GB2416762A

GB2416762A - Detachable enclosure assembly for a container

Info

Publication number: GB2416762A
Application number: GB0515930A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Stevenson
Original assignee: Le Carton Ltd
Current assignee: Le Carton Ltd
Priority date: 2004-08-04
Filing date: 2005-08-03
Publication date: 2006-02-08
Anticipated expiration: 2025-08-03
Also published as: GB0417317D0; GB0515930D0; GB2416762B

Abstract

An enclosure assembly (20) to be supported on, and detachably connected to, an underlying container or second enclosure assembly to enclose a region above the underlying container or assembly comprises attachment means to detachably connect the enclosure assembly (20) to the underlying container or assembly. The enclosure assembly also comprises a detachment grip (24) to aid detachment of the enclosure assembly from the underlying structure and is provided with a thumb aperture (70) above the detachment grip (24), the thumb aperture (70) being sized to allow the thumb of a user to pass therethrough. The thumb aperture is located so as to allow access by a user's thumb to detach the enclosure assembly from the underlying container or assembly by urging the detachment grip (24) laterally outwards so that the enclosure assembly may be lifted upwards.

Description

ENCLOSURE ASSEMBLY

The present invention relates generally to packaging, and in particular to enclosure assemblies that are adapted to be supported on a container or a second enclosure assembly and enclose a region above the container or the second enclosure assembly.

WO 02/098751 discloses a known enclosure assembly in the form of a sleeve which is adapted to be supported on a container and in situ the enclosure assembly encloses a region above the container, said enclosure assembly comprising co-operable attachment means, the arrangement of the enclosure assembly being such that, in use, the attachment means of a first enclosure assembly which is supported on a container is engaged with the attachment means of a further enclosure assembly, said enclosure assemblies forming a stack in which the second enclosure assembly encloses a region above the first enclosure assembly.

The present invention seeks to provide an improved enclosure assembly.

According to the invention there is provided an enclosure assembly that is adapted to be supported on, and be detachably connectable to, an underlying container or an underlying second enclosure assembly, hereinafter referred to as an underlying structure, and in situ the enclosure assembly encloses a region above the underlying structure, said enclosure assembly comprising attachment means which is adapted to detachably connect the enclosure assembly to the underlying structure, the enclosure assembly also comprises a detachment grip which is adapted to aid detachment of the enclosure assembly from the underlying structure, the enclosure assembly is further provided with a thumb aperture above the detachment grip, the thumb aperture being sized to allow the thumb of a user to pass therethrough, and in situ the thumb aperture is located to be adjacent to the underlying structure so as to allow access by a user's thumb to said underlying structure, the arrangement of the enclosure assembly being such that in order to detach the enclosure assembly from the underlying structure the detachment grip is urged laterally outwards and the enclosure assembly is lifted upwards and away from the underlying structure.

In a preferred embodiment the thumb aperture advantageously allows the user to first apply an inward force to the underlying structure and so aid in urging the detachment grip laterally outwardly, and then to use his thumb to apply a downward counter-force to facilitate lifting of the enclosure assembly. Furthermore, once the enclosure assembly has been lifted sufficiently clear of the underlying structure the user is then able to at least partially enclose the detachment grip and so yet further facilitate the detachment process.

The thumb aperture is preferably located to be adjacent to a side wall of the underlying structure.

The thumb aperture is most preferably located to allow access to a rim of the underlying structure.

In a highly preferred embodiment the thumb aperture is sized and located such that said aperture exposes at least part of a side wall of the underlying structure.

Desirably the thumb aperture extends below the height of a rim of the underlying structure.

The enclosure assembly preferably attaches to an underlying structure by way of a male-to-female attachment. The attachment means most preferably comprises at least one of a protrusion feature or a protrusion receiving feature.

In a highly preferred embodiment where the detachment grip comprises the attachment means, said attachment means comprises a protrusion feature which is adapted to be received by an aperture provided below a handle of an underlying structure.

Various embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure I is a perspective view of an enclosure assembly, Figure 2 is a partial front elevation of the detachment grip of the enclosure assembly of Figure 1 in a connected condition on an underlying second enclosure assembly, Figure 3 is an exterior perspective view of a detachment grip of the enclosure assembly of Figure 2, Figure 4 is an interior perspective view of the detachment grip of Figure 3, and, Figure 5 is a perspective view of tray adapted for attachment to the enclosure assembly.

With reference to Figure l there is shown an embodiment 20 of an enclosure assembly in accordance with the invention. The enclosure assembly 20 is of oblong-rectangular shape and comprises two end walls 21 and two side walls 22. Each of the walls 21 and 22 is provided with elongate apertures 25 for venting.

The lower margin of the assembly 20 comprises two resilient tongues 24 which form detachment grips, one on each side wall 22, and sixteen locating tabs 26.

Each side wall 22 is provided with a pair of tabs 26 on each side of the detachable grips 24, each pair of tabs 26 of each side wall 22 being spaced in the direction of the thickness of the side wall. Similarly, each end wall 21 comprises four locating tabs 26. The two innermost tabs on each end wall being spaced from the two outermost tabs in the direction of the thickness of the wall.

Each detachment grip 24 comprises an inwardly extending protrusion 28.

The protrusion 28 is provided with three upstanding formations 60 which, in use, serve to ensure a good attachment with an underlying structure. The grip 24 is further provided with three recesses 61. The upstanding formations 60 and the recesses 61 have been omitted from Figure 2 for the sake of clarity.

A notch feature 27 is provided in the wall 22 on each side of the grip 24 to enhance the resilience of the tongue laterally of the enclosure assembly 20.

Above each detachment grip 24 there is provided a thumb aperture 70 of generally curved outline. The thumb aperture extends through the side wall of the assembly and as can be seen from Figure 2, in situ, a lowermost wall 71 defining the aperture lies below the level of the rim of an underlying structure.

The uppermost margin of the assembly 20 comprises two handles 29 and sixteen tab receiving recesses 30. The recesses 30 are sized and arranged to receive the tabs 26 of a second enclosure assembly 20.

Each handle 29 comprises four recessed portions 32 of substantially 5 arcuate outline and five substantially flat surface portions 31, three of which are interposed between the recessed portions 32. Below each handle 29 a handle recess 33 is provided which is sufficiently large to allow the fingers of a person to pass there into. Each handle further comprises five outer ribs 37.

The assembly 20 comprises four corner hinges 35 which are located at the interface between a side wall 22 and an end wall 21, and two hinges 36 which are located centrally of each end wall 21. The hinges 35 and 36 conveniently allow the assembly to be arranged in a collapsed condition.

In use the assembly 20 is initially pushed downwards onto the assembly 50, which is identical to assembly 20 except that it is of a different height and, accordingly, the same reference numerals have been used for same features of assemblies 20 and 50. In so doing, the protrusions of the tongues on the lower margin contact with the outwardly facing ribs 37 of each respective handle of the assembly 50.

Such contact urges the tongues to deflect generally outwardly of the assembly 20. With continual downward movement the tongues of the assembly 20 negotiate the handles and, by virtue of the inherent resilience of the tongues, the tongues 'snap' into an attached/connected condition. Furthermore, in such a condition the tabs of assembly 20 are located in respective recesses 30 of the assembly 50. The assembly 20 is thus attached to the assembly 50, and encloses a region thereabove.

As can be seen in Figure 2, in the attached condition the protrusion 28 of the detachment handle 24 is located under the handle 29 and said protrusion bears against flat surface portions 52 of the handle 29.

Similarly, either of the assemblies 20 or 50 could individually be pushed downwards onto the upper margin of a tray 40 to achieve attachment thereto. The tray 40 comprises four walls, which walls are provided with two handles 43. The handles 43 are substantially identical to the handles 29 of the enclosure assemblies 20 and 50. The recesses 42 are sized and arranged to locate the tabs 26 of the enclosure assemblies 20 and 50. In urging an assembly toward the tray the protrusions 28 of the respective assembly contact the ribs 37, 44 and then snap into position under the respective handles 43 of the tray 40, the labs 26 being located by the respective recesses 42 on the upper margin of the tray.

In order to remove assembly 20 from the underlying enclosure assembly 50, a user first places at least one, but preferably all, of his fingers under each detachment grip 24 and into handle aperture 33. He also places his thumbs against respective exposed side portions 53 of each handle 29. He then proceeds to urge each detachment grip laterally outwardly aided by a counter force applied to side portions 53. In so doing the assembly 20 is no longer attached to the assembly 50. The user then pushes his thumbs onto respective upper surface portions 52 so that he can apply an opposed downward force on each of said uppermost surface portions 52. He is then able to easily lift the assembly 20 away from the assembly 50.

Once the assembly 20 begins to move away from assembly 50 the user may then extend his thumbs onto the inner surface of each detachment grip so that each hand at least partially encloses each detachment grip.

An identical process is performed for detachment of either assembly from the tray 40.

A typical configuration of the assemblies 20 and 50, and the tray 40, would be a stacked arrangement in which one of the assemblies is attached to and supported on the tray and the other assembly is attached to and supported on the first mentioned assembly. The various advantages of such stackable packaging are provided in WO 02/09875t.

Claims

1. An enclosure assembly that is adapted to be supported on, and be detachably connectable to, an underlying container or an underlying second enclosure assembly, hereinafter referred to as an underlying structure, and in situ the enclosure assembly encloses a region above the underlying structure, said enclosure assembly comprising attachment means which is adapted to detachably connect the enclosure assembly to the underlying structure, the enclosure assembly also comprises a detachment grip which is adapted to aid detachment of the enclosure assembly from the underlying structure, the enclosure assembly is further provided with a thumb aperture above the detachment grip, the thumb aperture being sized to allow the thumb of a user to pass therethrough, and in situ the thumb aperture is located to be adjacent to the underlying structure so as to allow access by a user's thumb to said underlying structure, the arrangement of the enclosure assembly being such that in order to detach the enclosure assembly from the underlying structure the detachment grip is urged laterally outwards and the enclosure assembly is lifted upwards and away from the underlying structure.

2. An enclosure assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which the thumb aperture is located to be adjacent to a side wall of the underlying structure.

3. An enclosure assembly as claimed in claim I or claim 2 in which the thumb aperture is located to allow access to a rim of the underlying structure.

4. An enclosure assembly as claimed in any preceding claim in which the thumb aperture is sized and located such that said aperture exposes at least part of a side wall of the underlying structure.

5. An enclosure assembly as claimed in any preceding claim in which the thumb aperture extends below the height of a rim of the underlying structure.

6. An enclosure assembly as claimed in any preceding claim which attaches to an underlying structure by way of a male-to-female attachment.

7. An enclosure assembly as claimed in claim 6 in which the attachment means comprises at least one of a protrusion feature or a protrusion receiving feature.

8. An enclosure assembly as claimed in any preceding claim in which the detachment grip comprises the attachment means and said attachment means comprises a protrusion feature which is adapted to be received by an aperture provided below a handle of an underlying structure.

9. An enclosure assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.