CA1262447A - Box-like article and method of making same - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A slipcase having an opening on one side is provided and is formed from a paperboard blank and a backing material. The slipcase has a tight, strong construction due to tightly conforming grooves and lips into which edges of the box panels are fitted during assembly. Easy folding is provided by forming slits in the grooves. The backing material is provided with side flaps and corner tabs are provided with adhering means and which project beyond the edges of the paperboard blank to facilitate assembly of the slipcase. These side flaps and corner tabs are adhered to the respective side panels after the panels are folded, to hold the panels in a box-like configuration.

Description

4'~'7 This invention relates to the manufacture of con-tainers and box-like articles in a more efficient manner and, more particularly, to a box-like container in the form of a slipcase having a backing to be printed on and which is of tight and strong construction.

The manufacture of boxes or box-like containers is an old and prolific art. Despite the myriad of box designs and the many manufacturing techniques developed for container fabrication, improvements are continuously being made. The present invention features an improved box blank for making a box-like container or slipcase generally used for storing and/or transporting books and other similar articles. The slipcase is substantially rectangular with an opening on one side thereof for the insertion and removal of books and the like~ and is made of paperboard and has a finished appearance due to a backing material that is glued to and covers the paperboard frame. Typically, a printed logo or other matter is printed on the side(s) of the slipcase.

A box having panels that fold to form a container about V-shaped grooves is shown in U.SO Patent No.
1,818,102, issued on August 11, 1931 to G. C. Snyder. In this patent, the V-shaped grooves are cut completely through the la~inated blank to the backing material, and they must be carefully cut to provide a tight corner fit and to prevent piercing of the backing material.
A box blank that has folded panels is also illustrated in U.S. Patent Nos. 1,442,902 and 3,391,856, respectively, issued May 6, 1924 and July 9, 1968 to H. B. Smith and L.
D. Siegler, respectively. These two patents show fold lines that are either creased or scored.
None of the above patents teach or suggest the use of articulated grooves in making box-like containers, or the use of lips for seating edges of paperboard panels, wherein a stiff paperboard blank may be easily folded and assembled to form a strong and rigid box-like structure.
In addition, one of the practices in the prior art has been to print the logo or indicia on the backing material ,,i for the slipcase before the backing has been cut and applied to the paperboard frame. This technique has caused problems, wherein the printed material is often off-center, or misaligned, or otherwise improperly oriented with -aY ~ $~^

respect to the box structure. This is caused if the backing material is adhered to the paperboard in an off-center relationship or at a slight angle.
It is an ob~ect of one aspect of this invention to provide an improved box-like article and method for making the same.
It is an object of another aspect of this invention to provide a strong, rigid, aesthetically-pleasing, finished slipcase ~or supporting, storing, or transporting books and similar articles, which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture.
lo It is an obJect of yet another aspect of this invention to provide an improved composite box blank for facilitating and simplifying the manufacture of slipcases.
By one broad aspect of this invention, a composite box blank is provided for forming a box-like container having only one side open for receiving books and similar articles, the composite box blank comprising a paperboard blank including panels and adhered to a backing material to form the composite box blank, the backing material including side flaps and corner tabs pro~ecting beyond the edges of the panels and adapted to be adhered to the panels to assemble the composite box blank into the box-like container, the box blank comprising: a first panel, a second panel, and a third intermediate panel disposed therebetween, the first panel being connected to the third intermediate panel by means defining a first articulated groove, the second panel being connected to the third intermediate panel by means defining a second articulated groove; fourth and fifth side panels, each such panel having inner transverse edges which are connected along respective opposite transverse edges of the first panel by means defining third and fourth articulated grooves, respectively, and having outer transverse edges and lateral edges, respectively, the first articulated groove being for receiving and seating a lateral edge of the first panel, the second articulated groove being for receiving and seating a lateral edz~ of the second panel, the third articulated groove being for receiving and seating the inner transverse edge of the lo fourth panel and the fourth articulated groove being for receiving and seating the inner transverse edge of the fifth panel; the transverse edges of the second and third panels each having transversely-extending lips formed thereon for receiving and seating the outer transverse edges and lateral edges of the fourth and fifth panels, respectively; wherein one of the transversely-extending lips receives and seats the outer transverse edge and a lateral edge of the fourth panel, and wherein the other of the transversely extending lips receives and seats the outer transverse edge and a lateral edge of the fifth panel; and the projecting side flaps and corner taps of the backing material including adhering means for adhering ~he side flaps and corner tabs to the fourth and fifth panels after they are folded to hold such panels in a box-like configuration.
Each of the articulated grooves may comprise an elongated, generally-square-shaped notch cut partially into the thickness of ',~.

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the paperboard blank and having a width at least equal to the thickness of a respective adjacent panel to be seated therein.
In such embodiment, the third and fourth articulated grooves may each further include a slit formed in the bottom of the notch, the slit extending substantially the entire length of the groove, the slit having a depth partially through the blank thickness, whereby the edges of the fourth and fifth panels are easily folded into the grooves.
The box blank may further include sixth and seventh panels, the sixth panel being connected to the fourth panel by means defining a first score line, and the seventh panel being connected to the fifth panel by means defining a second score line; and the third and fourth articulated grooves may each have a width which exceeds the sum of the thicknesses of the fourth and sixth panels, and the sum of the thicknesses of the fifth and seventh panels, respectively, so as to receive and seat the edges of the panels.
In the above embodiments, the transversely-extending lips formed on the transverse edges of the second and third panels are of a thickness less than that of the paperboard panels, and are of a width less than the width of the articulated grooves. One of these transversely-extending lips receives and seats a trans-verse and a lateral edge of the fourth panel, and the other of the transversely-extending lips receives and seats a transverse and a lateral edge of the fifth panel. A lateral edge of the . ~
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fourth and fi~th panels may each have a laterally extending lip formed thereon for abutting and overlapping a portion of the transversely-extending lips.
By another ~spect of this invention a box-like container is provided having o~ly one side open for receiving books and similar articles, the box-like container being folded and erected from a paperboard blank including panels and adhered to a backing material to form a composite box blank, the backing material including side flaps and corner tabs projecting beyond the edges of the panels and adapted to be adhered to the panels to assemble the composite box blank into the box-like container, the box-like container comprising: a first wall folded and erected from a first panel along a first articulated groove; a second wall folded and erected from a second panel along a second articulated groove; a third wall folded and erected from a third panel along the first articulated groove and the second articulated groove, such wall thereby being disposed between the first wall and the second wall; a fourth wall folded and erected from a fourth panel along a fourth articulated groove; and a fifth wall folded and erected from a fifth panel along a fifth articulated groove;
wherein: a lateral edge of the first panel is received and seated in the first articulated groove; a lateral edge of the second panel is received and seated in the second articulated groove; an inner transverse edge of the fourth panel is received and seated in the third articulated groove, an inner transverse edge of the ,.~, ~ - 6a -fifth panel is recelved and seated in the fourth articulated groove; outer transverse and lateral edges of the fourth panel are received and seated in a transversely-extending lip extending from a transverse edge of the second panel; outer transverse and lateral edges of the fifth panel are received and seated in a transversely extending lip extending from a transverse edge of the third panel; an outer transverse edge and a lateral edge of the fourth panel also being received and seated in one of the transversely-extending lips; an outer transverse edge and a lateral edge of the fifth panel also being received and seated in the other of the transversely-extending lips; and the side flap and the corner tabs being adhered to the fourth panel and the fifth panel; thereby to hold the panels in the box-like configuration.
The present invention in its broad aspect thus proposes to adhere the backing material to the paperboard frame before the printing operation. In this manner, the logo or other printed indicia is printed on the backing material after it is adhered to the paperboard frame and is thereby assured of having a proper registration with the box structure; i.e., it is aligned and oriented with the edges of the container.
Another improvement inherent in its broad aspects of this invention includes the utilization of articulated grooves between the various panels so that when the panels are folded, the edges of the panels are received and seated within the grooves. Since ~ 6b -the panel eclges flt snugly within these grooves, it results in a tight and strong box structure.
In order further to impruve the tlght box constrllctionl according to other aspects of this invention, lips are formed on the edges o~ the paperboar-l panels. When the side pclnels are folded, thelr edges are received and seated within the lips to provide a more rigJd box construction.
Further, according to another aspect of this invention, the backing material is provided with projecting side flaps and corner tabs which are employed for easily gluing -together the box panels after they are folded to form the box-like s-tructure.
Further, the backing material is precu-t to avoid various problems relating to misaligning the backing material to the folded box.
In one embodiment, the box blank of an aspect of the present invention is formed of paperboard panels having adhered thereto a suitable backing material. The paperboard panel includes a first panel, a second panel, and a third~ intermediate panel disposed between them. Laterally-extending first and second grooves~
respectively, connect the first and second panels to the third, intermediate panel. Fourth and fifth panels form side panels which are connected to the first panel by means defining third and fourth transversely-extending grooves. In addition, the second and third panels include transversely-extendlng lips projecting therefrom to receive and seat the edges of the fourth and fifth side panels. Each of the four grooves and each of the - 6c -lips collform to arl(l receive an edge portion of an ad,acent panel, when the bl~lnk is ~nlded, to form a slipcase having a tight, rigid, and strnrlg constYIlctl()n.
In an alternat-ive Pmbodimellt, the thickness of the sidewalls of the slLpc-ase can be incr-eased by providing add)tional sixth and seventh side panels; the sixth panel being connected to the fourth panel, and the seventh panel be3ng connected to the fifth panel. In such an embodiment, the third and fourth grooves have increased widths which exceed the sum of the thicknesses of the fourth and sixth, and fifth and seventh side panels, respec-tively, for receiving them.
The box blank has a backing material adhered to one side thereof. The backing material is larger than the paperboard panels, such that side flaps and corner -tabs project beyond their edges, and are employed after the panels are folded, to be glued to the side panels to hold the box in its desired configuration.
In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows a sequential schematic view of a prior art procedure featuring seven method steps 1 to 7 in the production of a finished slipcase;
Figure 2 through 6 illustrate a sequential technique for the assembly of the slipcase of an aspect of this invention;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the paperboard blank for the box-like container of an aspect of this invention;
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the paperboard blank of Figure 2 being placed over the precut backing material;

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Figure 4 is a perspective view of the blank and backing of Figure 2 affixed to each other to form a composite box blank used to form the slipcase;
Figure 4a is an enlarged perspective view of the grooves shown in Figure 4;
Figure 5 is a perspective view of the box blank of Figure 4 par~ially assembled into the box-like container of this invention;
Figure 6 is a perspective view of the box-like con-tainer of this invèntion in the final stage of assembly; and Figure 7 is a perspective view of an alternate embodi-ment of the paperboard blank shown in Figure 2.

Generally speaking, the invention features a `15 "slipcase" having an opening on only one side and formed from folded paperboard panels covered by a smooth backing material with printed matter thereon. l`he slipcase can be used for storing, carrying, and/or transporting books and other similar articles. The container is of a tight, rigid, and strong construction providing an aesthetically pleasing and professional appearance. The rigid construction results from using articulated grooves, slits formed therein, and lips that conform to the edges of the panels for receiving and seating adjacent panels, while allowing for easy fold-ing and assembly.
Referring to Figure 1, a sequential method of steps 1 to 7 for assembling a prior art slipcase is shown~ A
backing material 1 is first precut, as illustrated in step 1. A paperboard blank 2 having four panels is laid upon the backing 1, and the side panels are folded up as shown in step 2. In step 3, the sides of the backing material are folded in and affixed to the sidewalls of blank 2. Edges 3 of backing 1 project above blank 2. A
second four-paneled blank 4 (step 4) with its open end facing downwardly is placed inside the first blank 2. Edges 3 are then folded over blank 4, as shown in step 5. Then, a cover backing 6 with an overhanging lip 5 is laid on top of blank 4 and affixed thereto, as depicted in step 6. Lip 5 is then folded in and affixed, as shown in step 7, to form the completed slipcase.
Now, referring to Figure 2, a paperboard blank 10 for the box-like container of this invention is shown. The blank 10 comprises five panels, herein designated as 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15, respectively. Panels 11 and 12 corre-spond to and form the main sides or walls of the container and are separated by the intermediate panel 13. Panels 13, 14, and 15 correspond to the smaller sides or sidewalls of the slipcase.

In forming the blank 10, side pieces 17 and 18 are cut away from the panels 12 and 13, leaving shortened side panels 14 and 15, as shown. Panels 14 and 15 are of equal width to panel 13 in order to form che sidewalls of the completed rectangular box.
Lateral grooves 16 and transverse grooves 16' are formed in the paperboard blank 10 by cutting away part of the paperboard material (explained below) and thereby form the panels 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15, and provide the means by which the panels can be folded relative to each other to assemble the slipcase of this invention. Lateral grooves 16 are equal in length to the panels 11, 12, and 13, and transverse grooves 16' are equal in width to panel 11.
Panels 12 and 13 have formed on their two transverse edges transverse lips 16a. Transverse lips 16a are also formed by cutting away part of the paperboard material when the transverse grooves 16' are cut in the blank to form the panels, and they are about half of the width of grooves 16', for a purpose to be explained.
In addition, the lateral edges 14a and lSa of side panels 14 and 15 are also provided with lateral ]ips which are also formed by cutting away paperboard material.
Lateral lips 14a and 15a can be formed when lateral groove 16 (adjacent panel 11) is being formed. As will be noted, lips 14a ancl ~5a are about half the width of grooves 16, but of approximately the same depth.

~ 7 When the blank 10 is folded to form the slipcase, the contiguous edges lS and 20 of panels 12 and 11, respectively, are received and seated in the corresponding grooves 16 of panel 13. Similarly, the contiguous e~ges 21 and 22 of respective panels 15 and 14 are received and seated in the corresponding grooves 16' of panel 11.
In addition, when the blank is folded, the edges 14a and 14b of panel 14, and the edges 15a and 15b of panel 15, respectively, seat upon the corresponding lips 16a of panels 12 and 13 when side panels 14 and 15 are folded into grooves 16', and panel 11 is folded over (arrow 40, Figure 5) to be parallel to panel 12.
In addition, in the preferred embodiment, during fold-ing, lips 14a and 15a abut and overlap the edges of respective lips 16a, when the edges of panel 14 are seated within lip 16a, and when the edges of panel 15 are seated within opposite lip 16a. This results in a tight, rigid, strong box construction.
The grooves 16 and 16' are shown in greater detail in Figure 4a. The grooves are cut out of the paperboard material and are squarely notched out to be of a depth only partially through the thickness of the paperboard blank 10.
Preferably, material is removed so that the remaining thick-ness of the paperboard is about twenty thousandths of an inch. This reduced thickness is found to greatly facilitate the folding operations. In addition, lips 14a, l5a, and 16a are preferably of this reduced thickness. Further, in order to further facilitate the bending of the panels and the seating of the panel edges into their respective grooves, the width of grooves 16 and 16' is slighlty greater than the thickness of the panels. This is necessary because part of the groove accommodates the bending action, and the remaining width of the groove receives and seats the panel edge. Also, where the panel is bending against the grain of the paperboard, to facilitate bending, a slit is cut into the bottom of the groove adjacent a corner thereof. In the present invention, grooves 16' are being bent against the grain, so a slit 23 is cut only part way into the remaining lS thickness "t" of the blank 10, as shown the best in detail in Figure 4a. Preferably, slit 23 extends the entire length of the groove 16'.
In an alternative embodiment, a stepped groove can be employed instead of slitted or scored groove 16'. With a stepped groove, a notched cutout is made in the bottom of groove 16' and facilitates bending as does slit 23. In addition, the stepped groove may be employed in both grooves 16 and 16' where the paperboard thickness is 120 ~ 4~'~7 thousandths of an inch and greater to facilitate the bend-ing of such thick boards.
Referring now to Figure 3, the precut paperbo~rd blank 10 is laid (arrow 29) upon a precut backing material 24 (also referred to as a covering material) of cloth material having glue or heat-sensitive adhesive coated thereon. Of course, other suitable backing materials may be employed, such as paper, non-woven cloth, and vinyl. When the backing material 24 is heated, the adhesive melts and adheres the backing 24 to the blank 10, or if wet adhesive is employed, heat is unnecessary, and the backing is applied merely by pressure.
Backing material 24 is provided with end tabs 25, end flaps 26 and 26', side flaps 31 and 31', and corner tabs 28. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, end flaps 26 and 26' are folded over (arrows 32) f~rom the dotted line position to cover portions of panels 12 and 11, respectively. The edges 26a of flap 26 are cut at an angle to compensate for any misalignment when the backing material 24 is applied to the paperboard. Similarly, when end flap 26' is folded over panels 11, 14, and 15, extended end tabs 25 also compensate for any misalignment. In particular, end tabs 25 project from the backing material so that if there is any misalign-ment when it is applied to the paperboard, end tabs 25 insure that the outer ends of panel edges 14c and 15c are comp]etely coverecl. In this manner, when the opening 30 of }~7 the completed slipcase is viewed (Figure 6), edges 30a will be completely covered. After flap 26' is folded and adhered, any excess of end tabs 25 are cut off so that flap 26' does not extend beyond the edges of the side panels 14 and 15.
As shown in Figure 5, panel 11 is then folded about (arrow 40) groove 16, so that edge 20 of panel 11 seats within groove 16. Then, side panels 14 and 15 are folded about (arrow 39) grooves 16', so that edge 22 of panel 14 seats within groove 16', and so that edge 14a of side panel 14 seats on lip 16a adjacent panel 13. Also, edge 21 of panel 15 seats within groove 16', and edge 15a of side panel 15 seats on opposite lip 16a adjacent panel 13. Next, as panel 11 is brought into parallel registration with panel 12, as depicted in Figure 6, the edge portions 14b and 15b, respectively, seat on the lip portions 16a of panel 12.
As shown in Figure 6, next corner tabs 28 are folded over and affixed to the backing material covering side panels 14 and 15. This maintains panels 11, 13, 14, and 15 in a box-like configuration. Next, side flaps 31' are folded over (arrow 42) and adhered to respective side panels 14 and 15 and thereby cover the corner tabs 28 so they are not visible in the completed slipcase.

The articulated grooves 16 and 16' allow the box blank to be easily folded so that the assembly of the slipcase 50 can proceed quiclc]y. In addition, grooves 16 and 16', and lips 14a, 15a, and 16a all cooperate to provide a s~rong, rigid, and tight box construction. Further, corner tabs 2~
and side flaps 31' provide simple and easy means for maintaining the box panels in the box-like configuration.
Figure 7 depicts an alternate embodiment of paperboard blank 10 shown in Figure 2. The blank lOa features two addi-tional, adjacent side panels 44 and 45. Panel 44 is foldedabout score line 46 on top of panel 14 (arrow 51), and panel 45 is folded about score line 47 on top of panel 15 (arrow 52) to form two double thickness sidewalls. In this embodiment, grooves 16a have a thickness at least equal to the thickness of panels 14 and 44 and panels 15 and 45, respectively, to receive and seat them. This blank lOa provides a slipcase having double thick side panels. Side pieces 44a and 45a are removed during manufacture. The other assembly steps for this embodiment are the same as those depicted in Figures 2 through 6.
In order to provide proper orientation of the printed matter on the slipcase, the printing is done after the backing 24 is affixed to blank 10. Also, it is noted that the blank 10 can be either precut or cut after the backing 24 is affixed thereto.

Claims (7)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. A composite box blank for forming a box-like container having only one side open for receiving books and similar articles, said composite box blank comprising a paperboard blank including panels and adhered to a backing material to form said composite box blank, said backing material including side flaps and corner tabs projecting beyond the edges of said panels and adapted to be adhered to said panels to assemble said composite box blank into said box-like container, said box blank comprising:
a first panel, a second panel, and a third intermediate panel disposed therebetween, said first panel being connected to said third intermediate panel by means defining a first articulated groove, said second panel being connected to said third intermediate panel by means defining a second articulated groove;
fourth and fifth side panels, each said panel having inner transverse edges which are connected along respective opposite transverse edges of said first panel by means defining third and fourth articulated grooves, respectively and having outer transverse edges and lateral edges, respectively;
said first articulated groove being for receiving and seating a lateral edge of said first panel, said second articulated groove being for receiving and seating a lateral edge of said second panel, said third articulated groove being for receiving and seating said inner transverse edge of said fourth panel and said fourth articulated groove being for receiving and seating said inner transverse edge of said fifth panel;
the transverse edges of said second and third panels each having transversely-extending lips formed thereon for receiving and seating the outer transverse edges and lateral edges of said fourth and fifth panels, respectively;
wherein one of said transversely-extending lips receives and seats the outer transverse edge and a lateral edge of said fourth panel, and wherein the other of said transversely-extending lips receives and seats the outer transverse edge and a lateral edge of said fifth panel; and said projecting side flaps and corner taps of said backing material including adhering means for adhering said side flaps and corner tabs to said fourth and fifth panels after they are folded to hold said panels in a box-like configuration.

2. The box blank of Claim 1 wherein each of said articulated grooves comprise an elongated, generally-square-shaped notch cut partially into the thickness of said paperboard blank and having a width at least equal to the thickness of a respective adjacent panel to be seated therein.

3. The box blank of Claim 2 wherein said third and fourth articulated grooves each further include a slit formed in the bottom of said notch, said slit extending substantially the entire length of said groove, said slit having a depth partially through the blank thickness, whereby the edges of said fourth and fifth panels are easily folded into said grooves.

4. The box blank of Claim 1, further comprising: sixth and seventh panels, said sixth panel being connected to said fourth panel by means defining a first score line, and said seventh panel being connected to said fifth panel by means defining a second score line; and wherein said third and fourth articulated grooves each have a width which exceeds the sum of the thicknesses of the fourth and sixth panels, and the sum of the thicknesses of the fifth and seventh panels, respectively, so as to receive and seat the edges of said panels,

5. The box blank of Claim 1, wherein said transversely-extending lips formed on the transverse edges of said second and third panels are of a thickness less than that of said paperboard panels, and are of a width less than the width of said articu-lated grooves.

6. The box blank of Claim 5 wherein one of said transversely-extending lips receives and seats a transverse and a lateral edge of said fourth panel, and wherein the other of said transversely-extending lips receives and seats a transverse and a lateral edge of said fifth panel.

7. The box blank of Claim 1 wherein a lateral edge of said fourth and fifth panels each have a laterally-extending lip formed thereon for abutting and overlapping a portion of said transversely-extending lips.