Electric lamp package

Abstract: The packing sleeve (10) of the packed electric lamp (1) has substantially flat walls (13-16) which are interconnected about edges (17, 17'). In a first end portion (11) of the sleeve (10), from an edge (17) incisions are present in adjacent walls (13, 14) to form a band (20) which is folded about creases (21) into the sleeve (10) in order to form a pocket for the lamp cap (3). In the packed electric lamp (1), the band (20) clamps around the lamp cap (3) to keep the lamp (1) fixed in the sleeve (10). The sleeve (10) is a simple, reliable, cost-effective means to pack an electric lamp.

Description: The invention relates to an electric lamp package comprising: an electric lamp provided with a bulb having a lamp cap; a packing sleeve with a first and a second end portion and with substantially plane walls which are interconnected along edges; incisions being present in adjoining walls and extending from an edge so as to form a band which is folded inwards into the sleeve about creases extending transversely to the incisions and which in conjunction with these adjoining walls forms a pocket in which the lamp cap is accommodated and held in a clamping manner. Such a package is known from US-A 3,255,879. The known sleeve has a band formed by two incisions made intermediate its ends in each one of two adjoining walls. The band is folded inwards into the sleeve so as to form a funnel shaped receptacle enveloping the cap and the neck of the lamp. The folding inwards of the band creates a relatively large aperture in the sleeve through which the lamp is visible. During insertion into the sleeve the lamp cap is guided along the aperture to become clamped beyond the aperture between the band and the said adjoining walls. The edge of the band remote from the end of the sleeve from which the lamps is inserted, grips the cap. The sleeve is substantially longer than the lamp. It is an object of the invention to provide an electric lamp package of the kind described in the opening paragraph which comprises simple and readily manageable means for fixing the lamp in the sleeve. The invention also envisages the use of a small quantity of packaging material. According to the invention, this object is achieved in that the band is formed by only one incision in each of the relevant adjoining walls. It was found that the sleeve offers the lamp a good protection against damage, although the band is formed by only one incision in each of the relevant adjoining walls. Accordingly, the band is at the relevant end of the sleeve. The result of this may be that the lamp cap laterally projects somewhat from the sleeve with an end portion. The lamp cap, for example an Edison or bayonet lamp cap, however, has a great stiffness there, so that damage is not likely. The fact that the lamp cap projects is not disadvantageous either when the packed lamp is stacked in an outer container. This is because the sleeve can spring inwards a little, so that nevertheless a dense packing in the outer container is obtained. The lamp may have a diagonal position in the sleeve, for example in the case of an ovoid or spherical bulb, owing to the manner in which the lamp is fixed in the sleeve. The band may then press the lamp cap against the adjoining walls from which the band was cut out. It is generally possible, also in a sleeve which is not longer than necessary for just accommodating the lamp over its full length, to form a band which rests as a buffer against the bulb opposite to the band which fixes the lamp. This, however, is not necessary for lamp fixation. Lamps with tubular bulbs can also be packed in the sleeve. The bulb of such a lamp may have a diameter which is only slightly greater than the diameter of the lamp cap. It is advantageous in that case when the lamp occupies a substantially concentric position in the sleeve. The bulb may then be passed into the sleeve with sliding fit or with a small clearance until the lamp cap comes into contact with the band. Subsequently, the band will press against the lamp cap with clamping force. In this embodiment, the incisions traverse the relevant adjoining wall completely or for the major part. Materials which can be used for the sleeve are, for example, cardboard, such as duplex or triplex cardboard, corrugated paperboard, semi- or mini-corrugated paperboard. Those skilled in the art will readily arrive at a correct choice based on their general knowledge, in dependence on the properties of the lamp to be packed and the requirements imposed on the packed lamp. An embodiment of the packed lamp according to the invention is shown in the drawing, in which Fig. 1a shows a packed lamp in side elevation; Fig. 1b shows the packed lamp of Fig. 1a taken on the line IB; and Fig. 2 shows the blank for the sleeve of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3a, b is a modification of Fig. 1a, b. In Fig. 1, the packed electric lamp comprises an electric lamp 1 provided with a bulb 2 and a lamp cap 3. A packing sleeve 10 is open at its mutually opposing ends and has a first 11 and a second end portion 12 and substantially plane walls 13, 14, 15, 16 which are interconnected along edges 17, 17'. Incisions 19 are present in adjoining walls 13, 14 in the first end portion 11 starting from an edge 17 so as to form a band 20 which is folded inwards into the sleeve about creases 21 extending transversely to said incisions 19, thus forming in conjunction with these adjoining walls 13, 14 a pocket in which the lamp cap 3 is accommodated. The band 20 presses with clamping force against the lamp cap (3) so as to fix the lamp (1) in the packing sleeve (10). In the Fig., the band presses the lamp cap against the adjoining walls 13, 14. The sleeve 10 may be readily formed from the blank of Fig. 2. A remarkable feature is the rectangular shape of the blank, owing to which the latter may be readily obtained from plates or sheets of packaging material with an efficient material utilization. Added to the small quantity of material in a sleeve, this renders the material consumption of the packed electric lamp according to the invention very small. Nevertheless, the packing is of high quality. The blank comprises a fixation strip 18 destined for being fixed to the wall 16 so as to form the sleeve from the blank. Staples, adhesive tape, or glue may be used, for example, for fixation. A broken-away portion of the blank shows the direction of corrugations of the corrugated board used in the drawing. It is easy to fold the sleeve into its three-dimensional shape from the flat sleeve obtained, during or after which the band 20 is snapped into the sleeve 10. The electric lamp 1 is then inserted from the second end portion 12 into the open sleeve with its lamp cap 3 facing forwards and into the pocket formed by the band 20 and the adjoining walls 13, 14, and is pressed home. This completes the packaging operation. The open sleeve may now be held with the lamp cap up without the packing sleeve losing its grip on the lamp. The creases 21 around which the band 20 is folded inwards into the sleeve are perpendicular to the incisions 19 in the Figures. Alternatively, however, they could have an angle thereto which deviates by a few degrees from the perpendicular, for example, for facilitating the entrance of the lamp cap into the pocket. In a modification of the embodiment drawn, the sleeve is shaped and dimensioned with the object of keeping two lamps facing in opposite directions fixed in respective pockets. An advantage of the electric lamp package according to the invention over the circular sleeve packing customary for some lamp types is that the sleeve has substantially plane walls. This prevents the packed lamp rolling down a sloping surface. This is important, for example, for street lighting lamps which are to be provided in a luminaire from a raised platform. It is also important in this respect that the lamp can be easily taken from the packaging and that little packaging material of small volume is left behind. In Fig. 3a, b, parts corresponding to those of Fig. 1a, b have reference numerals which are 30 higher than in Fig. 1a, b. The lamp 31 is arranged concentrically in the sleeve 40 and has a tubular bulb 32 which is enclosed in the sleeve with sliding fit or with a slight clearance. The bulb 32 has a diameter which is only a little greater than that of the lamp cap 33. In the embodiment drawn, however, the diameter difference is more than twice the material thickness of the sleeve. The incisions 49 in the adjoining walls 43, 44 as a result do traverse these walls substantially, but not completely. A small portion 43', 44' of each wall is not incised. Without a diameter difference or with a very small diameter difference the incisions 49 could extend up to the edges 47'. The lamp may be introduced into the sleeve with little friction with its lamp cap facing forward, until the moment the lamp cap 33 arrives at the band 50. Then the lamp cap enters its pocket, and the latter will clamp itself against the lamp cap and fix it in place.

Claims: An electric lamp package comprising: an electric lamp (1) provided with a bulb (2) having a lamp cap (3); a packing sleeve (10) with a first (11) and a second end portion (12) and with substantially plane walls (13, 14, 15, 16) which are interconnected along edges (17, 17'); incisions (19) being present in adjoining walls (13, 14) and extending from an edge (17) so as to form a band (20) which is folded inwards into the sleeve about creases (21) extending transversely to said incisions (19) and which in conjunction with these adjoining walls (13,14) forms a pocket in which the lamp cap (3) is accommodated and held in a clamping manner, characterized in that the band (20) is formed by only one incision (19) in each of the relevent adjoining walls (13,14). An electric lamp package as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that the incision (19) extends substantially transversely to the edges (17, 17').

Inventors: VAN HEST WILHELMUS JACOBUS JOH, VAN HEST, WILHELMUS JACOBUS JOHANNA
Applicants: PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NV, PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
Application year: 1993
Main classification: B65D5
IPC codes: B65D85, B65D5, B65D59