GB2059921A

GB2059921A - Stackable boxes

Info

Publication number: GB2059921A
Application number: GB7935536A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Reed International Ltd
Current assignee: Reed International Ltd
Priority date: 1979-10-12
Filing date: 1979-10-12
Publication date: 1981-04-29

Abstract

A box comprises a base panel 1, side walls 2 and end walls 3 connected by gussets, each side wall having a hingedly connected flange 4 extending along its length and terminating in end flaps 5. The box is maintained erect by the engagement of locking tabs 8 formed on the end walls 3 and/or the gussets in L-shaped slots 10 formed in the flanges 4. A central gusset portion (9, Figure 1, not shown) is glued or stapled to a respective adjacent side wall 2 and the box supplied with the end walls 3 folded over the base panel 1. The flanges 4 may form a top closure. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to packaging This invention relates to boxes or trays made of cardboard, corrugated board, fibreboard or similar lightweight foldable sheet material, and to blanks for making up into such boxes or trays.

Such boxes or trays find a multitude of uses throughout the packaging industry, and one particular such use, to which the invention is particularly but by no means exclusively directed, is the packaging for transport of farm or garden produce, for example lettuces. In such an application the boxes or trays are delivered to the user in blank form, and are then erected manually by packaging operatives prior to filling with produce. The erection of certain designs of blank can be time consuming and can necessitate a certain amount of manual dexterity for proper erection. It is an object of this invention to provide a box or tray which is readily and quickly erectable from its blankform without requiring any great skill on the part of the user.

According to the invention there is provided a box or tray of cardboard, corrugated board, fibreboard or similar lightweight foldable sheet material comprising a substantially rectangular base panel, a pair of side walls hingedly connected to the base panel along two opposite sides thereof, a pair of end walls hingedly connected to the base panel along the other two opposite sides thereof, a gusset hingedly interconnecting each side wall with its adjacent end wall at each corner, each side wall having a hingedly connected flange extending along its length each flange having a hingedly connected flap at each end such flap lying adjacent its nearest end wall, each end wall and/or the gusset portion connected thereto being provided with a locking tab at each corner of the box or tray and each said flange being provided with a slot at each end in the region of the connection of the respective flap, each locking tab being received in a respective said slot and serving by virtue of such reception to maintain the box or tray erect.

Thus it can be arranged that to erect the box or tray, all that is necessary is for the side and end walls to be erected from the blank state, and each flange to be bent inwardly whereby the locking tabs engage in their respective slots and the box or tray is immediately held in its erect condition without any further securing means being necessary.

Preferably each locking tab extending integrally across the end wall and the gusset portion connected thereto and the slots are made L-shaped to receive the bent tabs in the erect condition. This arrangement provides a particularly secure connection between tabs and slots.

In a preferred embodiment the said flaps are themselves hingedly connected to a further portion of the respective gussets. This has the effect of generally strengthening the corner joints, and particuiarly of stabilising the slots.

In a particularly preferred form of the invention a portion of each gusset is fixed, for example by glue or staple, to its respective side wall in such a way that folding of the side walls to a position perpendicular to the base panel causes the end walls to be likewise erected. This makes for a rapid erection of the blank from the state in which the end walls and gusset portions are folded inwardly to lie flat over the base panel and side wall with a portion of each gusset fixed to its associated side wall forming panel as aforesaid. In this case the packaging operative simply bends up the flanges, then bends up the side walls whereupon the end walls are raised and the locking tabs presented to their respective slots. After some experience, an operative can erect a box or tray in a matter of a few seconds.

In order that the invention may be readily understood an embodiment thereof will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a partly opened out blank according to the invention, Figure 2 is a perspective view of one corner at the first stage of erection, Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 in the final stage of erection, and Figure 4 is a perspective view of a made up box or tray.

The blank comprises a base panel 1, a pair of side wall forming panels 2 and a pair of end wall forming panels 3. Each side wall panel 2 has extending therealong a hingedly connected flange 4 having at each end a hingedly connected flap 5, the latter being hingedly connected to a gusset portion 6.

Each end wall panel 3 is hingedly connected to a further gusset portion 7 and extending across the panel 3 and portion 7 is an integral locking tab 8. A third gusset portion 9 is coated with adhesive as shown and both end walls and their associated gusset portions and the flaps connected thereto are folded so as to lie flat over the base panel 1 as shown in the left hand side of Figure 1, being secured in this position by the adhesive on gusset portion 9.

Into each flap 4 is cut an L-shaped slot 10 of which one limb remains connected to its associated side wall panel 2 for a purpose hereinafter described.

It will be appreciated that the dashed lines in the figures denote score lines defining hinge connections, and furthermore that if desired the flanges 4 could be made substantially wider and extend up to at least halfway across the top of the box or tray in use so as to provide a top closure.

Turning to Figure 2, the flange 4 has been erected causing the gusset portion 6 to lie flat over gusset portion 9 and flap 5 to hinge outwardly to a position at mutual right angles with flap 4 and side wall panel 2. The L-shape of slot 10 is not readily apparent.

In Figure 3 the side wall panel 2 is almost fully erect and it will be seen how flap 5 is passing over end wall 3 and lying parallel thereto while tab 8 is being bent at a right angle and the L-shaped slot 10 is being presented to the tab for engagement therewith.

Figure 4 shows the fully made up box, and it will be seen how the engagement of tab 8 in slots 10 maintains the box or tray erect. The tabs released from slots 10 cooperate with their adjacent tabs 8 to reinforce the corners for good stacking strength. The main feature of the container however is the ready erectability as will be understood from the discussion with reference to Figures 2 and 3.

Claims

1. A box or tray of cardboard, corrugated board, fibreboard or similar lightweight foldable sheet material comprising a substantially rectangular base panel, a pair of side walls hingedly connected to the base panel along two opposite sides thereof, a pair of ends walls hingedly connected to the base panel along the other two opposite sides thereof, a gusset hingedly interconnecting each side wall with its adjacent end wall at each corner, each side wall having a hingedly connected flange extending along its length each flange having a hingedly connected flap at each end such flap lying adjacent its nearest end wall, each end wall and/or the gusset portion connected thereto being provided with a locking tab at each corner of the box or tray anc each said flange being provided with a slot at each ed in the region of the connection of the respective flap, each locking tab being received in a respective said slot and serving by virtue of such reception to maintain the box or tray erect.

2. A box or tray according to claim 1 in which each locking tab extending integrally across the end wall and the gusset portion connected thereto and the slots are made L-shaped to receive the bent tabs in the erect condition.

3. A box or tray according to claim 1 or 2 in which said flaps are themselves hingedly connected to a further portion of the respective gussets.

4. A box or tray according to claim 1,2 or 3 in which a portion of each gusset is fixed, for example by glue or staple, to its respective side wall in such a way that folding of the side walls to a position perpendicular to the base panel causes the end walls to be likewise erected.

5. A box or tray substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

6. A one-piece blank of cardboard, corrugated board, fibreboard or similar lightweight foldable sheet material cut and scored to provide a box or tray according to any of the preceding claims.