GB2532029A - Pet food packaging carrier - Google Patents

Abstract

A stackable and nestable carrier suitable for the transportation or storage of flanged food containers, the carrier having a web 1 defining a series of receptacles for storing the containers such that the flange overlies the web, the receptacles having side walls 3, the side walls having a series of ribs 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 and channels or grooves 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, the locations of the ribs and grooves being arranged such that in one position the carrier will stack with an identical carrier and in a second position, rotating in a horizontal plane, the carrier will nest with a same carrier. The rotation between positions may be 180 degrees. The ribs and channels may be asymmetrical about the axis of rotation. The array of receptacles may be rectangular. The food containers may contain specifically pet food.

Description

PET FOOD PACKAGING CARRIER

This invention relates to a carrier for packaging cartons of pet food, particularly but not exclusively dog food or cat food, which enables the carriers containing the cartons to be stacked for transportation and storage and which also allows empty cartons to be stacked in o a nested arrangement to save space during storage and transportation of the empty carriers Pet food supplied in tins may be packed onto shallow carriers. These may take the form of cardboard trays because the tins have sufficient integral strength to allow them to be stacked while supporting their own weight. However, pet food is also commonly supplied in foil packs. These may take the form of generally square foil trays having an upper peripheral flange sealed with a peelable foil cover releasably secured to the flange. Such a pack may not resist external pressure and may be deformed or even burst open if external force is applied, for example, by stacking the containers. Therefore, such packs cannot be safely stacked without external support.

According to the present invention, a stackable and nestable carrier for transportation or storage of an array of food containers, wherein the containers each comprise an upwardly opening foil tray having an upper peripheral flange and a peelable cover secured to the flange; the carrier comprising a multiplicity of upwardly opening receptacles connected by a web to form an array of receptacles; wherein each receptacle is configured to receive said container with the flange overlying the web; wherein at least a plurality of the receptacles comprise one or more side walls which 30 are deformed outwardly to form an upwardly opening channel on an inner surface of the side wall and a corresponding upwardly extending rib on the outer surface of the side wall; wherein two adjacent identical carriers may be arranged with a second tray above a first tray in first and second orientations, wherein in the first orientation the locations of the ribs of a second carrier correspond to locations of the channels of a first carrier, so that each 35 rib may be received in a channel, so that the second carrier may be nested within the first carrier; and wherein the second carrier may be rotated in a horizontal plane to a second position relative to the first carrier, wherein the ribs do not coincide with the channels, so that the first carrier supports the second carrier in spaced relation thereto In the second position the second carrier is supported above so that food containers io in the first carrier are not subjected to crushing or deforming forces.

In a preferred embodiment, the second carrier is rotated through 180 degrees between the first and second positions.

The arrangement of the ribs and channels is preferably asymmetric about the axis of rotation of the carrier.

The array of receptacles may be square, or preferably rectangular. For example, a 3 x 2 array may be employed.

Preferably the web extends peripherally of each receptacle. The web may extend around the perimeter edges of the array and lengthwise and crosswise between the edges between pairs of adjacent receptacles. Preferably the web forms a rectangular lattice defining the rectangular or square receptacles.

When square or rectangular arrays are used, web members may extend between adjacent receptacles. Each receptacle is therefore surrounded by four web members.

Preferably, each rib extends along a vertical dimension of a side wall and forms a downwardly facing support surface or foot. Preferably, the support surfaces or feet of each of the ribs are aligned in a common horizontal plane in use. This enables the carrier to securely stand on a planar floor, shelf or other surface.

The ribs and corresponding channels preferably have a reducing cross-sectional 35 dimension from the upper to lower ends thereof, so that the ribs and channels taper downwardly permitting a lower part of a rib to be located in an upper part of a corresponding channel of an underlying tray.

Preferably the array of receptacles is arranged so that the flanges of adjacent food containers are disposed in closely spaced adjacent relation. This minimises the area occupied by the carrier.

to A carrier in accordance with the present invention confers several advantages. When filled with pet food containers, the flanges of the containers overlie the top surface of the web and are retained in position by downward pressure from the support surfaces of the lower ends of the ribs of an overlying carrier. Engagement of the support surfaces with flanges on either side of a food container provides additional rigidity to the packaging structure. This reduces the likelihood of deformation of the carrier if a stack is lifted or mishandled. The food containers are generally square, although rectangular or otherwise shaped containers may be accommodated by appropriately shaped receptacles in the carrier Use of a carrier in accordance with this invention may permit use of thinner or less rigid foil in construction of the food trays.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the web members are arranged so that each web member includes a single rib and corresponding channel. Preferably a single rib and channel structure is located between each adjacent tray and also on the external web members around the periphery of the carrier.

In preferred embodiments, the carrier may be formed from a moulded laminar construction and may be composed of fibre board, paper board, polymer or composite material. Preferably the receptacles, web and ribs of the carrier form a continuous structure without apertures between the upper and lower surfaces thereof This provides a simple and robust construction facilitating ease of manufacture using inexpensive materials.

It is particularly preferred that each rib and channel is offset from the centre of each web member. Preferably the rib may be located generally at the mid-point between the midpoint and corner of a side of a receptacle.

In a further preferred embodiment, a channel and rib structure is provided at two adjacent corners of the carrier array. This has the further advantage that it can be easily observed when the carriers are in alignment or are not in alignment, as required. It is particularly easy to observe from the orientation of the carrier channels and ribs when filled carriers are out of alignment in the second position so that they can be safely stacked without risk of damage to the food containers therein.

to Preferably each rib has a foot at the lower end thereof, the foot having an engagement surface to engage the upper surface of the flange of a food container in an underlying array. The feet serve to provide a stable planar support for the tray on the floor or storage shelf. Preferably the engagement surface of the feet can securely grip the food container.

The present invention allows for a simple construction of the carriers to accommodate large manufacturing tolerances as may be required in moulding paper or fibre board.

The invention is further described by means of example, but not in any limitative sense, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a carrier in accordance with this invention; Figure 2 is a plan view from above; Figure 3 is a plan view from below; and Figure 4 is a perspective view of two stacked carriers.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a carrier in accordance with this invention. The carrier is moulded from paper board or polymeric sheet material to form an upper web (1) and an array of six receptacles having generally horizontal bases (2) and upwardly extending sides (3) to form receptacles dimensioned to receive foil trays of dog or cat food (not shown).

The receptacles are generally square in plan view having rounded corners to accommodate conventional food trays with the sides and bases of the trays supported by the walls and bases of the receptacles. Horizontal sealing flanges of the food trays (not shown) rest on the upper surfaces of the web (1).

The walls (3) of the receptacles may include ribs and indentations (4,5) to improve rigidity of the carrier in use. Peripheral flanges (6,7) extend downwardly from the web (1) to further enhance the rigidity of the carrier structure.

Each of the receptacles is separated by web members, (for example 8,9) and the peripheral web members (17,18). Each web member (for example 8,9) includes a channel (10,11,12,13,14,15,16). The channels have a greater dimension at the upper end and taper downwardly towards the base (2) of the respective receptacle.

The external surfaces of the channels are correspondingly shaped and form downwardly tapering ribs (19,20,21,22,23,24,25) having support surfaces or feet arranged to allow the carrier to be supported on the web member surfaces of an underlying identically configured carrier. All ribs are visible in Figure 3 Figure 2 is a view from above of the carrier shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a plan view from below of the carrier shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the carrier shown in Figure 1, stacked upon another carrier. The lower carrier has an orientation as the carrier shown in Figure 1. The upper carrier, with a starting orientation identical to the lower carrier, has been rotated 180° in a horizontal plane before being supported upon the lower carrier. The ribs (19,20,21,22,23,24,25) of the upper carrier are positioned to that they are offset from the channels (10,11,12,13,14,15,16) of the lower carrier. This allows the weight of the upper carrier to be supported through the ribs (19,20,21,22,23,24,25) of the upper carrier contacting the peripheral web members (17,18) of the lower carrier. Such a configuration minimises compressive stress exerted on food containers situated in the receptacles of the lower carrier. Each of the ribs (19,20,21,22,23,24,25) has a foot at the lower end. The feet so have engagement surfaces which can securely grip the flange of the food container.

Claims (14)

1. CLAIMS1. A stackable and nestable carrier for transportation or storage of an array of food containers, wherein the containers each comprise an upwardly opening foil tray having to an upper peripheral flange and a peelable cover secured to the flange; the carrier comprising a multiplicity of upwardly opening receptacles connected by a web to form an array of receptacles; wherein each receptacle is configured to receive said container with the flange overlying the web; wherein at least a plurality of the receptacles comprise one or more side walls which are deformed outwardly to form an upwardly opening channel on an inner surface of the side wall and a corresponding upwardly extending rib on the outer surface of the side wall; wherein two adjacent identical carriers may be arranged with a second tray above a first tray in first and second orientations, wherein in the first orientation the locations of the zo ribs of a second carrier correspond to locations of the channels of a first carrier, so that each rib may be received in a channel, so that the second carrier may be nested within the first carrier; and wherein the second carrier may be rotated in a horizontal plane to a second position relative to the first carrier, wherein the ribs do not coincide with the channels, so that the first carrier supports the second carrier in spaced relation thereto.
2. 2. A carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second carrier is rotated through 180 degrees between the first and second positions.
3. 3. A carrier as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the arrangement of the ribs and channels is asymmetric about the axis of rotation.
4. 4. A carrier as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the array of receptacles is rectangular.
5. 5. A carrier as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the web extends peripherally of each receptacle.
6. 6. A carrier as claimed in claim 5, wherein the web extends around the perimeter of the array and lengthwise and crosswise between edges of the array between pairs of adjacent receptacles.
7. 7. A carrier as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein each rib extends along a vertical dimension of a side wall and includes a downwardly facing support surface.
8. 8. A carrier as claimed in claim 7, wherein the rib and corresponding channel has a reducing cross-sectional dimension from the upper to lower end thereof
9. 9. A carrier as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein each web member includes a single rib and corresponding channel.
10. 10. A carrier as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a single rib and corresponding channel is located between each adjacent tray.
11. 11. A carrier as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein each rib is offset from the centre of each web member.
12. 12. A carrier is claimed in claim 11, wherein the rib is located at the mid point between a corner and mid point of a side of a receptacle.
13. 13. A carrier as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the rib and channel is provided at two adjacent corners of the carrier.
14. 14. A carrier substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.