COMPOSITE PACKAGE WITH SELF-SEALING CLOSURE MEANS

Abstract: There is disclosed a foldable envelope consist­ ing of two or more portions which can be telescopically coupled on a tubular central body. The envelope essentially comprises a tubular body (1),of given cross-section,provided with outward­ ly turned edges (2). With the tubular body (1) two box-like bodies (3,3′) cooperate,having related cross-sections,and provided with inwardly turned edges (4) and adapted to operate as closure covers for the tubular body (1).

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a composable envelope, for packaging purposes, which is provided with a self-sealing type of closure system. As is known, several types of containers are presently available on the market which have been specifically designed for packaging given products. These known containers must be closed in a firm way, or tight manner, in order to properly preserve the contained products. For example, US-A-2 800 266 shows an ice cream container comprising a container body including four side wall panels each provided with foldably connected upper edge and lower edge flanges, and container closures usable at both ends of the container including a main end panel provided with four foldably connected side wall panels each having foldably connected locking flanges. When the closures are fully telescoped onto the container body, the edges of the locking flanges of the closures abut against the various flanges of the wall panels of the container body, and thus the closures are locked securely in place and are difficult to remove from the container body. Also known is the fact that some waste products, such as hospital wastes and the like, must be packaged in accurately and firmly sealed containers in order to prevent said wastes from leaking off the container. The closure operations of these containers, on the other hand, require a lot of time and labour. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the task of the present invention is to overcome the above mentioned drawback by providing such a packaging envelope structure which is of the self-sealing type, that is able of forming a container which, after closure, can hardly be opened. Within the scope of the above mentioned task, a main object of the present invention is to provide such a packaging envelope which is structurally very simple and can be used in a very easy way. Another object of the present invention is to provide such an envelope which affords the possibility of forming very reliable and safe containers. According to one aspect of the present invention, the above task and objects, as well as yet other objects, which will become more apparent hereinafter, are achieved by a self-sealing packaging envelope, as defined in the appended claim 1. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Further characteristics and advantages of the packaging envelope according to the present invention will become more apparent hereinafter from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof,being illustrated,by way of an indicative but not limitative example,in the figures of the accompanying drawings,where: figure 1 is an extended plan view of the tubular body of the packaging envelope according to the present invention; figures 2 and 3 are respectively a perspective view and an elevation view of that same tubular body; figures 4 and 5 represent the extended box-like body provided with two bent side flaps; figure 6 is a perspective view of the box-like body; figure 7 shows the procedure for coupling the above mentioned component elements; figure 8 shows a vertical cross-sectional view of the packaging envelope according to the present invention; and figure 9 shows a perspective view of the packaging envelope. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With reference to the figures of the accompanying drawings,the packaging envelope structure according to the present invention comprises a tubular body 1 having preferably a regular polygonal cross-section and having outwardly turned edges 2 of suitable height. With this tubular body 1,two box-like bodies 3 and 3′,or covers,cooperate which have a shape strictly related to the cross-section of the tubular body. The box-like bodies 3 and 3′,in turn,are provided with inwardly turned edges 4 which are adapted to engage at the free perimetrical line 5 with the free perimetrical line 6 of the upturned portions of the tubular body. Thus the single box-like bodies,as they are sleeved,by a suitable pressure,onto the tubular body will be firmly locked thereon,thereby providing a fixed coupling,as clearly shown in figure 8. The mentioned tubular body and box-like bodies can be made starting from any suitable materials,depending on the provided use for the container to be formed thereby. For example impermeable materials can be used so as to form tight containers for packaging grains,powders,liquids and so on. In this connection it should be pointed out that the packaging envelope according to the invention can be advantageously used for hospital waste materials and/or elements,such as syringes,used boxes,towels and the like. In fact the subject envelope,after closure, can not be absolutely reopened unless at least one of its covers is forcibly and destructuvely removed. Advantageously there is provided to store and sell the tubular body 1 and box-like bodies 3 according to their flat extension (as shown in figures 1 and 4) so as to have a minimum size in their not use condition. In actual practice the tubular and box-like bodies are made starting from sheet material having suitable die cut lines 7 and ribbed lines 8 which particular include ribbed lines 8a provided diagonally at the corners 10 of the starting sheet material to allow such corners to be folded inside the final form of the box-like covering bodies 3,3' as shown in figure 6. Adhesive strips 9 are moreover provided for facilitating the coupling of the upturned edges on the corresponding walls of said bodies. In this connection it should be apparent that the exposed walls of the subject container can bear printed matter and moreover the formed container can be provided of carrying handles and the like. From the above disclosure and from the figures of the accompanying drawings the great advantages of the packaging envelope according to the present invention will be self-evident.

Claims: A self-sealing packaging envelope comprising a tubular body (1), of given cross-section, provided with outwardly turned edges (2) at both its top end and at its bottom end, and two box-like covering bodies (3,3') each for covering the top and bottom ends of said tubular body (1) which have related cross-sections and which are provided with inwardly turned edges (4), the respective free perimetrical lines (5 and 6) of the outwardly turned edges (2) and the inwardly turned edges (4) mutually engage when said box-like covering bodies (3,3') are coupled with said tubular body (1), said tubular body (1) having a polygonal cross-section and said two box-like covering bodies (3,3') having a shape strictly related to the cross-section of said tubular body (1), the box-like covering bodies (3,3') being each made starting from a flatly extending sheet material substantially in the form of a quadrangle having suitable ribbed line (8) which are folded to form said box-like covering bodies (3,3'), the envelope being characterized in that said ribbed lines in particular include ribbed lines (8a) which are provided diagonally at the corners (10) of the sheet material to allow said corners to be folded inside said box-like covering bodies (3,3') in their final form. A self-sealing packaging envelope according to claim 1, characterized in that said tubular body (1) is made starting from a flatly extending sheet material provided with die cut lines (7) and ribbed lines (8) which are folded to form said tubular body (1), adhesive strips (9) being further provided which are adapted to facilitate the coupling of said turned edges onto the corresponding walls of said bodies.

Inventors: GALBER, MARIA ADELE
Applicants: ASSOGRAPH ITALIA S.R.L.
Application year: 1988
Main classification: B65D5
IPC codes: B65D5