EP0394549B1 - Crate for the packaging of fruit or vegetables - Google Patents

Abstract

The crate for the packaging of fruit or vegetables consists of a single-piece punched blank made of solid cardboard which has a bottom (1), two longitudinal walls (2), two end walls (3) and adhesive tabs (4, 5) for a four-corner bonding. This crate is constructed as a ready-bonded, stackable upright crate. Each end wall (3) forms two folded hollow corner supports (6), bonded onto the inside of the end wall (3), and a covering and stacking strip (7), having hollow gripping parts (24), which is folded over onto the two corner supports (6) of each end wall (3) and fixed with adhesive tabs (4) between the corner support (6) and the longitudinal wall (2). <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a fruit or vegetable crate from a one-piece die-cut blank made of solid cardboard, which has a bottom, two longitudinal walls, two end walls and adhesive tabs for four-corner gluing, each end wall having two folded, hollow corner supports and glued to the inside of the end wall has a cover and stacking strip folded onto the two corner supports of each end wall, showing stacking locks and locked with tabs opposite the corner supports, and the stacking strip forms a hollow grip part with an angled grip strip formed thereon and a grip tab which can be formed from a grip opening punched out in the end wall .

Such a stackable erecting box is known from DE-OS 33 21 614. The corner supports have a triangular or quadrangular column shape and are locked in the upright position by the hollow handle part opposite the longitudinal and end walls, in which the cover and stacking strips and the grip strips are fixed by tabs and lugs that can be inserted into slots.

This fixation takes place only in the upper area of the box, that is, under the cover and stacking strips, and the corner support area which is supported on the box bottom has no shape fixation, so that this results in an overall insufficient Dimensional stability of the erected folding box when in use. Furthermore, the implementation of the shape fixation through the plug-in bushing by means of tabs, lugs, slots and cutouts is cumbersome to carry out.

The object of the invention is to improve a fruit or vegetable crate from a one-piece die cut from solid cardboard in such a way that it is finished by four-corner gluing, can be folded flat, stored at the place of use in a few easy steps to the crate and locked in a form-stable manner by simple means in the box shape and is designed as a stackable box with high stability and simple stack locking and is designed with stable handle parts.

This object is achieved according to the invention by the characterizing features of patent claim 1, the design features listed in the subclaims representing advantageous developments of the task solution according to claim 1.

Through the invention, a ready-glued in the four corners, erectable fruit or vegetable box made of solid cardboard has been created, which in the folded state lies flat, space-saving to store and transport and for use at the place of use, e.g. B. on the fruit or vegetable field, can be erected to the box in a few easy steps.

During this erection process, the box is automatically stiffened by the hollow corner supports, which are integrally formed and glued in one corner, also unfold and interact with the box bottom with simple anchoring means in the form of molded-on fixing tabs and shaped beads, whereby the standing walls are firmly fixed.

Furthermore, in the unfolded state, one-piece molded and corner-side cover and stacking strips are loosely supported, through which further stiffening takes place and which at the same time form stacking surfaces with punched-out stacking locks for boxes to be stacked one above the other.

Also of advantage are the hollow handle parts on the end walls, which are formed in connection with the cover and stacking strips and formed by punched-in grip strips and grip tabs, which enable the crate to be gripped well and contribute to further stabilization and load-bearing capacity when stacking.

This box is simple in die cutting, inexpensive and safe in four-corner gluing, very easy to use and extremely stable, and can be used for a wide variety of agricultural foods.

• Fig. 1 eine perspektivische Darstellung einer Obst- oder Gemüsekiste aus Vollpappe in der aufgerichteten Gebrauchsstellung,
• Fig. 2 eine Draufsicht auf die Obst- oder Gemüsekiste in der zusammengefalteten Bevorratungsstellung,
• Fig. 3 eine Draufsicht auf die Obst- oder Gemüsekiste im aufgerichteten Zustand mit vier Eckstützen und zwei Deck- und Stapelstreifen,
• Fig. 4 einen Schnitt durch einen Eckbereich der Obst- oder Gemüsekiste in Längsrichtung der Kiste mit Eckstütze,
• Fig. 5 einen Schnitt in Kistenquerrichtung eines Eckbereiches mit Eckstütze,
• Fig. 6 einen senkrechten Schnitt durch einen Teil einer Stirnwand der Obst- oder Gemüsekiste mit aus Deck- und Stapelstreifen, Griffstreifen und Grifflasche gebildetem hohlen Griffteil,
• Fig. 7 eine Draufsicht auf den einteiligen Stanzzuschnitt der Obst- oder Gemüsekiste.

In the drawings, an embodiment of the invention is shown, which is explained in more detail below. It shows:

• 1 is a perspective view of a fruit or vegetable box made of solid cardboard in the upright use position,
• 2 is a plan view of the fruit or vegetable crate in the folded storage position,
• 3 is a plan view of the fruit or vegetable crate in the erected state with four corner supports and two cover and stacking strips,
• 4 shows a section through a corner region of the fruit or vegetable crate in the longitudinal direction of the crate with corner support,
• 5 shows a section in the transverse direction of the box of a corner area with corner support,
• 6 shows a vertical section through part of an end wall of the fruit or vegetable crate with a hollow handle part formed from cover and stacking strips, grip strips and grip tab,
• Fig. 7 is a plan view of the one-piece die cut of the fruit or vegetable box.

The fruit or vegetable crate is formed from a one-piece die-cut blank made of solid cardboard according to FIG. 7 to form a stackable standing tray which is glued in the four corners.

The one-piece die cut forms a base (1), two longitudinal walls (2), two end walls (3) and several adhesive tabs (4, 5) for the four-corner gluing.

Each end wall (3) forms two folded, hollow corner supports (6) which are glued to the inside of the end wall (3) and one folded onto the two corner supports (6) and with adhesive flaps (4) between each corner support (6) and longitudinal wall (2) fixed cover and stacking strips (7).

Each corner support (6) is designed as a square column and extends over the entire height of the box and on the upper end of the two corner supports (6) of an end wall (3) the cover and stacking strips (7), which are continuous in the transverse direction of the box, lie loosely on.

For the positionally stable fixation of each corner support (6) in the erected position, it is supported with a molded, angled fixing tab (8) on a bead (9) of the base (1), this fixing tab (8) on the parallel to the longitudinal wall ( 2) extending and facing the opposite corner support (6) square side of each corner support (6) is provided.

The two longitudinal ends of each end wall (3) are each extended to a folding flap (6a) which can be folded over by four fold lines (10) to the corner support (6) and which shows the punched fixing tabs (8) towards the longitudinal wall (2). A slot (5a) is punched out between the folding flap (6a) and the adjacent adhesive flap (5), in which the fixing tab (8) formed on the folding flap (6a) lies; the fixing tab (8) has an angular, preferably rectangular basic shape and extends between the first and second fold lines (10) of the folding flap (6a) as seen from the outside of the punched blank.

At the two length ends of each cover and stacking strip (7) there is the adhesive flap (4) and between the adhesive flap (4) and the cover and stacking strip (7) there is a fold line (11) and in the cover and stacking strip (7) in Connection to the adhesive flap (4) is provided with a diagonal fold line (12) for the flat folding of each corner support (6).

The two longitudinal walls (2) each have a trapezoidal cutout (13), on the shorter trapezoidal longitudinal edge running parallel to the floor (1), a stiffening strip (15) folded inwards by a fold line (14) and glued to the longitudinal wall (2) on the inside joins.

Furthermore, the two longitudinal walls (2) show two each with a fold line (16) for folding the longitudinal walls (2) onto the floor (1) with the longitudinal walls (2), externally to the corner support (6) and to the adhesive tab (4 ) glued adhesive tabs (5).

A grip strip (22) is formed on the outer longitudinal edge of each cover and stacking strip (7), which is connected to the cover and stacking strip (7) via a fold line (23) and the length of the distance between the two assigned corner supports ( 6) corresponds.

In each of the two end walls (3) there is a handle opening (17) with a handle tab (17a) with a trapezoidal basic shape that can be bent out.

The grip strip (22) forms with the cover and stacking strip (7) and the grip tab (17a) a hollow grip part (24) with a triangular cross section (FIGS. 4 and 6), the grip strip (22) being inclined downwards and extends to the end wall (3) and the grip tab (17) extends obliquely upwards and towards the receiving space of the box, lies outside on the grip strip (22) and is punched out and into a recess (25), preferably on the free longitudinal edge of the grip strip (22) in the basic shape trapezoidal recess (25) fixed in position and engages to stabilize the grip part.

In the cover and stacking strip (7), starting from the fold line (21), two webs (26) are punched out as stack locks, which extend perpendicularly upwards to the cover and stacking strip (7) and on the outside of the end walls (3) of a stacked one Fit the box.

The four-corner gluing is done as follows:

The folding flaps (6a) are folded inwards so that the square corner support (6) is created and the free support tab (6b) lies against the inside of the end wall (3) and is glued there to the end wall (3).

Then each cover and stacking strip (7) is folded onto its two corner supports (6) around the fold line (21), lies loosely on the corner supports (6) and its two adhesive flaps (4) are pushed down to the outside of the corner supports ( 6) folded down and attached to it by gluing.

Then the side walls (2) are folded up so that their four adhesive tabs (5) lie on the outer sides of the corner supports (6) and the adhesive tabs (4) and then the entire bracket height is glued to the corner supports (6) and the adhesive tabs (4).

The two stiffening strips (15) have previously been folded inwards and glued to the side walls (2).

The erection ladder, which is formed from a one-piece blank, can be folded flat by folding the longitudinal walls (2) inwards onto the floor (1) and folding the corner supports (6) dianonally using the four-corner adhesive and attaching them to the end walls ( 3) are also folded towards the bottom (1) and then rest on the longitudinal walls (2).

The longitudinal walls (2) buckle in the fold lines (16) and their adhesive flaps (5) lie on the longitudinal walls (2) with the end wall (3). The cover and stacking strips (7) fold outwards through the fold lines (12) and lie in one plane with the end walls (3). The grip strips (22) are also unfolded by their fold lines (23) and run in one plane with the cover and stacking strips (7) (FIG. 2).

In this flat folded position, the boxes can be stored and made available to save space.

To erect the walls (2, 3) in the use position of the box, the end walls (3) are grasped and pivoted upwards outwards around the fold lines (18) between the end walls (3) and the floor (1), the longitudinal walls ( 2) also swivel up around their fold lines (19) with respect to the floor (1) and the corner supports (6), which were previously lying diagonally flat, are unfolded into their square column shape, the cover and stacking strips (7) automatically extending onto the upper end faces of the corner supports ( 6) unfold.

After the uprighting of the longitudinal and end walls (2, 3) has been carried out, the corner supports (6) snap with their fixing tabs (8) behind the upwardly projecting beads (9) of the base (1) and the upright use position is the fruit - or vegetable crate stabilized and secured. The beads (9) are formed by elongated beads which run parallel to the longitudinal direction of the side walls (2).

Then both grip tabs (22) are bent downward and in the direction of the end wall (3) around their fold line (23) so that they are at an acute angle to the end wall (3) and to the cover and stacking strips (7) and then the grip tabs (17a ) bent upwards out of the handle openings (17) and pressed into the recesses (25) of the handle strip (22), whereby the handle part (24) is stabilized.

So that when the box is folded up, the fixing tabs (8) have sufficient freedom and are not damaged, an opening (20) is left out for each fixing tab (8) in the area of the fold line (18), through which the corner support (6) with its fixing tab ( 8) can grasp; each opening (20) extends partly in the floor (1) and partly in the end wall (3) and has an angular, like rectangular basic shape.

The fruit or vegetable crate preferably has a rectangular basic and spatial shape.

To ensure that the fruit or vegetable crate is unfolded and folded correctly and in a trouble-free manner, there are in the fold line butt joints between the longitudinal and end walls (2, 3), between the adhesive flaps (5, 6), between the strips (7, 22) and between the strips (7) and the end wall (3) the corner areas free cutting punchings (27) are provided.

Claims (10)

1. Box for fruit or vegetables made from a one-piece cardboard blank comprising a base (1), two longitudinal walls (2), two end walls (3) and flaps (5) for glueing the four corners, each end wall (3) having two folded hollow corner supports (6) glued to the inside of the end wall (3), as well as a top and stacking strip (7) folding out onto the two corner supports (6) of each end wall (3), exhibiting stacking locators (26) and located by flaps (4) relative to said corner supports (6), and the stacking strip (7) forming a hollow handhold element (24) with an integral bent handhold strip (22) and a handhold tab (17a) pressed out of a handhold opening (17) punched from the end wall (3), characterised in that:

a) the hollow corner supports (6) rest and are located by an integral bent fixing tab (8) against a bead (9) pressed out of the base (1), and

b) the flaps (4) of the top and stacking strip (7) are disposed as gummed flaps between the corner supports (6) and the longitudinal walls (2).

2. Box for fruit or vegetables according to claim 1, characterised in that each corner support (6) is a square column occupying the entire height of the box, on whose upper end face the top and stacking strip (7) loosely rests.

3. Box for fruit or vegetables according to either of claims 1 and 2, characterised in that the two longitudinal ends of each end wall (3) are longer so as to make a folding flap (6a) which can be folded along fold lines (10) to the corner support (6), the angular, preferably rectangular fixing tab (8) being punched from said folding flap (6a) in the direction of the longitudinal wall (2).

4. Box for fruit or vegetables according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that each bead (9) is constituted by an elongated ridge running parallel to the longitudinal wall (2) and pressed up out of the base (1).

5. Box for fruit or vegetables according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the fixing tab (8) is formed on the square face of each corner support (6) that runs parallel to the longitudinal wall (1) and points towards the opposite corner support (6) and, bent at right angles to the height of the corner support, abuts the bead (9) with its free edge resting on the base (1).

6. Box for fruit and vegetables according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the handhold strip (22) is punched from the free longitudinal edge of the top and stacking strip (7), has a length corresponding to the distance between two corner supports (6) nearest the end walls, and on its free longitudinal edges has a punched recess (25) into which the handhold tab (17a) engages so as to fix its position.

7. Box for fruit or vegetables according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the handhold element (24) is triangular in cross-section and the recess (25) and the handhold tab (17a) are each trapezoidal in their base shape.

8. Box for fruit or vegetables according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that close to the fold line (10) between the base (1) and the end wall (3) a passage (20) for each fixing tab (8) nearest the corner supports is punched partly in the base (1) and partly in the end wall (3), and the fixing tab (8) extends through said passage when the box is collapsed.

9. Box for fruit or vegetables according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that two tabs (26) are punched from the top and stacking strip (7), from the fold line (21) between the end wall (3) and the top and stacking strip (7), and when the box is set up ready for use these tabs (26) stand vertically upright and form stacking locators.

10. Box for fruit or vegetables according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterised in that contiguous with each of the longitudinal ends of the top and stacking strip (7) is a gummed flap (5) and between the gummed flap (4) and the top and stacking strip (7) is a fold line (11), and in the top and stacking strip (7) contiguous with the gummed flap (4) is a diagonal fold line (6), and that the longitudinal walls (2) each exhibit two gummed flaps (5) connected via a corresponding fold line (16) to the longitudinal walls (2) to fold down the longitudinal walls (2) onto the base (1), and glued externally to the corner supports (6) and the gummed flaps (4).

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