EP0178702A2 - A cardboard box with closing flaps for semi-automatic closing - Google Patents
A cardboard box with closing flaps for semi-automatic closing Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP0178702A2 EP0178702A2 EP85201473A EP85201473A EP0178702A2 EP 0178702 A2 EP0178702 A2 EP 0178702A2 EP 85201473 A EP85201473 A EP 85201473A EP 85201473 A EP85201473 A EP 85201473A EP 0178702 A2 EP0178702 A2 EP 0178702A2
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- flap
- closing
- flaps
- folded
- side flaps
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
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Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D5/00—Rigid or semi-rigid containers of polygonal cross-section, e.g. boxes, cartons or trays, formed by folding or erecting one or more blanks made of paper
- B65D5/02—Rigid or semi-rigid containers of polygonal cross-section, e.g. boxes, cartons or trays, formed by folding or erecting one or more blanks made of paper by folding or erecting a single blank to form a tubular body with or without subsequent folding operations, or the addition of separate elements, to close the ends of the body
- B65D5/0263—Rigid or semi-rigid containers of polygonal cross-section, e.g. boxes, cartons or trays, formed by folding or erecting one or more blanks made of paper by folding or erecting a single blank to form a tubular body with or without subsequent folding operations, or the addition of separate elements, to close the ends of the body with end closures formed by inward folding of flaps, three of them being formed of a continuous strip, the fourth being a separate flap
Definitions
- the present invention relates to a cardboard box of the type, which is erectable to form a rectangular tube having closing flaps at both ends, the box being usable for receiving, through one end, an object to be packed, whereafter the box is closable at that end by a successive folding in of the closing flaps, viz. first a folding in of two opposed flaps, then a folding in of the flap of a third side of the box and finally a folding in of the closing flap on the opposed, fourth side panel, whereby the box may be finally closed by fastening, e.g. by glueing, the fourth closing flap to the third closing flap.
- the invention which seeks to provide a solution to the above problem, is based on the idea that no apparatus modification will be needed when instead the boxes are designed in such a manner that the folding in of the two first closing flaps will result in a positive locking of the flaps in their entirely folded in positions. It has been found that this is in fact possible to achieve without considerable extra costs or even without any extra costs or drawbacks of other kinds.
- a box of the said type which is characterized by the features stated in the characterizing clause of claim 1.
- the said oblique folding lines at the opposite sides of the third flap will thus confine respective transverse strip portions connecting the outer side edges of the two first flaps with the adjacent outer side edges of the third flap behind the said folding lines, and when the two first side flaps are folded in simultaneously these strip portions will push the third flap outwardly until the side flaps have been folded in almost entirely, whereby the strip portions will be entirely folded out such that they are laid against the inner side of the third flap.
- the third flap will be free to pivot back towards its original position projecting axially from the end of the tube, and such a pivot back will occur automatically by virtue of the material bias as produced by the previous outward pivoting of the third flap from its natural position.
- the third flap pivots back or just somewhat towards its initial position the two side flaps will get locked against being folded out from their now entirely folded in positions, because it will require a large outwardly directed pressure on the insides of these flaps to provoke a renewed folding out of the third flap.
- FIGs. 1-5 are perspective views of one end of a box member according to the invention, illustrating successive phases of the closing of the box end.
- the box member shown is a cardboard member, which from a relevant carton factory is supplied as a flat tube member, which is erectable to the rectangular tubular shape as shown in Fig. 1.
- the open end of the box has two opposite side flaps 2, a lower closing flap 4 ("third flap"), and an upper closing flap 6 ("fourfh flap”).
- the comer lines between the flap 6 and the two side flaps 2 are cut up, while the lower flap 4 is connected integrally with the two side flaps 2 through transverse strip portions 8.
- the non-illustrated opposite end of the box may be designed in a fully similar manner, though this will of course not be necessary in any way; thus, the other end of the box member may be provided with a so-calied self-erecting end closure, which is automatically actuated to close the box end already by the erection of the flat starting member into its rectangular tubular shape.
- the said strip portions 8 each constitutes a rudiment of a triangular outer area of the lower flap 4 as defined by an oblique folding line a between the portions 4 and 8, this line being directed towards the root comer between the flaps 4 and 2.
- the folding line a starting from the outer edge of the flap 4, continues inwardly into a transverse slot portion 10 as constituting one leg of an angular slot, the other leg portion 12 of which stretches inwardly along the comer line between the flaps 4 and 2, whereby the slot portions 10 assist in confining the strip portions 8.
- the angular slot 10,12 leaves an outwardly projecting triangular flap portion 14.
- the operator folds in the side flaps 2 by applying a finger pressure to the area just outside the strip portions 8.
- the folding lines a are pressed into the material from the outside thereof, such that by the pressing in of each side flap 2 the strip portions 8 will show a natural tendency to push the lower flap 4 downwardly, see Fig. 2.
- the associated downward pivoting of the flap 4 will continue until the side flaps 2 as shown in Fig. 3 have reached a position, in which the strip portions are oriented practically vertically downwardly.
- the operator may start closing or half-closing the other end as here described, whereby the side flaps will form an introduction stop for the article to be packed.
- Partly closed box members as shown in Fig. 4 may be fed to a buffer or feeding magazine or automatic transfer to a simple end closing apparatus, which will cause the lower flap 4 to be folded upwardly (Fig. 5), to apply a gluestuff to the underside of the upper dosing flap 6, and to pivot the latter flap downwardly for adhesively fastening it to the flap 4 over the area shown in hatched lines in Fig. 5, whereafter the box is finished.
- the projecting triengu- lar portions 14 at the opposed outer sides of the closing flap 4 will serve the purpose of contributing to an effective adherence of the outermost flap 6, such that the latter will be adhesively secured Over its entire width.
- the areas 14 are laid flat against the flaps 2 by intermediate of but a single layer thickness, whereby -despite the folded corner areas - a neat, flat closing of the flaps will be achievable.
- the areas of double layer thickness, i.e. the areas along the strips 8, are located well spaced from the ends of the glued area, such that they are easily pressed slightly inwardly in the box when the outermost flap 6 is closed, i.e. the folding connections used will not affect the visual appearance of the doseed box end.
- Boxes according to the invention may be produced just as cheap as conventonal boxes having four disintegrated closing flaps, only with the use of a modified punching tool.
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Closing Of Containers (AREA)
- Cartons (AREA)
- Wrapping Of Specific Fragile Articles (AREA)
- Control And Other Processes For Unpacking Of Materials (AREA)
- Basic Packing Technique (AREA)
- Making Paper Articles (AREA)
- Closures For Containers (AREA)
Abstract
Description
- The present invention relates to a cardboard box of the type, which is erectable to form a rectangular tube having closing flaps at both ends, the box being usable for receiving, through one end, an object to be packed, whereafter the box is closable at that end by a successive folding in of the closing flaps, viz. first a folding in of two opposed flaps, then a folding in of the flap of a third side of the box and finally a folding in of the closing flap on the opposed, fourth side panel, whereby the box may be finally closed by fastening, e.g. by glueing, the fourth closing flap to the third closing flap.
- Machines have, long ago, been developed for carrying out both the filling and the closing of such boxes, but the machinery is costly and will normally require to work with high output capacities. At places where the output is quite low it is customary to put the objects into the boxes manually and also to close the boxes manually, by applying glue to the fourth closing flap, while by intermediate capacities simple closing apparatuses will be economically well usable for carrying out the closing operations. Normally such an apparatus will handle the boxes by or during a through-flow thereof, and it is required that each box is fed to the closing apparatus upon a manual folding in of the two first closing flaps, while the said third and fourth flaps should stand lateralty outwardly from the box. The apparatus will then operate to fold in the third flap, to apply glue to the fourth flap, and to finally fold in the fourth flap.
- It is an associated problem, however, that a closing apparatus of a reasonably simple design do not operate with the required safety unless the two first closing flaps have been entirely falded in and are maintained folded entirely in until the folding in of the third flap has been initiated in or by the apparatus. Due to the tension created in the cardboard material by the folding in of each of the two first closing flaps it is rather difficult or troublesome to achieve that the two flaps remain entirely folded, i.e. it is normally required to manually hold the flaps folded in while the box is being introduced into the closing device. For the same reason the filled boxes cannot be supplied to a buffer magazine, from which they could be automatically transferred to the closing device for successive closing, unless some rather expensive additional equipment is used.
- The invention, which seeks to provide a solution to the above problem, is based on the idea that no apparatus modification will be needed when instead the boxes are designed in such a manner that the folding in of the two first closing flaps will result in a positive locking of the flaps in their entirely folded in positions. It has been found that this is in fact possible to achieve without considerable extra costs or even without any extra costs or drawbacks of other kinds.
- According to the invention there is provided a box of the said type, which is characterized by the features stated in the characterizing clause of claim 1. The said oblique folding lines at the opposite sides of the third flap will thus confine respective transverse strip portions connecting the outer side edges of the two first flaps with the adjacent outer side edges of the third flap behind the said folding lines, and when the two first side flaps are folded in simultaneously these strip portions will push the third flap outwardly until the side flaps have been folded in almost entirely, whereby the strip portions will be entirely folded out such that they are laid against the inner side of the third flap. Hereby the third flap will be free to pivot back towards its original position projecting axially from the end of the tube, and such a pivot back will occur automatically by virtue of the material bias as produced by the previous outward pivoting of the third flap from its natural position. When thus the third flap pivots back or just somewhat towards its initial position the two side flaps will get locked against being folded out from their now entirely folded in positions, because it will require a large outwardly directed pressure on the insides of these flaps to provoke a renewed folding out of the third flap.
- It should be mentioned that it is known in the art to make use of closing flaps, where the two side flaps are connected with the third flap through triangular portions as defined by the folding line a, with the latter extended all the way to the comer root, but without the known art having any relevance to the problems here discussed ln the said known art the triangular portions are fully intact, e.g. for enabling a surface welding of the triangular portions to the inside of the third flap and/or to the outside of the two side flaps upon the folding in of the third flap, such a purpose, however, being entirely irrelevant to the invention.
- With the use of such intact triangular portions for the purpose of the invention the problem would arise that the folded together corner panel portions would show a considerable thickness along the side edges of the third flap, whereby an undesirable "unflat" closure would result from the fourth dosing flap being folded into an adhering engagement with the outside of the third flap.
- In the following the invention is described in more detail with reference to the drawing, in which
- Figs. 1-5 are perspective views of one end of a box member according to the invention, illustrating successive phases of the closing of the box end.
- The box member shown is a cardboard member, which from a relevant carton factory is supplied as a flat tube member, which is erectable to the rectangular tubular shape as shown in Fig. 1. The open end of the box has two
opposite side flaps 2, a lower closing flap 4 ("third flap"), and an upper closing flap 6 ("fourfh flap"). In a conventional manner the comer lines between theflap 6 and the twoside flaps 2 are cut up, while thelower flap 4 is connected integrally with the twoside flaps 2 throughtransverse strip portions 8. - The non-illustrated opposite end of the box may be designed in a fully similar manner, though this will of course not be necessary in any way; thus, the other end of the box member may be provided with a so-calied self-erecting end closure, which is automatically actuated to close the box end already by the erection of the flat starting member into its rectangular tubular shape.
- The said
strip portions 8 each constitutes a rudiment of a triangular outer area of thelower flap 4 as defined by an oblique folding line a between theportions flaps flap 4, continues inwardly into atransverse slot portion 10 as constituting one leg of an angular slot, the other leg portion 12 of which stretches inwardly along the comer line between theflaps slot portions 10 assist in confining thestrip portions 8. On theflap 4 theangular slot 10,12 leaves an outwardly projectingtriangular flap portion 14. - When the object to be packed has been filled into the box member the operator folds in the
side flaps 2 by applying a finger pressure to the area just outside thestrip portions 8. The folding lines a are pressed into the material from the outside thereof, such that by the pressing in of each side flap 2 thestrip portions 8 will show a natural tendency to push thelower flap 4 downwardly, see Fig. 2. The associated downward pivoting of theflap 4 will continue until the side flaps 2 as shown in Fig. 3 have reached a position, in which the strip portions are oriented practically vertically downwardly. - When the
side flaps 2 are pressed to or almost to their positions, in which thestrip portions 8 are vertical, the lower flap 4 will start pivoting upwardly by its own tension in the folding line area thereof, and this pivoting will occur almost smackwise to a horizontal position or to a position slightly below the horizontal plane (Fig. 4), whereby the side flaps 2, through thestrip portions 8, are caused to be entirely folded in. Hereafter a considerable pressure on the inside of theside flaps 2 will be required for unfolding these flaps, and in practice the result will be a self holding locking of the closedside flaps 2. - If the other end of the box member is designed correspondingly the operator may start closing or half-closing the other end as here described, whereby the side flaps will form an introduction stop for the article to be packed.
- Partly closed box members as shown in Fig. 4 may be fed to a buffer or feeding magazine or automatic transfer to a simple end closing apparatus, which will cause the
lower flap 4 to be folded upwardly (Fig. 5), to apply a gluestuff to the underside of theupper dosing flap 6, and to pivot the latter flap downwardly for adhesively fastening it to theflap 4 over the area shown in hatched lines in Fig. 5, whereafter the box is finished. - From Fig. 5 it will be noted that the projecting triengu-
lar portions 14 at the opposed outer sides of theclosing flap 4 will serve the purpose of contributing to an effective adherence of theoutermost flap 6, such that the latter will be adhesively secured Over its entire width. Theareas 14 are laid flat against theflaps 2 by intermediate of but a single layer thickness, whereby -despite the folded corner areas - a neat, flat closing of the flaps will be achievable. The areas of double layer thickness, i.e. the areas along thestrips 8, are located well spaced from the ends of the glued area, such that they are easily pressed slightly inwardly in the box when theoutermost flap 6 is closed, i.e. the folding connections used will not affect the visual appearance of the doseed box end. - Boxes according to the invention may be produced just as cheap as conventonal boxes having four disintegrated closing flaps, only with the use of a modified punching tool.
Claims (3)
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
AT85201473T ATE49550T1 (en) | 1984-09-14 | 1985-09-13 | CARTON CONTAINER WITH FLAPS FOR SEMI-AUTOMATIC CLOSURE. |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
DK438284A DK150737C (en) | 1984-09-14 | 1984-09-14 | CARTON PACKAGING WITH CLOSED CLOSES FOR SEMI-AUTOMATIC CLOSING |
DK4382/84 | 1984-09-14 |
Publications (3)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP0178702A2 true EP0178702A2 (en) | 1986-04-23 |
EP0178702A3 EP0178702A3 (en) | 1987-10-21 |
EP0178702B1 EP0178702B1 (en) | 1990-01-17 |
Family
ID=8133034
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP85201473A Expired - Lifetime EP0178702B1 (en) | 1984-09-14 | 1985-09-13 | A cardboard box with closing flaps for semi-automatic closing |
Country Status (5)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP0178702B1 (en) |
AT (1) | ATE49550T1 (en) |
DE (1) | DE3575400D1 (en) |
DK (1) | DK150737C (en) |
NO (1) | NO165909C (en) |
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US5292059A (en) * | 1993-03-18 | 1994-03-08 | The Mead Corporation | Tubular carton having triangular corner panels |
Citations (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3529763A (en) * | 1968-10-17 | 1970-09-22 | Westvaco Corp | Self-locking canister or box |
-
1984
- 1984-09-14 DK DK438284A patent/DK150737C/en not_active IP Right Cessation
-
1985
- 1985-09-12 NO NO853577A patent/NO165909C/en unknown
- 1985-09-13 EP EP85201473A patent/EP0178702B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1985-09-13 DE DE8585201473T patent/DE3575400D1/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1985-09-13 AT AT85201473T patent/ATE49550T1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
Patent Citations (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3529763A (en) * | 1968-10-17 | 1970-09-22 | Westvaco Corp | Self-locking canister or box |
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US5292059A (en) * | 1993-03-18 | 1994-03-08 | The Mead Corporation | Tubular carton having triangular corner panels |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
EP0178702A3 (en) | 1987-10-21 |
DK150737B (en) | 1987-06-09 |
ATE49550T1 (en) | 1990-02-15 |
EP0178702B1 (en) | 1990-01-17 |
DK438284D0 (en) | 1984-09-14 |
DK438284A (en) | 1986-03-15 |
NO165909C (en) | 1991-05-02 |
NO853577L (en) | 1986-03-17 |
DE3575400D1 (en) | 1990-02-22 |
DK150737C (en) | 1988-02-01 |
NO165909B (en) | 1991-01-21 |
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