GB2347668A

GB2347668A - Collapsible box

Info

Publication number: GB2347668A
Application number: GB0005196A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Antonius Cornelis Gera Leebeek
Original assignee: Clip Lok International Ltd
Current assignee: Clip Lok International Ltd
Priority date: 1999-03-10
Filing date: 2000-03-04
Publication date: 2000-09-13
Also published as: BR0004090A; ES2166700A1; FR2790737A1; GB0005196D0; ES2166700B1; DE10011243A1

Abstract

A collapsible hinged box 10 comprises a base pallet 12 having a base panel 13, a composite side wall enclosure 18 and a lid 28. The composite side wall enclosure includes four side walls formed from major opposed side wall panels 20 and minor opposed side wall panel pairs 22,24 which are joined by means of plastics hinge formations 26,27 which enable the side wall panels to be folded into a slack between the lid 28 and the base 13 when the box is in a collapsed position. An array of drop-away base clips 32 are hingedly connected to the base by means of clip retaining plates and drop-away lid clips 34 are hingedly connected to the lid in the same fashion by formations 36. The base and lid clips are arranged to connect the respective base 13 and lid 28 to the composite side wall enclosure in its erected condition, and are also adapted to sandwich the stacked side wall panels between the base and the lid by clamping the base and the lid together.

Description

2347668 -i- A-COLLAPSIBLE HINGED BOX

BACKGROUND OF T14E IN-MITION

THIS Invention relates to a collapsible hinged box of the type having a base, alde walls hinged to one another. and a removable W.

Existing collapsible boxes, such as the collapsible box which forms the subject of US Patent 4.453,471, comprises a base pallet, a series of side wall panels and a lid which are damped together, in both their erected and stacked conditions, by means of loose clamps which can t separated from the box. These loose compononts am susceptible to being mislaid during transit.

SUMMARY OF:EHt INVENTION

According to the Invention there is provided a collapsible hinged box comprising, a base; a pluraft of side wall panels; a lid;. hinge means connecting side edges of the side wall panels together to define a composite side wall enclosure, the hinge means being adapted to enable the side wall panels to be folded Into a stack between the lid and Vw base when the box Is in a collapsed condition,, a plurality of drop-away base clips connected to the basa for relea5ably holding the composite side wall enclosure to the base in its erected condition; a plurality of drop-away lid clips connected to the lid for releasably holding the lid to the composite side wall enclosure In Its, t erected condition; and a plurality of clip-retaining formations for holding the drop-away base and lid clips captive on the respective base and lid, the drop-away Oase and lid clips being adapted to sandwich the stacked side wall panels of the composite side wall enclosure betwoon the base and the lid by clamping the base and the lid together.

In a preferred form of the Invention, the base and lid clips are substantially Lshaped, and are each formed with a fixed pivoting end held hingedly captive Within the clip retaining formation and a free end terminating in an Inwardly fading tang, the side wall panels being formed with locating slots toward their upper and lower edges within which the tongs are locatable to hold the box in ft eroded condition.

Conveniently, the outermost surfa668--of the base and lid are formed with tangreceiving recesses for receiving the tangs of the free ends of the respective lid and base dips.

Advantageously, the inner surfaces of both the lid and the base are formed with outer peripheral rebates for locating and retaining the upper and lower edges of the composite side wall enclosure in an erected open condition.

Typically, each of the clip retaining formations comprise a clip retaining plate which extends around a slot defined In the outer surface of the top and base, the clip retaining plate being formed with an angled retaining tang which extends Inwardly into the slot, the fixed pivoting end of the dip having a scrolled or bent formation which Is held hingedly captive within the sl6t by means of the retaining tang.

Preferably, the lid clip is formed with a parallel lid arm and a perpendicular arm terminating in the tang. the length of the perpendicular lid arm being substantially equal to the combined thicknesses of the collapsed side wall panels, the lid panel and the base panel, less the depth of the tang- receiving recesses of the lid panel.

Similarly, the base clip may be formed with a parallel base arm and a perpendicular base arm terminating in the tang, the length of the perpendicular base arm being substanUally eqb'af to the combined thicknesses of the collapsed side well panels, the base panel and the lid panel, less the depth of the tang-receiving recmes of the base panel.

Convenlent1y, the side wall enciosure Is symmetrical about horizontal axes of symmetry.

The box is preferably a three part box, comprising the bass carrying the dropaway base clips, the lid carrying the drop-away lid clips, and the composite side wall enclosure.

BRIEE DF-SCRIPT-ION OF THE DRAWWI Figure I shows a perspective view of a collapsible hinged box of the invention in Its erected condifion; Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the box of Figure I In a collapsed condition; Figure 3 shows a detalted front view of the box of Figure 2 in the direcHon of arrovy 3, Figure 3a shows a cross-secUonal side view of a lid clip on the line 3a- 33 of Figure 2; and Figure 3b shows a cross-sectional side view of a base clip on the line 313b of Figure 2- DE-SCHEIMN OF EM_ DIMENTS Referring to Pigure 1, a collapsible hinged box 10 is shown in the fully erected position, and includes a base pallet 12 comprising a base panel 13 supported on wooden or plastics spacer blocks 14 to the underside of which skid planks 16 are mounted. A composite side wall enclosure 18 includes four side walls formed from major opposed side wall panels 20 and minor opposed side wall panel pairs 22 and 24. The comer edgas of. the panels 20, 22 and 24 are formed with flexible plastics comer hinges 26. Central plastics hinges 27 join the adjacent minor side panel pairs 22 and 24 and allow them to collapse inwardly.

As Is clear from the detail of the central plastics hinge 27 in Figure I I the hinge has 2 back-to-back U-configuration, with re-entrant ribs 27.1 locating within corresponding marginal vertical notches 27,2 formed in the minor side wall panels 22 and 2-4 In a sliding or snap fit- The hinge 27 is formed with an outer connecting web 27.3 which allows the minor side panels to be folded inwardly.

As Is clear from the detail of the corner hinge 26, It has a similar backto-back U-configuration. with the U's joined by an inner connecting web 26-1 so as to allow the minor side panel 22 to fold irTwardly relative to the adjacent major side panel 18. The panels are formed with similar marginal vertical notches 26.2 and rc-ontrant ribs 26.3 which locort4 Within tha notches 26.2.The configuration of the hinges 25 and 27, together With the width dimensions of the panel s, wherein the major eide wall panels 20 are at least twice as Wde as the minor side wall panels 22 and 24, allow the entire composite side wall enclosure to be folded. Into a stack having a double- M configuration- The hinges may alao be formed frorn metal, in which case they would typically take the form of piano hinges.

A lid 28 Is fitted on the top edges-of the side wall panels 20, 22, 24. The side wall panels 20, 22, 24 are provided with horizontal slots 30, near their bottom and top edges, within which inwardly directed end tangs 31 of L-shaped base drop-away clips 32 and lid drop-away clips 34 firmly engage. The base clips 32 and lid clips 34 are fixed to the base 12 and the lid 28 respectively by means of a clip-retaining formiabon 36, and locate around the top and bottom comer edges of the box 10 so as to Wen the composite side wall enclosure 18 to the base 12 2nd the lid 28. In the erected condition, the composite side wall enclosure 1 a locates and Is retained in an open condition within peripheral rebates 33A and 33B formed In the respective bass 12 and the lid 28- -The L_ shaped base clips are formed with parallel base arms 32.1 and perpendicular bage 2TTns 32.2. SImIlady, the drop-away lid clips 34 are formed Wth;parallel lid arms 34.1 and perpendicular lid arms 34.2.

ReferHng now to Figure 2, the box 10 Is shown in a collapsed configuration. To dissemble the box 10 from its erected position in Figure 1. the drop-away lid clips 34 are pried from the horizontal slots 30 in which they are located so as to allow the lid 28 to be removed. To this end, acoess openings 34A defined by outwardly bent edges 34B of the clips are provided for receiving the end of an L-shaped prying tool. The drop-away base clips 32 are then also pried from their corresponding slots 30 so as to release the composite side wall enclosure 18 from the base 12. The central hinges 27 between the m(nor side wall panels 22 and 24 of the compoafte side wall endosure 18 are then pressW towards one ratiol1w;:r to pull the panaI3 20 towards oach othor until the side wall panels 20, 2-2 and 24 are in their doublo-M stacked configuration. The resultant stacked composite side Wall enclosure 18 is then located on top of the base 12 with the lid 28 then being placed on top of the stacked composite side wall enclosure 18. - The drop-away lid dips 34 are then forced downwardly and inwardly so as to engage with corresponding recesses 35 formed In the base 12 and the dropaway base clips 32 are then foraid upwardly and inwardly so as to also engage with corresponding recesses 35 formed In the lid 28. The free ends of the base and lid clips 32 and 34 ride over and then engage the recesses 36 on the short edges of the respective lid and base by slight flexure of the lid and base towards one another. The result Is that the stacked composite side wall enclosure 18 Is securely sandwiched between the base 12 and the lid 28 by the combined interengaging effect of the base clips 32 Gng2ging the lid 28 and the lid clips 34 engaging the base 12. To erect the box the knock down procedure described above Is merely reversed.

The drop-away dips 32 and 34 are shown In greater detail in Figures 3, 3a and 3b. The clips are connected to the base 12 and lid 28 of the box 10 by means of clip-retaining formatJons 36. Each clip-retaining formation 36 comprises a Cshaped retaining plate 38 which Is riveted onto the base 12 and 'lid 28 by means of rivets 39 and is formed with an intermediate retaining tang 40 angled downwardly Into a slot 42 formed In the base 12 and the lid 28. The scrolw ends 44 of the drop-away Clips are held hingedly captive behind the tang 40. The inwardly directed tongs 31 at the free ends of the clips are releasibly engaged In the recesses 35 formed in the base 12 and lid 28. The clips 32 and 34 are released using the aforementioned prying tool to a dropped away position indicated In broken outline at 48, after which the box may be erected.

The length of the perpendicular base arm 32.2 of the cilp, is determined by the combined thicknesses tl of the side wall panels 20, 24, 22 and 20, which in this case equals 4t1, together with the thickness Q of the base panel 13 and the thicknese tS of the lid panel 28, less the depth dl of the recess 36. The hinges 26 contribute slightly to tl'e overall thickness of the stack of side wall panels 20, 2-2 and 24, but this is taken account of in that there is a slight irrAmrd flexure of the rid and base panels 28 and 13, with the base clip:32 being In a state of static tension.

Similarty, the perpendicular arm 34.2 of the lid clip 34 has a thickness of 41:1 plus the lid panel thickness t3 and the base panel thickness t2 less the depth of the base panel rebate di. The length of the perpendicular 2rms 32.2 and 34.2 of the respective base and lid drop-; rway clips also corresponds to the common distance d2 between the horizontal slots 30 and the upper and lower edges of the side panels 20. 22 and 24, added the thicknesses t2 and M of the respeative base and lid panels.

The box of the invention has a particularly compact and sturdy construction which allows it to be readily and repeatedly transported both In the collapsed and erected conditions. In addit'ion, as the box is essentially three-part in form, with no additional loose components, the possibility of loose components, and particularly clips being mislaid during transit is eliminated.

The upperand lower horizontal slots are vertically aligned, and are exactly the same distance d2 from the upper and lower side wall panel edges. As a result, each of the side wall panels and slots are symmetrical about central horizontal axes of symmetry 50 and 52. This means that the side wall enclosure 18 can be positioned any way up during erecrion of the box,

Claims

1. A collapsible hinged box comprising:

a base; a plurality of side wall panels; a lid; hinge -means connecting side edges of the side wall panels together to define -a composite side wall enclosure, the hinge means being adapted to enable the side wall panels to be folded Into a stack between the lid and the base when the box is in a collapsed condition; a plurality of drop-away base clips connected to the base for Teleasably holding the composite side wall enclosure to the base in its erected condition; a plurally of drop-away lid clips connected to the Ad for releasably holding the lid to the composite side wall enclosure In its erected condition; and a plurality of cilp-retaining formations for holding the drop-awsty base and lid clips captive on the respective base and lid, the drop-sway base and lid clips being adapted to sandwich the stacked side wall panels of the composite side wall enclosure between the base 2nd " Ild by C12Mping ft base and the lid together.

2. A collApsible hinged box according to claim I in which the base and rid clip3 are oubotontially L-sh2pod, and are each fnrmed with a fixed pivoting end hold hingedly captive within the c1lip, retaining formation and a free end terminating in an inwardly facing tang, U-ie side wall panels being formed with locating slots toward their upper and lower edges within which the tange are locatable to hold the box In its erected condition.

3. A collapsible hinged box according to claim 2 in which the outermost surfaces of the base and lid being formed with tang-recelving recesses for receiving the tangs of the free ends of the respactive lid and base clips.

4. A collapsible hinged box according to either one of the preceding claims 2 or 3 in which the Inner surfaces of both the lid and tbe base are formed with outer peripheral rebates for locating and retaining the upper and lower edges of the composite side wall enclosure in an erected open condition, 5- A collapsible hinged box according to any one of the preceding claims 2 to 4 in which each of the clip retaining formations comprise a clip retaining plate which Wends around a slot defined in the outer surface of the top and base, the dip retaining plate being formed with an angled retaining tang which extends inwardly Into the slot, the fted pivoting end of the clip having a scrolled or bent formation which Is held hingedly captive within the slot by means of the retaining tang- 6. A collapsible hinged box according to claim 3 In which the rid clip Is formed with a parallel lid arm and a perpendicular arm terminatin g in the tang, the length of the perpendicular lid 'arm being substantially equal to the combined thicknesses of the collapsed side wall panels, the lid panel and the bate pknel, less the depth of the tang-receiving recesses of the lid panel.

7. A collapsible hinged box according to either one of claims 3 or 6 In which the base clip is formed Wth a parallel base arm and a perpendicular base arm terminating In the tang, the length of the perpendicular bass arm being substantially equal to ffie combined thicknessea of the collapsed side wall panels, the base panel and the lid panel, less the depth of the tang-receiving recesses of the base panel.

8. A collapsible hinged box according to any one of the preceding claims In which the side wall enclosure is symmetrical about horizontal axes of symmetry.

9- A collapsible hinged box -according to any one of the preceding claims in which the box is a three part box, comprising the base carrying the drop-away base clips, the lid carr)(ing the drop-away lid clips, and the composite sidc wctil enolocum.

12 10. A coUapsible hinged box generaUy as herein described, with reference to and/or as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

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