WO 2020/089518 01 hPCT/FI2019/050757

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PACKAGE

The invention relates to a package. More precisely, the invention relates to a package comprising two elements, namely an outer element and an inner ele- ment, as well as a handle and a pouring spout; the invention also relates to the

5 use of the package.

Packages are available in a very large variety, for various purposes. Common problems with packages of prior art relate to their handlability. It is difficult to get a grip of packages when moving or using them. Moreover, packages are often difficult to use, and some of the product contained in the package may be wasted0 because of this. In many cases, packages also constitute a problem because they are difficult to dispose of. Many packages are made of a material, such as plastic, which requires a recycling system for disposal. If the packages are made of a different material that is recyclable, such as cardboard, their weatherproofing is poor when they are used outdoors. 5 It is an aim of the present invention to eliminate problems of prior art and to pro- vide a package which is easy to handle, easy to use, and which is weatherproof and, if necessary, made of a completely biodegradable material.

Such a package will be described in the independent claims to be presented herein below, and advantageous embodiments will be presented in the independ-0 ent claims. The package according to the invention comprises an outer element and an inner element, whereby the outer element is provided with a handle and a pouring spout to facilitate the handling and use of the package. Advanta- geously, the package is made of cardboard or paperboard provided with a coating of biodegradable plastic to make the package weatherproof. The use of the pack-5 age is particularly designed for use in outdoor conditions, thanks to its weather- proof properties. However, the weatherproof coating of the package may also contain some conventionally non-biodegradable materials to provide the desired weather resistance.

In the following, the invention will be described in more detail with reference to0 the drawings, in which

Fig. 1 shows an advantageous embodiment of the outer element of a package according to the invention, the outer element being spread out, PCT ^{/ F|} ? ^Q /n ^n7 7

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Fig. 2 shows an advantageous embodiment of the outer element of a package according to the invention, the outer element being assembled,

Fig. 3 shows an advantageous embodiment of the inner element of a package according to the invention, the inner element being spread out,

5 Fig. 4 shows an advantageous embodiment of a package according to the inven- tion, the outer element and the inner element of the package being combined, in a top view and a lid being removed, and

Figs. 5a to 5c show some advantageous embodiments of different shapes for the bottom of the package. 0 Figure 1 shows an advantageous embodiment of a package 1 according to the invention, the outer element 2 of the package being spread out as a planar piece. In this embodiment, the outer element 2 consists of four straight side walls 3, a bottom 4, and a lid 5. The bottom 4 shown here is to be composed, in its simplest form, of four rectangular parts 6 forming extensions of the side walls 3, but it is5 naturally possible to use various cuts and/or folds of prior art when composing the bottom. The parts 6 of the bottom 4 are separated from each other by cuts along lines 7 between them, and are folded along a line 8 between the side walls 3 and the bottom, to compose the bottom. When the side walls 3 are folded to form a square, the two outermost side walls in the figure are connected to each0 other by means of a flap 10 folded along a line 9, to form a joint corner 20. For the attachment, a biodegradable adhesive is advantageously used. If it is not necessary to make a completely biodegradable package 1 , a conventional method can be used for fastening the joint, such as a conventional adhesive or staples. At the top edge, the side walls 3 are provided with flaps 1 1 which are5 folded along lines 12 towards the centre of the package. The folding lines 12 for the flaps 1 1 at the top edge of the side walls 3 are provided with openings 13 for receiving flaps 15 when these are folded along lines 14 for a lid 5 and keep the lid in contact with the top edges of the side walls in the closed position.

The joint corner 20 of the side walls 3 of the package is provided with a handle0 16 by providing both sides of the joint corner 20 with partial cuts 17 which can be folded to the inside of the package 1 as shown by a broken line 18. By placing the handle 16 at the joint corner 20, the structure of the handle can be made as strong as possible. Similarly, leaving the cuts 17 of the opening 19 for the handle PCT ^{/ F|} ? ^Q /n ^n7 7

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3 folded inside the package provides a pleasant grip of the handle and simultaneously reinforces the structure of the handle.

The spout 21 of the package 1 is provided in the corner 22 opposite to the handle 16, for optimal use of the handle and the spout. When the package is closed, the

5 spout 21 is folded along a line 23 to the inside the package 1 , and the flaps 24 of the lid 5 of the package in the corner 22 corresponding to the spout can be pressed in through cuts 25 in the fold for the spout. In this way, the spout 21 can be kept well closed. The folds facilitating the turning of the spout 21 are shown in more detail in Fig. 2. 0 The package 1 is opened by removing a corner 26 of the lid 5, placed on top of the spout 21 , from the package by cutting or tearing if off along a perforated and/or creased line 27. Another alternative is to press and fold down the corner 26 of the lid 5 of the package 1 to the inside of the package, or to lift and fold it upwards to the outside of the package. In this case, the package 1 can still be5 tightly closed if not all of the product contained in the package is used straight away.

The lid 5 of the package can naturally be constructed in a different way as well, whereby it is essential that the lid can be attached to the side walls 3 of the outer element 2, and an opening can be made in the lid, in front of the spout 21 , for0 pouring the product out of the package. In its simplest form, the lid 5 in front of the spout 21 is a straight corner which is just folded or torn off from the front of the product, without separate fastening flaps 24.

Figure 2 shows the package 1 in assembled form. The handle 16 of the package 1 is in the corner opposite to the spout 21 of the package, that is, in the joint5 corner 20. The spout 21 of the package 1 is folded out, and the corner 22 of the lid 5 of the package is, in this embodiment, provided with a pouring opening 28 by removing the corner of the lid at the location corresponding to the spout. The spout 21 comprises creased and/or perforated lines 29 for making it easier to change the position of the spout. By utilizing the lines 29, the position of the spout0 21 can be easily changed from the storage position inside the package 1 to the use position outside the package.

Figure 3 shows an inner element 30 for a package according to an advantageous embodiment of the invention. The inner element 30 consists of a bottom 31 and three side walls 32, 33 and 34. The bottom 31 of the inner element 30 covers at PCT ^{/ F|} ? ^Q /n ^n7 7

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4 least partly the bottom of the outer element when installed within the outer ele- ment. The outermost side walls 32 and 34 of the inner element 30 are folded along lines 35 and 36 to correspond to the respective side walls of the outer ele- ment on each side of the handle, and a fold 37 at the bottom 31 of the inner

5 element is placed at the joint corner of the outer element which includes the han- dle. In this way, the product contained in the package cannot constitute an obsta- cle for the use of the handle, and the product cannot leak out from the openings of the handle.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 3, the content of the package is advantageously0 a granular or corresponding product, such as granular fertilizer, lightweight expanded clay aggregate (LECA), grass seeds, or corresponding products.

Flowever, the package 1 according to the invention, consisting of two elements, can also be used for liquid products. In this case, the inner part 30 is made of a rigid material to comprise the whole volume of the outer element 2, except for the5 joint corner 20 with the handle 16. The inner element 30 can thus be made of a sufficiently rigid liquid-proof material which is provided with an "indentation" at the joint corner 20 with the handle 16. The liquid container can be opened and closed by providing the corner 22 of the liquid container, corresponding to the spout 21 , with an orifice which can be opened and closed. Such an orifice may be any0 opening that can be opened and closed by a mechanism of prior art, such as an opening that can be closed with a screw cap or a cap that can be pressed on. It is also possible to make the liquid container of a flexible material and without an opening that can be closed. In such a case, an opening is cut in the corner 22 of the liquid container, corresponding to the spout 21 , and the liquid can be poured5 out of the package 1 via the spout. Various combinations of a liquid container made of a flexible/rigid material, as well as a liquid container that can be opened and closed, or opened by cutting, are possible.

Figure 4 shows a package 1 according to an embodiment of the invention, shown in a top view and without a lid. The joint corner 20 of the outer element 2 of the0 package is provided with a handle (not shown in the figure), and the inner element 30 of the package keeps the joint corner corresponding to the handle unob- structed, to enable unimpeded access to the handle. In this embodiment, the bot- tom 31 of the inner element 30 covers substantially the whole bottom 4 of the outer element 2 of the package, except for the area in front of the joint corner 20.5 The inner walls 32, 33 and 34 of the inner element 30 cover only two side walls PCT ^{/ F|} ? ^Q /n ^n7 7

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3 of the outer element 2, adjacent to the handle, leaving the two other side walls uncovered. It is also possible to make the inner element 30 in such a way that it covers all the side walls 3 of the outer element 2, or in such a way that the side walls 32 and 34 of the inner element only cover part of the side walls adjacent to

5 the handle 16. It is essential to make the inner element 30 such that the product in the package 1 cannot obstruct the use of the handle.

Figures 5a to 5c show some advantageous embodiments of a package 1 accord- ing to the invention. The appearance of the package 1 varies from the lenticular structure with two corners, shown in Fig. 5a, via a hexagonal structure shown in0 Fig. 5b, to an octagonal structure shown in Fig. 5c. In all these embodiments, the inner element 30 leaves the joint corner 20 with the handle free for unimpeded access to the handle. In the examples, the bottoms 31 of the inner elements 30 cover essentially the whole bottom 4 of the outer element 2, except for the area in front of the handle, and the inner walls 32, 33 and 34 of the inner element cover5 only part of the inner walls 3 of the outer element.

All the folds are made, for example, by creasing, perforating, or both. All the parts of the package are made of environmentally friendly materials made of natural sources, such as bioplastics and natural fibres which are biodegradable or com- postable at the end of their useful life, whereby a completely biodegradable pack-0 age is obtained. A biodegradable moisture-resistant film material may consist of, for example, a biodegradable plastic, plastic composite, PET film, or the like. As a fibrous material, it is possible to use e.g. a pulp-based biodegradable material. A starch film can also be used as the film material. In this context, biodegradable plastic refers particularly to plastics having a low molecular weight, such as poly-5 propylene, polyethylene, or polyester-based plastics, as well as plastic compo- sites containing a fibre reinforcement. Recycled plastic may be included as well. Furthermore, starch or cellulose based biodegradable plastics are included, which contain a fibre reinforcement, such as a natural fibre (linen, hemp, etc.).

The outer element of the package, the inner element, or both can be made weath-0 erproof by covering the structure with a biodegradable waterproof film, whereby the package becomes a weatherproof product suitable for outdoor use. This is particularly important for the use of the package, because when stored and used outdoors, the package is often exposed to moisture. The package is designed particularly, but not solely, for the use and storage of products to be stored and5 used outdoors. Such products may include, for example, granular or similar prod- PCT ^{/ F|} ? ^Q /n ^n7 7

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6 ucts, such as granular fertilizer, lightweight expanded clay aggregate (LECA), grass seeds, or corresponding products.

In prior art, many terms are used for describing bioplastics and biodegradability. These include, among others, the terms "degradable", "biodegradable", "com-

5 postable", "bio-based", and "biopolymer" or "bioplastic". There is no precise una- nimity on the definitions of these terms, and they may partly overlap in use. How- ever, a degradable polymer or plastic normally refers to a plastic which is decom- posable in different ways physically, chemically or biologically (biodegradability). Biodegradable plastics, in turn, are plastics which are degraded, as a result of0 the activity of natural micro-organisms after a given period of time, to carbon dioxide (CO2), methane, inorganic compounds, or biomass. However, biodegra- dation often takes place simultaneously with, or it can be started by, non-biologi- cal decomposition, such as photolysis (decomposition induced by light) or hydrol- ysis (decomposition induced by water). Biodegradability is dependent not only on5 the origin of the plastic but also on the chemical structure of the plastic and on environmental factors. The definition of compostability is stricter than biodegra- dability, and it involves special criteria relating to the speed of biodegradation, the maximum amount of material remaining after a given period of time, and the requirement that the material has no adverse effects on the final compost or the0 composting process.

If it is not desired or not necessary to make the package completely biodegrada- ble, it is also possible to use conventional, non-biodegradable materials which also provide the desired weatherproofing, for the weatherproof coating of the package. 5 In the above description, advantageous embodiments of the invention have been presented by way of example, and they should not be understood to limit the scope of protection in any way. The scope of protection of the invention is limited by the claims presented herein below. Advantageous embodiments of the exam- pies can be freely combined within the scope of protection limited below, to arrive0 at solutions which have not been specifically described as a single entity in the examples.