The present invention relates to a packaging element of the type in which an article can be held against damage from external forces.

It is known to provide expanded polystyrene or the like, generally moulded to the shape of the article to be protected, and which fits around the article, or at least the vulnerable corners of the article, and within an outer container.

This material is cheap and effective but does suffer from certain disadvantages. One is that it is a bulky material. It is usually moulded to fit exactly around portions of the article being packed and is therefore useless for any other article. It can be formed into small units for packing around the article but these are not always convenient to use and are less effective.

More importantly, the material is not biodegradable nor easily reusable. This leaves the recipient of the package with a problem. The polystyrene packaging

•material cannot easily be returned because of its sheer bulk. Especially in the case of moulded expanded polystyrene, it is unusable for any other articles. It can be buried as waste but here its bulk and its lack of biodegradability cause problems; or it can be burnt in which case noxious fumes are given off.

It is known, for example from WO 89/08064, to use a film of polyethylene stretched over apertured frame members to provide two or more protective members for holding the ends or corners frictionally of an article. However, polyethylene is not a really suitable material for repeated reuse and the article is not held positively by such end members.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a packaging element which overcomes the above disadvantages and provides a lightweight, biodegradable or reusable element which will hold an article protected against damage during transport.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a packaging element in which, in addition to holding an article in a protected disposition, also has at least one window panel so that the packaged product may be displayed.

According to the present invention there is provided, in combination with an outer packaging container of substantially rigid material a packaging element comprising first and second films of resiliently deformable polymeric material adapted to receive between them an article to be packaged, respective frame means being so hingedly connected together as to ensure that when they are folded together the films deform around the article, and spacer means so to hold each of said films as to be spaced, on their sides remote one from another, from the substantially rigid outer packaging container.

The spacer means to hold the films spaced from the container may be flaps bendable from the general planes

of said first and second frame members.

The substantially rigid outer packaging container may be connected to said packaging element to form a foldable blank for an entire package.

Dividing members may be provided to sub divide the area of said film or between separated areas of film attached to a respective frame member, said dividing members being dimensioned to extend between the film or frame member and any outer packaging container or element thereof.

Each of the films may be a polyurethane film, optionally either a polyester urethane or a polyether urethane.

Alternatively, the films may be a thin film of latex. It would be possible to form each film from two or more layers of resilient polymeric material, the two or more layers optionally being spaced one from another.

Each of the two or more layers may have a thickness different from that of others of said layers, and may have properties, for example anti-static or non-slip, different from one layer to the next.

The window panel material may be an acetate or a PVC film.

The film thickness may be of the order of 15 to 125μm, preferably 25 - 75μm.

The film material may have an elasticity of between 100 and 700%, preferably greater than 200%. Ideally it should be greater than 300%.

The film material may ^\' be antistatic film, especially for

use in packaging electronic components.

The rigid first and second frame members may be of solid card, or corrugated board to suit requirements, preferably B flute, E flute, Micro flute or Jaco flute corrugated card, as may be the outer packaging container.

Alternatively they may be of standard card or of plastics material, such as polyvinyl chloride or polyethylene terephthalate.

Adhesive means may be provided to hold together the films or the frame members surrounding respective films when the package is closed in use.

Preferably the adhesive means is biodegrable.

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

FIGURE 1 shows a blank for a packaging element embodying the invention;

FIGURE 2 shows the element of Figure 1 in folded disposition and in cross section; FIGURE 3 shows a second embodiment of the invention in folded disposition; and

FIGURE 4 shows a blank embodying a further embodiment of the invention.

FIGURE 5 shows a blank embodying a fourth embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 5a shows the embodiment of Figure 5 with display panels;

FIGURE 6 shows a blank for the outer rigid surround of a fifth embodiment of the ^" invention; FIGURE 6a shows a film panel element of the fifth embodiment shown in Figure 6; and

FIGURE 6b shows the embodiment of Figure 6 with display panels.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, there is shown a packaging blank in Figure 1 comprising a sheet of corrugated cardboard forming a rigid surround 1. This is provided with fold lines to enable the blank to be formed into a packaging element as will be described below.

Attached within the centre of the surround 1 are two panels of resiliently deformable polymeric material 2 and 3. The material may be polyurethane such as polyether urethane or polyester urethane. Alternatively, it may be of latex

The material is firmly attached to the surround 1 by suitable adhesive means. The material is resiliently deformable by at least 100% and possibly by as much as 700%, depending on the material. This property allows the material to be deformed by the presence of an article to be packaged and still revert to its former shape for reuse with a different article. It also tends to encase the product closely and urge it towards a centre line between the two film panels 2 and 3, when they are folded towards one another.

As may be seen, the surround 1 is divided by fold lines. A first fold line 4 separates a major portion of the surround 1 into two frame members 5 and 6. The first frame member 5 supports film panel 2 and the second 6 supports film panel 3. When these frame members are folded along fold line 4, they are brought into face to face contact and the film panels supported thereby also approach one another to encase an object placed between them. The frame members 5 and 6 may be provided with

adhesive means to hold them together once they are folded together.

At each end of the surround 1 are flaps 7 defined by fold lines 8 and 9. The flaps 7 may be folded at right angles to the general plane of the respective frame member 5 or 6 so that when the frame members 5 and 6 are joined together around an article, the flaps 7 project outwardly and space the films 2 and 3 from the interior wall of any container into which the element fits. This is shown more clearly in Figure 2. The container may be a standard cardboard box Cnot shown) or some similar article.

The flaps 7 are so dimensioned as to allow sufficient space behind the films 2 and 3 so that the article held between them does not contact the walls of the container into which the element is fitted. To prevent movement of the article within the container, the frame members 5 and 6 and the flaps 7 should be dimensioned to- fit closely within the container. Thus, the size of the flaps 7 is determined by the size of the article to be packaged and by the size of the container into which the element is to be fitted.

If required, each frame 5 and 6 may include additional film panels 2, 3 so that several articles may be packaged separately within the same container.

Referring now to Figure 4, there is shown another embodiment in which the blank shown is intended to form a complete package without the need for an additional cardboard box surrounding the element.

External surfaces of the package are formed by faces 10 and 11. In order to assemble the package, frame member

15 containing film 12 is folded over so that it is spaced from the face 10 by virtue of sections 17 and 18. Similarly, frame member 16 containing film 13 is folded over to be spaced from face 11. The article may then be placed between the films 12 and 13 and the package folded so that the two faces 10 and 11 are spaced by portion 14.

Thus, a cuboidal package ^\' is formed with one edge formed by portion 14 and the other by the two portions 18. Flaps 19 are provided to tuck in and close off the ends of the final package.

Locking tabs may be provided to hold the package closed. Alternatively or additionally a layer or strip of contact adhesive may be provided, generally covered by release paper.

Figure 5 shows a fourth embodiment in which the blank shown also forms a complete package.

External surfaces of the package are formed by faces 22 and 24. In order to assemble the package, wall flaps 26 and 28 are folded so as to be arranged at 90° to the wall member 30. Similarly, wall flaps 32 and 34 are folded so as to be arranged at 90° to the wall member 36. Wall member 38 is then folded inwards over the flaps 28 and 34. A similar assembly procedure is carried out in the other half, wall flaps 40 and 42 are folded so as to be arranged at 90° to the wall member 44 and wall flaps 46 and 48 are folded so as to be arranged at 90° to the wall member 50. Wall member 52 is then folded inwards over the flaps 42 and 48 and wall member 53 is folded inwards over flaps 46 and 48. Side flaps 52 of frame member 54 containing film 56, are folded so as to be arranged at 90° to the plane of the frame member 54. Frame 54 is then folded inwards so that the flaps 52 are received

within the wall members 30, 38 and 36 and so that frame 54 is spaced from face 22. Side flaps 58 of frame member 60 containing film 62, are folded so as to be arranged at 90° to the plane of the frame member 60. Frame member 60 is then folded inwards so that the flaps 58 are received within the wall members 44, 52, and 50 and so that frame member 60 is spaced from face 24.

The article may then be placed between the films 56 and 62 and the package folded along fold line 64, so that the two halves are brought into vertical alignment with the frame members and 54 and 60 in contact. Locking tab 66 is provided to tuck in and close the package.

Figure 5a shows a similar one-piece embodiment of the invention incorporating display panels 68 in the faces 22 and 24. The panels 68 may be an acetate material or a PVC film. Such display panels allow the packaged product to be viewed in three dimensions.

Figure 6 shows a blank for a fifth embodiment of the invention.

External surfaces of the package are formed by faces 70 and 72. In order to assemble the package, wall flaps 74 and 76 are folded so as to be arranged at 90° to wall member 78. Similarly, wall flaps 80 and 82 are folded so as to be arranged at 90° to the wall member 84. Wall member 86 is then folded inwards over the flaps 76 and 82 and wall member 88 is folded inwards over the flaps 74

-and 80. A similar assembly procedure is carried out in the other half, wall flaps 90 and 92 are folded so as to be arranged at 90° to the wall member 94. Wall flaps 96 and 98 are folded so as to be arranged at 90° to the wall member 100. Wall member 102 is then folded inwards over the flaps 92 and 98 and wall member 104 is folded inwards

over flaps 90 and 96.

The frame members 106 containing the film 108 (shown in Figure 6A) may then be inserted into the folded structure such that the film 108 is spaced from the face 70 or 72 by the flaps 110.

The article may then be inserted into the packaging in the same manner as described for the Figure 5 embodiment.

Figure 6b shows the embodiment illustrated in Figure 6 with display panels as previously described.

The present invention may also be adapted to provide blister packaging. It has been previously proposed to produce blister packs having a backing material with recesses shaped to receive the product to be packaged. Once the product is inserted into the recess a sealing cover is applied. Such packaging procedures are complex and expensive since the shaped recess must be moulded specifically to accommodate the product.

A blister pack may be created without any moulding steps by providing a packaging element comprising a rigid backing element hingedly connected to a frame means containing a film of resiliently deformable polymeric material as previously described. The article to be packaged may be arranged on the backing element and the frame means may then be folded over the article such that the film deforms around the article. The periphery of the frame means may then be heat sealed or glued or fixed by other means to the backing element thereby sealing the article within the blister formed by the deformed film.

As may be seen, the packaging element may start life as a flat blank and after use, may be refolded back to form a

flat blank. Th s, it can easily be returned for reuse. The film panels 12, 13, 2, 3, 56, 62 or 108 retain a memory of a flat surface and therefore may be reused for articles of different shape each time. Finally after several uses, when some of the fold lines may have become worn or for other reasons, the package may be discarded but it is of biodegradable cardboard. A very minor portion, the plastics films, may be non biodegradable, but since these are only between 25 and 75μm thick, the amount of material involved is minimal.

One further embodiment of the invention is shown in Figure 3. In this, two essentially dish shaped containers 25 and 26 of plastics material (PVC or PET) are joined along one edge by a plastics hinge 24. Therefore, they can be laid flat and a sheet of the resilently deformable plastics material 22, 23 may be affixed to their edge surfaces. When the containers 25 and 26 are folded together, the films 22 and 23 come together and enclose an object to be packaged. Adhesive 27 may be positioned between the free edges of the containers 25 and 26 to hold the package together. The depth of the dish shaped containers 25 and 26 is again adapted to allow the films 22 and 23 to deform within the space allowed and still accommodate the object being packed.