The present invention relates to a packaging of products .

Packs of containers for liquids are known in the background art, such as for example, bottles, cans, jars, paper board boxes for liquids or other food products which disadvantageously provide a predominant use of thermoshrinking plastic material or stretch material for wrapping the containers. A non-structural handle is applied over the packs of plastic material, which serves the sole purpose of facilitating manual handling and/or transport operations.

Disadvantageously, the plastic materials are obtained by means of polluting production processes; the recovery thereof is just as polluting.

The object of the present invention consists in making a packaging of products which is ecologically sustainable, respects the environment more, significantly reduces the use of plastic materials of the packaging, is more biodegradable, is manageable, allows a secure transport of the packaged products.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by a packaging of products according to claim 1.

Other features are provided in the dependent claims .

The features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following description, which is to be understood as exemplifying and not limiting, with reference to the appended schematic drawings, wherein:

figure 1 is an axonometric view of a packaging according to the present invention, for packaging four products arranged over two rows, in particular three cans are depicted, arranged over two rows, and one can extracted from the packaging, each can containing a liquid food product;

figure 2 is an axonometric view of the packaging of six cans arranged over two rows, of which one can is extracted from the packaging;

figure 3 is an axonometric view of the packaging of eight cans arranged over two rows, of which one can is extracted from the packaging;

figure 4 is an axonometric view of the packaging of ten cans arranged over two rows, of which one can is extracted from the packaging;

figure 5 is an axonometric view of the packaging of twelve cans arranged over two rows, one can of which is extracted from the packaging;

figure 6 shows an axonometric view of an alternative packaging according to the present invention, for packaging four bottles, one bottle of which is extracted from the packaging;

figure 7 shows an axonometric view of an alternative packaging of six bottles, one bottle of which is extracted from the packaging;

figure 8 is an axonometric view of an alternative packaging of six cans arranged over two rows, in particular four cans are depicted, arranged in the packaging over two rows, and two cans are extracted from the packaging.

With reference to the mentioned drawings, a packaging 10 of products 100 is shown.

The packaging 10 of products 100 comprises a sheet- like support 20, a handleable band 30 and products 100 arranged over two rows .

The products 100 are for example, cans for liquids as shown in figures 1 to 5, 8, or bottles as shown in figures 6 and 7.

Alternatively, it is possible to provide for the products 100 to be other containers for liquids, such as for example jars, stiffened boxes for liquids or for other food products, or also of other nature.

As shown in figures 1 to 8, the packaging 10 advantageously does not have packaging film of plastic material which envelopes the two rows of products 100 or which envelopes the whole packaging 10.

Each of the products 100 comprises at least one vertical surface 101 and one base surface 102 adapted to rest on a horizontal geometrical surface H.

As shown by way of non-limiting example in figures 1 to 5, 8, the vertical surface 101 of the can is the outer surface.

As shown by way of non-limiting example in figures 6 to 7, the vertical surface 101 of the bottle is a surface wherein the label of the bottle is provided.

According to other examples not shown, the products could be shaped containers with a rectangular base or in any case shaped according to another geometrical shape.

The sheet-like support 20 is folded to form a support base 21 and two vertical flaps 22.

The sheet-like support 20 is a stiffened support obtained from a paper-board blank so as to limit the use of plastic.

Alternatively, the sheet-like support 20 may be comprised in a list comprising a rigid plastic material, a rigid laminate material or rigid materials equivalent to those listed in this list.

The support base 21 lies on the horizontal geometrical surface H and allows the base surface 102 of each of the products 100 to rest thereon.

As shown in figures 1 to 7, the packaging 10 comprises a multiplicity of horizontal adhesion points 41. A horizontal adhesion point 41 is provided between at least a portion of the base surface 102 of each of the products 100 and the support base 21.

As shown in particular in figures 1 to 8, the two vertical flaps 22 are arranged on opposite sides of the support base 21.

The support base 21 has quadrangular shape to contain four cans, as shown in figure 1, or four bottles, as shown in figure 6, or has a rectangular shape, as shown in figures 2 to 5, 7 to 8.

Alternatively, it may also be provided for the support base 21 to have shaped shape (not shown in the drawings), wherein shaped shape means for example, a shape which traces a perimeter of the surfaces of base 102 of the product 100 once arranged over two rows to be packaged, or shaped shape means for example, a shape comprising a multiplicity of broken or curved lines which defines a perimeter that has a geometrical shape or a different aesthetical shape.

As shown in figures 1 to 8, a first vertical flap 22 of the two vertical flaps 22 rests for at least a portion against the at least one vertical surface 101 of each of the products 100 arranged along a first row of the two rows .

The packaging 10 comprises a multiplicity of first vertical adhesion points 42. There is provided a first vertical adhesion point 42 between at least a portion of the vertical surface 101 of each of the products 100 of the first row and the first vertical flap 22.

A second vertical flap 22 of the two vertical flaps 22 rests for at least a portion against the at least one vertical surface 101 of each of the products 100 arranged along a second row of the two rows. The first vertical adhesion point 42 is provided between at least a portion of the vertical surface 101 of each of the products 100 of the second row and the second vertical flap 22.

As shown in figures 1 to 8, the handleable band 30 is a strip of a material comprised in a list comprising a plastic material, a stiffened material, a laminate material or flexible materials that are equivalent to those listed in said list.

The handleable band 30 comprises an arched portion 33 adapted to be handled by a person to take the packaging 10 and transport it securely.

The arched portion 33 of the handleable band 30 is provided to be arranged over the packaging 10 so as to be easily gripped by the person to transport the packaging 10.

The handleable band 30 comprises two ends 31, 32 respectively engaged with opposite sides of the sheet like support 20 wherein there are the two vertical flaps 22. The handleable band 30 keeps the products 100 stably enclosed in a row in the packaging 10, thus strengthening the structure and ensuring the compactness also under transport conditions of the packaging 10 by the person.

The handleable band 30 is engaged directly with the sheet-like support 20 by gluing or by means of adhesion or by means of double-sided adhesives or through other fixing means .

The two ends 31, 32 of the handleable band 30 are engaged with opposite sides of the support base 21 wherein there are the two vertical flaps 22. As shown in figures 1 to 7 in particular, the two ends 31, 32 are engaged with a portion of the lower surface of the support base 21 of the sheet-like support 20.

Alternatively, it is provided for two ends 31, 32 of the handleable band 30 to be a first end 31 engaged with the first vertical flap 22 and a second end 32 engaged with the second vertical flap 22.

At least the two ends 31, 32 of the handleable band 30 comprise an adhesion point for engaging the handleable band 30 with the sheet-like support 20. Moreover, the handleable band 30 comprises two vertical portions 34, each of which is in contact with the respective vertical flap 22.

It is possible to provide for the handleable band 30 to comprise an adhesion portion 34 which is at least as long as at least a portion of length of the handleable band 30, up to providing for the adhesion portion 34 to be at least as long as a whole length of the handleable band 30, excluding the arched portion 33 wherein it is handled by a person's hand.

It is possible to provide an increased height of the two vertical flaps 22 so as to have an increased adhesion portion 34 of the handleable band 30 that engages the two vertical flaps 22 for the whole height thereof. The height of the vertical flaps 22 is measured from the support base 21 in vertical direction upwards.

Alternatively, as shown in figures 6 and 7, it is possible to further strengthen the packaging 10 by providing two lateral flaps 23.

As shown in figures 6 and 7, the sheet-like support 20 is folded to form the two lateral flaps 23, wherein the two lateral flaps 23 are arranged on opposite sides of the support base 21 and on opposite sides with respect to the two vertical flaps 22.

As shown in figures 6 and 7, the two lateral flaps 23 of the packaging 10 are arranged on opposite sides with respect to the two vertical flaps 22. Each of the two lateral flaps 23 comprises two folded ends 24: a first folded end 24 is engaged with the first vertical flap 22 and a second folded end 24 is engaged with the second vertical flap 22.

Alternatively, the two lateral flaps 23 may be two elements that are not one piece with the sheet-like support 20 and therefore may be two lateral flaps 23 that are independent of the sheet-like support 20 that are engaged at the two vertical flaps 22 to strengthen the structure of the packaging. It is possible in this alternative for the two lateral flaps 23 to be of different material with respect to the one of the sheet like support 20. In particular, the material of the two independent lateral flaps 23 may be comprised in a list comprising a rigid plastic material, a stiffened material, a rigid laminate material or rigid materials equivalent to those listed in this list.

The engagement between the folded ends 24 and the vertical flaps 22 may occur by gluing or by means of adhesion or by means of double-sided adhesives or through other fixing means.

The height of the vertical flaps 22 depends on the height of the vertical surface 101 of the product 100 to be packaged.

It in any case is provided for the height of the vertical flaps 22 or of the lateral flaps 23 to meet the printing need of useful information for the product 100. The height of the lateral flaps 23 is measured as for the vertical flaps 22, from the support base 21 in vertical direction upwards.

Alternatively, the horizontal adhesion points 41 may be more than one for each product 100.

Alternatively, the first vertical adhesion points 42 may be more than one for each product 100 of the respective row of products 100.

Alternatively again as shown in figure 8, the packaging 10 does not comprise the multiplicity of horizontal adhesion points 41. In this alternative, the support base 21 does not have horizontal adhesion points 41. The packaging 10 instead comprises a multiplicity of second vertical adhesion points 43. There is provided a second vertical adhesion point 43 between at least a portion of the vertical surface 101 of each of the products 100 arranged at the ends of the two rows of products 100 and the two lateral flaps 23, wherein the two lateral flaps 23 are arranged on opposite sides of the support base 21 and on opposite sides with respect to the two vertical flaps 22. A first lateral flap 23 of the two lateral flaps 23 is adapted to rest for at least a portion against the at least one vertical surface 101 of each of the products 100 arranged at a first end of the first and of the second row of the at least two rows; the second vertical adhesion point 43 is provided between at least a portion of said vertical surface 101 of each of said products 100 of the first end of the two rows and the first lateral flap 23. A second lateral flap 23 of the two lateral flaps 23 is adapted to rest for at least a portion against the at least one vertical surface 101 of each of the products 100 arranged at a second end of the first and of the second row of the at least two rows, the second vertical adhesion point 43 being provided between at least a portion of said vertical surface 101 of each of said products 100 of the second end of the two rows and the first lateral flap 23.

Advantageously, the presence of the second vertical adhesion points 43 between the lateral flaps 23 and the products 100 allows the packaging 10 to avoid the presence of horizontal adhesion points 41.

In this alternative depicted in figure 8, the two lateral flaps 23 do not comprise second folded ends 24, but second folded ends 24 may be provided in a further alternative. The height of the lateral flaps 23 depends on the height of the vertical surface 101 of the product 100 to be packaged. This alternative provides for the lateral flaps 23 to be a single piece with the sheet like support 20 and to be obtained from the folding thereof, also if it is possible to provide an alternative wherein the lateral flaps 23 are not one piece with the sheet-like support 20.

Alternatively to the last alternative shown in figure 8, the second vertical adhesion points 43 between the lateral flaps 23 and the products 100 may be more than one for each product 100 of the respective row of products 100.

Alternatively, the adhesion points 41, 42 and 43 may be extended adhesion surfaces, such as for example adhesive strips.

As shown in figures 1 to 8, the products 100 preferably are positioned over two rows so as to obtain a packaging 10 of products 100 that is more robust and secure to transport.

According to the invention, the presence of intermediate rows of products 100 between the first and the second row is not excluded, and the presence is also not excluded of possible intermediate strengthening sheet-like elements joined by means of adhesion points to the products 100 and/or to the sheet-like support 20.

The products 100 of the packaging 10 may have random orientation in the final packaging or may be oriented according to particular needs.

It is possible to apply, on the upper side of the packaging 10 and/or on one or more lateral sides of the packaging 10, at least one label serving the purpose of protecting the products 100 and/or increasing the surface on which information is to be printed.

Alternatively again, it is possible to provide for each of said two vertical flaps 22 to comprise at least one folded end 24; a first folded end 24 is engaged with the first lateral flap 23 and a second folded end 24 is engaged with the second lateral flap 23.

Advantageously, the packaging 10 for packaging products 100 is ecologically sustainable, respects the environment more, significantly reduces the use of plastic materials of the packaging, is more biodegradable, manageable, allows a secure transport of the packaged products.

The invention thus conceived is susceptible to many modifications and variants, all falling within the same inventive concept; moreover, all the details can be replaced by technically equivalent elements. In practice, the materials used, as well as their dimensions, can be of any type according to the technical requirements.