Abstract:
Package includes stacks of empty containers matingly stacked, panels each having a main surface with peripheral walls, and support members. A first level includes a first panel, one or more stacks of egg containers laid horizontally on the main surface of the first panels within the peripheral walls, and said support members extending from the first panel to a top of the first level. A second level includes a second panel laid on the first level in contact with the support members, one or more stacks of containers laid horizontally on a surface of the second panel within the peripheral walls, and support members extending from the second panel to a top of the second level. A panel is disposed on an uppermost level and having its peripheral walls covering a top of the sides of the uppermost level and in contact with the support members of the uppermost level.

Description:
FIELD OF THE APPLICATION 
       [0001]    The present application relates to containers for receiving frangible objects such as eggs and other frangible objects, and to the bulk shipping of such containers before their use. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE ART 
       [0002]    Egg containers of various kinds have been developed for the transportation and sale of eggs. As eggs are relatively fragile, the egg containers must protect the eggs from the various manipulations involved from the packaging of the eggs to the consumer&#39;s refrigerator. One significant improvement in egg containers is the use of thermoformed plastics as material for the egg containers. Thermoformed plastics are typically transparent, which allows the eggs to be visible, and are relatively inexpensive to produce. Hence, the consumer may inspect the eggs without having to open the container. 
         [0003]    Such containers were developed as a cost-efficient alternative to package eggs and like frangible items. Therefore, it is desirable to optimize all steps from the manufacturing of such containers, to their shipping, and to their use as a container. 
       SUMMARY OF THE APPLICATION 
       [0004]    It is therefore an aim of the present disclosure to provide a packaging configuration and method for stacks of containers. 
         [0005]    Therefore, in accordance with the present application, there is provided a package comprising: stacks of empty sheet-formed containers, with each said container being made of a sheet of polymer formed into an open tray comprising a base portion defining at least one receiving cavity, at least one cover portion, and a hinge between the base portion and the cover portion for rotating the cover portion onto the base portion to close the container, each said stack comprising the containers in open trays matingly stacked one into the other; panels each having a main surface with peripheral walls; support members; a first level comprising a first one of the panels at a bottom, at least one said stack of containers laid horizontally on the main surface of the first one of the panels within the peripheral walls, and at least one said support members extending from the first one of the panels to a top of the first level; at least a second level comprising a second one of the panels laid on top of the first level in contact with the support members of the first level, at least another one said stack of containers laid horizontally on the main surface of the second one of the panels within the peripheral walls, and at least one said support members extending from the second one of the panels to a top of the second level; and one said panel on top of an uppermost one of the levels and having its peripheral walls covering a top of the sides of the uppermost one of the levels and in contact with the support members of the uppermost one of the levels. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a schematic perspective view of a two-fold egg container; 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a schematic perspective view of a three-fold egg container; 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of one level of a packaging configuration of egg containers of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a plan view of a packaging panel of the packaging configuration of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of multiple levels of a packaging configuration of egg containers of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; and 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  is a plan view of a variant of the packaging panel of  FIG. 4 . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0012]    Referring to the drawings and more particularly to  FIG. 1 , an egg container is generally shown at  10 . The egg containers described hereinafter are made of transparent or translucent plastics, for instance using a thermoforming process or other molding process, with a sheet of polymer as starting point. Other materials and/or processes may be used as well. The containers described hereinafter may be used to contain eggs or any other frangible items (e.g., tomatoes). 
         [0013]    The egg container  10  of  FIG. 1  is a two-fold egg container, as it has two portions hinged to one another. The egg container  10  has a base portion  11  having a plurality of receiving cavities  12  (e.g., six, twelve, eighteen, twenty-four, or any other suitable number), with each cavity  12  receiving an egg. A top cover portion  13  is hinged to the base portion  11  by hinge  14 . The top cover portion  13  may or may not have individual cavities to cover a top portion of the eggs supported by the receiving cavities  12 . Alternatively, the top cover portion  13  may present a flat top surface as in  FIG. 1 , with or without strengthening components (e.g., arches, posts). Although not shown, mating connectors or any other suitable type of connectors are provided on the periphery of the base portion  11  and top cover portion  13  for interlocking them when the egg container  10  is closed. 
         [0014]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , a three-fold egg container is generally illustrated at  10 ′. The egg container  10 ′ is similar to the egg container  10  of  FIG. 1 , but has a middle cover portion  15 . The middle cover portion  15  is hinged to the base portion  11  by hinge  16 . The hinges  14  and  16  are preferably on opposite edges of the base portion  11 . The middle cover portion  15  typically has egg cavities  17  to cover a top portion of the eggs supported by the egg-receiving cavities  12 . Although not shown, mating connectors or any other suitable type of connectors are provided on the periphery of the top cover portion  13  and the middle cover portion  15  for interlocking them when the egg container  10 ′ is closed. 
         [0015]    In order to close the egg container  10 ′, the middle cover portion  15  is firstly hinged into contact with the base container  12 , as illustrated by arrow A. The top cover portion  13  is then hinged onto the middle cover portion  15 , as illustrated by arrow B. When the egg container  10 / 10 ′ is closed, peripheral flanges  18  and  19  lay flat one on the other. 
         [0016]    The egg containers of the present disclosure may contain any suitable number of egg receiving cavities. One suitable material for the egg containers of the present application is polyethylene terephthalate (PET). PET has many advantages, as this material can be transparent or opaque and can be produced at high volume and at low cost. Wall thicknesses of PET cases in a contemplated embodiment are of 0.0175 inch in thickness, but other thicknesses as low as 0.012 to as high as 0.022 inch are also contemplated. It is pointed out that the thickness may be outside of these ranges, especially after the container  10  is formed. However, any suitable thickness can be used, depending on the fragility of the objects packaged in the container  10 . 
         [0017]    The containers  10  and  10 ′ as in  FIGS. 1 and 2  may be stacked when opened (i.e., at the exit of the thermoforming process). When the containers  10  and  10 ′ are opened, they are generally flat. Hence, a bottom container  10  or  10 ′ may be laid on the ground with cavities  12  and  17  (if applicable) facing upwardly (or facing downwardly), and will act as a female container (or male container if facing downwardly) for receiving another container laid thereon. By repeating these steps, a stack of containers  10  or  10 ′ may be formed, to any appropriate height. Due to the thinness of the containers  10  and  10 ′ made from a sheet of thermoformed material, the containers  10  or  10 ′ stacked into one another are separated by a relatively small distance. For instance, the spacing between adjacent containers  10  and  10 ′ of a same stack is between 0.12″ and 0.38″. 
         [0018]    A first level of a packaging configuration is shown in  FIG. 3 , as laid on a support platform P, such as a pallet displaced by fork lifts. In the packaging configuration, at least one stack  20  of containers  10 / 10 ′ is laid on its side, instead of being upright. The stack  20  is laid on its side such that the longitudinal edges passing through the hinges  14  and  16  (if applicable) of  FIGS. 1 and 2  are generally normal to a support plane of the platform P, although these longitudinal edges could alternatively be parallel to the support plane of the platform P. In  FIG. 3 , there are multiple stacks  20  laid side by side, to fully cover the support plane of the platform P. In an embodiment, the stacks  20  do not extend beyond the support platform P. It is also considered to form the stacks  20  having a height determined as a function of the width or other dimension of the support platform P. 
         [0019]    Still referring to  FIG. 3 , a first panel  30 A is between the support platform P and a first level A of stacks  20 , while a second panel  30 B is on top of the first level A of stacks  20 . The panels  30  (i.e.,  30 A,  30 B, etc) are made of any appropriate material, and are shown as being in corrugated cardboard or like fiberboard. The panels  30 , such as panel  30 A, have a peripheral wall  31  on its four sides, to cover a bottom portion of the horizontal stacks  20 , or top portion if inverted. Corner members  32 , for instance shaped as right-angle brackets, project upwardly from the corners of the first level A, so as to protect these corners. The corner members  32  are made of the same material as the panels  30 , as they may be cut out from these panels  30 , as explained hereinafter. Side members  33  extend from one panel  30  to another, and are on side faces of the bundle being formed. In  FIG. 3 , there is illustrated a configuration using six of the side members  33  (three being visible), although more or less of these side members  33  could be used. The side members  33  may be integrally connected to a respective panel  30  as explained hereinafter, and act as support columns, to strengthen the bundle being formed. Hence, at least some of the side members are positioned such that corrugations (a.k.a., flutes) are vertical. 
         [0020]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , there is illustrated one embodiment of the panel  30  that may be used as either one of the panel  30 A and the panel  30 B of  FIG. 3 . The panel  30  has a main rectangular surface delimited by fold lines  40 . The main rectangular surface is typically sized to the same dimensions at the support plane of the support platform P (and hence may be square among other possibilities). 
         [0021]    The fold lines  40  are used to form the peripheral wall  31  ( FIG. 3 ). For instance, the fold lines  40  may be preformed in the panel  30  by any appropriate method. Sets of a slit  41 ′ and a fold line  41 ″ are defined at each intersection between the fold lines  40  to create a tab, and hence represent one arrangement among others to interconnect adjacent peripheral walls  31  in such a way that the peripheral walls  31  remain vertical. An adhesive or mechanical fastener (staples) may be used to secure the tab of one peripheral wall  31  to the adjacent peripheral wall  31 . 
         [0022]    Rectangles  42  of pre-perforated lines are present in the main rectangular surface of the panel  30 , and are to be torn off from the panel  30  and serve as the corner members  32 . The pre-perforated lines of the rectangles  42  may be formed in the panel  30  in any appropriate manner. Alternatively, the rectangles  42  may simply be visual indications guiding an operator in cutting these shapes out of the panel  30 . 
         [0023]    Sets  43  of three pre-perforated or pre-cut lines are also present in the main rectangular surface of the panel  30  and each intersect with a respective one of the fold lines  40 . Hence, flaps are formed as hinged to the main surface of the panel, using the sets  43  to separate the flap from the main panel. These flaps define the side members  33  shown in  FIGS. 3 and 5 . The pre-perforated or pre-cut lines of the sets  43  may be formed in the panel  30  in any appropriate manner. According to an embodiment, the sets  43  are positioned as a function of the corrugations, for instance to have as many of the side members  33  having the corrugations vertical. 
         [0024]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , there is illustrated at  50  a variant of the panel  30  of  FIG. 4 , whereby like elements will bear like reference numerals. The panel  50  has the rectangles of pre-perforated lines adjacent to the sets  43  of three pre-perforated or pre-cut lines, with the rectangles  42  being removable therefrom to be positioned in the corners of the bundles. It is observed that the corners of the panel  50  each have a set of a tab  51 ′ and slit  51 ″. The tab  51 ′ may be inserted in its corresponding slit  51 ″ to form the peripheral wall that will be at a right angle with the main surface of the panel  50 . The combination of the tab  51 ′ and slit  51 ″ may be sufficient to form the peripheral wall, in that no other fastening means (i.e., adhesive, tape, staples) may be required, although such fastening means could nonetheless be used. The rectangles  42  may be provide with a fold line  52  to guide in folding same to a right angle. The fold line  52  may be a weakened line (e.g., with perforations) die cut in the panels  30  and/or  50 . 
         [0025]    Now that the panels  30  have been described, a method for making bundles of egg containers  10 / 10 ′ is set forth. 
         [0026]    Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 5 , a first panel  30 A is laid on support surface of the support platform P. The first panel  30 A has been assembled to at least define the peripheral walls  31 . According to an embodiment, the side members  33  may be deployed and hinged to project upwardly from the panel  30 A. According to another embodiment, the corner members  32  may be torn off or removed from the panel  30 A as well. According to another embodiment, the side members  33  of the panel  30 B may be deployed and hinged to project downwardly from the panel  30 B, as shown in  FIG. 3 , to be used in level A. In the illustrated embodiment, the corner members  32 B may be torn off or removed from the panel  30 B, to be used in level A as well. 
         [0027]    Thereafter, the stacks  20  may be laid onto the top surface of the panel  30 A. Adjacent stacks  20  may be oriented in opposite directions (i.e., one stack  20  having the top surface of the containers  10 / 10 ′ facing in one direction, a subsequent stack  20  having the top surface of the containers  10 / 10 ′ facing in the other direction), as alternating orientations may strengthen the stacks  20  against tilting. As mentioned previously, the stacks  20  have a predetermined height to fit appropriately in the concavity defined by the peripheral walls  31 . According to another embodiment, a height of the stacks  20  is adjusted to reach an appropriate stack height, by removing or adding some containers  10 / 10 ′. 
         [0028]    Referring concurrently to  FIGS. 3 and 5 , the panel  30 B may then be added, by being laid onto the top of the horizontal stacks  20 . If the side members  33  of the panel  30 A have been deployed, the side members of the panel  30 B are hinged to project upwardly from the panel  30 A. To the contrary, if the side members  33  of the panel  30 A have not been deployed, the side members of the panel  30 B are hinged to project downwardly from the panel  30 B, to have their ends abut against the top surface of the main surface of the panel  30 A. The corner members  32  must then be positioned against the corners of the stacks  20 . The corner members  32  may first be folded to forma right angle. Then, an end of each of the corner members  32  is inserted in the gap between the peripheral walls  31  and the stacks  20 . 
         [0029]    These steps are repeated to add additional levels, such as shown as B, C, etc, in  FIG. 5 . In the end, a panel  30 X (shown as  30 D) is inserted with the peripheral walls  31  facing downwardly, to cover the top of the bundle. It is noted that the side members  33  need not be deployed to provide structural support, as there is no additional level to be supported. A plastic film may then be wrapped around the lateral surfaces of the bundle to protect the egg containers  10 / 10 ′ from dust, etc. The plastic film may provide additional strength to the bundle. 
         [0030]    It is pointed out that the corner members  32  and the side members  33  may come separate from the panels  30 , instead of bring pre-cut or pre-perforated therein.