GB2202826A - Wrapped boxes - Google Patents

Abstract

A wrapped box has a tubular wrapping secured to two facing end flaps 12, the end flaps 12 being bent in over adjacent end flaps 14 to which the wrapping is not attached to close one end of the box, the wrapping 22 left upstanding being thereafter successively bent in about the edges of adjacent panels 8, whereby a neat end wrapping can be simply achieved. <IMAGE>

Description

?fl?AppED BOXES This invention relates to wrapped boxes, and in particular to gift wrapped boxes.

It has been the practice for many years to package gifts in protective boxes, and then to cover the box with a wrapping of decorative paper or the like. However, considerable skill and manual dexterity is required to achieve a neat wrapping, particularly at the box ends; a poorly-wrapped box often detracts from the pleasure of receiving the gift, as well as offering less protection against e.g. the ingress of contaminants, bad odours and insects.

There are additional problems with the conventional method of gift wrapping parcels, using purchased gift wrap paper. One such problem is that in retail shops the paper wrapping and the boxes are often stored separately, which is not only inconvenient but may also mean that the sales assistant has to leave the gift counter unattented whilst fetching either the paper or box.

Another problem is that gifts are of various sizes and shapes, and so require a corresponding range of box sizes and shapes; ideally the gift wrap should match each size and shape of box, but the permutations of pattern and size are too great and so in general only two sizes of gift wrap paper are manufactured (50cmx70cm, and 70cmx100cm) - the wrap thus normally has to be cut before use, usuallv with a substantial remainder which is discarded. Those who have aquired the skill to make an acceptable wrapping using oversized wrap paper do so only at the cost of using extra paper, and time.Yet a further problem is that purchasers of gifts often would prefer to package the gifts themselves hut find it difficult to purchase either a suitable box or a single sheet of wrap, and of course they still meet the above problem of making a neat wrapping, particularly at the box end(s).

It has also been the practice for many years to package articles in protective boxes, whether or not covered in gift wrap, and which are then placed in a separate "carrier bag", conveniently formed with handles produced 5 aligned aDertures in the bag material or by string or the like attached to the material of the bag. The material of the carrier bag needshowever to be selected so that it can accept a range of boxed articles whose weight is not known in advance, and this reauirement limits the materials and/or the thicknesses of material which can sensibly he used for the bag. Specially shaped boxes having integral handles ("TOT" bags) are also known, which again are necessarily of a size and strength to cater for the heaviest article likely to be carried.

It is conventional practice for the box manufacturers to pre-assemble a hox from, for example, a cardhoard hank; bundles of the pre-assembled boxes are then dispatched in the lav-flat condition. cn assembled or erected the boxes assume their traditional tubular form. Whilst there is a known first type of pre-assembled box which has an (open) end to be closed by a single end flap (i.e. a flap of a size corresponding to the open end), this invention is concerned with the more-usual second type of pre-assembled box with an (open) end to be closed by two facing end flaps. The end flaps will normally simply lie across the open end of the box, to help close it, but may have securement tuck-in flaps.

Thus the two facing end flaps, when folded down across the box open end, may butt or they may overlap e.g. if the box is square in cross-section, but alternatively when folded down they can be of a size to lie in substantially the same plane with a gap therebetween e.g if they are the narrower end flaps of a box which is rectangular in cross-section. Even though there is a gap therebetween, in this specification they are said to close the box end.

Often the two facing end flaps when folded down will overlie two intermediate end flaps i.e. end flaps joined by a fold line to box panels respectively intermediate the panels to which the facing end panels in question are joined. Though such intermediate end flaps are not essential, when present they are the first to be folded down, in turn i.e. after the gift or other article has been inserted in the box.

Thus according to one feature of the invention we provide a wrapped box comprising two pairs of panels, each panel of a pair being between and hingedly connected to the panels of the other pair so that the panels can he erected to form a tube with an open end, the panels of one pair each having at said open end of the tube an end flap, the said end flaps thereby being facing end flaps when the tube is erected, each said facing end flap extending a distance from its panel no more than the spacing between the facing end flaps in the erected condition of the tube, and a wrap having a portion secured to each said end flap whereby movement of the facing end flaps after erection of the tube to close said open end will result in simultaneous movement of the respective portions of the wrap secured to the end flaps.

According to another feature of the invention we provide a method of wrapping a box constructed from a first and second pair of panels, each panel of one pair being hingedly connected to both panels of the other pair so as to form a tube having an open end, each of one pair of panels having at the open end of the tube a facing end flap to which wrapping is secured, the wrapping closely surrounding the panels and said facing end flaps, which includes the steps of pressing the panels at two hinged connections to form an erected tube, folding in the facing end flaps with their secured wrapping to leave therebetween upstanding wrapping to each side of the folded-in facing end flaps, bending in the said upstanding wrapping over the folded-in facing end flaps, and sealing the wrapling.

Thus we now propose a wrapped box comprising at least four panels separated by fold lines and defining a tube having two open ends, two of the panels which are oppositely facing when the tube is erected each having an end flap joined thereto to provide a pair of facing end flaps which can be folded over one open end; and in which the wrap is also in the form of a tube, portions of the wrap being secured to each of the two facing end flaps, so that these portions will he bent in over a box end with these end flaps.In an embodiment in which one facing end flap when folded in partly overlies the other facing end flap, the wrap is interleaved with the end flaps, with at least one thickness of wrapping being in part sandwiched between two flaps, so giving increased protection against contaminants. Preferably the wrap is secured to at least the three free edges each of the two facing flaps, so that the gift wrapping is drawn into a desired crease configuration as the flap is folded inwardly towards the box closure position, to assure a neatly wrapped box. Because the boxes according to the invention are supplied assembled or pre-assembled, the paper size and shape will already have been selected or cut by the supplier to match and fit around that particular box so that for example if the wrap is gift wrap, the shopkeeper can either more easily offer the gift in an acceptably gift wrapped box, or can sell one of a range of ready-wrapped boxes of suitable size (to someone who buys a gift elsewhere) allowing the purchaser to select the box with the most acceptably patterned wrap.

The desired crease configuration will comprise creases angled to the tubular axis of the hox. These creases will usually extend to the peripheral edge of the wrap but without the creases formed by the respective facing end flaps intersecting e.g. for boxes of rectangular cross-section in particular (with the wrap secured to facing end flaps joined to the narrower box panels) the wrap between the creases remains generally in its original (tubular) plane. Furthermore each such facing flap, when folded in over the box open end, creases the associated wrap so as to form a triangular overlapped wrap portion which remains upstanding substantially in its original (tubular) plane; this remaining (upstanding) wrapping is thereafter the more easily "bent in flat" over the end flaps, in a fold direction perpendicular or substantially so to the fold direction of the facing end flaps.

Many boxes have at at least one of the two open ends four end flaps i.e. one pair of facing flaps and one pair of intermediate flaps. Usually both facing end flaps will be folded down in turn over the intermediate flaps (which are the ones first folded).

If however the wrap is secured overall to each of the four end flaps, as is preferred for a "crash bottom" box wherein the ends interlock one with another as they are folded down, preferably the wrap is slit between adjacent flap edges during assembly to ease individual flap folding.

Usually the wrap is intended to he bent in at both ends of the box so that the box is fully-wrapped; but in an alternative embodiment the wrap is adhered or otherwise secured to the facing end flaps at only one box end, the wrap at the other end being designed to remain upstanding and to provide a carrier handle.

It will be understood that in this alternative embodiment, the box preferably will have "crash bottom" ends so that both ends of the box can be closed though only one end is wrapped, and that the wrap at this one wrapped end is pre-adhered overall to each of these flaps during initial assembly by the manufacturer, to ensure that the wrap forms a secure closed-end bag; the carrier handle at the said other end may be either of added material or provided by aligned apertures in the upstanding wrap portion.

In general, for boxes having e.g. crash bottom ends, during manufacture the wran may be adhered wholly i.e. overall, or partially to the material of the box before the blank is cut out, in both cases so that the wrap is identical in shape and size and with the same slits and fold lines as the blank - unless, as above, the wrap is intended to provide a carrier handle, in which case the wrap will usually, depending on the box confiquration, extend at one end beyond the end flaps. For ends which are not self-interlocking, whilst the wrap could be cut to size and shape and adhered to the box material before the blank is cut, convenientlv the paper is adhered to the formed box blank.In all cases, the wrap is fixed to the box by the box supplier, and I contemplate that it is in this assembled form that the boxes, pre-wrapped, will be dispatched in the lay-flat condition to shopkeepers and the like.

The invention will be further described by way of example with reference to the accompanyina drawings, in which: Fig.1 is a plan view of a box blank, but with adhesive applied at spaced spots; Fig.2 is a plan view of an alternative box blank; Fig.3 is plan view of yet another alternative box blank; Fig.4 is an end elevation of the box blank of Fig 1, in the assembled condition; Fig.5 is an en elevation of the assembled box blank of Fig dl, with gift wrapping attached; Fig.6 is a perspective, part view but not to scale of an erected assembled box; Fig.7 is a perspective, part view of the box of Fig 6, with one end flap bent towards the closure position;; Fig.8 is a perspective, part view of the box of Fig 6, with one facing end flap bent towards the closure position; Fig.9 is a cut away partial side view of a closed box; Fig.10 is a Dartial mid-section through a box with two facing end panels; Fig.11 is a view corresponding to Fig.10 but with one end panel folded over the box open end; and Fig.12 is a view corresponding to Fig.10 but with both facing end panels folded down over the box open end.

The blank of Fig 1, of cardboard, has four panels 2,4,6,8, joined at fold lines 3,5,7; panel 2 has a securing flap 10 joined at fold line 9. Panels 2,5 have end flaps 12 joined by fold lines 11, whilst panels 4,8 and end flaps 14 are joined by fold lines 13. End flaps 14,12 are separated by gaps 15, with respective edges 16,17 and outer edges 18,19, and so can be folded independently one of the other about respective fold lines 13,11.

In alternative embodiments the dimensions of the panels are different from those of Fig 1; and in a particular embodiment the panels 2,4,6,8 are square. In a further alternative embodiment the flaps are of different dimensions and shapes. In Fig 2, one pair of flaps 12 is omitted, whilst the other pair has a tag 20 joined at fold line 21. In a further alternative embodiment, the four flaps 14 of Fig 1 are omitted. In the embodiment of Fig 3, each panel 6 is joined only to one flap 14, the flaps 14 being oppositely directed and each being joined in turn to a tag 20.

To assemble the box, for example from the blank of Fig 1, to which spots of adhesive 20 have already been applied, the panels 2,4,6,8 are bent about the respective fold lines 3,5,7 and flap 10 bent about 9 until securing flap 10 contacts adhesive 20, whereupon the assembled box is in the form of an open ended tube, as seen in Fig 4. In an alternative embodiment, adhesive 20 is applied as a strip; and in a further alternative embodiment it is applied to the underside of panel 8 (as seen in Fig 1) so that in the assembled box securing flap 10 is located externally of panel 8.

The inner and generally non-patterned surface 22 (Fig 6) of gift wrap 24 is preferably adhered to a smaller (narrower) panel and its end flaps so for Fig.1 the surface 22 is adhered to end flaps 12 which are thus the facing end flaps previously referred to, and to the panel 5 therebetween. In this embodiment, the gift wrapping 24 is adhered to all of each facing end flap 12; but in one alternative embodiment it is adhered to peripheral edges 17,19; and in another alternative embodiment it is adhered only to the central area of peripheral edge 19, generally so that when end flap 1 2 is folded about fold line 11, as described in relation to Fig.S, the gift wrap 2z is taken with it. The gift wrap 24 is also secured to panel 5 by adhesive 25, and as seen in Fig 5 is positioned around the assembled box and secured to itself at the overlap 25 by a continuous strip of adhesive 27; in a less referred alternative embodiment, the paper is secured to itself at overlap 26 hy a succession of spots of adhesive.

In an alternative embodiment (not shown), the wrap may be of a size such that aligned handle apertures can he formed e.g. at the position marked 22 in Fig.6. Thus the wrap may extend further at one end of the box for this purpose than at the other.

Usefully, this embodiment will he used for boxes to carry a boxed article of known weight so that the strength of the handle and of the one end closure and generally of the material can he pre-determined. The box will be covered by the wrap at one end only, the box conveniently having crash-bottom or interlocking ends.

Whilst being stored, an assembled box is usually in the lay-flat condition as seen in Fig 5. When require for use, the asse:nbled box is erected by pressure on two fold lines e.g. fold lines 3,7, whereupon the box adopts the erected condition of Fig 5. To close one end, flaps 14 are in turn folded inwardly, as seen in Fig 7, whilst leaving the eift wrap as a tube since the wrap is not adhered to these flans; in known fashion flaps 14 may overlap as indicated in Fig 3, may butt, or may be spaced by a ga. Thereafter, flaps 12 are each in turn folded inwardly, carrying with them the area of wrap 24 adhered thereto, and as seen in Fig 8, causing an adjacent wrap area generally co-planar with but extending beyond panel 4 to crease outwardly at 30, generally from the corner of flap 8 at its connection with fold line 11. The remainder of the gift wrap 24 still--lpstanding i.e.

that between these creased portions, and which is generally still co-planar with panels 4 can now be bent in about fold line 11 defing the (top) edge of a panel and secured, as by a cellulose adhesive strip, or fancy tape.

In the embodiments of Fig 2/3, the facing end flaps are flaps 14, with flap 12 and tuck in flap 20 first being folded and tucked in during end closure, followed by flans 14 and the adhered wrap. Preferably the wrap will have a depth substantially equal to the combined panel and facing flaps depth e.g. the depth between edges 19 of upper and lower flaps 12 (as seen in Fig 1) for the particular hox.

The method of wrapping the end of a box with two facing end flans to which gift wrap is secured is shown schenatically in Figs. 10-12 of an erected tube. Three of the box panels are shown, with in this view panel 40 being the rear panel, and 42, 44 being the side panels, in section.

Panel 40 has a ton edge 46; panel 42 has an end flap 142 joined thereto by fold line 47, whilst panel 44 has an end flap 144 joined thereto by fold line 48; the end flaps 142,144 are facing end flaps in the indicated erected condition of the tube. Around the tube and end panels is a sheet of gift wrap 124 secured at least to the facing end panels 142, 144 by adhesive 50. An inner surface of a section 122 of the gift wrap 124 can be seen above the top edge 46 of panel 40.

';hen the end panel 142 is folded inwardly about fold line 47, it takes with it not only the gift wrap adhered thereto but also some of the wrap fron section 122; thus as seen in Fig 11, part of section 122 is bent in about self-formed crease line 52, to display the outer surface of the wrap i.e. the pattern.

When the other end flap 144 is folded inwardl, it also takes with it not only the gift wrap 124 secured thereto but also some of section 122, whilst simultaneously forming crease line 54.

It will be appreciated that with folding in e.g. of facing end flap 142, the gift wrap will thus be creased, with one crease line 52 being generally in the plane of panel 40, and the other in the plane of the near panel (not seen). It will also be appreciated how siin rle it now is, having reached the condition shown in Fig.12, to make a neat gift wrap end closure since the remaining and retained and generally triangular sections of the gift wrap (in the plane of panel 40 and of the near panel) can now be bent respectively and successively in a direction towards (ahout panel edge 46) an away from the viewer (i.e.

perpendicular to the fold direction of facing end flaps 142,144), to cover over the gap 60 between the facing flaps.

In an alternative embodiment, when the end flaps 142, 144 are provided on a box which is square in cross-section, the gap 6C can be non-existent anz/or one of the facing end flaps 12, 144 can overlie the other.It is thus a feature of our method of closing a box end having two facing end flaps to which gift wrap is secured that the end flaps are folded down towards the open box end in sunstantially opposed directions one to the other; and thereafter the remaining and retained upstanding gift wrap therebetween and to either side of the folded in flaps 142,144 is bent down towards the open box end, again in substantially opposite directions one to the other but perpendicular to the directions for the folding in of the facing end flaps.Typically the tube will be held with the end flaps in the fore and aft direction seen in Fig.10, the end flaps will be pressed in by the fore finger of each hand (in opposed sideways directions), and thereafter the gift wrap retained therebetween will be folded in respective ore and aft directions by the thumb and first finger of each hand.The box can be made of any suitable material, though it will generally be within the industry values of 100gsm

to 2000gsm; the paper, or suitable alternative e.g. "15YLAR"lfilm will be between 30rs;n and 1o0gsm. The box material should not conform to the shape of the gift but should be self-supporting; whilst the wrapoing must be able to conform to the box shape.

It will be understood therefore that we have provided a pre -wr aped box no more difficult to store in the assembled condition than a conventional box and with a facility for easy and neat closure even by the unskilled. The ready-wrapped boxes can be sold separately. Articles e.g. gifts in the wrapped box can gain enhanced protection against contaminants, whilst leakage of box contents e.g. from a broken gift hottle, is minimised.

Whilst both box ends will nornally he wrapped, for specific applications only one end will be wrapped and the other formed as a carrying handle. whilst the wrapping can be adhered wholly to the box panels and flaps, for gift wrapping we prefer only partial adherance so that the recipient can have the traditional pleasure of first removing the wrapping ("ripping off the paper") before opening the box; and then, again so as not to detract from the recipient's pleasure, we also prefer gift boxes of the so-called white-lined chip, so that the box is itself presentable and not of inferior appearance or quality even though the box exterior may be concealed until the wrapping is removed.

Claims (14)

1. A wrapped box comprising two nairs of panels, each panel of a pair being between and hingedly connected to the panels of the other pair so that the panels can be erected to form a tube with an open end, the panels of one pair each having at said oten ends of the tube an end flat, the said end flaps thereby being facing end flats when the tube is erected, each said facing end flap extending a distance from its panel no more than the spacing between the facing end flaps in the erected condition of the tube, and a wrap having a portion secured to each said end flap whereby movement of the facia end flaps after erection of the tube to close said open end will result in simultaneous movement of the respective portions of the wrap secured to the end flaps.

2. A wrapped box as claimed in Claim 1 in which the wrap closely surrounds all of the tube and all of each facing end flap.

3. A wrapped box as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 in which the first pair of panels is of greater width than the second pair of panels, so that the erected tube is rectangular in cross-section, the said one pair of panels which has the facing enc' flans being the said second, narrower, pair of panels.

4. A wrapped box as claimed in any of Claims 1 - 3 in which the outer wrap is also secured to a single panel, said single panel being one of the said one pair of panels, so that the tube may be erected or collapsed without straining the wrap.

5. A wrapped box as claimed in any previous claim in which each panel has at the said open end of the tube an end flap, and in which all of the panels extend the same distance from their associated panel, and in which the wrapping extends up to but not beyond the end of each end flap.

6. A wrapped box as claimed in any previous claim in which there are facing end panels both at said onen end and at the end of the tube opposite to said open end, each of the said one pair of panels having two end flaps.

7. A wrapped box as claimed in any of Claims 1-5 in which the tube at the end opposite to said open end is formed to provide a crash bottom end.

8. A wrapped box as claimed in any of Claims 1-5 in which the wrap at the end opposite to said open end extends beyond the tube to provide a carrier handle.

9. A wrapped box as claimed in any previous claim in which the wrapping has inner and outer surfaces, and is gift wrapping with a pattern on the outer surface.

10. A method of wrapping a box constructed from a first and second pair of panels, each panel of one pair being hinedly connected to both Danels of the other pair so as to form a tube having an open end, each of one pair of panels having at the open end of the tube a facing end flap to which wrapping is secured, the wrapping closely surrounding the panels and said facing end flaps, which includes the steps of pressing the panels at two hinge connections to form an erected tube, folding in the facing end flaps with their secured wrapping to leave therebetween upstanding wrapping to each side of the folded-in facing end flaps, bending in the said upstanding wrapping over the folded-in facing end flaps, and sealing the wrapping.

11. A method as claimed in Claim 9 in which the facing end flaps and the wrapping secured thereto are folded in simultaneously, and in which the said upstanding wrapping remaining to one side of the facing end flaps is bent in only after the upstanding wrapping to the other side of the facing end flaps has been bent in.

12. A method as claimed in Claim 9 or 10 in which the upstanding wrapping is bent in about an edge of a panel of the other pair.

13. A wrapped box consructed and arranged substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

14. A method of wrapping a box substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.