EP0445016A1 - Set of improved containers and method for manufacturing the same - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a group of receptacles comprising at least two rows of receptacles (P), each receptacle comprising an upper flange (C) and being substantially spaced from neighboring receptacles in its zone situated below the flange, and the receptacles being joined together in the region of their upper ends by their flanges, characterized in that it comprises in the region of the bottoms (F) of said containers at least one thin and essentially rigid strip (B) of reinforcement extending in the direction said rows and glued locally to the bottom of the containers of two adjacent rows. Advantageously, the strip or strips are received in recesses formed in the bottoms. It also relates to a process for producing such groups of containers. Application in particular to the grouping of containers for food products. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates generally to the field of packaging, and it relates more precisely to a group of containers, in particular for food products, having an improved construction; it also relates to a process for obtaining such groups of containers.

Now in a conventional manner, certain food products such as yogurts, desserts, etc. are packaged in jars which are presented for sale in the form of groups. For this purpose, each pot has an upper flange on which a peelable lid is fixed, and this flange is used to secure the pot with its neighbors, via a rectilinear zone of greater fragility which will subsequently make it possible to separate the pots from each other . Below their rim, the pots are narrower and are substantially spaced from each other.

Thus when the number of pots is large (for example two rows of three or two rows of four), the only joining of the pots to each other by their upper flanges turns out to be insufficient. more precisely, the cumulative weight of the filled pots being increased, it can be exerted during their handling of the stresses inducing a bringing together or a spacing of the pots, which risks breaking the zones of greatest fragility which limit the flanges of the different pots relative to each other.

A widely known solution to this problem consists, as soon as the number of pots becomes excessive, to surround the group of pots using a cardboard sheath formed from a blank folded around said group and locked.

This solution is obviously expensive. In addition, it requires predicting in advance the number of pots that each group will contain at the end of the chain. manufacturing, to be able to use the blanks suitable for this number and direct the jars to the appropriate overwrapping machines.

There is also known the solution consisting in surrounding a group of pots or several superimposed groups using a sheath of transparent shrinkable plastic, possibly with the interposition of a decorative cardboard. Although the cost is then slightly reduced, there remains a major drawback according to which the shrinking of the sheath, for example when hot, causes the bodies of the pots of the lower group to be brought together by pivoting (bending at the level of their flanges), so much so that the group no longer has a generally flat bottom, which results in problems of storage or presentation for sale.

The present invention aims to overcome these drawbacks of the prior art and to propose a group of containers which requires no overwrap of sheath type or the like to reinforce its structure, and the production of which is particularly economical.

Another object is to achieve these goals while maintaining a satisfactory appearance for the group of containers.

To this end, it relates, according to a first aspect, to a group of containers comprising at least two rows of containers, of the type comprising means for securing the containers together in the region of their upper ends, characterized in that it comprises in the region of the bottoms of said containers at least one thin and essentially rigid strip of reinforcement extending in the direction of said rows and bonded locally to the bottoms of containers of two adjacent rows.

According to a second aspect, the invention relates to a group of containers comprising a row of containers, each container having an upper flange and being substantially spaced from the neighboring containers in its zone situated below the flange, and the containers being joined together in the region of their upper ends by their flanges, characterized in that it comprises in the region of the bottoms of said containers a thin and essentially rigid strip of reinforcement extending in the direction of said row and glued locally to the bottoms of the containers.

According to a third aspect, the invention relates to an assembly consisting of at least two groups of stacked containers, each group comprising at least two rows of containers, each group comprising means for securing the containers together in the region of their upper ends, characterized in that it comprises in the region of the bottoms of the containers of the lower group at least one thin strip of reinforcement extending in the direction of said rows and locally bonded to the bottoms of the containers of two adjacent rows, in that the or each the strip has at each end a first extension extending essentially vertically along the end receptacles of each group and a second extension extending essentially horizontally and glued to an essentially planar upper surface of the group of upper receptacles.

• déplacer une longueur continue desdites deux rangées au moins prévues de récipients;
• encoller au moins une longueur continue d'une bande mince de renfort,
• apposer la ou lesdites bandes dans la région des fonds desdits récipients de manière à la ou les fixer localement aux fonds des récipients de deux rangées adjacentes respectives à mesure que la longueur continue de rangées de récipients se déplace, et
• sectionner lesdits moyens de solidarisation et la ou lesdites bandes à intervalles réguliers correspondant à un nombre entier de récipients.

Finally, according to a fourth aspect, the invention relates to a process for producing groups of reinforced containers, each comprising at least two rows of containers and comprising means for securing the containers together in the region of their upper ends, characterized in that that it includes the steps of:

• moving a continuous length of said at least two provided rows of containers;
• glue at least one continuous length of a thin strip of reinforcement,
• affixing the said strip (s) in the region of the bottoms of said containers so as to fix them locally to the bottoms of the containers of two respective adjacent rows as the continuous length of rows of containers moves, and
• sectioning said securing means and said strip or strips at regular intervals corresponding to an entire number of containers.

• la figure 1 est une vue en perspective de dessous d'un groupe de pots équipé d'un moyen de renfort selon l'invention,
• la figure 2 est une vue en coupe transversale du groupe de pots de la figure 1,
• la figure 3 est une vue en perspective d'un détail de l'invention,
• la figure 3A est une vue en coupe verticale d'un groupe de pots mettant en jeu le détail de la figure 3,
• la figure 4 est une vue en perspective de dessus d'un groupe de pots selon l'invention, complété par un élément décoratif,
• la figure 5 est une vue de côté en élévation d'une variante de réalisation de l'invention,
• la figure 6 est une vue de dessous schématique d'un groupe de récipients illustrant une autre variante de l'invention, et
• les figures 7A et 7B sont des vues respectivement de dessous et en coupe verticale d'un groupe de récipients illustrant une autre variante encore de l'invention.

Other aspects, aims and advantages of the present invention will appear better on reading the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof, given by way of non-limiting example and made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :

• FIG. 1 is a perspective view from below of a group of pots fitted with a reinforcement means according to the invention,
• FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the group of pots in FIG. 1,
• FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a detail of the invention,
• FIG. 3A is a view in vertical section of a group of pots using the detail of FIG. 3,
• FIG. 4 is a perspective view from above of a group of pots according to the invention, supplemented by a decorative element,
• FIG. 5 is a side view in elevation of an alternative embodiment of the invention,
• FIG. 6 is a schematic bottom view of a group of containers illustrating another variant of the invention, and
• FIGS. 7A and 7B are views respectively from below and in vertical section of a group of containers illustrating yet another variant of the invention.

It will first be indicated that, from one figure to another, identical or similar elements or parts are designated by the same reference numbers.

Referring firstly to Figures 1 to 3, there is shown a group of containers, in the present example pots of yogurt or other dairy product. Each pot P has an upper flange C and a thin closure membrane M fixed on the upper face of the flange C by an appropriate adhesive. The flanges C of the various pots are connected together by their rectilinear edges, along lines L of greater fragility, for example grooved, subsequently allowing the separation of the pots.

Concretely, such a group of pots is produced by a single forming operation, conventionally in itself, while the membranes M are produced from a single sheet element.

In the present example, the group comprises two rows of three pots, these numbers however being in no way limiting.

In accordance with an essential aspect of the invention, to avoid that, when handling the group of pots, filled with their respective contents, excessive stresses are liable to separate the pots from one another by breaking, for example along the breakable lines L, there is provided in the region opposite the flanges C, in this case in the region of the bottom F of the pots, a reinforcing beam in the form of a thin strip B which here extends in the longitudinal direction of the group of pots and in the middle region of the bottom.

This strip B has a width 1 _B which is slightly greater than the distance d between the bottoms of the respective pots, so as to be able to come into contact with each bottom on a zone (hatched zone Z) delimited on one side by the inner edge of the bottom and on the other side by the edge considered of the strip B. the connection between the strip B and each bottom F is preferably carried out by an adhesive having a chosen adhesion force so that the strip can be separated from the bottoms F with a reasonable force exerted manually. Advantageously, a permanent (non-drying) adhesive is used, compatible with the respective materials of the pots and the reinforcing strip.

The glue can occupy the entire contact surface between the strip and the bottoms of the pots; but preferably, a bonding by points is carried out, with for example from 1 to 3 points of glue at each contact zone.

The rigidity of the strip B is chosen according to its width and the weight of the pots, this weight being well representative of the magnitude of the compression and traction forces which can be exerted on the strip when the group of pots is seized for example by one of its longitudinal ends. For example, one can use a strip of a plastic material such as polystyrene, with a thickness of the order of 0.4 to 0.6 mm. Furthermore, since the reinforcing strip never comes into contact with the food contained in the pots, it is not necessary to produce it with a food-grade plastic, and it is advantageously made of recycled plastic.

Furthermore, it may be advantageous to produce the strip of transparent plastic, in particular with the aim of making it less perceptible and of improving the presentation of the group of pots.

Thanks to the present invention, a group of very rigid pots is obtained, which can be handled without special precautions without it there is no risk of breakage, in particular since the fragile lines L separating the individual pots are not exposed to bending moments as was the case in the prior art.

Referring now to FIG. 3, in the case where the thickness of the strip B is large enough to hinder the stacking of a large number of groups of pots (since the bottom of the group of pots is then more perfectly flat), provision is made in each bottom F of the pot for an embedding zone ZE in slight indentation which allows the band B not to protrude downward relative to the bottoms, while being substantially flush with said bottoms outside embedding areas.

In the example shown, each bottom F has a slightly projecting peripheral crown CP which constitutes the seat of the pot. This crown CP is simply offset in height towards the top of the pot in a zone CP ′ which corresponds to the position of the reinforcing strip B (illustrated in dashed lines for the sake of clarity). This zone CP ′ can correspond fairly exactly to the final position of the strip. In this case, the zones CP ′ of each of the pot bottoms can jointly take the place of means for assisting with the positioning of the strip B during its fixing. Of course, this recessed area CP ′ can also be larger than the size necessary to accommodate the strip. In addition, the height offset between the recessed area CP ′ and the rest of the peripheral ring is advantageously approximately equal to the thickness of the band received, or even slightly greater than this thickness.

Of course, in the case where the strip B is thin enough, or in cases where it is not necessary to ensure good stability during stacking, the recesses provided at the bottom of the pots for receiving the strip can be omitted.

FIG. 3A shows a set of two groups of superimposed pots, each pot bottom comprising an embedding zone ZE whose depth is slightly greater than the thickness of the strip B. Conventionally, when two groups are stacked l 'One on top of the other, the bases of the pots of the upper group, which cannot rest on the flanges of the pots of the lower group, slightly deform the closing membrane M of the respective pots located vertically, as illustrated. By providing embedding zones of sufficient depth, this prevents the upper group from resting on the lower group only essentially at the level of band B, on the flanges of the lower pots. In this way, the upper group is supported on the lower group in a way which is well distributed laterally, and up to the outer edges of the base of the pots, so that good stacking stability is guaranteed. even when stacking a large number of groups is performed.

Referring now to Figure 4, there is shown a group of pots reinforced according to the present invention and provided with a decorative element. This decorative element consists of a banner BE which envelops the pots P laterally, said pots advantageously having in this case vertical walls. According to an advantageous aspect of the invention, the reinforcing strip B is cut at its two ends so as to project slightly beyond the bodies of the pots. For example, these ends can be located directly above the edges of the flanges of the end pots in the longitudinal direction. These projecting ends of the strip are advantageously used, as illustrated, to hold the banner in place and prevent it from leaving the group of pots by sliding. The banner is thus trapped between the flanges C of the pots at the top and the ends of the band B at the bottom. An essential advantage of this arrangement is that it is not necessary to provide a bonding or the like to hold the banner in place.

Furthermore, the banner BE having no function of holding the pots together (this function being fulfilled jointly by the flanges C and the strip B), it can be made of relatively thin paper, and therefore economically.

FIG. 5 illustrates another variant of the present invention. According to this variant, the reinforcing strip B also constitutes a means of securing two groups of pots, preferably of the same size, one on top of the other, each of these groups being designated by the reference G. For this purpose , the strip is extended at each end beyond its reinforcing part proper. It is first bent 90 ° upwards so as to run alongside the pots (section B ′), in line with the longitudinal space which separates them, and this up to the top of the upper group. There, it is folded 90 ° inward and glued to the upper surface of said group (section B˝). Advantageously, this section B˝ is dimensioned and formed so that its contact area with the top of the pots is restricted to the flanges of the extreme pots only in the longitudinal direction. In this way, when another set of grouped pots is brought above this set, for example during storage, the bases of the pots will be able to come into direct contact with the upper surface of the upper group, therefore without being influenced in their stability by the extra thicknesses induced by the sections B˝ of the strip.

Thanks to this particular aspect of the invention, an assembly of two groups of containers is obtained economically, the appearance of which is entirely satisfactory, and in particular greater than the appearance obtained with the conventional use of sheaths of transparent heat-shrinkable plastic.

According to another variant not illustrated, the strip B may comprise, at a regular pitch corresponding to the longitudinal dimension of the pots, and perpendicular to each transition between two pairs of pots, transverse lines of greater fragility, obtained for example by grooving, perforation, etc. It thus facilitates the separation of the pots by giving the possibility of easily cutting the reinforcement strip, therefore without having to remove it in its entirety.

We will now describe a preferred method of producing a group of reinforced pots in accordance with the present invention.

In a conventional manner, the pots are present at the outlet of the production line (pot forming, filling and sealing) in the form of an uninterrupted length of, for example, two rows of pots, held together at their flanges as described above. .

Advantageously, there is provided at the end of the chain an automated means for gluing and placing the reinforcing strip on the bottoms of the pots, the reinforcing strip also being in the form of a continuous length.

Preferably, gluing is carried out just before the establishment of the strip.

At this stage, the pots can be separated, at a cutting station, into groups of for example 24 pots. Already at this stage, the reinforcing strip gives these groups great rigidity, allowing their routing without risk of breakage.

This first step of producing discrete groups of pots is for example prior to the conventional abrupt steaming and cooling operations specific to obtaining yogurts.

Then, the groups of 24 pots can be separated into groups, for example of four, six, eight or twelve pots, by appropriate cutting of the flanges along the lines L of separation and of the reinforcement strip at the same level.

Then, a wrapping machine can be used to affix the above-mentioned decorative banner to each group. Advantageously, the same wrapping sheet is used, in a roll, to decorate the groups of pots regardless of the number of pots in each group.

The result of all this is a much greater flexibility in the production line insofar as it becomes possible to modify at any time the number of pots in each group without having to substantially modify the tools, but simply by making the appropriate settings for the level of cutting and wrapping stations, in particular.

Of course, the intermediate step indicated above, according to which the continuous strip of pots filled for example with 24 units is precut, can be omitted. In this case, the continuous strip of pots is cut at intervals which allow groups of pots to be delivered directly (for example two rows of two, three or four pots) having the final number of pots. The advantages mentioned above in terms of manufacturing flexibility are of course retained.

According to another aspect of the invention, it is possible to provide in the channe a station for affixing bar codes identifying products. Advantageously, this barcode can be printed on the reinforcing strip B.

In a particularly preferred manner, the barcode printing station is provided just upstream from the cutting station, and designed to print successive barcodes whose contents and spacings are determined according to the pitch of parting off. Groups of pots are thus given, in an extremely simple manner, different identifiers according to the number of pots per group, with a single barcode per group of pots.

It should be emphasized here that the fact of providing the barcode on the bottom of the pots is particularly advantageous when reading the product codes automatically at the checkouts of food stores. Indeed, this reading can thus be carried out without having to return the jars and therefore without disturbing the presentation of their content.

Furthermore, the fact of providing the bar codes on a reinforcing strip avoid having to present these codes on the banner, when it is provided. So here again we can use a single wrapping sheet for groups with any number of pots.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention, in the case where reinforcing strips according to the present invention are used in large numbers for pots or the like which are grouped together comprising a large quantity of rows and columns of pots (in particular in the case of trays for individual portions of cheese as we meet them more and more frequently), we can provide bands of different colors which will help the retailer to separate the group of very many trays into sub-groups quantities which will vary according to the color of the reinforcement strips along which the separation has been carried out.

Of course, the number and the arrangement of the reinforcing strips will be adapted to the particular configuration of the group of pots.

Thus, in general, if the groups have N rows of pots, N-1 reinforcing strips are provided.

According to another variant of the invention, and now with reference to FIG. 6, when the groups of pots have a large number of rows and pots in the two orthogonal directions (36 6x6 pots being illustrated in FIG. 6), it may prove advantageous to provide reinforcing strips only between the pots situated at the periphery of the group and the pots situated immediately inside, as shown, for example in a square arrangement (as illustrated) or in a rectangle, adapted to the arrangement of pots.

In this case, it should be noted that it may prove superfluous to embed the reinforcing strips in the bottoms of the pots, insofar as the arrangement of the strips is capable of ensuring good stability during stacking.

FIGS. 7A and 7B illustrate the particular application of the concept of the present invention in the case of a group of pots or the like arranged in a single row. In this case, the reinforcing strip B is fixed to the center of the bottom F of the pots P. Here again, it is advantageous to provide a recess ZE in the bottom of each pot for receiving the strip, as illustrated, in order to ensure satisfactory stability during stacking.

Although the above description has been made in connection with groups of pots for dairy products or the like, it is understood that it applies generally to the reinforcement of any group of similar containers, with straight walls or inclined (pots flared upwards), for food or not. Of course, the present invention is in no way limited to the embodiment described above and shown in the drawings, but a person skilled in the art will know how to make any variant or modification in accordance with his spirit.

Claims (18)

Group of receptacles comprising at least two rows of receptacles (P), each receptacle comprising an upper flange (C) and being substantially spaced from neighboring receptacles in its zone located below the collet, and the receptacles being joined together in the region of their upper ends by their collars, characterized in that it comprises in the region of the bottoms (F) of said containers at least one thin and essentially rigid strip (B) of reinforcement extending in the direction of said rows and glued locally at the bottom of the containers of two adjacent rows. Group of containers according to claim 1, characterized in that there is provided in each container bottom to which a reinforcing strip (B) is glued, a recess (ZE, CP ′) for said strip. Group of containers according to claim characterized in that the or each strip (B) is glued using a permanent adhesive. Group of receptacles according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the or each strip (B) is glued by points. Group of containers according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the or each strip (B) is made of a plastic material the thickness of which is chosen according to the weight, the volume and the number of containers and is between approximately 0.2 and 1 mm. Group of containers according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the free end of the or each strip (B) projects beyond the contours of the containers in the region of their bottoms. Group of containers according to claim 6, characterized in that it further comprises around the pots a thin decorative banner (BE) held in place by said flanges (C) and by said projecting ends of the strip (s) (B). Group of containers according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the strip or one of the strips (B) carries a barcode identifying the group of containers. Group of containers according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a large number of rows of containers, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of reinforcing strips (B), the colors of which vary according to their position in the group. Group of containers according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each reinforcing strip (B) has a line of greater fragility perpendicular to at least one transition between two containers. Group of receptacles comprising a row of receptacles (P), each receptacle comprising an upper flange (C) and being substantially spaced from neighboring receptacles in its zone situated below the collet, and the receptacles being joined together in the region of their upper ends by their flanges, characterized in that it comprises, in the region of the bottoms of said containers, a thin and essentially rigid strip (B) of reinforcement extending in the direction of said row and glued locally to the bottoms of the containers. Group of containers according to claim 12, characterized in that each container bottom (F) has a recess (ZE) for the strip, extending essentially centrally and in the longitudinal direction of the group. Set consisting of at least two groups (G) of overlapping containers (P), each group comprising at least two rows of containers, each group comprising means (C) for securing the containers together in the region of their upper ends, characterized in that it comprises in the region of the bottoms of the containers in the lower group at least one thin reinforcing strip (B) extending in the direction of the said rows and locally glued to the bottoms of the containers of two adjacent rows, in that the or each strip comprises at each end a first extension (B ′) extending essentially vertically along the extreme receptacles of each group and a second extension (B˝) extending essentially horizontally and glued to a substantially planar upper surface of the group of upper receptacles. Assembly according to claim 13, characterized in that the containers are pots (P) with flange (C) and in that the second extensions extend over the upper surface of the containers only at the level of said flanges. Method for producing groups of reinforced containers, each comprising at least two rows of containers and comprising means for securing the containers together in the region of their upper ends, characterized in that it comprises the steps consisting in: - moving a continuous length of said at least two planned rows of containers; - glue at least one continuous length of a thin strip of reinforcement, affixing the said strip or strips in the region of the bottoms of said containers so as to fix them locally to the bottoms of the containers of two respective adjacent rows as the continuous length of rows of containers moves, and - sectioning said securing means and said strip (s) at regular intervals corresponding to an entire number of containers. Method according to claim 15, characterized in that it further comprises, upstream of the sectioning step, the step consisting in affixing on a reinforcing strip, at the same intervals as the sectioning intervals, a code- bar identification of the product group formed after the sectioning step. Method according to one of claims 15 and 16, characterized in that it further comprises a banding step of each group of containers formed using a continuous thin sheet. Method according to one of claims 15 to 17, characterized in that the containers are jars with flanges, said flanges constituting the means of attachment.

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