Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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1
STABILISED PACKAGING CONTAINER
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The pre sent invention provides an improved packaging container that
stabilizes
individual packaging products stored therein during transport, display and
purchase by the
consumer. The packaging container has an anti-slip surface on the base
comprising a non-
slippery substance which does not physically adhere to the individually
packaged products.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to a packaging container for shipping
and storage,
as well as support and upright display of a plurality of individually packaged
products.
Packaging containers, including paperboard cartons or boxes, have been used
for many years to
transport and store individually packaged products including, for example,
packaged food
products such as confectionary, cereals, snack foods, personal care products,
household and
laundry products, baby care products and the like. Several individually
packaged products are
generally packed within a single packaging container which may be provided
with a removable
lid or an integral folded top which is sealed. The individually packaged
products are generally
transported within the closed or sealed box from a manufacturing site to a
place of retail sale. In
order to display the individually packaged products for retail sale, the
removable lid is removed,
and then the entire packaging container can be placed on a shelf and used as a
display unit
without requiring the individually packaged products to be removed and placed
on a shelf
individually. This display is quick and easy for the retailer to set up and
also allows the
manufacturer to present greater advertising space to the public both on the
packaging container
and on the individually packaged products.
For tall individually packaged products with bases of small cross-sectional
area, it is
desirable for the largest face of the product to be on display to the
consumer. However, such
products are unstable when placed upright, particularly those packaged in
flexible packaging.
When the packaging container is full, the products are held upright by the
enclosing sides of the
packaging container and by their interaction with one another. However, once
the first item has
been removed from the front of the tray, there is a gap between the next item
and the front of the
tray and therefore nothing to hold the next item upright. There is a great
tendency for the
products to fall over, or in the case of products in flexible packaging, for
the base to slide over
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the base of the packaging container so that the item lies flat, face up,
looking both untidy and
becoming obscured from the view of the consumer.
Packaging containers of the prior art have generally used paperboard or
cardboard
structures within the design of the packaging unit itself to overcome this
problem. Generally this
involves complex design of the packaging container itself and increased
manufacturing cost see
e.g. GB2240321 A. GB2199563 A. GB2390083 A and GB2071056 A. Therefore, there
is a need
for packaging containers for the transport and display of individually
packaged products having
improved stability features that maintain the individually packaged products
in an upright
configuration.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a packaging container for transporting and/or
displaying a
plurality of individually packaged products containable therein, the packaging
container
comprising a base having an upper surface comprising anti-slip means,
characterised in that the
anti-slip means comprises a non-slippery substance which does not physically
adhere to the
individually packaged products. The present invention further provides a
packaging unit
comprising a packaging container according to the present invention and a
plurality of
individually packaged products. Also provided is a method of manufacturing the
packaging
container of the present invention comprising the steps of:
a) providing a base for said packaging container that is adapted for erection
or
transformation into said packaging container, the base having an upper
surface;
b) applying a non-slippery substance to the upper surface of the base which is
adapted to not
physically adhere to the individually packaged products intended to packaged
thereon;
and
c) erecting or transforming the base into a packaging container.
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2a
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a
packaging container for transporting and/or displaying a plurality of
individually
packaged products containable therein, the packaging container comprising a
base having
an upper surface comprising anti-slip means, the anti-slip means comprising a
non-
slippery substance which does not physically adhere to the individually
packaged
products, wherein the products comprise confectionary products, personal care
products,
household and laundry products, baby care products or mixtures thereof.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided
a
packaging container for transporting and/or displaying a plurality of
individually
packaged products, in flexible packages, containable therein, said packaging
container
comprising a base having an upper surface comprising anti slip means, the anti
slip
means comprising a non slippery substance which does not physically adhere to
the
individually packaged products, said packaging container further comprising a
rear panel,
wherein said flexible packages are inclined towards said rear panel at an
angle of from
about 100 to about 40 from the vertical, and wherein said products comprise
confectionary products, personal care products, household and laundry
products, baby
care products or mixtures thereof.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided
the
packaging container of the present invention wherein the non-slippery
substance
comprises an adhesive. The adhesive can be a hot-melt adhesive. The adhesive
can
comprise an adhesive based upon thermoplastic rubber, amorphous polyolefins,
polyacrylates, polymethacrylates, acrylic acid copolymers, thermoplastic
elastomers or
mixtures thereof.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided
the
packaging container of the present invention wherein the non-slippery
substance is
applied to the entirety of the upper surface of the base, or is applied as a
single row or a
plurality of separated rows.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided
the
packaging container of the present invention wherein the base has a front
panel end and a
rear panel end and wherein the non-slippery substance is applied as a single
row or a
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2b
plurality of separated rows running along the length of the base from the
front panel end
to the rear panel end.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided
the
packaging container of the present invention wherein the said separated rows
are linear or
curvilinear.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided
the
packaging container of the present invention wherein the said separated rows
are linear.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided
the
packaging container of the present invention wherein the separated rows are
linear and
parallel to one another.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided
the
packaging container of the present invention wherein said non-slippery
substance is
applied as at least two rows.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided
the
packaging container of the present invention wherein said non-slippery
substance is
applied as two rows.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided
the
packaging container of the present invention wherein the products comprise
confectionary products or personal care products.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided
the
method of manufacturing a packaging container of the present invention wherein
the
products comprise confectionary products or personal care products.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided
a
method of manufacturing a packaging unit of the present invention comprising
manufacturing a packaging container of the present invention and the
additional step of
filling a plurality of individually packaged products into the packaging
container.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided
a
packaging unit comprising:
a) a packaging container of the present invention; and
b) a plurality of individually packaged products.
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2c
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided
the
packaging unit of the present invention wherein said individually packaged
products
comprise rigid or flexible packaging.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided
the
packaging unit of the present invention wherein said individually packaged
products
comprise flexible packaging.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided
the
packaging unit of the present invention wherein said individually packaged
products are
filled into the packaging unit so as to be inclined towards the rear panel end
of the base at
an angle of from greater than about 0 to about 45 from the vertical.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided
a
method of manufacturing a packaging container suitable for transport and/or
display of
individually packaged products comprising the steps of:
a) providing a base for said packaging container that is adapted for
erection
or transformation into said packaging container, the base having an upper
surface;
b) applying a non-slippery substance to the upper surface of the base which
is
adapted to not physically adhere to the individually packaged products
intended to be packaged thereon, wherein the products comprise
confectionary products, personal care products, household and laundry
products, baby care products or mixtures thereof; and
c) erecting or transforming the base into a packaging container.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided
the
packaging container of the present invention wherein said products comprise
confectionary products.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided
the
packaging container of the present invention wherein said products comprise
personal
care products.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided
a
packaging unit comprising: a) a packaging container according to the present
invention;
and b) a plurality of individually packaged products in flexible packages.
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2d
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided
a
method of manufacturing a packaging container suitable for transport and/or
display of
individually packaged products in flexible packages comprising the steps of:
a) providing
a base for said packaging container that is adapted for erection or
transformation into said
packaging container, said base having an upper surface; b) applying a non-
slippery
substance to said upper surface of said base which is adapted to not
physically adhere to
said individually packaged products intended to be packaged thereon, wherein
said
products comprise confectionary products, personal care products, household
and laundry
products, baby care products or mixtures thereof; c) erecting or transforming
said base
into said packaging container; and d) filling a plurality of said individually
packaged
products in flexible packages into said packaging container such that said
flexible
packages are inclined towards a rear panel of said base at an angle of from
about 100 to
about 40 from the vertical.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided
the
method of manufacturing a packaging container of the present invention wherein
said
products comprise confectionary products.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided
the
method of manufacturing a packaging container of the present invention wherein
said
products comprise personal care products.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided
a
packaging container for transporting and/or displaying a plurality of
individually
packaged products, in flexible packages, containable therein, said packaging
container
comprising a base having an upper surface comprising anti-slip means, the anti-
slip
means comprising a non-slippery substance which does not physically adhere to
the
individually packaged products and said non-slippery substance comprises an
adhesive
which is cured before the packaged products are placed into the packaging
container, said
packaging container further comprising a rear panel, wherein said flexible
packages are
inclined towards said rear panel at an angle of from about 10 to about 40
from the
vertical, and wherein said products comprise confectionary products, personal
care
products, household and laundry products, baby care products or mixtures
thereof.
CA 02661104 2014-07-29
2e
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided
a
method of manufacturing a packaging container suitable for transport and/or
display of
individually packaged products in flexible packages comprising the steps of:
a) providing
a base for said packaging container that is adapted for erection or
transformation into said
packaging container, said base having an upper surface; b) applying a non-
slippery
substance to said upper surface of said base which is adapted to not
physically adhere to
said individually packaged products intended to be packaged thereon, wherein
said
products comprise confectionary products, personal care products, household
and laundry
products, baby care products or mixtures thereof'; c) erecting or transforming
said base
into said packaging container; and d)filling a plurality of said individually
packaged
products in flexible packages into said packaging container such that said
flexible
packages are inclined towards a rear panel of said base at an angle of from
about 100 to
about 40 from the vertical; wherein said non-slippery substance comprises an
adhesive
which is cured before the packaged products are placed into the packaging
container
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a carton blank according to the
present
invention before erection.
Figure 2 is a representation of the carton blank of figure 1 after erection.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In a first embodiment, the present invention provides a packaging container
for
transporting and/or displaying a plurality of individually packaged products
containable therein,
the packaging container comprising a base having an upper surface comprising
anti-slip means,
characterised in that the anti-slip means comprises a non-slippery substance
which does not
physically adhere to the individually packaged products.
The packaging container of the present invention comprises a base. Preferably,
the base
has, extending upwards therefrom in a generally perpendicular direction, side
panels to help store
the individually packaged products therein. These panels may define an
interior void into which
the individually packaged products are placed. The base has an upper surface
and a lower
surface, the lower surface being the surface which faces the outside of the
packaging container
and is in contact with the surface of a shelf when the packaging container is
placed in the display
position. The upper surface of the base faces internally to the packaging
container and forms the
base surface onto which the individually packaged products are placed for
storage, transport and
display. The base is preferably in the form of a planar shape, with square or
rectangular
preferred, more preferably rectangular. Where the base is a square or
rectangular shape, the base
may generally have two side panels extending upwardly therefrom. When the
packaging
container is intended to be used for both transport and display it may further
have front and rear
panels extending upwardly therefrom so as to define the interior void of the
packaging container.
The front panel is defined as the side of the packaging container intended to
be the forward most
part of the packaging container that is displayed towards the consumer. The
front panel and rear
panel respectively define the front panel end and rear panel end of the base.
The packaging container of the present invention may be used for both the
transport and
display on shelf of the individually packaged products therein. Preferably the
packaging
container is adapted to be used as an on-shelf display following transport,
whereby the amount of
manual manipulation to display the individually packaged products at the point
of retail sale is
reduced. Preferably, therefore, the packaging container of the present
invention further
comprises a lid. The lid may be separately manufactured and placed over the
packaging
container in a separate assembly step after packaging of the individually
packaged products.
Alternatively, the lid may be manufactured in conjunction with the rest of the
packaging
container, and may be provided with perforations or other means of detachment.
The lid is
preferably easily removed following transport to enable display of the
individually packaged
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goods at the point of sale without their removal from the packaging container
itself; i.e. the
packaging container with lid removed is placed directly onto the shelf with
the individually
packaged goods therein.
The upper surface of the base of the packaging container comprises anti-slip
means
comprising a non-slippery substance which does not physically adhere to the
individually
packaged products. The non-slippery substance increases the frictional force
between the
individually packaged products and the upper surface of the base. Non-slippery
substances that
physically adhere to the individually packaged products may cause damage to
the individually
packaged products as they are removed from the packaging container. The non-
slippery
substance may be any substance that can be coated, applied, attached or
otherwise bonded or
impregnated onto or into the upper surface of the base. Suitable non-limiting
examples include
adhesives, rubber materials, latex materials, lacquers, varnishes, or mixtures
thereof. Preferably
the non-slippery substance comprises an adhesive, more preferably the non-
slippery substance is
an adhesive. The use of non-slippery substances such as an adhesive is
relatively inexpensive
compared with more complex constructional methods of stabilization.
Furthermore, the use of an
adhesive improves the manufacture of the packaging container as it is
relatively simple to apply
to the base of the packaging container either before or after it is assembled.
In particular, the use
of an adhesive is particularly suited to automated manufacturing and high
speed processes.
The non-slippery substance may be coated or applied onto the entire area of
the upper
surface of the base. In a further embodiment a sheet of non-slippery substance
such as rubber
may be attached via conventional bonding methods to the upper surface of the
base.
Alternatively, the non-slippery substance may be applied onto the upper
surface of the base as a
single line or as a plurality of lines or rows, each of which may be linear or
curvilinear,
preferably linear. The single row or plurality of rows may be separated by an
area of base upper
surface. The rows themselves may be continuous or alternatively in the form of
intermittent
sections along a linear path with bare areas in between, such as in the form
of dots or dashes (see
figure 1). The rows may run along the length of the base from the front panel
end to the rear
panel end, roughly parallel in direction to the side panels, or alternatively
run transversely across
the width of the base from side panel to side panel, roughly parallel to the
front and rear panel
ends. Preferably, the rows run along the length of the base from the front
panel end to the rear
panel end. Preferably the base comprises at least two separated rows of non-
slippery substance,
preferably an adhesive. Where at least two separated rows of non-slippery
substance are used,
the rows are preferably linear and parallel to one another. In a preferred
embodiment, the anti-
slip means comprises an adhesive that is applied onto the upper surface of the
base in two rows
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running the length of the base from the front panel end to the rear panel end,
the rows separated
by an area of bare base and having an area of bare base on the side panel side
of each row, the
rows being generally linear and parallel to one another.
In a preferred embodiment the non-slippery substance comprises an adhesive. As
used
5 herein, the term "adhesive" refers to any adherent composition or product
known to the person
skilled in the art as an adhesive. However, the adhesive is only applied onto
and adhered to the
upper surface of the base and not the individually packaged products. The
adhesive may be any
adhesive that provides the necessary frictional force between the adhesive and
the individually
packaged products to stabilize said products within the packaging container.
The adhesive is
preferably cured before the individually packaged products are placed into the
packaging
container, thereby preventing physical adherence between the adhesive and the
individually
packaged products. Adhesives that physically adhere to the individually
packaged products may
cause damage to the individually packaged products as they are removed from
the packaging
container. The appropriate adhesive will vary according to the type of product
and its packaging
that forms the individually packaged products. The adhesive should be strong
enough to remain
adhered to the upper surface of the base when the individually packaged
products are placed
therein, but provide mechanical grip on the products placed thereon, thereby
providing an anti-
slip surface.
Preferably the adhesive is a hot-melt adhesive. Hot-melt adhesives are
preferred as they
are generally more suited to automated manufacture and can be quickly applied
and have greater
stability on storage and transport at room temperature. The hot-melt adhesives
for use herein are
preferably designed to adhere to the upper surface of the base when applied
hot but to have
limited adhesion to further surfaces once cooled. These adhesives are referred
to as "low-tack"
adhesives.
Preferred hot-melt adhesives for use in the present invention include
adhesives having a
softening point as measured using a ring and ball apparatus according to ASTM
E28-99 of from
about 70 C to about 150 C, preferably from about 80 C to about 125 C, more
preferably from
about 90 C to about 120 C. Hot-melt adhesives exclude low-temperature resins
as well as high-
melting resins. Preferably the hot-melt adhesive has a viscosity of from about
500 to about 15000
mPa.s, more preferably from about 1000 to about 10000 mPa.s, more preferably
still from about
1000 to about 5000 mPa.s. As used herein, viscosity is measured at 175 C using
a Brookfield
viscometer, Spindle 27 according to ASTM D 3236-88.
Suitable hot-melt adhesives are based upon thermoplastic rubber, amorphous
polyolefins,
polyacrylates, polymethacrylates, acrylic acid copolymers, thermoplastic
elastomers or mixtures
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thereof. Preferably the hot-melt adhesive is based upon thermoplastic
elastomers. More preferred
are thermoplastic elastomers comprising olefenic-based elastomers (TPO),
styrene-based
elastomers (TPS), urethane-based elastomers (TPU), cross-linked ethylene
propylene diene
synthetic rubbers (TPV), acrylnitrile butadiene PVC synthetic rubber (TPZ),
nylon-based
elastomers (TPA) or mixtures thereof, preferably styrene-based elastomers.
Even more preferred
adhesives comprise styrene-based elastomers further comprising hydrocarbons
and resin. A non-
limiting example of a suitable hot-melt adhesives for use herein includes
LUNATACK @ P 4080
C, available from H. B. Fuller.
The packaging container of the present invention may be made from many
materials
commonly known in the art of transport and display packaging containers.
Suitable examples
include paperboard, cardboard, wood, metals, fibreboard, corrugated
paperboard, plastic trays,
thermoformed plastic trays, mixtures thereof and the like. Preferably, the
packaging container is
manufactured from corrugated board, which is a layered construction of paper-
based liners and
paper-based fluting material that gives the board mechanical strength. The
packaging container
may be manufactured from a carton blank comprising a base as per figure 1
which is then folded
and the side panels are held in place using conventional attachment means such
as an adhesive or
staples or the like.
In a further embodiment of the present invention there is provided a packaging
unit
comprising a packaging container comprising a base having an upper surface
comprising anti-slip
means comprising an non-slippery substance, the packaging unit further
comprising a plurality of
individually packaged products.
Individually packaged products suitable for use herein include confectionary
products,
personal care products, household and laundry products, baby care products or
mixtures thereof,
preferably confectionary products or personal care products. Preferred
confectionary products
herein include hard boiled candies, chewing gums, gummies, or mixtures
thereof, preferably hard
boiled candies. Preferred personal care products include soap bars, shampoos
or conditioners.
The individually packaged products suitable to be transported and displayed in
the
packaging container of the present invention may be any product. The products
may be packaged
as individual units in rigid or flexible packaging, preferably flexible
packaging. Suitable types of
flexible packaging include any flexible packaging material comprising either a
monolayer of
flexible material or a multi-layered laminate comprising at least two layers
of flexible material
selected from the list comprising polyethylene or polypropylene, aluminium,
polyethylene
teraphthalate, nylon, polystyrene, polyvinylchloride, paper, or mixtures
thereof. Preferred
flexible packages comprise a multi-layered laminate comprising at least two
layers of flexible
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material bonded together. More preferred flexible packages comprise a multi-
layered laminate
comprising at least one oriented polypropylene layer and at least one layer
selected from the list
comprising polyethylene, polypropylene, aluminium, polyethylene teraphthalate,
nylon,
polystyrene, polyvinylchloride, paper, or mixtures thereof, preferably
polyethylene,
polypropylene or mixtures thereof. The flexible packaging may be made into the
shape of a
sealed bag or sachet, or as a gusseted pouch or bag. Preferably, the flexible
packaging is a sealed
bag having at least one sealed edge.
Where the individually packaged products comprise a flexible package, it is
preferable
that the flexible package sits on the upper surface of the base comprising the
non-slippery
substance in a particular orientation. Preferably, the flexible packages are
orientated so as to not
sit vertically on the base. Preferably, the flexible packages are packed into
the packaging
container so that they are inclined towards the rear panel end of the
packaging container. More
preferably, the flexible packages are inclined towards the rear panel end of
the packaging
container at an angle of from greater than about 0 to about 450 from the
vertical. More
preferably still the angle is from about 10 to about 40 from the vertical,
even more preferably
from about 20 to about 35 from the vertical. It has been surprisingly found
that the packing
angle of the flexible packages influences the stability of the individually
packaged products when
displayed on shelf at the retail point of sale, and particularly after the
first few individually
packaged products have been removed from the packaging container by consumers.
If the
products are packaged vertically, or beyond 45 the individually packaged
products will tend to
fall forwards or backwards so as to hide the display area from the consumers
view. The packing
angle in combination with the non-slippery substance maintains stability and
viewability of the
individually packaged products in transport and on shelf, and particularly
after the first few
individually packaged products have been removed from the packaging container.
The present invention further provides a method of manufacturing the packaging
container of the present invention. It is generally known to the person
skilled in the art how to
assemble packaging containers per se. Generally, when using cardboard or
paperboard, a carton
blank comprising a container base similar to that shown in figure 1 is
provided which is erected
or transformed by folding along predetermined fold lines and the upright side,
front and rear
panels held in place by adhesives or staples. Alternatively, the packaging
container may be
manufactured by providing a container base and separate sides, front and rear
panels and
optionally a lid and erecting or transforming the individual parts into a
packaging container by
attaching the sides and front and rear panels to the base followed by
attachment of the optional
lid. It has been discovered that the anti-slip means comprising a non-slippery
substance of the
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8
present invention are particularly suited to application during the erection
stage of manufacture of
the packaging container, rather than during the fabrication of the carton
blank or container base
as this improves the transportability of the carton blank or container base
and its processability at
the erection or transformation phase.
The packaging container of the present invention may be manufactured by a
method
comprising the steps of:
a) providing a base for said packaging container that is adapted for
erection or
transformation into said packaging container, the base having an upper
surface;
b) applying a non-slippery substance to the upper surface of the base which
is adapted to not
physically adhere to the individually packaged products intended to packaged
thereon;
and
c) erecting or transforming the base into a packaging container.
The method of manufacture preferably provides for steps (a) and (b) to be
carried out
sequentially, that is step (a) first and then step (b). Steps (b) and (c) may
be carried out
sequentially in either order; that is (b) first and then (c), or alternatively
(c) and then (b). In an
alternate embodiment, steps (b) and (c) may be carried out concurrently. Step
(c), erecting or
transforming the base into a packaging container, preferably involves the
attachment and/or
erection into a vertical position of the side panels and preferably front and
rear panels. These
panels are held in place by use of attachment means known to the person
skilled in the art of
packaging container construction. Non-limiting examples include the use of
adhesives or staples;
however the sides may be attached via other attachment means such as screws,
brackets, nails or
mixtures thereof.
The method of manufacture may further comprise the step of allowing the non-
slippery
substance applied to the upper surface of the base to solidify, cool or cure
before packaging the
individually packaged products into the packaging container thus manufactured.
This step must
occur after the application of the non-slippery substance to the base, but may
occur before, after
or during erection or transformation of the base into the packaging container
of the present
invention. Preferably the non-slippery substance is left to solidify, cool or
cure for a period of at
least about 10 seconds, preferably from about 10 seconds to about 120 seconds,
more preferably
from about 20 seconds to about 60 seconds.
Where the non-slippery substance comprises an adhesive, the adhesive is
preferably
applied to the upper surface of the base either before, at the same time as,
or after the application
of adhesives used to hold the vertical side, front and rear panels in place.
Such method of
construction improves the speed and ease of erection of the packaging
container of the present
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invention. It also avoids the need for complex mechanical manipulations of the
packaging
container in order to provide the stabilizing effect on the individually
packaged products therein.
Following erection or transformation of the base into a packaging container
according to
the present invention, the packaging unit of the present invention may be
manufactured by taking
the packaging container obtained by the method of manufacture above and
placing therein a
plurality of individually package products. The individually packaged products
are preferably
packaged therein so as to be inclined towards the rear panel of the packaging
container at an
angle of from about greater than 0 to about 450 from the vertical, more
preferably from about 10
to about 40 from the vertical, even more preferably from about 20 to about
35 from the
vertical.
EXAMPLE
A carton blank comprising a base according to figure 1 made from corrugated
board is
provided. The carton blank can be erected to create a packaging container
according to the
present invention. The carton blank has a base (10) of rectangular shape
having an upper surface
(11) and a lower surface (12). Provided down the longer sides of the
rectangular base (10) are
two side panels (13, 14) which sit in the horizontal position in the carton
blank but extend
upwardly in a perpendicular direction from the base (10) of the packaging
container following
erection. A front panel (15) is provided at the front panel end (17) of the
base (10). A rear panel
(16) is provided at the rear panel end (18) of the base (10). The front and
rear panels (15, 16) sit
in the horizontal position in the carton blank but, similar to the side
panels, extend upwardly in a
perpendicular direction from the base (10) of the packaging container
following erection.
Generally, the side panels (13, 14) and the front and rear panels (15, 16) are
erected by folding
the carton blank along the fold lines (19) that separate the base (10) from
the upright panels (13,
14, 15, 16). The front and rear panels (15, 16) are held in place against the
side panels by use of
an adhesive, HL9202 available from Henkel Technologies.
Once erected, the packaging unit appears as per figure 2. The anti-slip means
are
represented by dashed lines (20). The anti-slip means (20) are formed of two
separated parallel
linear rows of LUNATACK @ P 4080 C, available from H. B. Fuller, a hot-melt
adhesive having
a softening temperature of 92 C and a viscosity of 1700mPa.s at 175 C. The
linear rows are
applied as a series of dashes along the lengthwise axis of the packaging
container, running from
the front panel end (17) to the rear panel end (18). The LUNATACK @ P 4080 C
hot-melt non-
slippery substance is applied to the carton blank during mechanised erection
either before, after
or at the same time as the application of the HL9202 polyethylene-based hot-
melt adhesive
available from H. B. Fuller that holds the side, front and rear panels (13,
14, 15, 16) together.
CA 02661104 2009-02-17
WO 2008/020413
PCT/1B2007/053269
The base (10), side panels (13, 14) and front and rear panels (15, 16) are
then erected to form the
packaging container. The finished packaging container is allowed to stand for
about 20 to about
30 seconds to allow the LUNATACK @ P 4080 C hot-melt non-slippery substance
and the
HL9202 adhesive to cool before passing to the packing phase.
Once assembled and the adhesives have cured, twelve to twenty individually
packaged
products comprising confectionary products contained in a flexible package
made of a multi-
layered laminate comprising an oriented polypropylene layer and a polyethylene
layer are placed
into the packaging container. The flexible packages comprise a sealed bag
having two sealed
edges at the bottom and top of the bag. The flexible packages are placed on
the upper surface
(11) and anti-slip means (20) in the packing container at an angle of 30 to
the vertical. The
packaging container is transported to a place of retail sale where the
packaging container is
placed directly onto the shelf for display for retail sale. Even after
transport and the first few
individually packaged products are removed from the packaging container, the
individually
packaged products remain standing upright with their front faces still
displayed towards the
consumer, increasing the point of sale shelf presence of the individually
packaged products.
