EP2214966A1

EP2214966A1 - Cardboard box for containing a bag with a liquid dispensing tap

Info

Publication number: EP2214966A1
Application number: EP08852479A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Daniele Biagiotti; Giuliano Meucci
Original assignee: Smurfit Kappa Italia SpA
Current assignee: Smurfit Kappa Italia SpA
Priority date: 2007-11-22
Filing date: 2008-11-20
Publication date: 2010-08-11
Also published as: ITFI20070261A1; WO2009066257A1

Abstract

Cardboard box (S) for containing liquid-carrying bags (L) equipped with a dispensing tap (R), comprising a base (S1), a side wall (S3) and a top (S2). On the side wall (S3) there is an opening (11, 110) for the stable insertion of the tap (R). The special feature of the invention is the fact that the side wall (S3) defines a recess (12) extending inwardly and open at the front side and configured so as to entirely contain the tap (R) without it projecting from the profile of the box.

Description

TRANSLATION (RULE 12.3) 15 DEC. 2008

1

TITLE CARDBOARD BOX FOR CONTAINING A BAG WITH A LIQUID DISPENSING TAP

DESCRIPTION Field of the invention The present invention concerns the field of paper-based packaging, and in particular its object is a cardboard box for containing liquid-carrying bags equipped with a dispensing tap. State of the art

Packages for liquid products are known consisting of a parallelepiped cardboard box with rectangular plan, closed on all sides, and a bag for containing liquids equipped with a dispensing tap housed therewith.

The user who purchases the package must push down a suitably prepunched portion of a face of the side wall of the box and withdraw the tap associated with the bag, fixing it with suitable means to the edge of the opening defined by the pre-punching. Packages of this type are known, for example, for containing wine.

Such packages are manufactured in the following way. First, the cardboard box is made leaving one side open. Then the bag is inserted with the tap. In the case in which the package already contains the liquid, the tap will already be applied to the bag. In the case in which it is wished to sell the package still to be filled (for example for subsequent packaging by a seller of the bulk product), the (empty) bag and the tap shall be inserted uncoupled. The open side is then reversibly or irreversibly closed, according to requirements.

For large production volumes this process is carried out mostly in an automated manner by machines for forming the box (creasing of the blank and gluing of its flaps) and with the help of further machines that insert the bag and the tap into the half-open box. For smaller production volumes, the creasing and/or the insertion of the bag with the tap take place manually.

Packages of this type, although cost-effective, have had only partial success on the market. One of the aspects that limits the widespread use of such packages is linked to the fact that users find it awkward to have to push back the pre-cut part of the box and fix the tap to the wall.

The choice made by producers of this type of packages comes from two technical reasons, a first linked to the difficulty of storing and moving the packages equipped with a tap projecting from the shape of the box, and a second linked to the difficulty in being able to automatically centre the tap with the corresponding opening defined on the side wall of the box, given the large constructive tolerances of cardboard boxes.

Summary of the invention

The purpose of the present invention is to solve the problems outlined above connected with packages consisting of cardboard boxes with liquid-carrying bags equipped with a dispensing tap. In particular, an important purpose of the present invention is to devise a cardboard box for packages with liquid-carrying bags equipped with a dispensing tap, the structure of which allows the tap to already be fixed in the production step of the package, and without the tap, once fixed, disturbing the storage of the package.

In this task, another important purpose of the invention is to make a cardboard box for packages with liquid-carrying bags equipped with a dispensing tap, the structure of which allows the tap to be fixed to the wall of the box in an automated manner.

These purposes are accomplished with a cardboard box for containing liquid- carrying bags equipped with a dispensing tap, which comprises a base, a side wall and a top. On the side wall there is an opening for the stable insertion of the tap. According to the invention, the side wall towards the inside defines a recess open at the front suitable for containing the tap.

In this way, the tap does not project from the shape of the box and therefore the package can be stored and moved with ease, optimising the available spaces and without the risk of accidental knocks being able to destroy the tap and cause liquids to leak.

Further characteristics of the invention are set forth in the dependent claims. Brief description of the drawings

The characteristics and advantages of the cardboard box according to the invention shall become clear from the following description of embodiments thereof, given as non-limiting examples with reference to the attached drawings, in which: figure 1 shows a perspective view of a package formed from a box according to the invention with the tap applied associated with a liquid-carrying bag (the latter not visible). figure 2 shows the blank of the box forming the package in figure 1 ; figure 3 shows a perspective view of the box during a creasing step to make it; figure 4 shows a perspective view of a tap with liquid-carrying bag to be associated with the box according to the invention; figure 5 shows a perspective view of the box during a creasing step after the one shown in figure 3, also showing the tap of the liquid-carrying bag; - figure 6 shows a perspective view of the box during a creasing step after the one shown in figure 5, with the relevant tap; figure 7 shows a detail of the box represented in figure 6, without the tap; figure 8 shows a perspective view of the box during a creasing step after the one shown in figure 6, without the tap; figures 9 to 16 show blanks of boxes according to the invention, alternatives or variants to the one shown in figure 2. Detailed description of the invention

With reference to the above mentioned figures 1 to 8, a package formed from a box according to the invention is wholly indicated with C and is shown in figure 1. The box is wholly indicated with S, whereas a tap and a liquid-carrying bag associated with the box are respectively indicated with R and L.

The box S is mainly parallelepiped in shape, for example with a rectangular base, and it comprises a base S1 , a top S2 and a side wall S3 (formed from opposite sides and front and rear faces).

As used in the present specification, the terms "front" and "rear", "top" and "bottom" are relative to the position of the tap in the final package, which is located in the bottom part of the front face of the box. It is also noticed that in the drawings the creases of the flaps and of the cardboard panels are indicated with a broken line. The box is obtained from a single sheet of cardboard, wholly indicated with F, punched in the desired shapes and sizes, the blank of which is shown in figure 2. Such a sheet F is divided into panels and adjacent flaps, which substantially constitute the sides of the box, separated by creases.

In particular, the sheet F is substantially divided into three parallel bands, a central band Fa and two side bands Fb and Fc, respectively.

The central band Fa comprises a rectangular central panel 1 a constituting the top S3 of the box and two opposite flaps, a front central flap 2a and a rear central flap 3a, respectively, respectively extending from creases a12 and a13 defined along the opposite short sides of the central panel 1a. Such central flaps form the top closing elements of the front face and rear face of the box, as described in greater detail hereafter. A first of the two side bands of the sheet, identified with Fb, at the centre comprises a first, substantially square side panel 1b, which defines a first side of the side wall S2 of the box, and two opposite flaps, i.e. a first front side flap 2b and a first rear side flap 3b, respectively, extending from creases b12 and b13 defined along the opposite sides of the side panel 1b parallel to the creases a12 and a13. The first side flaps 2b and 3b form the inner portions of the front face and of the rear face, respectively, of the box, as described in greater detail hereinafter.

The first side band Fb of the sheet F is connected to the central band Fa through a crease ab1.

At the side of the first side panel 1 b opposite the one for connecting to the central panel 1 a, there is a first bottom flap 1d, constituting part of the base S1 of the box. Between the first bottom flap 1d and the first side panel 1 b there is a crease bdl

Similarly, the second Fc of the two side bands of the sheet F at the centre comprises a second side, substantially square panel 1c, which defines a second side of the side wall S2 of the box, and two opposite flaps, i.e. a second front side flap 2c and a second rear side flap 3c, respectively, extending from creases c12 and c13 defined along the opposite sides of the side panel 1c parallel to the creases a12 and a13. Such second side flaps 2c and 3c form the outer portions of the front face and of the rear face of the box, respectively.

The second side band Fc of the sheet F is connected to the central band Fa through a crease ad .

At the side of the second side panel 1c opposite the one for connecting to the central panel 1a, there is a second bottom flap 1e, constituting part of the base S1 of the box. Between the second bottom flap 1e and the second side panel 1 c there is a crease ce1.

A third bottom flap 3e extends from a crease ce3 coinciding with the side of the second rear side flap 3c opposite the rear central flap 3a. The third bottom flap 3e constitutes a bottom closing element of the rear face of the box.

Similarly, a fourth bottom flap 2e extends from a crease ce2 coinciding with the side of the second front side flap 2c opposite the front central flap 2a. The fourth bottom flap 2e constitutes a bottom closing element of the front face of the box.

According to the invention, on the second front side flap 2c and fourth bottom flap 2e, bridging the crease ce2, there is a substantially rectangular slot 6. At an inner edge 7 of said slot 6 parallel to the crease ce2 there is a first tongue 8 that has a first undercut 9 on its free end; the inner edge 7 acts as a crease for the first tongue 8.

On the first front side flap 2b, at the bottom end thereof, there are, in series, a fifth flap 2b' connected to the flap 2b through a crease bb'2, and a second tongue 2d connected to the fifth flap 2b' through a crease b'd2.

The second tongue 2d has a second undercut 10, which is associated, during the assembly of the box, with the first undercut 9 with opposite concavity, so as to define an opening 11 (clearly visible in figures 7 and 8) towards the inside of the box defined by the two opposite concavities. The tap R associated with the liquid-carrying bag L is inserted and locked in the opening 1 1 , as explained later on. The free ends of the second undercut 10 consist of end flaps 2d' that can be bent to act as a gluing base for the fourth bottom flap 2e.

With reference also to figure 8, during the assembly of the box, at its front bottom edge, which coincides with the crease ce2, a recess 12 is formed extending inwardly in the box and open both at the front and at the bottom, the edges of the recess 12 being formed from the edges of the slot 6.

The roof of the recess 12 is formed from the fifth flap 2b', whereas the back of the recess is formed from the two overlapping tongues 8 and 2d that also define the opening 11. As shown in figure 4, one end of the tap R is formed with a cylindrical joining portion R1 to a circular mouth defined on the bag L and, at the opposite end, the tap R has a small tube R2 ending with a rotating cap R3, which acts as a knob for controlling the opening of the tap. Between the tube R2 and the joining portion R1 there is a flange R4 suitable for abutting against the edges of the opening 11 , as explained hereafter.

The size of the recess 12 is such that the tap R does not protrude from it, in this way remaining completely inside the shape of the box. In particular, the depth of the recess is equal to or greater than the distance between the free end of the cap R3 and the flange R4.

The assembly of the box takes place, for the most part, according to substantially known ways. In the figures the assembly takes place with the b ox "upside down", i.e. with the top of the box (consisting of the central panel 1a of the blank) facing downwards. For example, figure 3 shows the box with the sides and the rear face (respectively consisting of the first side panel 1b, the second side panel 1c and the first and second bottom flap 1d and 1e) bent perpendicularly on the top. From this step, one continues with the creasing of the first front side flap 2b according to the arrow F1 to make the inside of the front face of the box; then the second front side flap 2c is creased according to the arrow F2 to lay it over the first front side flap 2b.

At this point, as can be seen in figure 5, the fourth bottom flap 2e is creased forwards and the tap R is inserted from above inside the second undercut 10 of the second tongue 2d. It should be noted how such a second undercut 10 consists of an initial part 10' converging inwardly and a final part 10" shaped according to a rectangular shape, on the edges of which abut suitable abutments defined on the side of the flange R4 facing towards the joining portion R1 ; this side abuts against the second tongue 2d. Adhesive can be applied between the flange R4 and the second tongue 2d. It should be noted how the arrangement of the tap on the second tongue 2d is made easier by the converging concavity of the seat in which it is arranged, which in practice is self-centring; such a characteristic allows the tap to be associated with the box in an automated manner, since possible slight deviations in position of the automatic machine with respect to the position of the box are recovered thanks to the self-centring determined by the shape of the concave portion 10 in which the tap must be inserted.

At this point the fourth bottom flap 2e is bent to lay over the end flaps 2d\ where it is locked, for example by gluing. At the same time the first tongue 8 is creased until it lies over the second tongue 2d, fixing it on it for example through adhesive, sandwiching the flange R4 of the tap between them, with possible interposition of further adhesive, as shown in figures 6 and 7. Then the fifth flap 2b^! is bent inwards around the crease bb'2 until it is taken into a position substantially perpendicular to the front face of the box to form the roof of the recess 11 , whereas the tongue 2d withdraws towards the inside maintaining a trim parallel to the front face of the box and forming the back of the recess, as can be seen in figure 8. Finally, the flaps 2e and 3a are bent inwards, above which the bottom flaps

1 d and 1 e are bent to close the bottom of the box.

At the recess 12 the bottom flaps 1d and 1e have a profile shaped so as to reproduce the inner profile of the flap 2e and thus keep the recess 12 open towards the bottom. In order to make it easier to move the package, on the front face of the box there is a through slot P that allows the insertion of a person's finger, thus defining a grip portion; such a slot P consists of three openings P' defined on the flaps 2a, 2b and 2c that overlap in the assembly stage. A mobile wing 15 is foreseen on the opening P¹ formed on the flap 2c to close the access to the inside of the box. In the preferred version, the recess 12 is formed on the front face of the box, at the bottom edge of the face, and therefore it is open both at the front and at the bottom. To use the package, it is sufficient for the user to place a container under the box at the recess and open the tap.

The same shape of box can also be achieved with another type of blank of the sheet of punched cardboard. For example, figure 9 shows an alternative blank to the one illustrated previously, devised for manual attachment of the tap. In this case, the side wall of the box is made from panels 21a, 21b and 21c arranged adjacent in series along the same central band Fx and from two end flaps 20b and 20c, whereas the base and the top of the box are formed from flaps 22a, b, c and 23a, b, c extending along the two opposite longitudinal sides of such the central band Fx.

In particular, the front face of the box, on which the recess 12 is made, is formed from the two front flaps - a first front flap 20b and a second front flap 20c, respectively, extending from the ends of the central band Fx.

A first bottom flap 2Oe is flexibly connected to the second front flap 20c along a crease ce20 formed on a longitudinal side thereof. A second bottom flap 2Of is flexibly connected to the first bottom flap 2Oe through a crease ce20 parallel to the crease ef20. A third bottom flap 2Og is flexibly connected to the second bottom flap 2Of through a crease fg20 parallel to the crease ef20. On the second bottom flap a substantially rectangular slot 29a is formed defining the opening of the recess in which the tap is inserted. The three flaps 2Oe, 2Of and 2Og as a whole constitute a tongue 24 that, bent inside the box, forms the roof and the back of the recess. A fourth bottom flap 2Oh is flexibly connected to the first front flap 20b along a crease bh20 formed on a longitudinal side thereof. A second tongue 25 bridging the crease bh20 is formed through tear-off lines extending on the flaps 20b and 2Oh.

The tongue 25 is flexibly connected to the first front flap 20b along a crease 26 parallel to the crease bh20 with a first tongue portion thereof 25a. A second tongue portion 25b is flexibly connected to the first tongue portion 25a through a crease 27 parallel to the crease 26. A third tongue portion 25c is flexibly connected to the second tongue portion 25b through a crease 28. On the second tongue portion 25b a substantially oval opening 29b is formed defining the opening of the recess in which the tap is inserted. The formation of the recess 12 takes place in a substantially similar way to that described previously. After having laid the first front flap 20b over the second front flap 20c and having fixed them together, the fourth bottom flap 2Oh and the second tongue 25 are bent outwards. Then, the first bottom flap 2Oe is bent inwards at 90° also making the second bottom flap 2Of translate inwards parallel to itself. Then the tap is manually inserted in the opening 29a possibly fixing its flange to the second bottom flap 2Of with adhesive. At this point the first tongue portion 25a is bent inwards until it lies over the first bottom flap 2Oe thus forming the roof of the recess 12. The second tongue portion 25b translates until it lays over the second bottom edge 2Of so as to engage the tap in the opening 29b and to form the base of the recess 12. The flange of the tap is sandwiched and possibly fixed with adhesive between the second bottom flap 2Of and the second tongue portion 25b. Finally, the fourth bottom flap 2Oh is fixed through gluing to the third bottom flap 2Og, bent parallel to the first bottom flap 2Oe, and the base of the box is completed by flipping up the flaps 22b, 22a and 22c in succession and fixing them through gluing.

In the case illustrated in figure 9, the flaps constituting the base are configured so as to allow the mechanical assembly of the base itself in a substantially known way. The configuration of the flaps adapted to manual assembly of the base is not illustrated since it is obvious for a person skilled in the art.

It should be noted how, in this embodiment, the insertion of the tap takes place according to a direction perpendicular to the plane of the opening in which it has to be locked, whereas in the embodiment according to figures 1-8, the insertion takes place in practice in a direction parallel to the plane of the locking opening; indeed, in this case, the tap is inserted through a self-centring concave portion defined on the plane of the opening.

The cardboard used to make the box can be of various types, according to the needs. For example, in the embodiment illustrated in figures 1-8, single-layer corrugated cardboard is preferably used. Hereafter, examples of blanks of boxes according to the invention are shown, which can also be made with compact cardboard. In the embodiment of figure 9, in which the walls of the recess 12 are reinforced, compact cardboard can also be used.

Figure 10 shows the blank 3F of a third embodiment of box according to the invention, which is similar to the one according to figures 1-8. In this embodiment, the crease areas between the panels 32a and 32b, defining the opposite sides of the box, and the panels 30a-30b and 31a-31b, respectively defining the front face of the box, on which the recess for the tap will be formed, and the rear face of the box, respectively consist of flaps 33a, 33b and 34a, 34b shaped like a squashed lens, i.e. flaps defined by correspondingly interfacing concave creases. Such lenticular flaps in practice constitute the vertical edges of the box. The lenticular configuration of the edges allows to limit the possible side swelling that can occur in the case in which the liquid-carrying bag is filled excessively or is squashed. The edges of the box are therefore flattened (they consist of the flaps 33a, 33b and 34a, 34b) and curved inwards. The flattening of the edges gives the box a particular resistance to knocks.

Figure 11a shows the blank 4F of a fourth embodiment of box according to the invention, which is a variant of the one illustrated in figure 10. In this example, the panels 42a and 42b define the opposite sides of the box. The panels 40a-40b and 41a-41 b define respectively the front face, on which the recess for the tap will be formed, and the rear face of the box.

Panels 42a and 42b are connected to panels 40a, 40b by creases 44a, 44b and to panels 41a, 41 b by creases 45a, 45b. Creases 44a, 44b and 45a, 45b extend convexly towards the inside of the panels 42a and 42b. In this way, once the box is assembled, its front and rear faces are convex. Also in this case, the convex shape of the box due to the convexity of the sides helps to withstand the possible side swelling in the case of filling or squashing of the liquid-carrying bag. In order to strengthen the recess area in the case of accidental falling of the box, a corner portion 43 of the sheet 4F is detached and glued in the area that will define the top of the recess. In figure 1 1 b the arrangement of the portion 43 on the area of the recess is outlined with a broken line.

Figure 12 shows the blank 5F of a fifth embodiment of box according to the invention. In this case, which structurally is similar to the embodiment of figure 9, even if intended for automatic insertion of the bag and of the relative tap, still with the purpose of strengthening the front area of the box in the case of knocks or falling, the blank is formed from three central panels 51 b, 51 d and 51 c, intended to form the side and rear faces of the box, and from another three panels that lay over one another to make up the front face of the box. In particular, two adjacent panels 51e and 51f and a panel 51 a on the opposite side of the sheet 5F are foreseen. In this case the panel 51 e is arranged between the panel 51f, on which the opening 53 for the insertion of the tap is formed, and the panel 51 a that is laid over it. The tabs 52 of the panel 51 e reinforce the mouth of the recess 12. Figures 13 and 14 show two blanks 6F and 7F of a sixth and seventh embodiment of box according to the invention having different outer shapes to the parallelepiped rectangular one. In particular, the blanks 6F and 7F refer to boxes with a substantially triangular parallelepiped shape or in any case with sides angled not at a right angle. The triangular flaps 60a and 60b (70a and 70b) constitute the front and rear faces, respectively, of the box. Three rectangular panels 61 a, 61 b, 61 c (71 a, 71 b, 71 c) are also foreseen to connect the triangular flaps in pairs through respective creases. The end panel 61a (71a) laying over a fourth opposite panel 61 d (71 d) forms the base of the box. These panels have shaped flaps 60a, 64 (70a, 74) like in the previous versions for the formation of the recess 12, whereas the two intermediate panels 61b, 61c (71 b, 71c) form the sides of the box.

In the blank of figure 14, to reinforce the edges of the box, the panels 71a- 71 d are flexibly connected together through crease flaps 72, for which reason the edges of the box are flattened. One of the intermediate panels 71 b is divided into two parts by a crease 73 to allow the blank to be bent into squashed position. The formation of the recess 12, suitable for automatic insertion of the tap, takes place like in the previous versions. Furthermore, figures 15 and 16 show two blanks 8F and 9F of an eighth and ninth embodiment of box according to the invention particularly suitable for automated assembly with compact cardboard.

In these two versions similar to the one of figure 12, two different ways of reinforcing the recess 12 are foreseen. In the embodiment of figure 15, the tongue 82, which forms the top and the base of the recess 12, is formed on the panel 81e so that, when the tongue 82 withdraws inside the box, two tabs 83 remain on the panel 81 e, which, laying over corresponding tabs 84 of the panel 81a, reinforce the mouth of the recess increasing the resistance to perimetric compression. In the embodiment according to figure 16, on the other hand, the tongue 92 is formed on the panel 91 e so that, when the tongue 92 withdraws inside the box, a tab 93 remains on the panel 91 e, with perimetric reinforcement function like in the previous case, but providing a tongue portion 92a of greater extension for the formation of the top of the recess and thus of greater consistence to support the weight of the bag.

It is to be noted that other embodiments are possible, for example with the recess defined in other positions. In an alternative embodiment, for example, the recess can be made at the centre of the front face and be of greater height than that of the previous examples, defining, in addition to a top and a back, also a rest base for the container to be filled.

In practice, it has been noted how the invention achieves the set purposes. Indeed, the box according to the invention makes it possible to provide a package in which the tap does not project from the shape of the box, with great advantage for its storage and handling. Moreover, the particular structure of the blank of the box allows a package to be made in a completely automated manner, with creasing machines and machines that allows a precise coupling of the tap, with the relevant bag, with the box.

The box thus conceived can undergo numerous modifications and variants, all of which are covered by the same inventive concept; moreover, all of the details can be replaced with other technically equivalent elements, without for this reason departing from the scope of protection of the invention as defined in the attached claims.

In practice, the materials used, provided that they are compatible with the specific use, as well as the sizes, can be whatever according to requirements and the state of the art.

Claims

1. Cardboard box (S) for containing liquid-carrying bags (L) equipped with a dispensing tap (R), comprising a base (S1), a side wall (S3) and a top (S2), an opening (11) being provided on said side wall (S3) for the stable insertion of said tap (R), characterised in that on said side wall (S3) an inwardly extending recess (12) is provided open at its front side suitable for containing said tap (R) so that it is inside said recess (12).

2. Cardboard box according to claim 1 , wherein said recess (12) is defined at the bottom edge (ce2) of the box and is open both at the front side and bottom side.

3. Cardboard box according to claim 2, wherein said recess (12) is defined at the bottom edge (ce2) of a face of the side wall (S3).

4. Cardboard box according to any one of the previous claims, wherein said recess (12) has a roof (2b¹, 2Oe, 25a) and a back (2d, 8; 2Of, 25b) on which said opening (11) is defined.

5. Cardboard box according to claim 4, wherein said back is formed from at least one flap (2d) on which an undercut (10) is defined, open at one end, defining at least part of said opening (11), suitable for receiving said tap (R).

6. Cardboard box according to claim 5, wherein said back is also formed from a tongue (8) on which a further undercut (9) is defined, also open at one end, said flap (2d) with said undercut (10) and said tongue (8) with said further undercut (9) being suitable for being overlapped when the box is mounted, with said undercuts (9, 10) opposite one another to define said opening (11).

7. Cardboard box according to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the front face of said box is formed from a flap (2c) from which extends a bottom flap (2e) that constitutes a bottom closing element of the front face of the box, a slot (6) being formed bridging the crease (ce2) between said flap (2c) and said bottom flap (2e), which defines the edges of said recess (12).

8. Cardboard box according to claim 4, wherein said back is formed from two overlapping flaps (2Of, 25b) extending flexibly from the respective two flaps (2Oe, 25a), also overlapping and forming the roof of the recess and extending flexibly from respective front flaps (20b, 20c) forming the front face of the box, said opening being formed from a slot (29a) formed on one of said flaps (2Of) forming said back and from an opening (29b) formed on the other of said flaps (25b) forming said back, the tap of said bag being arranged so as to pass through said slot (29a) and said opening (29b) and being fixed to said flaps (2Of, 25b).

9. Cardboard box according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the edges delimiting the front and rear faces from the relevant sides are formed from flattened lenticular flaps (33a, 33b, 34a, 34b).

10. Cardboard box according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the edges (44a, 44b, 45a, 45b) delimiting the front and rear faces from the relevant sides are convex towards the inside of said sides, whereby said faces are convex.

1 1. Cardboard box according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the front face thereof is formed from two adjacent panels (51e, 51f) folded over on one another and from a third panel (51a) overlapping said panels folded over on one another.

12. Cardboard box according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the flaps (2b, 2c; 30a, 30b; 40a, 40b) intended to be overlapped to form the front face of the box extend along the same side of the relative blank (F, 3F, 4F).

13. Cardboard box according to any one of claims 1 to 11 , wherein the flaps (20b, 20c; 51f, 51 a; 61d, 61a; 71d, 71a; 81e, 81a; 91e, 91a) intended to be overlapped to form the front face of the box extend along opposite sides of the relative blank (2F, 5F, 6F, 7F, 8F, 9F).

14. Liquid-carrying package of the type consisting of a box (S) according to any one of the previous claims and a liquid-carrying bag (L) equipped with a dispensing tap (R), wherein said tap is inserted in said recess (12) and is completely inside the outer shape of said box (S).