EP0564414A1

EP0564414A1 - Box, in particular for sweets such as chocolates

Info

Publication number: EP0564414A1
Application number: EP93830090A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Patrizio Roila
Original assignee: SAFFAPACK Srl
Current assignee: SAFFAPACK Srl
Priority date: 1992-03-16
Filing date: 1993-03-09
Publication date: 1993-10-06
Also published as: IT1263213B; ITRM920178A0; ITRM920178A1

Abstract

A box comprising a containing and displaying portion for the products, in particular chocolates, formed by a support (2) having an isosceles triangle cross-section, with an open bottom, each side wall of which is integral with a cellular structure (5,7), and a lid portion with a hexagonal cross-section, shaped so as to adapt itself to said containing and displaying portion, covering it completely, the side walls of said lid portion being provided with openings (22) for partial viewing of said products housed in said cells in the containing and displaying portion.

Description

The present invention relates to a box, generally made of cardboard, used in particular to contain and display sweet products such as chocolates.
The box according to the present invention comprises a portion for containing and displaying the products, in which a number of cells are formed, each cell housing a single product, and a lid portion which can be fitted over the containing and displaying portion. The box has an entirely original structure, particularly of value both from an aesthetic and from a functional point of view, clearly distinguishing from the known articles for the same use.
In particular, the containing and displaying portion has a structure including a support of a polygonal cross-section, preferably triangular, with an open bottom and comprising, on respective opposite side walls, a number of parallel and modular rows of cells capable of housing in a safe manner one of said sweet products, while the lid portion has a structure substantially complementary to that of said containing and displaying portion, so as to completely close the latter, and it is provided with openings for observation of the products from the outside.
The particular structure of the box according to the invention allows its use in a number of manners. When the lid portion is applied and fixed to the containing and displaying portion in such a way that it can easily be separated, a box of sweets can be formed which is extremely attractive from an aesthetic point of view. With the containing and displaying portion holding the sweets in the cells and used without the lid portion, an excellent and functional unit for display of the products can be formed, to be placed with one end wall down on a flat surface for vertical display or with the bottom down for horizontal display. In the latter case, the containing and displaying portion can be placed on top of the lid portion, which thus acts as a support, thanks to the fact that the bottom of the support in the containing and displaying portion is open. Finally, for the above mentioned reason, boxes complete with containing and displaying portion and lid portion can be piled up one on top of the other in a stable manner and with little encumbrance by inserting the support to the containing and displaying portion of one of them on top of the lid portion of the one lying below.
Object of the present invention is a box, in particular for sweets such as chocolates, characterized by the fact that it comprises a containing and displaying portion for containing and displaying said products, including an oblong support of a polygonal cross-section having side walls, end walls and an open bottom, and cellular structures integral with the external surfaces of said side walls; and a lid portion having a shape complementary to said containing and displaying portion to be laid onto or under said containing and displaying portion.
Further object of the invention is a box, in which said containing and displaying portion is erected in a three-dimensional form by folding and fixing operations, from a pair of identical flat blanks, characterised in that said flat blank comprises: a rectangular panel forming the side wall of said support; a panel having the shape of an isosceles triangle, forming the end wall of said support, joined by a first fold line to a short side of said panel; a rectangular gluing flap joined by a second fold line to the other short side of said panel; a rectangular panel forming the first longitudinal wall of said cellular structure, having a first long side joined by a third fold line to one long side of said panel; at least two panels forming cells, of which a first panel has one long side joined by a fourth fold line to the second long side of said panel, and the opposite long side joined by a fifth fold line to a long side of a rectangular dividing strip, the second panel having one long side joined by a sixth fold line to the other long side of said dividing strip and the opposite long side; a rectangular panel joined by a seventh fold line to said opposite long side of the second panel forming the second longitudinal wall of said cellular structure; a gluing strip joined by an eighth fold line to one long side of said rectangular panel; each of said panels being provided with a series of transversal cuts, parallel to each other and spaced, extending perpendicularly from said fifth and sixth fold line to said fourth and seventh fold line respectively, successive pairs of said cuts defining respective sections of said panel, destined to form the sides of said cells; a partial central fold line formed on each of said sections, parallel to said cuts; pairs of inclined fold lines having one end connected to one end of said partial central fold line and the other end connected to the end of one proximal transversal cut; a first longitudinal cut formed on the midline of each portion of said panel comprised between two of adjacent sections; second longitudinal cuts provided in said fourth and seventh fold line extending perpendicularly from one of said two cuts to the other, in such a way as to permit removal of the part of said section comprised between said transversal first and second longitudinal cuts; and a tongue, joined by said fifth or sixth fold line to said dividing strip, formed with the remaining part of said section, provided on the free end thereof with a fold line parallel and spaced with respect to first longitudinal cut, to stabilize said cellular structure when in an erected position.
The present invention will be more clearly illustrated below from the description of a preferred embodiment thereof, given as a non-limiting example, with reference to the enclosed drawings, in which:

figure 1 is a plan view of one of the two identical single flat blanks, from which the two components of the containing and displaying portion of the box according to the present invention are formed;
figure 2 is a perspective view of one of the two identical components of the containing and displaying portion of the box according to the invention, obtained in a three-dimensional form starting from the blank of figure 1;
figure 3 is a perspective view showing the two components of the containing and displaying portion of the box according to the invention during assembly;
figure 4 is a perspective view of the containing and displaying portion of the box according to the invention assembled in its three-dimensional form;
figure 5 is a plan view of single flat blank from which the lid portion of the box according to the invention is obtained;
figure 6 is a perspective view of the lid portion of the box according to the invention during its assembly in a three-dimensional form starting from the blank of figure 5;
figure 7 is a perspective view of the lid portion of the box according to the invention assembled in its three-dimensional form; and
figure 8 is a perspective view of the box according to the invention in its three-dimensional form with the lid portion applied over the containing and displaying portion.

Referring to figure 1 a plan view is shown of one of two single flat blanks, completely identical one to the other, from which respective components can be obtained by folding and gluing operations, to be assembled so as to form the containing and displaying portion of the box of the present invention.
In figure 1, there is indicated a rectangular panel 1 having a short side joined by a first fold line to a panel 2 having the form of an isosceles triangle and the opposite short side joined by a second fold line to a rectangular gluing flap 3, said panels 1 and 2, when assembled, being destined to form a side wall and an end wall respectively of the support to the containing and displaying portion.
To one long side of the panel 1 is joined by a third fold line a corresponding long side of a rectangular panel 4 forming a first longitudinal wall of a cellular structure, the opposite long side of which is joined by a fourth fold line to a long side of a first substantially rectangular panel for the formation of cells, generally indicated with 5, having its opposite long side joined by a fifth fold line to a corresponding long side of a rectangular dividing strip 6. The opposite long side of this is joined by a sixth fold line to a long side of a second substantially rectangular panel generally indicated with 7 for the formation of cells. This has its opposite long side joined by a seventh fold line to a long side of a rectangular panel 8 forming the second longitudinal wall of the cellular structure, the opposite long side of which is joined by an eighth fold line to a rectangular gluing flap 9.
The following is a detailed description of the panels 5 and 7 for formation of the cells of the cellular structure which, as will be seen hereinbelow, will be erected on respective side walls of the support to the containing and displaying portion of the box. It must firstly be noted that the panels are arranged to form two parallel rows of three cells each, separated by the dividing strip 6.
In particular, in each of the panels 5 and 7 a series parallel and spaced cuts 10 extend perpendicular from the fourth and seventh fold line joining it to panel 4 or 8 to the fifth and sixth fold line joining it to strip 6. Successive pairs of cuts 10 define respective equidistant portions of the panel 5, 7. The equidistant portions are generally indicated with 11, and form the sides of the cells, a partial central fold line 12 being formed on each of said sides, parallel to the cuts 10, each end of which is joined by means of two inclined fold lines 13 to the respective ends of the relative pair of cuts 10.
On each of the sections of the panel 5, 7 comprised between two adjacent portions 11, a first longitudinal cut 14 is made. A second longitudinal cut 15 is made along the fourth and seventh fold line joining panel 5 or 7 to panel 4 or 8, thus uniting the corresponding two cuts 10 along respective edges of two adjacent portions 11. In this way the part of the portion lying between the cuts 10, 14, 15 can be removed. The other part of the portion forms a tongue, generally indicated in 17, connected to the dividing strip 6 by the fold line joining panel 5, 7 to the latter. On the free end of this a fold line 16 is formed, parallel and spaced with respect to the cut 14.
It should be noted that at the ends of the panel 5, 7 the end areas forming the final transversal borders of the end cells, generally indicated with 18, are provided with the part lying on the inside with respect to fold line 12 formed according to the above description. Conversely the part indicated with 19, lying on the outside with respect to fold line 12 and joined to the latter on one side, has a hexagonal shape with a reduced extension, so that the final transversal borders do not have parts which stick out beyond the respective ends of the container when assembled in a three-dimensional upright position.
Using the initial blank of figure 1 formed as indicated above, in order to obtain each of the two components making up the containing and display part of the container according to the invention as shown in figure 2 in a three-dimensional form, it is necessary to proceed as follows. First of all the transversal walls of the cells in said structure are formed by folding each portion 11 and 18 of panels 5 and 7 onto itself along the partial central fold line 12 and the pair of inclined fold lines 13, until corresponding parts on opposite sides of the fold line 12 touch and can be glued one to the other; panels 4 and 8 forming the first and second longitudinal wall are then folded downward by 90° along the fourth and seventh fold lines joining them to respective panels 5 and 7; the flap 9 is folded inward by 90° along the eighth fold line joining it to panel 8; the panel 1 is folded inward by 90° until the internal surface of its free longitudinal end portion meets the external surface of the flap 9 folded as above, and said surfaces are glued together; finally, the tongues 17 are folded downward along the fifth and sixth fold lines joining them to the long sides of the strip 6; at the same time the corresponding parts comprised between cuts 10, 14 and 15 are removed; and the end portions of the tongues, folded along respective fold lines 16, are glued to panel 1 so as to stabilize the cellular structure on the external surface of the side wall of each of said two components forming the support for the containing and displaying portion of the box.
In figure 3 is shown one stage of the uniting of said two components, assembled in a three-dimensional form as described above, each one having the configuration illustrated in figure 2, so as to form the containing and displaying portion of the box according to the invention. This stage comprises folding downward by 90° panel 2 and flap 3 of each of the two components and then gluing the free side of the isosceles triangle of each panel 2 onto the corresponding flap 3 of the other component.
The containing and displaying portion in its assembled and stable condition appears as shown in figure 4. As indicated above, it comprises a support having an isosceles triangle shape in cross-section, no bottom wall, and two side walls and two end walls formed, respectively, by panels 1 and 2 of the two components. It further comprises a cell-like structure for housing sweets integrally mounted over the whole extent of the external surface of each side wall of the support.
With reference now to figure 5, a plan view of the single flat blank, from which, by means of folding and gluing operations, the cover of the box according to the present invention is obtained, is shown.
In the flat blank there is indicated with 20 a rectangular shaped first top wall panel. Each long side thereof is joined by a first fold line to a long side of a respective second rectangular panel 21 forming the first side wall, with an oval opening 22 in a central position. The opposite side of each panel 21 is joined by a second fold line to a long side of a respective third rectangular panel 23 forming the second side wall. Each short side of the first top wall panel 20 is joined by a third fold line to the top side of an end panel 24 of a hexagonal shape. Panel 24 has a bottom side parallel to the top side and two opposite, inclined long sides connecting respective ends of the top side with the corresponding ends of two short sides perpendicular to said top side. Each long and short side of the end panels 24 is joined by a fold line to a respective rectangular gluing flap, indicated respectively with 25 and 26.
The flat blank formed according to figure 5, enables the cover of the box according to the invention to be asembled in a three-dimensional form, as illustrated in an intermediate assembly stage in figure 6. End wall panels 24 are folded downward by 90° along the respective fold lines joining them to top wall panel 20. The gluing flaps 25 and 26 are bent inward by 90° along the fold lines joining them to the respective sides of the panels 24, and the first and second side wall panels 21 and 23 are then bent along their respective fold lines until the end portions of their internal surfaces are brought into contact, respectively, with the corresponding flaps 25 and 26, to which they are glued. This gives stability to the structure of the cover, which appears as illustrated in figure 7 with a shape complementary to that of the containing and displaying portion illustrated in figure 4 and such as to completely surround the latter when applied. However, as can be seen from figure 8, at the same time at least a partial vision of the products housed in said cells is allowed, through the openings 22 in the first side walls 21 of the lid, said openings being advantageously closed using a transparent sheet material.
Finally, it must be noted that, as illustrated in figures 3, 4, 7 and 8, semicircular portions 27 are provided in a central position on the lower edges of the end walls of the containing and displaying portion and of the lid portion as formed, said semicircular portions being outlined by respective tear lines 28. Following application of the lid portion, the portions 27 on the containing and displaying portion will overlap the corresponding portions 27 on the lid portion, and will be glued to each other in order to fix the two components when forming the box.
When the box in object is opened, the portions 27 on each of the two components, glued together, will easily be removed along the surrounding tear lines 28. This allows the cover portion to be freed and removed without difficulty from the containing and displaying portion.
Although the embodiment of the box according to the invention described above includes a containing and displaying portion comprising a support having the cross-section of an isosceles triangle, the external surfaces of the side walls of which are integral with respective cell-like structures formed by two parallel rows of three cells each, it is obvious that both the shape of the cross-section of said support, and the number of rows of cells, as well as the number of cells in each row can be varied as desired according to requirements, so long as the box in object keeps the display characteristic as well as that of container for the products, the lid portion being arranged in such a way as to take on in any case a shape complementary to that of said containing and displaying portion.

Claims

Box, in particular for sweets such as chocolates, characterized by the fact that it comprises a containing and displaying portion for containing and displaying said products, including an oblong support (1, 2, 5, 7) of a polygonal cross-section having side walls (1), end walls (2) and an open bottom, and cellular structures integral with the external surfaces of said side walls; and a lid portion having a shape complementary to said containing and displaying portion to be laid onto or under said containing and displaying portion.
Box according to claim 1, in which said lid portion is provided with openings for viewing of the products housed in the cells of said cellular structures when said lid portion is fitted onto said containing and displaying portion.
Box according to claim 1 or 2 further comprising easily removable fixing means (27) formed by areas of the end walls of said containing and displaying portion and of said lid portion, said areas being surrounded by respective tear lines (28), and being arranged in such a way that, when said two portions are joined, the areas on the former overlap the corresponding areas on the latter, to be fixed one to the other.
Box according to anyone of the preceding claims, in which said polygonal cross-section of said support in the containing and displaying portion has the shape of an isosceles triangle.
Box according to claim 4, in which said containing and displaying portion is erected in a three-dimensional form by folding and fixing operations, from a pair of identical flat blanks, characterised in that said flat blank comprises: a rectangular panel (1) forming the side wall of said support; a panel (2) having the shape of an isosceles triangle, forming the end wall of said support, joined by a first fold line to a short side of said panel (1); a rectangular gluing flap (3) joined by a second fold line to the other short side of said panel (1); a rectangular panel (4) forming the first longitudinal wall of said cellular structure, having a first long side joined by a third fold line to one long side of said panel (1); at least two panels (5, 7) forming cells, of which a first panel (5) has one long side joined by a fourth fold line to the second long side of said panel (4), and the opposite long side joined by a fifth fold line to a long side of a rectangular dividing strip (6), the second panel (7) having one long side joined by a sixth fold line to the other long side of said dividing strip (6) and the opposite long side; a rectangular panel (8) joined by a seventh fold line to said opposite long side of the second panel (7) forming the second longitudinal wall of said cellular structure; a gluing strip (9) joined by an eighth fold line to one long side of said rectangular panel (8); each of said panels (5, 7) being provided with a series of transversal cuts (10), parallel to each other and spaced, extending perpendicularly from said fifth and sixth fold line to said fourth and seventh fold line respectively, successive pairs of said cuts defining respective sections (11) of said panel (5, 7), destined to form the sides of said cells; a partial central fold line (12) formed on each of said sections (11), parallel to said cuts (10); pairs of inclined fold lines (13) having one end connected to one end of said partial central fold line (12) and the other end connected to the end of one proximal transversal cut (10); a first longitudinal cut (14) formed on the midline of each portion of said panel (5, 7) comprised between two of adjacent sections (11); second longitudinal cuts (15) provided in said fourth and seventh fold line extending perpendicularly from one of said two cuts (10) to the other, in such a way as to permit removal of the part of said section (11) comprised between said transversal first and second longitudinal cuts (10, 14, 15); and a tongue (17), joined by said fifth or sixth fold line to said dividing strip (6), formed with the remaining part of said section (11), provided on the free end thereof with a fold line (16) parallel and spaced with respect to first longitudinal cut (14), to stabilize said cellular structure when in an erected position.
Box according to claim 5, in which at both ends of said panels (5, 7) forming the cells, the end areas (18) of said panels (5, 7) to form the end side portions of the cells, the shape of the part (19) extending outward with respect to said partial fold line (12) is a polygon of reduced size, so that said end side portions do not stick out of said cellular structure when erected in a three-dimensional form.
Box according to claim 5, in which said lid portion complementary to said containing and displaying portion is erected in a three-dimensional form by means of folding and gluing operations from a single flat blank characterised in that said flat blank comprises: a first rectangular panel (20) forming the top wall; a pair of second rectangular panels (21) to form a pair of first side walls joined along a long side thereof to a respective long side of said first rectangular panel (2) by means of first fold lines; a pair of third rectangular panels (23) to form a pair of second side walls joined along a long side thereof to a respective long side of one of said second rectangular panels (21) by means of second fold lines; a pair of end panels (24) joined with a top side thereof to one respective short side of said first panel (20) by means of third fold lines, said end panels (24) being hexagonal in shape and comprising said top side, a bottom side parallel thereto, two short sides perpendicular to said bottom side, and two opposite inclined long sides joining said top side with said short sides; pairs of rectangular gluing flaps (25, 26) joined by respective fold lines to each of said long and short sides of said end panels (24).
Box according to claim 7, in which each of said second rectangular panels (21) of said lid portion is provided with an opening (22) for observation of the products housed in the cells in said cellular structure.
Box according to claim 8, in which said openings (22) are covered with a transparent sheet material.