Desiccant container and blank for forming a sleeve of a desiccant container

Abstract

The invention is directed to a desiccant container which includes—a hanger element ( 12, 135 ) for suspension in a zone from which it is desired to remove moisture; a desiccant arrangement ( 14, 154 ) comprising at least one moisture permeable receptacle containing a supply of desiccant, the desiccant arrangement being—suspended from the hanger element ( 12, 135 ); and a flexible protective sleeve ( 18, 101 ), at least a part of which is moisture permeable, arranged about the desiccant arrangement ( 14, 154 ), wherein the sleeve is mounted on the hanger element ( 12, 135 ) independently from the desiccant arrangement.

1 . A desiccant container which comprises
 a hanger element for suspension in a zone from which it is desired to remove moisture;   a desiccant arrangement comprising at least one moisture permeable receptacle containing a supply of desiccant, the desiccant arrangement being suspended from the hanger element; and   a flexible protective sleeve, at least a part of which is moisture permeable, arranged about the desiccant arrangement, wherein the sleeve is mounted on the hanger element independently from the desiccant arrangement.   
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1  in which the protective sleeve further comprises a mounting formation for mounting to the hanger element. 
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 1  in which the protective sleeve is fabricated from a planar blank of a cellulosic material. 
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 1  in which the protective sleeve further comprises a pair of opposed rear and front panels, wherein the front panel comprises at least one group of openings to provide the moisture permeability and which allows moisture ingress. 
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 4  in which the area of the openings in the protective sleeve comprises from 2 to 50% of the overall surface of the protective sleeve. 
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 4  in which the openings are of round or rectangular shape and have a diameter of at least 0.5 cm. 
     
     
         7 . The container of  claim 4  in which the front panel and the rear panel of the protective sleeve are joined along their edges and are outwardly bowed. 
     
     
         8 . The container of  claim 4  further comprising side panels arranged between the front panel and rear panel to obtain a rectangular tube. 
     
     
         9 . The container of  claim 4  in which at least one end of said front panel and/or rear panel terminates in a closure member which closes off at least one end of the protective sleeve. 
     
     
         10 . The container of  claim 9  in which each closure member comprises a closure flap. 
     
     
         11 . The container of  claim 9  in which the closure member comprises two closure flaps aligned in a side-by-side arrangement along an edge of the front panel or rear panel and an opening is provided between the two flaps. 
     
     
         12 . The container of  claim 11  in which the opening between the two flaps is arranged adjacent to the edge of the front panel or rear panel. 
     
     
         13 . The container of  claim 10  in which a tab is provided at the closure flap of one of the rear panel and the front panel and a slot is provided in the other of the front panel or rear panel for receiving the tab. 
     
     
         14 . The container of  claim 13  in which the tab is received in the slot in an interlocking relation. 
     
     
         15 . The container of  claim 2  in which the hanger element comprises an elongate member and a hook arranged substantially centrally on the elongate member. 
     
     
         16 . The container of  claim 15  in which the elongate member comprises a shoulder portion connected with one end to the hook and having a turn on the other end to be continued by a straight section extending backwards beyond a position defined by the hook. 
     
     
         17 . The container of  claim 15  in which the mounting formation of the protective sleeve comprises a pair of opposed holes, each hole receiving one end of the elongate member of the hanger element to suspend the sleeve from the hanger element. 
     
     
         18 . The container of  claim 1  in which the desiccant arrangement comprises a strip of serially connected desiccant pouches with adjacent pouches being joined together by transversely extending webbing. 
     
     
         19 . The container of  claim 1  in which the desiccant arrangement comprise a blanket formed of desiccant pouches arranged symmetrically to a central webbing. 
     
     
         20 . The container of  claim 19  in which the webbing has comprises an opening such that the blanket of pouches can be draped over the hanger element prior to being received in the protective sleeve. 
     
     
         21 . A desiccant container kit, the kit comprising, in combination,
 a hanger element;   a desiccant arrangement comprising at least one moisture permeable receptacle containing a supply of desiccant, the desiccant arrangement being configured to be suspended, from the hanger element; and   a flexible protective sleeve, at least a part of which is moisture permeable, configured to be mounted, about the desiccant arrangement, wherein the sleeve is mounted on the hanger element independently from the desiccant arrangement.   
     
     
         22 . A blank forming a protective sleeve of a desiccant container, the blank comprising
 a substantially planar body member of a cellulosic material;   front and rear panel portion defining lines demarcated in the body member;   closure flap defining lines demarcated proximate ends of the front and rear panel portions of the body member to define closure flap portions of the body member, each closure flap defining line being arcuate and having a length dimension exceeding that of a width of its associated panel portion;   an aperture defined in at least one on the closure flap portions to facilitate the passage of a part of a hanger element through the flap portion; and   mounting formations defined in the body member, the mounting formations receiving further parts of the hanger element when the blank has been erected.   
     
     
         23 . The blank of  claim 22  in which the body member comprises a paper material and has openings defined in it to render it moisture permeable. 
     
     
         24 . The blank of  claim 22  further comprising a securing formation defined along a free side of one of the panels to which the other of the panels is secured to form a sleeve.