Patent Description:
These latter capsules, beyond being highly effective for laundry purposes, are very attractive for children who may even try to eat them. Hence, their containers must meet strict safety standards and be provided of a strong child resistant locking mechanism, which nevertheless should not hinder smooth repeated opening/closure cycles during normal operation. Such a container is disclosed in document <CIT>.

Polypropylene (PP) has been hitherto massively employed for the production of such containers due to its versatility, low cost and flexibility allowing to create locking mechanisms satisfying the above requirements.

Nevertheless, PP is not an easily recyclable plastic material and is conventionally used in virgin form obtained through petrochemical processes. Hence, it is essentially petroleum-derived and mostly disposed in landfill, so that it has a high impact on the environment.

One object of the present invention is thus providing a container satisfying the above-mentioned safety requirements and minimizing the use of virgin plastic material.

According to the present invention, this object is achieved by means of a container comprising a paper, paperboard, cardboard or the like base receptacle and a plastic lid, which is joined to the base receptacle by selectively releasable connection means,.

Preferably, said selectively releasable connection means comprise at least one tab protruding from a rear side of said upper edge and at least one strip protruding from a front side of said upper edge, which are folded against an adjacent inner surface of the lateral wall and engaged by respective rear and front protrusions protruding downwards from said lower frame, so as pushing said tab against the adjacent inner surface of the lateral wall disengages the respective rear protrusion.

Advantageously, said at least one tab has a proximal rectangular portion attached to said upper edge and a semicircular distal portion protruding from the proximal portion and said at least one strip is formed by a rectangular proximal body with rounded distal ends and a distal rectangular portion extending between said distal ends.

Advantageously, said rear protrusion is arch-shaped and has respective teeth transversally extending from the ends of said arch and said front protrusion is substantially trapezoidal and has a distal side provided of a transversally extending projection.

The hybrid container of the present invention combines the safety features offered by a plastic lid, in particular a PP lid, with the strength and sustainability benefits offered by a paper, paperboard or cardboard base receptacle. In particular, it allows a user-friendly separation of the lid from the base receptacle, once all the laundry detergent capsules originally contained therein have been used and the components of the hybrid container must be recycled, but at the same time avoids that this separation may be easily performed by a child, since it requires acceding to the inside of the container.

According to a preferred embodiment of the container of the present invention, the upper edge of said lateral wall has a rectangular perimeter formed by rear and front opposite sides and two opposite lateral sides,.

In the absence of any specific indication to the contrary, any reference to "rectangular" in the present description and claims includes the particular case of "square".

According to a further preferred embodiment of container of the present invention, said lateral wall is formed by eight rectangular side walls and the upper edge of said lateral wall has an octagonal perimeter formed by three rear sides, two lateral sides and three front sides,.

According to a still further preferred embodiment of container of the present invention, said lateral wall is formed by four rectangular side walls and the upper edge of said lateral wall has a rectangular perimeter formed by rear and front opposite sides and two opposite lateral sides,.

Further advantages and features of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, given by way of non-limiting example with reference to the appended drawings, in which:.

<FIG> illustrates a monolithic blank wherein a first couple of crease lines <NUM> and a second couple of crease lines <NUM> substantially orthogonal to the mid portion of the first couple of crease lines <NUM> conventionally delimit a rectangular bottom wall <NUM>, two slightly trapezoidal first side walls 16a, 16b opposite to each other and two slightly trapezoidal second side walls <NUM> opposite to each other. The blank can be of any cellulosic material conventionally used in packaging, e.g. paper, paperboard, cardboard, either corrugated or not corrugated.

Adjacent sides of each couple of adjacent first and second side wall 16a, 16b, <NUM> are joined by a respective L-shaped web <NUM> formed by two arms joined together along an inclined crease line <NUM> departing from a respective corner of the bottom wall <NUM>.

Two distanced tabs <NUM> protrude from a distal side, parallel to the mid portion of the crease lines <NUM>, of the first side wall 16a. Each tab <NUM> has a proximal rectangular portion <NUM> attached to the distal side of the first side wall 16a and a semicircular distal portion <NUM> protruding from the center of the proximal portion <NUM>.

A strip <NUM> protrudes from a median portion of a distal side, parallel to the mid portion of the crease lines <NUM>, of the first side wall 16b. The strip <NUM> is formed by a rectangular proximal body <NUM> with rounded distal ends and a distal rectangular portion <NUM> extending between said distal ends. The strip <NUM> is attached to the distal side of the first side wall 16b by a pre-perforated crease line <NUM>.

The above-disclosed blank is erected into a base receptacle <NUM> (<FIG> and <FIG>) by folding the first side walls 16a,b about the respective first crease line <NUM> and the second side walls <NUM> about the respective second crease line <NUM>. Contemporaneously, the two arms of each web <NUM> are folded about the respective crease line <NUM> and form an internal reinforcement which is conventionally glued to an internal surface of the adjacent side wall <NUM> and guarantees tightness of the base receptacle <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates the base receptacle <NUM> at the end of the erection process with the bottom wall <NUM> and a slightly tapering lateral wall which is formed by the side walls 16a,b and <NUM> joined by the folded webs <NUM>. The base receptacle <NUM> has an upper edge, whose perimeter is rectangular and formed by rear and front opposite sides 40a, 40b and two opposite lateral sides <NUM>.

<FIG> also illustrates a lid <NUM> of plastic material, such as PP, to be associated to the base receptacle <NUM> in order to form a container, in particular for small articles, e.g. laundry detergent capsules.

The general arrangement of the lid <NUM> is conventional and includes (see also <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>) a lower rectangular frame <NUM> with slightly rounded corners and an upper element, namely upper panel <NUM>.

The rectangular frame <NUM> has a perimeter formed by rear and front opposite sides 50a, 50b and two opposite lateral sides <NUM> constituting a rim extending in an horizontal plane, resting on the upper edge of the lateral wall of the base receptacle <NUM> and delimiting an opening for access to the inside of the container. A vertically extending skirt <NUM> protrudes downwards from the horizontal rim of the rectangular frame <NUM> and surrounds an upper portion of an external surface of the lateral wall of the base receptacle <NUM>.

The upper panel <NUM> of the lid <NUM> is configured to selectively close/open the opening delimited by the rectangular frame <NUM>. In detail, it is pivoted by a living hinge <NUM> to the rear side 50a of the rectangular frame <NUM> and has in its front region two distanced slots <NUM> which are selectively engageable by a respective elastic hook <NUM> protruding from a rear surface of the front side 50b of the rectangular frame <NUM>.

A couple of distanced rear protrusions <NUM> protrude downwards (<FIG>) from the rear side 50a of the rectangular frame <NUM> and internally in respect of the skirt <NUM>. Each rear protrusion <NUM> is arch-shaped and has respective teeth <NUM> transversally extending from the ends of the arch.

A substantially trapezoidal front protrusion <NUM> protrudes downwards (<FIG>) from the front side 50b of the rectangular frame <NUM> and internally in respect of the skirt <NUM>. The front protrusion <NUM> has a distal side provided of a transversally extending projection <NUM>.

<FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG> illustrate the assembly procedure of the base receptacle <NUM> and the lid <NUM> to form the container.

First of all, the two distanced tabs <NUM> protruding from the rear side 40a of the upper edge of the base receptacle <NUM> and the strip <NUM> protruding from the front side 40b of the same upper edge are folded against an adjacent inner surface of the lateral wall. Then, the closed lid <NUM> is lowered, so that the teeth <NUM> transversally extending from the ends of the arch-shaped rear protrusions <NUM> of the lid <NUM> engage the free ends of the proximal rectangular portion <NUM> of the respective tab <NUM> (<FIG>). Contemporaneously, the transversally extending projection <NUM> of the front protrusion <NUM> of the lid <NUM> engages the free edge of the distal rectangular portion <NUM> of the strip <NUM> (<FIG>).

Due to such rear and front engagement, the lid <NUM> is firmly associated to the base receptacle <NUM> and the thus assembled container is ready for use.

In particular, the upper panel <NUM> of lid <NUM> may be opened (<FIG>) by conventionally unlocking the hooks <NUM> from the slots <NUM> in order to fill the container with the laundry detergent capsules (not shown in the figures), and then closed, so that the filled container can be packaged and transported to the point of sale. The consumer can successively open and close the upper panel <NUM> of the lid <NUM> of the container each time he needs to take one of the capsules.

The functionality of the container is the same as the one of the conventional ones, so that undesired opening by children is avoided due to the need of contemporaneous action on the two distanced elastic hooks <NUM> and the consumer is assured of the closure of the upper panel <NUM> on the lower rectangular frame <NUM> of the lid <NUM> by the familiar "click clack" sound generated by the engagement of the hooks <NUM> within the respective slots <NUM>. Of course, if the articles within the container are not dangerous for children, two distinct elastic hooks are not necessary and it is sufficient the presence of a single hook engageable within a respective slot.

When the last article, in particular the last laundry detergent capsule, has been taken from the container, the base receptacle <NUM> can be easily separated from the plastic lid <NUM>, so that the respective raw materials thereof can be substantially integrally recycled.

In order to do such separation, the upper panel <NUM> of the lid <NUM> is opened (see <FIG>), so that the rear tabs <NUM> are accessible from the inside of the empty container. A pushing action exercised on the tabs <NUM> against the adjacent inner surface of the lateral wall of the base receptacle <NUM> disengages the teeth <NUM> transversally extending from the ends of the arch-shaped rear protrusions <NUM> of the lid <NUM> from the ends of the proximal rectangular portion <NUM> of the respective tab <NUM> (<FIG>). Hence, the rear portion of the lid <NUM> is not any more associated to the base receptacle <NUM> and can be freely lifted. Such lifting brings also about the disengagement of the transversally extending projection <NUM> of the front protrusion <NUM> of the lid <NUM> from the edge of the distal rectangular portion <NUM> of the strip <NUM> (<FIG>) which, due to the pre-perforations along its attachment line <NUM> to the base receptacle <NUM> is teared away therefrom (<FIG>).

In sum, the tabs <NUM> and strip <NUM> of the base receptacle <NUM> and the rear <NUM> and front <NUM> protrusions of the lid <NUM> constitute selectively releasable connection means, which ensure the integrity of the container during normal operation and allow an easy disassembly thereof at the end of the life cycle, avoiding undesired access by children due to their location inside the container.

<FIG> and <FIG> illustrate a further embodiment of container, wherein features equal or equivalent to the ones disclosed with reference to the embodiment of the previous figures have the same reference number.

According to this embodiment, the lateral wall of the base receptacle <NUM> is formed by eight rectangular side walls <NUM>, 16a, 16b, <NUM> and the upper edge of the lateral wall has an octagonal perimeter formed by three rear sides 40a, two lateral sides <NUM> and three front sides 40b.

Likewise, the plastic lid includes a lower octagonal frame <NUM> having a perimeter formed by three rear sides 50a, two lateral sides <NUM> and three front sides 50b. The opening defined by the octagonal frame <NUM> is closed by a removable upper element, namely a cover panel <NUM> having an octagonal shape and provided with an elastic transversal side wall <NUM> conventionally engageable on/disengageable from the lower octagonal frame <NUM>.

The selectively releasable connection means comprise two arch-shaped tabs <NUM> protruding from respective rear sides 40a of the upper edge of the lateral wall of the base receptacle <NUM> and two strips <NUM> protruding from respective front sides 40b of the upper edge of the lateral wall of the base receptacle <NUM>. The tabs <NUM> and strips <NUM> are folded against an adjacent inner surface of the lateral wall and engaged by respective rear <NUM> and front <NUM> protrusions protruding downwards from respective sides of the lower octagonal frame <NUM>.

The assembly procedure of the base receptacle <NUM> with the octagonal lower frame <NUM> and upper cover panel <NUM> of the lid to form the container and, once the original content of the container has been completely taken away, their separation procedure mirrors the ones of the former embodiment.

<FIG> and <FIG> illustrate a further embodiment of container, wherein features equal or equivalent to the ones disclosed with reference to the embodiments of the previous figures have the same reference number.

According to this embodiment, the lateral wall of the base receptacle <NUM> is formed by four rectangular side walls 16a, 16b, <NUM> and the upper edge of the lateral wall has a rectangular perimeter formed by rear and front opposite sides 40a, 40b and two opposite lateral sides <NUM>.

Likewise, the plastic lid includes a lower rectangular frame <NUM> having a perimeter formed by rear and front opposite sides 50a, 50b and two opposite lateral sides <NUM>. The frame <NUM> has also a horizontally extending internal portion <NUM> from which a threaded neck <NUM> protrudes upwards. The mouth of the threaded neck <NUM> constitutes the opening for access to the inside of the container and is selectively closed/opened by an upper element, namely a conventional screw cap <NUM>.

The selectively releasable connection means comprise one arch-shaped tab <NUM> protruding from the rear side 40a of the upper edge of the lateral wall of the base receptacle <NUM> and one strip <NUM> protruding from the front side 40b of the upper edge of the lateral wall. The tab <NUM> and strip <NUM> are folded against an adjacent inner surface of the lateral wall and engaged by respective rear <NUM> and front <NUM> protrusions protruding downwards from respective sides of the lower rectangular frame <NUM>.

The assembly procedure of the base receptacle <NUM> with the lower frame <NUM> and screw cap <NUM> of the lid to form the container and, once the content of the container has been completely taken away, their separation procedure mirror the ones of the former embodiments.

<FIG> illustrates a further embodiment of container, wherein features equal or equivalent to the ones disclosed with reference to the embodiments of the previous figures have the same reference number.

This embodiment is quite similar to the first one. Nevertheless, a first difference resides in that the first and second side walls 16a, 16b, <NUM> are connected to the adjacent main side walls by respective curved corner walls <NUM>. A second difference resides in that the plastic lid <NUM> is formed by a lower rectangular frame <NUM> with rounded corners mirroring the perimeter of the upper edge of the base receptacle <NUM> and an upper panel <NUM> which is not hinged to the lower frame <NUM>. Lower frame <NUM> and upper panel <NUM> are thus separate entities and can be selectively connected to each other by elastic engagement in a conventional way.

Claim 1:
A container comprising a paper, paperboard, or cardboard base receptacle (<NUM>) and a plastic lid (<NUM>), which is joined to the base receptacle (<NUM>) by selectively releasable connection means (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>),
wherein said base receptacle (<NUM>) has a bottom wall and a lateral wall having an upper edge,
wherein said lid (<NUM>) includes a lower frame (<NUM>) resting on said upper edge and delimiting an opening for access to the inside of the container, and an upper element (<NUM>) configured to selectively close/open said opening, and
characterized in that
said selectively releasable connection means are accessible only from the inside of the container.