Patent Application
20240425258
The present invention relates to a packed roof window product comprising a plurality of differently sized roof window related product components accommodated in a box, wherein the box in a supply condition has a bottom side and a top side, which bottom side and top side are spaced apart along a height axis, and side walls of the box extend between the bottom side and top side of the box along the height axis, said bottom side, top side and side walls delimiting an internal space of the box, and wherein a first side wall extends along a primary axis, which primary axis is perpendicular to the height axis, and said first side wall has an upper edge extending along the primary axis along the top side, an outer surface facing away from the internal space, and an inner surface facing towards the internal space, wherein a first of said components comprises an internal space, delimited by internal surfaces of the first component, and wherein a second of the components or a collection of components is accommodated by a sub-packaging, the sub-packaging being accommodated in the box, the sub-packaging comprising a main body, which main body delimits an internal space accommodating the second component or component collection. The present invention further relates to a method for packing a packed roof window product, and a method of unpacking a packed roof window product.
When installing windows in a roof it is vital to ensure that the roof window itself is securely attached to the roof structure and that the joint between the roof window and the roof structure is properly weather proofed. It is therefore important that all components of roof window products, such as the roof window itself or a flashing assembly for a roof window, are used and are used in the right way. To facilitate this, the components are typically arranged in a box in an intended order of use and small components, such as screws, are kept in plastic bags. Furthermore, blocks of expanded polystyrene or similar shock absorbing material are used for protecting the product and/or for keeping the components in the intended position within the box. An example of a packed roof window, where these principles are used, is known from EP2748071B1 and an example of a packed flashing assembly for a roof window is known from EP1710163B1. Traditionally small components have been attached to the box or to larger components, for example by means of an adhesive, to prevent them from becoming lost, either inside the box or when removed from the box, and/or they have been accommodated by a sub-packaging, such as a plastic bag or a smaller box, thereby also preventing them from scratching or otherwise damaging other components. Larger components have traditionally been kept in place in the box by being attached to the box by means of an adhesive or by being fixated between blocks of expanded polystyrene (EPS), which blocks themselves either fill out the space in the box e.g. from one side to another or are glued to the box, and some have been covered by a protective plastic film to prevent them from being scratched.
While this has functioned well in terms of protecting the components, it has remained a problem that sometimes a sub-packaging move around in the box during handling and transportation, making them difficult to find when unpacking the roof window product and potentially causing damage to components of the product or to surfaces thereof. To solve this, sub-packagings as well as components have been attached to the box by glue or adhesives, but glue and adhesives are not easily removed from the packaging material and when recycling material comprising too much foreign matter it may lead to the material being classified as a lower grade of material, and hence e.g. being combusted rather than recycled.
With this background, it is an object of the invention to provide a packed roof window product with improved recyclability without increasing the risk of errors in the installation of the product and while maintaining a good protection of the components during transportation.
These and further objects are achieved by a first aspect of the invention providing a packed roof window product of the kind mentioned in the introduction, which is furthermore characterised in that the sub-packaging comprises an attachment flap projecting from the main body, and that the sub-packaging is retained in relation to the first component by the attachment flap being positioned in the internal space of the first component.
By providing a sub-packaging with an attachment flap, the sub-packaging can be attached to the first component, which keeps the sub-packaging in place in the box. Hence, separate fastening means for the sub-packaging are eliminated, potentially reducing the number of packaging pieces, which increases the likelihood of the packaging material being recycled by reducing the need for the installer to collect and sort different types of packaging after installing the window.
The main body and the attachment flap can be made from the same material to improve the recyclability. In a presently preferred embodiment, the entire sub-packaging is made from a paper-based material.
Attaching the sub-packaging to the first component also allows the first component and second component or component collection to be retrieved from the box as a unit, and hence components, which are to be used alongside the first component, can be packed in the sub-packaging. In this way the installer has the required components at hand when installing the first component.
Another potential advantage of having the sub-packaging retained in relation to the first component is that the sub-packaging may be used as a positioning element for the first component in the box, for example by spacing the first component to another component or the side wall of the box.
Suitably, the sub-packaging is retained in relation the first component by the attachment flap or a section thereof being constrained in the internal space of the first component. The constrained state arises when the section is restricted under tension between internal surfaces of the internal space of the first component. Corrugated cardboard is a suitable material as it has sufficient flexibility to allow it to be deformed when positioned in the internal space of the first component, but also sufficient rigidity for it to retain its position once positioned inside the internal space.
The attachment flap is herein described with reference to a proximal end of the attachment flap which is adjacent to the main body of sub-packaging and a distal end opposite to the proximal end. The distal end of the attachment flap will generally be positioned inside the internal space of the first component, whereas the proximal end will generally be outside the internal space of the first component. The distal end comprises a free edge of the attachment flap.
The box may be of a rectangular configuration where the top side and bottom side extend in parallel to each other and four side walls extend perpendicularly thereto in between the bottom and top sides. In such a case the height axis is parallel with the side walls and two side walls extend along the primary axis and the remaining two side walls extend along a secondary axis, which is perpendicular both to the height axis and to the primary axis. The primary and secondary axis may be denoted a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis, respectively.
The box is suitably a flat box, wherein the top side and bottom side form major sides of the box and the side wall are minor sides. Major and minor here refers to the relative area of the respective sides. In flat boxes a height of the box is smaller than the other dimensions, i.e. length and width. The width may be larger than the length.
The term supply condition denotes the packed state of the roof window product, in which it is supplied to the user. The box is described herein with reference to a bottom side and a top side with side walls extending in between. These terms are understood in terms of their function when packing the roof window product, the top side being the side which is open when packing the roof window product, allowing components to be packed in the box, and subsequently the top side is closed to provide the supply condition. The top side may also be denoted a lid of the box. The surfaces the box which face the internal space of the box in the supply condition are denoted as inner surfaces, whereas surfaces facing away from the internal space will be denoted as outer surfaces.
In some embodiments, a section of the attachment flap spans the internal space of the first component, a first edge of the section engaging an internal surface of the internal space of the first component at a first contact position P1 and a second edge of the section engaging another inner surface of the internal space of the first component at a second contact position P2, a distance Di being defined between the first and second contact positions P1, P2, and a length Ls being defined between the first and second edges of the section of the attachment flap, wherein the length Ls is equal to or greater than the distance Di.
In this way, the attachment flap is constrained between the first and second contact positions, whereby the sub-packaging is retained in relation to the first component. The constrained state of the attachment flap is strengthened by the length Ls exceeding the distance Di, whereby the section of the attachment flap is slightly deformed or bent, increasing the forces acting on the first and second contact position. For some materials one or more of the edges of the section of attachment flap may be compacted, similarly increasing the force acting on the contact positions.
The distance Di is the distance between contact positions P1 and P2 as measured in a cross-sectional plane perpendicular to a longitudinal extent of the first component. Similarly, the length Ls is the length of the trajectory of the section of the attachment flap extending between contact positions P1 and P2, as measured in the same cross-sectional plane. The first or second edge of the section may be an edge of a folding-zone in the attachment flap, which folding-zone is delimited by two edges. In such a case the length Ls is measured between a first edge of the folding-zone at contact position P1 and a second edge at contact position P2, where the first edge is the edge of the folding-zone which is closest to the second edge. The section of the attachment flap may span across the internal space or it may span along one or more of the internal surfaces.
Suitably, the attachment flap is folded inside the internal space of the first component and wherein a folding-zone of the attachment flap comprises the first and/or second edge. Folding the attachment flap provides an edge in addition to the edge at the distal end of attachment flap, which edges can engage the internal space of the first component to constrain the attachment flap therein. A folding-zone is part of the attachment flap at which the attachment flap folds or bends. Hence, sections of the attachment flap at either side of the folding zone extend in different directions. The folding-zone may be provided by perforating, scoring, or compressing or otherwise weakening the attachment flap to promote folding. The folding zone can be provided by weakening the material along one line, providing a relatively narrow folding zone. It could also be provided by two lines of weakening which are spaced apart, to provide a wider folding-zone, e.g. by two parallel scored lines in the attachment flap. A wide folding zone could also be provided by compression of the material of the attachment flap at the location where the folding-zone is intended to be. The folding-zone may assume a substantially linear extent or could assume a curved extent.
In some embodiments, the first component is a gutter-shaped element of a covering assembly or of a flashing assembly for a roof window.
Gutter-shaped components are typically used to drain off water, for example along the top of a roof window installed in an inclined roof, where a gutter placed under roofing tiles and on top of an underroof supported by the roof structure, drains water out onto flashing components extending along the side(s) of the window. The gutter-shaped component comprises a U-shaped cross-section formed by respective legs of the component, and the internal space is formed as a concave channel or trench between the respective legs. The legs of a U-shape may be curved or joined to each other at an angle. The channel or trench in the U-shape, i.e. internal space of the first component, may suitably have a rectangular cross section, potentially with rounded corners, which provides parallel surfaces between which the attachment flap can be constrained. Alternative cross-sections of the channel or trench in the U-shape could also be used, such as trapezoidal, or curved cross-section. Conceivably, a gutter element having a V-shaped cross section could also be used.
In one embodiment, the attachment flap has a proximal end adjacent to the main body of a sub-packaging and a distal end opposite to the proximal end and the gutter-shaped first component comprises a U-shaped cross-section, which U-shaped cross-section is formed by a first leg, a second leg and a third leg, the first and second leg being positioned at opposite sides of the internal space of the first component, and the third leg connects the first and second leg, wherein an open hem is provided at a free edge of the first or second leg, and the distal end of the attachment flap is arranged in the open hem.
By providing an open hem on the first component, the distal end of the attachment flap can be inserted in the open hem to retain the attachment flap in the internal space of the first component. The open hem may constitute the second contact position P2 described above, and a section of the flap may be constrained between the open hem and another contact position in the internal space of the first component. The open hem could alternatively retain the attachment flap by itself, by the distal end, fitting tightly in the open hem, constraining the distal end in the open hem. The term open hem refers to an edge which is bent in on itself or otherwise distanced from the leg of the first component, leaving a gap.
A closed hem conversely refers to a fold or the like where there is contact to the leg, leaving no gap. A closed hem could also provide a suitable contact position for an edge of the attachment flap.
Such hemming is common for metal components to reinforce the edge or hide sharp edges, and thus may not require specially designed components. Hems may be formed by folding the edge of the component, e.g. for sheet metal components, but could be also be formed as part of an extrusion process or the like.
In some embodiments the attachment flap is retained or constrained by the distal end of the attachment flap engaging the internal surface of the internal space of the first component at a corner formed by two internal surfaces joined at an angle to each other. Such a corner may for example be provided by making a leg of the first component with a bent edge forming a ledge extending at approximately 90 degrees from the leg. The term “joined at an angle” as used herein does not necessarily imply that the surfaces or legs are separate parts having been attached to form a combined element but refers to the surfaces or legs extending at an angle with respect to each other.
Such corners may provide a suitable contact position for an edge of the attachment flap, where the edge is less likely to slide on the internal surface.
In some embodiments, the attachment flap has a first section proximal to the main body and a second section distal to the main body, wherein the first section and second section are delimited from each other by a folding-zone of the attachment flap. Such an attachment flap can be retained in a first component having a U-shaped cross-section by the first and second section contacting the opposite legs at the free edges of the legs. The attachment flap will have a tendency to unfold at the folding zone, which may provide sufficient force acting on the first and second sections to keep them in contact with first component and retain the sub-packaging. This can be achieved e.g. by an attachment flap of corrugated cardboard, where the folding zone is a compressed zone of the attachment flap.
In some embodiments, the first component is carried by the first side wall of the box.
By the first component being carried by the side wall, the height dimension of the box may be used to a greater extent, allowing e.g. the width of the box to be reduced. Hence the material consumption can be reduced leading to a smaller climate footprint and potentially also to more flexibility in handling, storage, and transportation. A further potential advantage is that as the first component and hence also the sub-packaging is kept in place in the box by the side wall, auxiliary fastening means such as adhesives, tape or straps, may be eliminated, potentially rendering the packaging more suitable for easy recycling. It is understood that the first component is carried by the first side wall without the use of fastening means beyond the box itself, i.e. it may hang from or be suspended from the first side wall. The component may be said to be freely suspended from the first side wall. Hence, the first component is carried by the first wall by way of engagement between the first component and the side wall and possibly further panels of the box, such as a lid of the box when the box is closed.
The first component may generally be carried by the first side wall by a part of the side wall being arranged in the internal space of the first component.
In one embodiment, the first component is carried by the upper edge of the first side wall, and the attachment flap of the sub-packaging is folded across the upper edge from the inner surface of the first side wall to the outer surface of the first side wall.
By having the first component rest on the upper edge it is suspended from the side wall providing a position toward the top side of the box in the supply condition. In addition, when the box is closed in the supply condition, the lid of the box will be in contact with the first component, potentially preventing the first component from sliding along the side wall by friction between the first component and the lid. In this way the first component and hence also the sub-packaging is effectively fixed in the box without the use of auxiliary fastening means, beyond the box itself, potentially reducing the amount of packaging material used. The attachment flap is in such an embodiment arranged in between the internal surfaces of the first component and the upper edge of the first side wall.
The upper edge is a free upper edge of a panel of the box forming the side wall. The edge may the formed by a fold between two panels of the box or alternatively by being the extremity of the panel. The term “upper” denotes a position upwards along the height axis, i.e. toward the top side of the box. Suitably the first component is suspended from the upper edge by extending along the upper edge. The first component may engage and rest on the upper edge of the side wall, but particularly in embodiments where two or more sub-packagings are retained by the first component, the first component may rest on the attachment flaps thereof and not be in direct contact with the upper edge of the first side wall.
In one embodiment, a leg of the first component overlaps with the outer surface of the first side wall, and the lid of the box comprises an overlap panel, which overlap panel overlaps the outer surface of the first side wall in the supply condition, so that the overlapping leg of the first component is located between the first side wall and the overlap panel.
In this way the first leg of the first component is covered by the overlap panel and friction between the overlap panel and the component will reduce the tendency of the component to slide on the first side wall. The first leg may be said to sandwiched between the first side wall and overlap panel. The overlap panel may be a flap in the case of a 5-panel folder type cardboard box, or it may be a lid side wall in the case of telescope style cardboard box. In the closed state of the box the overlap panel is suitably fastened to the side wall, preferably by an adhesive.
A five-panel fold type box (sometimes referred to as five-panel-folder) is a standard box type, where fifth panel is provided to overlap with another panel in the closed state of the box. Telescopic boxes are also a standard box type, wherein the box comprises two pieces, which can be fitted to each other such that side walls of one piece is overlapped by side walls of the other piece.
In a further development, the overlap panel and/or the first side wall is provided with a zone of reduced thickness, such as a compressed zone, and this zone corresponds in size and shape at least to the first leg of the first component. The zone provides room for the first leg, which could otherwise prevent an adhesive used for attaching the overlap panel to the first side wall from attaching properly or later break the adhesive connection by pressing the overlap panel away from the side wall.
In a further development, the first side wall comprises a receiving section, and wherein the first component is carried by the receiving section. Suitably, the receiving section is a recess in the upper edge of the first side wall.
By providing a recess in the side wall the first component can be arranged in a retracted position in relation to the top side of the box, allowing the box to close in a flush manner. Furthermore, the first component can be arranged in between ends of the recess, which ends keeps the first component in place, preventing it from sliding along the side wall in the direction of the primary axis. In such an embodiment the recess has a length corresponding substantially to a length of the first component.
In some embodiments, the first side wall has a length L along the primary axis and the first component extends over 20 to 90% of the length L, preferably over 50 to 90% of the length L.
In some embodiments, the attachment flap extends through an opening in the first component into the internal space of the first component and a section of the attachment flap located inside the internal space of the first component has a length La, which is greater than a dimension Do of the opening in the first component, the length La and the dimension Do both extending in the same cross-sectional plane. The cross-sectional plane is perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the first component, which longitudinal extent is parallel with the primary axis when first component is carried by the first side wall. The section of the attachment flap located inside the internal space of the first component may for example be the second section described above, the folding zone, or a section formed by the folding-zone and the second section together. By the section inside the internal space being longer than the dimension of the opening, the section of length La can act as anchor inside the internal space. For a component having a U-shaped cross-section the free edges of the first and second legs delimit the opening and the distance Do is the distance between the free edges in the cross-sectional plane.
In some embodiments, the box and/or the sub-packaging is/are made from a paper-based material such as paperboard or cardboard, preferably corrugated cardboard.
Cardboard and other paper-based material is readily recyclable and by providing all packaging elements made from such materials the likelihood of it being recycled is increased considerably as there is no need for sorting the packaging in fractions. Cardboard can also be made as a material which is suitably compressible for it to be forced into the internal space of the first component, and rigid enough for it to retain its position therein subsequently, to keep the sub-packaging in place. Corrugated cardboard can also easily be made to fold at pre-selected position by compression, perforation or scoring. In this way the length of the section to be restrained or constrained in the internal space can be pre-determined according to the dimensions of the internal space. Corrugated cardboard can also be made sufficiently rigid for the attachment flap to be retained by the distal end being inserted in an open hem of the first component as described above.
In one embodiment, the attachment flap is integrally formed with the main body of the sub-packaging. In this way the likelihood of the material of the sub-packaging material actually being recycled is increased considerably, while also simplifying manufacture of the sub-packaging.
In some embodiments, the sub-packaging comprises a removable portion configured for being separated from the rest of the sub-packaging by a break-zone. A break-zone is understood to be a portion of the sub-packaging which has been deliberately weakened to facilitate tearing, opening or the like of the sub-packaging. The break-zone may comprise perforations or scoring. By providing a removable portion, the installer can easily remove the sub-packaging from the first component. The removable portion may also provide the installer with a way to easily open the sub-packaging and access the component(s) accommodated in the sub-packaging.
In embodiments where the attachment flap is retained in the first component, but where it is sufficiently flexible for being removed therefrom without breaking, the removable portion could be configured to remain attached to the rest of the sub-packaging after the having been used to open the sub-packaging. In this way the sub-packaging is kept in one piece, increasing the likelihood of the material being collected for recycling.
The removable portion may comprise the attachment flap. When the removable portion includes the attachment flap, the break zone is provided at or in connection with the attachment flap. In this way, the break-zone provides a way of separating the main body from the attachment flap, which may thus be left behind in the first component. The break zone may be provided on a wall of the main body from which wall the attachment flap projects. The removable portion may cover at least 30% of the wall of the main body from which the attachment flap projects, preferably at least 50%. In this way the removable portion can provide an opening from which the components of the sub-packaging can be easily retrieved by the installer, which opening may be provided as the main body is separated from the first component. The coverage of the removable portion is calculated as the fraction of the area which is removed from the wall of the main body to the total area of the wall.
In some embodiments, the main body of the sub-packaging is box-shaped. Box-shaped is typically a rectangular prism shape. In alternative embodiment, sub-packaging comprises one or two open sides, the open sides facing along the primary axis. Such a main-body may have a tubular shape or pipe-shape. In a main body having two open sides, the open sides preferably face in opposite directions along the primary axis, allowing long components to be accommodated by extending through the main body. A main body with one open side can accommodate an end-portion of a component, and two sub-packagings can thus accommodate one component.
The sub-packaging may suitably be folded from a blank, e.g. of the five-panel fold type. In that case the attachment flap is provided as an extension of one of the side panels of the blank.
In some embodiments, the sub-packaging is a bag, such as a paper bag. The attachment flap may be provided an extension of part of the bag or a separate attachment flap, suitably of cardboard or corrugated cardboard, attached to the bag.
In an embodiment, the attachment flap comprises a thick portion, which thick portion has a thickness configured for being retained in the internal space of the first component. This can be achieved by the thickness of the thick portion corresponding to or slightly exceeding a distance between internal surfaces of the first component, whereby the thick portion can be held by tension between the internal surfaces. In embodiments where the first component is carried by the first side wall of the box, the thickness of the thick portion could be configured for being retained between an internal surface of the first component and a surface of the first side wall. The thick portion may be formed by folding the attachment flap onto itself or alternatively by attaching a piece of material, such as a piece of cardboard or corrugated cardboard, to the attachment flap to increase the thickness. The piece could be attached e.g. by an adhesive, glue or similar.
In some embodiments, the box is folded from one or more blanks, preferably a blank of the five-panel fold type or a blank of the telescopic type.
In another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for packing a roof window product as described herein, which method comprises the steps of: arranging the sub-packaging in the box with the attachment flap extending across the first side wall from the inner surface to the outer surface, arranging the first component on the first side wall with the attachment flap positioned in the internal space of the first component, retaining the sub-packaging in relation to the first component.
When the attachment flap is positioned across the first side wall, and the first component is arranged thereon, the attachment flap will be positioned in the internal space, retaining or constraining the attachment flap therein.
In another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of unpacking a packed roof window as described herein, which method comprises the steps of: removing the first component from the box, the sub-packaging being retained in relation to the first component, and removing at least a main body of the sub-packaging from the first component.
In the following description embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the schematic drawings in which
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The attachment flap 52 is integrated with main body 51, being an extension of the lid panel 501. The first section 521 and second section 523 are delimited from each other by the folding zone 522 which is indicated by dashed folding lines. The position of the folding zone is pre-determined, i.e. it is provided as part of the blank, which allows the dimensions of the first section 521 and second section 523 to be controlled. In this way it can be ensured that for example the second section 523 of the attachment flap 523, is sized appropriately for it to be constrained in the internal space of the gutter element. It is, however, to be understood that this need not be the case and that the attachment flap may be folded and the folding zone 522 defined by the force applied when placing the first component on the first side wall 13 as described above.
The sub-packaging 5 further has a removable portion 54, which here includes the attachment flap 52 and a portion of the lid panel 501 which is delimited by the break-zone 541. The break zone is here perforation lines 541 which are shown as dotted lines. The removable portion 54 is thus a weakened portion of the lid panel and by tearing the attachment flap 52 from the main body, a part of the lid panel 501 will be torn away with the attachment flap 52, providing an opening in the sub-packaging 5 through which the contents can be retrieved. In this embodiment, the part of the lid panel 501 which is removed covers about 70% of the area of the lid panel 501. The removable portion 54 allows the operator to simply tear the sub-packaging 5 from gutter element 3 in which it is retained by the attachment flap 52, while also opening the sub-packaging 5. The panel 507 may also serve to keep the components from inadvertently falling out of the sub-packaging when the removable part 54 is removed.
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The figures described above are schematic and certain features may appear exaggerated for illustrative purposes.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PA 2021 70504 | Oct 2021 | DK | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/DK2022/050210 | 10/7/2022 | WO |
