Bracing package
United States Patent 3926364
The package is made up of an outer folded over bracing plate and an inner bag-like or tubular part which is secured on opposite sides to the bracing plate. The bracing plate is biased into an opened condition and thus causes the back-like part to also open in order to receive goods. The outer ends of the bracing plate can be secured together as by staples in order to form an enclosed package.
Application Number:
05/416371
Publication Date:
12/16/1975
Filing Date:
11/16/1973
View Patent Images:
Export Citation:
Primary Class:
Other Classes:
383/119, 383/92, 206/472, 383/109
International Classes:
B65D33/02; B65D33/00
Field of Search:
229/14B,1.5B,55,65,87R 206/472-475
Primary Examiner:
Price, William I.
Assistant Examiner:
Garbe, Stephen P.
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
Kenyon & Kenyon Reilly Carr & Chapin
Claims:
I claim
1. A bracing package comprising
2. A bracing package as set forth in claim 1 wherein said sides extend past the margins and mouth of said bag-like part.
3. A bracing package as set forth in claim 1 wherein said bend is V-shape.
4. A bracing package as set forth in claim 2 wherein said bend is U-shape.
5. A supporting package comprising
6. A supporting package as set forth in claim 5 wherein said bend is stressed to urge said sides of said plate apart.
7. A package comprising
1. A bracing package comprising
2. A bracing package as set forth in claim 1 wherein said sides extend past the margins and mouth of said bag-like part.
3. A bracing package as set forth in claim 1 wherein said bend is V-shape.
4. A bracing package as set forth in claim 2 wherein said bend is U-shape.
5. A supporting package comprising
6. A supporting package as set forth in claim 5 wherein said bend is stressed to urge said sides of said plate apart.
7. A package comprising
Description:
The present invention concerns a bracing package for packaging products that can be brought into a flattish shape, such as books, papers, records, tape cassettes etc., in particular for shipment by mail and which comprises a bracing plate and attached to this a bag-like or tubular part, the bracing plate being folded double in likeness with the covers of a book to surround the bag-like or tubular part.
A package of the type described is known, for instance, from the U.S. Pat. No. 3,272,423. This package, which is particularly intended for use as a package for foodstuffs or as a made-up package of other merchandise, is not at all appropriate for rapid packaging of large batches of goods to me mailed. This is because the handling of a package to be compressed by folding its sides and provided with a flap closing the mouth opening is a slow operation. There is furthermore a risk that the folded side of the bag-like part bulges out so that it is no longer protected by the bracing plates. It is another drawback that the shape and size of the package are predetermined and the package is not suitable for packaging goods of different sizes.
The aim of the present invention is to provide an improved bracing i.e. supporting package which is particularly appropriate for second-class mailing, which affords the most efficient protection possible of the packaged goods, and which is very simple to manufacture. Furthermore, it is an object of the invention to provide a bracing package which requires little storage space when empty and which can be used for goods of even very greatly varying size, the size of which may vary from a few sheets of paper up to that of a big book.
These aims of the invention are achieved by endowing the bracing package with the characteristics specified in the attached claims.
As an example of the advantages gained by means of the invention the substantially improved speed of packaging may be mentioned, the use of the package according to the invention enabling a packaging speed of 2000 packages per hour per packager to be attained, while the corresponding rate for conventional packages is only about 300 packages per hour.
FIG. 1 illustrates a bracing or supporting package according to the invention prior to reception of a product; and
FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a package according to the invention containing a flat product such as a book.
Referring to FIG. 1, the bracing plate 1 has been folded about a bend double, like the covers of a book to surround a bag-like or tubular part 2 and to define a pair of opposed sides. With a view to swift packaging, the sides of the bag-like or tubular part 2 have been made adherent in their central parts to the halves of the bracing plate, 1, whereby when the bracing plate 1 is opened into V shape the mouth of the bag-like or tubular part 2 which faces outwardly. As shown, the part 2 has a pair of closed sides located along the open side edges of the package. The packaging takes place in a packaging machine, where belts transport the packages at a rate, which for instance in a machine for four packagers is 8000 packages per hour. The folding of the bracing plate 1 to be doubled has been so performed that the stress in the bend tends to open the mouth of the package, whereby the packager need only "dump" the goods to be packaged through the mouth aperture into the package (the mouth being wholly within the plate 1). The packaging line has at its end an automatic closing device, which presses the upper edges of the bracing plates together with means such as a fastening clip (FIG. 2). In order that the protection afforded by the bracing plate 1 might be as efficient as possible, the bracing plate most appropriately extends on all sides substantially past the margins of the part 2. If required, the margins of the halves of the bracing plate 1 may also be secured to each other in the regions of the package ends, but when the package is used for second-class mailing it is sufficient with one single fastening clip about the centre of the mouth aperture, in which case the contents of the package are easy to check. Depending on whether the package is intended for packaging paper sheets or books, the bend of the bracing plate 1 may be made to have a V shape or U shape, respectively. The invention is by no means confined to the embodiment presented above. For instance, the fixing area of the bag-like or tubular part 2 may extend fairly close to the ends so that only an opening of the halves of the bracing plate 1 sufficient for insertion of the goods is possible. In that case the stress acting at the bend of the bracing plate 1 and tending to open the package may be even very high, or indeterminate, without its having any harmful effect on the shape in which it appears in the packaging machine prior to packing. A higher stress in the bend also brings the advantage that the package opens of itself even after prolonged storage in flat shape. Referring to FIG. 2, the package can be used to packing a flat product such as a book 3 for example, for mailing purposes. In this case, the tubular part 2 receives the book 3 within the plate 1.
In order to package the book 3, the tubular part 2 has a mouth which is initially opened under the influence of the plate 1, as shown in FIG. 1. This allows the book 3 to be inserted. Thereafter, the two opposed sides of the plate 1 are brought together and the outer margins secured together via a suitable fastening means such as one or more clips 4 to press the book 3 between the halves, i.e. sides of the bracing plate 1.
A package of the type described is known, for instance, from the U.S. Pat. No. 3,272,423. This package, which is particularly intended for use as a package for foodstuffs or as a made-up package of other merchandise, is not at all appropriate for rapid packaging of large batches of goods to me mailed. This is because the handling of a package to be compressed by folding its sides and provided with a flap closing the mouth opening is a slow operation. There is furthermore a risk that the folded side of the bag-like part bulges out so that it is no longer protected by the bracing plates. It is another drawback that the shape and size of the package are predetermined and the package is not suitable for packaging goods of different sizes.
The aim of the present invention is to provide an improved bracing i.e. supporting package which is particularly appropriate for second-class mailing, which affords the most efficient protection possible of the packaged goods, and which is very simple to manufacture. Furthermore, it is an object of the invention to provide a bracing package which requires little storage space when empty and which can be used for goods of even very greatly varying size, the size of which may vary from a few sheets of paper up to that of a big book.
These aims of the invention are achieved by endowing the bracing package with the characteristics specified in the attached claims.
As an example of the advantages gained by means of the invention the substantially improved speed of packaging may be mentioned, the use of the package according to the invention enabling a packaging speed of 2000 packages per hour per packager to be attained, while the corresponding rate for conventional packages is only about 300 packages per hour.
FIG. 1 illustrates a bracing or supporting package according to the invention prior to reception of a product; and
FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a package according to the invention containing a flat product such as a book.
Referring to FIG. 1, the bracing plate 1 has been folded about a bend double, like the covers of a book to surround a bag-like or tubular part 2 and to define a pair of opposed sides. With a view to swift packaging, the sides of the bag-like or tubular part 2 have been made adherent in their central parts to the halves of the bracing plate, 1, whereby when the bracing plate 1 is opened into V shape the mouth of the bag-like or tubular part 2 which faces outwardly. As shown, the part 2 has a pair of closed sides located along the open side edges of the package. The packaging takes place in a packaging machine, where belts transport the packages at a rate, which for instance in a machine for four packagers is 8000 packages per hour. The folding of the bracing plate 1 to be doubled has been so performed that the stress in the bend tends to open the mouth of the package, whereby the packager need only "dump" the goods to be packaged through the mouth aperture into the package (the mouth being wholly within the plate 1). The packaging line has at its end an automatic closing device, which presses the upper edges of the bracing plates together with means such as a fastening clip (FIG. 2). In order that the protection afforded by the bracing plate 1 might be as efficient as possible, the bracing plate most appropriately extends on all sides substantially past the margins of the part 2. If required, the margins of the halves of the bracing plate 1 may also be secured to each other in the regions of the package ends, but when the package is used for second-class mailing it is sufficient with one single fastening clip about the centre of the mouth aperture, in which case the contents of the package are easy to check. Depending on whether the package is intended for packaging paper sheets or books, the bend of the bracing plate 1 may be made to have a V shape or U shape, respectively. The invention is by no means confined to the embodiment presented above. For instance, the fixing area of the bag-like or tubular part 2 may extend fairly close to the ends so that only an opening of the halves of the bracing plate 1 sufficient for insertion of the goods is possible. In that case the stress acting at the bend of the bracing plate 1 and tending to open the package may be even very high, or indeterminate, without its having any harmful effect on the shape in which it appears in the packaging machine prior to packing. A higher stress in the bend also brings the advantage that the package opens of itself even after prolonged storage in flat shape. Referring to FIG. 2, the package can be used to packing a flat product such as a book 3 for example, for mailing purposes. In this case, the tubular part 2 receives the book 3 within the plate 1.
In order to package the book 3, the tubular part 2 has a mouth which is initially opened under the influence of the plate 1, as shown in FIG. 1. This allows the book 3 to be inserted. Thereafter, the two opposed sides of the plate 1 are brought together and the outer margins secured together via a suitable fastening means such as one or more clips 4 to press the book 3 between the halves, i.e. sides of the bracing plate 1.