Tamper-evident container, a blank for the container, a method of packing a product, a method of securing at least one product to a container, and a packing machine for skin packing a product

Abstract

A container includes at least one product within the container, the product being secured in the container between an interior surface of the container and a layer of flexible material. The layer of flexible material is skin packaged over the product and adhered to the interior surface of the container by an adhesive. A blank for the container is provided. The blank has panels with a product secured to a panel with layer of flexible material. The invention also relates to a method of packing a product, a method of securing at least one product to a container and a packaging machine for skin packing the product.

1 - 23 . (cancel).  
     
     
         24 . A container for holding at least one product, wherein the product is secured in the container between an interior surface of the container and a layer of flexible material, the container being made of an air pervious corrugated board coated with an air impervious layer on its outer surface.  
     
     
         25 . The container of  claim 24  wherein the layer of flexible material is skin packaged over the product and adhered to the interior surface of the container by an adhesive.  
     
     
         26 . The container of  claim 24  wherein the container is a box and the interior surface is the surface of a base, sidewalls or lid of the box.  
     
     
         27 . The container of  claim 26  wherein a product is secured to each of the base, sidewalls and lid of the box.  
     
     
         28 . The container of  claim 26  wherein the box has flaps over which the flexible material does not extend.  
     
     
         29 . The container of  claim 24  wherein the layer of flexible material is transparent.  
     
     
         30 . The container of  claim 24  wherein the flexible material extends over only a portion of the interior surface of the container.  
     
     
         31 . A blank for a container including a base panel, sidewall panel and a lid panel, the blank being made of an air pervious corrugated board having an upper surface and a lower surface with the lower surface being coated with an air impervious layer, and with at least one product being secured to the upper surface of one of the panels by a layer of flexible material which covers the product and is secured to the upper surface of the panel so that in a container erected from the blank the product is located within the container.  
     
     
         32 . The blank of  claim 31  wherein the layer of flexible material is skin packaged over the product and covers the panel, and wherein the layer of flexible material is secured to at least one of the panels by an adhesive.  
     
     
         33 . The blank of  claim 31  wherein the flexible material extends over only a portion of the upper surface of the blank.  
     
     
         34 . The blank of  claim 31  wherein the panels have flaps over which the flexible material does not extend.  
     
     
         35 . A method of packaging a product including the steps of: 
 providing a corrugated board having an air pervious upper surface and an air impervious lower surface with flutes located between the upper and lower surfaces;    locating the product on the board;    locating a layer of flexible material over the product;    drawing air out from between the layer of flexible material and the upper surface of the board through the upper surface of the board and between the flutes of the board;    adhering the layer of flexible material to the board surrounding the product by an adhesive to secure the product to the board; and    forming the board into a container so that the product is located within the container.    
     
     
         36 . A method of securing at least one product to a blank for a container including the steps of: 
 providing a blank for a container, the blank having an air pervious upper surface and an air impervious lower surface with flutes located between the upper and lower surfaces;    skin packaging a product to the upper surface of the board with a layer of flexible material by drawing air out from between the layer of flexible material and the upper surface of the board through the upper surface of the board and between the flutes of the board; and    adhering the flexible layer of material to the board surrounding the product.    
     
     
         37 . A packaging machine for skin packing a product to a surface of a board including: 
 a lid with an aperture;    a clamp for clamping a layer of flexible material over the aperture to close the aperture;    a cutter for cutting the layer of flexible material, the cutter being displaceable between a cutting position in which it locates within the aperture and an inoperative position in which it is located above the aperture; and    a base on which a board can be supported, the base being adapted to engage the lid to form a chamber from which air can be sucked when the aperture is closed.    
     
     
         38 . The packaging machine of  claim 37  wherein the lid has a seal surrounding the aperture so the layer of flexible material can be clamped onto the seal by the clamp.  
     
     
         39 . The packaging machine of  claim 37  wherein the base includes a grid on which the board can be supported.  
     
     
         40 . The packaging machine of  claim 37  including at least one trolley having a removable perforated plate on which the board is in use located, the trolley being displaceable from a loading position in which the board is located on the perforated plate and the product is located on the board, to a packaging position in which the perforated plate is located above the base.  41 . The packaging machine of  claim 37  including a heater for heating a heat activated adhesive on the layer of flexible material.