PACKAGE

Abstract: Tubular cardboard package having an end closure (9) folded into said package and closed with an elastic band encircling said package, said elastic band being located in an incision (14) in a rounded portion or an edge, said incision being provided immediately adjacent to the end closure (9) and in the zone between said end closure and the adjacent end of the tubular package. The closure of the package is efficient and stable and is easy to open and close again.

Description: Package This invention relates to a tubular package made from a sheet material and in particular cardboard or boxboard and having at least one end closure folded into the package . More particularly the invention is concerned with tubular packages having dimensions such that the package and its contents falls under the term smal l parcels as used by the postal authorities . However, it should be understood that the package also may have considerably greater dimensions as far as height, width and/or length are concerned . Packages which are to be used for the shipping of goods by the postal authorities should fulfil a number of requirements in¬ cluding 1 ) they should be of a smal l weight, 2) the excessive volume should be as smal l as possible, 3) they should have a sufficiently high strength to ef¬ fectively protect the packed article, 4) they should be easy to close and open and also to re-open and re-close in connection with the checking of the contents of the package, and 5) it should be easy to apply a label to the package or to write thereon . The prior art comprises various types of packages made from cardboard by folding . These packages fulfil most of the above mentioned requirements but suffer from the defect that when the closure is efficient, they are difficult to open or re-open and to close again . The prior art packages comprise cardboard tubes which are closed at their ends by end closures made form a plastics materi¬ al , said end closures having such a diameter that they can be insert- ed into the ends of said tubes . If the closure of such cardboard tubes is easy to open , it is insufficient stable to prevent that it is released if the contents of the tube hit strongly against said end closure . The object of the invention is to provide a package fulfil - ling the requirements 1 -5 mentioned above and which comprises a stable and efficient closure. According to the invention this object is achieved with a package of the above mentioned type, said package being character¬ ized in that it comprises located immediately adjacent to said end closure and in the zone between said end closure and the adjacent end of the tubular package an incision provided in an edge or a rounded portion of said package, said incision extending essentially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said package and that a band of an elastic material is provided in said incision, said band encircling said package. The band of an elastic material located in said incision ef¬ fectively prevents the folded end closure from being bent outwardly so as to open the package but at the same time the package can easily be opened, viz. by removing said band and easily be closed again, viz. by placing the band in the incision again. The tubular package according to the invention may have a polygonal , oval or circular cross sectional shape. A particularly advantageous package according to the in- ventϊon is characterized in that its cross sectional shape is that of an equilateral triangle. Such a shape presents the special advantage that it is very resistant against compression because the pressure will be exerted on the edge of the package when it is placed on a planar support. In such case the packing will yield only under rela- tively high pressure forces . A package according to the invention and prepared by folding can be further strengthened if one or more folded end closu¬ res are double. By suitably selecting the shape of the blank for use for the manufacture of the package of the invention by folding , packages having any polygonal cross sectional shape can be provided . The package of the invention may also be of circular cross sectional shape. In this embodiment the incision may be provided by forming two adjacent cuts in the tube and by. pressing the material located between said cuts into the tubular body. The material pres¬ sed into the tubular body will further contribute to prevent that the folded end closure is bent outwardly. As already mentioned the package of the invention is pre¬ ferably made from cardboard or boxboard including corrugated paper and Kraft paper. However, it may also be made from other materials, such as plastic sheets, thin metal sheets, artificial leather and wood fibre materials . Due to the fact that no string has to be tied around the package of the invention , the external surface of the package is OMPI very suitable for decoration including application of prints thereon . It is also possible to apply a label or a decorative material thereon . Another special advantage of the package according to the invention is that a seal can be provided in the incision , thus making it possible to see whether the package has been opened before it reaches the receiver . The elastic band is preferably a rubber band . The invention wil l now be described in further detail with reference to the drawings , in which Fig . 1 is a top plan view of a blan k for the preparation of a triangular package according to the inven¬ tion , Fig . 2 is a perspctive view of the blan k according to Fig . 1 in partly folded state, Fig . 3 is a perspective view of a package according to the invention prepared from the blank illustrated in Fig . 1 , Fig . 4 is a top plan view of a blan k for the preparation of a box package according to the inventon , Fig . 5 is a perspective view of a box package according to the invention prepared from the blank accord¬ ing to Fig . 4, and Fig . 6 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of a rectangular package according to the invention in partly folded state. The blan k illustrated in Fig . 1 consists of a bottom panel 1 which along a fold line 2 is joined to a first side panel 3. The first side panel 3 is joined along a further fold line 4 to a second side panel 5. The second side panel 5 is joined along a fold line 6 to an inner bottom panel 7. At the ends the inner bottom panel 7 is joined along fold lines 8 to main gable flaps 9. The inner bottom panel 7 is joined along a fold line 10 to an inner side panel 11 which at its ends is joined along fold lines 12 to secondary gable flaps 13. Adja¬ cent to the ends of the side panels 3 and 5 there is provided a rectangular hole 14 extending transverse to the fold line 4. The fold¬ ing of the blank shown in Fig . 1 to form the package shown in Fig . 3 is carried out in the fol lowing manner: The inner side panel 11 is folded along the fold line 11 so as to provide an angle between said panel and the bottom panel 7 of about 60° . Subsequently t ary gable flaps 13 are folded along the fold lines 12 so as to extend perpendicular to the inner side panel 11 . Then the main gable flaps 9 are folded along the fold lines 8 until they extend essential ly per¬ pendicular to the inner bottom panel 7. At this stage the blank has the shape shown in Fig . 2. Then the blan k is folded along the fold lines 6, 4 and 2 so as to obtain a package having the shape shown in Fig . 3, said package being then closed by providing elastic bands 15 in the inci¬ sions corresponding to the holes 14 in the blank. Since these inci- sions are located outside of and directly up to the gable flaps 9 and 13, these gable flaps are prevented from being folded outwardly, the other hand , the package can easily be opened . . The blank shown in Fig . 4 comprises a bottom panel 20 which is joined along fold lines 21 to two end flaps 22 and along a fold line 23 to a first side panel 24. The side panel 24 is joined along fold lines 25 to end flaps 26 and along a further fold line 27 to a top panel 28. The top panel 28 is joined along fold lines 29 to end flaps 30 and along a fold line 31 to a second side panel 32. The second side panel 32 is joined along fold lines 33 to end flaps 34 and along a further fold line 35 to an inner bottom panel 36. The bottom panel 36 is joined along fold lines 37 to main gable flaps 38 and along a fold line 39 to an inner side panel 40. The inner side panel 40 is joined along fold lines 41 to secondary gable flaps 42. The blan k also comprises two rectangular holes 43 extend- ing perpendicular to the fold line 27 and each being located at a distance from the side edges of the blank which is less than the distance from a side edge to the fold line 37. The preparation of the box package shown in Fig . 5 from the blank according to Fig . 4 is carried out in the fol lowing manner: The inner side flap 40 is folded along the fold line 39 to such an extent that it extends essentially perpendicular to the inner bottom panel 36__and at the same time the secondary gable flaps 42 are folded along the fold lines 41 so as to bring them into a position in which they extend essentially perpendicular to the inner side panel 40. Then the gable flaps 38 are folded along the fold lines 37 to bring them into a position in which they extend essentially paral¬ lel to the gable flaps 42. Then all the end flaps 22, 26, 30 and 34 are folded to bring them into positions in which they are parallel with the corresponding side, bottom and top panels , The blank is then folded along the fold lines 35, 31 , 27 and 23 so as to provide the package shown in Fig . 5, said package having two incisions corresponding to the holes 43. Finally elastic bands 44 are placed in said incisions. The partly folded blank shown in Fig . 6 corresponds to that of Fig . 4 except that it has no bottom panel and that the two side panels and the top panel have no end flaps . I n Fig . 6 the same reference numerals have been used to identify the same parts as in Fig . 4. 10 15 -20 25 30 35

Claims: a i s 1. A tubular package made from a sheet material and hav¬ ing at least one end closure folded into the package, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that it ccnnprises located immediately adjacent to said end closure and in the zone between said end closure and the adjacent end of the tubular package a incision (14,43) provided in an edge of a rounded portion of said package, said incision (14,43) extending essentially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said package, and that a band (15,44) of an elastic material is provided in said incision, said band encircling the package. 2. A package according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z ¬ e d in that the cross sectional shape of said package is that of an equilateral triangle. 3. A folded package according to claim 1, c h a r a c - t e r i z e d in that one or more end edges are double. 4. A package according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z ¬ e d in that the elastic band is a rubber band. OMPI ,Λ , WIPO

Inventors: DOOLEWEERDT S
Applicants: DOOLEWEERDT S
Application year: 1981
Main classification: B65D5
IPC codes: B65D5