Abstract:
A box is positioned and fastened in the interspace ( 40 ) between four cups of a food pack (P), the four cups ( 4 ) being arranged in two adjacent rows (R 1 , R 2 ). The box body ( 1 ) is provided with two ends respectively having an end cover ( 2   a ), wherein at least one said end cover ( 2   a ) is provided with protruding parts ( 3 ) at its edges. The box, which is positioned in a staggered manner with respect to the cups, can be fastened to the multi-joint packing cups without the help of external means and is used for loading small articles, such as spoons and little gifts for promotion. The box is adapted to various kinds of multi-joint packing cups.

Description:
This application is a U.S. national phase of International Application No. PCT/EP2013/051062, filed Jan. 21, 2013, which claims priority from Chinese Application No. 201220148129.3, filed Apr. 10, 2012; the disclosures of both of these applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention generally relates to a box for package, in particular to a box for multi-joint packing cups. The invention also concerns a method of combining cup-like containers and a box in a pack. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     Nowadays, the yogurt product of multi-joint (in particular 4-joint) cups sold in the market generally consists of yogurt cups and spoons independent of one another. The disposable spoons are usually bonded to the yogurt cups by means of external means, such as glue or adhesive tape. The user often tends to directly drink the yogurt after tearing down the spoon, but he/she may easily forget the position of the spoon when he/she is drinking the yogurt. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention aims to provide a box for housing small articles, which box can be fastened to the multi-joint cups or similar containers arranged in at least two rows in a pack without the help of external means. 
     According to the invention, there is provided a box that comprises a box body with two ends respectively having an end cover, characterized in that: at least one of said end covers is provided with protruding parts at its edges. 
     The present invention proposes in more detail the following technical solution: 
     A pack of food cups, comprising:
         an assembly of four cups arranged in two adjacent rows, the four cups of the assembly having respective junctions between two adjacent cups and being spaced from each other below the junctions so as to define an interspace between the four cups; and   a box comprising a box body with two ends respectively having an end cover;       

     wherein the box body is fastened to the assembly and extends in the interspace. 
     With such configuration, the box may be easily embedded in the pack, without any increase of the bulk of the pack. Additionally, the box acts as a stiffening pillar so that accidental breakage of the junctions between the cups is prevented. The fastening of the box to combine the cups and the box is easy to perform because of the interspace in the middle of the assembly of four cups and easy access to this interspace from a middle part of the bottom of the assembly. The stacking of the packs is also obtained with a higher mechanical resistance when the pack includes such a box. 
     According to a particular feature, at least one of said end covers is provided with protruding parts at its edges, whereby the box is adapted to be directly inserted and maintained by friction between the four individual cup-like containers of a pack. For instance, at least one of the end covers of the box body comprises two edges, preferably parallel edges, each provided with a protruding part. 
     In various embodiments of the pack of the invention, recourse may optionally also be had to one or more of the following dispositions:
         the edges are opposite edges of the one of said end covers that defines a top cover of the box body, the top cover being proximal with respect to the junctions;   at least one of the end covers of the box body comprises four edges each provided with a protruding part;   the protruding parts protrude radially outwards in at least two distinct directions to define at least two contacting rims each in contact with one of the cups of the assembly, whereby the box body is fitted in the interspace (with such a configuration, the contacting edges that are radially offset relative to the side wall are adapted for suitable contact with at least two containers of the pack, the two distinct directions preferably comprising two opposite directions);   the cups have a same height that is superior to the height of the box body, which extends around a longitudinal axis (this longitudinal axis may contain a virtual point of intersection of the junctions, whereby the box body is centered in the interspace);   each of the cups of the assembly comprises:
           a plastic body comprising a bottom and a side wall extending from the bottom as far as a top,   a generally planar annular flange integral with the plastic body and connected to the top of the plastic body, the flange comprising an inner edge defining an upper opening of the cup;   
           the flanges of each of the cups are integrally formed and separably joined to each other at a junction of two adjacent flanges of two distinct cups of the assembly;   the side wall of each of the cups comprises an upper portion adjacent to the flange covered by a label that is spaced with respect to the flange, one of the end covers comprising a protruding part in contact with one of said cups at a contact area between the label and the flange;   each of the cups of the assembly contains a dairy product and preferably a yoghurt composition having a weight not inferior to 50 g and not superior to 500 g.       

     The present invention further proposes: 
     A box adapted to cooperate in a pack according to the invention, the box comprising a box body with two ends respectively having an end cover, the box body comprising a side wall that extends according to a same longitudinal direction between the two ends so as to define an interior volume, an opening for access to the interior volume being provided at at least one of said two ends, wherein one of the two end covers of the box body comprises:
         a covering part that extends over the opening when placed in a closed position; and   protruding parts each defined as an extension of the covering part.
           In various embodiments of the box of the invention, recourse may optionally also be had to one or more of the following dispositions: the protruding parts are arranged at the opposite edges of the end cover;   the protruding parts are continuously arranged along the edges;   the protruding parts are arranged along the edges at intervals;   the protruding parts are presented as oval-shape, round-shape or square-shape.   
               

     The technical effect of providing such protruding parts arranged at the edges of the end cover is that the end of the box body with protruding parts can be inserted into the interspace at the bottom of the multi-joint yogurt cups, and the protruding parts of the end cover are supported at the top edge of the label pasted on the yogurt cups, so that the box loaded with spoons and little gifts for promotion is fastened to the multi-joint yogurt cups without using of the traditional glue or adhesive tape. The box according to the invention is not only adapted to apply to multi-joint yogurt cups, but also adapted to apply to the other multi-joint packing cups. 
     It is understood that the interior volume of the box body may be loaded or filled with content in a solid state, the content being an article and/or edible material for instance. 
     To obtain a quick opening and closing of the closing system of the box, a closing flap may be provided in one of the end covers that closes the opening. The closing flap is configured to be positioned behind a top end of a panel of the side wall when the opening is closed by said end cover. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic illustration of the perspective view according to a preferred embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a diagrammatic illustration of the view of state in use according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 3  shows a top view of a pack in another preferred embodiment of the invention, after removal of the membrane seals. 
         FIG. 4  is view prior to assembly of optional material used to form a box body according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a bottom view of the pack shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 6  is a sectional view of a pack according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. 
         FIGS. 7A and 7B  are top views showing respective optional embodiments of the box body. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     In the various figures, the same references are used to designate identical or similar elements. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the box includes a box body  1  having two end covers  2   a ,  2   b  provided at two ends  10   a ,  10   b  respectively. The box body  1  extends around a longitudinal axis X. In the box body  1 , a plurality of protruding parts  3  are provided at edges  11 ,  12 ,  13 ,  14  of one or both end covers  2   a ,  2   b . The plurality of protruding parts  3  comprises protruding parts  3   a ,  3   b  that can be arranged at two opposite edges  11 ,  12  of the end cover  2   a ,  2   b , and can be also arranged at all of the edges  11 ,  12 ,  13 ,  14  of the end cover  2   a  or  2   b . The box body  1  here defines the part of the box that can be seen from the outside. The box may also contain other elements, for instance partitioning walls (not shown) in the interior volume V of the box body  1 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , it will be understood that the longitudinal axis X of the box body  1  may define an insertion axis for mounting the box between four cups  4  of a pack P, here between four yogurt cups  4  arranged in two adjacent rows R 1 , R 2 . 
     In preferred embodiments, the protruding parts  3   a ,  3   b  are continuously arranged along the edges of the end cover  2   a  or  2   b  and present an oval shape.  FIG. 1  illustrates a box body  1  with an end cover  2   b  configured as a top cover and comprising two substantially edges  11 ,  12  provided with a partially oval shape. The two parallel dash lines  11   a ,  12   a  show the imaginary separation between the squared covering part  15  and the protruding parts  3   a ,  3   b . It can be seen that the end cover  2   b  at the apex and the end cover  2   a  at the base comprise each outer rims C 1 , C 2  having a smooth convex curvature. However, the protruding parts  3  can be also arranged along the edges of the end cover  2  at intervals and present a round or square shape, or even other irregular shape. The box body  1  as shown in  FIG. 1  here comprises such protruding parts  3   c ,  3   d  shaped as rectangular tabs with rounded outer corners. More generally, it is understood that each protruding part  3  is defined as an extension of the covering part  15  or  15 ′. 
     Still referring to  FIGS. 1 and 4 , it can be seen that the box body  1  may have a rectangular cross-section or similar section. The box body  1  comprises a side wall  1   a  that extends according to a same longitudinal direction between the two ends  10   a ,  10   b  so as to define an interior volume V. The side wall  1   a  of the box body  1  here comprises a front panel  6  defining a width, a rear panel  7 , and two side panels  8   a ,  8   b  connecting the front panel  6  to the rear panel  7 .  FIG. 4  shows a non-limitative example of a blank B made from a single sheet from which the box body  1  may be produced by successive folding of the different parts and pasting. 
     The box may be produced by folding and cutting, as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , a blank B made from a sheet material, for example, board, paper board, cardboard, paper-based material, or other suitable material, which may be optionally plastic-coated and/or decorated externally. An optional joining strip  7   a  may be produced along the lateral side of the rear panel  7 . 
     This optional joining strip  7   a  may be pasted to a portion of the side panel  8   b  to form the box body  1  after the blank B has been folded around the fold lines here parallel fold lines L1, L2, L3. 
     The optional joining strip  7   a  may be connected to the rear panel  7  by a fold line L4 that may be parallel to the abovementioned fold lines L1, L2 and L3, thus forming an exemplary parallelepiped sheath. It is contemplated that various optional methods of connecting the panels together may be used, such as, but not limited to, snaps, hook and loop fasteners, a slot and tab connection, a butt joint connection, separate male and female connectors, or any equivalent structure. 
     It is understood that the closed configuration of the box body  1  is obtained when the upper opening  16  and the lower opening (not shown, completely similar to the upper opening) of the sheath are covered using a closing system. 
     In the illustrated embodiments, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 4 , each closing system is connected to a panel, here the rear panel  7 , along a first fold line L5, respectively L6, which may be generally perpendicular to the fold lines L1-L4. When the closing system is in the closed position, the covering part  15  of the end cover  2   b  extends over the opening  16  used for access to the interior volume V. The covering part  15  is here a  25  substantially planar portion. A second fold line L7, L8, may run along the opposite side to the first fold line L5, L6, connecting each covering part  15 ,  15 ′ to a closing flap  17 ,  17 ′. This exemplary flap  17 ,  17 ′ may be designed to fit immediately behind the top end of the front panel  6  after the box is closed. As shown in  FIG. 4  in particular, other flaps  21 - 21 ′ and  22 - 22 ′ may be provided as respective extensions of the side panels  8   a  and  8   b.    
     The cross section of the box body  1  is here squared. When the box body  1  is provided with two opposite protruding parts  3   a - 3   b ,  3   c - 3   d , it can be seen that a local increase of width of the box body  1  is obtained, as illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 4  in particular. Preferably, the maximum of width W is obtained in a median plane P 1  (shown in  FIG. 5 ) of the box body  1 , which intersects the two side panels  8   a - 8   b  and contains the longitudinal axis X. Alternatively or in addition, a similar maximum of width may be obtained in the other median plane P 2 , which contains the longitudinal axis X and intersects the front panel  6  and the rear panel  7 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , when in use, the end of box body  1  with protruding parts  3  can be inserted into the interspace  40  at the bottom of the multi-joint yogurt cups  4 , and the protruding parts  3  of the end cover  2   a ,  2   b  are supported at the top edge  5   a  of the label  5  pasted on the yogurt cups  4 , so that the box loaded with spoons and little gifts for promotion is fastened to the assembly A defined by the four multi-joint yogurt cups  4 . Of course, the view of  FIG. 2  shows a reverse position of the pack as compared with the usual position ordinary seen by a consumer in a shop. 
     Each of the cups  4  comprises a tubular body, here a plastic body  41 , a generally planar annular flange  42  integral with the body  41 , and a membrane seal (not shown). Food content is preferably filled into the cups  4  before the fastening of the box. 
     Still referring to  FIG. 2 , it can be seen that the body  41  comprises a bottom  41   a  and a side wall  41   b  extending from said bottom  41   a  as far as a top  41   c . The flange  42  conventionally comprises an inner edge  42   a  defining the opening  45  of the cup  4 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . The opening  45  is closed by the membrane seal after filling of the content. The flanges  42  are integrally formed and separably joined to each other at a junction J of two adjacent flanges  42 . 
     The side wall  41   b  of each of the cups  4  comprises an upper portion (adjacent to the flange  42 ) covered by the label  5 , which may be optionally defined by a decorative strip or a sticker. It can be seen in  FIG. 2  that the label  5  is spaced with respect to the flange  42 . The end cover  2   b , which is proximal with respect to the flanges  42  and the junctions J, here comprises at least one protruding part  3  in contact with one of the cups  4  at a contact area  43  (shown in  FIG. 6 ). Such contact area  43  is defined between the top edge  5   a  of the label  5  and the flange  42 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the pack P may contain a number of cups  4  higher than four. The box body  1  acts as a stiffening element that prevents flexion along the junctions J and accidental separation of the flanges  12  is prevented, even when using brittle plastic material. 
     Now referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , when in use, it can be seen that the box body  1  having four edges  11 ,  12 ,  13 ,  14  is fitted in the interspace  40  by a cup-box friction contact CB of the respective protruding parts  3   a ,  3   b ,  3   c ,  3   d  with the top end of the bodies  41 . A lower number of protruding parts  3  may be provided. The two opposite protruding parts  3   a ,  3   b  could be sufficient for instance. The outer rims C 1 , C 2  are thus engaging two of the cups  4  so that there are cup-box friction contacts CB in the same median plane P 1  of the box body  1 . More generally, the protruding parts  3   a ,  3   b ,  3   c ,  3   d  may protrude radially outwards in at least two distinct directions amongst the directions A1, A2, A3, A4, so as to define corresponding outer rims C 1 , C 2  each in contact with a corresponding one of the cups  4 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , the thickness of the end cover  2   a ,  2   b  may be substantially constant and superior to the maximum of thickness of the side wall  41   b  of the cups  4 . Because of the flexibility of the relatively thin side wall of the cup  4 , the protruding parts  3   a ,  3   b ,  3   c ,  3   d  still extend in a same plane defined by the covering part  15 ,  15 ′ of the end cover  2   a  or  2   b.    
     It is understood that the width W1 of the side wall  1   a  of the box body  1 , when measured in any of the median planes P 1 , P 2  (as shown in  FIGS. 5-6 ), is lower than the distance between the tops of two bodies  41  traversed by the same median plane P 1  or P 2 . In contrast, the maximum width W defined at the end cover  2   a ,  2   b  is at least equal and preferably slightly greater (with an excess of 1 mm for instance) than such distance between the tops of the two bodies  41 . Preferably, the protruding parts  3  define a maximum width W that is inferior to the distance between the bottoms  41   a  of the two bodies  41  traversed by the same median plane P 1  or P 2 . Surprisingly, it has been found that such a configuration of the box body  1  does not cause any significant flexion between the flanges  42  of the cups  4  when the rims C 1 , C 2  engage the bodies  41  to obtain the cup-box contact CB. 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , the box body  1  has a height H1 that is inferior to the height H2 of the cups  4 , so as to be embedded in the pack P without increasing the height or any other size thereof. In order to increase the interior volume V of the box body  1 , it is advantageous (but not necessarily required) that the body  41  of the cups  4  is higher than wide as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 6 . The side wall  1   a  here extends around the longitudinal axis X that contains a virtual point of intersection of said junctions J (here four straight junctions J). 
     Now referring to  FIGS. 7A and 7B , variants are proposed for the outer profile of at least one of the end covers. As in the already described embodiments, the end cover  102   b  shown in  FIG. 7A  comprises optional tab-like protruding parts  3   c  and  3   d  protruding in opposite directions A3 and A4 and a partially oval-shaped protruding part  3   b  protruding in direction A2. The protruding parts  3   c  and  3   d  here have the same radial extension d3 (measured in the plane P 2  from the squared covering part  15 ). 
     The end cover  102   b  further comprises a fork-like or concave-shaped protruding part  3   a  protruding in direction A1. The radial extension d2 of the protruding part  3   a  provided with a concave rim C 1  is here greater than radial extension d1 of the protruding part  3   b  provided with a generally convex or straight rim C 2 . The radial extension d2 is measured at the ends of the fork-like protruding part  3   a  and it is understood that the radial extension measured in the median plane P 1  may be equal to the radial extension d1. 
     In the variant shown in  FIG. 7B , the end cover  202   b  comprises a tab-like protruding part  3   d  having a radial extension d3″ longer than the radial extension d3′ of the opposite protruding part  3   c . This is illustration that the box body  1  such as shown in the already described embodiments need not to be centered with respect to the interspace  40 . The end cover  202   b  further comprises protruding parts  3   a ,  3   b  each with a convex rim C 1 , C 2 . The radial extension d1 (i.e. the maximal radial extension) is the same for the protruding parts  3   a ,  3   b . Because of the offset enlargement of the protruding parts  3   a ,  3   b , it is understood that the cup-box contact CB is here obtained in an area offset in the direction A4 with respect to the median plane P 1 . 
     While the end cover  2   b ,  102   b ,  202   b  has been described as a top cover in the above embodiments, it is understood that the end cover  2   a  could be used as a top cover as well. Similarly, although the side wall  1   a  of the box body  1  is considered as parallelepiped in view of the drawings, a box body  1  of different shape could be used. 
     The present invention has been described in connection with the preferred embodiments. These embodiments, however, are merely for example and the invention is not restricted thereto. For instance, the box is not necessarily a unitary box and may be formed from separable parts or be an assembly of at least two boxes. Improvements to materials and structures or replacements by technical equivalents can be applied to the above described components and. Therefore, all the equivalent variations in structure in view of Description and Appended Drawings, or the technical equivalents directly or indirectly applied to the other relevant technical fields, will obviously be encompassed within the scope of the invention as claimed.