Paperboard article for making a container and container comprising the paperboard article

1. A paperboard article ( 1 ) for making a container ( 8 ), the paperboard article ( 1 ) comprising an annular frame ( 2 ), which surrounds an internal zone ( 20 ), and a plurality of wings ( 3 ), each of said wings being connected to the annular frame ( 2 ) and comprising a first portion ( 31 ) and a second portion ( 32 ), wherein the second portion ( 32 ) is connected to the annular frame ( 2 ) and is interposed between the annular frame ( 2 ) and the first portion ( 31 );

the paperboard article ( 1 ) being configured to adopt a flat configuration and an expanded configuration;

wherein, in the flat configuration, the paperboard article ( 1 ) has a planar shape and the wings ( 3 ) extend into the internal zone ( 20 ), the wings ( 3 ) being coplanar without overlapping each other;

wherein, in the expanded configuration, the paperboard article ( 1 ) has a tray-like shape, having an annular flange ( 71 ) which extends in a first plane, a bottom wall ( 72 ) which is located in a second plane spaced apart from the first plane and a plurality of lateral walls ( 73 ), each extending from the annular flange ( 71 ) to the bottom wall ( 72 ),

the annular flange ( 71 ) being formed by the annular frame ( 2 ) and the wings ( 3 ) being folded relative to the annular frame ( 2 ), so that the bottom wall ( 72 ) is formed by the first portions ( 31 ) of the wings ( 3 ) and the lateral walls ( 73 ) are formed by the second portions ( 32 ) of the wings ( 3 ),

the first portions ( 31 ) of the wings ( 3 ) being translated relative to each other from the flat configuration to the expanded configuration;

wherein, for at least one pair of wings ( 3 ) of the paperboard article ( 1 ), the first portion ( 31 ) of a first wing of said at least one pair of wings ( 3 ) has a seat ( 34 ) and the first portion ( 31 ) of a second wing of said at least one pair of wings ( 3 ) has a projection ( 35 ) that is housed in the seat ( 34 ) of the first wing,

wherein in the expanded configuration the first portion ( 31 ) of the first wing and the first portion ( 31 ) of the second wing are located in the second plane and a section ( 37 ) of an edge of the projection ( 35 ) makes contact with a section ( 36 ) of an edge of the seat ( 34 ).

2. The paperboard article ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein said edge section ( 37 ) of the projection ( 35 ) and said edge section ( 36 ) of the seat ( 34 ) are parallel to each other or have a complementary shape, so that in the expanded configuration the contact between them creates a continuous surface between the first portion ( 31 ) of the first wing and the first portion ( 31 ) of the second wing.

3. The paperboard article ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein said edge section ( 37 ) of the projection ( 35 ) and said edge section ( 36 ) of the seat ( 34 ) are rectilinear sections that are parallel to each other and are also parallel to a direction of relative translation of the first portion ( 31 ) of the first wing relative to the first portion ( 31 ) of the second wing from the flat configuration to the expanded configuration;

said edge sections ( 36 , 37 ) making contact in the flat configuration and in the expanded configuration, the relative translation being a sliding along said edge sections ( 36 , 37 ).

4. The paperboard article ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the first wing ( 3 A) and the second wing ( 3 C) of said at least one pair of wings are connected to opposite and parallel sides ( 24 A, 24 C) of the annular frame ( 2 ),

the first wing ( 3 A) and the second wing ( 3 C) each having a projection ( 35 ), which faces the side to which the other wing is connected, and a seat ( 34 ), which receives the projection ( 35 ) of the other wing, said contacting edge portions ( 36 , 37 ) being rectilinear sections that extend perpendicularly to said opposite sides of the annular frame ( 2 ).

5. The paperboard article ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the first wing ( 3 A) and the second wing ( 3 B) of said at least one pair of wings are connected to consecutive sides ( 24 A, 24 B) of the annular frame ( 2 ),

the seat ( 34 ) of the first wing ( 3 A) having a concavity facing the side ( 24 B) to which the second wing ( 3 B) is connected, the projection ( 35 ) of the second wing ( 3 B) being received in the seat ( 34 ) in a position interposed between a first edge section ( 341 ) of the seat ( 34 ) and a second edge section ( 342 ) of the seat ( 34 ),

the first edge section ( 341 ) of the seat ( 34 ) being in a position interposed between the second edge section ( 342 ) of the seat ( 34 ) and the side ( 24 A) to which the first wing ( 3 A) is connected,

in the expanded configuration said edge section ( 37 ) of the projection ( 35 ) making contact with the second edge section ( 342 ) of the seat ( 34 ).

6. The paperboard article ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the annular frame ( 2 ) has a substantially rectangular shape with four sides ( 24 A, 24 B, 24 C, 24 D) and the paperboard article ( 1 ) comprises a plurality of said pairs of wings ( 3 A, 3 B, 3 C, 3 D),

wherein one first wing ( 3 A) connected to a first side ( 24 A) and one second wing ( 3 C) connected to a second side ( 24 C) opposite the first side ( 24 A) form a first pair of wings belonging to said plurality of pairs;

one third wing ( 3 B) connected to a third side ( 24 B) interposed between the first side ( 24 A) and the second side ( 24 C) forms, together with the first wing ( 3 A) connected to the first side ( 24 A), a second pair of wings belonging to said plurality of pairs;

one fourth wing ( 3 D) connected to a fourth side ( 24 D) interposed between the first side ( 24 A) and the second side ( 24 C) forms, together with the second wing ( 3 C) connected to the second side ( 24 C), a third pair of wings belonging to said plurality of pairs.

7. The paperboard article ( 1 ) according to claim 6 , wherein said edge section ( 37 ) of the projection ( 35 ) and said edge section ( 36 ) of the seat ( 34 ) are rectilinear sections that are parallel to each other and are also parallel to a direction of relative translation of the first portion ( 31 ) of the first wing relative to the first portion ( 31 ) of the second wing from the flat configuration to the expanded configuration,

said edge sections ( 36 , 37 ) making contact in the flat configuration and in the expanded configuration, the relative translation being a sliding along said edge sections ( 36 , 37 ).

8. The paperboard article ( 1 ) according to claim 6 , consisting of a single sheet of material in which the wings ( 3 ) are defined by cuts ( 15 ) made in the sheet of material, the wings ( 3 ) being obtained from the single sheet of material without removing material in the internal zone ( 20 ) surrounded by the annular frame ( 2 ), so that, in the flat configuration, the wings ( 3 ) are adjacent to each other and have their respective perimeter edges making contact with each other along their entire extension in the internal zone ( 20 ).

9. The paperboard article ( 1 ) according to claim 6 , wherein in the expanded configuration: the first wing ( 3 A) is blocked, in a substantially wedged manner, between the second wing ( 3 C) and the third wing ( 3 B); the second wing ( 3 C) is blocked, in a substantially wedged manner, between the first wing ( 3 C) and the fourth wing ( 3 D).

10. The paperboard article ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein, in the expanded configuration, each wing ( 3 ) has its first portion ( 31 ) making contact with the first portion ( 31 ) of at least one other wing ( 3 ).

11. The paperboard article ( 1 ) according to claim 10 , wherein in the expanded configuration there is surface continuity involving all the wings ( 3 ), this surface continuity affecting the central region of the bottom wall ( 72 ).

12. The paperboard article ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , consisting of a single sheet of material in which the wings ( 3 ) are defined by cuts ( 15 ) made in the sheet of material.

13. The paperboard article ( 1 ) according to claim 12 , wherein the wings ( 3 ) are obtained from the single sheet of material without removing material in the internal zone ( 20 ) surrounded by the annular frame ( 2 ), so that, in the flat configuration, the wings ( 3 ) are adjacent to each other and have their respective perimeter edges making contact with each other along their entire extension in the internal zone ( 20 ).

14. The paperboard article ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the annular frame ( 2 ) has an inner annular edge ( 21 ) and an outer annular edge ( 22 ), the wings ( 3 ) being connected to the inner annular edge ( 21 ) of the annular frame ( 3 ).

15. The paperboard article ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein, for each wing ( 3 ), a first folding line ( 11 ) is interposed between the second portion ( 32 ) and the annular frame ( 2 ), and a second folding line ( 12 ) is interposed between the first portion ( 31 ) and the second portion ( 32 ), so that the first portion ( 31 ) and the second portion ( 32 ) are delimited by the folding lines ( 11 , 12 ).

16. A container ( 8 ) comprising a paperboard article ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the paperboard article ( 1 ) is in the expanded configuration and constitutes a skeleton of the container ( 8 ).

17. The container ( 8 ) according to claim 16 , wherein the skeleton constituted by the paperboard article ( 1 ) is coupled to a layer of material ( 80 ), which coats it at least in part.

18. The container ( 8 ) according to claim 17 , wherein the layer of material ( 80 ) is a layer of thermoplastic material.