PACKAGE OF FIBRE MASS

Abstract: A package of fibre mass or another yielding material for fragile objects, especially eggs, consists of a bowl shaped lower part (10) and an upper part (12) which is shaped in a corresponding manner, both having recesses (14 and 16, respectively) which form pockets for embracing the lower part and the upper part of the objects, respectively. Each said parts (10 and 12) of the package has at least three recesses (14 or 16) arranged in succession side by side with each other in such a way that a centrally positioned recess (14 or 16) is staggered in a direction transversely to a connection line (24) between the centers of the two neighbouring recesses (14 or 16).

Description: Package of fibre mass. The invention concerns a package of a fibre mass or another yielding material for fragile objects, especially eggs, consisting of a bowl-shaped lower part and an upper part which is shaped in a corresponding manner, both having recesses which form pockets for embracing the lower part and the upper part of the,object, respectively. The background of the invention shall be explained in details in the following in connection with packages for eggs. Nowadays, such packages must meet the requirements in the fields of transport, marketing and use. In the transport field, their dimensions should allow the packages to fit into a superior dimensioning system in¬ cluding the dimensioning of standard transport pallets and containers. In the field of marketing, their dimensions should allow the packages to fit into a dimensioning system for current sales shelves, especially in self-service stores. As to the use, it should be easy and comfortable for the consumer to handle the package. The object of the invention is to provide a package which due to its general design is able to meet all these requirements. According to the invention, this object is obtained by the fact that each the mentioned parts of the package has at least three recesses arranged in succession side by side with each other in such a way that a centrally posi¬ tioned recess is staggered in a direction transversely to a connection line between the centers of two neighbouring recesses. This staggered arrangement may partly result in a reduction of the total extension of the package in the di¬ rection of the connection line, partly in the formation of a bend and a corresponding protrusion at the outer outline of the package in the direction transversely to said connec¬ tion line. By assembling a number of packages in the direction of behind each other transversely to the said connection line, the packages will be able to engage each other by means of these bends and protrusions and thus being locked against mutual displacement in the direction of the connec¬ tion line which means an improvement of the stacking of the packages. In addition to that, a substantial improvement is obtained with regard to the use as now the package not only offers its outer corners to be grasped around but also the specific contouring of the outline of the package caused by the staggered arrangement of said centrally positioned recess placed between the end corners in as much as it is possible by hand to grasp into the concave bends on the one side of the package and around the protrusions on the other side of the package. In a preferred embodiment of the package according to the invention, each of said recesses may be a part of a number of recesses arranged in succesion transversely to said connection line whereby the rows of recesses thus formed do extend in parallel with each other. This means that a package according to the invention not only may receive three eggs, but for example, also six eggs with two eggs in every row. Such an embodiment shall be explained in details in the following. According to the invention, the lower part and the upper part of the package can be connected with each other by means of hinges which are placed at two recesses neigh¬ bouring a centrally positioned recess at the ends of said two recesses turning away from the connection line, and positioned past said centrally positioned recess.That means that the hinges will be placed on every side of the said concave bend and thus not disturb the function of it. According to the invention, another advantageous embodiment of the package may consist in the fact that a centrally positioned recess placed between two neighbouring recesses is staggered upwards from the level of the neigh¬ bouring recesses. This staggered arrangement may also result in a reduction of the total extension of the package in the direction of the connection line. Moreover, thus it will be able to provide a contour part projecting from the top side of the package and receding from the bottom side of the package which will make the handling of the package more easy. When the lower part and the upper part of the package are provided with edges by means of which they, in the closed state of the package, abut on each other, said edges may, according to the invention, follow wave lines extending in at least one of a number of planes which run transversely to each other and correspond to the outer outline of the package deriving from one of the recesses. This can be uti¬ lized for fixing the upper part of the package in relation to its lower part when the package is closed. It is known that packages of the kind referred to above are adapted in such a way that the lower part and the upper part by means of locking members are disconnectably releasably connected with each other. In a package formed in accordance with the invention, said locking members may, according to the invention, be placed on each side of the protruding part of a centrally positioned recess placed outwards staggered between neighbouring recesses and exten¬ ding beyond them in such a way that their directions for release by disconnection cross each other. Thus, the said protruding part of the package in a natural way may be uti¬ lized as a steering member for the releasing manipulation when the locking members are to be influenced in disconnec¬ ting purposes. The invention will be explained in details while reference is made to the drawing where Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of a package according to the invention for packing eggs, seen from the side and slant¬ wise from above, Fig. 2 the same, seen from in front and slantwise from above. Fig. 3 the same, seen in a plane view from above, and Fig. 4 the same in an unfolded state, seen from in- side. The shown package for eggs made from a fibre mass or another yielding material consists of a lower part 10 and an upper part 12 shaped in a corresponding manner. Both said parts have recesses which do form pockets, 14 and 16, respec- tively, for embracing the lower and the upper part respec¬ tively, of non shown eggs, one egg for each pair of the pocket-shaped recesses 14 and 16. A horizontal cross-section through a recess is circular or polygonal and in a vertical section, the shape of a recess is frustroconical, correspon- ding to the general shape of an egg. The lower part 10 is provided with three rows 18, 20 and 22 of recesses 14, each row comprising two recesses 14. Each row 18, 20 and 22 is extending transversely to a con¬ nection line 24 between the centers of two recesses 14 placed at their corresponding ends of the rows 18 and 22. The rows 18, 20 and 22 are extending in parallel with each other. In accordance with the invention the arrangement is made in such a way that the recesses 14, from row to row are placed side by side with each other in such a way that a recess of the centrally positioned row 20 is staggered in relation to the corresponding recesses of the two neighbou¬ ring rows 18 and 22 as shown in fig. 4 in a direction trans¬ versely to a connection line 24 between the centers of said last mentioned recesses. The upper part 12 has a corresponding shape as it is provided with three rows 26, 28 and 30 of recesses 16, each row comprising two recesses 16. As shown in Fig. 4, each of the rows 26, 28 and 30 are extending coaxially with the corresponding row 18, 20 and 22, respectively, of the reces- ses 14 of the lower part 10, and thus also in parallel with each other. Corresponding to the arrangement provided in the lower part 10, also the recesses 16 of the upper part 12 are placed staggered in relation to each other and from row to row in such a way that a recess 16 of the centrally posi- tioned row 28 is staggered in relation to the corresponding recesses of the two neighbouring rows 26 and 30 as shown in Fig. 4 in a direction transversely to a connection line 24 between the centers of said last mentioned recesses. When the upper part 12 is folded over the lower part from the unfold position of the package shown in Fig. 4 to the folded up position of the package shown in Figs. 1-3, the closed package has the appearance shown in the last men¬ tioned Figs. The arrangement of the recesses disclosed above re- suits partly in a reduction of the total extension of the package in the direction of the connection line 24 compared to an arrangement where the neighbouring recesses of the three rows were lying in a connection line 24, and partly a shape of the outer outline of the package having a bend 32 placed opposite to the rows 20, 28 on the one side of the package and a corresponding protrusion 34 opposite to the rows 20, 28 on the opposite τ side of the package. When assem¬ bling a number of packages in one plane and in the direction behind each other transversely to the connection line 24, the packages may engage each other by means of the bends 32 and the protrusions 34 and thus being locked against mutual displacement in the direction of the connection line. More¬ over, due to its characteristic sinous outer outline, the package is easy to catch and to hold by hand. The lower part 10 and the upper part 12 of the package are connected with each other by means of hinges 36 placed on each side of a recess 14, 16 arranged in the center rows 20,28 and extending beyond the ends of the recesses 14, 16 of the neighbouring rows 18, 26 and 22, 30, respectively, and thus adjacent the bend 32. In the shown embodiment of the package, the central recesses 14a, 16a placed in between two neighbouring recesses 14 and 16, respectively, are somewhat staggered upwards from the level of the neighbouring recesses. That, too, results in a reduction of space in the direction of the said connec- tion line 24. Moreover, there is hereby provided a contour part projecting from the top side of the package and receding from the bottom side of the package which may facilitate the handling of the package. As it appears especially from Figs. 1 and 2, the upper part 10 and the lower part 12 are provided with edges 38 and 40 by means of which they, in the closed state of the package abut on each other. As it appears from the draw¬ ing, the edges are extending in wave lines which, as far as the edges 38 are concerned, are lying in a horizontal plane and, as far as the edges 40 are concerned, are lying in a vertical plane. Furthermore, the edges 38 and 40 are shaped in such a way to correspond to the outer outline of the lower part 10 and upper part 12 of the package derived from one of the recesses 14 and 16 which do form pockets. This shape may serve a fixing of the upper part 12 of the package in relation to its lower part 10 when the package is closed. The lower part 10 and the upper part 12 of the package are connected with each other in a releasable manner by means of locking members which generally are designated by 42 (Figs. 1-3) and which consist of projecting locking tounges 42a arranged on the lower part 10 and locking ope¬ nings 42b in the outer side of the upper part 12 receiving the locking tounges, cf. Fig. 4. These locking members 42 are placed on each side of the protrusion 34 formed by the centrally disposed recesses 14,16 in such a way that their directions for release by disconnection are crossing each other. Thus, the protrusion 34 in a natural way may be uti¬ lized as a steering member for the disconnecting manipulation when the locking members are to be influenced by pushing their locking tounges 42a inwards the package and thus being released from the locking engagement position in the openings b.

Claims: PATENT CLAIMS. 1. A package of a fibre mass or another yielding material for fragile objects, especially eggs, consisting of a bowl shaped lower part (10) and an upper part (12) which is shaped in a corresponding manner, both having re¬ cesses (14 and 16 respectively) which form pokkets for em¬ bracing the lower part and the upper part respectively of the objects, characterized in that each said parts (10 and 12) of the package has at least three recesses (14 or 16) arranged in succession side by side with each other in such a way that a centrally positioned recess (14 or 16) is stag¬ gered in a direction transversely to a connection line (24) between the centers of two neighbouring recesses (14 or 16) . 2. Package according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the said recesses (14 or 16) are a part of a number of recesses arranged in succession transversely to the said connection line (24) whereby the rows of recesses (18, 20, 22 and 26, 28 and 30, respectively) thus formed extend in parallel with each other. 3. Package according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that its lower part (10) and its upper part (12) are connected with each other by means of hinges (36) which are placed at two recesses neighbouring a centrally positioned recess at the ends of said two recesses (14, row 20, or 16, row 28) turning away from the connection line (24) and po¬ sitioned past said centrally positioned recess. 4. Package according to any of the claims 1-3, charac¬ terized in that a centrally positioned recess (14a, 16a row 20, 28) placed between two neighbouring recesses (14,16) is staggered upwards from the level of the neighbouring reces¬ ses. 5. Package according to anyone of the preceding claims where the lower part (10) and the upper part (12) are pro¬ vided with edges (38,40) by means of which they, in the closed state of the package, abut on each other, charac¬ terized in that the edges (38, 40) follow wave lines exten- ding in at least one of a number of planes which run trans¬ versely to each other and correspond to an outer outline of the lower part (10) and the upper part (12) of the package derived from one of the recesses (14, 16). 6. Package according to each of the preceding claims where the lower part (10) and the upper part (12) are relea- sable connected with each other by means of locking memmberε (42) , characterized in that the locking members (42) are placed on each side of the protruding part (34) of a cen- trally positioned recess (14 and 16) placed outwards stag¬ gered between neighbouring recesses and extending beyond them in such a way that their directions for release by disconnection cross each otiher. 7. Package according to each of the preceding claims, characterized in that the said recesses (14,16) comprise a substantially circular or polygonal horizontal cross-section, and a substantially frustroconical vertical section, cor¬ responding to the general form of an egg.

Inventors: FAKHRI PIERRE, FAKHRI, PIERRE
Applicants: HARTMANN AS BRDR, BROEDRENE HARTMANN A/S
Application year: 1991
Main classification: B65D85
IPC codes: B65D85