GB2064484A - Article-supporting elements - Google Patents

Abstract

An element for supporting articles in a carton comprises a sheet 1 of cardboard, apertures (2, figure 3, not shown) therein, and a film (6) of cold-distendible plastics material extending over the apertures (2). Articles 7 can be pressed through the apertures (2) to form supporting pockets. The sheet 1 can be printed with decorative or advertising matter. The element may constitute a tray, or be a flap foldable inwards from a wall of a carton so that the apertures (2) receive, e.g., bottles. The film is preferably non-oriented polypropylene. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Cartons The invention relates to cartons suitable for the storage and/or point-of-sale display or articles of merchandise.

It is well known for such displays to be on a tray of plastics material vacuum-formed with recesses for supporting the articles. This is relatively expensive, and the trays are unsuitable for printing with decorative or advertising matter. Articles such as bottles can similarly be supported by a flap folding inwards from a wall of a carton and surrounding an upper part such as a neck of the article.

The invention provides an element for supporting articles in a carton comprising a sheet of cardboard, a number of apertures for articles therein, and a film of cold-distendible plastics material adhering to the cardboard and extending across the apertures. The plastics material is stretched to the shape of the articles by pressing the articles, or a former having the shape thereof, into position in the apertures before or on use by the manufacturer or user of the carton. Such an element can be inexpensive, and printed with decorative or advertising matter around the apertures.

The element may taken the form of a tray, or a blank therefor, for positioning in a carton having a transparent cover. Alternatively, the element may itself be part of a carton, for example a flap foldable inwards from a wall so that the aperture or apertures pass over the necks of bottles, the plastics material being distended and helping to secure the bottles. The elements may be massproduced by stamping from a pile of sheets of cardboard, printing and adhering the plastics film in any order. They can then be made up into the desired shape. The plastics film may be adhered to either side of the cardboard.

- The plastics film may for example be unoriented polypropylene from 25 to 100 microns thick.

Drawings The drawings illustrate in sequence the operations of making and using a tray according to the invention supporting cosmetics articles for insertion in a gift carton; Figure 1 is a plan of a cardboard blank cut to shape; Figure 2 is a film of cold-distendible film for adhesion to the blank of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows the film of Figure 2 glued to the blank of Figure 1; Figure 4 shows the blank of Figure 3 folded and glued into the shape of a tray, with articles poised above the apertures ready for pressing into the film; Figure 5 shows the articles pressed into place; and Figure 6 shows the back of the tray of Figure 5.

Working through the sequence of Figures, a sheet 1 of cardboard has a number of apertures 2 cut therein and surrounded by cuts 3 and fold lines 4. A film 6 of cold-distendible plastics material is glued to the carbdboard sheet 1 and extends across the apertures 2. The lines 4 are folded and the blank is glued into the shape of a tray (Figure 4).

Articles 7, having the same outline in plan as the apertures 2, are pressed into the colddistendible film 6, which is stretched thereby to adopt the shape of the lower part of the articles.

The tray is then ready for insertion into a carton having a window through which the articles and any surrounding printed matter can be seen.

1. An element for supporting articles in a carton comprising a sheet of cardboard, a number of apertures for articles therein, and a film of colddistendible plastics material adhering to the cardboard and extending across the apertures.

2. An element according to claim 1 which is a tray having articles pressed in the apertures and ready for positioning in a carton.

3. A method of producing an element according to claim 1 which comprises cutting apertures in a pile of sheets of cardboard, printing on the cardboard and adhering cold-distendible plastics film to the cardboard and across the apertures.

4. A method according to claim 3 of producing a tray according to claim 2 which includes pressing the articles into the apertures.

5. A method of producing an element or tray for supporting articles as herein described with reference to the drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (5)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Cartons The invention relates to cartons suitable for the storage and/or point-of-sale display or articles of merchandise. It is well known for such displays to be on a tray of plastics material vacuum-formed with recesses for supporting the articles. This is relatively expensive, and the trays are unsuitable for printing with decorative or advertising matter. Articles such as bottles can similarly be supported by a flap folding inwards from a wall of a carton and surrounding an upper part such as a neck of the article. The invention provides an element for supporting articles in a carton comprising a sheet of cardboard, a number of apertures for articles therein, and a film of cold-distendible plastics material adhering to the cardboard and extending across the apertures. The plastics material is stretched to the shape of the articles by pressing the articles, or a former having the shape thereof, into position in the apertures before or on use by the manufacturer or user of the carton. Such an element can be inexpensive, and printed with decorative or advertising matter around the apertures. The element may taken the form of a tray, or a blank therefor, for positioning in a carton having a transparent cover. Alternatively, the element may itself be part of a carton, for example a flap foldable inwards from a wall so that the aperture or apertures pass over the necks of bottles, the plastics material being distended and helping to secure the bottles. The elements may be massproduced by stamping from a pile of sheets of cardboard, printing and adhering the plastics film in any order. They can then be made up into the desired shape. The plastics film may be adhered to either side of the cardboard. - The plastics film may for example be unoriented polypropylene from 25 to 100 microns thick. Drawings The drawings illustrate in sequence the operations of making and using a tray according to the invention supporting cosmetics articles for insertion in a gift carton; Figure 1 is a plan of a cardboard blank cut to shape; Figure 2 is a film of cold-distendible film for adhesion to the blank of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows the film of Figure 2 glued to the blank of Figure 1; Figure 4 shows the blank of Figure 3 folded and glued into the shape of a tray, with articles poised above the apertures ready for pressing into the film; Figure 5 shows the articles pressed into place; and Figure 6 shows the back of the tray of Figure 5. Working through the sequence of Figures, a sheet 1 of cardboard has a number of apertures 2 cut therein and surrounded by cuts 3 and fold lines 4. A film 6 of cold-distendible plastics material is glued to the carbdboard sheet 1 and extends across the apertures 2. The lines 4 are folded and the blank is glued into the shape of a tray (Figure 4). Articles 7, having the same outline in plan as the apertures 2, are pressed into the colddistendible film 6, which is stretched thereby to adopt the shape of the lower part of the articles. The tray is then ready for insertion into a carton having a window through which the articles and any surrounding printed matter can be seen. CLAIMS

1. An element for supporting articles in a carton comprising a sheet of cardboard, a number of apertures for articles therein, and a film of colddistendible plastics material adhering to the cardboard and extending across the apertures.

2. An element according to claim 1 which is a tray having articles pressed in the apertures and ready for positioning in a carton.

3. A method of producing an element according to claim 1 which comprises cutting apertures in a pile of sheets of cardboard, printing on the cardboard and adhering cold-distendible plastics film to the cardboard and across the apertures.

4. A method according to claim 3 of producing a tray according to claim 2 which includes pressing the articles into the apertures.

5. A method of producing an element or tray for supporting articles as herein described with reference to the drawings.