WO1988007476A1

WO1988007476A1 - A cuboid packing box

Info

Publication number: WO1988007476A1
Application number: PCT/GB1988/000223
Authority: WO
Inventors: Patrick Carr
Original assignee: Patrick Carr
Priority date: 1987-03-23
Filing date: 1988-03-23
Publication date: 1988-10-06
Also published as: GB8706802D0; AU1497388A

Abstract

A packing box is formed of a cardboard outer layer (17) and a set of softer inner layers (18), forming six panels (10-15) which can fold together to produce a rigid, insulated container capable of carrying delicate articles. The cardbord has tabs (22, 23) to seal the box, and tabs (21, 27) to close the ends neatly. The inner layers are mitred on at least four sides for exact fit.

Description

A CUBOID PACKING BOX

This invention relates to a cuboid packing box, for use in sending small articles by mail.

For sending small, and particularly flat, articles by mail one can buy a padded envelope which gives protection to th article and is itself strong enough not to be seriously damaged by the handling it receives. Such envelopes can normally be re-used at least a few times.

However, if the article to be mailed is not flat, but has substantial third dimension, such envelopes are not of use.

Proposals are also known e.g. GB Patent 1583324 and US Patent 4010865, for knock-down boxes having an interior layer of a foamed material for heat insulation purposes. These boxes are intended for consignments of perishable goods such as fish and fruit, and consequently are of a size, wall thickness and weight which is substantially greater than is useful for the present application.

If actually produced according to the teaching of these prior documents, considerable force is required to erect a box, which is not suitable for articles sold to the public including the elderly. Moreover, there is a danger of the corners of the box being damaged and splitting. The invention aims to provide a box which has sxifficient strength to go through the mail, which provides a relatively sof interior to prevent damage, and which can be erected without the exertion of force.

Accordingly, there is provided a cuboid packing box formed by a net of six linked panels, each panel comprising an outer layer of card which is common to all panels and an individual inner softer layer adhered to the card, wherein a row of four wall panels when erected form a rectangular configuration open at opposite ends, and two end panels close into those ends, and wherein tabs of the card carryin an adhesive layer on the same side as the inner layer are provided to lock said rectangular configuration and to lock the two end panels in their closed position along their fre edges opposite to the edges which join them to the net.

Such a box can be sold entirely flat, and the tabs provided as necessary with double-sided adhesive tape. The provisio of a slight spacing between the individual inner layers allows the box to be erected without the exertion of force and damage to the corners. Preferably, the adhesive tabs are provided on the row of four panels, and additional tabs are formed on the edges of the two end panels which can fol to protect the edges of the inner layer thereon as the end panels are closed into the ends of the rectangular configuration. In order that the invention shall be clearly understood, an exemplary embodiment thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:-

Fig. 1 shows a packing box according to the invention opene flat.

Fig. 2 shows a part section on B-B in Fig. 1.

^• Fig. 3 shows a section on A-A in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 shows a scrap view of the linkage between two adjacent panels in Fig. 1 on B-B when erected.

Fig. 5 shows a scrap view of the linkage between two adjacent panels in Fig. 1 on A-A when erected.

Fi^g. ⁶ shows an alternative version of a box according to the invention; and

Fi^g. 7 shows a section on line 7-7 in Fig.6.

A cuboid box has six panels 10-15 linked to form a net 16 when opened flat. Each panel comprises an cardboard outer layer 17 to which is glued an inner, softer layer 18. The outer layer is, for example E-flute corrugated card; the inner layer is, for example, extra hard, small bead expanded polystyrene in the form of an injection moulded or cut to shape tile. Expanded polyurethane or expanded polyethylene might also serve as suitable materials. The outer layers of all the panels are continuous, thus forming the net 16, the panels being linked at the fold lines 19. On the one axis B-B each title 10-13 is bevelled or mitred at opposite ends at exactly 45° as seen in Fig 2 which also shows that each tile forming the inner layer 18 is slightly smaller than the dimensions of the outer layer 17 to which it is attached. On the other axis A-A the end tiles 14,15 at each edge are cut square at exactly 90° as seen in Fig 3 which also shows a spacing 20 between the all square end tiles 14,15 and the square/mitred cross tiles 10-13 to accommodate the thickness of the end tiles when erected.

It will also be noted that apart from the gap between adjacent panels 10-13 and the gap 20 between panels 14 and 15 adjacent to 10, the outer layer 25 of panel 12 is slightly larger (excluding the tabs) than that of its adjacent panels 11 and 13. This is to allow for the thickness of the panel walls when the box is closed. The gap 26 on the end of panel 10 is also provided for the same purpose.

The outer layers 17 of the two panels 14,15 are extended on three sides by tabs 21,27 which are folded up at right angles to form a buttress layer between the outer panel 17 and the inner panels 10 to 13 when the box is erected. This layer forms a neat corner, which would otherwise be formed by two abutting cut edges at right angles. Such an arrangement would be both weaker and aesthetically less pleasing.

Tabs 23 on either side of panel 12 and tab 22 on one end of panel 10 are provided for securing the box. Areas of double sided adhesive tape 24, each one covered by a release paper, are provided on tabs 22 and 23 so that a user does not need to supply tape or glue.

The net 16 can be erected to form the walls of the box by folding adjacent wall panels 10 to 13 to form a hollow square tube, and then securing panel 10 to panel 13 by folding over and attaching tab 22. Panels 14 and 15 are then folded up and their extended tabs 21 engage between the inner and outer panels to close the box. The box is then secured by folding over and attaching tabs 23 to the outer sides of panels 14 and 15 respectively.

In fact, the strength and solidity of the box depends on it being very accurately dimensioned. The critical factors in this are that the corresponding sides of the panels are of the correct dimensions and the mitres on the opposite ends of panels 10 to 13 on axis B-B are exactly 45° and the angles on all the sides of the tiles on axis A-A 10 to 15 are exactly 90°. Also that dimension (x) between panels 10 to 13 (Fig.2) and dimension (y) between panels 10 and 14, 15 (Fig.3) exactly permits the folding of adjacent panels so that the box engages tightly and accurately together when erected.

In practice, a box as described has very great strength despite being very light, a necessary quality to avoid postal charges. It may use any suitable materials of any suitable thickness for the inner and outer layers. Normally, but depending upon the nature of the outer surface, no outer wrapping of the packing box will be required and mailing instructions can be written on the outer surface itself. In addition, the configuration of the net of panels renders the box self-evident to assemble.

The box, although illustrated as a cube, can have any desired proportions. Since it can be stored opened flat before use, it is economical of space in manufacture, storage and transport. It is suitable for retail sale to users through post offices, department stores and stationers, for example, and can also be used as a protective box by shops e.g. china shops, in which to give customers their purchases. It can also be used commercially for the transportation of goods, particularly fragile items such as china and glass and valuable manufactured goods by mail order houses, pharmaceutical companies and equipment manufacturers as well as wine merchants.

The net is advantageously of the T-configuration shown, because this provides the possibility of the most economical tesselation of shapes for cutting out in production, ensuring minimum waste of card. The tiles 10 to 13, with bevelled edges on two sides only, are ideal for production by cutting, since the bevels can be cut off a continuous strip of polystyrene foam, and then the tiles cut transversely from the length. This is suitable for relatively low volume production.

If, however, production volume justifies the making of moulds, then a slightly different tile shape is better, as illustrated in Figs 6 & 7. In thiε case, it is possible to make all six tiles (10 to 15) square, with all four sides of each mitred at 45°. This makes the box even stronger. The edges of tiles 11,12,13 would need to have an undercut 28 so as to acco odate the tabs 21,27 of the top and bottom. This is illustrated in Figure 7. Such a shape can only effectively be made by injection moulding.

Two further slight modifications are shown. The tab 20 is in this case split into three sections. The centre one 30 is adhesive, and instead of it being tucked inside the walls of the box, it is used to stick down the lid. For this purpose, the tabs 23 are also divided, or may even be omitted altogether. This has two advantages: the tabs 30 when released form a means for pulling up the top and bottom panels of the box to open it; and if tabs 23 are omitted, the tesselation of the cardboard blanks can be closer, reducing cost.

Further, the tabs 21 have their corners cut off at 31 to facilitate closing of the top and bottom.

Claims

1. A cuboid packing box formed by a net of six linked panels (10-15), each panel comprising an outer layer (17) of card which iε common to all panels and an individual inner softer layer (18) adhered to the card, wherein a row of four wall panels (10-13) when erected form a rectangular configuration open at opposite ends, and two end panels (14,15) close into those ends, and wherein tabs (22,23) of the card carrying an adhesive layer (24) on the same side as the inner layer are provided to lock said rectangular configuration and to lock the two end panels in their closed position along their free edges opposite to the edges which join them to the net.

2. A cuboid packing box as claimed in claim 1 wherein the six panels (10-15) are linked in the shape of a T.

3. A cuboid packing box as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the adhesive tabs (23) for closing the two end panels are on the sides of the row of four wall panels.

4. A cuboid packing box as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the adhesive tabs (30) for closing the two end panels are on the sides of the end panels themselves.

5. A cuboid packing box as in any preceding claim wherein each end panel (14,15) has an extension (21,27) on three sides forming tabs which are folded to close within the rectangular configuration.

6. A cuboid packing box as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the inner layers (18) of the four wall panels (10-13) each have mitred adjacent edges, and the inner layers (18) which substantially cover the two end panels (14,15) are square cut.

7. A cuboid packing box as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5 wherein the inner layers (18) on all six panels (10-15) are mitred at their edges, and each layer substantially covers its panel.

8. A cuboid packing box as claimed in claims 5 and 7 wherein the inner layers (18) of the wall panels (10-13) are undercut (28) on two opposite edges to receive the extensions (21,27) on the end panels.

9. A cuboid packing box as claimed in any preceding claim wherein small gaps (X) are left between adjacent inner layers (18) to permit folding of outer layer (17).