GB2473442A

GB2473442A - Packaging for a beverage fount

Info

Publication number: GB2473442A
Application number: GB0915762A
Authority: GB
Inventors: William Johnston; Jason Andrew Johnston
Original assignee: MICROFLOW EUROP Ltd
Current assignee: MICROFLOW EUROP Ltd
Priority date: 2009-09-09
Filing date: 2009-09-09
Publication date: 2011-03-16
Also published as: GB0915762D0

Abstract

A unit of packaging 1 for transporting and protecting a beverage fount 6. The unit of packaging 1 defines an at least partially enclosed space for receiving a fount 6 and anchor means 5 to which a retention means 8 may be secured to enable the retention means 8 to retain a fount 6 relative to the unit of packaging 1. The unit of packaging 1 may have three sidewalls 2, 3, 4 arranged to define a space of substantially triangular cross section. The anchor means 5 may be one or more slots formed in one or more sidewalls 2, 3, 4 and the retention means 8 may be one or more cable ties, cards, lengths of wire, elastic bands, etc. A method of packaging a beverage fount within such a unit of packaging 1 is also disclosed. The method may include the step of stacking a number of like packages by virtue of the triangular cross section. The packaging 1 may have a handle 7.

Description

I

Packaging and transportation of beverage founts The present invention relates to beverage founts (or fonts) and to their packaging and transportation.

Throughout the brewing industry, the manufacture of beverage dispensing equipment has become a costly exercise. With product placement on the bar being of paramount sales importance, beverage founts have become more elaborate in design and function and therefore more costly to service and replace.

Beverage founts such as beer founts are typically found in public houses, bars, clubs and other venues for entertainment purposes where it is desirable to serve a large number of people with beverages. Beverage founts are also increasingly used at special one off events such as concerts or sporting events where temporary marquees or kiosks are erected for the supply of soft beverages and alcoholié beverages. For both fixed and temporary venues (which can be in very remote areas), the provision and setup of these beverage dispensing locations involves the mass transit of beverage founts to and from the location.

Conventionally, beverage founts are simply placed or thrown into the back of a van and taken to a desired location to be installed or serviced, as the case may be.

The handling of the beverage founts in this way often results in the beverage founts becoming scratched and damaged. Not only does this affect the appearance of the beverage founts but it can also render the beverage founts inoperable thereby requiring that they be repaired or replaced. This is undesirable because beverage founts can cost upwards of �30 to replace and are unavailable for use when undergoing repair.

It is an object of the present invention to provide low cost, reusable packaging for a beverage fount and a method of transporting beverage founts that overcome or at least mitigate some of the disadvantages of conventional handling systems.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a unit of packaging for a beverage fount, the unit of packaging defining an at least partially enclosed space for receiving a fount and anchor means to which a retention means may be secured to enable the retention means to retain a fount relative to the unit of packaging.

Founts retained within the enclosed space of the packaging are therefore less susceptible to damage and are more likely to be handled with care, Using protective packaging to transport founts to and from a location also reduces the likelihood of the founts being lost or misplaced. In addition, using the same unit of packaging to transport a beverage fount to or from a location reduces waste and is better for the environment.

The unit of packaging may be of a shape and configuration that enables a plurality of units of packaging to be stacked in a space saving manner.

The anchor means may comprise one or more apertures. The anchor means may comprise one or more slots. The retention means may comprise a length of material that may form a closed loop via two cooperating means at the respective ends of the length of material. The retention means may be one or more ties, e.g. plastic ties. Alternatively, the retention means may be one or more bands. The bands may be elastic bands. Alternatively, the retention means may be one or more cords. The retention means may be one or more lengths of wire.

The unit of packaging may comprise one or more walls which may be arranged to define the space. The unit of packaging may comprise three waIls, at least two of which are inclined toward one another to define the space. The three walls may be arranged to form a space of substantially triangular cross section.

There may be at least one anchor means in one or more walls of the unit of packaging. There may be a plurality of anchor means distributed across at least one wall of the unit of packaging.

The unit of packaging may be formed from a single sheet of material that has been bent or folded at two points along the length or width of the sheet to form two sidewalls and a base wall. The free ends of the sidewalls opposite the folds may be affixed to one another. The free ends may be affixed to one another via mutually cooperating features or an adhesive.

The material from which the unit of packaging is made may be corrugated.

The unit of packaging may be made from a resilient material. The unit of packaging may be made from a plastics material. Alternatively, the packaging may be made from cardboard. The material may be any colour or range of colours.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of packaging a beverage fount comprising the steps of: providing a unit of packaging defining an at least partially enclosed space for receiving a fount and anchor means to which a retention means may be secured; placing a beverage fount at least partially within the space defined by the unit of packaging; and arranging the one or more retention means such that if they retain the beverage fount relative to the packaging, and is/are secured to the anchor means.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of packaging a beverage fount comprising the steps of: providing a sheet of material comprising one or more anchor means; placing a beverage fount on the sheet and retaining the fount relative to the sheet with one or more retention means via the one or more anchor means; and bringing free ends of the sheet together to form a unit of packaging defining an at least partially enclosed space in which the fount is disposed.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of transporting a plurality of beverage founts comprising the steps of: providing a first unit of packaging defining an at least partially enclosed space within which a beverage fount is retained relative to the packaging via one or more retention means; arranging the first unit of packaging such that it is mounted on a surface; providing a second unit of packaging defining an at least partially enclosed space within which a beverage fount is retained relative to the packaging via one or more retention means; and arranging the second unit of packaging on the surface relative to the first unit of packaging such that a space is defined therebetween, the space therebetween corresponding to that defined by a unit of packaging.

A third unit of packaging may be arranged to sit within the space defined by the first and second units of packaging such that the third unit of packaging is supported by the first and second units of packaging.

The first and second units of packaging may contact one another.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood embodiments thereof will now be described, by way of examp1e with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a unit of packaging according to a first aspect of the invention together with a beverage fount; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the packaging shown in Fig. I without a beverage fount; Fig. 3 is an end view of the packaging shown in Fig. I; Fig. 4 is a side view of the packaging shown in Fig. 1; Fig. S is an underplan view of the packaging shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a plan view of the packaging shown in Fig. I. Fig. 7 is an end view of the packaging shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 8 is an underplan view of the packaging shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 9 is an end view of three units of packaging shown in Fig. I when in a stacked configuration; Fig. 10 is a plan view of the net of the unit of packaging shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the net of the unit of packaging ready to receive a beverage fount; Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the packaging shown in Fig. 11 with a beverage fount placed on a wall of the packaging; Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the packaging and fount shown in Fig. 12 with retention means around the beverage fount; and Fig. 14 is a perspective view of the packaging and beverage fount shown in Fig. 13 when the sidewalls have been arranged such that the packaging encloses the beverage fount along part of its length.

Referring to Fig. 1, there is shown a single unit of protective packaging I made from corrugated plastics material comprising a base wall 2 and two sidewalls 3, 4. Three evenly distributed pairs 20, 22, 24 of apertures 5 are formed in the base wall 2. The base wall 2 and sidewalls 3, 4 are formed from a single shect of corrugated plastics material, as shown in Fig. 10, by folding the sheet along lines 9, 10 to form two substantially parallel folds in the sheet material each an approximately equal distance from the sheet ends.

The unit of packaging I is formed by folding the two sidewalls 3, 4 together, such that their free ends touch, and then fixing them together using an adhesive, fastening means 11 or both. The fastening means 11 may comprise two flaps arranged near the end of one sidewall 3 and two correspondingly sized and positioned slits near the end of the other sidewall 4 which accept the flaps and serve to fix the two free ends together.

The space formed by the unit of packaging I when in the assembled state, as shown in Figs I and 2, is of a size suitable to accept a typical beverage fount 6 along its length. The walls 2, 3, 4 of the packaging 1 are sized and configured such that the packaging 1, when in the assembled state, can accept all or most of the length, and the full girth of a beverage fount 6. Therefore, when a beverage fount 6 is inserted into the packaging I along its length, it is substantially enclosed along all or most of its length by the walls 2, 3, 4 of the packaging and protected from external objects.

Referring to Figs 5 and 8, the apertures 5 in the base wall 2 of the packaging I provide a series of evenly distributed anchor points via which a beverage fount 6 may be retained in place within the walls 2, 3, 4 of the packaging 1. The apertures 5 are sized and shaped to permit one or more plastic ties 8 to be inserted into the internal space of the packaging 1.

An aperture 7 is formed in the top of each of the sidewalls 3, 4 of the unit of packaging 1 such that when the two sidewalls 3, 4 are connected together, the apertures 7 align to form a handle through the top of the unit of packaging 1. The handle provides a convenient means for transporting the unit of packaging 1 by hand.

In use, the unit of packaging I is laid flat open as shown in Fig. 11 and a beverage fount 6, which is wrapped in a protective plastic bag or bubble wrap, is placed lengthways across the base wall 2 of the unit of packaging 1, as shown in Fig. 12. A plastic tie 8 of conventional form is placed over the beverage fount 6, the free ends of the plastic tie 8 are passed through respective apertures 5 of a pair of apertures 20, fastened together and tightened around the beverage fount 6 to secure the beverage fount 6 relative to the unit of packaging 1. The process of forming closed loops using plastic ties 8 around the beverage fount 6 and through the base wall 2 of the packaging 1 is repeated at each pair of apertures 5, The two side walls 3, 4 of the unit of packaging I are then folded up toward each other, either side of the beverage fount 6, and the fastening means 11 are interlocked to hold the two side walls 3, 4 together. In this arrangement, the beverage fount 6 is safely protected within walls of the unit of packaging 1 ready for transport to a desired location.

Alternatively, the sidewalls 3, 4 could be folded up toward one another and fixed together via the fastening means II prior to packing the beverage fount 6. Thus, the beverage fount 6 could be inserted into the space defined by the unit of packaging 1, the plastic ties 8 could be placed around the beverage fount 6, passed through respective apertures 5 of a pair of apertures 20, fastened together and tightened around the beverage fount 6 to retain the fount 6 relative to the packaging 1.

When at a desired location, the ties 8 are cut or disconnected and the beverage fount 6 is removed from the packaging 1 for installation or repair. The same beverage fount 6 or a different beverage fount may then be placed back into the unit of packaging I and secured in the same way ready for transportation to! another desired location. The unit of packaging I therefore provides a cheap, reusable means for safely and securely transporting beverage founts from location to location.

When it is desirable to transport a plurality of beverage founts, a unit of packaging 1 is provided for each respective beverage fount 6. Each beverage fount 6 is secured to a respective unit of packaging I in a manner as hereinbefore described.

When all beverage founts 6 are securely held in place within a respective unit of packaging 1, they can be mounted into the back of a lorry or other transportation device.

The units of packaging may be stacked in interfitting layers as shown in Fig. 9.

This ihvolves placing two units of packaging 1 on a supporting surface 30 such as the base of the back of a lorry so that the units of packaging 1 are supported in an upright orientation. The two units of packaging I are placed adjacent one another so that a folded edge 9 or 10 of one unit of packaging is substantially parallel to a folded edge 9 or 10 of the other unit of packaging. The two units of packaging I are arranged so that the two respective edges 9> 10 are touching or in close proximity to one another relative to the widths of their base walls 2.

Arranging two units of packaging 1 in this way gives rise to a space between the two facing sidewalls 3 or 4 of the packaging. Since the units of packaging I share similar dimensions, this space is of a shape and configuration suitable for receiving a third unit of packaging I that has been inverted. The supporting sidewalls 3 or 4 of the two units of paókaging 1 are able to hold the third unit of packaging I securely in place. In this orientation, the base wall 2 of the third unit of packaging 1 provides a surface which is substantially parallel to the supporting surface 30 on which the two other units of packaging I are mounted. Thus, another unit of packaging I may be mounted on the base wall 2 of the third unit of packaging I. This interlocking arrangement can be repeated across the length, breadth and height of a transporting space, such as the back of a lorry, so as to provide rows of units of packaging I thereby maximising the space. A unit of packaging 1 of substantially triangular cross-section therefore permits the mass transit of a large number of beverage founts in a safe and secure manner.

It is of course to be understood that the above embodiments have been described by way of example only and that many variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A unit of packaging for a beverage fount, the unit of packaging defining an at least partially enclosed space for receiving a fount and anchor means to which a retention means may be secured to enable the retention means to retain a fount relative to the unit of packaging.
2. A unit of packaging as claimed in claim I, wherein it is shaped and configured to enable a plurality of units of packaging to be stacked in a space saving manner.
3. A unit of packaging as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the anchor C means comprises one or more apertures. r
4. A unit of packaging as claimed in claim 3, wherein the apertures are slots.

O
5. A unit of packaging as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the retention means comprises one or more bands.
6. A unit of packaging as claimed in claim 5, wherein the bands are elastic bands.
7. A unit of packaging as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the retention means comprises a length of material that may form a closed loop via two cooperating means at the respective ends of the length of material.
8. A unit of packaging as claimed in claim 7, wherein the length of material is a plastic tie.
9. A unit of packaging as claimed in any of claims I to 4, wherein the retention means comprises one or more cords.
10. A unit of packaging as claimed in any of claims I to 4, wherein the retention means comprises one or more lengths of wire.
11. A unit of packaging as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising one or more walls arranged to define the space.
12. A unit of packaging as claimed in claim 11, comprising three walls, at least two of which are inclined toward one another to define the space.
13. A unit of packaging as claimed in claim 12, wherein the three walls are arranged to form a space of substantially triangular cross section.
14. A unit of packaging as claimed in any of claims 11 to 13, wherein one or more walls comprises at least one anchor means.
15. A unit of packaging as claimed in claim 14, wherein at least one wall 0 comprises a plurality of anchor means distributed across the wall.
16. A unit of packaging as claimed in any of claims 11 to 15, formed from a single O sheet of material which is bent or folded at two points along the length or width of the sheet to form two sidewalls and a base wall.
17. A unit of packaging as claimed in claim 16, wherein the two sidewalls have free ends opposite the folds which are affixed to one another.
18. A unit of packaging as claimed in claim 17, wherein the free ends are affixed to one another via mutually cooperating features or an adhesive.
19. A unit of packaging as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the packaging is made from a material which is comigated,
20. A unit of packaging as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the packaging is made from a resilient material.
21. A unit of packaging as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the packaging is made from plastics material.
22. A unit of packaging as claimed in any of claims 1 to 21, wherein the packaging is made from cardboard.
23. A unit of packaging as substantially hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
24. A method of packaging a beverage fount comprising the steps of: providing a unit of packaging defming an at least partially enclosed space for receiving a fount and anchor means to which one or more retention means may be secured; placing a beverage fount at least partially within the space defined by the unit o of packaging; and arranging the one or more retention means such that they retain the beverage C) 0 fount relative to the packaging and is/are secured to the anchor means.0)
25. A method of packaging a beverage fount comprising the steps of: providing a sheet of material comprising one or more anchor means; placing a beverage fount on the sheet and retaining the fount relative to the sheet with one or more retention means via the one or more anchor means; and bringing two free ends of the sheet together to form a unit of packaging defining an at least partially enclosed space in which the fount is disposed.
26. A method of transporting a plurality of beverage founts comprising the steps of: providing a first unit of packaging defining an at least partially enclosed space within which a beverage fount is retained relative to the packaging via one or more retention means; arranging the first unit of packaging such that it is mounted on a surface; providing a second unit of packaging defining an at least partially enclosed space within which a beverage fount is retained relative to the packaging via one or more retention means; and arranging the second unit of packaging on the surface relative to the first unit of packaging such that a space is defined therebetween, the space therebetween corresponding to that defined by a unit of packaging.
27. A method as claimed in claim 26, further comprising the step of arranging a third unit of packaging to sit within the space defined by the first and second units of packaging such that the third unit of packaging is supported by the O first and second units of packaging. r a) a)