FR2848185A1 - Packaging case for cosmetic and pharmaceutical products, has locking unit with two closing flaps opposite to each other defining closing edge and another closing flaps edge forming stopping surface for closing edge to close panel - Google Patents

Abstract

The case has a tubular case/carton (E) of joint panels (2-5) of two ends (E1, E2), where end (E1) is open. A closing unit having a closing flap (27) fixed opposite to an internal side of another closing flap (17) defines a closing edge (29) situated along a closing panel (13). An edge at the level of a closing flap forms a stopping surface for the closing edge and the flap (27) closes the closing panel. An Independent claim is also included for a preset plan to realize a packaging case.

Description

The present invention relates to the technical field of packaging and,

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  in particular, packaging cases which are intended to package, preferably but not exclusively, products of a unitary nature, either by themselves, or by a pre-conditioning imposed on them.

  The invention relates, more specifically, to packaging cases which are produced from a blank of precut raw material and then mounted by folding to form the actual packaging.

  As a preferred application, the invention relates to packaging cases made from a cardboard blank, preferably compact, without this precision excluding corrugated cardboard or similar products, such as plastic sheets. laminated or not.

  In the above technical field, it is widely known to produce a packaging package from a blank of suitable material cut flat, then mounted to form a case in which the product or products must be packaged. Generally, these are compact cardboard blanks which are produced to define, after assembly, a tubular envelope constituting a case body and having bottom and top closure systems. The design of these blanks can be ensured so that the case body of the tubular casing has a shape, most generally, parallelepiped, without it being a question of excluding the case bodies of different shapes, such as cross-section pentagonal or hexagonal, even octagonal or even triangular. Such cases are used to ensure the packaging of different types of products, such as, for example but not exclusively, cosmetic products or, again, pharmaceutical products, which should be guaranteed against the risks of inadvertent opening on the place of sale.

  Thus, when the product or products to be packaged are considered to have a certain value and it is advisable to protect them against fraudulent openings, it is known to surround the packaging case, once the product to be packaged disposed of. inside of the latter, a sheet of transparent plastic material which prevents any opening of the packaging case.

  The use of such a tamper-evident envelope makes it possible to effectively guarantee the integrity of the contents of the packaging case. However, the establishment of this envelope requires an additional manufacturing step after filling the packaging case and substantially increases the cost of packaging the product to be marketed, both due to the additional labor, and the material used.

  Thus, there appears to be a need for a packaging case which presents a greater difficulty in opening than the cases according to the prior art, without encumbering, substantially, the cost of the packaging case and, more particularly, by presenting a lower cost than that which would result from the implementation of the additional tamper-evident envelope.

  In order to achieve this objective, the invention relates to a packaging case 10 obtained from a precut blank and mounted, by folding, to include: ò a tubular envelope with articulated panels provided with two ends, at least one of which is first end is open, ò at the first end of the envelope, a closure panel articulated on a panel of the envelope and provided with a closure flap separated from the closure panel by a fold line, and at at least one folding closing flap articulated on another panel of the envelope, According to the invention, the packaging case is characterized in that it comprises, at least at the level of the first end of the envelope, means locking device comprising: * at the flap of the closure panel at least one locking counter flap which is counter-fixed on the internal face of the flap and which defines a locking edge situated opposite the panel closing and at a distance from the line of articulation of the flap on the closing panel, a and, at the level of the closing flap, an edge intended to form an abutment surface 25 for the locking edge of the counter flap in closing position of the closing panel.

  The implementation of such locking means makes it possible to oppose an untimely, even fraudulent, opening of the packaging case followed by a replacement of the closure panel, so as to conceal this opening.

  Indeed, insofar as the locking edge, integral with the locking flap, comes to a stop on the closing flap when the packaging case is closed for the first time, it becomes necessary to exert a particularly great effort on the closing panel to open it. This effort can then either dissuade from fraudulent opening, or cause permanent deformation, or even partial tearing of the closure panel, attesting to the opening of the case. According to a characteristic, preferred but not strictly necessary of the invention, each end of the envelope is open and the packaging case comprises, at each end of the envelope, a closure panel and at least one shutter of closing. Preferably but not strictly necessary, the case then comprises locking means in accordance with the invention, at level 10 of each of the open ends of the envelope.

  According to another characteristic of the invention, the counter flap is separated from the flap by a fold line and is folded against the flap. The fold line of the counter flap is then preferably but not necessarily located opposite the closure panel with respect to the flap.

  According to a preferred but not exclusive embodiment, the counter-flap has a trapezoid shape, the small base of which is defined by the fold line of the counter flap and the large base by the locking edge.

  According to another characteristic of the invention, in order to reinforce the effectiveness of the locking means, the latter comprise at least one locking edge 20 arranged on the flap, facing the closure panel, the locking edge of the counter flap then being located at the locking edge of the flap.

  According to yet another characteristic of the invention, preferred but not strictly necessary, in order to ensure better locking of the closure panel, the locking flap comprises two locking edges arranged on either side of the fold line separating the locking flap from the closure panel. The locking edge then extends at the two locking edges. In an embodiment which is preferred but not exclusive, the locking means comprise at least one line of weakest resistance or precut 30 which separates either the locking flap of the closure panel or the closure flap (s) of the closure panels. locking, or, again, the closure panel of the panel carrying it and which provides an opening indicator function, insofar as an opening of the case causes said line of lower resistance to break. According to another characteristic of the invention, not strictly necessary, the locking means comprise two closing flaps which are articulated on 5 opposite panels of the envelope and which each define a stop surface for the edge of locking the locking flap.

  The invention also relates to a precut blank for making a packaging case according to the invention. This precut blank comprises at least: * a series of articulated panels, arranged one after the other, being separated by parallel fold lines, and intended to form the tubular envelope, * two closing panels, extending each in the extension of an articulated panel from which they are each separated by a fold line, and being located on either side of the alignment of the articulated panels and each provided opposite the articulated panel with a flap separated from the closing panel by a folding line, ò and at least one folding closing flap extending in the extension of an articulated panel of the tubular envelope from which it is separated by a folding 20 parallel to and substantially aligned with the fold line of the closing panel located on the same side of the hinged panel alignment as the folding closing flap.

  According to the invention, this precut blank is characterized in that it comprises, on the same side of the alignment of the articulated panels as the folding closing flap 25, locking means comprising: * at the closing panel, at minus a locking counter-flap which is separated from the flap of the closure panel by a fold line, and which is intended to be counter-fixed on the internal face of the flap to define opposite the closure panel and at a distance from the fold line separating the flap from the closure panel, at least one locking edge, and, at the closure flap, an edge intended to form a stop surface for the locking edge in the closed position of the panel closing.

  Various other characteristics of the invention emerge from the description below, made with reference to the drawings which illustrate non-limiting embodiments of a packaging case according to the invention.

  Fig. 1 is a perspective view, partially broken away, of a packaging case according to the invention.

  Fig. 2 is a flat view of a precut blank for obtaining the case, as illustrated in FIG. 1.

  Figs. 3 and 4 correspond to plan views of alternative embodiments of blanks making it possible to obtain a case according to the invention.

  A packaging case, according to the invention, as illustrated in a semi-constituted state in FIG. 1, is obtained from a flat precut blank, as illustrated in FIG. 2. Such a blank, generally designated by the reference 1, can be produced from compact cardboard, corrugated cardboard or, again, from suitable plastic sheets, the nature of the material constituting the blank being not a feature of the invention.

  The blank 1 comprises four articulated panels 2, 3, 4 and 5 which are intended to define a tubular envelope E, of generally parallelepiped shape, as shown in FIG. 1. According to the example illustrated, the tubular envelope E is open at its first end El, as well as at its second end E2, although in FIG. 1 this second end appears closed by means of a closure system forming an integral part of the packaging case.

  The purpose of this tubular envelope E is to constitute a case body, that is to say, within the meaning of the concept of packaging, a container. The invention could find an identical application with a tubular envelope E having a different shape and, for example, having a pentagonal, hexagonal, even octagonal or, again, triangular section. In such a case, the number of articulated panels 30 is chosen in correspondence with the number of sides of the section of the tubular envelope. Fig. 2 shows that the panels 2, 3, 4 and 5 extend one after the other, being each delimited with respect to the next by means of fold lines, respectively 6, 7 and 8 which are parallel between them and perpendicular to the alignment of the hinged panels 2, 3, 4 and 5. It should be noted that the fold lines appear in fig. 2 in dashed lines, while the solid or continuous lines represent cut lines.

  The articulated panel 5 has, in addition, opposite the articulated panel 4, a connecting strip 9, separated from the panel 5 by a fold line 10 parallel to the lines 6 to 8. The connecting strip 9 is intended to be counter-fixed on the inner face of the articulated panel 2 during the shaping of the case, as will appear later. This fixing of the connecting strip 9 can be carried out by any suitable means, such as, for example but not exclusively, by lamination.

  Conventionally, the panel 4 is bordered, beyond fold lines 11 and 12 parallel to each other and perpendicular to the lines 7 and 8, by two closure panels, respectively top 13 and bottom 14. These closure panels 15 13 and 14 have in plan a shape corresponding to the section of the tubular casing E, that is, in the present case, rectangular.

  Each closure panel 13, 14 is provided, beyond a fold line or 16 substantially parallel to the fold lines 11 and 12, with a closure flap 17 or 18. Furthermore, the articulated panels 3 and 5 , arranged on either side of the panel 4 are each provided beyond a fold line 19 or 20, with a folding closing flap 21 or 22 extending in the same direction as the panel bottom closure 14. It should be noted that the fold lines 19 and 20 are perpendicular, respectively, to the fold lines 6 and 7, as well as 8 and 10. Similarly, the articulated panels 3 and 5 have, on the opposite bottom closing flaps 25 and 21, high closing flaps, respectively 23 and 24 extending beyond fold lines 25 and 26 in the same direction as the top closure panel 13. Fold lines 25 and 26 are then substantially parallel to the fold lines 19 and 20.

  In accordance with an essential characteristic of the invention, the packaging case, and therefore the blank 1, has, at least at the first end E1 of the envelope E and, according to the example illustrated, at the level of the two ends E1 and E2 of the envelope E, locking means which are arranged, on the one hand, at each of the closure panels 13 and 14 and, on the other hand, at the level of at least one, according to the example illustrated, two closing flaps of each of the ends, respectively 21, 22 and 23, 24.

  Thus, the locking means comprise, at each closing flap 17, 18, a locking counter flap 27 separated from the corresponding closing flap 5 by a fold line 28. Each locking counter flap 27 is intended to be counter-fixed, preferably by gluing, on the internal face of the corresponding closure flap to form a locking edge 29 situated opposite the corresponding closure panel 13, 14 and at a distance from the articulation or folding line 15 , 16 of the flap 17, 18 on the closure panel 13, 14.

  According to the example illustrated, the counter flap 27 is located opposite the closure panel with respect to the flap. In addition, the counter flap has a trapezoid shape, the small base of which is defined by the fold line 28 and the large base by the locking edge 29.

  Furthermore, in order to reinforce the effectiveness of the locking, the closing flap 15 comprises, facing the closing panel 13, 14, at least one and, according to the example illustrated, two locking edges 30 arranged on the side and d 'other of the fold line 15, 16. According to the illustrated example, each locking edge 30 is defined by a cutout made in the locking panel 17, 18, so that, during assembly of the case, the edge 30 is located at a distance from edge 31 facing the closure panel 13, 14.

  According to the invention, the locking means further comprise, at at least one and, according to the illustrated example, two closing flaps 21, 22 and 23, 24 of each end E1 and E2, a edge 35 intended to form a stop surface for the locking edge 29 and, where appropriate, the locking edges 30, in the closed position of the closure panel 13, 14, as will appear later. According to the example illustrated, each stop surface 35 extends, from the corresponding fold line 19, 20, 25 and 26, over a distance d less than the length L of the corresponding locking edge 30. In addition, the stop surface 35 extends, from the closing flap 24, over a width I 30 strictly greater than the thickness e of the blank 1 at the locking flap. Preferably, the width I is greater than two or three times the thickness e of the blank 1.

  The blank 1 thus formed is used in the following manner to form the case, as illustrated in FIG. 1. First of all, the fold lines 6, 7, 8 and 10 are formed and the connecting strip 9 is fixed on the articulated panel 2, so as to impart its parallelepiped shape to the case body E. Then, the second end E2 of the case is closed by folding the closing flaps 21 and 22 towards the inside of the case. After folding the closing flap 18 along the fold line 16, the closing flap is raised, so as to engage the locking flap 18 in the space existing between the panel 2 and the closing flaps 21 and 22 Once this engagement has been completed, the closure panel 14 is then found to be substantially perpendicular to the articulated panels 2, 3, 4, 5, while the flap 18 is then in the locked position, as illustrated in FIG. 1. In this closed position, the surfaces 35 of the closing flaps 21 are then placed facing the locking edge 29 and, where appropriate, the locking edges 30 of the flap 18.

  In this pre-assembled state, the case according to the invention can then be loaded and the first end E1 will be closed as explained above for the second end E2.

  It should be noted that, in the locked state of the bottom closure panel 14, as illustrated in FIG. 1, when traction is exerted on the latter, the edge 20 29 and the edges 30 abut on the stop surfaces 35 of the closing flaps 21 and 22. Thus, it is necessary to exert a significant traction on panel 14 to open it. However, this traction, most often exerted on the lateral edges of the closure panel 14, results in their deformation, even their tearing, thus attesting to an attempt to open. Thus, the implementation of the locking means according to the invention makes it possible to strengthen the inviolability of the case 1 at a lower cost and to attest to its non-opening by the integrity of the zones of least resistance.

  In order to certify opening attempts, it is possible to provide components of the case having a lower resistance, so that, when they are stressed during an opening attempt, they are destroyed.

  Thus, fig. 3 illustrates an alternative embodiment of a precut blank for obtaining a case according to the invention.

  Thus, according to this alternative embodiment, the high closing flaps 23, 24 are separated from the articulated panels 2 and 3 by a pre-cut or lesser resistance line 40 which will yield when the high closing panel 13 is first opened. on the one hand, this rupture will attest to the opening of the case and, on the other hand, it will no longer be possible to keep the top closure panel 13 in the closed position.

  Furthermore, it should be noted that, according to this alternative embodiment, the closure flap 17 of the top closure panel does not include a locking edge, while the closure flap 18 of the bottom closure panel 14 comprises.

  Similarly, according to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, the top 13 and bottom 14 closure panels are not carried by the same hinged panel of the case body. Of course, the invention is not limited to the examples described above since various modifications can be made without departing from its scope. Thus, according to the examples described above, the two ends E1 and E2 of the tubular casing are provided with locking means in accordance with the invention. However, only the first end E1 of the case could be equipped with such locking means, the second end E2 being equipped with a different closure system or vice versa.

  Thus, according to the example illustrated in FIG. 4, only the bottom closing flap 14 is associated with locking means according to the invention. According to this example, the counter flap 27 has a rectangular shape and is linked to the closing flap 18 by a fold line 45 parallel to the fold lines 6, 7, 8.

  Furthermore, according to this example, the closure flap 18 is linked to the bottom closure panel by a line of weaker resistance 46 intended to break when the bottom closure panel is opened.

Claims (17)

  1 - Packaging case, obtained from a blank (1) precut and mounted, by folding, to include: ò a tubular envelope (E) with articulated panels (2, 3, 4, 5) provided with two ends ( El, E2), at least one first end (El) of which is open, ò at the first end (El) of the envelope, a closure panel (13) articulated on a panel (4) of the envelope (E) and provided with a closing flap (17) separated from the closing panel by a fold line, and at least one folding closing flap (23) articulated on another panel (3) of the envelope, characterized in that it comprises, at least at the first end of the envelope, locking means comprising: * at the flap of the closure panel (4) at least one locking counter-flap (27) which is counter-fixed on the internal face of the flap (17) and 15 which defines a locking edge (29) situated opposite the closure panel ( 13) and at a distance from the articulation line (15) of the flap on the closure panel (13), * and, at the closure flap (23), an edge (35) intended to form a stop surface for the locking edge (29) of the counter flap (27) in the closed position of the closure panel (13).   2 - packaging case according to claim 1, characterized in that each end (El, E2) of the envelope (E) is open and in that it comprises, at each end (El, E2) of the envelope, a closing panel (13, 14) and at least one closing flap (23, 21).   3 - packaging case according to claim 2, characterized in that it comprises locking means at each end (El, E2) of the envelope (E).   4 - packaging case according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the counter flap (27) is separated from the flap by a fold line (28, 45) and is folded against the closure flap (17).   - Packaging case according to claim 4, characterized in that the back flap (27) is located opposite the closure panel (13) relative to the flap (17). he   6 - packaging case according to claim 5, characterized in that the back flap (27) has a trapezoid shape whose small base is defined by the fold line (28) of the back flap and the large base by l locking edge (29).   7 - packaging case according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the closure flap (17) comprises, facing the closure panel (13), at least one locking edge and in that the the edge (29) for locking the counter-flap (27) is situated at the level of the locking edge of the flap.   8 - packaging case according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the closure flap (17) comprises two locking edges (30) arranged on either side of the fold line (15) separating the flap (17) from the closure panel (13) and in that the locking edge of the counter flap extends at the two locking edges of the flap.   9 - packaging case according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that at least one closing flap (23) is separated from the articulated panel which carries it 15 by a pre-cut line (40).   - Packaging case according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the locking means comprise two closing flaps (13, 14) which are articulated on panels (3, 5) opposite the envelope (E ) and which each define a stop surface (35) for the locking edge (29) of the locking counter flap (27).   11 - Pre-cut blank for making a packaging case according to one   claims 1 to 10, comprising at least:   * a series of articulated panels (2, 3, 4, 5), arranged one after the other, being separated by parallel fold lines (6, 7, 8), and intended to form the tubular envelope (E), * two closure panels (13, 14), each extending in the extension of an articulated panel (5) from which they are each separated by a fold line (11, 12), and being located on either side of the alignment of the articulated panels (2, 3, 4, 5) and each provided, opposite the articulated panel, with a closure flap 30 separated from the closure panel by a fold line , * and at least one closing flap (23) extending in the extension of an articulated panel (2) of the tubular casing (E) from which it is separated by a folding (25) parallel to and substantially aligned with the fold line (11) of the closure panel (13) located on the same side of the alignment of the hinged panels (2, 3, 4, 5) as the flap closure flap table (23), characterized in that it comprises, on the same side of the alignment of the articulated panels as the folding closing flap (23), locking means comprising: * at the closing panel (13), at least one locking counter flap (27) which is separated from the flap of the closure panel (13, 14) by a fold line (28), and which is intended to be counter-fixed on the internal face of the flap to define, facing the closure panel (4) and at a distance from the fold line separating the flap from the closure panel, at least one locking edge (29), ò and, at the closure flap (23 ), an edge (35) intended to form an abutment surface for the locking edge (29) in the closed position of the closure panel (13).   12 - Pre-cut blank according to claim 11, characterized in that it comprises, on either side of the alignment of the articulated panels (2, 3, 4, 5), at least at least one folding closing flap ( 23, 21) extending in the extension of an articulated panel (2, 3) of the tubular casing (E) from which it is separated by a fold line (19, 25) parallel to and substantially aligned with the line folding (11, 12) of the closure panel (13, 14) situated on the same side of the alignment of the articulated panels (2, 3, 4, 5) as said folding closure flap (21, 23).   13 - blank precut according to claim 12, characterized in that it comprises on either side of the alignment of the panels hinged to the two closing flaps (21, 22, 23, 24).   14 - Pre-cut blank according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that it comprises, on either side of the alignment of hinged panels, locking means. - Pre-cut blank according to one of claims 1 1 to 14, characterized in that the counter flap (27), constituting the locking means, is located opposite the closure panel (13, 14) relative to to the closing flap (17, 18).   16 - Pre-cut blank according to claim 15, characterized in that the counter-flap (27) has a trapezoid shape whose small base is defined by the fold line (28) separating the counter-flap (27) of the flap (17, 18) and the large base is formed by the locking edge (29).   17 - precut blank according to one of claims 11 to 16, characterized in that the locking means comprise, at the flap (17, 18), at least one locking edge (30) located opposite the closure panel (13, 14).   18 - precut blank according to claim 17, characterized in that the flap (17, 18) comprises two locking edges (30) located opposite the closure panel (13, 14) and on either side of the line folding (15, 16) separating the flap (17, 18) from the closure panel (13, 14).   19 - Pre-cut blank according to claim 17 or 18, characterized in that the locking edge (29) is located at the level of the locking edge or edges (30) of the flap (17, 18).   - Pre-cut blank according to one of claims 11 to 19, characterized in that the flap (18), carrying the counter-flap (27), is separated by a pre-cut line (45) 15 of the closing flap (14) .   21 - Pre-cut blank according to one of claims 11 to 20, characterized in that at least one of the closing flaps (23, 24) constituting the locking means is separated from the articulated panel (2, 4) which carries it by a precut line (40).