EP3176103B1

EP3176103B1 - Display container

Info

Publication number: EP3176103B1
Application number: EP15382597.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Dave Powell
Original assignee: SAICA Pack SL
Current assignee: SAICA Pack SL
Priority date: 2015-12-01
Filing date: 2015-12-01
Publication date: 2017-11-15
Anticipated expiration: 2035-12-01
Also published as: EP3176103A1; ES2653706T3

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention belongs to the field of display containers for products including elastic means, such as elastic bands, to bring the the products close to a part of the container where they can be displayed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Product containers are known in which the products are constantly pushed towards an opening of the container where the products are displayed, by elastic means, normally an elastic band, such that when a product is removed the elastic means ensure that the remaining products be displayed always in the same way to the consumer, as close as possible for extraction thereof and/or as visually and commercially as possible.
Document with publication number US2801000 discloses a display container for laminar elements stacked vertically and displayed through an upper anterior opening by the traction applied by an elastic band. The opening for displaying the products is small, in accordance with the laminar products, the elastic band is visible at all times and a semicontainer is required inside another semicontainer, making it aesthetically unappealing and relatively expensive to manufacture.
Document with publication number WO2014006398 discloses a display container for products stacked horizontally where, before forming the same on the sheet, an elastic band is secured such that the container is assembled with the products inside and as the container is formed the products are pulled by the elastic band, making the container complex to manufacture and in case of failure of the elastic band requiring the container to be discarded or unfolded to return to the sheet assembly, remove the products, change the elastic band and repeat the forming process. Document with publication number US7481313B1 discloses a display container having the features defined in the preamble of claim 1. The present invention solves the drawbacks of the prior art by a design of a display container with an elastic band.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is established and characterised in the independent claims, while the dependent claims describe additional characteristics thereof.
The subject matter of the invention relates to a display case with an elastic band that is easy to assemble and conceals the elastic band from the user. The technical problem to solve is the configuration of the shape, cuts and folding lines of the container and the arrangement of the elastic band in order to attain the aforementioned goal.
By display container is meant a container that can contain products and display said product to consumers.
An advantage of the container according to claim 1 is that it is easy to configure, simply by folding a sheet and placing outside the same an elastic band, which is behind the front face and therefore concealed from the user.
Another advantage resulting from claimed 2 is that the products are not pulled at all times, only when the connector is removed, which is generally when they are displayed, such that they cannot be damaged by the pressure applied by the elastic band.
An additional advantage resulting from claim 3 is that the traction force is exerted on the middle part of the products, thereby making an efficient use of the traction force of the elastic band, which would be less so if applied only on the bottom, for example, and which could overturn products with a certain height.
A further advantage resulting from claim 4 is that the same container provides a display case in a simple manner, and can be placed directly on a shelf of a shop without having to transfer the products to another container or place an intermediate container between the one described herein and the shelf in the shop.
Yet another advantage resulting from claim 5 is that the conversion to a display case is performed in a simple manner.
Yet another advantage resulting from claim 5 is that the container can be considerably sturdy and suitable for large and/or relatively heavy products.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

This specification is supplemented with a set of drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment, which are never intended to limit the invention.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the sheet showing a dotted breakable area.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the container formed without closing the tabs, with the products arranged to be introduced in the container.
Figure 3 shows the container of figure 2 where the products have been introduced in the same and the elastic band is prepared to be installed.
Figure 4 shows the container of figure 3 with the elastic band in place.
Figure 5 is a rear perspective view of the container placed upright with the products inside the same and the elastic band placed behind a connector that is loose in at least one part.
Figure 6 is a front perspective view of the container of figure 5 where the connector has been removed from the groove and the top part of the container to display the products.
Figure 7 shows the container of figure 6 in which a product has been removed and the elastic band pulls the remaining products towards the front part of the container.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the invention is described below with reference to the figures.
Figures 5 to 7 describe a display container (1) with products (3) stacked horizontally which comprises an elastic band (2) for bringing said products (3) towards the anterior part thereof.
Said display container (1) consists of a quadrangular cardboard sheet (1.1) that comprises a first side (1.2), corresponding to a first folding line, from which emerges a first tab (1.3), in parallel and sequentially a second (1.4), third (1.5) and fourth (1.6) sides are arranged respectively corresponding to a second, third and fourth folding lines, parallel to the fourth side (1.6) and following this sequence is a fifth side (1.7) as an end of the sheet (1.1).
On each side of the sheet (1.1) and perpendicular to the sides (1.2,1.4,1.5,1.6,1.7) are arranged the fifth (1.12) and sixth (1.17) folding lines, which respectively correspond to the sixth and seventh sides.
From each of the fifth (1.12) and sixth (1.17) folding lines and towards the nearest corresponding end of the sheet (1.1), that is, as shown in figure 1 and according to the orientation thereof, it can be said that to the right of the fifth folding line (1.12) and to the left of the sixth folding line (1.17) there are in correspondence with the second (1.4), third (1.5) and fourth (1.6) sides the corresponding first (1.22), second (1.23), third (1.24), fourth (1.25), fifth (1.26) and sixth (1.27) notches, the second (1.23), third (1.24) notches extending into the sheet, thereby passing the fifth folding line (1.12), thereby defining the following faces: rear (1.8) between the first (1.2), second (1.4), sixth (1.12) and seventh (1.17) sides; right side (1.9) between the second (1.4), third (1.5), sixth (1.12) and seventh (1.17) sides; anterior (1.10) between the third (1.5), fourth (1.6), sixth (1.12) and seventh (1.17) sides; left side (1.11) between the fourth (1.6), fifth (1.7), sixth (1.12) and seventh (1.17) sides; also defining in this way the following tabs: second (1.13) between the sixth side (1.12) and the first notch (1.22); third (1.14) between the sixth side (1.12), first (1.22) and second (1.23) notches; fourth (1.15) between the sixth side (1.12), second (1.23) and third (1.24) notches; fifth (1.16) between the third notch (1.24) and the fifth (1.7) and sixth (1.12) sides; sixth (1.18) between the seventh side (1.17) and the fourth notch (1.25); seventh (1.19) between the seventh side (1.17), fourth (1.25) and fifth (1.26) notches; eighth (1.20) between the seventh side (1.17) and the fifth (1.26) and sixth (1.27) notches; ninth (1.21) between the sixth notch (1.27) and the fifth (1.7) and seventh (1.17) sides.
A first slit (1.28) is made in the rear (1.8) and right side (1.9) faces, and a second slit (1.29) is made in the left side face (1.11), such that when the container (1) is formed it is implicitly understood that the sheet is folded along the first (1.2), second (1.4), third (1.5) and fourth (1.6) folding lines to close the sheet (1.1) on itself, the first tab (1.3) coinciding with the fifth side (1.7) and the first slit (1.28) in the first side (1.2) coinciding with the second slit (1.29) in the fifth side (1.7) to form a channel in which runs the elastic band (2), figures 2 to 7, and which embraces the products (3), the same also passing through the second (1.23) and third (1.24) notches behind the fourth tab (1.15), such that it is concealed from the user and provides a constant pull of the products (3) towards the anterior face (1.10) of the container (1). As the second (1.23) and third (1.24) notches are located farther inward, when the tabs (1.13,1.14,1.15,1.16,1.18,1.19,1.20,1.21) are bent to form the container (1) definitively, the elastic band (2) is above the floor or lower part of the container (1), such that said band can operate correctly.
One option as shown in the figures is that in at least one portion of the channel formed by the first (1.28) and second slit (1.29) a connector (1.30) is placed; specifically, the figures show three above which the elastic band (2) is located, said connector (1.30) being breakable such that the elastic band (2) touches the products (3).
Another option as shown in the figures is that the segment of the first slit (1.28) of the right side face (1.9) and the second slit (1.29) are inclined in an upward direction from the anterior face (1.10) to the rear face (1.8) and the segment of the first slit (1.28) of the rear face (1.8) is horizontal.
Another option as shown in the figures is that a breakline is arranged coinciding with the seventh side (1.17) in the rear face (1.8) up to an intermediate point thereof in the right side face (1.9), from where the breakline (1.31) runs to the third side (1.5), and from there to the fourth side (1.6), thereby crossing the anterior face (1.10), and from there to an intermediate point of the seventh side (1.17) in the left side face (1.11) to then coincide with said seventh side (1.17) and up to the fifth side (1.7) thereby forming a breakable portion on the top part of the container (1), dotted region in figure 1, which allows showing and displaying the products (3), figures 6 and 7.
Another option is that at least one opening (1.32) is placed in the breakline (1.31) to facilitate breaking; specifically, the figures show three simply to provide access from any face of the container (1).
Another option is that the cardboard is corrugated cardboard.

Claims

Display container (1) in which horizontally stacked products (3) are arranged comprising an elastic band (2) to bring said products (3) towards the anterior part of the container (1), formed by a quadrangular cardboard sheet (1.1) comprising a first side (1.2) that corresponds to a first folding line (1.2), from which emerges a first tab (1.3), in parallel and sequentially a second (1.4), third (1.5) and fourth (1.6) sides are arranged respectively corresponding to a second, third and fourth folding lines, parallel to the fourth side (1.6) and following this sequence is a fifth side (1.7) as an end of the sheet (1.1), on each side of the same and perpendicularly to the sides (1.2, 1.4,1.5,1.6,1.7) are placed fifth (1.12) and sixth (1.17) folding lines, which respectively correspond to sixth and seventh sides, characterised in that from each of the fifth (1.12) and sixth (1.17) folding lines and towards the nearest corresponding end of the sheet (1.1), are made in correspondence with the second (1.4), third (1.5) and fourth (1.6) sides the corresponding first (1.22), second (1.23), third (1.24), fourth (1.25), fifth (1.26) and sixth (1.27) notches, the second (1.23), third (1.24) notches extending into the sheet, thereby defining the following faces: rear (1.8) between the first (1.2), second (1.4), sixth (1.12) and seventh (1.17) sides; right side (1.9) between the second (1.4), third (1.5), sixth (1.12) and seventh (1.17) sides; anterior (1.10) between the third (1.5), fourth (1.6), sixth (1.12) and seventh (1.17) sides; left side (1.11) between the fourth (1.6), fifth (1.7), sixth (1.12) and seventh (1.17) sides; defining in this way the following tabs: second (1.13) between the sixth side (1.12) and the first notch (1.22); third (1.14) between the sixth side (1.12), first (1.22) and second (1.23) notches; fourth (1.15) between the sixth side (1.12), second (1.23) and third (1.24) notches; fifth (1.16) between the third notch (1.24) and the fifth (1.7) and sixth (1.12) sides; sixth (1.18) between the seventh side (1.17) and the fourth notch (1.25); seventh (1.19) between the seventh side (1.17), fourth (1.25) and fifth (1.26) notches; eighth (1.20) between the seventh side (1.17) and the fifth (1.26) and sixth (1.27) notches; ninth (1.21) between the sixth notch (1.27) and the fifth (1.7) and seventh (1.17) sides; a first slit (1.28) is made in the rear (1.8) and right side (1.9) faces, and a second slit (1.29) is made in the left side face (1.11), such that when the container (1) is formed the first tab (1.3) coincides with the fifth side (1.7) and the first slit (1.28) in the first side (1.2) coincides with the second slit (1.29) in the fifth side (1.7) to form a channel in which runs the elastic band (2), which embraces the products (3), the same also passing through the second (1.23) and third (1.24) notches behind the fourth tab (1.15), such that a constant pull is exerted on the products (3) towards the anterior face (1.10) of the container (1) and said band (2) is concealed from the user.
Display container according to claim 1 wherein at least one portion of the channel formed by the first (1.28) and second slit (1.29) a connector (1.30) is placed above which the elastic band (2) is located, said connector (1.30) being breakable such that the elastic band (2) touches the products (3).
Display container according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the segment of the first slit (1.28) of the right side face (1.9) and the second slit (1.29) are inclined in an upward direction from the anterior face (1.10) to the rear face (1.8) and the segment of the first slit (1.28) of the rear face (1.8) is horizontal.
Display container according to any of the preceding claims wherein a breakline is arranged coinciding with the seventh side (1.17) in the rear face (1.8) up to an intermediate point thereof in the right side face (1.9), from where the breakline (1.31) runs to the third side (1.5), and from there to the fourth side (1.6), thereby crossing the anterior face (1.10), and from there to an intermediate point of the seventh side (1.17) in the left side face (1.11) to then coincide with said seventh side (1.17) and up to the fifth side (1.7), thereby forming a breakable portion on the top part of the container (1) which allows showing and displaying the products (3).
Display container according to any of the preceding claims wherein the breakline (1.31) has at least one opening (1.32) to facilitate breaking.
Display container according to any of the preceding claims wherein the cardboard is corrugated.