WO2023198492A1

WO2023198492A1 - Package comprising a breakable seal, and seal

Info

Publication number: WO2023198492A1
Application number: PCT/EP2023/058655
Authority: WO
Inventors: Charles COLAS; Florent RONDEAU; Amaury GODEC
Original assignee: Pa.Cotte Sa
Priority date: 2022-04-12
Filing date: 2023-04-03
Publication date: 2023-10-19
Also published as: FR3134379A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a package (1) comprising: - a container (2) defining a cavity and a cover (3) able to prevent access to the cavity; - two female members (20) held on outer surfaces of the container (2) and the cover (3), respectively; - a seal (4) intended to ensure the package (1) remains closed; wherein the seal (4) comprises: - a strip (40); - a first male member (41) and a second male member (42) borne by the strip (40) and each being respectively complementary with one of the two female members (20) in terms of coupling; the seal (4) being intended to be applied to the package (1) in a position that ensures the package (1) remains closed, wherein the male members are anchored and kept captive in the female members (20) and wherein the strip (40) extends between the female members (20).

Description

PACKAGE INCLUDING DRINKABLE AND SEALED

The field of invention is that of logistics. More precisely, the field of the invention is that of the design and manufacture of secure packages, and traceability systems making it possible to control the condition of the package in real time.

The invention relates more specifically to packages provided with seals.

Parcels allow objects to be transported within a logistics chain.

Generally speaking, a package includes a container defining a cavity in which one or more objects are intended to be positioned during transport.

The packages also include means of closing the package to prevent access to the cavity and its contents.

For example, a package can be formed by a box defining the cavity, as well as by a cover mounted movable or removable on the box, or by one or more flaps presented by the box itself. Boxes or cartons are conventionally used to form such packages.

In general, it is important to be able to control and/or guarantee the conformity, presence, and origin of the contents of the packages.

For this purpose, security means can be used on the packages.

In particular, seals can be placed on packages to verify that they have not been opened.

Seals classically constitute a device fixed to an item to be safeguarded (for example a document, a package, a premises, etc.) in such a way that it is impossible, without break-in and damage to the seal, to proceed with the seal. opening of this property.

A seal may consist of a single stamp stamped with a seal, such as a wax seal protecting an authentic document, or a lead seal of the type protecting water or energy consumption meters. According to another example of seal, we know the plastic labels stuck on the two parts of a box intended to be separated from each other to allow access to the contents of the box. These plastic labels have a dotted cut-out extending along an interface between the two parts of the box. Opening the box then involves tearing the label along the dotted cutout, thereby signifying a voluntary or accidental opening of this box.

According to yet another example of seal, seals are known which make it possible to guarantee the maintenance in a closing configuration of postal bags, containers or metal boxes. These seals are generally made of plastic and include a body and a link extending from the body. The link is relatively flexible and is intended to form a loop then to be engaged in a complementary opening presented by the body. The opening and the link are designed in such a way that the introduction of the link into the opening is irreversible, and that only a degradation which is itself irreversible of the seal allows the opening of the loop.

A seal thus includes, according to a classic design, a part that is irreversibly degradable when the item on which the seal is affixed is opened.

Such seals are particularly simple to manufacture and implement.

These seals are designed to be able to be used in various situations, for various types of objects or containers, and can therefore be described as “generic”.

A more specific integration of a seal on a package, and in particular on so-called “reusable” packages, is being sought.

We also know seals intended to be used on packages, but the latter have ergonomics that can be described as poor, for example due to the presence of a difficult to grasp tab intended to be pulled to tear off a seal.

The invention aims in particular to meet the more specific integration needs of a seal on a package, and in particular on so-called “reusable” packages.

The invention also aims to propose a package and a seal having better ergonomics than what is possible with comparable devices according to the prior art. These objectives, as well as others which will appear subsequently, are achieved thanks to the invention which relates to a package comprising:

- a container delimiting a cavity and a cover capable of preventing access to the cavity;

- two female organs presented respectively by the container and the cover on external surfaces;

- at least one seal intended to guarantee that the package remains closed; in which the seal includes:

- a band ;

- a first male organ and a second male organ carried by the band and each respectively complementary in coupling to one of the two female organs; the seal being intended to be attached to the package in a position guaranteeing the closure of the package in which the male organs are anchored and held captive in the female organs and where the strip extends between the female organs, characterized in that the strip extends longitudinally from the first male member to a free end forming a gripping tab capable of being raised to be grasped, the second male member being positioned along the strip between the first male member and the end free, and in that the strip has a single beginning of rupture at its junction with the second male organ.

Thanks to the package according to the invention, we have a container and at least one seal specially designed for the container.

In addition, the package according to the invention has good ergonomics for the user who has to unseal the seal.

In fact, thanks to the gripping tab, unsealing of the seal is easy to do by a user.

The gripping tab positioned at the end of the strip along the length of the seal is easy to grip. There are no parts of the strip located next to the gripping tab which would tend to press the gripping tab against the package, other than the second male organ, which would therefore make it difficult to grip this gripping tab difficult.

In addition, the seal and the package according to the invention offer a better user experience than what seals allow according to the prior art.

When the seal is unsealed, a user pulls the strip via the gripping tab, which causes the strip to be torn from the second male organ at the single point of rupture. This tearing is easily carried out by the movement to be carried out during unsealing, that is to say, when the gripping tab is raised and pulled towards the first male organ and passes above the second male organ.

According to an advantageous characteristic, the strip and the single incipient rupture surround the second male organ.

When tearing off the seal, the gripping tab passes above the second male organ. The break at the single start of break is then carried out particularly cleanly due to the fact that the gripping tab simultaneously drives two arms of the strip which border the second male organ.

According to a preferred design, the female organ, called the first female organ, in which the first male organ is anchored has a proximal part and a distal part of the other female organ, called the second female organ, and where:

- the proximal part forms a housing for retaining the first male organ in any direction other than that of the proximal part towards the distal part;

- the distal part forms a passage for engagement and disengagement of the first male organ in the retaining housing.

Sealing the container involves inserting the first male member into the retaining housing via the engagement and disengagement passage. This insertion involves imposing a movement on the seal which is particularly natural because it brings the second male organ closer to its complementary female organ.

When the seal is unsealed, the movement made (lifting towards the first male organ of the gripping tab) allows, in the continuity of the gesture, to disengage the first male organ from the female organ in which it was anchored.

This design offers particularly advantageous ergonomics.

Advantageously, the second male organ is an organ that can be clipped into the female organ. In this way, it is enough just to drag the second male organ towards its female organ and clip it inside to achieve coupling.

According to a preferred embodiment, the female organ in which the second male organ is anchored has a proximal part and a distal part of the other female organ, and where:

- the proximal part forms a housing for retaining the second male organ in any direction other than that of the proximal part towards the distal part;

- the distal part forms a disengagement passage for the second male member in the retaining housing.

This embodiment allows the second male organ to be disengaged from the proximal part of the female organ by being slid in a direction extending from the proximal part towards the distal part.

This makes it easy to free the female organ from this second male organ.

According to another embodiment, the female organ, called the second female organ, in which the second male organ is anchored has a cavity for receiving the second male organ following a rupture of the single initiator of rupture, the cavity of reception being accessible from the cavity of the container.

Thanks to this embodiment, the second male organ forms physical proof, accessible from inside the package, of the breakage of the seal. It is thus possible to determine that the seal was broken, then that a “false” seal was put in place.

According to an advantageous alternative embodiment, the external surface of the container or the cover which presents the female member in which the second male member is anchored, extends perpendicularly to a bottom of the package, and in that the distal part of said member female is oriented towards the bottom from the proximal part of said female organ.

In this way, when the seal is loosened, the second male organ tends to naturally disengage, due to gravity, from the female organ in which it was anchored.

Indeed, when the package is placed on a flat horizontal surface, the external surface of the container or lid which extends perpendicular to the bottom of the package presents a orientation allowing the second male organ, following the rupture of the single incipient rupture, to slide downwards.

Advantageously, the only beginning of rupture is formed by a dotted cut of the seal.

Preferably, the package has a notch intended to accommodate part of the seal strip in the position ensuring that the package is kept closed.

In this way, when the seal is in its position ensuring that the package is kept closed, said at least part of the strip is protected inside the notch.

The invention also relates to a seal comprising:

- a band ;

- a first male organ and a second male organ carried by the band and each respectively complementary in coupling of two female organs presented respectively by a container and a lid of a package; the seal being intended to be attached to the package in a position ensuring that the package is kept closed in which the male organs are anchored and held captive in the female organs and where the strip extends between the female organs, each female organ having a anchoring cavity of a male organ, characterized in that the strip extends longitudinally from the first male organ to a free end forming a gripping tab capable of being raised to be grasped, the second male organ being positioned along the strip between the first male member and the free end, and in that the strip has a single incipient break at its junction with the second male member.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly on reading the following description of different preferred embodiments of the invention, given by way of illustrative and non-limiting examples, and the appended drawings among which: [ Fig. 1] Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a package according to the invention, the package being in a configuration of use and comprising seals in a position ensuring that the package is kept closed;

[Fig. 2] Figure 2 is a schematic perspective representation of the top of a seal of a package according to the invention;

[Fig. 3] Figure 3 is a schematic perspective representation from below the sealed;

[Fig. 4] Figure 4 is a schematic perspective representation of a seal in the anchoring phase on the package;

[Fig. 5] Figure 5 is a schematic representation of a subsequent phase of affixing the seal compared to Figure 4, in which the first male member of the seal has been inserted into the female member of the cover;

[Fig. 6] Figure 6 is a schematic perspective representation of a subsequent phase of affixing the seal compared to Figure 5, in which the first male member has been completely engaged in a retaining housing of the female member of the cover and where the seal is deformed so that a second male organ is anchored in another female organ presented by the package container;

[Fig. 7] Figure 7 is a schematic representation of a seal unsealing maneuver;

[Fig. 8] Figure 8 is a schematic perspective representation of the package in a flat configuration and for which seals guarantee that the package is maintained in the flat configuration.

With reference to Figures 1 and 4 to 8, a package 1 according to the invention is shown.

Package 1 includes:

- a container 2;

- a cover 3;

- at least one seal 4, and in this case two seals 4, which are intended to guarantee that package 1 is kept closed.

The container 2 comprises a bottom 10, a front wall 11, a rear wall 12, and two side walls 13.

Package 1 presents a configuration of use, illustrated by Figure 1, in which the container 2 delimits a cavity and where the cover 3 is capable of preventing access to the cavity. The cover 3 is in a cavity closing position and prevents access to this cavity.

In the configuration of use, the two side walls 13, the rear wall 12, and the front wall 11 extend perpendicular to the bottom 10. The container 2 adopts the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped.

Of course, the cover 3 can be moved to allow access to the cavity. According to the present embodiment, the cover 3 is rotatably mounted on the container 2, in particular the cover 3 is rotatably mounted by its rear edge, opposite the front edge on the side on which the seal(s) 4 are anchored on the package 1, on the upper edge of the rear wall of container 2.

Package 1 is more specifically a folding type package and can also adopt a flat configuration in which it takes up less space than in its usage configuration.

With reference to Figure 8, the package 1 adopts its flat configuration and the rear wall 12 is folded back in the extension of the bottom 10, the two side walls 13 are folded against the bottom 10, the front wall 11 is folded down towards the bottom 10, covering the two side walls 13, and the cover 3 is folded down towards the bottom 10, covering the two side walls 13 and the rear wall 12, in continuity with the front wall 11.

As illustrated in Figures 1 to 7, the seal 4 is intended to guarantee that the package 1 is kept closed by establishing a link between the cover 3 and the front wall of the container 2. With reference to Figure 8, a seal 4 can also guarantee the maintenance of the package 1 in its flat configuration.

For each seal 4, package 1 includes two female organs 20.

These two female organs 20 are presented respectively by the container 2 and by the cover 3 on the external surfaces of the latter.

These two female organs 20 are composed of a first female organ 201 and a second female organ 202.

More specifically, for each seal 4, the cover 3 presents the first female member 201, and the container 2, via the front wall 11, presents the second female member 202.

According to the present embodiment, the cover 3 has a third female member 203 positioned behind each first female member 201. This third female member 203 aims to make it possible to have a seal 4 directly available on the package 1 in its flat configuration, as illustrated in Figure 8, due to the fact that the distance between the first female member 201 and the second female member 202 in the configuration of use of package 1 is different from that in the flat configuration of package 1.

In other words, in the flat configuration of the package 1, each seal 4 can be coupled to the third female member 203 presented by the cover 3 and in the second female member 202 presented by the container 2.

Each third female organ 203 has a design identical to the first female organs 201.

With reference to Figures 2 to 7, the seal 4 is described in more detail below. The seal 4 comprises a strip 40. This strip 40 is in particular at least partially flexible so as to be able to be deformed as illustrated by the sealing kinematics illustrated by Figures 4 to 6, and more specifically by Figure 6.

For this purpose, the seal 4 is made of a material that is deformable along the seal. The seal can for example be made of plastic.

As can be seen in Figure 3, the strip 40 has a central thinning 400 facilitating deformation of the strip 40 during the sealing of the seal 4.

The seal 4 also includes a first male member 41 and a second male member 42 which are both carried by the strip 40.

The first male organ 41 and the second male organ 42 are respectively complementary in coupling with one of the two female organs 20.

More specifically, the first male member 41 is complementary in coupling with the first female member 201, and the second male member 42 is complementary in coupling with the second female member 202.

As mentioned previously, the first male organ 41 is also complementary in coupling with the third female organ 203. With reference to Figure 1, the seal is in a position guaranteeing that the package 1 is kept closed in which the male organs are anchored and held captive in the female organs 20, and where the strip 40 extends between the female organs 20.

As is particularly visible in Figure 3, the strip 40 extends longitudinally from the first male member 41 to a free end forming a gripping tab 43.

This gripping tab 43 can be lifted to be grasped manually.

The second male member 42 is positioned along the strip 40 between the first male member 41 and the free end.

In other words, along the strip 40, beyond the second male member 42 from the first male member 41, there is provided on the strip 40 an additional portion having a sufficiently large surface to be able to be grasped, this portion additional corresponding to the free end forming the gripping tab 43.

The strip 40 also has a single incipient break 44 at its junction with the second male member 42.

According to the present embodiment illustrated by Figures 2 to 7, the strip 40 and the single initiator of rupture 44 surround the second male member 42.

The single incipient rupture 44 is formed by a dotted cut of the seal 4.

The first male member 41, as visible in Figure 3, has a T shape projecting from a lower face of the strip 40.

The branches of the T extend orthogonally to the longitudinal axis of strip 40.

The second male member 42 has a shape integrating a flat portion from which projects an element having a core 421 and two elastically deformable branches 422 together having the shape of an arrowhead.

In fact, the second male organ 42 is a clip-on organ in the second female organ 202. When inserting the second male member 42 into the second female member 202, the branches 422 deform elastically towards the core 421, until the second male member 42 is completely inserted. As soon as it is completely inserted, the branches 422 deploy and anchor the male organ in the female organ.

As detailed below, the first male member 41 and the second male member 42 have a profile allowing disengagement of the female members 20 by sliding.

For the first male organ 41, the first female organ 201 has a proximal part and a distal part of the other female organ 20.

As is visible in Figures 4, 5 and 7, the proximal part forms a retaining housing 2011 of the first male member 41 in any direction other than that of the proximal part towards the distal part of the first female member 201.

The distal part forms a passage 2012 for engagement and disengagement of the first male organ 41 in the retaining housing 2011.

In other words, as illustrated more specifically by Figures 4 and 5, when sealing the seal 4 on the package 1, the seal 4 is brought closer to the package 1 so that the first male member 41 s engages, in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the cover 3, in the passage 2012 for engagement and disengagement of the first male member 41 in the retaining housing 2011, then is slid from the distal part to the proximal part and in this way, the first male member 41 is retained in the retaining housing 2011.

Subsequently, as illustrated in Figure 6, the seal 4 is deformed so as to allow the second male member 42 to be clipped into the second female member 202.

For this purpose, the second female organ 202 in which the second male organ 42 is anchored has a proximal part and a distal part of the other female organ 20, and:

- the proximal part forms a retaining housing 2021 of the second male organ 42 in any direction other than that of the proximal part towards the distal part;

- the distal part forms a disengagement passage for the second male member 42 from the retaining housing 2021. As is visible in Figures 1 and 4 to 7, the external surface of the container 2 which presents the second female member 202 in which the second male member 42 is anchored, extends perpendicular to the bottom of the package 1.

In addition, the distal part of the second female organ 202 is oriented towards the bottom of the package 1 from the proximal part of said female organ.

This configuration allows natural ejection of the second male organ 42 following loosening.

According to another possible embodiment, it may be the cover which would extend perpendicular to the bottom.

According to yet another possible embodiment, the second male organ 42 is not ejected following loosening. Indeed, the second female member 202, in which the second male member 42 is anchored, then has a cavity for receiving the second male member 42 following a rupture of the single rupture initiator 44. This reception cavity is accessible from the cavity of the container 2. In this embodiment, the second male member 42 is designed to fall into the receiving cavity following the unsealing of the seal 4. In this way, unsealing of the seal 4 results in the production of proof unsealing device accessible only from inside the package.

As illustrated in Figures 4 to 7, the package 1 has a notch 111 intended to accommodate at least part of the strip 40 of the seal 4 in the position ensuring that the package 1 is kept closed.

This notch partially protects seal 4 when it is affixed to package 1.

Package 1 also presents, at the level of its cover 3 and for each first female member 201, a depression inside which the part of the complementary seal is located. In this way, the first male organ 41 and the part of the strip 40 carrying this organ are also protected.

With reference to Figures 1 to 7, sealing and unsealing of package 1 is described below.

When package 1 is in its usage configuration and cover 3 blocks access to the cavity, one or more seals 4 can be used to guarantee that the package 1 is maintained in its closed configuration.

To seal the package 1, and with reference to Figure 4, a seal 4 must first be anchored in the female organ complementary to the first male organ 41.

Consequently, the seal 4 is brought closer to the cover 3 according to the arrow F1 and the first male member 41 is first inserted into the distal part of the first female member 201.

Then, as illustrated in Figure 5, traction exerted on the seal 4 makes it possible to slide the first male member 41 from the passage 2012 for engagement/disengagement of the first male member 41 in the retaining housing 2011 into the retaining housing 2011, according to arrow F2.

Subsequently, as illustrated in Figure 6, the seal 4 is deformed (folded) so that the second male member 42 is clipped inside the second female member 202. This action is illustrated by the arrow F3.

To unseal the package 1, with reference to Figure 7, the user must grasp the gripping tab 43 and pull it upwards according to arrow F4. A complete rupture of the single incipient rupture 44 then occurs and the second male organ 42 is released.

Following this release, the second male member 42 can slide downwards, that is to say pass from the retaining housing 2021 of the second female member 202 into the passage 2022 for disengaging the second male member 42 then fall into the case where package 1 rests on its bottom and on a horizontal surface.

If the user continues his gesture of pulling the gripping tab upwards, the gesture naturally leads to a disengagement of the first male member 41 from the first female member 201 and in particular a translation towards the rear from the retaining housing 2011 into the 2012 passage of engagement/disengagement of the first male organ 41.

The package is then unsealed.

Claims

1. Package (1) including:

- a container (2) delimiting a cavity and a cover (3) capable of preventing access to the cavity;

- two female organs (20) presented respectively by the container (2) and the cover

(3) on external surfaces;

- at least one seal (4) intended to guarantee that the package (1) is kept closed; in which the seal (4) comprises:

- a strip (40);

- a first male member (41) and a second male member (42) carried by the band (40) and each respectively complementary in coupling to one of the two female members (20); the seal (4) being intended to be attached to the package (1) in a position guaranteeing that the package (1) is kept closed in which the male organs are anchored and held captive in the female organs (20) and where the strip ( 40) extends between the female members (20), characterized in that the strip (40) extends longitudinally from the first male member (41) to a free end forming a gripping tab (43) capable of 'be lifted to be grasped, the second male member (42) being positioned along the strip (40) between the first male member (41) and the free end, and in that the strip (40) has a unique beginning of rupture (44) at its junction with the second male organ (42).

2. Package (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the strip (40) and the single initiator of rupture (44) surround the second male member (42).

3. Package (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the female member (20), called the first female member (201), in which the first male member (41) is anchored, has a part proximal and a distal part of the other female organ (20), called the second female organ (202), and where:

- the proximal part forms a retaining housing (2011) of the first male organ (41) in any direction other than that of the proximal part towards the distal part;

- the distal part forms a passage (2012) for engagement and disengagement of the first male organ (41) in the retaining housing (2011).

4. Package (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the second member male (42) is a clip-on organ in the female organ (20).

5. Package (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the female member (20), called the second female member (202), in which the second male member (42) is anchored, has a portion proximal and a distal part of the other female organ (20), called the first female organ (201), and where:

- the proximal part forms a retaining housing (2021) of the second male organ (42) in any direction other than that of the proximal part towards the distal part;

- the distal part forms a passage (2022) for disengaging the second male member (42) from the retaining housing (2021).

6. Package (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the external surface of the container or the cover which presents the second female member (202) in which the second male member (42) is anchored, extends perpendicular to a bottom of the package (1), and in that the distal part of the second female organ (202) is oriented towards the bottom of the package (1) from the proximal part of the second female organ (202).

7. Package (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the female member (20), said second female member (202), in which the second male member (42) is anchored, presents a cavity for receiving the second male member (42) following a rupture of the single initiator of rupture (44), the receiving cavity being accessible from the cavity of the container (2).

8. Package (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the single incipient rupture (44) is formed by a dotted cut of the seal (4).

9. Package (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has a notch (111) intended to accommodate at least part of the strip (40) of the seal (4) in the guaranteeing position of the keeping the package (1) closed.

10. Seal (4) comprising:

- a strip (40);

- a first male organ and a second male organ carried by the band and each respectively complementary in coupling of two female organs presented respectively by a container and a lid of a package; the seal (4) being intended to be attached to the package (1) in a position guaranteeing that the package (1) is kept closed in which the male organs are anchored and maintained captive in the female organs (20) and where the strip (40) extends between the female organs (20), characterized in that the strip (40) extends longitudinally from the first male organ (41) to a free end forming a gripping tab (43) capable of being lifted to be grasped, the second male member (42) being positioned along the strip (40) between the first male member (41) and the free end , and in that the strip (40) has a single rupture initiation (43) at its junction with the second male member (42), and in that the strip (40) and the single rupture initiation (44) surround the second male organ (42).