GB2091217A

GB2091217A - A box or tray

Info

Publication number: GB2091217A
Application number: GB8101739A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: GROWERS REQUISITES NORTHERN LT; Dolan Corrugated Containers Ltd
Current assignee: GROWERS REQUISITES NORTHERN LT; Dolan Corrugated Containers Ltd
Priority date: 1981-01-21
Filing date: 1981-01-21
Publication date: 1982-07-28
Also published as: GB2091217B

Abstract

A blank of a rigid creasable and foldable material which is cut and creased for erection to a box or tray has creases 29 in three walls 8, 18, 19 and additional creases 33 whereby in the erected box these additional creases 33 lie in a plane so that the box can be collapsed into a substantially flat planar condition. Along at least one edge of one of the sides of the box there is provided a supporting flange 23, which is foldable transversely by means of one of the additional creases 33 to enable the erected box to be collapsed or can lie normal to its side to assist in retaining the box in an erect condition. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A box or tray The present invention relates to a collapsible box or tray and a blank for the erection of same.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a blank of a rigid creasable and foldable material which is cut and creased for erection to a box or tray having creases in three sides the blank having additional creases whereby in the erected box these additional creases lie in a plane so that the box can be collapsed by means of these additional creases into a substantially flat planar condition, and along at least one edge of one of the sides of the box having a supporting flange, which is foldable both transversely by means of one of said additional creases to enable the erected box to be collapsed and so as to lie normal to said two sides to assist in retaining the box in an uncollapsed condition.

Preferably, two such supporting flanges are provided adjoining flaps attached to the edges of the other sides of the box.

Preferably also, the flaps are formed by a folded portion of said other two sides of the box.

Preferably also, the flaps are additionally attached to said other sides of the box by staples or other connecting means.

Preferably also, the flaps are cut or notched along their length.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a collapsible box or tray erected from a blank of a rigid creasable and foldable material according to the first aspect of the present invention.

An example of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a blank according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a box erected from the blank shown in Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a perspective view of the box shown in Figure 2 in a collapsed condition.

The blank as shown in Figure 1 comprises a substantially rectangular piece of a stiff material, such as faced corrugated fibreboard, which is creased and cut to enable itto be erected into a box as shown in Figures 2 and 3. The blank is creased as at 1 and 2 and provided with slots 3, 4, 5 and 6 which are aligned respectively with the creases 1 and 2 so as to divide the blank into three portions 7, 8, 9. The two end portions 7 and 9 are identically creased as at 10 and 11 normal to the creases 1 and 2 to provide two panels 12 and 13 each having two end flaps 14 and 15. Additionally, the central portion 8 is also creased as at 16 and 17 to provide end flaps 18 and 19.

The longer edges 20 and 21 of the blank are creased parallel with the edge, the flaps 14 and 15 are creased by single line creases 22 to form flanges 23 but the panels 12 and 13 are creased by double crease lines 24 to form straps 25. At the joins between the crease lines 22 and 24 are stamped holes 26, which assist in the collapse of the box after its erection from the blank. Radiating from each hole 26 are three further crease lines 27 which are necessary to enable the flanges 23 and the straps 25 to be folded to lie parallel with different sides of the box when the blank is erected, as is described below.

As will be seen, the flanges 23 form supports to assist in the retention of the box in an uncollapsed state whereas the straps 25 are merely provided to strengthen the edges 20 and 21 of the panels 12 and 13 and form flaps attached to the flanges 23 to enable the latter to be tensioned by connection to the panels 12 and 13. The straps or flaps 25 are transversely cut as at 28 to aid in the correct folding of the supporting flanges 23 and in modifications of the blank can be notched or cut at spaced intervals along their length or virtually omitted, a small portion being left adjacent the holes 26 for securement to the panel 12 or 13.

To enable the erected blank to be collapsed along its length so as to lie in a substantially flat planar condition, the blank is further longitudinally creased by single crease lines 29 and double crease lines 30, located centrally of the portion 8. At the intersection of the lines 29 with the lines 16 and 17 are holes 31 to assist in the collapse of the erected blank and likewise radiating from the joins between the lines 29 and the double lines 30 to the corners of the portion 8 are further crease lines 32. Additional to the crease lines 29 and 30 are provided crease lines 33 in the end flaps 14 and 15 parallel to the shorter sides of the blank. As will be seen, these crease lines 33 are co-planar with the crease line 29 in the erected blank.

To assist in the carrying of the erected blank, and to provide ventilation holes 34 are provided in the flaps 14 and 15 of portions 7 and 9 respectively and in the flaps 18 and 19. These holes 34 overlie one another in the erected blank to provide carrying or ventilation holes, at each side of the box.

To erect the blank, the portions 7 and 9 are firstly folded upwardly along the crease lines 1 and 2 to lie perpendicularly to the central portion 8. The end flaps 14 and 15 are then folded along crease lines 10 and 11 to lie at right angles to both the central portion 8 and the panels 12 and 13. The end flaps 14 and 15 of each portion 7 and 9 overlap one another so that the crease lines 33 in adjacent flaps are contiguous and lie in the same plane as the crease line 29. The end flaps 18 and 19 are then folded upwardly to lie at right angles to the rest of the central portion 8, which forms the base of the box, and adjacent the flaps 14 and 15. The box is then secured in this erected state by means of staples 35 which are located through the flaps 18 and 14 at one side of the box and the flaps 19 and 15 at the other side where the flaps 14 and the flaps 15 overlap.

Hence, it can be seen that in this example a five sided box or tray is formed, the base being formed by the central portion 8, the larger sides by panels 12 and 13 and the end sides by the combination of flaps 14, 15, 18 and 19. Each end side defines one carrying or ventilation hole formed by the overlap of the holes 34intheflaps14,15,18and19.

To assist in the retention of the box in this uncollapsed erected state, the flanges 23 and folded along crease line 22 to lie normal to the end sides of the box and to overlie the open top of the box. The overlapping portions of the flanges 23 caused by the overlap of the flaps 14 and the flaps 15 at each end of the box respectively are fastened together by means of staples 36 so that in effect a single flange 23 is formed along each end edge of the box. By means of the crease lines 24 and 27, and the holes 26, the adjoining straps 25 are folded down to lie adjacent the outer sides of the box formed by the panels 12 and 13 as shown in Figure 2. These straps 25 are secured in this position by means of staples 37 and thereby retain the flanges 23 in position to form supports for the box.

The box is capable of being knocked down into a substantially planar condition as shown in Figure 3.

To accomplish this collapse, the crease lines 33 in the flaps 14 and 15 and the crease line 29 in the flaps 18 and 19 are folded so that the flaps 14, 15, 18 and 19 fold inwardly of the panels 12 and 13, which move together toward one another. At the same time, by virtue of the crease lines 22 and 27, the flanges 23 are folded to lie in the same plane as the flaps 14 and 15 to which they respectively adjoin and fold in half transversely along the crease line 29. The crease lines 30 and 32 and the holes 31 enable the central portion 8 of the box forming the base to fold outwardly of the panels 12 and 13 as shown in Figure 3.Hence, the box collapses along its length to lie flat for stacking and storage before and after use in such a way that the box can be simply re-erected when desired by folding out the flaps 14,15,18 and 19 and pushing up the central panel 8.

It will be appreciated that the flanges 23 form the supports to assist in the retention of the box in an erect condition as they must be folded both about crease lines 22 and crease line 29 before the box can be collapsed. The flanges 23 also facilitate stacking of a plurality of such boxes. The straps 25 can be dispensed with as they do not serve to support the box provided that a short length of strap is left to be fastened to the panels 12 and 13 by the staples 37 to support the straps or flanges 23. However, as the straps 25 assist in the strengthening of the edges of the panels 12 and 13 they can be provided and notched or slit, such as by slit 28, as appropriate.

Although the blank and box shown in the drawings has deep sides, it will also be appreciated that the blank can be cut and creased for the formation of a tray or shailow box. Additionally, other connecting means be can be used in place of the staples 35,36 and 37 as appropriate.

It will be appreciated that although a rectangular box has been described in this example, the shape of the box can be varied and need not comprise a rectangular shape but any other polygonal shape.

Also, any number of supporting flanges can be provided as necessary. These flanges may partially or wholly close the box or a separate lid for the box can be provided if necessary.

CLAIMS (Filed 14 Oct 1981) 1. A blank of a rigid creasable and foldable material which is cut and creased for erection to a box or tray having creases in three sides, the blank having additional creases whereby in the erected box these additional creases lie in a plane so that the box can be collapsed by means of these additional creases into a substantially fiat planar condition, and along at least one edge of one of the sides of the box having a supporting flange, which is foldable both transversely by means of one of said additional creases to enable the erected box to be collapsed and so as to lie normal to said two sides to assist in retaining the box in an uncollapsed condition.

2. A blank according to claim 1, wherein two such supporting flanges are provided, adjoining flaps attached to the edges of the other sides of the box.

3. A blank according to claim 2, wherein the flaps are formed by a folded portion of said other two sides of the box.

4. A blank according to claim 3, wherein the flaps are additionally attached to said other sides of the box by staples or other connecting means.

5. A blank according to any one of claims 2 to 3 wherein the flaps are cut or notched along their length.

6. A collapsible box or tray erected from a blank of a rigid creasable and foldable material according

Claims

to claim 1.

7. A blank substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

8. A collapsible box ortray erected from a blank of rigid creasable and foldable material according to claim 1 substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.