Product holder
The present invention relates to a product holder for holding a product during at least storage and transport, comprising a wall of at least partially flexible form which comprises an at least substantially flat base, a standing primary wall part extending from the base and a secondary wall part, wherein the primary wall part bounds a cavity all around and the secondary wall part covers the cavity on a side opposite the base, which secondary wall part is able and adapted to be moved from a position covering the cavity to a position lying at least largely in the cavity due to the product being placed thereon.
For the transport and storage of shock-sensitive, delicate and/or perishable goods such as fruit, flowers, glass objects, Christmas decorations, electronic components and the like, the packaging industry aims for means in which such shock-sensitive and perishable goods can be transported and stored during standstill in the most shockproof and pressure- proof manner possible. A product holder of the type stated in the preamble is thus known from the international patent application number WO 01/64546 of applicant. A product holder is described herein which makes use of a flat base with a standing primary wall part and a domed secondary wall part. The wall parts bound a cavity in which the secondary wall part, after a product has been placed thereon, is received without contacting a surface on which the base rests. The secondary wall part is thus able and adapted, under pressure from above, for instance under pressure from the weight of the product, to fold relative to the primary wall part along a fold line between the primary and secondary wall parts. The secondary wall part thus forms a so-called hammock by which a product placed on the product holder is carried with the least
possible pressure action on the product.
Although this known product holder can be utilized very well for transporting and storing products in shockproof and pressure-proof manner, it has been found that folding of the secondary wall part relative to the primary wall part does not take place equally quickly and correctly in all cases. This is particularly the case with relatively heavy products, for which the product holder requires on average a thicker wall in order to have sufficient load-bearing capacity. It has been found that the secondary wall part sometimes folds with difficultly over the fold line due to a stiffness of the material, for instance when the product is not arranged optimally in the centre of the secondary wall part, whereby for instance a crease can in some cases occur in the fold line and the primary wall may collapse toward the base as a result. This may cause the product to come to rest in undesirable manner on the surface, whereby the product is no longer held in the product holder in optimally shockproof and pressure- proof manner, or even to wholly detach from the product holder. Refolding of the secondary wall part relative to the primary wall part is then necessary in order to prevent this occurring. This is however laborious and time-consuming, and can be done substantially only by hand.
The present invention thus has for its object, among others, to provide a product holder with an improved
foldability .
In order to achieve the stated object a product holder of the type stated in the preamble has the feature according to the invention that the primary and secondary wall parts are connected to each other via a tertiary wall part, and wherein an outer end of the secondary wall part on the tertiary wall part is recessed in the direction of the cavity relative to an outer end of the primary wall part on the
tertiary wall part. Because the primary wall part and secondary wall part do not lie in line, but lie on the contrary offset relative to each other with interposing of the tertiary wall part, the secondary wall part has more freedom of movement relative to the primary wall part to fold downward into the cavity under pressure from above, for instance due to a product being placed thereon. The secondary wall part can fold at least substantially straight downward here without first also having to make a movement directed toward the cavity relative to the primary wall part. Because the tertiary wall part defines a bending moment here, undesired creasing of a fold line between the primary and secondary wall parts is prevented so that the secondary wall part will in most, if not all, cases fold correctly into the cavity relative to the primary wall part even if a product is not optimally placed thereon .
Although the advantage of the present invention is obtained with several possible embodiments of the tertiary wall part, such as an embodiment which is horizontal relative to the primary wall part, the product holder according to the present invention is characterized in a preferred embodiment in that, in a position of the secondary wall part covering the cavity, the tertiary wall part extends from the primary wall part at an obtuse angle relative to the primary wall part. If the tertiary wall part were to extend horizontally or in particular at an acute angle from the primary wall part, there is after all a small but real chance of pressure being exerted only on a transition between the secondary and tertiary wall parts instead of also on a transition between the primary and tertiary wall parts, which is important for a complete folding of the secondary and tertiary wall parts into the cavity. The oblique placing of the tertiary wall part at an obtuse angle prevents this.
In a further preferred embodiment a product holder according to the present invention is characterized in that the tertiary wall part is provided with a weakening zone around the cavity and, in a particular embodiment hereof, that the weakening zone comprises a bend in the tertiary wall part. The weakening zone, and bend in particular, decreases the average stiffness of the tertiary wall part so that it even more readily allows a folding of the secondary wall part relative to the primary wall part.
In a further preferred embodiment a product holder according to the present invention is characterized in that the secondary wall part comprises a further all-around recess at least at one height. This enhances a regular cascading folding of the secondary wall part and thus prevents an incorrect, for instance acentric, folding of the secondary wall part. In an optimal embodiment hereof the number of recesses in the secondary wall part is as many as is allowed by a minimal wall thickness of the secondary wall part required for a product for holding. In the case of a wall which is on average relatively thick, the secondary wall part thus preferably comprises more recesses compared to an embodiment with a wall which is on average relatively thin.
In a further preferred embodiment a product holder according to the present invention is characterized in that a wall thickness of the wall narrows over at least substantially a full height thereof from the base in at least substantially uniform manner. The product holder is hereby strongest close to the base and thereby properly stable, while the secondary wall part has on average a thinner wall thickness, which further enhances folding thereof.
A particular embodiment of a product holder according to the present invention has the feature that the product holder is formed in at least substantially wholly
integral manner from the wall. It is hereby possible to manufacture the product holder with a single method step, and the cost price thereof is kept down.
In a further preferred embodiment a product holder according to the present invention is characterized in that the wall is made at least substantially wholly of plastic. The product holder is hereby relatively lightweight and moreover very easy to clean for possible reuse. The product holder is in particular formed almost wholly from a thermoformed plastic, particularly one of the following plastics:
polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene or polyvinyl
chloride. The product holder can hereby be manufactured with known plastic forming processes, whereby the cost price can remain relatively low.
In a further preferred embodiment a product holder according to the present invention is characterized in that the primary, secondary and tertiary wall parts are provided over at least substantially a full height with a harmonica structure distributed uniformly around the cavity. The harmonica structure imparts some degree of flexibility to the product holder which can expand at the position of the folding edge so that more or larger products can be transported per surface area of packaging means than if the holder were not to yield, or hardly so, to the shape of the product for storing. The harmonica structure also provides for a better enclosure of the product, whereby it is packaged more firmly. At least the primary wall part preferably extends conically from the base, so that a harmonica-effect is utilized as well as possible .
A particular embodiment of a product holder according to the present invention has the feature that the primary, secondary and tertiary wall parts together form a product nest for placing of a product, and that the base is
provided with a plurality of product nests for the purpose of holding a plurality of products. The product nests are preferably provided here at a regular distance from each other on the base so that the product holder can hold multiple products separated from each other in ordered manner in a sheet-like embodiment.
The invention will now be further elucidated on the basis of a number of exemplary embodiments and an accompanying drawing. In the drawing:
Figure 1 shows a front view of a first exemplary embodiment of a product holder according to the invention; and
Figure 2 shows a front view of a cross-section of a second exemplary embodiment of a product holder according to the invention.
The figures are otherwise purely schematic and not drawn to scale. Some dimensions in particular may be
exaggerated to greater or lesser extent for the sake of clarity. Corresponding parts are designated as far as possible in the figures with the same reference numeral.
As shown in figure 1 in a first exemplary embodiment of a product holder according to the invention in a rest position, i.e. a position of the product holder before a product has been placed thereon, the product holder (1) is formed from an integral wall (2) of plastic. The wall
comprises a substantially flat base (2) with which the product holder can support in stable manner on a surface. A standing primary wall part (3) enclosing a cavity all around extends from the base (2) . The cavity is covered by a secondary wall part (4) which is substantially dome-shaped. The primary wall part (3) and secondary wall part (4) are attached via an intermediate tertiary wall part (5) extending obliquely upward from the primary wall part (3) in the direction of the secondary wall part (4). When a product is placed on the domed
secondary wall part (4), this latter will fold from the rest position into the cavity and herein form a hammock above the surface, whereby the product is carried without making contact with the surface so as to ensure the least possible pressure action on the product. Owing to the tertiary wall part (5) between the primary and secondary wall parts which is directed toward the cavity, the secondary wall part is able to fold at least substantially straight downward into the cavity. Even in the case of a less than optimal placing of a product on the secondary wall part, for instance slightly out of the centre of the secondary wall part, the primary wall part hereby folds correctly into the cavity, wherein undesired bending of the primary wall part is prevented.
For a further improved folding of the dome-shaped secondary wall part (4) it is provided over a height of the dome with two recesses 6ar 6b. These recesses result in a regular controlled cascading folding of the secondary wall part into the cavity when a product is placed thereon, and thus prevent an incorrect folding of the secondary wall part. Although this exemplary embodiment shows two of such recesses in the secondary wall part, a single recess or, conversely, a plurality of recesses are also possible. It is the case here that folding of the secondary wall part progresses better with a greater number of recesses, and a maximum number of recesses is determined by the wall thickness characteristics and dimensions of the secondary wall part.
On an outer side remote from the cavity the primary, secondary and tertiary wall parts are provided with a
harmonica structure formed by a wave pattern of ridges (7) and grooves (8) provided in regular manner in the wall parts and extending over at least substantially the full height of the wall parts. The harmonica structure ensures that the product holder can expand, particularly at the position of the
transition between the primary and tertiary wall parts, so that more or larger products can be transported per surface area of product holder than if the holder were not to yield, or hardly so, to the shape of the product for storing. Owing to the harmonica structure the primary wall part (3) moreover closes better round the product, whereby it is packaged still more firmly and reliably. The primary wall part (3) extends conically from the base (2) so as to utilize the harmonica effect as well as possible.
As shown in figure 2 in a second exemplary embodiment almost wholly corresponding to the first exemplary embodiment of a product holder according to the invention in rest position, the tertiary wall part (5) bends at least substantially halfway along its length obliquely in the direction of the base. This bend in the tertiary wall part forms a weakening zone in the tertiary wall part which reduces the stiffness thereof, whereby a folding of the secondary wall part relative to the primary wall part takes place still more easily and quickly. A folding of the secondary wall part (4) relative to the primary wall part (3) is moreover enhanced in that a wall thickness of the wall narrows over at least substantially a full height thereof from the base (2) in at least substantially uniform manner. The product holder is hereby strongest close to the base (2) and thereby properly stable, the primary wall part (3) is sufficiently thick to carry the product, while the secondary wall part (4) has on average a thinner wall thickness in order to facilitate folding thereof.
Although the invention has been further elucidated with reference to only a few exemplary embodiments, it will be apparent that the invention is by no means limited thereto. On the contrary, many other variations and embodiments are possible within the scope of the invention for the person with
ordinary skill in the art.