The present invention relates to improvements in packaging. In particular the present invention relates to a packaging system and method for kits of parts of ovens, and especially pizza ovens.

Commercial ovens are sold as kits of parts for self-assembly by an end user. Typically a kit is provided to a user and having selected the necessary parts the end user assembles the oven on the commercial premises where the oven is to be used.

Ovens are routinely packaged in a manner that attempts to minimize the space that the packaged product occupies so as to reduce the cost of both storage and transit.

The present invention seeks to provide an improved system and method for packaging ovens.

According to the present invention there is provided an oven packaging system comprising: an item of oven packaging having an first region and a second region;

a kit of parts in the item of packaging for assembly of at least part of an oven; the kit of parts being divided into a plurality of layers of parts positioned between the first and second regions; wherein

the layers of parts are ordered between the first and second regions with the parts substantially in the sequence that a user requires the parts to assemble the at least part of an oven.

In some embodiments the item of packaging comprises at least three layers of parts, or at least four layers of parts, or at least five layers of parts, or at least six layers of parts.

In some embodiments the item of packaging comprises a plurality of dividers to delineate separate layers.

In some embodiments a layer is housed within a single compartment.

In some embodiments a layer is housed within a plurality of compartments. In some embodiments a kit for assembling substantially complete oven is provided in a single item of packaging.

In some embodiments a plurality of kits for assembling a plurality of substantially complete ovens are provided in a single item of packaging.

In some embodiments at least one layer comprises a plurality of sets of parts.

In some embodiments the sequence in which a plurality of sets of parts within a layer of parts is to be assembled is indicated by indicia.

In some embodiments the first region is an upper region the second region is a lower region.

In some embodiments the first layer of parts that a user is to assemble located above the last layer of parts that the user is to assemble, with intermediate layers located sequentially in between.

In some embodiments the last layer of parts that a user is to assemble located above the first layer of parts that the user is to assemble, with intermediate layers located sequentially in between.

It is preferable that for expedience the first layer of parts is located uppermost in order that a user may simply remove the layer from the item of packaging and commence assembly.

However, in some instances it may be preferable for the first layer of parts to be used to be located lowermost in order that the layers of the item of packaging may be removed from the item of packaging and stacked up with the order of layers being reversed in the process.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of assembling at least part of an oven comprising the sequential steps of:

i) providing a packaging system made in accordance with any preceding statement of invention; ii) taking parts from a first layer of parts and using those parts to assemble the at least part of an oven;

iii) taking parts from a second layer of parts found adjacent to the first layer of parts and using those parts to assemble the at least part of an oven.

In some embodiments the method comprises a further step of:

iv) taking parts from a further layer of parts found adjacent to the layer of parts most recently assembled and using the parts from the further layer of parts to assemble the at least part of an oven.

In some embodiments the method comprises a further step of:

v) repeating step iv) until all layers of parts have been used.

In some embodiments the method comprises an initial step of removing layers of parts from the item of packaging and stacking them so as to reverse their order.

In order that the present invention may be more fully understood a specific embodiment will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, of which:

Figure 1 is cross section through a generic scheme of an item of oven packaging constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of a pallet holding a pizza oven, the item of packaging being constructed in accordance with the scheme of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings a cardboard item of oven packaging 1 comprises a top 2a, 2b and a base 3. Top 2a, 2b is located at the upper end of item of packaging 1 and base 3 is located at the lower end of item of packaging 1.

Top 2 is formed of two flaps 2a, 2b that may sealed for transit and when unsealed may be folded upwardly by a user in order to gain access to the contents of item of packaging 1.

Thus the upper end of item of packaging 1 comprises an opening through which a user may access the contents of item of packaging 1. Stored within item of packaging 1 are three separate boxes 4, 5, 6, with box 4 located uppermost, box 5 being below box 4 and with box 6 being below box 5.

Together boxes 4, 5, 6 hold a kit of parts for assembling an oven (not shown).

Box 4 contains a first portion of the kit of parts that a user needs to assemble the oven, box 5 contains a second portion of the kit of parts that a user needs to assemble the oven, and box six contains the final portion of the kit of parts that a user needs to assemble the oven.

Thus, in order to assemble a packaged oven a user may remove box 4 from item of packaging 1, remove the first portion of the kit of parts and assemble them. When that task is complete the user may then remove box 5 from item of packaging 1, remove the second portion of the kit of parts and assemble them. Finally the user may remove box 6 from item of packaging 1 and complete assembly of the oven using the third portion of the kit of parts.

Thus by sequencing the kit of parts between the top 2a, 2b and the base a user is guided through the assembly of the oven without needing to hunt for the relevant parts required at a particular stage of assembly.

This is in contrast to prior art systems of packaging self-assembly ovens, whereby in attempting to reduce the space of the packaged oven to a minimum parts of a kit are mixed together in no particular order or sequence.

Thus by prioritising sequence of parts over size of packaging an end user may more rapidly and conveniently assemble an oven.

Whilst the present invention is applicable to all ovens it is of particular benefit in relation to large commercial and industrial ovens that have heavier and larger parts in comparison to smaller ovens.

An oven having heavier and larger parts means that it is even more difficult for an end-user to search through a randomised selection of parts to locate the next part needed in order to assemble an oven. To illustrate, and turning to Figure 2, a commercial pizza oven is provided on a pallet 7, with the overall item 14 being constructed in accordance with the packaging system of the present invention.

An upper layer 8 stores calcium silicate boards 9, which form an insulated base for the oven.

A middle layer 10 stores parts of a floor 11 of the oven.

A lower layer 12 stores parts of a dome 13 of the oven.

Upon delivery a user may start to unpack item 14.

The upper layer 8 is the first to be unpacked and a user may directly construct an insulated base from the calcium silicate boards 9 contained within upper layer 10.

When the base has been constructed the user may then unpack middle layer 10 of floor parts 11 and construct the floor of the pizza oven therefrom.

When the floor has been constructed the user may then unpack the lower layer 12 of dome parts 13 and construct the dome of the pizza oven upon the floor.

By providing item of packaging 14 in accordance with the present invention a user is elegantly guided through the construction of a pizza oven without the need to hunt for required parts at each stage of construction.

It will be apparent to a person skilled in the art that many variations are possible.

For example, a layer of parts may comprise a plurality of separate compartments.

Parts may be compartmentalized in a variety of ways, for example using boxes, bubble wrapping, paper wrapping or any other suitable means.

The compartments of a layer may have a sequence in which they are to be used, designated, for example, by indicia such as numbering or wording located on the compartments. More than one oven or only part of a oven may be provided within a single item of packaging. A layer may comprise a single part or may comprise a plurality of parts.

Layers need not be vertically stacked but in some embodiments may also be horizontally stacked such that a user works their way through layers from a first side of an item of packaging towards a second side of the item of packaging.

An entire item of packaging need not be filled with sequential layers of parts, but only part of an item of packaging might house such layers, with the remainder of the item of packaging housing other products, kits or objects. A item of packaging need not be a box, for example, but may be a pallet upon which is stacked the sequential layers of parts as illustrated in Figure 2.

Many variations are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.