ES2879699T3 - Cleaning tools packaging - Google Patents

Abstract

A packaging for cleaning tools (1) having a support (2) and a plurality of bristles (3) fixed to the support (2), the packaging comprising: - A box-shaped body (10) defining a storage space internal containment (101) of at least one cleaning tool (1) and having a longitudinal axis (X), said box-shaped body (10) being limited by four peripheral walls parallel to said longitudinal axis (X) and having defines four concave corners; - said box-shaped body comprising removable locking means (22) of said support (2) in said space (101), said box-shaped body (10) having a cross-section having the shape of an isosceles trapezoid, open at both ends and having a base face (11) and an upper face (12) joined by two oblique side walls (13, 14), characterized in that said locking means comprise at least one locking element (21 , 22) associated with said box-shaped body (10) and for engaging with said support (2) to fix said support in a packing position with respect to said space (101), said at least one blocking element comprising the least one transverse member with respect to said longitudinal axis (X) and fitted in said containment space (101), said member being selected from a single pin (27) passing transversely through at least one of said side walls, a pair of spikes converges before (23, 24; 28, 29) protruding into said space (101) each transversely from a respective side wall (13, 14), a tooth protruding into said space (101) and protruding from at least one of the side walls facing said support, hooked on/with said support.

Description

DESCRIPTION

Cleaning tools packaging

Scope

The invention refers to a packaging for cleaning tools that is generally usable to contain and transport in a protected way one or more cleaning tools stacked on pallets of standardized measure, optimizing the occupied space.

State of the art

It is known that for the shipment of a number of objects in general, and in the specific case of cleaning tools such as broom bases, brushes and the like for industrial and / or road use, so-called "pallets" are typically used, that is to say , wooden bases that have standard dimensions predetermined by convention, on which the packages containing the cleaning tools inside are arranged in a pre-established way to form a pile that is then wrapped with a containment strap.

The cleaning tools are typically inserted into a transport packaging made of cardboard, generally in the form of a parallelepiped box, also in this case arranged in a predetermined order to contain as many of them as possible.

Hereinafter it will be specified that the definition "cleaning tools" indicates, by way of example, broom bases provided with bristles, but without sticks, brushes of various shapes, such as cup brushes or cylindrical brushes, and all those utensils that are provided with flexible bristles designed to clean surfaces. Typically, as is known, broom bases, particularly those for industrial and / or road use, comprise a support body that has a flat and elongated shape, the function of which is to support the bristles that protrude from a face thereof that is considered more low.

On an opposite face, which is the upper one with respect to that from which the bristles extend and parallel to it, the support body is provided with a standard connector, typically raised, to allow the handling stick to be attached to the base. .

Similarly, cylindrical brushes comprise a central body, also cylindrical, on which the ends of bundles of flexible bristles are planted, extending in a radial outer direction, according to a predetermined arrangement.

Cup brushes, on the other hand, comprise a circular flat base that has a face on which the ends of the bundles of bristles are planted and an opposite face provided with connection elements to a sweeping machine. The bristles of the cup brushes are planted on the face in such a way that they are inclined and divergent outwards. The shape and dimensions of the packaging of these cleaning tools in general, considering the standardized dimensions of the Europallets or the boxes, are, therefore, of great importance to optimize the spaces occupied when forming the pile or the transport packaging. , so that on each pallet, the largest possible number of packages and therefore cleaning tools are loaded, causing the overall dimensions of the stack formed to remain within the outer dimensions of the pallet.

From DE 4417706 a housing with a brush for a cleaning device is known.

In detail, the cleaning device may be a motor-driven carpet brush, where the brush has a radial clearance or a radial projection.

To provide an optimal way to replace a brush, the disclosure of document DE4417706 proposes that the housing has a tubular containment space for the brush, that in the containment space there is a locking means that protrudes radially inward to engage in the space cleared or cooperate with the projection, that the blocking means can be bypassed only in one direction and that the containment space is open or can be opened at its two ends.

Currently, the known packages used to contain cleaning tools do not have any effective measure to keep each cleaning tool firm inside them during transport, and this represents a drawback of the known state of the art.

In fact, the cleaning tools move during the handling of the packages that contain them, and this causes the bristles to bend against the walls of the package.

These folds remain permanent in many cases and cleaning tools appear damaged even if they are new.

That is, the self-weight of each cleaning tool weighs on the mass of bristles when the latter bear against the walls of the packages, forcing them in this position for long periods of time and causing deformations of the bristles that can become permanent.

Another problem of the known prior art consists in that some known containers, especially those in the form of a box, are substantially expensive and, being made of a material intended to be disposable, the sales prices of each cleaning tool must also include an amount that covers the cost of packaging, which, at the end of the production and marketing chain, must be paid by the buyer.

Some less expensive types of packaging, on the other hand, typically those intended to contain broom bases without sticks, have protective surfaces of limited dimensions and, above all, their conformation does not make it possible to somehow also contain the connectors for the sticks. that are made in a raised shape with respect to the bases and that, therefore, remain protruding from the packaging.

This avoids an optimal arrangement between adjacent packages, for example by placing the two connectors for the sticks in an inverted position with respect to each other, on the pallets or in the boxes.

In fact, this arrangement creates empty and unusable gaps in a stack, causing the creation of stacks made up of a limited number of packages that can be loaded or inserted into each box.

Presentation of the invention

An object of the invention is to improve the known state of the art.

Another object of the invention is to provide a packaging for cleaning tools that allows the bristles with which they are equipped to be kept intact, keeping them firm and fixed during transport to the marketing destinations.

Another object of the invention is to achieve a packaging for cleaning tools that allows optimizing spaces in the formation of piles on a pallet.

Another object of the invention is to achieve a packaging for cleaning tools that has a very simple structure and, therefore, very economical.

Another object of the invention is to achieve a packaging for cleaning tools that can be reused at least in part for the storage of cleaning tools after use.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a packaging for broom bases, according to the features of claim 1.

Other aspects of the invention are indicated in the dependent claims.

The invention makes it possible to achieve the following advantages:

- protect the integrity of the bristles during transport and handling of the packaging on the pallets, avoiding unwanted deformation of the same;

- optimize spaces in the formation of stacks to be loaded on transport pallets or inside containers, limiting the presence of empty intermediate spaces;

- reuse the packaging at least in part both to accommodate cleaning tools and to make new packaging, reducing waste of disposable material.

Brief description of the drawings

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become clearer from the detailed description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of a packaging for broom bases, illustrated by way of a non-limiting example in the attached drawings, in which :

Figure 1 is a perspective view, on a small scale, of a pair of packages for broom bases, according to the invention, in a phase of mutual approach;

Figure 2 is a schematic side view of the two broom base packages of Figure 1 in an approximate configuration;

Figure 3 is a broken top view of a stack of broom base packages according to the invention;

Figures 4, 5, 6 are schematic front views of three possible embodiments of a packaging for broom bases according to the invention;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a possible embodiment of a support element of a broom base in the respective packaging;

Figure 8 is a schematic side view of one form of reuse of the bracket of Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a schematic, enlarged and partially exploded view of a form of coupling between a broom base and the support element of Figure 7;

Figure 10 is a broken perspective view of a transport pallet on which a stack of packages containing broom bases is loaded,

Figure 11 is a perspective view of the packaging according to the invention, in an open configuration before receiving a broom base;

Figure 12 is an enlarged, broken-away view of a cross-section of Figure 11, but in a closed configuration, taken along a plane XII-XII;

Figure 13 is a small-scale perspective view of the packaging according to the invention, in another possible embodiment;

Detailed description of a preferred embodiment

With reference to Figure 9, 1 indicates a cleaning tool, in this specific case a stickless broom base, which comprises a body 2 of flat and elongated shape, which has a longitudinal axis "X" and two parallel and opposite faces. , namely a lower face 2a which is provided with a group of bristles 3 (not illustrated) and an opposite upper face 2b from which a connector 4 for a handling stick "M" rises, respectively.

The body 2 has a reinforcing part 5 that connects it to the connector 4 without interruptions and in which transverse through openings 6 are made, the function of which will be explained later.

With reference to Figures 1, 11 and 12, it is noted that a package for broom bases 1 is indicated by 10.

The package 10 has a cross section that is in the shape of an isosceles trapezoid and that forms a solid, which is open at both ends and has a first face 11 considered the base face, hereinafter simply the base 11, and a second opposite face 12 considered the upper one, hereinafter briefly called the upper face 12.

The base 11 and the upper face 12 are joined together by two flanks 13 and 14, which form the oblique sides of the solid and of the trapezoidal cross section.

Two symmetrical openings 15 are made in the upper face 12 between which a central zone 12a is defined which is shaped to achieve an openable closure, indicated in conjunction with 16.

In detail, the closure 16 comprises a first lip 17 protruding from one of the flanks, in the specific case of flank 14, which in the vicinity of the junction with the latter presents a longitudinal notch 18.

A corresponding fin 19, foldably extending from a second lip 20, which in turn cantilevers from the opposite flank 13, is designed to fit into notch 18: when fin 19 fits into notch 18, the Packaging 1 is closed, whereas when packaging 1 is removed it is opened again.

As can be seen in detail in Figure 11, but also in Figures 4, 5, 6, two or more notches or holes 13a and 14a, 13b and 14b are made in the two flanks 13 and 14, coaxial two by two. , more precisely in the vicinity of two opposite sides of the flanks.

The locking means of the bases 1 are designed to be inserted into these notches or holes 13a and 14a, 13b and 14b when the bases are inserted into the packaging 10 for transport.

The locking means for specifically locking the broom bases have in common the characteristics of passing transversely through one of the walls of the packaging and of being positioned in one version, under the body 2, partially entering, or entirely passing, the group of bristles 3, as visible in Figures 4, 5, 6.

In a first embodiment visible in Figures 6 and 9, the locking means MB1 comprise two plates 21 and 22 which are provided on opposite internal faces 21a and 22a of the pins 23 and 24 projecting therefrom and which, as shown said above, they are designed to be inserted immediately below the body 2, inserted between the group of bristles 3, in a position slightly distanced from the lower face 2a.

The two plates 21 and 22 also have respective extensions 25 and 26 extending forward towards each other and having female and male profiles, respectively, which are shaped to mutually penetrate each other when the two plates 21 and 22 are applied to the flanks 13 and 14 of the package 10 and the two pins 23 and 24 are consequently inserted into the respective holes 13a and 14a, as can be seen schematically in Figure 6.

The two extensions 25 and 26 are designed, in the configuration of interpenetration with each other, to pass through the through openings 6 of the reinforcing part 5, when the two plates 21 and 22 are applied on the packaging 10, as can be see in detail in Figures 7 and 9, acting as a connection support for the body 2 when the packaging 10 encloses the broom base 1.

Figures 4 and 5 illustrate other possible embodiments of the broom base locking means 1 in the package 10.

In detail, with reference to Figure 4, it can be seen that the locking means MB2 are executed in the form of two pins 27 that are inserted transversely between the two flanks 13 and 14, for example in the pairs of holes 13a and 14a, 13b and 14b passing through the mass of bristles 3.

Each pin 27 is immediately below the lower face 2a of the body 2, so that the two pins 27 keep the body in contact with the first lip 17 and with the second 20, which form the closure 16.

Similarly, with reference to Figure 5, in the locking means, the pins 27 were replaced by a further pair of buttons that can be applied to the flanks 13 and 14 and which have respective segments of pins 28 and 29 that intersect. inserted into the holes 13a and 14a, 13b and 14b, facing each other, also acting in this case as a support for the body 2, keeping it substantially in contact with the closure 16.

With reference to Figure 8, one can see a possible way of reusing one of the plates 21 or 22, in this specific case the plate 21, which, once the packaging 10 has been removed from the broom base 1, can be attached to a wall 30, so that it can be used as a support, both to hang the pole "M" of a complete broom on the spike 23, as well as a possible coat rack with the extension 25.

With reference to Figures 1 and 2, the stacking system of two broom bases 1 provided with their respective packaging 10 is observed.

In detail, the two broom bases 1 and the respective packages 10 that contain them are placed upside down with respect to each other and each reinforcing part 5 of a broom base 1 protruding from the upper face 2b of the the latter is received inside the opening 15 of the opposite package, so that between two adjacent packages 10 there are no interfering elements that could distance them from each other.

With reference to Figure 3, it can be seen how a layer of packages 10 containing broom bases 1 is achieved, to form a stack that is visible in Figure 10, already loaded on a pallet 30 and with each layer wrapped by straps containment 31.

With reference to Figure 13, it can be seen that the package 10 has a series of holes or notches 13a, 13b, 14a, 14b that are repeatedly made in a row on the flanks 13 and 14, such that the plates 21 and 22 can be positioned in a suitable way with respect to both the dimensions of the broom bases and the arrangement of the through openings 6.

In practice, it has been found that the invention achieves the objectives that it set out.

The invention as conceived is susceptible of modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims.

Besides that, all the details can be replaced by other elements that are technically equivalent.

In practical implementation, the materials used as well as the shapes and dimensions can be any, according to the requirements, without thereby departing from the scope of protection of the following claims.

Claims (5)

1. A cleaning tool package (1) having a support (2) and a plurality of bristles (3) attached to the support (2), the package comprising: - A box-shaped body (10) defining an internal containment space (101) of at least one cleaning tool (1) and having a longitudinal axis (X), said body being box-shaped (10) bounded by four peripheral walls parallel to said longitudinal axis (X) and defining four concave corners; - said box-shaped body comprising removable locking means (22) of said support (2) in said space (101) said box-shaped body (10) having a cross section having the shape of an isosceles trapezoid, open at both ends and having a base face (11) and an upper face (12) joined by two oblique side walls (13, 14), characterized in that said locking means comprise at least one locking element (21 , 22) associated with said box-shaped body (10) and to engage with said support (2) to fix said support in a packaging position with respect to said space (101), said at least one locking element comprising the least one transverse member with respect to said longitudinal axis (X) and fitted in said containment space (101), said member being selected from a single pin (27) that passes transversely through at least one of said side walls, a pair spikes converge tes (23, 24; 28, 29) projecting into said space (101) each transversely from a respective side wall (13, 14), a tooth projecting into said space (101) and projecting from at least one of the side walls facing said bracket, hooked on / with said bracket. The packaging according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said side walls has a pair of openings (15) obtained bilaterally with respect to its central zone (12a). 3. The packaging according to claim 1, wherein said openings (15) are obtained symmetrically with respect to said central zone (12a). The packaging according to claim 1, wherein said side walls are obtained in one piece from a die body and are folded according to preselected fold lines to form said four concave corners. The packaging according to claim 1, wherein between said openings (15) of said pair of openings there are provided means for opening / closing (16) of said container space (101).