WRAP AROUND CONTAINER

Abstract

A wrap around container (2) for holding an electronic device has a substantially rectangular panel (3) including a device receiving portion (4) at one end of the panel, a fixing portion (5) at the opposite end of the panel, and an intermediate portion (6) in between. The fixing portion (5) has a main fixing portion body (21) and a pair of ears (22, 23) which each extends from opposite sides of the main fixing portion body (21) when the ears (22, 23) are in an unfolded state, each side being on a longitudinal edge of the rectangular panel (3). Each ear (22, 23) comprises an ear frame (26) and an ear tab (27) which is configured to fit within the ear frame (26) wherein the ear tab (27) has a base which is integral with the ear frame (26). The intermediate portion (6) is arranged to be wrapped over the device receiving portion (4) so that the main fixing portion body (21) lies over an outer surface of the intermediate portion (6), and each ear (22, 23) is arranged to be folded onto the outer surface of the intermediate portion (6) and the ear tab (27) fixed to the outer surface of the intermediate portion (6) to close the container (2).

Description

The present invention relates to a wrap around container for holding an electronic device such as a smart phone, a hand-held tablet, a PC, an HDD, an optical drive or an LCD screen whilst in transit, for example by mail or courier service.

An existing wrap around container for holding a product, such as a DVD, which is to be mailed is disclosed in GB 2441997. The container is made from corrugated cardboard and comprises a base panel separated by a lateral fold line from a wrap around panel. The end of the wrap around panel distal from the base panel is connected to a securing flap by a tear strip. Side wall flaps extend from opposite sides of the base panel, and each flap is arranged to be folded over an upper surface of a product placed on the base panel. The wrap around panel is then wrapped over the flaps and underneath the base panel, the securing flap being fixed to the underside of the base panel by adhesive.

A problem with this wrap around container is that a person may remove a product from the closed container without it appearing that the container has been tampered with. This may be done by cutting a side portion of a folded flap along one edge enabling the product inside to be removed and the cut side pushed back in to make it look like the container has not been tampered with.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a wrap around container that alleviates the above-mentioned problem.

According to the present invention there is provided a wrap around container for holding an electronic device, the container comprising: a substantially rectangular panel including a device receiving portion at one end of the panel, a fixing portion at the opposite end of the panel, and an intermediate portion in between, wherein the fixing portion has a main fixing portion body and a pair of ears which each extends from opposite sides of the main fixing portion body when the ears are in an unfolded state, each side being on a longitudinal edge of the rectangular panel, and each ear comprising an ear frame and an ear tab which is configured to fit within the ear frame wherein the ear tab has a base which is integral with the ear frame, wherein the intermediate portion is arranged to be wrapped over the device receiving portion, whereby the main fixing portion body lies over an outer surface of the intermediate portion or the device receiving portion, and each ear is arranged to be folded onto the outer surface of the intermediate portion and the ear tab fixed to the outer surface of the intermediate portion to close the container.

By the fixing portion of the wrap around container having ears arranged to be fixed to the outer surface of the intermediate portion, the ears form a barrier to accessing a side of the closed container. A person may try to lift an ear off the outer surface of the intermediate portion of the closed container so as to be able to access a side of the closed container and remove the product and then glue the ear back so that it does not look like the closed container has been tampered with. However, by trying to lift the ear off, the frame around the ear tab is liable to tear since the ear tab is fixed to the intermediate portion making it obvious that the closed container has been tampered with.

The ear tab may be fixed to the outer surface of the intermediate portion by adhesive.

The main fixing portion body may be arranged to be fixed to the outer surface of the intermediate portion or the device receiving portion after wrapping of the intermediate portion to close the container. The main fixing portion body may be fixed to the outer surface of the intermediate portion or the device receiving portion by adhesive.

The intermediate portion may be arranged to be additionally wrapped under the device receiving portion. The fixing portion may be arranged to be fixed to an outer surface of the intermediate portion.

A distal end of the ear tab, when in the ear frame, may be towards the distal end of the ear.

At least one end of the base of the ear tab may have a cut extending outwardly from the base and away from the distal end of the ear tab when the ear tab is within the ear frame. The cut causes a crease to form in the ear and helps the ear frame to rip if someone tries to lift the ear off the closed container.

The intermediate portion may have a main body and two tabs which are configured to fit within the main body of the intermediate portion wherein each tab has a base which is integral with the main body, and each ear tab is configured to be fixed to a respective said tab of the intermediate portion, such as by adhesive, when the ear tabs are fixed to the outer surface of the intermediate portion. By having each ear tab fixed to a respective intermediate tab, if a person tries to lift the ear off, the tab of the intermediate portion would lift off from the intermediate portion of the closed container making it even more obvious that the closed container has been tampered with. Furthermore, the tab of the intermediate portion may cause a rip to extend to a side of the closed container.

A distal end of each ear tab may be substantially aligned with a distal end of a respective said tab of the intermediate portion when the ear tab is fixed to the respective said tab of the intermediate portion. At least one end of the base of the tab of the intermediate portion may have a cut extending outwardly from the base and away from the distal end of the tab when the tab is within the main body of the intermediate portion.

The edge of the tab of the intermediate portion away from the tab base may be frangibly connected with the main body of the intermediate portion. The edge of the ear tab away from the ear tab base may be frangibly connected with the ear frame. The frangible connection may comprise perforations.

A base portion of each ear may taper outwardly towards the main fixing portion body on a side of the ear closest to the intermediate portion when the wrap around container is in an unfolded state.

The fixing portion may have a severable strip between the ear tabs and the intermediate portion when the wrap around container is in an unfolded state. The severable strip may comprise a ripper tape extending from one said ear to the other said ear of the fixing portion. At least one said ear may have a corner portion attached to one end of the ripper tape. The corner portion of the ear may have a frangible connection with the ear frame of the ear.

The wrap around container may include a pair of flaps extending from opposite sides of the device receiving portion of the panel, each side being on a respective said longitudinal edge of the rectangular panel, and each flap being arranged to be folded into a closed position where the flap is over at least a part of the device receiving portion and an upper surface of a device when placed on the device receiving portion, the intermediate portion being arranged to wrap at least over the flaps in the closed position and the fixing portion being arranged to be fixed to an outside of the container after wrapping of the intermediate portion to close the container; and cushioning means extending over at least part of the device receiving portion and onto the surface of each flap facing the device receiving portion when in the closed position so as to form a cushioning barrier between a device placed on the device receiving portion and the device receiving portion and the closed flaps. The cushioning means may comprise macerated paper. The cushioning means may be configured to be peelable from the container when the container is open. This enables the cushioning means to be reused.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a blank forming a wrap around container in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are enlarged views of parts of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of part of the wrap around container in an open state showing a cushioning member being attached;

FIG. 5 is a view of the wrap around container in an open state;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the wrap around container with flaps of the container in a closed position;

FIG. 7 is an end view of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the wrap around container in another stage of being closed;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the wrap around container in another stage of being closed;

FIG. 10 is a plan view of the wrap around container when the container is closed;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged view of part of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the closed wrap around container with part of the ear lifted away from the container;

FIG. 13 is an enlarged view of part of the closed wrap around container with part of the ear lifted away from the container;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing part of the ear lifted away from the container;

FIG. 15 is a plan view of a blank forming a wrap around container in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 16 is a side elevational view of the wrap around container of FIG. 15 when the container has been closed.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings, a blank 1 for forming a wrap around container 2 according to a first embodiment of the invention comprises a substantially rectangular panel 3. The panel 3 comprises a device receiving portion 4 at one end of the panel 3, a fixing portion 5 at the opposite end of the panel 3, and an intermediate portion 6 in between. The device receiving portion 4 has a pair of adjacent flaps 7, 8 at an end distal from the intermediate portion 6. A distal end of each flap 7, 8 has a bevelled corner 40 which is away from the device receiving portion 4. An end portion of each flap 7, 8 adjacent each respective longitudinal edge of the rectangular panel 3 has a strip of glue or adhesive 9 and the end portion is the only part of the flap 7, 8 connected to the device receiving portion 4 of the rectangular panel 3.

The intermediate portion 6 has a main body 10 and two tabs 11, 12 which fit within the main body 10 wherein each tab 11, 12 has a base 13 which is integral with the main body 10 and the tabs 11, 12 are aligned so that the distal ends 14 of the tabs 11, 12 face towards each other. The edge 15 of the each tab 11, 12 of the intermediate portion 6 away from the base 13 of the tab 11, 12 is adjacent to the main body 10 of the intermediate portion 6. Each end of the base 13 of the tab 11, 12 of the intermediate portion has a cut 16 extending outwardly from the base 13 and away from the distal end 14 of the tab 11, 12.

The end of the intermediate portion 6 adjacent the device receiving portion 4 has a first pair of lateral fold lines 17, the end of the intermediate portion 6 adjacent the fixing portion 5 has a second pair of lateral fold lines 18, and there is a third pair of lateral fold lines 19 in the middle of the intermediate portion 6. The tabs 11, 12 are located in the part of the main body 10 of the intermediate portion 6 between the second pair of lateral fold lines 18 and the third pair of lateral fold lines 19.

There is a longitudinal strip 20 on each longitudinal side of the intermediate portion 6 wherein each side is on a longitudinal edge of the rectangular panel 3.

The fixing portion 5 has a main body or a main fixing portion body 21 and a pair of ears 22, 23 which each extends from opposite sides of the main fixing portion body 21 wherein each side is on the longitudinal edge of the rectangular panel 3. A base portion 24 of each ear 22, 23 tapers outwards towards the main fixing portion body 21 on a side of the ear 22, 23 closest to the intermediate portion 6 and the end of the base portion 24 adjacent the main fixing portion body 21 has a pair of fold lines 25. Each ear 22, 23 comprises an ear frame 26 and an ear tab 27 which is configured to fit within the ear frame 26. The ear tab 27 has a base 28 which is integral with the ear frame 26, and a distal end 29 of the ear tab 27 is towards a distal end of the ear 22, 23. The edge 30 of the ear tab 27 away from the ear tab base 28 has a perforated join with the ear frame 26. An end of each ear tab base 28 closest to the intermediate portion 6 has a cut 31 extending outwardly from the base 28 and away from the distal end 29 of the ear tab 27 towards the intermediate portion 6.

A strip of adhesive 44 extends from one ear tab 27 across the main fixing body portion 21 to the other ear tab 27 and is covered by a self-adhesive sealing strip (not shown).

The fixing portion 5 has a ripper tape 32 which extends between the ears 22, 23. The ripper tape 32 is to the side of the ear tabs 27 closest to the intermediate portion 6. Each ear 22, 23 has a corner portion 33 attached to a respective end of the ripper tape 32. The corner portion 33 of the ear 22, 23 has a perforated join 34 with the ear frame 26 of the ear 22, 23.

Referring to FIGS. 4 to 7, each longitudinal strip 20 is folded onto the intermediate portion 6 and the portion 35 of the longitudinal strip 20 from the end closest to the fixing portion 5 to the third pair of lateral fold lines 19 is fixed to the intermediate portion 6 as is the end 36 of the longitudinal strip 20 closest to the device receiving portion 4. The unfixed portion 37 of the longitudinal strip 20 in between is lifted up from the rectangular panel 3 to form a locking crease.

One end portion of a major surface of each flap 7, 8 is fixed by the adhesive 9 (see FIG. 1) to a major surface 38 of the device receiving portion 4 adjacent to a respective longitudinal edge of the rectangular panel 3.

A cushioning member 39 extends over the device receiving portion 4 and onto the surface of each flap 7, 8 configured to face the device receiving portion 4 when in a closed position. The cushioning member 39 is attached to the flaps 7, 8 and the device receiving portion 4 by, say, double sided adhesive tape (not shown).

An electronic device 41 such as a smart phone is placed on the device receiving portion 4 when the flaps 7, 8 are in an open position (see FIG. 5). The electronic device 41 rests on a portion 42 of the cushioning member 39 that covers the device receiving portion 4.

The two flaps 7, 8 are folded towards each other over the electronic device 41 and into the closed position (see FIGS. 6 and 7) wherein end portions 43 of the cushioning member 39 beneath the closed flaps 7, 8 cover an upper surface of the device 41. The cushioning member 39 thus forms a cushioning barrier between the electronic device 41 placed on the device receiving portion 4 and the device receiving portion 4 and the closed flaps 7, 8.

Referring to FIGS. 8 to 10, the intermediate portion 6 is wrapped in a longitudinal direction. It is folded from the first pair of lateral fold lines 17 up and over the folded flaps 7, 8 which are in their closed position. The intermediate portion 5 is then folded about the third pair of lateral fold lines 19 and down and underneath the device receiving portion 4. The fixing portion 5 is then folded about the second pair of lateral fold lines 18 so that the main body 21 of the fixing portion 4 is over an outer surface of the intermediate portion 6 above the folded flaps 7, 8. The self-adhesive sealing strip is removed from the fixing portion 4 to expose the adhesive 44 and the main body 21 is fixed to the intermediate portion 6 by the adhesive 44.

Each ear 22, 23 is folded about the fold lines 25 onto the outer surface of the intermediate portion 6 and the distal end 29 of each ear tab 27 is substantially aligned with the distal end 14 of a respective said tab 11, 12 of the intermediate portion 6. Each ear tab 27 is then fixed by the adhesive 44 to the respective tab 11, 12 of the main body 10 of the intermediate portion 6 to close the container 2. The container 2 is thus secured tightly around the electronic device 41 and is closed.

Each ear 22, 23 forms a barrier to accessing a respective side of the closed container 2. A person may try to lift an ear 22, 23 off the outer surface of the intermediate portion 6 of the closed container 2 so as to be able to access a side of the closed container 2, remove the electronic device 41 and then glue the ear 22, 23 back so that it does not look like the closed container 2 has been tampered with. However, by trying to lift the ear 22, 23 off (see FIGS. 11 to 14), the frame 26 around the ear tab 27 is liable to tear since the ear tab 27 is fixed to the intermediate portion 6 making it obvious that the closed container 2 has been tampered with. The cut 31 at one end of the base 28 of each ear tab 27 causes a crease 45 to form in the ear 22, 23 and helps the ear frame 26 to rip if someone tries to lift the ear 22, 23 off the closed container 2. The tab 11, 12 of the intermediate portion 6 to which the ear tab 27 is fixed would also be liable to lift off from the intermediate portion 6 of the closed container 2 making it even more obvious that the closed container 2 has been tampered with, and the tab 11, 12 of the intermediate portion 6 may cause a rip to extend to a side of the closed container 2.

To remove the electronic device 41 from the closed wrap around container 2, one of the corner portions 33 is ripped away from the ear frame 26 of the respective ear 22, 23 and the corner portion 33 is pulled so that the ripper tape 32 rips through the main body 21 of the fixing portion 5 so that the wrap around container 2 can be unwrapped.

The cushioning member 39 is configured to be peelable from the container 2 when the container 2 has been opened so that the cushioning member 39 can be reused in another wrap around container.

The substantially rectangular panel 3 and the flaps 7, 8 comprise corrugated cardboard, the flutes of the corrugated cardboard of the panel 3 and the flaps 7, 8 running laterally as indicated by arrows 46 on FIG. 1. The cushioning member 39 comprises macerated paper.

A blank 50 for a modified wrap around container 51 is illustrated in FIG. 15 wherein the intermediate portion 52 is of a shorter length than the intermediate portion 6 of the wrap around container 2 of the first embodiment, and does not have a pair of lateral fold lines in the middle of the intermediate portion 52.

One end portion of a major surface of each flap 53, 54 is fixed to a major surface of the device receiving portion 55 adjacent to a respective longitudinal edge of the rectangular panel 56 of the blank 50. When the flaps 53, 54 have been fixed in this way, they can be folded so as to be over the device receiving portion 55 when they are in their closed position.

When the modified wrap around container 51 is being closed, the intermediate portion 52 is folded from the first pair of fold lines 57 at one end of the intermediate portion 52 up and over the folded flaps 53, 54 which are now in their closed position. The main body 58 of the fixing portion 59 is folded about the pair of fold lines 60 at the other end of the intermediate portion 52 so that the main body 58 is underneath the device receiving portion 55 and the main body 58 is fixed by adhesive to the outer surface of the device receiving portion 55. Each ear 61, 62 of the fixing portion 59 is then folded onto the outer surface of the intermediate portion 52 and the ear tabs 63 are attached by adhesive to the respective tabs 64, 65 of the main body of the intermediate portion 52 to close the container 51 (see FIG. 16).

Whilst particular embodiments have been described, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A wrap around container for holding an electronic device, the container comprising: a substantially rectangular panel including a device receiving portion at one end of the panel, a fixing portion at the opposite end of the panel, and an intermediate portion in between the device receiving portion and the fixing portion, wherein the fixing portion has a main fixing portion body and a pair of ears which each extends from opposite sides of the main fixing portion body when the ears are in an unfolded state, each side being on a longitudinal edge of the rectangular panel, and each ear comprising an ear frame and an ear tab which is configured to fit within the ear frame wherein the ear tab has a base which is integral with the ear frame,wherein the intermediate portion is arranged to be wrapped over the device receiving portion so that the main fixing portion body lies over an outer surface of one of the device receiving portion and the intermediate portion, and each ear is arranged to be folded onto the outer surface of the intermediate portion and the ear tab fixed to the outer surface of the intermediate portion to close the container.

2. The wrap around container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main fixing portion body is arranged to be fixed to the outer surface of one of the device receiving portion and the intermediate portion after wrapping of the intermediate portion to close the container.

3. The wrap around container as claimed in claim 2, wherein the main fixing portion body is fixed to the outer surface of one of the device receiving portion and the intermediate portion by adhesive.

4. The wrap around container as claimed in claim 1, 3, wherein the intermediate portion is arranged to be additionally wrapped under the device receiving portion.

5. The wrap around container as claimed in claim 4, wherein the fixing portion is arranged to be fixed to an outer surface of the intermediate portion.

6. The wrap around container as claimed in claim 1, wherein a distal end of the ear tab, when in the ear frame, is towards the distal end of the ear.

7. The wrap around container as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one end of the base of the ear tab has a cut extending outwardly from the base and away from the distal end of the ear tab when the ear tab is within the ear frame.

8. The wrap around container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the intermediate portion has a main body and two tabs which are configured to fit within the main body of the intermediate portion wherein each tab has a base which is integral with the main body, and each ear tab is configured to be fixed to a respective said tab of the intermediate portion when the ear tabs are fixed to the outer surface of the intermediate portion.

9. The wrap around container as claimed in claim 8, wherein a distal end of each ear tab is substantially aligned with a distal end of a respective said tab of the intermediate portion when the ear tab is fixed to the respective said tab of the intermediate portion.

10. The wrap around container as claimed in claim 9, wherein at least one end of the base of the tab of the intermediate portion has a cut extending outwardly from the base and away from the distal end of the tab when the tab is within the main body of the intermediate portion.

11. The wrap around container as claimed in claim 8, wherein an edge of the tab of the intermediate portion away from the tab base is frangibly connected with the main body of the intermediate portion.

12. The wrap around container as claimed in claim 1, wherein an edge of the ear tab away from the ear tab base is frangibly connected with the ear frame.

13. The wrap around container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ear tab is fixed to the outer surface of the intermediate portion by adhesive.

14. The wrap around container as claimed in claim 1, wherein a base portion of each ear tapers outwardly towards the main fixing portion body on a side of the ear closest to the intermediate portion when the wrap around container is in an unfolded state.

15. The wrap around container as claimed in claim 1, including a pair of flaps extending from opposite sides of the device receiving portion of the panel, each side being on a respective said longitudinal edge of the rectangular panel, and each flap being arranged to be folded into a closed position where the flap is over at least a part of the device receiving portion and an upper surface of a device when placed on the device receiving portion, the intermediate portion being arranged to wrap at least over the flaps in the closed position and the fixing portion being arranged to be fixed to an outside of the container after wrapping of the intermediate portion to close the container; and cushioning means extending over at least part of the device receiving portion and onto the surface of each flap facing the device receiving portion when in the closed position so as to form a cushioning barrier between a device placed on the device receiving portion and the device receiving portion and the closed flaps.

16. The wrap around container as claimed in claim 15, wherein the cushioning means is configured to be peelable from the container when the container is open.

17. The wrap around container as claimed in claim 15, wherein the cushioning means comprises macerated paper.