GB2371040A - A Paperboard Wrap with Stress-relieving Means - Google Patents

Abstract

A paperboard wrap, formed from a blank (10), comprising first (16) and second (18) base panels, each of which is linked to other panels by means of a hinge fold (17,19), the base panels having interengaging means (20,21) for securing the base panels relative to each other, the interengaging means comprising one or more male portions (20) provided by the first base panel (16) and one or more female portions (21) provided by the second base panel (18), each male portion (20) comprising an extension from a pair of spaced first folds (22) which are parallel to the hinge fold (17), and are separated by a cut (23) which defines a locking tab extending in the direction towards the hinge fold (17) the extension terminating in a locking flap having locking projections and extending from a second fold (28) which is parallel to the first folds (22) and which is spaced from the axis of the first folds by a distance x, each female portion comprising a first locking edge (30) which is parallel to the hinge fold (19) and a second locking edge (31) nearer the hinge fold (19), which second locking edge (31) has a central portion which is spaced from the first locking edge (30) by a distance greater than x and oppositely disposed lateral portions (33) which are spaced from the first locking edge (30) by distances less than x, whereby the locking tab is engaged behind the first locking edge (30) and the locking flap (26) is engaged behind the second locking edge (31) such that the lateral edges of the second fold (28) are covered by the lateral portions of the second locking edge (31).

Description

A PAPERBOARD WRAP The present invention relates to paperboard wraps, and more particularly but not exclusively to paperboard wraps for securing around a number of bottles or cans to form a multipack.

According to the present invention there is provided a paperboard wrap comprising first and second base panels, each of which is linked to other panels by means of a hinge fold, the base panels having interengaging means for securing the base panels relative to each other, the interengaging means comprising one or more male portions provided by the first base panel and one or more female portions provided by the second base panel, each male portion comprising an extension from a pair of spaced first folds which are parallel to the hinge fold to the other panels and which are separated by a cut which defines a locking tab extending in the direction towards the hinge fold, the extension terminating in a locking flap having locking projections and extending from a second fold which is parallel to the first folds and which is spaced from the axis of the first folds by a distance X, each female portion comprising a first locking edge which is parallel to the hinge fold to the other panels and a second locking edge nearer the hinge fold, which second locking edge has a central portion which is spaced from the first locking edge by a distance greater than X and oppositely disposed lateral portions which are spaced from the first locking edge by distances less than X, whereby the locking tab is engaged behind the first locking edge and the locking flap is engaged behind the second locking edge such that the lateral edges of the second fold are covered by the lateral portions of the second locking edge.

Preferably the second locking edge has a shallow V-shape, the free ends of the V constituting said lateral portions and the apex of the V constituting said central portion. With some preferred embodiments, each end of the second locking edge is provided a serpentine cut, the first part of which extends in a direction away from the first locking edge, the serpentine cuts defining areas of the second base panel behind which the locking projections of the locking flap engage.

In some arrangements the space between the first and second locking edges is substantially free of paperboard.

Ideally the cut defining the locking tab has radiussed ends to relieve stress.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in more detail. The description makes reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a paperboard blank for producing a wrap according to the present invention, Figure 2 shows an enlarged view of male and female locking portions of the figure 1 blank, Figure 3 shows an enlarged view of alternative female locking portion according to the present invention, Figure 4 shows an external view of the figure 2 locking portions interconnected, and Figure 5 shows an internal perspective view of the locking portions shown in figure 4.

In the figures there is shown a paperboard blank 10 for producing a wrap or sleeve intended to hold together four bottles as a multipack. The blank 10 could, however, be adapted to receive a different number of bottles or even other products instead of bottles. The blank 10 provides a top panel 11 having formations 12 for receiving the tops of bottles.

Tapered side panels 13 are hingedly connected to the top panel 11 and the tapered side panels 13 lead into further side panels 14. The form of side panels 13,14 is largely dependent on the shape of the bottles or articles being held by the wrap. At the lower ends of the side panels 14 are further formations 15 for receiving the heels of the bottles being held. A first base panel 16 is hingedly connected by fold 17 to one of the side panels 14 and a second base panel 18 is hingedly connected by fold 19 to the other side panel 14. These features are not new and the precise form of the formations 12,15 can be varied as desired.

The first base panel 16 includes two male locking portions 20 and the second base panel 18 includes two female locking portions 21 which interengage with said male portions 20.

Each male portion 20 is hingedly connected to the first base panel 16 by means of a pair of spaced coaxial first folds 22 which are parallel to the fold 17. Between each pair of first folds 22 is an arcuate cut 23 which defines a primary locking tab 24 and which extends generally in a direction towards the fold 17. The ends of each cut 23 preferably have a radius 29 for stress relieving purposes. Also, the shape of the cut 23 and thus the resulting primary locking tab 24 can be varied and an alternative shape is shown in figures 2,4 and 5.

From the opposite ends of the first folds 22, the male portion 20 tapers inwardly at 25 towards a locking flap 26 which has oppositely disposed locking projections 27. The locking flap 26 is hingedly connected by a second fold 28 which is parallel to the first folds 22 and which is spaced from the axis of the first folds by a distance X.

Each female portion 21 comprises a first locking edge 30 which is parallel to the fold 19 and a second locking edge 31 which is disposed nearer the fold 19. The second locking edge 31 has a shallow V-shape.

The apex 32 of the V-shape is spaced from the first locking edge 30 by a distance greater than X and the oppositely disposed lateral portions 33 of the V shape are spaced from the first locking edge 30 by a distance less than the distance X. This is clear from figure 2. A space 36 is provided between the first and second locking edges 30, 31.

At each end of the second locking edge 31 is a serpentine cut 34 extending into the surrounding paperboard. Each serpentine cut 34 provides a first part 35 which extends generally away from the first locking edge 30.

To lock the two base panels together the male portions 20 are bent outwardly about the first folds 22, so that the primary locking tabs 24 are directed inwardly. The first base panel 16 is disposed below the second base panel 18 such that the primary locking tabs 24 can engage behind the respective first locking edges 30 of the female portions 21.

The locking flaps 26 are then hinged about the second folds 28 so as to be directed past the second locking edges 31 as the male portions 20 are hinged back about the first folds 22 and back into the plane of the first base panel 16. The locking projections 27 of the locking flaps 26 engage behind the second base panel 18 as shown in figure 5, the serpentine cuts 34 making it easier for the locking projections 27 to pass through the second base panel 18 by allowing some flexing of the adjacent paperboard.

Because of the geometry described above, the lateral ends of each second fold 28 are covered by the lateral portions 33 of the second locking edge, as is more clearly shown in figure 4. This partial covering of the second folds helps to prevent the locking flaps 26 from becoming disengaged, thus improving the integrity of the wrap.

Although the embodiment described above has a shallow V-shaped second locking edge 31, other shapes would be possible whilst still having the central portion distance greater than X to allow passage of the locking flap and the lateral portion distances less than X so as to cover the ends of the second folds 28.

Figure 3 shows an alternative female portion 121. Features common to the female portion 21 of the first embodiment have been given the same reference numerals prefixed with'1'. In this embodiment a paperboard bridge 50 extends across the space between the first and second locking edges 130,131. Also the serpentine cuts 134 extend beyond the second locking edge 131 to a fold line 51 to define a tongue 52. When the locking flap of the male portion is pushed past the second locking edge 131 the tongue 52 is best bent back about the fold line 51.

The bridge 50 can serve to make the second base panel more rigid in the area of the female portion 121.

It will be appreciated that the actual shape and dimensions of the features described above can be varied according to the particular design or product requirement.

Claims (6)

1. CLAIMS 1. A paperboard wrap comprising first and second base panels, each of which is linked to other panels by means of a hinge fold, the base panels having interengaging means for securing the base panels relative to each other, the interengaging means comprising one or more male portions provided by the first base panel and one or more female portions provided by the second base panel, each male portion comprising an extension from a pair of spaced first folds which are parallel to the hinge fold to the other panels and which are separated by a cut which defines a locking tab extending in the direction towards the hinge fold, the extension terminating in a locking flap having locking projections and extending from a second fold which is parallel to the first folds and which is spaced from the axis of the first folds by a distance X, each female portion comprising a first locking edge which is parallel to the hinge fold to the other panels and a second locking edge nearer the hinge fold, which second locking edge has a central portion which is spaced from the first locking edge by a distance greater than X and oppositely disposed lateral portions which are spaced from the first locking edge by distances less than X, whereby the locking tab is engaged behind the first locking edge and the locking flap is engaged behind the second locking edge such that the lateral edges of the second fold are covered by the lateral portions of the second locking edge.
2. 2. A paperboard wrap as claimed in claim 1 wherein the second locking edge has a shallow V-shape, the free ends of the V constituting said lateral portions and the apex of the V constituting said central portion.
3. 3. A paperboard wrap as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein each end of the second locking edge is provided a serpentine cut, the first part of which extends in a direction away from the first locking edge, the serpentine cuts defining areas of the second base panel behind which the locking projections of the locking flap engage.
4. 4. A paperboard wrap as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the space between the first and second locking edges is substantially free of paperboard.
5. 5. A paperboard wrap as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the cut defining the locking tab has radiussed ends to relieve stress.
6. 6. A paperboard wrap substantially as herein described and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.