A blank

The invention relates to a blank, particularly to such a blank as is formed into a flat, folded, assembled state, and which can subsequently be erected to provide a pack for transit and display of products.

It will be understood that the term "transit" refers to storage, packaging and transport of products from a supplier thereof to an end user.

The products may be consumer items such as food products, for example chocolate bars, snacks and other such comestibles, though the invention herein is not limited to such products. Whatever the product, it is the case that in modem retailing, those products are not only provided for transit in the pack, but remain therein for display purposes.

It is thus necessary for a pack to be readily convertible to a display pack in such a way that the pack is readily converted from a transit mode to a display mode at the point of use.

It will be understood that in the transit mode, the pack must be strong, to protect the products, and yet must be quickly converted to the display mode at point of use, for example in a supermarket.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a blank which can be formed into flat, folded, assembled state and which can subsequently be erected to provide a pack for products and which is adapted for transit and display of products, comprising a first section and a second section, which sections are connected to one another by connection elements integral therewith so that said elements are externally arranged with respect to a pack erected from the blank.

It will be understood that the flat, folded, assembled state may preferably be achieved by securing means such as glue.

The blank may be generally elongate and there may preferably be two connection elements spaced apart longitudinally of the blank. This provides for ease of erection, particularly when there may be fold lines by which each connection element may be connected to the respective sections.

The fold lines may be foldable to provide a fold of generally z-configuration when the blank is erected to form a pack.

There may be a position on one of the sections for securing to an adjacent connection element. This provides for ease of securing of an erected blank in the erected mode, particularly when the securing position may comprise a position for application of an adhesive securing means, such as glue.

The first and second sections may each comprise flaps and panels for providing respective top or bottom faces, front or rear faces and side faces of an erected pack.

The first and second sections may also suitably provide a respective top or hood and base or tray of the erected pack whereby the top can be removed from the base to expose product for display.

The first and second sections may overlap prior to erection to form an erected pack.

There may be a zone of weakness connecting the connection elements and the section forming the top, whereby on lifting the top the zone of weakness is adapted to allow the top to be removed from the base, thereby to display product. This provides for a relatively rapid conversion of the pack to a display mode at a site for display of product.

There may be a cushion crease adapted to provide folds for providing the base on erection of the pack.

The section providing the base may have a part which may provide an aperture through which product can be accessed in the erected pack. This provides for ease of display, and selection of product by consumers, particularly when the part may comprise a cut out in a wall part of the blank.

The part comprising the aperture of the blank may initially be connected to a wall part of the blank by a rupturable device. This provides for protection of products in transit, whereby when the rupturable device may comprise a line of perforations of a desired configuration, an aperture of desired configuration may be provided for display of and access to the products.

The blank may comprise a fluted board material, such as a cardboard or corrugated fibreboard material.

Suitably, the flutes may run in a direction substantially at right angles to the length of the blank.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a pack, whenever erected from a blank as hereinbefore defined.

The top may be removed from the base, for display of a product.

A blank embodying the invention is hereinafter described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings. <ul id="ul0001" list-style="none"><li>Fig. 1 is a plan view of a blank according to the invention;</li><li>Figs. 2A - 2D show schematically steps in the folding and gluing of the blank, which can then be fully erected to form a pack according to the invention; and</li><li>Figs. 2E - 2K show sequentially further steps in the erection of the blank according to the invention to form a display pack for product.</li></ul>

Referring to the drawings there is shown a blank 1 which can be formed into a flat, folded, assembled state, in the embodiment secured in that state by securing means such as glue, and which can subsequently be erected to provide a pack for products and which is adapted for transit and display of products. The blank comprises a first section 2 and a second section 3, which sections 2 and 3 are connected to one another by connection elements 4 integral therewith, so that said elements 4 are externally arranged with respect to a pack erected from the blank 1. The blank 1 is an integral flat blank made from fluted packaging material such as board or corrugated fibreboard of generally rectangular form initially, so that the blank formed therefrom is generally elongate, its longitudinal extent being substantially transverse or orthogonal to the direction D of the flutes.

There are two connection elements 4 spaced apart longitudinally of the blank 1 and connected as by being hinged to the first section and the second section by respective substantially parallel fold or hinge lines 5',5", 6', 6" arranged so that when the blank 1 is erected to form a pack, the connection elements 4, form a substantially z-shaped configuration as shown in Fig. 2B for example. There is on the first section 2 a point or position, identified as 'A' in Fig. 1, adjacent each connection element 4 where adhesive material such as glue is applied so that during the assembly process, parts to which the glue is applied at 'A' are secured by the glue to the opposite facing face of the respective connection element 4.

The fold or hinge lines 5', 6' are also perforated, to provide areas of weakness. The fold or hinge lines 5", 6" are not perforated.

The first section 2 has at a lateral extremity opposite the respective connection elements 4 flaps hinged to section 2, flaps 6 being separated from a central flap 7 by a cut-out or slot 8, the two flaps 6 providing top flaps of the pack to be erected from the blank 1. The central flap 7 is hinged to a wall part 2' of the first section 2 by a hinge or fold line 15.

The second section 3 of the blank also has lateral flaps 6a, 6a, 7a, essentially mirroring the flaps 6, 6, 7 of the first section 2 and are identified by similar reference numerals with the addition of "a". The second section 3 also has a leftwardly (as viewed) projecting flap 8' which when the blank is folded and glued as in Fig. 2D is secured to the internal face of an opposite panel 9 which is connected by a fold line 10 to the right hand (as viewed) end of the second section 3 and on erection forms the rear surface (in use) of a pack erected from the blank 1. The second section 3 has a part 11 in a wall part 12 in the form of an aperture which on use of the erected pack forms a viewing/display aperture through which a consumer can view, and select, products in the erected pack. The panel 9 supports top and bottom (as viewed in Fig. 1) flaps 9a', 9a which top flap 9a' is connected to the panel 9 by a linear perforation 9b, while the bottom flap 9a is connected to the panel 9 by a fold or crease line 9c.

The second section 3 thus forms a base or tray of the erected pack, the first section 2 forming in the erected pack before use as a display pack, a top, hood or cover of the pack during transit.

When the blank is folded and glued as shown in Figs. 2A - 2D, the second section part 3 is hinged up about the connection elements 4 so that it overlies the first section 2 being generally parallel thereto and secured thereto at glue points 'A', the connection elements 4 having a z-configuration as, as mentioned previously, shown in Fig. 2B.

On completion of this part of the erection operation, the blank 1 with the overlying first 2 and second 3 sections is as shown in Fig. 2C.

The front and back panels 9, 9d are then folded up about fold or hinge lines 10, out of the plane of the paper, towards each other, as shown in Fig. 2D, and the flap 8' secured as by glueing to the internal face of the opposite flap 9. At this stage, the blank is in a flat, folded and glued assembled state.

The folded, glued blank is delivered to a packer or original product supplier, is fully erected to form a pack and filled with products (to be transited and displayed) and closed. Fig 2E shows the folded glued blank opened out and the bottom flaps (6a, 6a, 7a, 9a) being folded at 90° to the walls of the pack. Fig. 2F shows the completion of this process with the bottom flaps secured to each other, typically by glue or tape, thus forming the base of the pack. It will be understood that alternatives (not shown) may be used in which the bottom flaps lock together mechanically, without use of securing means such as glue or tape. Figure 2G shows the top flaps (6, 6, 7, 9a') being folded at 90° to the walls of the pack. As with the bottom flaps, they will be secured, typically by glue or tape. Once the top flaps are secured, the transit pack, containing the product, is closed and ready for shipment.

It will be seen in Fig. 2G that the first section 2 extends parallel to and over the wall part 12 of the second section 3 to form a hood or cover. The hood, which as will be appreciated is removable, extends downwardly to protect any printing on the lower part of the front of the base or tray formed by 3, which base or tray 3 will remain on the shelf with goods inside it once the hood formed by the first section 2 has been removed. The hood thus provides protection for any printing on the tray during packing, storage and transit and indeed during operation to remove the hood or tray from the transit mode to the display mode. A hood which reaches down to the level of the bottom of the erected pack will provide particularly good compression performance compared with other one piece packs with detachable hoods when packs are stacked on pallets during storage or transport.

The first section 2 also overlies the aperture 11 in the wall part 12, keeping the products in place during transit.

The wall part 12 of the tray 3 is the largest print area visible to a consumer when the tray is on the shelf and therefore its protection contributes to the general superiority of the brand, display and consumer appeal.

Figures 2H. to 2K.show various stages in the opening of the pack once it has arrived at the point of use, for example at a supermarket shelf. The erected filled pack is gripped or held from the rear by a shelf stacker usually an operative of the supermarket. Pressure is applied inwardly on both sides of the erected pack in the areas where the base of the z-fold 4 meets the sides of the bottom section 3 forming the tray. Lower parts of the z-folds are then used as hand grips to lift the z-fold or connection elements 4 up and away from the tray 3 sides. The glue spots 'A' which attach the z-fold or connection elements 4 to the external walls of the cavity are broken as is the perforated line of weakness 5', 6' between the hood and tray.

Once this part of conversion of the tray in the transit mode to the display mode is complete the main part of the first section 2 forming the hood is detachable from the tray 3 but still attached to a top flap 9a' at the back of the assembled pack by tape (not shown) or glue used to seal the top flaps together. If the hood is attached to the top flap 9a' using tape, the hood 2 is generally folded on to the flap 9a' using the elongate tape along the top of the hinge and then, to complete removal of the hood the top flap which is still attached to the tray is detached along a perforation 9b provided for that purpose where the flap 9a' j oins the rear wall of the tray provided by the section3. If the hood is attached to the top flap 9a' using glue, the hood 2 is removed along with top flap 9a' by tearing along the perforation 9b.

It will be understood that a pack erected from a blank described with reference to the drawings which has any print on the second or lower section 3 is such that the print is protected during packing, storing and transport so that at a point of sale when the hood is removed, the protected print is exposed for reading by a customer.