DE29910568U1 - Containers for the transport of flowers and additional items - Google Patents

Description

DIEHL · GLAESER HILTL & PARTNERS

CIVIL LAW COMPANY

Patent attorneys ■ Augustenstrasse 46 ■ D - 80333 Munich Dr. Hermann O. Th. Diehl ■ Graduate physicist Joachim W. Glaeser · Graduate engineer Dr. Elmar HiItI ■ Graduate chemist Dr. Thomas Leidescher ■ Graduate biologist

Patent Attorneys · European Patent Attorneys Munich · Hamburg"

46128/99

16 June 1999

Ensinger Flower Trade GmbH
8182 9 Munich

Container for transporting. Flowers and additional 7:1 i

Law firm ■ Office: Munich

Telephone · Telephone
(089) 17 86 §6-0

Fax ■ Facsimile (089) 1 78 40 33 (089) 1 78 40 34

EMAIL address: mfo@diehl.ccn.de Address ■ Address
Augustenstrasse 46
D - 80333 Munich

Postal address · Mailing address P.O. Box 34 01 15 D - 80098 Munich

Description

The invention relates to a container for transporting flowers and additional objects, in particular gift items, with a base, a ceiling, side walls and a container closure.

Containers in the form of folding boxes are known. A bouquet of flowers or a flowerpot can be placed in such a box and transported in a protected manner. The disadvantages of such an arrangement are obvious. The bouquet of flowers must be placed in a suitable container, e.g. a vase, which in turn must be secured in the box to prevent it from slipping. A flower pot placed in the box also requires such a fastening. In addition, flowers packaged in this way cannot be transported or sent over long distances, e.g. by post, without damage due to the complicated and therefore usually inadequate fastening.

Another aspect arises from the nature of flowers, namely their frequent use as gifts. It is often desirable to either complement the flowers with an additional gift, e.g. sweets such as chocolates, or conversely to complement the actual gift with flowers. Until now, it was impossible or only possible with great effort to deliver such different objects as delicate flowers and relatively heavy gift items such as a filled bottle or a book to their destination in a single package without damaging the flowers, especially by standard postal delivery.

The invention is therefore based on the object of specifying a container for the transport of flowers and additional objects, in particular gift items, which allows easy packaging of the flowers and the additional objects

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and at the same time ensures that even during longer transport and the inevitable movements and impacts against the packaging, damage to the flowers in particular, but also to the additional items, is largely excluded.

This object is achieved by the invention by a container of the type mentioned at the outset with a base, a cover, side walls and a container closure, which is characterized in that

a) a side wall of the container is designed as a container closure,

b) the container has a flower-holding device in its interior,

c) the container has a bottle holder in its interior and

d) the container has a partition wall in its interior which divides this interior into a flower and bottle compartment on the one hand and an additional compartment on the other.

The container according to the invention is very practical and not only makes it easy to pack flowers and other gift items in a single transport cover, but also protects the flowers from pressure, impact and extreme ambient temperatures. The flowers can be transported in the form of a cut bouquet or in the form of a potted plant in the container according to the invention.

Preferably, the container is designed in such a way that its outer shell is constructed like a folding box. In contrast to this, however, the opening of the container according to the invention is not in the container cover, but

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or in a container side wall. This means that this side wall is preferably designed in the manner known from folding boxes with four wings that can be folded against each other in pairs. In accordance with this lateral container opening, the container is optionally provided with lateral openings that serve as handles, so that when the container is carried with the help of these handles, the container closure is always directed sideways.

The container closure can also be designed in any other way. For example, it can be a loose lid that can be put over the box part or pushed into the box part.

It has proven to be advantageous if the flower holding device has an upper holding base with a relatively small opening for securing flower stems and a lower holding base with a relatively large opening for guiding the flower stems through. This design of the flower holding device enables the flower stems to be secured well both vertically and horizontally. This means that the flowers cannot tip over in the container or otherwise slip into an unfavorable position.

It is advantageous if the flower holding device has lateral projections with which it engages in at least one corresponding recess in one or more side walls of the container in order to fix it within the container. This ensures that the flowers together with their holding device are not displaced in the container against the ceiling thereof, which could easily cause them to break off.

A practical alternative to fixing the flower holder in the box part of the container is to use a push-through element. For this purpose, the flower holder has

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The device has an opening in at least one section that is immediately adjacent to a side wall of the container, and a similar opening is provided at the corresponding point on this side wall of the container. The fixing push-through element, e.g. a metal clip, can then be passed through the two congruent openings.

Both alternatives of fixing the flower holder can also be implemented simultaneously.

There are also other fixing options available, e.g. using a pressure-sensitive adhesive or a Velcro connection.

Preferably, the upper holding base of the flower holding device is cut open along a cutting line that extends from the area of its front edge facing the container closure to the aforementioned relatively small opening in the holding base. At the same time, a folding line is provided that also extends from the area of the aforementioned front edge of the upper holding base to the aforementioned relatively small opening. As a result, the section on the upper holding base between the cutting line and the folding line can be pivoted upwards about the latter as a pivot axis. The upper holding base designed in this way functions as a closure for the flower stems to be fixed. By pivoting the aforementioned section upwards, the lateral access to the relatively small opening in the upper holding base is opened for the insertion of the flower stems. After this insertion, the holding base section is pivoted back into the starting position and thereby closes the relatively small opening in the upper holding base to the side, i.e. the flower stems are then fixed in this opening.

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In practice, the bottle holding device is particularly easy to handle if it consists of a bottle body holding element and a separate bottle neck holding element. Both elements can be easily attached to the bottle to be packaged independently of one another. This also makes it easy to adapt the bottle holding device to the bottle, e.g. to its size.

Preferably, the flower holding device, the bottle holding device and the partition are designed as separate parts from each other and from the box part of the container and can be individually inserted into and removed from the box part. This ensures a certain flexibility in the arrangement of these parts within the box part. These holding parts and the partition can also be manufactured separately and, if necessary, e.g. in the event of damage, easily replaced.

In a very easy-to-assemble design of the container, both the bottle holder and the partition are clamped between the bottom of the container and the lower holding base of the flower holder to fix them in place. This means that additional holding elements for the bottle holder and the partition are not required.

It is also advantageous if a section of the partition wall is designed as an additional end floor below the relatively large opening in the lower holding floor of the flower holder. This provides additional support for the flower stems downwards and, if necessary, creates a base for the flower pot for packing a potted plant.

For a cost-effective production of the flower holder, the bottle holder and the partition wall as well as

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In order to save space when transporting these parts before they are used, it is very useful if these parts can be punched out of a flat sheet material and then folded into the appropriate shape at the desired later point in time when they are to be used. The particular advantage of such a design is that the parts mentioned can be punched out of a single piece of sheet material, but possibly not yet completely separated from one another, and at the same time provided with the corresponding folding lines along which they are then folded.

It is particularly preferred that all parts of the container are made of two-layer corrugated cardboard. This is not only a cost-effective raw material for the purpose in question, but also ensures good protection of the flowers against pressure, impact and particular thermal influences such as frost and heat. Of course, any other surface material that has similar properties to the corrugated cardboard can also be used.

The container according to the invention can be manufactured in very different sizes as required. This also applies to the flower-holding device, the bottle-holding device and the partition. Preferably, in its position of use, in which its closure is arranged laterally, the container has a height in accordance with the applicable shipping regulations, e.g. a height of 582 mm, a width of 464 mm and a depth of 425 mm.

The bottle holder can hold bottles with a capacity of, for example, 0.7 to 1.5 l.

The additional space created by the partition in the container can be filled with a cuboid-shaped object, e.g. a book or a box of chocolates, up to a size of approximately 390mm x 290mm x 70mm.

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The invention is explained below by an embodiment shown schematically in the drawing.

Show it

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the container according to the invention with the container closure open and with a section of the upper holding base of the flower holding device pivoted upwards;

Fig. 2 is a view according to Fig. 1, but with the portion of the upper holding base in the closed position and without the bottle holding device and the partition;

Fig. 3 is a view according to Fig. 1 with a partially pulled out bottle holding device including an inserted bottle and with a partially pulled out partition with a box of chocolates partially inserted into the additional space;

Fig. 4a is a slightly perspective view of a flower-holding device in the unfolded form after punching out of a sheet material;

Fig. 4b is a slightly perspective view, from the front and above, of the flower holder according to Fig. 4a after folding, with a view of the relatively small opening in the upper holding base;

Fig. 5a is a plan view of a bottle body holding element in the unfolded form after punching from a sheet material;
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Fig. 5b is a plan view of the bottle body holding element according to Fig. 5a after folding, looking towards the bottle body opening;

Fig. 6a is a slightly perspective top view of a bottle neck retaining element in the unfolded form after punching out of a sheet material;

Fig. 6b is a plan view of the bottle neck holding element according to Fig. 6a after folding, looking towards the bottle neck opening;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view, obliquely from below, of a bottle prepared for use in the container according to the invention with a bottle body holding element and a bottle neck holding element attached;

Fig. 8a is a slightly perspective top view of a partition in the unfolded form after punching out of a sheet material;

Fig. 8b is a perspective view of the partition according to Fig. 8a after folding, partly from above and partly from the front, with a box of chocolates partially inserted from the front;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the container according to Fig. 1 in closed form, obliquely from above and 0 left rear;

Fig. 10 is a plan view of an overall arrangement of the bottle holder, the partition and the flower holder in the unfolded and still connected form after punching out of a sheet material; and

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Fig. 11 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 2, but with a bouquet of flowers inserted into the flower holder.
5

In the drawing, Fig. 1 shows a container according to the invention in a perspective view with a view into the interior of the container.

The container essentially consists of a box part 1, which has various built-in parts inside it, as explained below. One side wall of the box part 1 or of the container is designed as a container closure. This usually consists of four wings 2,3,4,5 that can be folded against each other in pairs. They are open in Fig. 1 and allow a view into the interior of the container.

A flower holding device 6, a bottle holding device 7 and a partition 8 are arranged in the container. This divides the interior of the container into a flower and bottle space 9 on the one hand and an additional space 10 on the other hand.

The flower holding device essentially consists of an upper holding base 11 with a relatively small opening 12 and a lower holding base 13 with a relatively large opening 14.

The upper holding base 11 is cut along a cutting line 15 which extends from its front edge 16 to the said relatively small opening 12. Furthermore, the upper holding base 11 is provided along a folding line 17 which also extends from the front edge 16 of the upper holding base 11 to the said relatively small opening 12. As a result, a section 18 of the upper holding base 11 between the cutting line 15 and the folding line 17 is

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The latter can be swivelled upwards as a swivel axis. Fig. 1 shows this swivelled-up position.

From Fig. 1 it is also clear that the flower holder 6 is located slightly below half the height of the container and that the bottle holder 7 and the partition wall forming the additional space 10 are arranged to the left and right below the lower holding base 13 of the flower holder 6. The additional space 10 has the shape of a horizontal L in its front view. For illustration purposes only, in the case of Fig. 1 a box of chocolates 19 is placed in the additional space 10 as an example of a gift item.

Fig. 2 shows essentially the same view of the container as Fig. 1. However, in Fig. 2, the section 18 of the upper holding base 11 of the flower holding device 6 is in its normal position, i.e. it is located in the plane of the upper holding base 11 and thus only leaves the relatively small opening 12 free, in which the flower stems are clamped when the container is filled with cut flowers, for example. Furthermore, the bottle holding device 7 and the partition 8 under the lower holding base 13 of the flower holding device 6 are not shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but additionally shows the partially pulled out bottle holder 7 including a bottle 20 inserted therein. Furthermore, the partially pulled out partition 8 is shown with a chocolate box 19 partially inserted into the additional space 10. In Fig. 3 it can also be seen that the additional space 10 formed by the partition 8 is lower in its section 10a arranged approximately in the middle of the container, which is located under the relatively large opening 14 of the lower holding base 13 of the flower holder 6 when the partition 8 is fully inserted (Fig. 1), than the section adjacent to the right

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Section 10b of the additional space 10 adjacent to the side wall of the container.

In Fig. 4a, the flower holding device 6 is shown in a slightly perspective view in the unfolded form after punching out of a sheet material. The dashed lines are fold lines at which the punched out sheet material is bent by 90 degrees to give the flower holding device the shape shown in Figs. 1 to 3. Bending or pivoting about the fold line 17 only occurs in order to pivot the section 18 of the flower holding device inserted in the container upwards in order to insert the stems of the flowers to be packaged into the relatively small opening 12 in the upper holding base 11, which then extend further downwards through the relatively large opening 14 in the lower holding base 13.

Fig. 4b shows a slightly perspective view of the flower holding device 6 obliquely from above and from the front. Side projections 21 can also be seen which, when the flower holding device is inserted into the container, engage in corresponding recesses 22 in the side walls of the box part 1 of the container in order to fix it. The recesses 22 are shown in Fig. 9.

In the embodiment explained in the drawing, the bottle holding device 7 consists of a bottle body holding element 7a and a separate bottle neck holding element 7b. These elements are explained in Figs. 5a and 5b and 6a and 6b.

Fig. 5a shows a top view of a bottle body holding element 7a in the unfolded form after punching out of a sheet material. The dashed lines are fold lines at which the punched out sheet material is folded by 90 degrees in the direction of view in Fig. 5a. In the

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The bottle body holding element 7a has a bottle body opening 7c for inserting a bottle 20 (Fig. 7). To enable the bottle body opening 7c to be adapted to the bottle diameter, there are radial incisions 7d on the circumference of the circular bottle body opening 7c. Fig. 5b shows the bottle body holding element according to Fig. 5a after folding with a view of the bottle body opening 7c.

The bottle neck holding element 7b is designed very similarly to the bottle body holding element 7a. Fig. 6a shows a slightly perspective view of the bottle neck holding element 7b in the unfolded form after punching out of a sheet material. The dashed lines are fold lines at which the punched out sheet material is bent backwards by 90 degrees in the direction of view in Fig. 6a. The corresponding top view of the bottle neck holding element 7b after folding is shown in Fig. 6b. The bottle neck holding element 7b is provided with a bottle neck opening 0 7e.

Fig. 7 shows a bottle 20 prepared for use in the container according to the invention with attached bottle body holding element 7a and attached bottle neck holding element 7b.

Fig. 8a shows a slightly perspective top view of the partition wall 8 in the unfolded form after punching out of a sheet material. The dashed lines are fold lines for folding the punched out sheet material. The largest area 8a between two dashed lines 8b, 8c is the bottom section of the partition wall 8, which rests on the bottom of the container after insertion into the box part 1.

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Fig. 8b shows a perspective view of the partition wall 8 according to Fig. 8a after folding, partly from above and partly from the front, with a chocolate box 19 partially inserted from the front into the additional space 10 formed.
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Fig. 9 shows a perspective view of the container according to Fig. 1 in closed form, diagonally from above and to the left at the back. Two wings 2,4 of the container closure 2,3,4,5 can be seen to a small extent on the top of the container at the right at the back. In addition, the container has a handle opening 23 in its upper area in a side wall, which is designed in a corresponding manner on the opposite side wall (not visible). The handle openings 23 are not only used for inserting the fingers when carrying the container, but also represent important ventilation openings for the interior of the container in order to supply the flowers transported therein with fresh air. The handle openings 23 are formed by partially punching out a small oval cutout in the side wall of the container 0 and pressing this section into the interior of the container.

In the lower half of the container side wall having the handle openings 23, two horizontal narrow recesses 22 are provided which are arranged at a distance from one another. The lateral projections 21 of the upper holding base 11 and the lower holding base 13 (Fig. 4a and 4b) engage in these when the flower holding device is fixed in the box part 1 (e.g. Fig. 3).

Fig. 10 shows, from left to right, a top view of an overall arrangement of the bottle holder 7, the partition 8 and the flower holder 6 in the unfolded and still connected form after punching out of a sheet material. In this design, the parts mentioned can be manufactured particularly easily and inexpensively.

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bar. To use them, they are separated from each other along the double lines and folded along the solid single and dashed lines, as already mentioned above. The hatched sections are removed. In this embodiment, radial incisions 12a are also provided around the relatively small opening 12 in the upper holding base 11 of the flower holding device 6. These incisions 12a serve to adapt to the diameter of the bouquet to be packaged in the area of the tied flower stems.

Small openings 24 are prepared near the two lateral projections 21 of the upper holding base 11. When the flower holding device 6 is folded and inserted into the container at the appropriate location, the two openings 24 lie against two opposite side walls of the container. These each have a similar passage in the form of a cross-cut 25 at the corresponding location (Fig. 9). Thus, with the help of the openings 24 and the associated cross-cuts 25, the flower holding device 6 can be fixed to the box part 1 by means of a push-through element (not shown in the drawing), e.g. with a fastening clip. This fixation can be implemented alternatively or in addition to the aforementioned fixation by means of the lateral projections 21 on the upper holding base 11 and the associated recesses 22 in the box part 1.

Fig. 11 shows a perspective view similar to Fig. 2, 0 but with a bouquet of flowers 26 inserted into the flower holding device 6.

To use the container according to the invention, the wings 2,3,4,5 of the container closure are opened. The section 18 of the upper holding base 11 of the flower holding device 6 is pivoted upwards. The stems of the flowers to be stored can then be

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The flowers to be packed are inserted essentially vertically into the relatively small opening 12 of the upper holding base 11. The term "flowers" here means any correspondingly shaped plant or a plurality of these, e.g. a bouquet of cut flowers, possibly also planted in a pot. The section 18 is then swung back into its horizontal position, closing the relatively small opening 12 to such an extent that the flower stems located therein are fixed. In the case of a bouquet of flowers, the stems of the fixed flowers extend even further downwards through the relatively large opening 14 of the lower holding base 13 to the top of the partition 8, which can also serve as a support if necessary. In the case of packing a potted plant, its pot stands on this partition 8.

After the flowers have been secured, the common front edge 16 of the upper holding base 11 and the section 18 is folded downwards by 90 degrees (Fig. 2). This also angles the section of the fold line 17, which is located in the area of the aforementioned front edge 16, by 90 degrees. This locks the section 18 so that it cannot accidentally swing upwards again and release the flower stems.

If desired, a bottle 20 is then introduced into the bottle holding device 7 below the flower holding device 6. For this purpose, the bottle neck holding element 7b is pushed onto the bottle neck and, on the opposite side, the bottle body holding element 7a is pushed onto the bottle body. The resulting arrangement (Fig. 7) is introduced laterally under the flower holding device 6.

In addition, the additional space formed by the partition wall 8 can, if necessary, be filled with other objects, such as packaged sweets and/or books.

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After filling the flower and bottle compartment 9 and the additional compartment 10, the container is closed in the usual way by closing the wings 2,3,4,5 and securing them with adhesive strips. The container is then ready for careful transport or shipping of the packaged flowers and any other enclosed items.

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Claims (12)

1. Container for the transport of flowers and additional objects, in particular gift items, with a box part ( 1 ) consisting of a base, a cover, side walls and a container closure ( 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ), characterized in that a) a side wall of the container is designed as a container closure ( 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ), b) the container has a flower holding device ( 6 ) in its interior, c) the container has a bottle holding device ( 7 ) in its interior and d) the container has a partition wall ( 8 ) in its interior which divides this interior into a flower and bottle compartment ( 9 ) on the one hand and an additional compartment ( 10 ) on the other hand. 2. Container according to claim 1, characterized in that a side wall of the container is designed as a conventional folding box closure with four wings ( 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ) which can be folded against each other in pairs. 3. Container according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the flower holding device ( 6 ) has an upper holding base ( 11 ) with a relatively small opening ( 12 ) for fixing flower stems and a lower holding base ( 13 ) with a relatively large opening ( 14 ) for passing the flower stems through. 4. Container according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the flower holding device ( 6 ) has lateral projections ( 21 ) with which it engages in at least one corresponding recess ( 22 ) in one or more side walls of the container for its fixation within the box part ( 1 ) of the container. 5. Container according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the flower holding device ( 6 ) for fixing in the box part ( 1 ) of the container by means of a push-through element has an opening ( 24 ) in at least one section ( 11 , 13 ) of the device ( 6 ) which is immediately adjacent to a side wall of the container, and a similar passage ( 25 ) is provided at the corresponding point of this side wall of the container. 6. Container according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the upper holding base ( 11 ) of the flower holding device ( 6 ) is cut open along a cutting line ( 15 ) which extends from the region of its front edge ( 16 ) facing the container closure to the said relatively small opening ( 12 ), and that along a folding line ( 17 ) which also extends from the region of the said front edge ( 16 ) of the upper holding base ( 11 ) to the said relatively small opening ( 12 ), the upper holding base ( 11 ) can be pivoted upwards in a section ( 18 ) between the cutting line ( 15 ) and the folding line ( 17 ) about the latter as a pivot axis. 7. Container according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the bottle holding device ( 7 ) consists of a bottle body holding element ( 7a ) and a bottle neck holding element ( 7b ) separate therefrom. 8. Container according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the flower holding device ( 6 ), the bottle holding device ( 7 ) and the partition wall ( 8 ) are designed as parts which are separate from one another and from the box part 1 of the container and which can be individually inserted into and removed from the box part ( 1 ). 9. Container according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that both the bottle holding device ( 7 ) and the partition wall ( 8 ) are clamped between the bottom of the container and the lower holding base ( 13 ) of the flower holding device ( 6 ) for their fixing. 10. Container according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that a section of the partition wall ( 8 ) is designed as an additional closing base below the relatively large opening ( 14 ) in the lower holding base ( 13 ) of the flower holding device ( 6 ). 11. Container according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the flower holding device ( 6 ), the bottle holding device ( 7 ) and the partition wall ( 8 ) can each be punched out of a flat sheet material and then folded into their use shape. 12. Container according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that all parts of the container consist of a two-layer corrugated cardboard.