WO2011048462A1

WO2011048462A1 - Packet for product sticks

Info

Publication number: WO2011048462A1
Application number: PCT/IB2010/002657
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sergio Mezzini
Original assignee: Eutecha SRL
Current assignee: Eutecha SRL
Priority date: 2009-10-19
Filing date: 2010-10-15
Publication date: 2011-04-28
Anticipated expiration: 2012-04-19
Also published as: IT1395988B1; ITBO20090674A1; EP2490953A1

Abstract

This invention relates to a packet for containing products in stick form and designed to present the products in a matter especially convenient for them to be picked by the user. To this end, the pocket contains at least two groups of sticks (401,402) and compromises means for off setting the lower group relative to the upper group.

Description

PACKET FOR PRODUCT STICKS

Technical Field

This invention relates to a packet for containing products in the form of sticks, in particular for the confectionery sector, such as chewing gum sticks or chocolates, in particular, wrapped sticks.

Background Art

Packets for chewing gum sticks are known, which comprise a cardboard box for containing the sticks. The sticks are placed side by side along the longer, narrower edge to form a group. These packets contain two groups, the first abutting against the rear wall of the packet and the second exactly superposed over the first. In these packets, picking the sticks from the second group, that is, the one under the first, is quite awkward until all the sticks in the group before it have been removed. Disclosure of the Invention

This invention provides a packet for containing product sticks, containing at least two groups of sticks arranged in overlapping fashion inside the packet, characterized in that it comprises means for offsetting the lower group relative to the upper group.

A packet is thus obtained which, once opened, presents the groups of sticks in such a way that the two groups are equally accessible, allowing any stick to be picked either from the group at the front or from the group at the back.

Brief Description of the Drawings

These and other characteristics of the invention may be clearly inferred from the preferred embodiments described below purely by way of example and without limiting the scope of protection.

Figure 1 shows a product stick; Figure 2 shows a group of sticks;

Figure 3 shows a group of sticks partly wrapped in a secondary wrapping; Figure 4 shows the packet open;

Figure 5 shows the packet closed, with some parts transparent and the product showing through;

Figure 6 shows a cross section through the middle of the packet when closed;

Figure 7 is a plan view of the blank used to make the packet. Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments of the Invention

Figure 1 shows a product stick 100, such as a stick of chewing gum, chocolate or other confectionery product.

The stick has two main faces 101 and 102, larger in size than all the others, two faces 103 and 104, referred to as end faces, smaller in size than all the others, and two lateral faces 105 and 106, referred to as long edges.

In one particular embodiment, the stick is wrapped in a primary wrapping. This wrapping may be a sheet folded around the stick or a sheet folded and sealed around the stick according to methods well known to experts in the trade.

The primary wrapping may be made of paper, paraffin paper, plastic, metallic foil or any combination of these materials.

The packet according to the invention contains two groups of sticks.

Each group 200 of sticks comprises at least two sticks 100 placed side by side, as shown for example in Figure 2.

The main top face 201 of the group and the main bottom face 202 of the group are defined as the two faces of the group 200 coinciding with the set of the main faces 101, 102 of the sticks the group is composed of, the end faces 203 and 204 of the group as the two faces coinciding with the set of the end faces 103 and 104 of the sticks the group is composed of, and the lateral faces 205 and 206 of the group are the remaining two faces.

The thickness t of the group of sticks is defined as the smallest dimension of the group of sticks.

In one particular embodiment of the packet, the group 200 of sticks placed side by side is retained by a sheet 301, which forms a secondary wrapping 300 adhering to the group 200. In a first preferred embodiment of it, shown in Figure 3, the sheet is in the form of a pocket which covers the group of sticks on 5 sides. In a second preferred embodiment, not illustrated, the wrapping sheet is in the form of a sleeve which covers the group on 4 sides. In other preferred embodiments not illustrated, the wrapping sheet may be placed round 2 or 3 sides of the wrapped product or it may be attached to only one face of the group. In yet another preferred embodiment, not illustrated, the wrapping sheet covers the group completely. The wrapping sheet may be made of paper, paraffin paper, metallic foil, plastic or any combination of these materials.

Figure 4 shows the first preferred embodiment of the packet in the open condition, that is to say, in the condition it is in when sticks are being picked from it, with the bottom face of the upper group 401 partly adjacent to the top face of the lower group 402.

The two groups are offset so that the sticks in the lower group can be picked from the packet even without picking the sticks in the upper group.

According to advantageous aspects, the packet has a lid 403 for protecting the sticks when the packet is closed, as shown in Figure 5.

According to further advantageous aspects, the packet can be made with a single piece of material. The material may be paperboard, paper, plastic, foil or any combination of these or equivalent materials.

Figure 7 shows a first preferred embodiment of a single blank used to make the packet just described. The blank comprises a "rear panel" 703 which forms the rear wall of the packet and to the four sides of which the following are connected: two "lateral panels" 703L1 and 703R1, which form the two side walls of the packet and to which the "front lateral panels" 703L2 and 703R2 are in turn connected, respectively, on the side opposite that where the panel 703 is connected; the "top closing panel" 702, from which the "front closing panel" 701 extends on the side opposite that where the panel 703 is connected; and, lastly, the "lower panel" 704, which forms the lower wall of the packet and from which the "front containment panel" 705 extends on the side opposite that where the panel 703 is connected.

This set of panels suitably folded and joined to each other by adhesion means placed between the panels 703L2 and 705 and the panels 703R2 and 705, form a known container.

The thickness of the packet is defined as the smallest dimension of the side walls.

In the specific preferred embodiment, the blank comprises a further set of panels, the first of which, called "return panel" 706, extends from the front panel 705 across the crease line 70506, opposite the connecting line between the panel 705 and the panel 704. The panel 706 is substantially equivalent in width to the panel 705 and also in length to the same panel 705.

In a second preferred embodiment of the packet, the width of the panel 706 is smaller than the width of the packet.

From the panel 706 and across the crease line 70607, on the side opposite the crease line 70506, there extends the "lower base panel" 707. The latter panel is substantially the same in width as the packet and substantially equivalent in thickness t to the upper layer.

In a second preferred embodiment of the packet, the width of the panel 707 is smaller than the width of the packet.

From the panel 707 and across the crease line 70708, on the side opposite the crease line 70607, there extends the "offsetting panel" 708. The latter panel is substantially the same in width as the packet and its length is equal to the desired offset between the two groups of sticks.

In a second preferred embodiment of the packet, the width of the panel 708 is smaller than the width of the packet.

From the panel 708 and across the crease line 70809, on the side opposite the crease line 70708, there extends the "upper base panel" 709. The latter panel is substantially the same in width as the packet and substantially equivalent in thickness t to the lower layer.

In a second preferred embodiment of the packet, the width of the panel 709 is smaller than the width of the packet.

From the panel 709 and across the crease line 70910, on the side opposite the crease line 70809, there extends the "connecting panel" 710.

As may be observed in Figure 6, which shows a cross section through the middle of the packet, the "connecting panel" 710 is joined by adhesion means, such as hot-melt glue, cold glue or other adhesive means, to the inside of the rear panel 703.

In a preferred embodiment, the "connecting panel" 710 is joined to the rear panel 703 in such a way that the distance between the crease line 70910 and the crease line connecting the rear panel 703 to the lower panel 704 is substantially equal to the length of the panel 708.

This type of connection, when the packet is erected, makes it possible for the "lower base panel" 709 to form a surface perpendicular to the rear wall of the packet, or to the lower panel 704, and which constitutes a means of stopping the lower group 402 of sticks, allowing it to be kept offset from the upper group 401 which rests on the "lower base panel" 707.

According to further advantageous aspects, in order to stiffen the packet, adhesive means may be interposed between the inside walls of the panels of the panels 705 and 706 and between the inside walls of the panels 704 and 707.

Considering the panel folding sequence for erecting the packet, the crease 70607, 70708 and 70910 may be made on the side opposite all the other creases, or formed by a weakening line such as a half cut or a cut half way through the depth of the material the blank is made of.

The invention thus provides a packet for containing two superposed groups of sticks and featuring means for offsetting the group at the back relative to the one at the front in such a way that the sticks can be easily picked from the group at the back even when all the sticks in the group at the front are still present.

Moreover, all the embodiments of the packet according to the invention are easy to make by machine and require limited amounts of material, with obvious advantages in terms of reduced production costs.

The packets illustrated herein are used for descriptive purposes only without limiting the field of application of the invention.

Modifications and extensions may be developed on the basis of the teachings hereof and of the current state of the art and such modifications and extensions are deemed to be within the scope of this present invention.

Claims

1) A packet for containing product sticks, containing at least two groups of sticks arranged in overlapping fashion inside the packet, characterized in that it comprises means for offsetting the lower group relative to the upper group.

2) The packet according to claim 1, characterized in that said means are in the form of an "upper base panel" obtained from the same blank as that used to make the packet.

3) The packet according to claim 1 or 2, made from a blank and characterized in that said blank comprises at least one "rear panel", one "lower panel", one "front containment panel", two "side panels" and two "front side panels".

4) The packet according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the "upper base panel" is connected by a crease line to an "adhesion panel".

5) The packet according to any of the claims from 2 to 4, characterized in that adhesion means are provided between the "adhesion panel" and the rear wall of the packet.

6) The packet according to any of the claims from 2 to 5, characterized in that the "upper base panel" is connected by a crease line to an "offsetting panel" whose length is substantially equal to the offset of the two groups of sticks.

7) The packet according to any of the claims from 2 to 6, characterized in that the "offsetting panel" is connected by a crease line to a "lower base panel".

8) The packet according to any of the claims from 2 to 7, characterized in that the "lower base panel" is connected by a crease line to a "return panel".

9) The packet according to any of the claims from 2 to 8, characterized in that the "return panel" is connected by a crease line to a "front containment panel".

10) The packet according to any of the claims from 2 to 9, characterized in that one end face of the lower group of sticks abuts the "upper base panel".

11) The packet according to any of the claims from 2 to 10, characterized in that one end face of the upper group of sticks abuts the "lower base panel".

12) The packet according to any of the claims from 2 to 11, characterized in that a main face of the upper group of sticks at least partially abuts the "return panel". 13) The packet according to any of the claims from 2 to 12, characterized in that the length of the "lower base panel" is substantially equal to the thickness t of the upper group of sticks. 14) The packet according to any of the claims from 2 to 13, characterized in that the length of the "upper base panel" is substantially equal to the thickness t of the lower group of sticks.

15) The packet according to any of the claims from 2 to 14, characterized in that the length of the "upper base panel" is substantially equal to half the thickness of the packet.

16) The packet according to any of the claims from 2 to 15, characterized in that the "upper base panel" is positioned substantially at right angles to the rear wall of the packet.

17) The packet according to any of the claims from 2 to 16, characterized in that the "lower base panel" is connected by suitable adhesion means to the lower wall of the packet.

18) The packet according to any of the claims from 2 to 17, characterized in that once the packet has been erected, the "return panel" is adjacent to the "front containment panel".

19) The packet according to any of the claims from 2 to 18, characterized in that adhesion means are provided between the "return panel" and the "front containment panel".

20) The packet according to any of the claims from 2 to 19, characterized in that the "return panel" is substantially equal in length to the "front containment panel".

21) The packet according to any of the foregoing claims from 2 to 20, wherein the packet is obtained from a single blank.