CASE PREVENTING IMPACTS AND ACCIDENTAL DISCHARGE OF A PRODUCT

Abstract: A structure for cardboard case able to prevent impacts and accidental discharges of a product container housed therein is constituted by a die-cut element (1) formed by a first part (10) with five portions (11, 12, 13, 14, 21), exterior walls as in a conventional case, and by a second part (20) with four portions (22, 23, 24, 25). The portions (21, 23, 24) are three "glue points" for connection with the opposite exterior walls (11, 13) of the first part (10), whilst the portions (22, 24) constitute, after erection, two interior counter-walls parallel to the opposite exterior walls (12, 14) of the first part (10). Each interior counter-wall (22, 24) is lightened over its entire width by a slot (26, 26).

Description: Description CASE PREVENTING IMPACTS AND ACCIDENTAL DISCHARGE OF A PRODUCT Technical Field The present invention relates to a structure for cardboard case able to prevent impacts and accidental discharges of a product container housed therein. The case according to the invention is destined to constitute a secondary package for product containers, in particular of the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry, able to be manufactured automatically with current die-cutting, folding and gluing machines of the paper packaging industry and usable with packaging machines for the automatic insertion of the container into the case. Background Art The Italian Patent No. 1.223.178, entitled "Box structure with enhanced resistance to the opening of the bottom", teaches how to prevent the accidental opening of the bottom of a box or case by means of the provision of a system of portions shaped as holding hooks on the two inferior tabs, destined to engage, after the closure of the case, into seats obtained in the crease between tab and bottom wall to block the opening thereof. However, the aforementioned structure presents some limits and drawbacks: - the engagement of the hooks with the related seats does not prevent the opening of the case if the latter is subjected to energetic vertical shaking, for instance when agitating the package to mix the content of a bottle; - if the case is mistakenly opened on the bottom, two drawbacks are encountered: a) there is no longer any support for the bottle which can exit the case and thus fall; b) the hook system is damaged and hence, after the subsequent re-closure of the box, the hooks may not engage and the fall-prevention function is no longer assured; - in order to guarantee the coupling between the holding hooks and the seats provided, good precision is necessary in the production of the case by the supplier, along with an accurate check of the actual engagement after packaging by the downstream customers (such as the pharmaceutical industry, the pharmacist, the patient); - no impact prevention is guaranteed, unless the container to be housed in the case is situated in an additional shock-absorbing case. Disclosure of Invention The aim of the present invention therefore is to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art, providing, with a major reduction in costs, a case that offers considerable protection against impacts and a high level of security against the discharge of the container housed therein, even in case of accidental opening of the bottom of the case. The invention, such as it is characterised by the claims that follow, solves the problem of providing a structure for cardboard case able to prevent impacts and accidental discharges of a product container housed therein, constituted by a die-cut element formed by a first part with five portions, successively set side by side, separated by transverse folding lines to constitute exterior lateral walls of a case with parallelepiped shape and a "glue point", said first four portions being provided, on opposite longitudinal sides, with two tabs and, alternatively, with a tongue closure separated by said portions with longitudinal creases to constitute a bottom and, respectively, a lid of the case, which from a general point of view, is characterised in that said die-cut element further comprises longitudinally a second part, connected to said fifth portion of the first part and including, successively set side by side and separated by transverse folding lines, four portions whereof: - the second and fourth portions constitute, in the erection phase of the case, two "glue points" for connection with the opposite lateral walls, provided with tabs, of the first part of the die-cut element; and - the first and the third portion constitute, after erection, two interior counter-walls parallel to the opposite exterior lateral walls of the first part, individually provided with tongue closure; each interior counter-wall being lightened over its entire width by a slot that separates in the counter-wall itself a deformable superior septum for the lateral holding of a container situated inside the case from a rigid inferior base for the support of the same container. Further features and advantages of the invention shall become more readily apparent from the detailed description that follows of a preferred embodiment, illustrated purely by way of non limiting indication in the accompanying drawings. Description of the Drawings Figure 1 is a plan view, at reduced scale and in its exterior face, of a die-cut element developed in plane, constituting a case structure according to the invention; Figure 2 is a front vertical view of a case erected from the die-cut element of Figure 1 and open at its extremities; - Figure 3 is a front vertical view of a case erected from the die-cut element of Figure 1 and open at its extremities; Figure 4 is a cross section obtained according to the lines A- A of Figure 2 with housed container; Figure 5 is a cross section obtained according to the lines B-B of Figure 2 with housed container; Figure 6 is a longitudinal section obtained according to the lines C-C of Figure 3; and Figure 7 is a longitudinal section obtained according to the lines C-C of Figure 3 with housed container. Description of the Illustrative Embodiment With reference to Figure 1 , a case structure is shown, developed in plane in the form of die-cut element 1 made of cardboard or the like. The die-cut element 1 is substantially constituted by two parts, a first part 10 destined to form conventionally the exterior lateral walls, the bottom and the lid of the case once erected, and a second part 20, developing longitudinally to the first part 10 and destined to form, according to the invention, two interior counter- walls of the case, similarly indicated with the reference 1 as the starting die-cut element. The first part 10 presents five portions 11, 12, 13, 14, 21 successively set side by side and separated by transverse folding lines or creases 112, 123, 134, 120 to constitute exterior lateral walls (indicated with the same numbers as the corresponding four portions) of the case 1 with parallelepiped shape and a "glue point" 21 for connection of the exterior lateral walls 11, 12, 13, 14. The portions 11 and 13 are provided, on opposite longitudinal sides, with two tabs (indicated genetically as 15, 15 and 16, 16), whilst the portions 12, 14 are provided, alternatively, with a closure 17, 18 with tongue. The tabs 15, 15, 16, 16 and the closures 17, 18 with tongue are separated from the respective four portions 1 1, 12, 13, 14 with longitudinal creases generically indicated as 1 15, 116, 1 17, 1 18. Conventionally, the tabs 15, 16 and the closure 17 constitute a bottom of the case 1, whilst the tabs 15, 16 and the closure 18 constitute a lid thereof. According to the invention, the second part 20, joined to the portion 21 of the first part 10 of the die-cut element 1 by means of a crease 212, includes four portions 22, 23, 24, 25, successively set side by side and separated by transverse creases or folding lines 223, 234, 245. As shall be noted in greater detail hereafter, when the erection or readying of the case shall be described, in the second part 20 the second portion 23 and the fourth portion 25 constitute two further "glue points" for connection with the exterior lateral walls of the first part 10, whilst the first portion 22 and the third portion 24 constitute, after erection, two interior counter- walls of the case, indicated with the same reference numbers as the respective portions that constitute it. Each interior counter-wall 22, 24 is lightened over its entire width by a slot 26, 26 which separates within the same counter-wall a deformable septum 220, 240, superior from a rigid base 221, 241, inferior. Preferably, the slots 26, 26 are superiorly contoured by a concave profile and inferiorly by a rectilinear profile. The counter-wall septa 220, 240 are shaped superiorly according to a concave profile, advantageously shaped as a circumference arc to ease the mechanical insertion of the container able to be housed therein. To enhance their elastic deformability, the counter-wall septa 220, 240 are provided with a series of transverse creases generically indicated as 2, which are further weakened or incised in their central segments 3. Advantageously, the folding lines in the second part of the die-cut element 1 between the first portion 22 and the second portion 23, between the second portion 23 and the third portion 24 and between the third portion 24 and the fourth portion 25 are incised with lines having predetermined fracture in correspondence with the septa 220 and 240. Figures 2 through 7, which are section views, show the case 1 in its erected configuration. For its erection the portions 11, 12, 13, 14 of the part 10 of the die-cut element are folded according to consecutive right angles to form a parallelepiped with square base (or rectangular base, although it is not shown herein). Inside the exterior walls, the part 20 is connected only with two "glue points" to the exterior lateral wall formed by the first part 1. In particular, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, the portion 23 of the second part 20 is centrally glued to the portion 13 of the first part 10 of the die-cut element, whereas the portion 25, in addition to portion 21 , is glued to the portion 1 1 , opposite to the portion 13. The counter- walls 22 and 24 folded orthogonal relative to the aforesaid portions 21, 23 and 25 are parallel to the walls 12 and 14, respectively provided with the bottom wall 17 and with the lid 18. The folding of the counter-walls is facilitated by the fact that the creases 223, 234 and 245 are incised with predetermined fracture lines in correspondence with the septa 220, 240. As shown in Figures 4, 5 and 7, a container 4 with substantially cylindrical body to be housed inside the case 1 is held in its lateral surface by the opposite septa 220 and 240, suitably deformed thanks to the creases 2, centrally incised in their central segments 3. The bottom of the container rests on the rigid support bases 221 and 241 which are not involved in the deformation determined by the introduction of the container 4 into the case, thanks to the separation slots 26, 26. The automatic introduction of the container 4 into the erected case 1 is facilitated by the superior convex lightening of the septa 220, 240. From the above description, the following advantages can be noted. Security against the discharge of the container 4 from the case 1 is always guaranteed by the counter-walls 22 and 24, which constitute means for absorbing any impacts coming to the case from the exterior and avoid the need for additional coating material for the container 4. The provision of the septa 220, 240 with rigid bases 221, 241 in the counter-walls 22 and 24 themselves avoids the use of means with enhanced resistance against the accidental opening of the bottom of the case. The bottom can remain wholly conventional. The bottom of the case can be subjected to subsequent closures which do not impinge upon the effectiveness of the closure. If the package is agitated vertically, the weight of the bottle is unloaded on the two securely glued septa, without acting on the lid and bottom closures. The lateral areas delimited by the counter-walls, in addition to protecting the bottle against impacts, can be used for the insertion of illustrative flyers or other material. These features render the invention suitable for use also in other industries in addition to the pharmaceutical and cosmetic ones mentioned above, such as the food processing and electronics industries or others. The case remains conventional in its main structural parts, thereby facilitating its manufacture and quality control. Moreover, for the same exterior dimensions, the interior of the case, in terms of size and shape, can be modified to contain products with different overall shape. A further advantage is represented by the fact that the case according to the invention requires neither modifications to the machinery and manufacturing processes used for its realisation, nor to the cycles for packaging the product container to be housed inside the case. Naturally, the invention thus conceived can be subject to numerous modifications and variations, without thereby departing from the scope of the inventive concept that characterises it.

Claims: Claims 1. A structure for cardboard case able to prevent impacts and accidental discharges of a product container housed therein, constituted by a die-cut element (1) formed by a first part (10) with five portions (11, 12, 13, 14, 21), set successively side by side, separated by transverse folding lines (112, 123, 134, 120) to constitute lateral exterior walls (11, 12, 13, 14) of a case (1) with parallelepiped shape and a "glue point" (21), said four portions being provided, on longitudinally opposite sides, with two tabs (15, 15, 16, 16) and, alternatively, with a tongue closure (17, 18) separated by said portions (11, 12, 13, 14) with longitudinal creases (115, 115, 117, 116, 116, 118) to constitute a bottom and, respectively, a lid of the case, characterised in that said die-cut element ( 1 ) further comprises longitudinally a second part (20) connected to said fifth portion (21) of the first part (10) and including, set successively side by side and separated by transverse folding lines (212, 223, 234, 245), four portions whereof: the second and the fourth portions (23, 25) constitute, during the erection phase of the case, two "glue points" for connection with the opposite lateral walls (11, 13), provided with tabs (15, 15, 16, 16), of the first part (10) of the die-cut element (1); and the first and the third portion (22, 24) constitute, after the erection, two interior counter- walls parallel to the opposite exterior lateral walls (12, 14) of the first part ( 10), individually provided with tongue closure (17, 18); each interior counter-wall (22, 24) being lightened over its entire width by a slot (26, 26) which separates in the counter-wall itself a defoimable superior septum (220, 240) for the lateral holding of a container (4) positioned inside the case (1) from a rigid inferior base (221, 241) for supporting the container (4) itself. 2. A case structure as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that said slots (26, 26) are superiorly contoured by a concave profile. 3. A case structure as claimed in claim 1 , characterised in that said slots (26, 26) are inferiorly contoured by a rectilinear profile. 4. A case structure as claimed in claim 1 , characterised in that said septa (220, 240) are superiorly shaped according to a concave profile. 5. A case structure as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that said concave profile of the septa (220, 240) is shaped as a circumference arc. 6. A case structure as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that said counter-wall septa (220, 240) are provided with a series of transverse creases (2) incised in their central segments (3). 7. A case structure as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the folding lines (223, 234, 245) in the second part (20) of the die-cut element (1) between the first and the second portion (22, 23), between the second and the third portion (23, 24) and between the third and fourth portion (24, 25) are incised with predetermined fracture lines in correspondence with said septa (220, 240).

Inventors: LA ROSA NICOLA, LA ROSA, NICOLA
Applicants: GRAFIBOX SUD S R L, ROSA NICOLA, GRAFIBOX SUD S.R.L., LA ROSA, NICOLA
Application year: 2000
Main classification: B65D5
IPC codes: B65D5