GB2298412A - Packaging tubes - Google Patents

Abstract

A transparent or translucent packaging tube (1,2) has one side formed as the male or female member of a dovetail joint. Such a female member of one tube receives in a channel (8) the male member of another tube to form a dovetail joint. The tube (1) with the female member may receive a row of identical transformers and the tube (2) with the male member may receive a row of identical transformers which are smaller than the first-mentioned transformers.

Description

PACKAGING TUBES The present invention relates to packaging tubes.

According to the present invention, there is provided a packaging tube having empty chambers extending along it for receiving, in use, delicate portions of the contents of the tube, the empty chambers being located on opposite sides of a re-entrant portion of the tube; said tube having formed along one side one of the two members, male and female, of a dovetail joint; said female member being formed by said reentrant portion, which affords an external channel the width of which increases, progressing away from its mouth; said male member being formed by a protruding portion of the tube the width of which increases progressing away from the tube, said re-entrant portion being on a side of the tube opposite said protruding portion.

Thus, the tube has empty chambers extending along it and on opposite sides of a re-entrant portion of the tube to receive delicate portions of the contents of the tube. A first example of this is along one side formed as the female member of a dovetail joint and thus has along that side said reentrant portion, which affords an external channel the width of which increases, progressing away from its mouth.

A second example is along one side formed as the male member of a dovetail joint, said re-entrant portion being on a side of the tube opposite said one side.

A combination may be made of a tube according to the second example with its male member fitted into the channel of a tube according to the first example.

The tubes may receive electrical devices, for example transformers, terminals of which lie in the chambers mentioned above.

Two examples in accordance with the invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows an end elevation of a first packaging tube with a first transformer in it, Figure 2 shows a front elevation of the first packaging tube, Figure 3 shows an end elevation of a second packaging tube with a second transformer in it, and Figure 4 shows a front elevation of the second packaging tube.

Figure 5 is an end elevation of the first package tube and the second package tube in a partially interlocked position; and Figure 6 is an end elevation of the first package tube and the second package tube in an interlocked position.

The first and second packaging tubes are designated 1 and 2 and each is made of transparent, or at least translucent, plastics material, for example clear uPVC, of substantially uniform thickness throughout, for example 0.8 mm., the cross-section of each tube being uniform over its entire length, which may, for example, be 470 mm.. Each tube has two planar, parallel, opposite walls 3 and 4 and at its side shown lowermost in Figure 1 and uppermost in Figure 3 is formed as one of the members of a dovetail joint, i.e. the female member in the case of the tube 1 and the male member in the case of the tube 2. The internal widths of the tubes 1 and 2, measured horizontally in Figures 1 and 3, may, for example, be 36 and 27 mm., respectively.

The tube 1 has a re-entrant portion having two sloping walls S and 6 and an innermost horizontal wall 7, all planar, which together afford an external channel 8 the width of which, measured horizontally in Figure 1, increases, progressing away from its mouth 9 and towards the wall 7. It is the re-entrant portion in this case which provides the female member of the dovetail joint. On opposite sides of it are empty chambers 11 which extend along the tube and are intended to receive delicate, for example easily bent, portions of the contents of the tubes. The upper side 12 of the tube 1 is planar and perpendicular to the walls 3 and 4.

The tube 2 has an external protrusion 15 at its upper side which forms the male member of the dovetail joint, the protrusion having sloping sides 16 and 17 and a planar top 18. The angles of inclination to the vertical of the sides 16 and 17 are the same as the angles of inclination to the vertical of the walls 5 and 6, for example 150. The linear dimensions of the protrusion 15 and the channel 8 are such that the protrusion 15 fits in the channel 8 in the manner of a dovetail joint as illustrated in Figs 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings. The joint may be strengthened by an adhesive on one or both members. The tube 2 has a re-entrant portion with vertical walls 20 and 21, which define empty chambers 11 with the walls 3 and 4 and base portions 22 and 23 of the tube. These chambers 11 extend along the tube and serve the purpose previously described. The re-entrant portion has a flat top 25 upon which the contents of the tube rest.

The tube 1 receives a row of identical transformers 26, which are, at most, only slightly spaced from the inner surfaces of the parts 3, 4, 7 and 12 of the tube, and terminal pins 27 of the transformers project into the chambers 11. The tube 2 receives a row of smaller transformers 28, all identical to one another and known as E-cores, with their terminal pins 29 again projecting into the chambers 11. The terminal pins 27 and 29 are out of contact with the tubes 1 and 2 and are less likely to be damaged than would be the case if they were in contact with the tubes.

A rubber bung or a transverse pin may be employed at each end of each tube to prevent the transformers sliding along the tubes during transit.

Claims (9)

1. A packaging tube having empty chambers extending along it for receiving, in use, delicate portions of the contents of the tube, the empty chambers being located on opposite sides of a re-entrant portion of the tube; said tube having formed along one side one of the two members, male and female, of a dovetail joint; said female member being formed by said reentrant portion, which affords an external channel the width of which increases, progressing away from its mouth; said male member being formed by a protruding portion of the tube the width of which increases progressing away from the tube, said re-entrant portion being on a side of the tube opposite said protruding portion.

2. A tube according to Claim 1, having formed along said one side the male member of a dovetail joint, said re-entrant portion being located on a side of the tube opposite said one side.

3. A tube according to Claim 1 or 2, having two additional sides which are planar, parallel and opposite one another.

4. A tube according to Claim 3 as appended to Claim 1, having a fourth side which is opposite said one side and is planar and perpendicular to said additional sides.

5. A tube according to any preceding claim made of transparent or translucent plastics material.

6. A combination of a tube according to claim 1, with or without the features of claim 3 or 4 and/or the feature of claim 5, with a tube according to claim 2, with or without the features of claim 3 and/or the feature of claim 5, the male member being fitted in said channel.

7. An assembly of a tube or a combination according to any preceding claim with a row of transformers in the or each tube.

8. A packaging tube or an assembly of a packaging tube with transformers in it, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 or Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.

9. A combination of two packaging tubes, or of two assemblies each comprising a packaging tube with transformers in it, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

9. A combination of two packaging tubes, or of two assemblies each comprising a packaging tube with transformers in it, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows CLAIMS 1. A packaging tube having empty chambers extending along it for receiving, in use, delicate portions of the contents of the tube, the empty chambers being located on opposite sides of a re-entrant portion of the tube; said tube having formed along one side one of the two members, male and female, of a dovetail joint; said female member being formed by said reentrant portion, which affords an external channel the width of which increases, progressing away from its mouth; said male member being formed by a protruding portion of the tube the width of which increases progressing away from the tube, said re-entrant portion being on a side of the tube opposite said protruding portion.

2. A tube according to Claim 1, having formed along said one side the male member of a dovetail joint, said re-entrant portion being located on a side of the tube opposite said one side.

3. A tube according to Claim 1 or 2, having two additional sides which are planar, parallel and opposite one another.

4. A tube according to Claim 3 as appended to Claim 1, having a fourth side which is opposite said one side and is planar and perpendicular to said additional sides.

5. A tube according to any preceding claim made of transparent or translucent plastics material.

6. A combination of a tube according to claim 1, with or without the features of claim 3 or 4 and/or the feature of claim 5, with a tube according to claim 2, with or without the features of claim 3 and/or the feature of claim 5, the male member being fitted in said channel.

7. An assembly of a tube or a combination according to any preceding claim with a row of transformers in the or each tube.

8. A packaging tube or an assembly of a packaging tube with transformers in it, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 or Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.