PACKAGING ASSISTANCE SYSTEM

SYSTEME D'AIDE A L'EMBALLAGE

English Abstract

A system grid-like guidance device for packing goods in a case for shipping purposes is mounted to the open-topped case, providing cells to guide the emptied 'return' containers to the case floor. The case being filled, the device is removed, and the case can be inventoried and shipped. The several embodiments are fully or partially inserted into the case, forming a set of guidance cells to receive empty containers, such as bottles. One embodiment has a series of thin guidance elements extending within the box between the inserted containers. A third embodiment, has the grid of guidance members extending upwardly above the box top, to facilitate filling. Handle means are provided.

French Abstract

Un dispositif de guidage semblable à un quadrillage qui permet d'emballer des marchandises pour fins d'expédition est installé sur la caisse ouverte par le haut, qui fournit des cellules pour guider les récipients de retour vidés jusqu'au fond de la caisse. Une fois la caisse remplie, le dispositif est enlevé, et la caisse peut être inventoriée et expédiée. Les divers spécimens sont insérés complètement ou partiellement dans la caisse, en formant un ensemble de cellules de guidage pour recevoir des récipients vides, comme des bouteilles. Un spécimen comprend une série de minces éléments de guidage se prolongeant à l'intérieur de la caisse, entre les récipients insérés. Avec un troisième spécimen, le quadrillage se prolonge vers le haut au-dessus du haut de la caisse, pour faciliter le remplissage. Des moyens de manipulation sont fournis.

Claims

CLAIMS
1. A guidance device for temporary use in the placement of cylindrical
containers within
a case of predetermined size, said device having a plurality of substantially
rectangular
plates secured in mutually supporting relation to form a rectangular grid
sized for
downward insertion within said case, to receive said cylindrical containers in
mutually
positioned relation within said case; a handle projecting well above the top
of the case, to
prevent the placing of another case on top of said device; said plates being
in mutually
connected relation and carried in fully supported relation by the handle, to
ensure
maintenance of said connected relation upon withdrawal of said device from
said
cylindrical containers and said case, for subsequent re-use.
2. The guidance device as set forth in Claim 1, said grid having an elongated
first plate,
said plate having a plurality of narrow recesses in mutually spaced relation
along its
length extending downwardly from its upper edge; a plurality of second plates
extending
transversely of said first plate, being entered in said narrow recesses in
supported relation
therewith, said second plates each having at least two narrow recesses in
mutually spaced
relation extending downwardly froom its upper edge; and at least two elongated
third
plates extending substantially parallel with said first plate, inserted within
said at least
two narrow recesses of said second plates in supported relation therewith,
said handle
extending upwardly from said first plate, whereby said device may be
positioned in, and
removed from said case solely by displacement of said first plate.
3 The guidance device as set forth in Claim 1, wherein said handle comprises
an
upstanding hoop extending above said rectangular grid, and projecting well
above the top
of said case, so as to prevent the placing of another case on top of said
device.
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4. The device as set forth in Claim 1, said second and third plates having
upwardly
extending recesses in mating relation with said downwardly extending recesses,
whereby
said first, said second and said third plates are mutually interdigitated at
their respective
planes of mutual intersection.
5. The device as set forth in claim 1, having fingerbold recesses in one said
plate.
6. The device as set forth in Claim 1, said plates including retention means,
to secure
said plates in mutually secured, assembled relation.
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Description

CA 02622877 2008-02-26
PACKAGING ASSISTANCE SYSTEM
Cross Reference to Related Applications- Not Applicable (N/A)
Statement Regarding Federally Sponsored Research or Development - N/A
Reference to Microfiche Appendix - N/A
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention is directed to a system for packing goods within a container,
and in
particular to a system for positioning bottles of predetermined size within a
container, and to a
removable positioning device for use with a container, to control the position
of goods, such as
bottles when inserted into a return case.
2. In the hospitality industry, such as bars, restaurants, hotels etc, where
large quantities of
bottled drinks are served rapidly, problems arise in the orderly disposal of
the emptied bottles.
Frequent use is made of empty boxes in which to package the bottles, which are
usually of a
standard size. However, under typical working conditions, when servers are
pressed for time, the
orderly return of bottles to their cases is too time consuming, and a mass of
uncrated empty
bottles frequently arises.
In commercial practice, unlike the retailing of beer within cases having
cardboard dividers that
separate the case into a plurality of cells, the commercial product is usually
shipped in divider-
less cases, so that empty bottles readily become disordered as they accumulate
in the case, and
require to be re-arranged, for purposes of inventory checking, and safe
shipping.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a system for packing goods of predetermined
shape and
size within a containment box or 'case', for shipping purposes. Prior to
returning emptied
containers to a case of the type and size in which the containers were
supplied, a
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guidance device is placed inside the empty case, forming the requisite,
predetermined
number of cells by which to guide the emptied 'return' containers onto the
floor of the
case. Upon completing the filling of the case, the guidance device is removed.
It is usual practice to fold the flaps of the case inside the case, prior to
commencing the
filling operation.
In a first embodiment, the guidance device is inserted within the case so as
to rest on the
floor of the case, to provide a set of cells, in combination with the box
walls, into which
the containers, such as empty bottles are deposited.
In a second embodiment, intended for use where clearance tolerances are unduly
tight
within the packed case, and the containers being packed are cylindrical, a
series of
supplementary guidance elements extend within the case. These supplementary
guidance
elements may be of restricted plan-form, so as not to infringe upon the active
loading area
of the case floor, which is required for the containers. In this embodiment
there is a grid
of guidance elements from which the supplementary elements depend. This grid
is
located primarily above the top of the case, with portions of some of the grid
members
extending into the case, in order to locate the grid in centered relation with
the case
In a third embodiment, the grid of guidance members extends upwardly well
above the
case top, to better facilitate insertion of the containers into the 'cells' of
the guidance
device.
These embodiments may be provided with handle means, to facilitate their ready
application to, and subsequent removal from the box/carton when that is
loaded.
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The handle means may comprise a'hoop' handle extending above the grid, and
projecting well above the top of the case, so as to prevent the placing of
another case on
top of the guidance device.
The handle may comprise apertures or grippable portions of some of the grid
members.
Thus there is provided a guidance device for use with a containment box or
case of
predetermined plan-form and size, the guidance device having downwardly
extending
guidance elements extending at least partially within the case, and defniing
with the
interior wall surfaces of the case a plurality of mutually adjacent cells, to
receive the
downward insertion of goods of predetermined shape and size within the cells.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
Certain embodiments of the invention are described by way of illustration,
without
limitation thereto other than as set forth in the accompanying claims,
reference being
made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a guidance device in
accordance
with the present invention;
Figure 2 is a plan view of the guidance elements of the Figure 1 embodiment;
Figure 3 is an end elevation of the Figure 1 embodiment;
Figure 4 is a side elevation of the longitudinal central grid member of the
Figure 1
embodiment;
Figure 4A is a scrap detail of a grid plate retention arrangement for the
subject grid;
Figure 5 is a side elevation of a lateral grid member of the Figure 1
embodiment;
Figure 6 is a side elevation of one of the two other longitudinal grid
members;
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Figure 7 is a perspective view of a second embodiment guidance device in
accordance
with the invention;
Figure 8 is a front perspective view of a four-lobe guidance element of the
second
embodiment of the invention;
Figure 9 is a section taken at 9-9 of Figure 8: and
Figure 10 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the subject
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
It will of course be understood that the present invention has been described
above
purely by way of example, and modifications of detail can be made within the
scope of
the invention as defined in the appended claims.
Referring to Figure 1, a first embodiment 10 of a guidance device in
accordance with
the invention is shown in relation to a return case 12, outlined in phantom.
The case 12
has both of its side flaps 14 and both end flaps 16 turned in (two only being
indicated, for
purposes of clarity). Figure 2 shows the rectangular grid, and a handle 182.
The guidance device 10 has a central longitudinal plate 18 (see also Figure
4), with five
slots 181 extending half-way down its depth, and a handle 182 which, in use,
projects
above the top of the case 12, so as to preclude accidental loss of the device
10 by the
placing of a second such case upon the case 12, so as to conceal the device
10.
The slots 181 may have a locking tooth 181' (see Figure 4A) as a plate
retention device
Referring to Figure 3, each of the five lateral plates 20 of the device 10
(see also Figure
5) are mounted to the respective five slots 181 of plate 18, by way of an
upwardly
extending slot 201, such that the plates 18 and 20 are essentially
interdigitated.
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The two other longitudinal plates 19 and 21 are carried by the lateral plates
20, being
mounted thereto (see also Figure 6) by way of upwardly extending slots 191, so
as to be
interdigitated with the lateral plates 20, which have downward extending slots
202.
Thus, the plate elements of the guidance device 10 are assembled in mutual
dependence
to the plate 18, and hence, are carried in fully supported relation by the
handle182.
With reference to Figure 1, it will be observed that the plates 18, 19, 20 and
21 all
extend upwardly from the bottom of the case 12 so as to overlap the inturned
flaps 14, 16
of the case 12, to thereby avoid any jamming interference with these members
when the
device 10 is withdrawn.
As an alternative to the tooth provisions 181' (Figure 4A), the interdigitated
plate
members 18, 19, 20, 21 forming the grid may have an interference fit, to
retain their
assembled condition, or they may be be glued or welded at some of their
junctures, to
prevent any accidental dislodgement from their assembled relation.
Figures 7, 8 and 9 relate to a second embodiment 24 wherein the members of the
grid 26
are assembled in the same manner as for the first embodiment 10. Threaded down
over
the junctures of grid 26 are four-lobed guides 28 (see Figures 8 and 9), which
extend to
the bottom of the case, when is use. When used for purposes of loading empty
cylindrical
containers, usually in the form of return-bottles such as empty beer or wine
bottles, the
arcuate section of the lobes 30 adjoin the space required for the inserted
containers.
In the case of the second embodiments 24 when intended for use in loading
heavier,
filled bottles, it is contemplated that the arcuate outer surface 301 of the
lobes 30 may be
coated with a friction-imparting rubber or plastic coating (not shown), and
may be backed
up by a plastic core (illustrated in phantom as a dotted cylinder in Figure 9)
extending

CA 02622877 2008-02-26
downwardly between the four lobes 30, to collectively stiffen them and to
serve as a
spring that urges the lobes 30 apart from each other and into frictional
contact with the
sides of the descending bottle, to control its descent down into the case.
In the case of empty bottles such as beer bottles, their self weight, and
strength are such
that they can usually be released upon entry into the guidance grid, and
permitted to fall
freely onto the cardboard bottom of the case, without any fear of breakage.
The side and lower edges of the grid plates of the second embodiment device 24
are sized
so as to engage the top surfaces of the case (shown chain-dotted in Figure 7),
to position
the device 24 in precise registry with the open top of the case, so that the
lobes 30 extend
for substantially the full depth of the case. A pair of finger holes 32 serve
as handles for
the device 24, the grid portion 26 being primarily located above the top edge
of the box,
to thereby preclude the likelihood of another case being carelessly placed
upon the device
24.
Turning to the Figure 10 embodiment, the grid plates 38, 39, 40 and 41 of the
device 36
are mutually secured by interdigitation in the same fashion as the grid plates
18, 19, 20
and 21 of the first embodiment 10, being significantly taller so as to extend
well above
the top edge of the case, for purposes of minimizing the time and effort
required in
returning the 'empties' to the case. The upward extent of the device 36 is
limited by the
cushioning effect provided by the cases in use, and by the strength of the
bottles being
returned. The frictional guidance elements disclosed above with relation to
the Figures 7,
8 and 9 second embodiment may be incorporated into the Figure 10 'raised'
embodiment,
to enable safe release of containers, such as empty bottles when entered into
the guidance
grid.
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This device 36 is also of use in instances where the flaps of the case are not
folded
inside the case.
7

Representative Drawing