Tamper-evident container, a blank for the container, a method of packing a product, a method of securing at least one product to a container, and a packing machine for skin packing a product

Abstract

A container includes at least one product within the container, the product being secured in the container between an interior surface of the container and a layer of flexible material. The layer of flexible material is skin packaged over the product and adhered to the interior surface of the container by an adhesive. A blank for the container is provided. The blank has panels with a product secured to a panel with layer of flexible material. The invention also relates to a method of packing a product, a method of securing at least one product to a container and a packaging machine for skin packing the product.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to tamper-evident container, to a blank for the container and to a packaging machine for packaging the blank.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

[0002] European regulation ECE-R90 requires brake pads to be supplied in tamper-evident packaging.

[0003] One way of complying with this regulation is to pack the product in a standard box and then seal it by glueing the box closed. A part number and sometimes a small line drawing of the brake pad are then printed on the box. In most instances a generic drawing is printed on the box. However the contents of the box cannot be inspected or looked at until the tamper proof seal has been broken, in which instance the product cannot be sold again if the client is not satisfied with the product.

[0004] It is known in the industry that often incorrect brake pads are supplied to customers. Brake pads exist which are identical in every way except for their thickness. Thus a brake pad needs to be measured by a prospective customer, and the prospective customer often wants to superimpose his worn brake pad over a new brake pad to ensure they are identical before he is prepared to purchase the new brake pad.

[0005] The actual handling and tactile experience of a product during the buying process is important to ensure customer satisfaction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] According to the invention a container includes at least one product within the container, the product being secured in the container between an interior surface of the container and a layer of flexible material.

[0007] The layer of flexible material is preferably skin packaged over the product and adhered to the interior surface of the container by an adhesive.

[0008] The container may be a box and the interior surface is preferably the surface of a base, sidewalls or lid of the box.

[0009] A product is preferably secured to each of the base, sidewalls and lid of the box.

[0010] The layer of flexible material is preferably transparent.

[0011] The container may be made of corrugated air pervious board which may be coated with an air impervious layer on its outer surface.

[0012] According to another aspect of the invention a blank for a container includes a base panel, sidewall panel and a lid panel, with at least one product being secured to one of the panels by a layer of flexible material which covers the product and is secured to the panel so that in a container erected from the blank the product is located within the container.

[0013] The layer of flexible material is preferably skin packaged over the product and secured to the panel by an adhesive.

[0014] According to another aspect of the invention a method of packaging a product includes the steps of:

[0015] providing a board;

[0016] locating the product on the board;

[0017] securing the product to the board by a layer of flexible material; and

[0018] forming the board into a container so that the product is located within the container.

[0019] The product is preferably secured to the board by skin packaging the layer of flexible material over the product and adhering the layer of flexible material to the board surrounding the product by an adhesive.

[0020] The board is preferably a corrugated board having an air pervious upper surface and an air impervious lower surface with flutes located between the upper and lower surfaces, and the layer of flexible material is preferably skin packaged over the product by drawing air out from between the layer of flexible material and the upper surface of the board through the upper surface of the board and between the flutes of the board.

[0021] According to another aspect of the invention a method of securing at least one product to a blank for a container includes the steps of:

[0022] providing a blank for a container, the blank having an air pervious upper surface and an air impervious lower surface with flutes located between the upper and lower surfaces;

[0023] skin packaging a product to the upper surface of the board with a layer of flexible material by drawing air out from between the layer of flexible material and the upper surface of the board through the upper surface of the board and between the flutes of the board; and

[0024] adhering the flexible layer of material to the board surrounding the product.

[0025] According to another aspect of the invention a packaging machine for skin packing a product to a surface of a board includes:

[0026] a lid with an aperture;

[0027] a clamp for clamping a layer of flexible material over the aperture to close the aperture; and

[0028] a base on which a board can be supported, the base being adapted to engage the lid to form a chamber from which air can be sucked when the aperture is closed.

[0029] The lid preferably has a seal surrounding the aperture so the layer of flexible material can be clamped onto the seal by the clamp.

[0030] The base preferably includes a grid on which the board can be supported.

[0031] The packaging machine may include at least one trolley having a removable perforated plate on which the board is in use located, the trolley being displaceable from a loading position in which the board is located on the perforated plate and the product is located on the board, to a packaging position in which the perforated plate is located above the base.

[0032] The packaging machine may include a heater for heating a heat activated adhesive on the layer of flexible material.

[0033] The packaging machine may include a cutter for cutting the layer of flexible material once it has been adhered over the product on the board.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a blank for a box with four brake pads secured to the blank by a transparent plastic sheet;

[0035] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the blank without the brake pads and the transparent plastic sheet;

[0036] FIGS. 3a to 3e are perspective views showing how the box is erected from the blank of FIG. 1, with the brake pads omitted for the sake of clarity;

[0037] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional side view on line IV-IV of FIG. 3(e) showing the brake pads secured within the box;

[0038] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a packaging machine;

[0039] FIGS. 6 to 11 are diagrammatic perspective views of the packaging machine showing how the brake pads are packaged onto the blank; and

[0040] FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional side view on line XII-XII of FIG. 11.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] Referring firstly to FIGS. 1 to 3, a corrugated cardboard blank 10 has four brake pads 12 secured to it by a layer of transparent plastic sheeting or material 14. The brake pads 12 are secured to an upper surface 15 of the blank 10.

[0042] The blank 10 has a base panel 16, two sidewall panels 18 and a lid panel 20. The base panel 16 has endwall panels 22 extending from it. Each endwall panel 22 has an endwall panel locking flap 24 extending from it. Each endwall panel locking flap 24 has a locking lug 26 for location within a locking lug receiving aperture 28 when the blank 10 is erected to form a box 30.

[0043] Each sidewall panel 18 sidewall panel flaps 32. The lid panel 20 has lid panel flaps 34, and an additional sidewall panel 36 which has its own sidewall panel flaps 38.

[0044] The corrugated cardboard from which the blank 10 is made has horizontally extending flutes 17, and is made of E-flute corrugated board. The upper surface 15 of the blank 10, which forms an interior surface 15 of the box 30, is air pervious. The lower surface of the blank 10, which forms the outer surface 19 of the box 30 is coated with an air impervious layer of lacquered ink or varnished ink.

[0045] Referring now to FIGS. 5 to 11, a packaging machine 40 has a lid 42 with an aperture 44, and a clamp 46 for clamping a layer of transparent plastic material 48 over the aperture 44 to close the aperture 44. A base 50 containing a grid 52 is located below the lid 42.

[0046] The lid 42 has two spaced seals 54 (see FIG. 6) on its upper surface. The seals 54 surround the aperture 44 and ensure that an airtight seal is formed between the layer of plastic material 48 when the clamp 46 is in its clamping position.

[0047] Two trolleys 56 are mounted on a frame 58. Each trolley 56 carries a perforated plate 60 and a jig 62. The trolleys 56 can be moved between a loading position as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, and a packaging position as shown in FIGS. 7 to 11.

[0048] A heater 64 is provided for heating a heat activated adhesive provided on the lower surface of the plastic material 48. The heater 64 is displaceable between a heating position (FIG. 8) in which it is located directly above the aperture 44 in the lid 42, and a retracted non-heating position.

[0049] A cutter 66 is provided for cutting the plastic material 44 to shape once the plastic material has been adhered to the blank 12. The cutter 66 is displaceable between a cutting position in which it locates within the aperture 44 in the lid 42 to cut the plastic material to shape, and an inoperative position in which it is located above the aperture 44.

[0050] The plastic material 44 is provided on a roll 68. The heat activated adhesive is applied to the lower surface of the plastic material in a strip having a width substantially the same as the length of the panels 16, 18 and 20 of the blank 10.

[0051] In use, the blank 10 is located on the perforated plate 60 within the template 62 whilst the trolley is in its loading position as shown in FIG. 6. The brake blocks 12 are positioned on the panels 16, 18 and 20 of the blank. The plastic material 48 is unrolled from the roll 68 to cover the aperture 44 as shown in FIG. 6.

[0052] Referring now to FIG. 7, the trolley 56 is moved to its packaging position above the base 50. The clamp 46 moves downwardly to its clamping position in which it clamps the layer of plastic material 48 onto the seals 54.

[0053] Referring now to FIG. 8, the heater 64 is moved to its heating position in which it heats the heat activated adhesive on the lower surface of the plastic material 48. The clamp 46 has an aperture 47 through which heat from the heater can pass to activate the adhesive. Once the heat activated adhesive has been activated by heat from the heater 64, the heater 64 is retracted to its non-heating position as can be seen from FIG. 9.

[0054] Referring now to FIG. 10, the base 50 moves upwardly and lifts the perforated plate 60 off the trolley 56. The base 50 continues to move upwardly until it forms an airtight seal against the bottom of the lid 42 as can be seen from FIGS. 11 and 12. In this position air is withdrawn via a suction pipe 70 from a chamber formed between the base 50 on the one hand, and the lid 42 and the plastic material 48 on the other hand. The air is drawn through the air pervious upper surface of the blank 10 and out of the blank 10 between the flutes of the blank 10. This causes the plastic material 48 to be skin packaged or vacuum formed over the brake pads 12. The heat activated adhesive adheres to the exposed portions of the panels 16, 18 and 20 surrounding the brake pads 12.

[0055] The cutter 66 then moves downwardly to its cutting position in which it cuts the plastic material 48 away from the rest of the plastic material.

[0056] The base 50 is then lowered to lower the perforated plate 60 back onto its trolley 56. The trolley 56 is then moved to its loading position in which the blank 10 can be removed from the perforated plate 60 and erected into a box 30. The clamp 46 is also unclamped so that the packaging process can be repeated using the second trolley whilst the first trolley is loaded.

[0057] The transparent plastic material 14 surrounding the brake pads 12 provides a tamper-evident seal. Although the invention has been described with reference to brake pads it will be appreciated that products other than brake pads could be packaged in the manner described herein.

[0058] If desired the box 30 can be collapsed so that the sealed brake pads 12 can be displayed to customers. In its collapsed configuration (FIG. 1) the blank 10 can be suspended from a hanging point for display purposes.

[0059] It will be noted that the plastic material 14 does not cover the entire upper surface 15 of the blank 10. The plastic material is adhered to, and covers, only those panels of the blank 10 on which the brake pads 12 are located. The plastic material 14 is relatively expensive and thus a cost saving is achieved by only applying the plastic material to that part of the blank 10 immediately surrounding the brake pads 12. The plastic material 14 does not cover the flaps 24, 32, 34 and 38 and neither does it cover the endwall panels 22 and the additional sidewall panel 36.

[0060] It will be appreciated that many modifications or variations of the invention are possible without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

Claims

1-23. (cancel).

24. A container for holding at least one product, wherein the product is secured in the container between an interior surface of the container and a layer of flexible material, the container being made of an air pervious corrugated board coated with an air impervious layer on its outer surface.

25. The container of claim 24 wherein the layer of flexible material is skin packaged over the product and adhered to the interior surface of the container by an adhesive.

26. The container of claim 24 wherein the container is a box and the interior surface is the surface of a base, sidewalls or lid of the box.

27. The container of claim 26 wherein a product is secured to each of the base, sidewalls and lid of the box.

28. The container of claim 26 wherein the box has flaps over which the flexible material does not extend.

29. The container of claim 24 wherein the layer of flexible material is transparent.

30. The container of claim 24 wherein the flexible material extends over only a portion of the interior surface of the container.

31. A blank for a container including a base panel, sidewall panel and a lid panel, the blank being made of an air pervious corrugated board having an upper surface and a lower surface with the lower surface being coated with an air impervious layer, and with at least one product being secured to the upper surface of one of the panels by a layer of flexible material which covers the product and is secured to the upper surface of the panel so that in a container erected from the blank the product is located within the container.

32. The blank of claim 31 wherein the layer of flexible material is skin packaged over the product and covers the panel, and wherein the layer of flexible material is secured to at least one of the panels by an adhesive.

33. The blank of claim 31 wherein the flexible material extends over only a portion of the upper surface of the blank.

34. The blank of claim 31 wherein the panels have flaps over which the flexible material does not extend.

35. A method of packaging a product including the steps of:

providing a corrugated board having an air pervious upper surface and an air impervious lower surface with flutes located between the upper and lower surfaces;

locating the product on the board;

locating a layer of flexible material over the product;

drawing air out from between the layer of flexible material and the upper surface of the board through the upper surface of the board and between the flutes of the board;

adhering the layer of flexible material to the board surrounding the product by an adhesive to secure the product to the board; and

forming the board into a container so that the product is located within the container.

36. A method of securing at least one product to a blank for a container including the steps of:

providing a blank for a container, the blank having an air pervious upper surface and an air impervious lower surface with flutes located between the upper and lower surfaces;

skin packaging a product to the upper surface of the board with a layer of flexible material by drawing air out from between the layer of flexible material and the upper surface of the board through the upper surface of the board and between the flutes of the board; and

adhering the flexible layer of material to the board surrounding the product.

37. A packaging machine for skin packing a product to a surface of a board including:

a lid with an aperture;

a clamp for clamping a layer of flexible material over the aperture to close the aperture;

a cutter for cutting the layer of flexible material, the cutter being displaceable between a cutting position in which it locates within the aperture and an inoperative position in which it is located above the aperture; and

a base on which a board can be supported, the base being adapted to engage the lid to form a chamber from which air can be sucked when the aperture is closed.

38. The packaging machine of claim 37 wherein the lid has a seal surrounding the aperture so the layer of flexible material can be clamped onto the seal by the clamp.

39. The packaging machine of claim 37 wherein the base includes a grid on which the board can be supported.

40. The packaging machine of claim 37 including at least one trolley having a removable perforated plate on which the board is in use located, the trolley being displaceable from a loading position in which the board is located on the perforated plate and the product is located on the board, to a packaging position in which the perforated plate is located above the base. 41. The packaging machine of claim 37 including a heater for heating a heat activated adhesive on the layer of flexible material.