IE20030577A1

IE20030577A1 - Packaging

Info

Publication number: IE20030577A1
Application number: IE20030577A
Authority: IE
Inventors: Patrick Rigney; Gillian Murphy; Stephen Beasley
Original assignee: Castle Brands Res And Dev Comp
Priority date: 2003-08-06
Filing date: 2003-08-06
Publication date: 2005-03-23
Also published as: IES20040526A2; GB0417435D0; GB2404915A; IE20040530A1; GB2404915B

Abstract

The invention provides a packaging for a number of articles which are stackable, the packaging having means to at least partially space-apart the stackable articles. The packaging comprises a tray having a number of recesses which at least partially space-apart the stackable articles. The packaging is suitable for use for packaging stackable articles such as bottles. <Figure 1>

Description

The invention relates to packaging for stackable articles.

OPEN TO PUBLIC INSPECTION UNDER SECTION 28 AND RULE 23 JHl No.

In our GB2344095A we have described a bottle assembly comprising a number of bottles stacked one upon the other and a stabilising means in the form of a joining tape extending between and bonded to the bottles.

This assembly of stackable bottles has considerable advantages for packing, display and storage. However, there is a need for a packaging for such articles which will enhance the stackable aspect of the articles whilst providing a packaging which will have substantial stability, in use.

The invention is directed towards providing such a packaging..

Statements of invention According to the invention there is provided a packaging for a number of articles which are stackable, the packaging having means to at least partially space-apart the stackable articles.

In one embodiment the packaging comprises a tray having a number of recesses which at least partially space-apart the stackable articles.

The recess in the tray may have different relative orientations to at least partially spaceapart the stackable articles.

In one embodiment the articles have a packaging orientation and a stacking orientation, the articles each having a longitudinal axis, the longitudinal axes of the articles being fE 0 3 0577 - 2 - ROAR02/P substantially co-linear in the stacking orientation and being offset in the packaging configuration.

In one arrangement the articles comprise stackable bottles. At least some of the bottles may have a recess in the base thereof for receiving a neck of another bottle in the stacking orientation. The neck of a bottle is generally partially received in a recess of another bottle in the packaging orientation.

In one embodiment the packaging comprises an outer casing for the tray. The outer casing is preferably of transparent material.

Detailed Description of the Invention The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description of some embodiments thereof, given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:Fig. A is a cross sectional view of a number of bottles in a stacking configuration; Fig B. is a perspective exploded view of the bottles of Fig. A; Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a packaging of the invention with bottles in place; Fig. 2 is a perspective view from the front of an outer casing of the packaging of the invention; Fig. 3 is a perspective view from the rear of the outer casing of the packaging of the invention; Fig. 4 is an underneath plan view of the outer casing of the packaging; IE 0 3 057 7 -3ROAR02/P Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the outer casing of the packaging; Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the outer casing of the packaging; Fig. 7 is an end view of the outer casing of the packaging; Fig. 8 is a cross sectional view on the line A-A in Fig. 1; Fig. 9 is a perspective view from above of an inner tray of the packaging with bottles in place; Fig. 10 is a perspective view from above of the inner tray of the packaging with bottles removed; Fig. 11 is a perspective view from the rear of the inner tray of the packaging; Fig. 12 is a side elevational view of the inner tray of Fig. 9; and Fig. 13 is an end view of the inner tray of Fig. 9; Referring initially to Figs. A and B there is illustrated an assembly of three bottles a, b, c which are stackable as illustrated. The bottles a, b, c used in the assembly are typically glass bottles which may be used to hold different beverages, such as different flavoured spirits. The bottles a, b, c each have a recess d in the base thereof to receive a corresponding projecting neck portion e of another bottle.

Referring to Fig. 1 to 13, a packaging for the bottles a, b, c comprises an outer casing 2 and an inner tray 3. The packaging 1 is designed to hold a plurality of items, for example, the bottles a, b, c securely during shipment. The bottles a, b, c, are placed in the IE 0 3 057 7 - 4 - ROAR02/P inner tray 3 which is in turn inserted into the outer casing 2. The inner tray 3 and outer casing 2 are designed to co-operate to support and hold the bottles.

The packaging 1 has means to act least partially space-apart the stackable bottles a, b, c. The tray 3 has recesses A, B, C to receive the bottles a, b, c. The recess A, B, C are arranged to at least partially space-apart the stackable bottles a, b, c as will be particularly apparent from Figs. 1, 10, and 11. The recesses A, B, C have different relative orientations so that in a packaging orientation or configuration the bottles a, b, c are offset from one another. In this way the bottles a, b, c are retained and stabilised in a packaging configuration but it is readily apparent to a user that the bottles a, b, c are stackable and can be readily stacked in the stacking configuration of Fig. A when removed from the packaging.

It will be noted that the bottles a, b, c have central longitudinal axes which are co-linear in the stacking configuration of Fig. A and which are offset in the packaging configuration of Fig. 1.

The outer casing 2 is transparent and is a 350 micron PVC material which may be silk screen printed and foil blocked. The inner tray 3 is a vacuum formed 600 micron PVC material. The inner tray 3 is moulded in a single operation. It will be appreciated that the casing and tray may be manufactured of any suitable material. The inner tray may also have transparent properties.

The outer casing 2 of the packaging apparatus has an approximately parallelepiped form and comprises a top 8, a base 9, side walls 10 and 13 and front and back walls 17 and 16.

The base 9 and top 8 of the outer casing 2 are substantially rectangular in form and of similar dimensions. In the illustrated embodiment the top 8 is arranged directly above the base 9 and parallel to it with the side edges of the top and base in alignment. In an alternative embodiment the top and base may be offset from each other. '£ 030577 -5ROAR02ZP For the purposes of description and illustration in Fig. 1 the Y-axis of the packaging apparatus 1 is taken as running vertically through the centre points of the base and top of the casing 2. The X and Z axes intersect the Y axis halfway between the base 9 and top 8. The X axis runs parallel to the base 9 and through the side walls 10 and 13, and the Zaxis runs parallel to the base 9 and through the front and back walls 17 and 16 and out of the plane of the page as illustrated.

Referring to Figs. 3, 4, and 6, the back wall 16 is substantially rectangular in form with substantially straight side edges and a substantially flat planar surface.

Referring to Figs 1 to 8 the front wall 17 and the sidewalls 10 and 13 of the outer casing comprise contoured surfaces.

The sidewall 10 comprises a first front section 11 and a second back section 12 joined at a flat fold line 18, as illustrated in Fig. 6. Similarly, the sidewall 13 comprises a first front section 14 and a second back section 15 joined at a flat fold line 19 as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. The flat fold lines 18 and 19 are provided so that the pack can be folded flat for example, for transport to a location for packing.

The surfaces of the first front sections 11 and 14 of the side walls 10 and 13 are contoured. The long side edges at which the front sections 11 and 14 of the sidewalls 10 and 13 are joined to the ribs 18 and 19 are straight. The edges at which the first front sections 11 and 14 of the sidewalls are joined to the front 17 of the outer casing 2 are curved. The separation of the side edges of the front section 11 is greatest near the base and the separation of the side edges of the front section 14 is greatest near the top of the casing.

The second back sections 12 and 15 of both of the side walls 10 and 13 are substantially planar and as illustrated in Fig. 7 are arranged at an angle greater than a right angle to the IE 0 3 057 7 - 6 - ROAR02/P back wall 16 of the casing. The edges of the back sections 12 and 15 are substantially straight.

Referring to Figs. 2, 5, 6, 7 and 8 the front wall 17 has curved side edges and comprises a contoured surface. Points on the surface of the front wall 17 of the casing are at various separations from the planar back wall 16 of the casing.

The side edges of the front wall define the points at which the front wall 17 and the side walls 10 and 13 are joined. The separation of the opposite long side edges of the front wall is greatest near the base and top and at a minimum near the mid region of the front wall.

Referring to Figs. 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 the inner tray 3 comprises an open front surface or front plane 37 which comprises a series of moulded recesses 20, 21 and 22 each of which defines a support for receiving a bottle 4. The recesses have a depth of the order of half of the depth of the bottles. Thus when the bottles are in place in the recesses the front of each bottle protrudes out beyond the open front surface 37 of the inner tray 3.

The orientation, shape and size of each of the recesses A, B, C is different. The base of the recess A nearest the base of tray is substantially horizontal. The recesses B and C are offset in orientation relative to the bottom recess A. In the present embodiment, the bottles a, b, c which may hold the same volume of liquid are stackable. Thus a portion of the top of the bottle a which is supported in the recess A is accommodated within the adjacent recess B and the bottle a which is supported in the recess B. As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 9 a portion of the bottle b in the middle recess B is also accommodated within the topmost bottle c and within the topmost recess C.

The inner tray 3 comprises sidewalls 31 and 33, a top 32 and base 34. The sidewalls 31 and 32 are curved and contoured. The front surface 37 surrounds and extends between the recesses. A raised pad 36 is provided moulded on the front surface 37 and extending jp 030577 - 7 - ROAR02/P therefrom. When the tray 3 is inserted into the casing 2 the raised pad 36 contacts the internal surface of the casing. The pad 36 is provided to assist in supporting and stabilising the tray within the casing. The base 34 of the inner tray comprises a sloping pad 35 provides additional stability to the tray in the pack. The portions of the tray provided between the recesses and outer surfaces of the tray all serve to securely hold the contents which are nested in the recesses and to buffer and protect the contents from external contact.

In use, the bottles a, b, c are nested in the recesses A, B, C in the tray 3 which is in turn inserted into the casing 2. When the tray 3 is inserted into the casing 2 the bottles a, b, c in place in the recesses A, B, C contact the interior of the front wall 17 of the casing while the tray 3 is held securely against the back wall 16 of the casing. Thus the bottles a, b, c are securely held in place and supported by the packaging 1 of the invention.

Referring to Fig. 7 the casing 2 comprises a foldable cover flap 40 and 41 for securely closing the casing.

The manner in which the front wall and side walls are contoured produces an optical effect when viewing the contents of the packaging therein. When viewing the contents from the front or side of the packaging apparatus the view is enhanced. It is the combination of spacing of the contents relative to the wall of the casing and the way in which the outer casing is shaped which together provide a user viewing the contents through the casing with an enhanced view of the contents.

Furthermore, the inner tray is also designed to maximise viewing of the contents, while not requiring that the contents be laid out entirely separately from each other - an arrangement which would require increased amounts of packaging material relative to the amounts required in the present embodiment.

IE 03 057 7 -8ROAR02/P The invention is not limited to the embodiments described but may be varied in construction and detail.

Claims

1. A packaging for a number of articles which are stackable, the packaging having means to at least partially space-apart the stackable articles.

2. A packaging as claimed in claim 1 wherein the packaging comprises a tray having a number of recesses which at least partially space-apart the stackable articles.

3. A packaging as claimed in claim 2 wherein the recess in the tray have different relative orientations to at least partially space-apart the stackable articles.

4. A packaging as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the articles have a packaging orientation and a stacking orientation, the articles each having a longitudinal axis, the longitudinal axes of the articles being substantially co-linear in the stacking orientation and being offset in the packaging configuration.

5. A packaging as claimed in claim 4 wherein the articles comprise stackable bottles.

6. A packaging as claimed in claim 5 wherein at least some of the bottles have a recess in the base thereof for receiving a neck of another bottle in the stacking orientation.

7. A packaging as claimed in claim 6 wherein the neck of a bottle is partially received in a recess of another bottle in the packaging orientation.

8. A packaging as claimed in any of claims 2 to 7 comprising an outer casing for the tray.

9. A packaging as claimed in claim 8 wherein the outer casing is of transparent material.