) towards the outside by their end closest to the folds (23, 37) connecting them to the central part.
The separations between these deformable volumes demarcated by the spacing panels and the central part consist on the hand of the centring panels (12) and on the other, on the opposite side, of the doubled blocking panels (29). All these panels are positioned essentially perpendicularly to the side panel (1, 2, 3 and 4) to block the central zone, with the exception of the end of the oblong part of the object to be protected (the end of the neck of the bottle, for example), which passes through the opening (14) arranged in the centring panels (12), and which is kept in position by these panels. The separations thus formed after the centring panels, then the blocking panels, all essentially perpendicular to the side walls, demarcate and therefore divide the wedge into three parts, namely the central part containing the bulk of the object to be protected, and the parts of the ends used to absorb shocks in the axis of revolution (R-R) of the object to be protected.
The particularity of the guide and locking panels (10) is that they form a triangle having as its base the side panels (1 and 3) and as its apex the convergence of the folds (13) which connect them to the locking panels (12). The part of the oblong opening (14) which depends on it then serves to maintain and guide the oblong part of the object to be protected, for example the part of a bottle between the neck and shoulder of the barrel.
Because of the excess thickness due to the doubling panels (18) and the absence of folds on the side panels (2 and 4) which they extend, the latter have a resistance to the divergence of the walls, which tends to press the doubling panels towards the inside of the structure whilst creating a space protecting them from the lateral shocks between the complex spacing panels (22-2 and 36-2) and a double thickness, with padding that enables the shocks to be absorbed.
Finally, at the base, maintenance of the X-section of the trapezoidal complex spacing panels (22-2 and 36-2), assured on one side by the triangular parts (22-1 and 36-1), is reinforced, and is assured on the other side it is assured by the presence of the lid (45), essentially square in shape, being supporting on the walls of the packaging and preventing, with the blocking panels (29), the content from being sampled at this end.

Claims

A single-component wedge, to be folded and assembled on itself, having, after filled and shaped around the content, a bottle for example, a parallelepipedic shape consisting of three parts, namely a central part consisting of a succession of side panels (1, 2, 3, 4) with a roughly square cross-section and, on both end sides of the central part, two end parts with a cross-section roughly in the shape of an X, whereby the central part consists of two pairs of alternate side panels, whereby the second pair of side panels (1,3) is extended on both ends by doubling panels (18, 32) which, when shaped around the content, fold towards the inside of the side panels they extend, and whereby the first pair of side panels (2,4) is extended on one side by guide panels (10) being further extended by centring panels (12), whereby each guide panel (10) shares with the successive centring panel (12) an opening (14) such that the said successive guide and centring panels (10 ,12), when the wedge is shaped around the content, come into contact together at the level of their common articulation folds (13) on both sides of the opening (14), and whereby the first pair of side panels (2, 4) is extended on the other side by doubled blocking panels (29-1, 29-2) which, when the wedge is shaped and closed around the content, are superposed perpendicularly to the side panels.
The wedge according to Claim 1, whereby the X shaped extensions on both end sides of the central part consist of alternating simple and complex spacing panels (20, 22, 34, 36), whereby each one of the complex spacing panels (22, 36) is divided into three parts comprising a first triangular part (22-1, 36-1), whereby the great base of the triangle is the articulation to one of the doubling panels (18, 32) extending the second pair of side panels (1, 3) and and whereby the short triangle sides are the articulations to two trapezoidal parts (22-2, 36 -2) being themselves interconnected by an articulation (25, 39) such that the roughly X shaped cross-section of the both end parts is given by an inwardly angle of the trapezoidal parts (22-2, 36-2).
The wedge according to claim 2, whereby a lid (45) is provided as an extension of one of the simple spacing panels (34) combined with complementary locking closure devices (46-1, 46-2) being located in the extension of the lid and the other opposite simple spacing panel on those X shaped end part extending the central part where the first pair of side panels (2, 4) is extended by the blocking panels (29).